San Francisco — 9:50 PM
The city lights of San Francisco shimmered like a thousand stars fallen to earth, casting long shadows down the Imperial avenues. Sarah sat forward in the passenger seat, tension growing in her voice.
"We need to lay low. Curfew hits in ten minutes. JPS enforces it hard."
Leo nodded, gripping the wheel tighter. "Where?"
She looked out the window and pointed toward the hillside mansions, separated from the rest of the city by black iron gates and manicured hedges. "Over there—the elite district. That's where the high-ranking government types live. Barely any Kempeitai patrol that far up."
He didn't question it.
The truck eased up the hill and quietly turned into one of the dark, flower-lined side streets. They parked under a tall pine. Leo leaned back, rubbing his face.
Suddenly, Sarah tensed. "Wait… is that—?"
She threw the door open before Leo could stop her and darted across the street toward a stone-walled residence. A figure had just exited—a tall older Japanese man dressed in an impeccable dark naval uniform. Behind him, a woman with flowing hair stepped out—Lilith Lin.
"LILITH!" Sarah shouted.
Both Lilith and the man froze. Lilith's eyes went wide, her mouth dropping slightly in shock. Sarah stormed across the street.
"What are you doing with him?! What the hell are you doing here!?"
The Vice Admiral blinked, expression unreadable.
Sarah didn't wait for answers—she slapped the Japanese officer across the face.
The sound cracked through the cold night air.
"Have you lost your mind!?" Lilith screamed, shoving Sarah backward with both hands. "What are you doing?!"
Sarah stumbled, stunned.
Leo ran across the street. "Sarah! We have to go. Now. Kempeitai's close!"
"I thought—he—he—" Sarah started.
"You thought wrong," Lilith hissed. "It's a secret date, Sarah. Stay out of my life."
Vice Admiral Takeshi Arimoto blinked once more, nodding in composed understanding, though his cheek was visibly red. He turned slightly—just as a squad of Kempeitai rounded the corner.
Sarah froze. Leo grabbed her arm. "Move!"
He yanked her toward the truck. Lilith glanced apologetically at Arimoto. "I'll handle this. Go inside."
By the time the Kempeitai reached the house, Arimoto stood alone in the garden. The patrol leader snapped a bow. "Vice Admiral Arimoto—any trouble?"
"No," he said flatly. "Nothing worth remembering."
The agents bowed again and dispersed.
In the truck, Sarah fumed as they sped off.
"You have no idea what you just did!" Lilith snapped at her sister.
"I thought he was—!"
"You don't even know who you just slapped!"
"Then tell me," Sarah fired back. "Tell me who he is!"
Lilith clammed up, arms folded.
Leo pulled the truck into an empty, darkened warehouse. Once the vehicle was inside, he slammed the metal door shut behind them. The echo rang across the cement walls.
"Both of you, shut up," he barked. "We're safe now. Arguing won't help."
Lilith muttered under her breath, sliding into the truck's rear bench. Sarah exhaled, fists clenched.
Yonkers – Auburn Nazi Maximum Prison
Four grey convoys rolled through the iron gates of Auburn Prison, an isolated facility once a prison for criminals, now converted into a detention center for resistance fighters.
Inside the steel-clad interrogation wing, screams echoed from behind reinforced walls. Blood stains marked the floors beneath hooks and broken tiles.
Ben sat slouched in a metal chair, arms bruised, face swollen. Her head hung low, but her eyes were still defiant.
SS-Obergruppenführer Imel entered quietly with Felton behind him.
"Leave us," Imel said to the guards. "Now."
The room emptied.
Imel stepped forward and looked her over.
"You fought with the Americans?" he asked.
No response.
"You served in the same army that lost."
Still no response.
He leaned in.
"We both know you're not broken. Not yet. But you will be."
Ben raised her eyes. "Then why are you letting me live?"
A small smirk crossed Imel's face.
"I'm not. I'm letting you wander. Let's see where the stray dog runs when it has no leash."
He stood.
"Felton. Mark her. Let her go."
Felton hesitated, then nodded.
Outside, as they walked back to the convoy, Felton raised an eyebrow.
"That was unexpected, sir."
"Even the worst of hounds, Felton, needs a tracking tag. If she runs, we'll find the pack."
Long Island – Lucy's Home
Lucy packed quietly, wiping her eyes as she reread the note from her husband. The handwriting was rushed, almost desperate.
"Lucy,
I've been reassigned to Virginia. I couldn't say no—too sudden, too important.
I'm sorry for the abrupt goodbye.
Love always,
Tyler."
She held the paper tightly in her hands, then looked out the window to see the waiting SS vehicle, engine humming.
Tears fell onto the note. She reached for another piece of paper, scrawled her own message hastily, sealed it in an envelope, and left it on the desk under a framed wedding photo.
"Tyler,
When you return, I won't be here. Berlin calls, and I can't ignore it anymore.
This isn't goodbye.
It's transformation."
She wiped her face, grabbed the box of supplies, and walked out.
Outside, one SS trooper took the box silently and placed it in the trunk. The other opened the car door. Lucy stepped in.
The driver looked at her through the mirror. "Next stop?"
She swallowed.
"Manhattan. SS Headquarters."
The vehicle pulled away as the streetlights blinked on behind them.