The question hung in the air, a weight that made her heart pound against her ribs. Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill over. It felt like a betrayal, a silent accusation against her own sister. She knew she should be supportive, but the thought of Daniel going to the city filled her with dread. It was a death sentence, a path paved with danger.
"No, that's not what I'm saying," she stammered, her voice choked with emotion. "I'm just trying to tell you that you're making a mistake. Please listen to me. We're talking about my sister here. I would gladly give my life for her, but you know that's not an option. You have a destiny."
Daniel cut her off, his voice firm and resolute. "Yes, I know I have a destiny, but what you need to understand is that it's my destiny, not yours. I choose what I do, and what I don't do. I appreciate your advice, but this is part of my destiny. Saving people, no matter the risk. If I die for it, then I die. That's what my destiny calls for. I won't run away from my duties. If I run away from everything that could make me die, then what exactly is my destiny? What am I supposed to do? Sit here and be safe?"
His words struck her like a bolt of lightning. She opened her mouth to respond, but no sound came out. The weight of his words, the passion in his voice, left her speechless. She simply opened her mouth, raised her hand, and swallowed back the lump in her throat.
Daniel, sensing her distress, held back the sharp retort that threatened to escape his lips. He understood her fear. He knew she was only trying to protect her sister, and he couldn't blame her. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He touched her shoulder gently, a silent gesture of understanding.
His hands rested gently on her shoulders, his gaze unwavering as he met her tear-filled eyes. The sadness in her eyes was a physical ache, a reflection of the love she held for him. He saw it all, the fear, the desperate plea, the unspoken words that whispered of a love she couldn't deny. She was trying to protect him, to shield him from the danger that lurked in the city. He was the city's hope, the future they all clung to, and she wouldn't let anything happen to him.
"Look, I'm not angry," he said softly, his voice a balm to her troubled heart. "I know you'd risk your life for your sister, and I see that you're trying to convince me not to go. But I can see into your mind."
His words pierced her, shattering the illusion of privacy she'd held so tightly. Tears streamed down her face as she met his gaze.
"Why would you even think of this?" He whispered, his voice barely a breath. "You know you'll die out there, alone. There's no chance of you coming back safe. And you know I have a chance, a possibility of returning alive. Yet you want to risk your life?"
Tina stared at him, her mind reeling. He wasn't just strong, he wasn't just skilled. He could read minds. He knew her thoughts, her fears, her desperate plan to go alone. How could he possibly know? She hadn't even hinted at it, hadn't let her thoughts wander in that direction.
It was a selfless act, a desperate gamble. She wouldn't risk the city, wouldn't risk the hope they all clung to, for her sister's sake. If she could go, save her sister, and bring her back, even if it cost her own life, it would be worth it. But if Daniel dies on the proces, if he didn't come back, they were all doomed. The city, her sister, their future – all lost.
Her plan was simple, yet fraught with risk. If she could convince Daniel to stay, to abandon the mission to save her sister, then everyone would relax, assuming the danger had passed. She could then slip away, leaving them to their false sense of security. She knew the odds were stacked against her. If she went, she wouldn't return unscathed. She would be wounded, perhaps even fatally, but she's prepared to take the risk and do it alone.
"Daniel, please, I'm begging you," she pleaded, her voice trembling. "You don't have to do this. It's my responsibility. She's my sister, my blood. You need to focus on your own mission. You have things to fulfill, and saving my sister isn't part of them."
Daniel's eyes narrowed as she spoke, his patience wearing thin. He hated the way she dismissed his purpose, his destiny. Saving people was the core of who he was, the very essence of his being. He didn't care if they deserved to be saved, if they were good or bad. He saved them all, gave them another chance. Just like these guys he met inside the prison, most of them didn't deserve to live, they deserved to die. But he'd given them a chance to work for the good of the community, but now they have refused to work with him.
He can't see them being any better, he saw the greed in their eyes, the selfishness that masked their true intentions. He knew they were just waiting for the right moment to betray him, to turn on him, but still yet he's still giving them the chance, maybe if they won't be helping in this one because it's too risky, they will help in another one.
But the fact is that all the missions that needs to be completed in other to make this city a better place are all risky and If none of them were willing to risk their lives for his mission, then how could they possibly change the city's fate? 
Although, he couldn't force them, couldn't make them sacrifice themselves. He knew they were all afraid to die, and he understood their fear. He was taking the biggest risk of his life, not just against the authorities, but against the entire system, which wanted him dead.
He couldn't call these ones greedy for not going with him, not yet. They hadn't done anything wrong. Their reluctance to join him was understandable. He was the one taking the biggest risk, the one putting himself in the line of fire.
"Tina, I'm sorry, but saving your sister is part of my duty," he said, his voice firm. "You always talk about my destiny, but what is it? What does it mean? Am I supposed to stay here and hide from danger?"
"Your destiny is to go out there and save people, to save everyone who deserves to be safe," Tina said, her voice laced with desperation. "Your sister is one of them. She's not just a sister, she's your loved one. If she dies, it will affect you and in that process it will affect us because you won't be helping better anymore. And you need to understand that you're not going out there with me. Don't even think about sneaking out. It won't be possible."
She gripped his shoulders, her fingers digging into his flesh, a desperate plea in her eyes. She knew he wouldn't listen, knew he was determined to save her sister, even if it meant sacrificing himself.
The thought of Daniel risking his life for her sister, while she sat safely inside, was unbearable. She was the real sister, the one who should be out there, fighting for her family. She was the reason he was going, and she would go with him. If anything happened to him, she would be there to protect him, no matter the cost.
"Daniel, I've told you before, you're not going," she said, her voice firm. "But if you insist, there's no way you're going to stop me from going with you. We're talking about my sister here. I won't stay here and watch you go out there alone. I'll go with you, or you won't go at all. If I discover you've left without me, I'll sneak out of this place, and you know what will happen to me. It's your choice."