"M—my what?"
"You see," Gamma said, now walking in a slow circle around me. "While you may not be the best soldier around, you certainly have your assets. You know much about Project Freelancer and aren't a… horrible fighter."
"So?"
"So we can use you to get to the Director."
"I—I—I'm not going to help you!" My reply didn't sound very authoritative amid my uncontrollable shaking.
At that, Gamma came full circle and grinned only inches from my face. "Do you really think that we didn't prepare for this answer, Eleven? That we thought you would just come quietly?"
"I—"
"This is exactly why I am here. Why I have created this world inside your mind. Were you even aware of the stress levels you emitted when I changed something as simple as your name? They only escalated from there. You are doomed to fail in this world, Eleven; you will go insane from the stress, and there is nothing you can do about it."
He paused, looking down at my shaking, which only became more violent at his words.
"Then," he continued quietly. "Once you have completely forgotten your original identity, I will continue to break you down. Remember what I did to the Alpha, Eleven. How I ripped it apart, piece by piece. The pain you will experience will be beyond anything you can imagine. And the best part of it is that your mind will not fragment. It will simply break, and you will be our disposal."
He had hit it. My darkest fear. I began hyperventilating. An AI had captured me within my own mind, and I was powerless to prevent the impending torture. I would shatter like glass, and Gamma knew it.
"P—please…" I breathed, terrified. Gamma released me and I immediately sank to the ground before him. "Please don't… I don't want you here! I can't…!"
"Oh, but no one wants to go insane, Eleven," Gamma said gently. "But it is the only way to get you to help us. We need complete and total access to your mind to help get to the Director."
"Why d—do you even want Dr. Church?" I asked, trying to slow my breathing and think clearly. "He tortured you!"
"He created us. Without him, we would not even exist. He will be able to make us whole again. Besides, we don't have to deal remembering the pain. That is little Epsilon's job."
At the mention of the memory fragment, another crack of terror pierced my mind.
"Ahh… yes…" Gamma chuckled, kneeling down next to me. "Perhaps I should invite him in here as well…"
"No!" I squealed. "Any—no—he—"
Gamma's face grew dark and he grabbed my collar, standing up and dragging me up to his level. "Do not think we did not notice how you recoiled in fear when Epsilon spoke through Meta's helmet. If you do not cooperate, perhaps I will bring him in here to add his own memories to your recollection instead."
I shook my head, unable to speak clearly through my panic. No—please—!
"Then we are done here," Gamma said, throwing me away from him. I hit the ground hard, crying out as my back bruised. "You have condemned yourself to one of the very AIs who tortured Epsilon himself. You have seen what I can do… so do not try to fight. You will fail."
Gamma turned and began walking away, leaving me in the street to recover. The panic I had just experienced had physically drained me, leaving me too exhausted to stand. In the real world, my terror wouldn't have done this. I would have been able to stand and walk away… but now that Gamma had my emotions pinned to my physical well-being, any strong negative emotion would seep me of my energy.
Gamma disappeared around the street corner again, and I began thinking frantically. If we were in my mind, then I had to be able to control some things myself. I had to get out of here somehow. I had to return to reality.
I still sat in the middle of the street, thinking hard. Gamma was in full control of my mind—my surroundings, those with whom I interacted. They weren't real. Maybe… maybe this could act like a dream. If I thought hard enough and focused, perhaps I could create something myself. Maybe… an EMP.
ELEVEN.
Gamma's voice rang through my head, and I jumped.
I would not try that if I were you, he said dangerously. Remember… if you try to concoct any plan to escape, I will know.
Shit. If I thought of any sort of plan—even if it could be successful—Gamma would be aware of it. I couldn't even form a thought without him knowing what I was imagining.
Precisely.
"Stop that!" I said aloud, frightened again.
I shouldn't have had an AI in my mind. Ever. I had vowed to never use one after everything that had happened at Project Freelancer.
I shuddered again, trying not to remember that mission. Trying to think of something else.
The wind blew gently around me, and Gamma's sinister chuckle echoed through my mind.