p class="MsoNormal"strongemspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chapter Twenty-Four/span/em/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"I'm so sorry guys. I keep trying with FF, but for some reason it keeps messing up the formatting. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Warning: Gore, body horror, and canon-typical violence! /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"The next day, Wren awoke from surgery to find Elijah Kamski's face staring down at her. He smiled pleasantly as Wren sat up, feeling a bit sore, but she'd suffered worse. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'm pleased to announce that we successfully removed the listening device Prometheus implanted in you. I deactivated it, but I would destroy it for good measure, if I were you." He placed the tiny device in Wren's palm. She rolled it between her fingers. This stupid, tiny device monitored her for the past several months? Made her feel like she couldn't speak honestly with her friends? /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"She curled her fingers around it and clenched it. The strength that her cybernetic limbs possessed crushed the device with ease, leaving it nothing more than broken metal bits in her palm. She swiped them onto her bedside tray. "Done. Anything else I should know?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Elijah blinked. "I bet you have a mean right hook." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Guess I have CyberLife to thank for that," Wren flexed her artificial fingers. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Elijah hummed. "I placed an experimental tracker in place of Prometheus's listening device. To my understanding, we have a plan of attack in the works, but just in case they decide to sweep you away…" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Thank you." Wren rubbed the back of her neck. CyberLife knowing her whereabouts at all times instead of Prometheus kind of felt like trading one evil for another, even if it was the lesser of the two. "It's not gonna stay there forever, is it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""We will remove the tracker when all of this is done," said Elijah. "If I, or CyberLife, wanted to track you, I wouldn't have told you." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Right. Sorry." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'm sure it feels like an invasion of privacy," said Elijah, turning from Wren to face the window. Detroit's skyscrapers glinted in the sunlight. "But we've essentially declared war on Prometheus. Make no mistake: they're here in Detroit, and they're watching us." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"A lump swelled in Wren's throat. "I know." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Elijah turned, and his eyes pierced Wren even from across the room. "I wouldn't go anywhere alone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Jesus, Elijah knew how to unsettle her. Wren rubbed her wrist. "Wasn't planning on it. Do I have to stay here, or—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""This was a minor operation," said Elijah. "I'll send in the doctor." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Before Elijah swept out of the room, Wren called, "Thank you. For… You didn't have to help me as much as you have." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Elijah paused in the doorway, a sly smile curving his mouth. Somehow, he always looked like he was in the middle of plotting something. But here, this looked like pure amusement, even fondness. "There are a lot of sins CyberLife committed, sins I was aware of and turned my back on, and sins I wasn't aware of but am now coming face-to-face with. I'm sure serving Prometheus makes you feel similarly." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren bowed her head. "A lot of blood on my hands." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Just make sure you don't try to wash blood with blood," Elijah winked, and left the room. Wren licked her lips and rubbed her temples. Then, she reached for her phone and called Connor. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wren, how'd it go?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren smiled. "Hello to you, too." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Sorry," Connor sounded like he was smiling, too. "How are you?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'm fine. It went well. I'm officially free of Prometheus's ears." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Let's worry about getting you free from them for good," said Connor. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I should be free to go here pretty soon. Can you pick me up?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I can't," said Connor. "I'm about to be evaluated." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Evaluated?" Wren's brow scrunched. "Oh. To reenter the field." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Yes. This is my first psychological evaluation." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Well, good luck… Can Tina or Hank come get me?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I don't think so. Captain Fowler is keeping a very close eye on all of the HAD." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Shit." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""See if Chloe can. I'm sorry, you know I would—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I know, sweetheart," Wren fiddled with the sheets of her hospital bed. The doctor entered her room. "Hey, I gotta go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Alright. I'll text Chloe. I love you." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I love you, too." Wren hung up and smiled at the doctor. "Am I good to go?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Yes! Everything went well and looks good… You'll need to fill out some paperwork. This was a minor operation, but I want to stress that you shouldn't be doing any strenuous activity for a while. About a day or two." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'll do my best," Wren promised. Her word probably wasn't worth much, considering she had just declared war on an underground organization of assassins, but the doctor didn't need to know that. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"After filling out her paperwork, Chloe arrived to take Wren to the townhouse. Wren helped Chloe carry in some groceries. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""How's living with Tina?" Wren asked, sticking a jug of milk into the fridge. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Oh, it's great. I didn't know I was a snuggler until I started sharing a bed with Tina. We haven't touched your room, by the way. I mean, I have when I've cleaned in there, but it's all the same." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren laughed softly. "Chloe, it's okay. I appreciate it, but I wouldn't care." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chloe relaxed. "Okay, good. I didn't want you to think that Tina was kicking you out or replacing you by having me live with her." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I left," Wren shrugged. "I wouldn't have minded." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I think Connor would've." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Why?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""He came over sometimes, but only to sleep in your room." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren's heart clenched. Damn, she hated hearing about how hard Connor took her return to Prometheus. She cleared her throat and continued putting away groceries. "How are you and Tina?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Oh, we're good," said Chloe. "We've been having a lot of home dates, with all that's been going on… But I like it. Tina and I have been learning origami together." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Oh, cool," Wren smiled, but something in her chest ached. Would she ever get to have normal dates with Connor? Argue with him about laundry, or which movie they'd go see? Or would they be damned to fight, tooth and nail, for what they had? Would they constantly live afraid of Prometheus and serial killers? Wren swallowed. "I mean, it's not cool that you guys feel like you can't go out." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chloe's shoulders slumped and she bowed her head. "Yeah. I don't understand why some people hate androids so much that they want to hurt us." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren's hands curled into fists, itching to punch whoever kept killing the android-human couples. "I don't know, Chloe. I'm sorry that people suck." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""People don't suck," Chloe smiled graciously. "There are some who do, yes, but I believe humanity's good." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren picked at her nails. "I wish had your optimism." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Don't you?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""After the stuff I've seen, it's kind of hard to." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Yes, but you've seen some good, too." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Suddenly, Wren didn't like the way Chloe looked at her—so hopeful, and believing, and trustworthy. Like Wren hadn't hurt innocent people under Prometheus's influence. As if Wren weren't a trained killer. "I've embeen/em the people who suck, Chloe." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You're not now, though," said Chloe. Her smile was a little too understanding. "You're trying to fix that." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Not because I'm a good person or anything," said Wren. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You're trying to take down Prometheus." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""For a lot of selfish reasons." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Some not-so-selfish ones, too. Tina told me about the other cyborgs, and how you keep doing things to protect the ones you love." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren folded her arms. "Yeah." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You're trying your best. That's emgood/em to me." span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I—" Wren stopped. "Thank you." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Of course," said Chloe. "Go get some rest. I've heard that surgery can make you pretty tired." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Yeah. Are you sure—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Go!" Chloe shooed Wren upstairs. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren padded into her old bedroom. It looked the same, except a framed picture of her and Connor lay faceup on the bed. Wren's heart twisted. Connor probably laid on her bed, staring at the picture, her iPod playing music softly to pluck at the sadness within him. She moved the picture to the bedside table and laid on top of the covers. Downstairs, Chloe started up the vacuum cleaner. The static noise lulled Wren's eyelids to droop. If she could help it, she'd never abandon Connor like that again. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"*** /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"When Wren awoke, she had ten texts from Tina, North, and Connor. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Tina: Hey b hope everything went well! [Delivered 2:37 PM] /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"North: FaceTime me when you get a chance. I miss your stupid face. [Delivered 2:45 PM] /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor: I think the psych eval went well. I won't know full results until I've passed the other tests, though. [Delivered 3:00 PM] /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor: Call me when you wake up. [Delivered 3:07 PM] /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor: Sorry if that seemed really serious. [Delivered 3:21 PM] /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Tina: Hey, is Chloe with you? [Delivered 3:25 PM] /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Tina: Yo [Delivered 3:27 PM]span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Tina: She isn't answering her phone [Delivered 3:30 PM] /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Tina: Hey is everything ok? [Delivered 3:31 PM]span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Tina: Hellooooooooo? [Delivered 3:34 PM] /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"3:37. Shit, Wren slept for an hour and a half? She was more tired than she thought. Tina's seemed the most urgent, so Wren called her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Fuck, Wren! I was about to send a patrol car over!" Tina said. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I was taking a nap," Wren replied, wiping her eyes. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Sorry," said Tina. "Is Chloe around? She doesn't normally not answer her phone…" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Uh, yeah, she was vacuuming when I fell asleep—" Wren froze in the middle of pulling on a cardigan. The vacuum's static purr was silent. In fact, not even the sound of Chloe rustling around the kitchen, which sat right under Wren's room, could be heard. Wren's stomach curled. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wren? Everything okay?" Tina queried. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren burst out of her room and into the hall, straining her ears for any sound of Chloe. "Chloe?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wren, you're starting to freak me out." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Shut up for a second," Wren hissed. She inched along the hall; the phone still pressed to her ear. "Chloe?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Nothing. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren's heart slammed in her chest and pulsed in her throat. There could be a simple answer, like Chloe was taking a bubble bath and got sidetracked, but something felt wrong. When Wren reached the intersection of the hall where the bathroom was, someone inhumanly strong grabbed her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren screamed, but the person holding her clamped their hand over her mouth. She kicked out, pushing her feet against the wall. She slammed the person into the wall behind them, but their grip didn't even slacken. Wren dropped the phone to grab the person's hand around her mouth and screamed as loud as she could. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""emTina, get help/em!" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren's assailant dragged her toward the bathroom, with Wren kicking and struggling the whole way. The person's grip on her didn't even seem embothered/em by her fighting back. They grabbed a fistful of Wren's hair and kicked the bathroom door open. Wren nearly fainted at the sight. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"A naked body in the bathtub. Bloody handprints on the walls. The face, so beaten and bruised it was just barely recognizable—but it was Otto, one of the cyborgs she was so desperate to save—thirium mixed with blood purpled the liquid in the bathtub. Otto's left leg slung over the side. The parts that were human in his body were beaten, cut, and bruised. Chunks out of his leg had been carved out. A skin grafter had been used on his chest in multiple places. On his arm, a cut ran so deep Wren swore she could see bone. Electrical burns marred his temples. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren's attacker kicked the backs of her knees, forcing her down onto the floor. Her palms thrust out to catch herself and landed on a pair of bloody pliers and human teeth. Tears stung her eyes as her assailant gripped her by the back of the neck and forced her face close to Otto's. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Look at him." The assailant's voice sent chills down Wren's spine. It sounded like Connor's voice, only deeper. Colder. "You did this." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""No, no—" Wren tried to shake her head, but her attacker held her head steady. Otto was missing an eye. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Oh yes, you did. You think betraying Prometheus doesn't come without consequences?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""emPlease/em—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Do you know who I am, Wrenley?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""No," Wren choked. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'm the one Prometheus sends to teach enemies a lesson. And boy, have you made yourself their number one enemy. Androids don't feel pain the same way humans do, but I will make your boyfriend suffer, and when I'm done, I'll take my time with you. Traitors get special treatment."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren didn't answer. She shook as she tried to hold back a sob. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You don't emfuck/em with Prometheus." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wren?" Connor's voice called frantically from downstairs. The person holding Wren let go and swept out of the room. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren remained frozen on all fours, still staring at Otto's corpse. She willed herself to move. That monster could hurt Connor, probably hurt Chloe—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"But she couldn't. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"The world around her was a tunnel, narrowing its dark edges around her like a constrictor, forcing her to look at Otto. Sounds were muffled, as if she were underwater. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Otto/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;". He never got a chance to live, to escape, Wren was too late, the other cyborgs—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Someone burst into the bathroom behind Wren. They seemed to stumble, and then they dropped down beside her. She flinched when the person's hands touched her back, but these hands were emgentle/em./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wren? Can you look at me, sweetheart?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;". /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Slowly, Wren tore her eyes from Otto to Connor. The lines on his forehead, his parted lips, and the way his eyes danced around Wren's face helped ground her. She was swimming back to the surface, emerging from the depths—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Let's go," Connor murmured. "Come on." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"When he tugged on Wren, she pulled away. "No, no, I can't leave him behind!" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Tears welled in her eyes anew, and she scrambled away from Connor, slipping on the bloody floor. Connor held out his palms, as if approaching a wild animal. "Wren, we have to go—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Whoever was here is long gone," Gavin interrupted from behind Connor. "Jesus H. Christ…" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor flattened his lips for a moment, nodded to Gavin, and then crouched, inching toward Wren. "Wren, we need to go. It's not safe." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I…" Wren's eyes darted toward Otto. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""There's nothing you can do for him right now." Connor's voice caught. He reached toward Wren. "It's not safe for you, and we need to help the others, okay?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"He was right. emFucking snap out of it/em. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"With a small nod, Wren accepted Connor's hand. He helped her to her feet and guided her out of the room, bearing most of her weight. He brought her downstairs, where Tina dragged a hand through her hair and Chloe wrung her hands. Gavin blocked the stairwell, but moved aside when Connor and Wren stumbled down. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Why Otto? Had he deviated? Were Nina and Jamie okay? And what about Dex? /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""We have to get out of here," Connor's voice hummed through Wren's haze. "None of us are safe." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""What about the goddamn body in my bathtub?" Tina demanded. "We're not gonna have to move it, are we?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""No," Wren croaked. Everyone stared at her. "Prometheus… They'll clean it…" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Suddenly, the room felt extremely hot. Bile surged up Wren's throat. She pushed away from Connor and hurried to the nearest door leading outside, doubled over, and vomited. Connor stood by her side in an instant. Wren clenched her knees for several seconds, not wanting to see the look of concern on Connor's face. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""It's my fault," she breathed. "I did this." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wren, none of this is your fault." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren straightened and shook her head, blinking back tears. "None of this would've happened if I'd just shut up and emobeyed/em."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Hurt flashed across Connor's face, but he composed himself. "We don't have time to think about that right now. Right now, we need to get somewhere safe." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"*** /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Without packing clothes, everyone convened in the Void at CyberLife Tower. Wren stood in the corner, still feeling as if she were underwater. Otto's face flashed in her mind every time she blinked. Pale skin, chapped lips, mouth lulling open, one eye milky with death—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chris sat in one corner of the room with Skye and little Damien, explaining in very vague terms what was going on. Tina sat with an arm around Chloe, whose face bore tear streaks. North, Markus, and Josh sat with Hank, who seemed to explain what happened. Gavin sat with his head in his hands. Elijah observed everyone from the other corner in the room, his eyes narrowed a fraction. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren's throat constricted. Every person in that room was there because of emher/em. Every person was in danger because she chose to deviate, because she chose to defy Prometheus and declare war on them. What had she been thinking? How selfish could she be? Just because she loved Connor, her friends and family…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor led Wren out of the Void and into the bathroom. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""No one here thinks this is your fault," Connor muttered, wetting a paper towel. He scrubbed blood off of Wren's palms. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren closed her eyes, and her wet lashes seemed to glue them shut. "I know." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""But you still blame yourself." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I don't know what you want me to say," Wren opened her eyes and forced herself to meet Connor's gaze. "He did that to Otto because of me. He emsaid/em so." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Who?" Connor's brow scrunched and he tossed the wet paper towel. He grabbed a new one. "06?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren clenched her teeth as Connor wiped blood from her face. "No. I'm pretty sure it was RK900." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor froze. "What do you mean you're pretty sure?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I never saw his face. I only… heard him." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor lowered his gaze. "And it was my voice, wasn't it?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Not exactly," Wren furrowed her brow as she gazed up at him. "His voice was deeper." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor's LED flickered yellow, and Wren placed her hands on his chest. He placed his hands over hers. Tears welled in Wren's eyes again, and she gripped the lapels of Connor's blazer to steady herself. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""They did that to Otto and I wasn't even that close to him." Her voice came out in a hoarse whisper. "He didn't deserve that. He never got a chance—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor squished Wren close to him, and his arms wrapped around her. "I know, sweetheart." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I was too late," Wren sobbed, clutching Connor's blazer as he stroked her hair. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You can't save everyone." Connor's voice sounded tight, as if he were holding back tears. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I didn't want to save everyone, I just wanted to save emthem/em." Wren's body shook with another violent, choking sob. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You don't know that they're all gone. We still have a chance. If we bring Prometheus down, you'll save more lives." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren squeezed her eyes shut. Her heart ached, as if it were Atlas, carrying the world upon its shoulders. She was so fucking emtired/em. Tired of fighting, of crying, of being afraid. She wanted to give the other cyborgs a chance. A chance like she'd had, a chance at freedom and a life outside of torture, killing, and obedience. She wanted to live a normal life with her friends and family, and emConnor/em. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren cried in Connor's arms until her eyes and throat hurt. He simply held her, squeezing her to his chest, his head resting on hers. When she finally stopped and pulled back to look at him, he looked as if he shed a few tears for her. He kissed her forehead and ran his thumb along her cheek. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Let's go see the others." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Back in the Void, Kamski had found sleeping bags and blankets—or had someone bring them—and everyone was piled in cozy spaces. Kamski had Skye and Damien taken on a tour of the Tower so that Wren could explain their next move. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"With everyone staring at her, Wren's heart jumped. She gripped Connor's hand and cleared her throat. "Prometheus targeted one of the cyborgs. They sent someone to threaten me and all of you. I…" Wren drew in a shuddering breath. "I think it's best if no one goes anywhere alone, and we should all stay here tonight. Rhett should be here in the morning, and we can plan out our attack." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wren, are you okay?" Tina asked. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren blinked back tears. Something about being asked if she were okay always managed to break her down. "I will be." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Hank rubbed his hands together. "Look, kid, we're here till the end of the line."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Somehow, that didn't alleviate the ache in Wren's chest. She inched toward Chloe and sat beside her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Are you okay?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chloe rubbed her arms. Mascara smeared underneath her eyes. "Yeah, I'm not hurt. Wren, I'm so sorry, I was just doing the dishes, and then someone electrocuted me or something and all of a sudden, I was in stasis mode! You could've been emreally/em hurt—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Jesus, Chloe was so emsweet/em. Wren shook her head. "This isn't your fault at all. I'm sorry I put you in danger." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chloe smiled softly. "This wasn't your fault, either." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Oh God, no. Wren, I hope you know that no one thinks that," said Tina, her arm around Chloe. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Maybe one day I'll believe it." Wren squeezed Tina's hand and headed over to Elijah. "Do you have a secure phone I could borrow?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren stepped into the hall and called her mom. The phone kept ringing, and Wren's stomach churned. If Prometheus laid a hand on her mother—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Hello?" Shannon answered, sounding breathless. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren relaxed. "Mom?" span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wren? Baby, is that you?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Yeah, Mom. It's me." Wren smiled, despite her throat swelling and her eyes brimming with tears again. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Oh my God, how are you? Are you okay? Did you do it, are you free? Did they get you out?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor told her that he told Shannon and James to appease their questioning, but away from Detroit and everyone, Wren couldn't imagine how lonely her mom and brother had been, waiting for news. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""No, not quite. We're close, though," said Wren. She coughed softly to clear her throat. "Listen, uh, I can't talk for long, but… I just wanted to tell you to be safe, okay? Keep an eye out… Maybe get away for a few days…" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Honey, what's going on? Are you in danger?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I can't explain everything, okay? Just… Things are up in the air, and they're gonna get really bad before they get better." emIf they get better/em. "Just get out of town for a few days, okay? You and James and Izzy." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You're scaring me." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I know," Wren's voice cracked. She looked at the ceiling to keep from crying. "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm really sorry for everything I've put you through." Tears slid down Wren's cheeks. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Shannon's breath stuttered. "Oh, honey… You don't have to apologize for anything. Just… Tell me that you'll be safe, okay? Tell me—" Shannon's voice broke. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren nodded. "I'll be safe, Mom. I promise." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I love you, Wrenley. I love you so much, angel." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I love you too, Mom." It came out like a squeak. "I should go. Be safe, please." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""We will." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren hung up and wiped her eyes, drew in a deep breath, and then returned to the Void, placing the phone in Elijah's hand with a dull, "Thanks." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Nothing was more exhausting than grief. Wren's eyes were gummy, her throat was sore, and she sat beside Connor heavily. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"*** /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Early in the morning, Chris left with Skye and Damien to stay in a hotel outside of Detroit. Wren didn't like the idea of sending Chris off with his family alone, but she agreed that the further they were from her, the safer they probably were. She helped tidy up the Void while they waited for breakfast to be delivered. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Everyone ate in silence, waiting for Rhett to arrive. The more Wren thought about Rhett, the more she clenched her teeth. He had told her the best strategy was to wait. She warned him this would happen. She told him that Prometheus would figure out Wren wasn't loyal. She told him that Prometheus would target the other cyborgs and eventually her friends. Even when they had enough evidence to open an investigation, he still insisted on waiting. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Now, Otto was emdead/em. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren pressed her mouth to her knuckles, having only drunk a bit of coffee. Her eyes never swayed from the door of the Void. North, Tina, Hank, and Connor cast glances her way, but Wren never wavered. Rhett sent her back into that hellhole, convinced her to be a hero and take down Prometheus. She warned him of the fallout. She didn't blame him entirely for Otto's death—no, she carried that—but she blamed him for making her wait. They waited too long. The CIA should've started their investigation when they had the chance, and should've pulled Wren out of Prometheus. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Now, a cyborg—Otto—was dead, and there was no telling how many more were. There were child cyborgs—child emsoldiers/em—and they were in danger, too. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"When Rhett entered the Void, Wren stood from her seat and smacked him so hard across the face that his entire body twisted with the force. "You empromised/em me that we'd take them down, that we'd get them out, that we'd get emme/em out! I fucking told you this would happen!" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Rhett rubbed his cheek. "What happened?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""They killed Otto," Wren snarled. "Cut him open and dumped him in my bathtub and sent someone to threaten me. We are out of time. You said the CIA would investigate—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""We have been," said Rhett. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Then why the emfuck/em haven't you gotten me out of there? The other cyborgs? There are children locked up there, Rhett!" The room trembled with Wren's yell. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You think I get a say in everything?" Rhett's nostrils flared. "Prometheus has a lot of power. A lot of our investigation has involved red tape—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren laughed dryly. "Was there any point to sending me back?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Yes," Rhett insisted. "Wren, you and your little ragtag band of misfits here made more headway than you even know. You were essential to all this." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren flexed her fingers. "Well, it's time to stop dicking around. We have to go in. Prometheus isn't going to sit around and wait." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I know," said Rhett. "I've been working on a plan." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"He withdrew a flashdrive. Wren took it and put in the main console, and the screen on the far wall lit up with schematics of Prometheus, as well as designs for a disguise. Rhett stood at the terminal. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""We can't burst into Prometheus like some sort of drug bust or something," said Rhett. "They'll see that coming. CIA's not as interested in the cyborgs. In their eyes, they're just as liable as the rest of Prometheus—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""What?" Wren widened her eyes. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""One step at a time," Rhett said, pulling up a picture of the guard uniforms. "CIA's interested in Prometheus's assets—their intel, their weapons, their plans, their connections." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Then they should be interested in the cyborgs because we were built and trained to be weapons," Wren growled. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""In CIA's eyes, the cyborgs are agents, not assets." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren folded her arms. "Okay, so why can't we just take them down?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Prometheus has friends in the CIA. They'll know if we're coming. That's why you're so essential, Wren. They're more focused on you. If you can draw Prometheus out and get their attention, they won't notice my team enter in through the back door." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You want to use her as bait?" Connor demanded; his arms folded. His LED swirled yellow. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Prometheus's security is incredibly advanced, and they've got connections everywhere, even in the CIA. If my team and I barge in there without some sort of diversion, Prometheus'll be ready, and this whole thing could be ruined. But they've never experienced anyone like Wren before. I'm telling you, this will work. Wren is important to them for some reason." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Why?" North snapped. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I don't know yet," said Rhett. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""What the fuck have you been doin' at the CIA? Sitting around with your thumb up your ass?" Hank glowered. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Rhett sighed. "Look, I know this has been difficult—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren pressed her fist to her mouth as she eyed the schematics, the uniform diagram… Rhett's plan could work. If Prometheus was more focused on her… /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Are you sure they'll be more focused on me? Are we sure I'm important?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Yes," said Rhett, looking relieved. "They've never had a rogue agent before. They've had a lot of reasons to doubt you and get rid of you, but they haven't. They're keeping you alive for some reason." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""And that reason most likely involves something catastrophic," Connor barked. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Is there any way to do this without using me as bait?" Wren questioned. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Not any that will be fast," replied Rhett. "I know this asking a lot of you—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Will you be able to get to her before they kill her?" demanded Connor. Rhett's eyes cut to him. Wren's chest hurt for Connor. He still wanted to ensure her safety, even in the middle of a war. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I probably won't," said Rhett. "But emyou/em can."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor and Wren widened their eyes. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""emMe/em?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You're an RK800. You're actually built to handle situations like these. Maybe not as well or as specifically as the RK900, but you and other RK series are capable of it." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wait, other RK series?" North demanded, her eyes flicking to Markus. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""How do you think he was able to fight so well?" Elijah cut in. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Markus's mouth fell open. Connor's LED swirled yellow, and then settled on blue. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'll focus on getting Wren out." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren parted her lips, wanting to argue with him, but that would be hypocritical. She was about to put her life on the line to save others. She couldn't tell Connor he couldn't do the same, no matter how much she'd worry about him. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Alright," she said. "I'll draw them out. What's the rest of your plan?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"*** /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren had argued against letting Tina and Chloe accompany her at the townhouse, but Rhett had insisted that drawing out Prometheus needed to look authentic. So, Wren entered the townhouse gingerly with Tina and Chloe walking so close to her that they almost tripped her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Trembling, Wren climbed the stairs and peeked toward the bathroom. It was spotless, as if nothing had ever happened. But Wren knew that Otto's corpse in the bathtub would emalways/em be there. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"In Wren's room, she packed a bag of clothes without really paying any attention to them. She wouldn't be wearing them, anyway. A few minutes later, Tina and Chloe joined her on the landing, their bags packed. Around every corner, Wren expected RK900 or CY006 to attack her, but no one jumped out at her. Her stomach twisted. Maybe Prometheus hadn't taken the bait. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Of fucking course Wren was wrong, though. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"As soon as she exited the stairwell and entered the kitchen, 06 greeted her with a gun. He smiled. "Come with me, and your friends don't have to get hurt." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Make it authentic/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;". Rhett's words rang in Wren's ears. Whelp, here went nothing. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren knocked 06's gun out of his hand. She kicked him in the gut, sending him staggering into the kitchen counter, where he grabbed a knife and slashed. Wren threw up her forearms to block her face. The knife sliced through her artificial skin, sprinkling blue blood on the tile floor. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Tina, Chloe, go!" Wren roared. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""We're not leaving you!" cried Tina. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren scrambled back and used the freezer door to smack 06 in the face with. He groaned, holding his now-bleeding nose. Wren ushered Tina and Chloe toward the front door. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Get out of here!" Wren cried out when something heavy and metal slammed into her back and knocked her on the floor. She rolled just as 06 dove for her kicked him off. She punched him in the groin and tried to punch him in the face, but he blocked. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I can't get a good angle!" Tina yelled. Wren caught a glimpse of Tina with her gun through the scramble of limbs. 06 punched Wren in the mouth, and she kicked him off of her. He fell back and Wren struggled to her feet, breathing heavily. She needed to get to the gun—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"But 06 reached it first. He grinned, blood staining his teeth. "What did you think was going to happen, 01? I'm emsuperior/em to you. This isn't a fight you can win." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren lifted her hands in surrender. "Okay. Just… Don't hurt them. Take me, but don't hurt them." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"06 narrowed his eyes. "You really are pathetic." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"And then he shot Tina. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chloe screamed and dropped beside Tina. Wren's throat ached with a scream she couldn't hear. 06 grabbed her, but Wren didn't fight him off. She was only watching for any sign of life from Tina. 06 dragged Wren out of the house, and zip-tied her wrists together before tossing her into a car with a bag over her head. Chloe's screams scratched down Wren's spine, and the sight of Tina collapsing onto the floor replayed over and over in Wren's mind. Prometheus took the bait, but at what cost? /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"*** /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"I don't post for like 3 months and then you guys get 2 chapters in one week? Lol sorry I'm so sporadic. Whelp, lots of stuff happened this chapter. Let me know what you guys thought by leaving some feedback! Thank you all so much for your support; it means the world to me! /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"I'm so sorry guys. I keep trying with FF, but for some reason it keeps messing up the formatting. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Warning: Gore, body horror, and canon-typical violence! /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"The next day, Wren awoke from surgery to find Elijah Kamski's face staring down at her. He smiled pleasantly as Wren sat up, feeling a bit sore, but she'd suffered worse. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'm pleased to announce that we successfully removed the listening device Prometheus implanted in you. I deactivated it, but I would destroy it for good measure, if I were you." He placed the tiny device in Wren's palm. She rolled it between her fingers. This stupid, tiny device monitored her for the past several months? Made her feel like she couldn't speak honestly with her friends? /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"She curled her fingers around it and clenched it. The strength that her cybernetic limbs possessed crushed the device with ease, leaving it nothing more than broken metal bits in her palm. She swiped them onto her bedside tray. "Done. Anything else I should know?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Elijah blinked. "I bet you have a mean right hook." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Guess I have CyberLife to thank for that," Wren flexed her artificial fingers. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Elijah hummed. "I placed an experimental tracker in place of Prometheus's listening device. To my understanding, we have a plan of attack in the works, but just in case they decide to sweep you away…" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Thank you." Wren rubbed the back of her neck. CyberLife knowing her whereabouts at all times instead of Prometheus kind of felt like trading one evil for another, even if it was the lesser of the two. "It's not gonna stay there forever, is it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""We will remove the tracker when all of this is done," said Elijah. "If I, or CyberLife, wanted to track you, I wouldn't have told you." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Right. Sorry." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'm sure it feels like an invasion of privacy," said Elijah, turning from Wren to face the window. Detroit's skyscrapers glinted in the sunlight. "But we've essentially declared war on Prometheus. Make no mistake: they're here in Detroit, and they're watching us." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"A lump swelled in Wren's throat. "I know." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Elijah turned, and his eyes pierced Wren even from across the room. "I wouldn't go anywhere alone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Jesus, Elijah knew how to unsettle her. Wren rubbed her wrist. "Wasn't planning on it. Do I have to stay here, or—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""This was a minor operation," said Elijah. "I'll send in the doctor." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Before Elijah swept out of the room, Wren called, "Thank you. For… You didn't have to help me as much as you have." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Elijah paused in the doorway, a sly smile curving his mouth. Somehow, he always looked like he was in the middle of plotting something. But here, this looked like pure amusement, even fondness. "There are a lot of sins CyberLife committed, sins I was aware of and turned my back on, and sins I wasn't aware of but am now coming face-to-face with. I'm sure serving Prometheus makes you feel similarly." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren bowed her head. "A lot of blood on my hands." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Just make sure you don't try to wash blood with blood," Elijah winked, and left the room. Wren licked her lips and rubbed her temples. Then, she reached for her phone and called Connor. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wren, how'd it go?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren smiled. "Hello to you, too." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Sorry," Connor sounded like he was smiling, too. "How are you?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'm fine. It went well. I'm officially free of Prometheus's ears." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Let's worry about getting you free from them for good," said Connor. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I should be free to go here pretty soon. Can you pick me up?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I can't," said Connor. "I'm about to be evaluated." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Evaluated?" Wren's brow scrunched. "Oh. To reenter the field." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Yes. This is my first psychological evaluation." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Well, good luck… Can Tina or Hank come get me?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I don't think so. Captain Fowler is keeping a very close eye on all of the HAD." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Shit." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""See if Chloe can. I'm sorry, you know I would—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I know, sweetheart," Wren fiddled with the sheets of her hospital bed. The doctor entered her room. "Hey, I gotta go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Alright. I'll text Chloe. I love you." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I love you, too." Wren hung up and smiled at the doctor. "Am I good to go?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Yes! Everything went well and looks good… You'll need to fill out some paperwork. This was a minor operation, but I want to stress that you shouldn't be doing any strenuous activity for a while. About a day or two." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'll do my best," Wren promised. Her word probably wasn't worth much, considering she had just declared war on an underground organization of assassins, but the doctor didn't need to know that. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"After filling out her paperwork, Chloe arrived to take Wren to the townhouse. Wren helped Chloe carry in some groceries. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""How's living with Tina?" Wren asked, sticking a jug of milk into the fridge. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Oh, it's great. I didn't know I was a snuggler until I started sharing a bed with Tina. We haven't touched your room, by the way. I mean, I have when I've cleaned in there, but it's all the same." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren laughed softly. "Chloe, it's okay. I appreciate it, but I wouldn't care." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chloe relaxed. "Okay, good. I didn't want you to think that Tina was kicking you out or replacing you by having me live with her." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I left," Wren shrugged. "I wouldn't have minded." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I think Connor would've." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Why?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""He came over sometimes, but only to sleep in your room." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren's heart clenched. Damn, she hated hearing about how hard Connor took her return to Prometheus. She cleared her throat and continued putting away groceries. "How are you and Tina?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Oh, we're good," said Chloe. "We've been having a lot of home dates, with all that's been going on… But I like it. Tina and I have been learning origami together." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Oh, cool," Wren smiled, but something in her chest ached. Would she ever get to have normal dates with Connor? Argue with him about laundry, or which movie they'd go see? Or would they be damned to fight, tooth and nail, for what they had? Would they constantly live afraid of Prometheus and serial killers? Wren swallowed. "I mean, it's not cool that you guys feel like you can't go out." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chloe's shoulders slumped and she bowed her head. "Yeah. I don't understand why some people hate androids so much that they want to hurt us." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren's hands curled into fists, itching to punch whoever kept killing the android-human couples. "I don't know, Chloe. I'm sorry that people suck." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""People don't suck," Chloe smiled graciously. "There are some who do, yes, but I believe humanity's good." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren picked at her nails. "I wish had your optimism." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Don't you?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""After the stuff I've seen, it's kind of hard to." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Yes, but you've seen some good, too." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Suddenly, Wren didn't like the way Chloe looked at her—so hopeful, and believing, and trustworthy. Like Wren hadn't hurt innocent people under Prometheus's influence. As if Wren weren't a trained killer. "I've embeen/em the people who suck, Chloe." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You're not now, though," said Chloe. Her smile was a little too understanding. "You're trying to fix that." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Not because I'm a good person or anything," said Wren. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You're trying to take down Prometheus." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""For a lot of selfish reasons." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Some not-so-selfish ones, too. Tina told me about the other cyborgs, and how you keep doing things to protect the ones you love." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren folded her arms. "Yeah." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You're trying your best. That's emgood/em to me." span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I—" Wren stopped. "Thank you." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Of course," said Chloe. "Go get some rest. I've heard that surgery can make you pretty tired." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Yeah. Are you sure—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Go!" Chloe shooed Wren upstairs. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren padded into her old bedroom. It looked the same, except a framed picture of her and Connor lay faceup on the bed. Wren's heart twisted. Connor probably laid on her bed, staring at the picture, her iPod playing music softly to pluck at the sadness within him. She moved the picture to the bedside table and laid on top of the covers. Downstairs, Chloe started up the vacuum cleaner. The static noise lulled Wren's eyelids to droop. If she could help it, she'd never abandon Connor like that again. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"*** /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"When Wren awoke, she had ten texts from Tina, North, and Connor. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Tina: Hey b hope everything went well! [Delivered 2:37 PM] /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"North: FaceTime me when you get a chance. I miss your stupid face. [Delivered 2:45 PM] /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor: I think the psych eval went well. I won't know full results until I've passed the other tests, though. [Delivered 3:00 PM] /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor: Call me when you wake up. [Delivered 3:07 PM] /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor: Sorry if that seemed really serious. [Delivered 3:21 PM] /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Tina: Hey, is Chloe with you? [Delivered 3:25 PM] /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Tina: Yo [Delivered 3:27 PM]span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Tina: She isn't answering her phone [Delivered 3:30 PM] /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Tina: Hey is everything ok? [Delivered 3:31 PM]span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Tina: Hellooooooooo? [Delivered 3:34 PM] /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"3:37. Shit, Wren slept for an hour and a half? She was more tired than she thought. Tina's seemed the most urgent, so Wren called her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Fuck, Wren! I was about to send a patrol car over!" Tina said. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I was taking a nap," Wren replied, wiping her eyes. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Sorry," said Tina. "Is Chloe around? She doesn't normally not answer her phone…" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Uh, yeah, she was vacuuming when I fell asleep—" Wren froze in the middle of pulling on a cardigan. The vacuum's static purr was silent. In fact, not even the sound of Chloe rustling around the kitchen, which sat right under Wren's room, could be heard. Wren's stomach curled. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wren? Everything okay?" Tina queried. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren burst out of her room and into the hall, straining her ears for any sound of Chloe. "Chloe?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wren, you're starting to freak me out." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Shut up for a second," Wren hissed. She inched along the hall; the phone still pressed to her ear. "Chloe?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Nothing. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren's heart slammed in her chest and pulsed in her throat. There could be a simple answer, like Chloe was taking a bubble bath and got sidetracked, but something felt wrong. When Wren reached the intersection of the hall where the bathroom was, someone inhumanly strong grabbed her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren screamed, but the person holding her clamped their hand over her mouth. She kicked out, pushing her feet against the wall. She slammed the person into the wall behind them, but their grip didn't even slacken. Wren dropped the phone to grab the person's hand around her mouth and screamed as loud as she could. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""emTina, get help/em!" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren's assailant dragged her toward the bathroom, with Wren kicking and struggling the whole way. The person's grip on her didn't even seem embothered/em by her fighting back. They grabbed a fistful of Wren's hair and kicked the bathroom door open. Wren nearly fainted at the sight. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"A naked body in the bathtub. Bloody handprints on the walls. The face, so beaten and bruised it was just barely recognizable—but it was Otto, one of the cyborgs she was so desperate to save—thirium mixed with blood purpled the liquid in the bathtub. Otto's left leg slung over the side. The parts that were human in his body were beaten, cut, and bruised. Chunks out of his leg had been carved out. A skin grafter had been used on his chest in multiple places. On his arm, a cut ran so deep Wren swore she could see bone. Electrical burns marred his temples. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren's attacker kicked the backs of her knees, forcing her down onto the floor. Her palms thrust out to catch herself and landed on a pair of bloody pliers and human teeth. Tears stung her eyes as her assailant gripped her by the back of the neck and forced her face close to Otto's. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Look at him." The assailant's voice sent chills down Wren's spine. It sounded like Connor's voice, only deeper. Colder. "You did this." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""No, no—" Wren tried to shake her head, but her attacker held her head steady. Otto was missing an eye. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Oh yes, you did. You think betraying Prometheus doesn't come without consequences?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""emPlease/em—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Do you know who I am, Wrenley?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""No," Wren choked. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'm the one Prometheus sends to teach enemies a lesson. And boy, have you made yourself their number one enemy. Androids don't feel pain the same way humans do, but I will make your boyfriend suffer, and when I'm done, I'll take my time with you. Traitors get special treatment."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren didn't answer. She shook as she tried to hold back a sob. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You don't emfuck/em with Prometheus." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wren?" Connor's voice called frantically from downstairs. The person holding Wren let go and swept out of the room. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren remained frozen on all fours, still staring at Otto's corpse. She willed herself to move. That monster could hurt Connor, probably hurt Chloe—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"But she couldn't. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"The world around her was a tunnel, narrowing its dark edges around her like a constrictor, forcing her to look at Otto. Sounds were muffled, as if she were underwater. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Otto/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;". He never got a chance to live, to escape, Wren was too late, the other cyborgs—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Someone burst into the bathroom behind Wren. They seemed to stumble, and then they dropped down beside her. She flinched when the person's hands touched her back, but these hands were emgentle/em./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wren? Can you look at me, sweetheart?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;". /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Slowly, Wren tore her eyes from Otto to Connor. The lines on his forehead, his parted lips, and the way his eyes danced around Wren's face helped ground her. She was swimming back to the surface, emerging from the depths—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Let's go," Connor murmured. "Come on." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"When he tugged on Wren, she pulled away. "No, no, I can't leave him behind!" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Tears welled in her eyes anew, and she scrambled away from Connor, slipping on the bloody floor. Connor held out his palms, as if approaching a wild animal. "Wren, we have to go—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Whoever was here is long gone," Gavin interrupted from behind Connor. "Jesus H. Christ…" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor flattened his lips for a moment, nodded to Gavin, and then crouched, inching toward Wren. "Wren, we need to go. It's not safe." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I…" Wren's eyes darted toward Otto. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""There's nothing you can do for him right now." Connor's voice caught. He reached toward Wren. "It's not safe for you, and we need to help the others, okay?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"He was right. emFucking snap out of it/em. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"With a small nod, Wren accepted Connor's hand. He helped her to her feet and guided her out of the room, bearing most of her weight. He brought her downstairs, where Tina dragged a hand through her hair and Chloe wrung her hands. Gavin blocked the stairwell, but moved aside when Connor and Wren stumbled down. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Why Otto? Had he deviated? Were Nina and Jamie okay? And what about Dex? /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""We have to get out of here," Connor's voice hummed through Wren's haze. "None of us are safe." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""What about the goddamn body in my bathtub?" Tina demanded. "We're not gonna have to move it, are we?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""No," Wren croaked. Everyone stared at her. "Prometheus… They'll clean it…" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Suddenly, the room felt extremely hot. Bile surged up Wren's throat. She pushed away from Connor and hurried to the nearest door leading outside, doubled over, and vomited. Connor stood by her side in an instant. Wren clenched her knees for several seconds, not wanting to see the look of concern on Connor's face. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""It's my fault," she breathed. "I did this." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wren, none of this is your fault." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren straightened and shook her head, blinking back tears. "None of this would've happened if I'd just shut up and emobeyed/em."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Hurt flashed across Connor's face, but he composed himself. "We don't have time to think about that right now. Right now, we need to get somewhere safe." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"*** /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Without packing clothes, everyone convened in the Void at CyberLife Tower. Wren stood in the corner, still feeling as if she were underwater. Otto's face flashed in her mind every time she blinked. Pale skin, chapped lips, mouth lulling open, one eye milky with death—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chris sat in one corner of the room with Skye and little Damien, explaining in very vague terms what was going on. Tina sat with an arm around Chloe, whose face bore tear streaks. North, Markus, and Josh sat with Hank, who seemed to explain what happened. Gavin sat with his head in his hands. Elijah observed everyone from the other corner in the room, his eyes narrowed a fraction. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren's throat constricted. Every person in that room was there because of emher/em. Every person was in danger because she chose to deviate, because she chose to defy Prometheus and declare war on them. What had she been thinking? How selfish could she be? Just because she loved Connor, her friends and family…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor led Wren out of the Void and into the bathroom. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""No one here thinks this is your fault," Connor muttered, wetting a paper towel. He scrubbed blood off of Wren's palms. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren closed her eyes, and her wet lashes seemed to glue them shut. "I know." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""But you still blame yourself." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I don't know what you want me to say," Wren opened her eyes and forced herself to meet Connor's gaze. "He did that to Otto because of me. He emsaid/em so." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Who?" Connor's brow scrunched and he tossed the wet paper towel. He grabbed a new one. "06?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren clenched her teeth as Connor wiped blood from her face. "No. I'm pretty sure it was RK900." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor froze. "What do you mean you're pretty sure?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I never saw his face. I only… heard him." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor lowered his gaze. "And it was my voice, wasn't it?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Not exactly," Wren furrowed her brow as she gazed up at him. "His voice was deeper." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor's LED flickered yellow, and Wren placed her hands on his chest. He placed his hands over hers. Tears welled in Wren's eyes again, and she gripped the lapels of Connor's blazer to steady herself. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""They did that to Otto and I wasn't even that close to him." Her voice came out in a hoarse whisper. "He didn't deserve that. He never got a chance—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor squished Wren close to him, and his arms wrapped around her. "I know, sweetheart." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I was too late," Wren sobbed, clutching Connor's blazer as he stroked her hair. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You can't save everyone." Connor's voice sounded tight, as if he were holding back tears. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I didn't want to save everyone, I just wanted to save emthem/em." Wren's body shook with another violent, choking sob. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You don't know that they're all gone. We still have a chance. If we bring Prometheus down, you'll save more lives." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren squeezed her eyes shut. Her heart ached, as if it were Atlas, carrying the world upon its shoulders. She was so fucking emtired/em. Tired of fighting, of crying, of being afraid. She wanted to give the other cyborgs a chance. A chance like she'd had, a chance at freedom and a life outside of torture, killing, and obedience. She wanted to live a normal life with her friends and family, and emConnor/em. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren cried in Connor's arms until her eyes and throat hurt. He simply held her, squeezing her to his chest, his head resting on hers. When she finally stopped and pulled back to look at him, he looked as if he shed a few tears for her. He kissed her forehead and ran his thumb along her cheek. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Let's go see the others." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Back in the Void, Kamski had found sleeping bags and blankets—or had someone bring them—and everyone was piled in cozy spaces. Kamski had Skye and Damien taken on a tour of the Tower so that Wren could explain their next move. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"With everyone staring at her, Wren's heart jumped. She gripped Connor's hand and cleared her throat. "Prometheus targeted one of the cyborgs. They sent someone to threaten me and all of you. I…" Wren drew in a shuddering breath. "I think it's best if no one goes anywhere alone, and we should all stay here tonight. Rhett should be here in the morning, and we can plan out our attack." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wren, are you okay?" Tina asked. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren blinked back tears. Something about being asked if she were okay always managed to break her down. "I will be." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Hank rubbed his hands together. "Look, kid, we're here till the end of the line."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Somehow, that didn't alleviate the ache in Wren's chest. She inched toward Chloe and sat beside her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Are you okay?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chloe rubbed her arms. Mascara smeared underneath her eyes. "Yeah, I'm not hurt. Wren, I'm so sorry, I was just doing the dishes, and then someone electrocuted me or something and all of a sudden, I was in stasis mode! You could've been emreally/em hurt—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Jesus, Chloe was so emsweet/em. Wren shook her head. "This isn't your fault at all. I'm sorry I put you in danger." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chloe smiled softly. "This wasn't your fault, either." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Oh God, no. Wren, I hope you know that no one thinks that," said Tina, her arm around Chloe. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Maybe one day I'll believe it." Wren squeezed Tina's hand and headed over to Elijah. "Do you have a secure phone I could borrow?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren stepped into the hall and called her mom. The phone kept ringing, and Wren's stomach churned. If Prometheus laid a hand on her mother—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Hello?" Shannon answered, sounding breathless. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren relaxed. "Mom?" span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wren? Baby, is that you?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Yeah, Mom. It's me." Wren smiled, despite her throat swelling and her eyes brimming with tears again. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Oh my God, how are you? Are you okay? Did you do it, are you free? Did they get you out?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor told her that he told Shannon and James to appease their questioning, but away from Detroit and everyone, Wren couldn't imagine how lonely her mom and brother had been, waiting for news. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""No, not quite. We're close, though," said Wren. She coughed softly to clear her throat. "Listen, uh, I can't talk for long, but… I just wanted to tell you to be safe, okay? Keep an eye out… Maybe get away for a few days…" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Honey, what's going on? Are you in danger?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I can't explain everything, okay? Just… Things are up in the air, and they're gonna get really bad before they get better." emIf they get better/em. "Just get out of town for a few days, okay? You and James and Izzy." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You're scaring me." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I know," Wren's voice cracked. She looked at the ceiling to keep from crying. "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm really sorry for everything I've put you through." Tears slid down Wren's cheeks. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Shannon's breath stuttered. "Oh, honey… You don't have to apologize for anything. Just… Tell me that you'll be safe, okay? Tell me—" Shannon's voice broke. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren nodded. "I'll be safe, Mom. I promise." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I love you, Wrenley. I love you so much, angel." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I love you too, Mom." It came out like a squeak. "I should go. Be safe, please." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""We will." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren hung up and wiped her eyes, drew in a deep breath, and then returned to the Void, placing the phone in Elijah's hand with a dull, "Thanks." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Nothing was more exhausting than grief. Wren's eyes were gummy, her throat was sore, and she sat beside Connor heavily. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"*** /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Early in the morning, Chris left with Skye and Damien to stay in a hotel outside of Detroit. Wren didn't like the idea of sending Chris off with his family alone, but she agreed that the further they were from her, the safer they probably were. She helped tidy up the Void while they waited for breakfast to be delivered. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Everyone ate in silence, waiting for Rhett to arrive. The more Wren thought about Rhett, the more she clenched her teeth. He had told her the best strategy was to wait. She warned him this would happen. She told him that Prometheus would figure out Wren wasn't loyal. She told him that Prometheus would target the other cyborgs and eventually her friends. Even when they had enough evidence to open an investigation, he still insisted on waiting. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Now, Otto was emdead/em. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren pressed her mouth to her knuckles, having only drunk a bit of coffee. Her eyes never swayed from the door of the Void. North, Tina, Hank, and Connor cast glances her way, but Wren never wavered. Rhett sent her back into that hellhole, convinced her to be a hero and take down Prometheus. She warned him of the fallout. She didn't blame him entirely for Otto's death—no, she carried that—but she blamed him for making her wait. They waited too long. The CIA should've started their investigation when they had the chance, and should've pulled Wren out of Prometheus. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Now, a cyborg—Otto—was dead, and there was no telling how many more were. There were child cyborgs—child emsoldiers/em—and they were in danger, too. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"When Rhett entered the Void, Wren stood from her seat and smacked him so hard across the face that his entire body twisted with the force. "You empromised/em me that we'd take them down, that we'd get them out, that we'd get emme/em out! I fucking told you this would happen!" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Rhett rubbed his cheek. "What happened?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""They killed Otto," Wren snarled. "Cut him open and dumped him in my bathtub and sent someone to threaten me. We are out of time. You said the CIA would investigate—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""We have been," said Rhett. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Then why the emfuck/em haven't you gotten me out of there? The other cyborgs? There are children locked up there, Rhett!" The room trembled with Wren's yell. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You think I get a say in everything?" Rhett's nostrils flared. "Prometheus has a lot of power. A lot of our investigation has involved red tape—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren laughed dryly. "Was there any point to sending me back?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Yes," Rhett insisted. "Wren, you and your little ragtag band of misfits here made more headway than you even know. You were essential to all this." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren flexed her fingers. "Well, it's time to stop dicking around. We have to go in. Prometheus isn't going to sit around and wait." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I know," said Rhett. "I've been working on a plan." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"He withdrew a flashdrive. Wren took it and put in the main console, and the screen on the far wall lit up with schematics of Prometheus, as well as designs for a disguise. Rhett stood at the terminal. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""We can't burst into Prometheus like some sort of drug bust or something," said Rhett. "They'll see that coming. CIA's not as interested in the cyborgs. In their eyes, they're just as liable as the rest of Prometheus—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""What?" Wren widened her eyes. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""One step at a time," Rhett said, pulling up a picture of the guard uniforms. "CIA's interested in Prometheus's assets—their intel, their weapons, their plans, their connections." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Then they should be interested in the cyborgs because we were built and trained to be weapons," Wren growled. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""In CIA's eyes, the cyborgs are agents, not assets." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren folded her arms. "Okay, so why can't we just take them down?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Prometheus has friends in the CIA. They'll know if we're coming. That's why you're so essential, Wren. They're more focused on you. If you can draw Prometheus out and get their attention, they won't notice my team enter in through the back door." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You want to use her as bait?" Connor demanded; his arms folded. His LED swirled yellow. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Prometheus's security is incredibly advanced, and they've got connections everywhere, even in the CIA. If my team and I barge in there without some sort of diversion, Prometheus'll be ready, and this whole thing could be ruined. But they've never experienced anyone like Wren before. I'm telling you, this will work. Wren is important to them for some reason." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Why?" North snapped. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I don't know yet," said Rhett. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""What the fuck have you been doin' at the CIA? Sitting around with your thumb up your ass?" Hank glowered. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Rhett sighed. "Look, I know this has been difficult—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren pressed her fist to her mouth as she eyed the schematics, the uniform diagram… Rhett's plan could work. If Prometheus was more focused on her… /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Are you sure they'll be more focused on me? Are we sure I'm important?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Yes," said Rhett, looking relieved. "They've never had a rogue agent before. They've had a lot of reasons to doubt you and get rid of you, but they haven't. They're keeping you alive for some reason." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""And that reason most likely involves something catastrophic," Connor barked. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Is there any way to do this without using me as bait?" Wren questioned. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Not any that will be fast," replied Rhett. "I know this asking a lot of you—" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Will you be able to get to her before they kill her?" demanded Connor. Rhett's eyes cut to him. Wren's chest hurt for Connor. He still wanted to ensure her safety, even in the middle of a war. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I probably won't," said Rhett. "But emyou/em can."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Connor and Wren widened their eyes. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""emMe/em?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You're an RK800. You're actually built to handle situations like these. Maybe not as well or as specifically as the RK900, but you and other RK series are capable of it." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Wait, other RK series?" North demanded, her eyes flicking to Markus. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""How do you think he was able to fight so well?" Elijah cut in. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Markus's mouth fell open. Connor's LED swirled yellow, and then settled on blue. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'll focus on getting Wren out." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren parted her lips, wanting to argue with him, but that would be hypocritical. She was about to put her life on the line to save others. She couldn't tell Connor he couldn't do the same, no matter how much she'd worry about him. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Alright," she said. "I'll draw them out. What's the rest of your plan?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"*** /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren had argued against letting Tina and Chloe accompany her at the townhouse, but Rhett had insisted that drawing out Prometheus needed to look authentic. So, Wren entered the townhouse gingerly with Tina and Chloe walking so close to her that they almost tripped her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Trembling, Wren climbed the stairs and peeked toward the bathroom. It was spotless, as if nothing had ever happened. But Wren knew that Otto's corpse in the bathtub would emalways/em be there. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"In Wren's room, she packed a bag of clothes without really paying any attention to them. She wouldn't be wearing them, anyway. A few minutes later, Tina and Chloe joined her on the landing, their bags packed. Around every corner, Wren expected RK900 or CY006 to attack her, but no one jumped out at her. Her stomach twisted. Maybe Prometheus hadn't taken the bait. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Of fucking course Wren was wrong, though. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"As soon as she exited the stairwell and entered the kitchen, 06 greeted her with a gun. He smiled. "Come with me, and your friends don't have to get hurt." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Make it authentic/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;". Rhett's words rang in Wren's ears. Whelp, here went nothing. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren knocked 06's gun out of his hand. She kicked him in the gut, sending him staggering into the kitchen counter, where he grabbed a knife and slashed. Wren threw up her forearms to block her face. The knife sliced through her artificial skin, sprinkling blue blood on the tile floor. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Tina, Chloe, go!" Wren roared. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""We're not leaving you!" cried Tina. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren scrambled back and used the freezer door to smack 06 in the face with. He groaned, holding his now-bleeding nose. Wren ushered Tina and Chloe toward the front door. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Get out of here!" Wren cried out when something heavy and metal slammed into her back and knocked her on the floor. She rolled just as 06 dove for her kicked him off. She punched him in the groin and tried to punch him in the face, but he blocked. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I can't get a good angle!" Tina yelled. Wren caught a glimpse of Tina with her gun through the scramble of limbs. 06 punched Wren in the mouth, and she kicked him off of her. He fell back and Wren struggled to her feet, breathing heavily. She needed to get to the gun—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"But 06 reached it first. He grinned, blood staining his teeth. "What did you think was going to happen, 01? I'm emsuperior/em to you. This isn't a fight you can win." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Wren lifted her hands in surrender. "Okay. Just… Don't hurt them. Take me, but don't hurt them." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"06 narrowed his eyes. "You really are pathetic." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"And then he shot Tina. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chloe screamed and dropped beside Tina. Wren's throat ached with a scream she couldn't hear. 06 grabbed her, but Wren didn't fight him off. She was only watching for any sign of life from Tina. 06 dragged Wren out of the house, and zip-tied her wrists together before tossing her into a car with a bag over her head. Chloe's screams scratched down Wren's spine, and the sight of Tina collapsing onto the floor replayed over and over in Wren's mind. Prometheus took the bait, but at what cost? /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"*** /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"I don't post for like 3 months and then you guys get 2 chapters in one week? Lol sorry I'm so sporadic. Whelp, lots of stuff happened this chapter. Let me know what you guys thought by leaving some feedback! Thank you all so much for your support; it means the world to me! /span/strong/p
