[SEQUEL TO GUN FOR HIRE]
Chapter 22: The Truth In the Lie

Back in the Director's office, 'escorted' conveniently shortly after Garrett's revelation behind the nature of his existence, Piper was pushed into a chair in front of the same damn bloody terminal once oh-so-nicely offered to her to type on. It was clear now what the true agenda was. Her gaze flicked aside and occasionally watched the Director that would meander about the edges of his office, wrists clasped behind him, watching her.

Warning her.

She knew what he wanted. They'd discussed enough and the veil of it all was torn down. She was right all along, the nature of his motive. She'd thought long and hard about this already. She knew exactly what to type in the terminal, writing up an article hailing the Institute as flawless and selfless heroes that want nothing but the best for humanity, advancing technology to aid them.

Her cheeks ached not to smirk with every bullshit word typed, having deduced the most critical variable of exactly how her article would be received, and what message she truly wants to send to warn the Commonwealth of this boogeyman.

Reputation.

Anybody who's read her articles before will have already formed their opinions and grievances of the stance they'd take, either with or against her. But her reputation was irrefutable - it would stoke skepticism and those who were able to think for themselves would be able to deign the truth for themselves, were they only pointed in the direction for perception and instinct to analyze.

Piper hit save, and she scooted back in her chair. She glanced over her shoulder when a courser came up and put cuffs on her wrists, jerking her up into standing for the Director to come take a seat and read. His cold eyes scanned quickly, and he gave a small grunt of approval. He rose and looked at the second courser in the room - overkill, in her opinion, if she couldn't even best one.

Shaun seemed to bake the terminal article onto a holotape and ejected it, handing it to the second courser. "Take this to the robotics division and have them make copies of this to send with the next wave of synths. Start circulating this article in the Commonwealth."

"At once, Father." The courser's crisp footsteps wasted no time as soon as he snapped up the holotape and left the room.

The Director turned back to Piper, his numb expression difficult to read, but there was a strange kind of weariness in his eyes. His mouth opened, and it was replaced by coughing he'd burrowed into his fist. He limbered over and pressed some kind of button, where soon a woman in a medical coat walked in and took him upstairs. Piper strained to hear, closing her eyes to listen intently, staying still so as not to instigate the courser holding her to clue in and take her away from eavesdropping. Her brow furrowed. She couldn't make out much, with what muffled words she could hear.

Minutes felt like hours. It very well could have been. Her feet ached, and she began to shift her weight from leg to leg. Finally, Shaun descended the steps again, confused to see some kind of respirator over his mouth as the medical doctor aided in carrying some kind of tank down the stairs. He took her chair and turned it around before he sat in it - more like fallen into it on the last few inches. He dismissed the doctor's concern with a wave of his hand.

"You're dismissed. Thank you, Dr. Porter."

"Y-yes sir... Please find a moment to rest when you're able to, sir."

"I will."

Shaun's words echoed in the respirator, his breathing labored and noisy. He looked so feeble and frail like this, his lab coat off, almost stripping his authority away and revealing the very real reality that awaited all humans. He rolled up his sleeves as he tried to maintain some measure of dignity in the way he relaxed in the chair.

"Good work on the article, Ms. Wright. Thank you for being reasonable and cooperating with me."

Piper's jaw clenched, select words itching to roll off her tongue. She suppressed them and shrugged indifferently. She could only pray that her plan and article would be received the way she - no, the Commonwealth - needed it to be received. Now, more than ever, they needed to band together to stop the Institute. Gone are the days to fear this boogeyman. That Shaun seems to be more insistent with his agenda seems to be a reflection of how much time he feels he has, by the looks of things.

"You're dying," Piper pointed out bluntly.

Shaun's eyes almost seemed to close with exhaustion, a quivering hand - something he seems to struggle to repress - raking through his hair. "Indeed, I am."

"So why trick the Commonwealth into believing the Institute are the good guys? Why not actually make that true?"

"I am trying."

"Bullshit! Everything you said you'd do, every word you gave has been a lie."

"The truth has been in that lie," Shaun argued, sucking in deep breaths to engorge upon the oxygen feeding into the mask. "Your articles have been responsible for sowing dissent and fear."

"My articles? You could've not kidnapped people and replaced them with synths, you know. Just a fucking thought."

Shaun sighed. He massaged his forehead as he seemed to curl in on his chair. "I have already admitted our past mistakes. I do admit we have not always seen the boundaries so clearly. I want to change that before I pass, to set an example for the next Director. We have made too many enemies."

"So it's for self-preservation," Piper accused, then sneered. "Karma's just knocking on your door now."

"Enough. You've served your purpose." His cold eyes, unfocused, slithered up towards the courser. "Escort her back to her room and release her from her restraints."

"Wait!" Piper tried to wrestle free, to no avail. She kept pleading and was nearly out the door until Shaun rose his hand and motioned for the courser to return. His numb gaze bore into her, and her innards twisted with apprehension. Did she really want to know the truth? Everyone deserved it, no matter how cold or painful. That was the lesson she'd imparted on Garrett, once.

But she wasn't sure how much he could take, with how shattered he was before she'd been dragged out.

"Well? What is it?" Shaun asked impatiently.

Piper's mouth opened, then closed. Her eyes fell to the ground. The syllables choked in and out of existence, and tears began to burn. She sucked in a deep breath. Her question shook like the earth that felt like it'd split open beneath her.

"How long have I been dealing with the synth version of Garrett?"

"Why do you need to know?"

"I just... I just do."

Silence enveloped them. Shaun pulled the mask down, coughing a little as he strained with the words. "It sounds like you may have already pieced it together, from our previous interview."

"Do you not believe you would struggle with Mr. Butler, had he - over time - become a man far more jaded than the one you have come to cherish? Had you two not struggled in the beginning because of perspective?"

The beginning. If only she paid closer attention to his words. He had been basically spoon feeding all the hints to her since the start. The world grew misty, her foundation crumbling. She gritted her teeth. "It was never real, was it?"

"Tell me, in the people we have 'kidnapped', have there ever been any investigations as to who they were, and who they have been replaced with?"

"Real? I cannot answer that for you, Ms. Wright. But it was never planned on our part," Shaun admitted. "He was to monitor you only so that we could watch you, and decipher how much you truly knew of us."

"How. Long?"

"We were able to infiltrate and replace him shortly after your hand off to the cartel."

Pain zinged through her jaw as it rippled, struggling to keep her composure as the truth sank in. It aligned with the real Gat she'd seen housed in the pods, nude, lacking all the scars accumulated from all the shit she'd survived alongside the Garrett she'd come to know. The thigh scar was the most pivotal point, something she almost instinctively gravitated towards to touch whenever they made love.

"I am happy you were able to find companionship with our version of Mr. Butler, Ms. Wright. By accounts of the others, the Gunner Sergeant was quite ruthless, and I do believe you would have met an untimely end in his care otherwise. Or suffered worse."

"That's not on you to determine, you're not god. How can you change an exact copy of somebody? All you did was recreate the very same person."

"Contrary, due to my own contributions, we were able to figure out how to manipulate DNA so that it returns to the point of evolution and radiation-contamination, which was before the bombs were dropped. It is my understanding that the wasteland is now more akin to the era of the American Frontier; the Old West, as some refer to it. Our synths lack the aggression and inhibit the primal urges we as human beings are still wired with, despite all this time to adapt and change. Radiation has mutated those urges and exacerbated them. From the data we analyzed based on how the Sergeant interacted with you in the very beginning, we were led to believe that he would have sought other avenues with you in additionally violent and violating measures."

Desperate to find a foothold in all of this, Piper shook her head. She refused to accept what this bastard had to say. Who's to say it wasn't just more mind games, to make her truly feel as though she was as crazy as the picture the Institute will likely paint of her if she steps out of line?

"He'd never hurt me," Piper hissed.

"He would not now, no."

"You decided his entire fucking future and 'predicted' what kind of man he would be just because of the way he first kissed me? Is that it? Does that not sound ridiculous to you?"

"An interesting inquiry." Shaun relaxed back in the chair as his eyes fluttered shut, bringing the oxygen mask back on. "May I ask to answer: what kind of man do you think Leo Lyons is? The man who attempted to violate you, before he met his demise for it?"

Electricity shot down her spine and goosebumps pricked awake with the shiver that chased it. She glared at him, another pain tingling along her jawline as she fell silent.

"That is what I thought," Shaun sighed, his posture slumping. "Now, I do still enjoy invigorating discourse, but I should rest. Let us reschedule this for another time. Please escort Ms. Wright back."

"Yes, Father," the courser answered, pulling her immediately.

Piper complied, resigning to her fate, resigning to the truth. Her heart ached and her lungs shrunk, her eyes burning hotter as the world grew more bleary. It felt like she was sucking air through a straw, succumbing to her tears as she was laughably gently pulled along by the link of her cuffs. Her stomach sank as she stood before her door, the cuffs rattling as they were undone. The courser gave her no choice as he pushed the button to open the door and gave an unceremonious shove inside when she couldn't will her feet to move.

Gunmetal orbs locked on hers as soon as she entered the open living room. Garrett's eyes looked puffy and red as well, though he tensed and fell into his tough guy act soon enough. He seemed to hesitate, his hands open and out towards her, his movements sluggish in his approach.

"D-did they do somethin' do you, luv?" He croaked, his voice hoarse.

"No," Piper mumbled. Her throat tightened. The tears blotted it all and her knees gave out on her. She heard the footsteps rush towards her, the arms wounding around her, and instinct propelled her to seek comfort as she circled her hands around his shoulders, burying into the back of his hair. It was growing longer. He still thought and felt like a human being - like her.

Was she trying to cope with the truth, again? Justify that this connection between them was real?

Was it?

The questions and answers were killing her.

"Shh, everything's gonna be okay, luv," Garrett whispered.

"It's not," she argued, tucking her face into his neck as she held on tighter. His muscles rippled and tensed, and she eased when she'd remembered seeing what bruises the Institute inflicted on him again. "You deserve better," she warbled.

"Me, or the real bloke?" Garrett chuckled wryly, though the attempt at humor fell between them.

"I don't know," Piper held on tighter. "I don't know what to do anymore, Garrett."

"I... Think y'do, love, even if it hurts." Garrett sighed, his hand worming into the back of her hair as he gently pushed her face to stay in her neck. "I think we both do. I ain't s'pos'ta be here. My family ain't my family. I'm not real."

"Stop," she hissed. "Stop. You are real. What we've got is real."

"Piper..."

"You're real. Everything we've been through was real."

Garrett sucked in a noisy breath through his nose, and warmth seeped into her scalp when he buried his mouth against her head. She crumbled when he kissed her, his own body quivering. "I'm still bein' selfish, I am. God, forgive me..."

Could she tell him? Should she? Would he be able to handle another life-changing revelation? She wasn't sure. She didn't know what to do anymore. She held tighter, soaking up his comfort, his warmth, his kisses soothing her scalp. She melted in the embrace, though her fingers sank in when it felt as though he wanted to pull away.

"Stay, please," she whimpered. "Let me be selfish too."

"Alright." His hand patted tentatively on her back. "Alright..." He pulled a little, then. "Let's go on the couch. You can rest on top'uv me." He lead her easily at the promise of rest. As soon as he laid down, she'd climbed over and eased into it so as not to aggravate his bruises. He chuckled at her slowness of it all, pulling harshly on her wrists until she'd crashed down. She sighed, then smiled upon hearing his grunts of regret.

"That's why I was going slow."

"Survived worse. This pain is welcome." Garrett weaved one hand in her hair again, his short nails pleasantly scratching, as his arm wound protectively over her.

The silence, once so comfortable, was disconcerting instead. Their minds as weary as their hearts. The line to doing the right thing was so damn blurry.

Screw the line. What the hell even was the right thing?

This, between them, felt right. No matter his origin, this between them grew through blood shed and tears and laughs. She bonded with this Garrett.

"Real? I cannot answer that for you, Ms. Wright. But it was never planned on our part."

"I wanna do this your way," Garrett murmured, finally breaking the tense silence between them. "The honest way, Piper."

"Stop," she grabbed a fistful of his shirt, twisting it, burying her face in his neck to hide again. "Please... You don't know what you're putting an end to."

"The lies, love. You deserve the truth."

Piper chewed on her lip. Her heart couldn't take it anymore. She lifted her head and sought his lips, crawling upwards when he tried to angle away from her. "Please, Garrett... You... You've been with me all this time. Don't leave me." She kissed him, warbling words between kisses as they sucked in harsh breaths for air. "You made a vow remember?"

"It wasn't mine."

"It was, th-that's the thing. It was."

Hums buzzed against her mouth. Garrett surprisingly relaxed in the kiss, his eyes fluttering shut, and so could she. Then he came to a dead stop and abruptly leaned his head away. "Wait. What? What do you mean it was? How can I be a synth and still have..."

Wearily, Piper rose her head, watching over him as she smiled sadly. Her arm slithered up and she weakly mussed up one of his eyebrows. She planted a sweet soft peck on his forehead, murmuring so that warmth seeped into his cool skin. "You've been with me since the beginning. Well... When you came for me to rescue me from the drug cartel, to be exact."

Muscles buckled rigidly, and it was as though she was lying on a block of concrete. She held her breath apprehensively, staring back at him as his eyes flicked about to and fro, seemingly searching her gaze for the truths and lies. His brow furrowed in confusion. And then there was heartbreak marring his face.

"All this time, you been lovin' a fake man... Ain't this wrong, what we're doing? It's cheatin' on the real thing."

"You're real," Piper insisted. "What we went through was real, Garrett. I experienced that with you. Not the... The other one..."

Hands nimbly moved her off before she had the chance to fight back. Her heart plummeted to her stomach as she was practically tossed to the other corner of the couch, watching as Garrett sat on the edge and buried his head in his hands. The muscles in his neck and jaw twitched, grinding, rolling. He hid his eyes in his palms, and she felt as though she was going to fall apart all over again, watching as his world crumbled apart right in front of him.

"None of what I have belongs to me though," he muttered. "Fuck! Fuck, luv, this shite is too fuckin' much for me. How the fuck's anyone s'pos'to wrap their bloody head 'round this? What the actual fuck, mate! The Institute's all kinds of fucked up, jesus..." His head rose as he looked over at Piper, torn, afraid. "What am I s'pos'to tell Rose and... And Garnet? It'd be a lie, keeping around. What the fuck am I supposed to do? I can't..." He buried his head again. "But I don't wanna give this up, Piper. I'm bein' selfish, I know. You are too. That ain't the Wright way, right? What would your pops do here?"

Piper chewed her lip. She struggled. The line, the right thing, it was clear. Was it? It was so god damned hard to tell.

"I don't know," she quietly admitted.

"You gotta. You always have the right answers. You always know what the right way is. You gotta," his voice cracked, his fingers gnarling in his hair. "All the things I've always wanted was wrong. So then it's pretty easy to figure out what the right thing is to do then, yeah? I don't wanna give this up, so that's wrong. But you deserve the truth, the right one. So is that wrong? What the fuck, god... What the fuck are we supposed to do?!"

Piper scooted back beside him, snaring one of his hands as she kissed the back of it in desperation. She cradled it in hers and her head fell in defeat as she listened to his cries, her eyeballs aching as they struggled to work up tears she'd overspent. Her breath shuddered out of her as she pressed her lips to his knuckles, closing her eyes as she fell apart with him.

x - x - x

"You shortly went missing in action and now we are learning you abandoned your duty in the Capital Wasteland, Brother Lyons. Explain yourself." Arthur's eyes were cold and hard. His posture perfect, settling in the role of soldier and commander as if he was born into it.

So this was the legacy of the Maxsons.

Luki stood his ground, speaking what wasn't entirely a lie as he retrieved Sarah's holotags and held it out in front of him. "I was distraught, Elder. I'd learned my wife was killed in action."

"You still had a duty to uphold, Sentinel. Death happens. I kept serving after my mother passed." Condolences, but not the same thing, man. "We must pick ourselves up and keep serving, to serve the people. You served yourself and failed to report Sentinel Lyons' death, something that was critical for the Brotherhood of Steel to know as she was to be our next Elder."

Next Elder? Luki wanted to laugh - bit his tongue extra hard. He worked overtime to keep his expression neutral, reporting factually. "And for that is why I have returned, Elder Maxson. I realize the error of my ways and I want to rectify them. I apologize that I had succumbed to weakness. My purpose is to keep serving, and I believe I have collected valuable intel during my tenure with the Gunners."

Arthur frowned with disgust upon mention of the mercenaries. Yeah, wasn't Luki's first damned choice either, but he's always done what the Brotherhood - and the future of America - actually needed, rather than all these damned pissing contests. Had people been civil and the Brotherhood stuck to its tenets and promises of protecting the people, they wouldn't be in this godforsaken chaos, with Sarah rightfully and safely serving as Elder to guide the Brotherhood in the right direction.

Bloodthirsty maniacs, all of them. It makes Luki's blood boil to remember there was an assassination plot - and he was equally distrustful of Arthur now, as the Elder was of him. He tried to hold onto the fact that Arthur was still a boy, back then, with the most obvious crush on Sarah. Even now, the tension between them was thick, entrenched in the air. It was equally obvious that Arthur hated Luki back then, succumbed to jealousy. Now he was going to pretend he was above it all.

These staring contests? Sizing each other up? It was ridiculous. Luki patiently waited until Arthur gave the order to reveal the intel. Perhaps the Elder was reconsidering Luki's stay on the Brotherhood ship at all - and that meant his infiltration mission would be a failure.

Still trapped in these endless missions for the sake of America's future.

Have faith in Sarah's plan. Stick to it. He needed to comply and do whatever he needed to do, or say, to insert himself. He steeled himself as he began to unbuckle the pip-boy from his arm, and offered it to the Elder.

"All the intel is there. The Gunners keep track of strategic locations and have kept most of them locked down. Pre-war treasure troves, armories that the Brotherhood of Steel could utilize."

"I will decide what we do with this intel, Brother. Not you."

Power. It always came to power. A true leader respected their cohorts, commanded respect in return, and felt no need to engage in horseplay like this. Sarah Lyons should be here instead.

Luki sacrificed his pip-boy as the Elder snatched it, navigating some of the menus and maps that the Institute had installed in there. It was terrifying just how much information they truly had on the Commonwealth. Arthur turned away and strode for his table, setting the pip-boy down. He clasped his wrists behind him as he looked out the Prydwen's windows.

"I will reinstate you into our ranks, but for abandoning the Brotherhood and dishonoring our tenets, you will return to the rank of Paladin. See to it that you will not disappoint again, Paladin Lyons. Find Sentinel Gallows on the officer's deck and tell him it is time. You will follow every order he gives you - or consider your rank stripped entirely, and you will be dishonorably discharged from the Brotherhood of Steel."

"Thank you for giving me another chance, sir," Luki saluted. "I will not disappoint you, Elder."

Arthur grunted. "Dismissed."

It took all of Luki's discipline to keep cool. It was a blessing and a curse to return to military routine, after spending so long outside of it. He almost preferred the Gunners' structure instead. He kept his head up though, a new turmoil gripping his stomach as he returned to the decks, making his way to find Sentinel Gallows; so that bastard is still around and kicking. This would be the ultimate test to see just how much Gallows already knows.

And the ultimate test if Luki's going to be able to help Sarah win her damn age-old bet. Seriously, what's that guy's fucking name?

x - x - x

Adam held out his hand. "Dressing forceps." He waited patiently as the little girl surveyed his surgical tools, smiling to himself as her finger hovered over each tool to mutter under her breath each one that she remembered was called. She looked at him with eyes as guilty as her smirk as she suddenly thrust her finger over to the kelly forceps instead. "Try again. Visualize it within your mind, what would I need to have were I need to hold gauze or debride a deep wound?"

"Oi," Garnet hollered impatiently. "Can y'cut that out and just knock me out to fix my knee already? Or does the most magnificent surgeon alive actually need my kid as his assistant?"

"Of course not," Adam huffed, "but this is an excellent learning opportunity for her. You have taken her out of school, after all."

Garnet groaned and her head plummeted on the table, her own anxiety becoming more and more apparent as anesthesia was stalled. What more convincing does she need now? She had her daughter here and he has 3-0 recording the entire procedure; though, granted, now that Adam has educated Ms. Butler as to what kind of 'man' was standing there, he would be unnerved as well. He excused himself from his lesson with Rose and walked over to 3-0, motioning by drawing a circle in the air for 3-0 to turn around. He thumbed over the chip sewn on the back of the subject's head and pressed to hold the button, waiting until 3-0 completely shut down.

That alerted Garnet, and she shot up into sitting. "What did y'just do? What're you gonna do to m-"

"Nothing, I assure you. I can shut down processes and keep others running. We will only utilize 3-0 for the surgery so you can be at ease around It's rightfully unnerving presence." He double-clicked the chip for a port to open, pulling on a wire to connect it to his surgical terminal. He issued commands so that 3-0's head rose and opened It's eyes to resume recording the procedure.

"Presents?" Rose piped up eagerly. "I don't think it was unnervin'. He gave me a cool toy, one of the planets." She pulled out a small ball from her pocket.

Adam chuckled. "I'm afraid you'll have to return that to the teacher, little one. That is part of her display for the class."

"Oh..."

Garnet's hand slipped over her eyes. "Can't believe my daughter's turnin' into a thief even here."

"Oi, mum, I didn't steal nothing!"

"Why don't you give Pluto to your mother?" Adam suggested, he smiled over when Ms. Butler gave him a confused look. "You could hold onto something for comfort while I put you under." He approached his station to begin rolling up his sleeves to prep himself, donning his surgical greens and mask before he approached the table. He calculated the math as he checked what weight was displayed on the surgical table's LED diagram, setting up his anesthesia machine as he'd pulled the mask over towards Garnet. She was holding onto her daughter's hand, and he clicked his tongue off the roof of his mouth.

"Rose, I do not mind if you watch over the surgery, but you're risking your mother with infection. Did you watch how I decontaminated myself at that station, over there?"

"Uh... Kinda."

"Alright, come with me and I'll help prep you. My gowns will be a touch too long on you, so we'll fold it and tie up a little."

"Oh for the love of god," Garnet grumbled. "Please put an end to my misery."

"Patience," Adam chuckled.

"Next yer gonna give her a scalpel and teach her to get chummy with my fleshy bits too."

Heat consumed Adam's complexion and he coughed, though his throat closed up in embarrassment regardless. He refused to entertain Ms. Butler's vulgarity, shooting a glare over his shoulder at the woman who clearly thrived off it all, if her grin had anything to say. Crude woman...

There was a strange feeling he wasn't quite accustomed to, and it was always whenever he was interacting with Rose. The girl's curiosity knew no bounds, and with a little confidence, her intelligence bloomed. He didn't need to demonstrate much and learned she was quite perceptive, scrubbing down her hands and arms, nearly getting the order to don the greens down to perfection. He stood, stumped, when Garnet's laughter echoed in the surgical chamber as Rose jogged over to her, the gown rustling furiously. He had to tear his eyes away as he'd watched how their hands gravitated towards each other, fingers interlocking, Pluto crushed in between their palms.

He was having foolish thoughts. He had to focus on his work. That was where the evolution of humanity awaited him, not these... Primitive, immature urges. What use did he have for bonding with a child? She was just a sponge for knowledge and nothing more, to coach her and produce an effective member of the Institute's society.

Adam approached the surgical table. He was a bit more abrupt, then, taking the mask to slip over Garnet's mouth. He began the anesthetic machine and did his best to avoid looking at her, failing in his mission when her other hand came up to circle around his wrist. His brow pinched softly as he'd looked down. The fear was bright in her eyes.

"Everything will be over before you know it, Garnet," he reassured softly. "It will not take me long. You'll feel worse waking up, in fact, as anesthesia is-"

"Comforting," Garnet wryly chuckled, the skips dragging sleepily as her eyes fluttered. Her pupils dilated, constricted, dilated, struggling to hold on.

Adam unwrapped her hand from his wrist and gently guided her arm back down on the surgical table. "Sweet dreams, Ms. Butler."

Pluto slipped through and fell on the ground. Rose seemed fearful too, for some reason. Adam didn't quite understand. He watched over her as the little girl rushed to pick up the planet and wanted to hold onto her mother's hand. Normally, he'd desire for the body to remain motionless on the table. Oh well, it's not like it would quite impede him. He took the iso-mask off of Garnet and grabbed his intubation tube, gingerly lifting her head and pinching her tongue with gauze to move it out of the way as he glided the tube down her throat.

No resistance, good. He wouldn't have to resort to pumping a chock full of drugs in her. He hooked the tube up to the oxygen machine and monitored her vitals as he fluttered the surgical drape over her knee. He looked up when Rose stretched up on toes to see what he was doing, and he chuckled as he shook his head.

"If you'd like, you can observe the next surgery I do - preferably not on your mother. I am not able to care for you if you pass out from shock, little one. Shift your weight and rock from leg to leg, will you? If you feel faint, look at the monitor and focus on the numbers. Sit on the floor if you feel really dizzy."

"Alright," Rose mumbled, dazed. She looked down and kept focusing on squeezing her mother's hand.

Adam wasted no time. He brought his headset's lamp down and made his incision into the prepped area, the hot pink formula staining the skin and reminding him of all the times he'd dissected the lab-grown pigs. He shook his thoughts free and remained focused on the tasks, priding on speed and efficiency as he inserted his scope inside to watch the feed connected to his headset.

"Tsk," his tongue clicked in displeasure, shaking his head. "They've done nothing at all to help her knee; only caused more damage. Lazy amateurs..."

"Amateurs!" Rose parroted. And then her curious tone tread, blissfully unaware of the ramifications. "But you're not, right?"

"Of course not," Adam huffed, chest puffing. Though his smile could not be seen behind his mask, he made it a point to look up at 3-0, having learned that this amusingly got under Garnet's skin. "I am the most magnificent surgeon alive. Your mother's words, remember?"

The doors to his surgical chamber opened, and his mirth immediately cut into a cold sharp tone. "I am busy, and you are contaminating-"

"It is time."

Father's voice. Adam's head whipped up, snapping over in disbelief. His father droned instructions, paying no mind nor care to the importance of the work Adam was performing.

And then he left.

Adam pulled his scalpel away before he stabbed the pig in frustration. He blinked rapidly, focusing down on Rose first to calm himself, before back at his surgical site. Disgusting beads of sweat lined his neck, rolling down into his gown. He cleared his throat, though it still closed in on him. He tried to shake his thoughts off and glued his gaze back to the live feed his scope had of Ms. Butler's knee.

Yes.

This was important work.

He was saving a knee, rather than amputating. Even surgeries with no educational merit were valuable. A look back at Rose, stunned when she was by his side, offering him a cannister of water with a straw as she held it up innocently at him. She did her best not to let her gaze wander to her mother's knee. Adam leaned over for her to reach, and she tenderly pulled down the lip of his mask so that he could chase the straw. It eased the burn in his throat, the coolness settling him somewhat.

That gesture made that strange feeling swim again.

"Th-thank you, Rose," Adam rasped. "I needed that." He smiled again, despite the mask blocking it. "You're a wonderful assistant."

The cheeky girl beamed a grin, that much could be tell by the way her eyes squinted for it. "I know!"

Hm... Well, maybe this may have not been of educational merit for him, but it was for her. He'd taken the risk and watched over her to make sure she wasn't suffering any signs of shock as he explained what he was doing as he continued surgery, promising to give her his headset afterwards so she could watch the footage the scope recorded of what was going on inside the knee. He felt more at ease, even though part of his brain was swallowed in chaos, struggling to piece together father's instructions.

Oh well. He'll just have to watch 3-0's recording with Ms. Butler, but he had a pretty good idea what 'it was time' for. And his blood boiled with excitement at the thought.

All of the Institute was about to be witness to his brilliance.