A/N: Took me forever to get this exactly right. Went through more versions than you can count. Much thanks to Marti and Icy for beta-ing. While my Maine's personality and backstory was not intentionally influenced by reading Prodigal Son (which for the record I still haven't finished) the decision to use Sigma as Maine's AI is completely thanks to MissZarah.
Men are not prisoners of fate, but prisoners of their own minds. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt
"Good morning, Agent Maine."
No. It was too fucking early to be morning. Or too late. Either way, he was too tired, his body ached too much and he wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with his face buried in his pillow.
"It is ten o'clock in the morning, Agent Maine. You have been asleep for approximately fifty hours."
"What?"
"Do not be alarmed. I have been informed that the implantation and the trials you faced beforehand can be quite draining on the human body. I have also been informed that you will regain your memories of these experiences shortly, perhaps when your brainwaves are more active."
But he was barely able to comprehend that, rubbing off the yellow crust that had built up in the corners of his eyes, blinking dazedly at the little purple and pink figure projecting itself onto his nightstand.
"So you're…?" He trailed off, his mind a giant blank. Whoever it was, they had been right about the memories, considering he couldn't recall a damn thing.
"Intelligence Program Sigma. Though we have already been acquainted, it is a pleasure to re-introduce myself to you, Agent Maine."
"Yeah. Okay. Uh, nice to meet you too, I guess."
Sigma.
As soon as it said it's name-was it an it? Or a he? Or even a she?-everything came rushing back. The ever ticking clock, running so fast he was practically gliding across the slick floors of their hostages' prison. The rush of joy when he found her, taking her into his arms without thinking.
Implantation. The needles, those damn needles, shiny and deadly and terrifying, sticking into his arm before he could fight back. Dizzy. Dreaming. Waking in an unfamiliar room. Seeing it- god damn what was he supposed to call it- greet into dreams, back into his own room, that stupid, creaking, lumpy bed that he never realized how much he had missed.
Connecticut. Her soft handwriting across pages and leather. Poems, secrets. Sides he never saw in her; didn't even think to see.
Then there was Cali. Cali…something about Cali.
But he couldn't put his finger whatever it was, and he sighed, throwing the mess of pillows and blankets that had landed on the floor back on his unmade bed. His head was beginning to throb again and he seriously considered crawling back under those covers and sleeping for another fifty hours. Or possibly forever.
"Agent Maine, I would not advise you to take that path as it could have untoward consequences. Judging by your file, you have experienced too many of those consequences for one such as myself to feel entirely comfortable with." The AI paused, and if it was possible for a computer program to be amused, Maine swore that it was. "And for future reference, Agent Maine, I am indeed female."
He placed his hand to his forehead, the room spinning sideways. "Good to know."
"I am glad to assist you, Agent Maine." The sound of her voice made him even more disoriented, and although his stomach was painfully empty he tried to resist the need to retch all over the floor. He took a deep breath, his throat dry and his words hoarse.
"Sigma?"
"Yes?"
"Can you do me a favor and stop being so damn formal?"
"I will try my best to do so, Agent Maine."
"Yeah, I see you're working real hard at that." He rolled his eyes. "And Sigma?"
"Yes?"
"Call me Maine."
"Archived and noted, Maine."
"Thanks."
Its name was Theta. And it was complete fucking bullshit, as far as South was concerned. It was a sickly shade of mustard yellow, and had a tinny, high pitched voice—one that she was doomed to hear far too often as her idiotic twin loved showing it off, the figure now a constant appearance near his left shoulder.
"Seriously, can you turn it off for five goddamn seconds?" South was getting close to pleading by now, though she would break the stupid thing before she'd succumb to begging.
"Theta's not an it, Cass. Theta is a he."
"Yeah, now that we've cleared that matter of burning importance up, can you turn him off, then?" South crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Theta. It was bad enough that as soon as North had been sent off for implantation she had been informed that she wasn't "ready for the strenuous responsibilities and mental stability required to host an Artificial Intelligence unit and will be placed in the next implant group". Now, however, she was forced to share a room with him, of all people!
Yeah, sure, she wouldn't miss Tex much. But she had grown used to- even enjoying- the company of Georgia and Carolina. Now Carolina would be sharing a room with York and Georgia…well, South didn't want to think about that more than necessary.
When South had asked (and by asked meaning protested loudly) the Councilor why the sudden shift in rooming assignments, she hadn't gotten a single response. Well, a single response worth remembering. Instead it was the usual veiled words that could mean everything or nothing at all, in a tone that made South want to go to sleep.
"Agent North Dakota, it appears my presence is causing a severe amount of disturbance in Agent South Dakota—"
"Like hell it is!" South growled.
"—judging by her vital signs, particularly a rise in blood pressure. Therefore, I suggest that-"
"Fuck this." South walked away, wishing to she could talk to, or hell, even see the one person who may possibly understand, but that could never happen.
Not anymore.
"Yes!"
"Targets eliminated, 95% efficiency. Thirty two shots fired, consider reloading before next simulation."
With recklessness flooding through every inch of her body, California ducked behind a faux- green tree in their large practice facility. Previously the area had been restricted to recruits with AI, and Cali had felt a rushed mix of excitement, nerves and superiority as she had her dog tags scanned.
Some of the others who had been implanted—her roommate New Jersey among them—were still having difficulties with adjusting to their AI but Cali warmed up to Xi right away, the attraction stronger than she would have thought. Xi filled up empty parts of her that had never been allowed to shine through before, making Cali realize the depth of the experiences she had missed so much. Every sense was heightened, her decisions quicker and more carefree, bold and unafraid of the consequences. With Xi Cali felt she could become the woman she always wanted to be, no longer able to be controlled by any man in her life.
If only they could see me now. Her father, her former fiance, all looking for a way to keep her tamed and in her place. Her place was here, independent being the best she could be, not subservient to someone else.
Cali heard a muffled string of curses to the right and was assaulted by a blast of rubber bullets. She ran to the other side of the compound, avoiding the hail of gunfire. Unfortunately, despite Xi's stream of whispered instructions, Cali overshot her intended cover spot by at least fifteen feet and slipped, landing on her back. Two pairs of boots swam in her line of vision, one of which slammed down onto her throat, hard.
Cali whelped in pain, barely able to let out the smallest of breaths. "What…" Her eyesight was distorted but she could see the light green of Tennessee's armor, as well as the ruby wine tint of Massachusetts. "Tenn? Massa?" Tennessee crushed his boot toe into her throat like he was grounding out a cigarette. Her mind tried to make sense out of the viciousness of their attack but Cali could think of nothing except pain, and the desperate struggle for air.
"Alarm!" Before her, Xi flashed between his normal ice blue color and a garish salmon. The call was ear splittingly shrill, and normally Cali would have been annoyed but she felt as though she were underwater, noises and sensation sluggish and distilled. She floated inside herself, her limbs lighter and lighter as her lungs struggled to greedily grasp molecules of oxygen. Her helmet had been pulled off by rough, calloused hands and the harsh lighting from above made Cali wince and close her eyes.
Everything was receding; memories turned into vivid scraps of sense, backwards in time but to Cali, her reality.
Maine finding her in the hostage base, how she had lost control again at the sight of him, instincts she had never realize she possessed until she was on top of him, so close to the unthinkable. Hesitation, double thinking. Could she really go this far? What was she supposed to do? He kissed her again, shown her—oh, how he had shown her—everything in that moment, pain and lust, beginnings and endings, emotions she couldn't even put words into. Maine had whispered her name, "Shoshanna" in her ear and she never felt so connected to another person in her life. When his name escaped from her lips in a sigh she saw his grey eyes flash with something covetous, an expression within him she had never seen before. And maybe, just maybe, her thoughts told her, Connecticut had been right all along…
"I said get the hell off of her!"
The clatter of armor, and Cali's airway was clear once again, air rushing into her body and mind so quickly that she began to cough violently, like her lungs were being ripped apart. Her throat was raw; she could taste blood when she attempted to swallow.
Someone offered her their black gloved hand and she shook her head.
"It is perfectly safe, California. Agent New York merely wishes to assist you. I was able to get into contact with the Intelligence Program Delta while you were unconscious."
York? Cali's mind tried to make sense of that but Xi's words were too much for her to process in such a short amount of time.
"You okay, Cali?"
Cali blinked and the world seemed to be less fuzzy; she could now clearly make out York's tan armor and a green AI in Mark IV armor projected near his left shoulder.
"I'm fine," she said, this time taking his hand. He pulled her to her feet and she stumbled a little. Everything had seemed all right when she was flat on her back, but that didn't appear to be the case now that she was back on her feet. She licked her lips, the air around her head maddeningly cold as she realized with blind panic that her helmet was gone.
"Where's…?"
"Here," he said, giving her the helmet which she hugged to her body in a protective, child-like gesture.
"Thanks."
"Welcome." The AI on York's shoulder changed from green to white to green again in less than five seconds, and Cali's head pounded at the light.
"York, judging on a quick scan of Agent California's vital signs, I would suggest that you accompany her to the infirmary immediately."
"On it, D." York wrapped his arm around Cali's waist, and Cali flinched a little at the touch. He pulled away in an instant. "Oh, uh, sorry. You're just still a little unsteady on your feet there."
Cali shook her head and jammed her helmet on her head with more force than was necessary. She wanted—no, needed—Xi's voice now. "I'm fine."
"Don't think that will get me to dismiss taking you to the med bay to be checked out, Cali. Massachusetts and Tennessee did a hell of a number on you before D and I could get over there."
"D?" Cali repeated dumbly, feeling like a five year old again, having everything spelled out to her.
"Delta," York clarified. The tone in his voice was one of warmth and attachment, and Cali smiled a little at the affection.
"Oh. Yes. Of course." Maybe York feels the same way about Delta like I do about Xi, she thought. She wouldn't be surprised if that was the case; in their very brief flirtation she had seen what an affectionate person York was, how he drew people to him with a few kind words or a joke, yet managed to say driven and on course when he worked with Carolina . If anyone could bond with an AI, it would be him. "Where's 'Lina?" Cali asked, surprised that she wasn't by his side.
"Still with the Councilor. They're making more modifications with her armor; she's getting a new helmet for both of her AI."
"Both of her AI?" Suddenly Cali was lightheaded again, and not from her injuries. "Why are they giving her more than one?"
"I dunno." York shrugged his shoulders and Delta spoke up for him.
"The Councilor made the decision that Agent Carolina would be the perfect candidate to host two AI modules based on her battle ratings and psychological profile. Though I cannot say for certain, my deduction indicates this was triggered by Omega being reassigned from Agent Massachusetts back to Agent Texas once again."
Everything was going far too fast for Cali, and she could feel her knees going weak again. York pressed his hand against the small of her back to support her, and this time she didn't flinch. "Massa had Omega? When? I thought Omega was re-assigned from Tex to Tennessee, not Massachusetts."
The pair flashed their dog tags at the concealed door which opened to the rest of the Base.
"The implantation of Omega into Tennessee was not considered successful, and therefore Massachusetts was the next candidate." Delta answered her before York could, and she saw York shake his head in a good natured sort of way.
"So Massa and Tenn ganging up on me…?"
"Was most likely an after-effect of the implantation and removal of Omega." This time it was Xi's turn to finish her sentences for her.
"Here we are." York stopped in front of the med bay and on impulse, cupped her chin in his hands. "Take care of yourself, Cali."
She wrenched herself away from him, her voice gruff with repressed emotion. "I'm fine, York. I'll be fine."
She wondered if the more she said those words the more they would feel true.