"Panam!" shouted V, following in her wake as she blasted past patrons of The Afterlife toward the front door.

He pushed his was past a group of people and out the front door. He spotted Panam pacing erratically back and forth by the graffitied wall opposite the door.

"What the fuck!" she shouted at him as he approached. "After everything I've–"

"Panam, it wasn't like that, I–"

"I know what I fuckin' saw, V!"

"I was pushing her away! Listen–" he grabbed her wrist and she quickly pulled away from him. "She was coming onto me!"

"And you were letting her, by the looks of it!"

"Look," said V, trying to calm his voice. "You came in at probably the worst time."

"Hah, I bet!" she said derisively.

"If you'd come in a second later," V continued, "you woulda seen I wasn't interested. How could I ever want someone else when I've got you."

She stopped pacing and looked at him tentatively.

"Look at me, Panam. You know me. Am I lying to you?"

She held his gaze for a while, her eyes softening a bit.

"I knew that bitch was trouble," she said finally. "I didn't like her from the start."

"Yeah. But she's what we've got."

"We'll find somebody else."

"Panam…"

"You still want to work with her?"

"No, I don't. But there's no other option at this point."

Panam sighed and sat down. "The sooner this is over, the better."

V sat down next to her.

"It's hard to stay mad at you, you know," said Panam after a few moments. "And that pisses me off."

"I don't make things easy, do I?"

Panam smiled. It was good to see her smile.

For a while they just sat and watched the small crowd of people drift about like lost souls in front of The Afterlife.

"She got under my skin," said V. "Started sayin' things… Realize now she was manipulating me."

"What did she say?"

"Was hopin' to talk about this under better circumstances," said V rubbing the back of his neck. "But uh –"

"Out with it, V."

"Right, here goes," he said, exhaling deeply. "Johnny told me that I proposed to you that night we went out. Don't remember it myself but I somehow get the impression you do. And since you haven't brought it up…"

"V…," started Panam, "I was glad you didn't remember." V's heart sank. It must have shown on his face because Panam continued quickly. "Not because it's not what I want. But not like that. You were drunk, I was drunk. We are in this godforsaken city."

"Yeah," said V understanding. "Mad at myself for slippin' up like that. Had all these lofty ideas for how I'd do it."

"That so?" said Panam raising an eyebrow and smiling slightly.

"Let's just pretend it never happened," said V. "I'll make it up to you."

"You can make it up to me by surviving this."

"Don' worry," he said nudging closer to her. "This is nothin' we haven't faced before."

They sat in silence, looking over the mirage of neon glinting in the rain-soaked pavement.

"I remember the first time I came here," said V after a while. "With Jackie. Thought we were gonna be legends. Didn't realize it then, but that's never what I truly wanted. Meetin' you – it put everything in perspective. Made me know myself better."

Panam hand slid gently and reassuringly over his.

The day of the raid on Militech Headquarters had come. Everything was set and they'd run through the plan a hundred times. Panam and Vanya had kept away from each other whenever possible and their meetings had taken on an uncomfortable awkwardness. Rogue was pissed when she'd heard about what happened and had come close to calling everything off. "This is the worst kind of shit to happen before a mission," she'd said. "Everyone's head needs to be in the game." They had all assured her they were professionals and wouldn't let this affect the mission, but it was clear everyone had doubts – except perhaps Johnny, who, after everything had settled down, found the whole situation quite funny.

That night they set off down into the subway tunnels, decked out in their worker uniforms. Rogue had managed to unearth a detailed map of the underground stations, including the maintenance tunnels. They made their way deep into these tunnels through a variety of secured doors and unless passageways. Only once had they been stopped by a guard and made to show their identification. Luckily for them, Rogue had prepared for everything.

Eventually, they reached their destination – a small tunnel which passed just next to the Militech building's lower levels. Within minutes they had set and primed some explosives. According to Vanya's blueprints, they would blast into a maintenance room on the other side. Vanya would take care of any alarms.

They held their breath as the charges counted down. A small explosion rocked the tunnel, sending bits of brick in all directions. "Louder than expected," thought V to himself as he stepped into the hole after Vanya.

Vanya's eyes shone red as she walked slowly forward, muttering softly to herself. "Alarm's deactivated," she said after a few moments.

"Forgive me if I don't take your word for it," said Panam, striding across the maintenance room to a door opposite.

"What're you–" started Rogue, but Panam had already slid the door open and was peaking outside.

"We're clear."

"Stick to the fucking plan," hissed Rogue.

"What, we just going to stand around all night?"

"Let's move," said Rogue pushing past her through the door.

Weapons out, they stalked quietly down a hallway, lit with dim, blue lights. Vanya walked in lock-step with Rogue, her eyes shining as she detected and quickly dealt with the cameras they came across.

"Two guards around the corner," she whispered.

"Johnny," said Rogue beckoning him forward. They darted out into the hall in unison and with several, clean, silent shots, downed the guards.

"Alright," said Rogue. "Now the clock's ticking. In the elevator, quick!"

"All this sneaking around's makin' my balls shrivel up tight," said Johnny as they descended. "Still think we oughta have gone through the front door, guns blazing."

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Two guards jumped the sight of them and before they could raise their weapons, Johnny fired at both of them from the hip. The room in front of them was enormous. Servers lined the walls from floor to ceiling and row upon row more stretched out in a maze before them. Everyone stood still for a few moments, taking it all in, and then came several shouts from further into the room.

"Spread out!" shouted Rogue.

They scattered to positions of cover, just dodging a barrage of bullets coming at them from ahead.

"This is more like it!" shouted Johnny enthusiastically.

"I've blocked all alarms and communication channels for now," shouted Vanya. "But we need to move quickly!"

"You just sit pretty, then," said Panam. She stood up and began firing around the corner. "V, let's go!"

V sprang around the corner with Panam and fired at the Militech guards. Rogue and Johnny started down the neighbouring row, and they all slowly made progress forward.

"Fuck, Rogue!" V heard Johnny shout. "Lookin' damn good!"

"Keep your eyes ahead," she shouted back.

Soon they pincered their way toward the back of the room and had the two remaining guards pinned down behind a console. Panam managed to take out one of them when he poked his up to fire. The last guard, knowing he was surround, cried out valiantly and stood up defiantly for his last stand, but was blasted in the head by Rogue before he could fire a shot.

"Well," said Vanya, strolling down the corridor or servers. "That was messy."

"Yeah, well some of us have to get our hands dirty," sneered Panam.

"Indeed," replied Vanya haughtily as she walked behind the console. "Alright. Tell me what I'm looking for."

"An A.I," said Johnny. "Name's Alt. She was captured here by Militech. Well, a rogue A.I working with Militech."

"Alt?" said Vanya, a strange look coming over her face. "An A.I?"

"From beyond the Blackwall. They'll be keeping her here, I'm certain."

"What the fuck."

"Just hurry the fuck up," said Rogue. "In and out."

"Fine," said Vanya, pulling out her jack. "Should have expected something like this from you people. Remember, when go in, I'll lose my control over the alarm systems. The whole building will know we're here."
"Then be quick," said Panam.

With one last contemptuous look at Panam, she jacked into the console.

Thirty seconds passed. Then a minute.

"This is taking too long," said Rogue.

"We need to go," said V.

"Wait, dammit," shouted Johnny. "She'll find her."

The elevator began churning at the end of the room they'd come from.

"I'm getting' some nasty flashbacks," said V.

They all drew their pistols and were just about to pull out Vanya's jack when she surfaced. Her eyes were wide with fear.

"It's not here," she said faintly.

"What?!" shouted Johnny.

"I know where it is," she continued. "But what the fuck have you gotten me into? The things I saw in there…"

"Just tell us where she is!" said Johnny grabbing Vanya by the collar.

"They've transferred it to a… a body," she stammered. "I don't exactly understand but it's on the top floor. "There's no way we–"

The elevator door opened with a ding. Their heads snapped toward the sound. The servers around went dark and silent. Footsteps, a single pair, echoed down the room. They crouched down and took up positions facing down the corridors.

"Funny we should meet again this way," said a loud voice. V didn't recognize it at first, but it began to take on a familiar sound.

"Who are you?" said V.

"What, you don't recognize me in this meat?" replied the voice. At the end of corridor, a figure stepped out of a shadow. The figure of a tall, thin man. V recognized him as the man he'd seen coming out of the cloning tank during his escape the first time. He was smiling and his eyes glinted mischievously. Then it hit V at once.

"Hermes?"

"In the flesh," he replied, raising his arms triumphantly.

"This guy bad news, V?" said Johnny.

"Very."

"All I need to know." Johnny began firing rapidly at Hermes, and Rogue and Panam followed suit. Hermes became a blur of movement and disappeared behind a wall of servers.

"Run!" shouted V.

Rogue and Johnny we blasted ten feet back by an explosion in front of them. V looked up to see Hermes standing atop one of the server walls, smiling down at them.

"I've got this!" shouted Vanya. She began hacking Hermes. At first he just laughed condescendingly at her, but then his face grew concerned and he began clutching at his head.

"Go!"

V and Panam ran to Johnny and Rogue and helped them up. They were dazed but not seriously injured.

"Elevator, now!"

Vanya followed them slowly, walking backwards and keeping her focus on Hermes. Just as they approached the elevator, the doors snapped shut.

"Fuck!" shouted Johnny.

"The stairs," said Rogue. "Hurry!"

"Surprising," came Hermes' voice from above. "But ultimately in vain."

"I've done all I can!" shouted Vanya.

They fired up at Hermes as they ran toward the stairs. V just managed to get past the door and seal it shut before Hermes slammed into it. Luckily for them, it was reinforced. The perks of Militech facilities.

They sprinted up the stairs, two at a time. On the third landing, Vanya stopped, gasping for breath.

"What I'm here for is in there," she said pointing at a door. "It won't take long."

"Fuck that," said Johnny. "What about Mr. Meat?"

"This is what we agreed on," said Vanya.

"I don't trust her," said Panam. "They came too quickly back there."

"Go then," said Vanya. "I'll meet up with you if I can."

"No," said Rogue. "We stay together. We need you with us."

A loud bang sounded from below. Hermes had broken through the door.

"I'm going!" shouted Vanya. She ran toward to door and disappeared down the hallway beyond.

"We're goin' for Alt!" shouted Johnny, who then took off up the stairs.

"Agh!" snarled Rogue, taking off after Johnny. V and Panam followed suit.

"We can't take the stairs all the way up," said V through heavy breaths.

"There's a service elevator on the next floor up," said Rogue. V was once again thankful for Rogue's immaculate planning.

They burst into the hallway and were fired upon immediately by a group of MIlitech soldiers. Johnny and Rogue took out a few before ducking into rooms off the hall. V and Panam took up positions in the stairwell behind the door. They new Hermes was not far behind them.

"Panam, if this is it, I wanna say–"

"Save it, V! We're getting out of here." Her eyes were wide but determined.

"We need to make a break for it!"

She nodded and they turned into the hall in unison, firing at the soldiers. Rogue and Johnny emerged at the same time, and they managed to force the soldiers back around a corner.

"The elevator!" shouted Rogue.

They clustered around, V and Johnny covering Rogue and Panam as they entered.

Then there was a burst of sound and light and he was flying through the air. He lay on the ground gasping, his vision going dark, as a figure stepped toward him. He tried to reach out his hand, but the darkness enclosed him. He felt the strange warmth of sleep.

Then his eyes were open again. Sound was flooding past the ringing in his ears. His blurry vision was clearing. He saw Rogue and Johnny on the floor, blood coming out of their ears. Then movement caught his eye. Panam was struggling with someone. She jerked free and ran toward him her eyes full of fear. She dropped down on her knees in front of him and then exploded. Her body disintegrated before his eyes and he was covered in gore.

Shock and horror overwhelmed him. He screamed in pain and anguish beyond imagining. His heart was ready to burst.

"Quiet," came Hermes' voice. "You're making quite a ruckus."

"How could- oh my god! Kill me! End it!"

V sobbed and looked around him for his pistol. Through his heaving breaths and noticed a silence. He looked up. Hermes was frozen where he stood, looking down at him.

"What…" he stammered.

"V," came a voice from behind him. "It's me."

V turned and saw Vanya standing down the hallway. "I'm here to rescue you."

"Wha- what?" was all he managed.

"I'm sorry you had to go through this. But none of this is real. This," she said waving her hand about, "is a false memory. You are currently being held prisoner on the top floor of this facility. Alongside your friends," she added.

"Here's what we're going to do."