The Illuminati had been bold, pulling the strings behind everything and leading the world into a spiral of hatred toward augs. From Talos Rucker being assassinated, enabling Allison Stanek to create her cult, Tai Yong Medical's depraved experiments that led to a new Harvester... just how much of it was planned, though?

Adam mused to himself on the elevator ride down to TF29 headquarters, piecing together the puzzle in his mind. Supposedly they were getting a new recruit today, a highly skilled personal trainer with a specialty in bringing down augmented people. Miller said it was due to the rise in augmented terrorism, and Adam reluctantly agreed. His boss seemed to have a new respect for augmented rights after Adam used the Orchid antidote on him, saved the delegates, and took Marchenko alive.

"They're scared, and not as well equipped to take on a walking tank like Marchenko without their own augments," he frowned into his coffee, taking another sip, "I doubt I would have been able to take him down if I didn't have the experimental augs. I need to find out who the hell did this to me, and why."

Upon the doors opening Adam was greeted by Aria, breaking him away from his thoughts as she ecstatically relayed the news of the new recruit. "Adam! Did you hear? We've got another augmented member of the task force!"

"I didn't hear anything about that. He any good?"

"She already took on MacReady in the training room," her voice lowered to a whisper, though a smile stayed on her lips, "and won."

MacReady getting knocked down a peg? This he had to see. "I see. Must have been a low blow to be taken down so easily."

"Hah. He just chalked it up to her having augments. That's her big thing I guess. Made a killing in the private sector before the Incident. With augments becoming popular she marketed herself as a training partner to showcase common augments someone might come up against."

"Now I know why Miller wanted her on the team. I'd be a bit much for most of them to spar with."

"Yeah and I'm, well..." Aria trailed off. "You know, 'low-stress situations' only."

"Give it time, Aria, they'll see your potential one of these days. I'm going to go see how much of a challenge our new trainer is."

Aria nodded, calling after him. "Tell Theia I said hi!"

Theia. He knew someone with that name once. A long time ago, back before Megan, before S.W.A.T., hell, back before he even really knew what he wanted to do with his life. One of the few friends he made as a child, and they were thick as thieves before her family split and she had to move away.

"No way it's her. Must be a common name in the Czech Republic."

He was broken from his reverie once he stepped into the training room. The new girl was taking on another task force member, giving pointers every time she blocked a move or managed to dodge.

But it was her.

Her hair was dyed a different color but her face was still so familiar it was haunting. As she brought her opponent down onto the mat her eyes flicked up to meet his own, further cementing the fact that this woman was her. Those deep blue eyes that he always used to find otherworldly; it was like she had walked right out of his memories. Give or take a couple decades of time doing it's work.

He didn't know how to best bring it up to her, but he just had to know.


"Alright! Good job, but one major problem. You're giving too much advance notice as to what you're about to do." Theia took a cloth to her brow, wiping away the sweat. "You're practically announcing your moves. And you hesitate." She made a quick jab toward her new student, causing him to flinch. "Your enemy won't hesitate. You need to break that habit."

As the other man walked away, giving Adam a look of exhaustion as he passed, Adam cleared his throat to get her attention.

"Ah, you must be the other augmented person on the task force." She gave him a bright smile as she held out her, obviously augmented, hand to him. "Theia, Theia Hawkes. I gotta say you've got some impressive looking augs."

Same first name, same last name. And those eyes, locked onto his unflinchingly with an air of confidence, it was her. A ghost from his past walking up to him out of the blue. No way this was coincidence. His face did not betray his inner maelstrom of emotions as he took her hand calmly and gave it a firm shake.

"Adam. Adam Jensen."

One of her eyebrows arched up in curiosity as she spoke. "Interesting name... got family in the Detroit area?"

"I grew up in Detroit, actually. Suburbs at least."

Theia put one hand on her hips, looking up at his eyes through his shades. "This is probably going to sound weird, then, if you're not who I think you are but... your parents were Arthur and Margie, right?"

"Yeah. So... you really are her." Adam felt his breath catch in his throat, barely retaining his stoic composure as Theia's arms wrapped around his torso in a tight hug.

"Adam Jensen! Holy shit I haven't seen you in years!" Her sapphire eyes looked him up and down before she chuckled softly. "You must have hit a huge growth spurt because I distinctly remember being taller than you last time we met."

Adam couldn't help but smirk at the memories that brought up. "You were a whole half inch taller than me. And we were fourteen so it doesn't really count." A slight sigh escaped his lips, pleasant memories running through his mind. "It's been ages, Theia."

"Yeah, no shit." She pulled away, still giving him that warm smile that never seemed to leave her lips. "So, did you get run over by a train without me there? You've got more hardware than a tank!"

"Long story." He was suddenly very aware of the stares they were getting from those still in the training room. "Want to talk more later? I have to go report some stuff to Miller."

"Sure! Take my number, we've got a lot of catching up to do!"

"Yeah, see you around, Theia."

Adam left the room, running a hand through his hair as his head spun from the tidal wave of emotions running through his brain. Shaking his head slightly Adam walked away and towards Miller's office. It couldn't just be coincidence, could it? Or was the Illuminati digging up his past and trying to fuck with him? Either way, he would have to investigate.