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There are small groups scattered around the globe–the Faction's reach is wide but their headquarters are in an especially desolate part of the Atacama desert. Edward has a plan already in place for the smaller groups, and I've been working on a little something for our friends in Chile.

If you'd asked me a year ago if I felt confident in my abilities to take down a secret terrorist organization–well, let's just say that I wouldn't be the one spending time in the psych ward.

But now?

I'm ready.

Because the Darkness hasn't left me, not even a little bit. I feel it below the surface of my skin all the time, a buzzing warmth that has become a comfort–not a source of anxiety.

And I've been practicing.

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We can't just drive up to the headquarters, and we have a feeling they're keeping an eye on all the flights entering the country, so we hitch a ride on a shipping boat to Antofagasta from Peru. The trip makes me seasick, which I didn't think was possible. Edward holds my hair every time I have to lean over the railing.

The city is an industrial port, situated at the base of some mountains, with factories and mines on the outskirts. The air is dry, but the temperature is mild, especially near the beaches, which is where we stay while we work out a plan.

We know we need to go fifty miles east, but Edward isn't totally sure of the location. We stock up on supplies–water mostly–before we head out, and rent an ATV from a tourist at the edge of the desert. It's almost fun, my arms around Edward's waist, and I can almost pretend that we're on his motorcycle, flying through the city.

The dust is kind of ruining it.

It doesn't take much more than an hour to find the complex. Though it blends in color-wise to its surroundings, there's no mistaking the hulking form of a building appearing out of nowhere.

We leave the ATV a half-mile away, and wait for the sun to fall completely below the horizon before we make our move. Edward takes out the guard hovering near a side gate before he can even think of calling for help and we're moving quickly through the dark, dragging the corpse behind us. I just need to get to the main building, I need to get inside and then I can work.

The door is locked and needs both a fingerprint and a retina scan to open.

"Are you ready?" Edward asks as we reach the door, making quick work of scanning the guard's index finger and right eye before hiding him around the corner of the building. When he's back, he asks, "are you sure you can do this?"

I can already feel myself loosening, my eyes darkening.

I reach for him, pulling him close. He's trying to meet my gaze but he can't. He doesn't see me, no matter how hard he tries, he's still worried I won't come back from this.

"I was so close to losing you the last time," he whispers, his hand closing around my bicep.

I kiss him, hard, and try to show him that I'm fine. We're fine.

"I'll always come back to you," I say, my voice strong. Sure. He nods once, pressing his lips to my forehead, and opens the door.

We step inside, and Darkness spreads.

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I don't see any of the carnage as Edward leads me through hallways and into rooms, but I hear the screaming. The rage. The fear. My eyes are not my own, but I'm still the one in control.

I'm doing this.

I feel Edward squeeze my hand hard every so often, and it's a constant reminder of why we're doing this.

Because these people want us apart–they want to hurt him. And if anything ever happens to him, I will burn the entire fucking world.

My whole life has been a constant stream of fear and pain and misery–until I met him.

I won't go back to how it was before Edward Cullen. I won't.

And I won't rest until every single one of these motherfuckers is gone.

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