[Lauchenoiria]

Jensala, Fleura Province

The news from Carville had reached the group in the early hours of the morning, and they were feeling dejected as they stumbled upon the village.

"I know this place," Moore stared at the rows of small houses, "this is Jensala, where my grandparents lived."

"That could be a problem. Does anyone you knew still live here?" Sonja asked.

"I doubt it. Anyone I knew would be well into their 90s by now."

"I suppose we'll have to risk it," said Sonja, gritting her teeth. The group headed down to the village. From the hill they had been standing on, they could see the whole place. It couldn't have had more than a thousand inhabitants, at most. The people they met didn't pay them any attention.

"It looks exactly the same," marvelled Moore. It was like stepping back in time. The village appeared to be completely untouched by the war. Surrounded on three sides by the Fleurian Forest and on the fourth by farmland, the village was incredibly isolated. She remembered getting trains to visit her grandparents; if you missed one, another wouldn't be around for three hours.

The group sat down outside a cafe and Peter, the least recognisable of the group, ordered food. They were all on edge, being so surrounded by people, but Sonja figured that anyone living in the village wouldn't want to bring trouble, even if they were recognised.

"Laura, dear!" an ancient looking woman in a mobility scooter stopped beside the group. They all jumped. "How lovely to see you! How's your mum?"

"Oh! Mrs Stewart! Um..." Moore looked nervously at Sonja who gave her a warning glance. "She's... she's fine. Travelling."

"And how's university? Studying hard?"

"Um, I graduated. Years ago."

"Really!? Oh that's wonderful! Well done! And how's that boy you were seeing... Phil, was it?"

"Felipe. And, um, we're married."

"Oh, congratulations! Although, don't you think you're a little young?"

"Um..."

"Ma!" came a voice as a woman looking old enough to be retired herself hurried over. "Come on, you're going to be late for lunch."

"Hello, dear! Look who it is, Laura McLean, Jeanette McLean's granddaughter."

Laura and the woman's eyes met, and recognition dawned on the woman's face. Laura noticed and froze.

"Moore now, isn't it?" the woman said, carefully neutral. "I was sorry to hear about your husband."

Laura's heart skipped a beat.

"What... what about my husband?"

"Haven't you heard? Oh, Laura, I'm so sorry. He was in Summersea Prison."

"Wait, what? He was arrested? Chaher, I swear..."

"Oh no, that wasn't what I meant honey. He was there when... when Skoden attacked."

"So they freed him? Oh, thank goodness."

"No, no, oh you're really out of the loop aren't you? They destroyed that place, with everyone inside. Didn't want any word getting out about what they're really doing in Summersea."

"What...?"

"Laura, we need to go. Now," urged Sonja. Laura ignored her. She took the smartphone the woman, Katie, she vaguely remembered, and covered her mouth gasping when she saw the video of Summersea Federal Detention Facility up in smoke. She googled her husband's name and read through the headlines mentioning his demise, when something caught her eye. '... children of Laura and Felipe Moore...". She clicked on it.

She was frozen as she watched the video of Chaher's speech.

"... need to go..."
"... police will be here soon..."
"Laura!"

The voices washed over her, and someone tried to grab her arm and pull her away. She shrugged it off. The video finished and she screamed in anger and despair.

Half the village was out now, watching the frantic ex-prime minister see Chaher threatening her family. A teenager started filming on his phone. Sonja collected the rest of the group and ordered them to run. She grabbed Moore, snatched the phone out of her hand and gave it back to Katie Stewart. Moore came to her senses and ran too, and the group exited the village back into the forest.