(London, Fall, Before the Bagley Attack)

Fifteen years. It had been fifteen years since Clara had been gunned down at that cemetery. Fifteen years since Rachel had found her and changed her life for the worst. Ever since Rachel decided to keep Clara captive, she has controlled almost every move Clara made. No exaggeration. Clara has hardly had any freedom and instead was left to do Rachel's dirty work.

Now, Rachel has caught a tip that not only is Aiden in London, but so is his nephew, Jackson. Clara wouldn't be worrying about Rachel finding them given Aiden's track record of being undiscovered if it isn't for the fact that there's a bit more concrete evidence this time.

Since Rachel and Clara are now in London, Rachel is pushing towards new heights by making a deal with the Kelley's in order to infiltrate them so if there's any information on Pearce, she'll be the first to know.

And she's going to use Clara in order to do that.

Currently, Clara is venturing through the royal halls of the Sandstone Residence, a fortress for Clan Kelley. Everything from the walls and pillars to the floors gleam with gold, silver and black. The marble floors are spotless to where Clara can view her own reflection.

"Yep. Definitely royalty," Clara thinks to herself, not feeling too thrilled with what she is getting into, well, what Rachel wants her to do.

She walks down the halls with several of Rachel's soldiers. Clara senses Rachel behind her practically breathing down her neck as she continues to walk on the marble floors. Her chest stings as pent up bitterness rises in her, but this feeling isn't anything new. Looking back on when she first met Rachel, she can't believe that for a second she had thought she and her group meant well, but she should have known better.

They continue to travel through the grand building with the melodies of violins and choir echoing throughout the walls. There are Clan Kelley soldiers standing at their posts eyeing Rachel's group coldly with skepticism. Clara doesn't pay any mind to them as she and the others arrive at a room which looks to be a bar.

Strangely enough, there is a giant statue of a doberman coated in gold sitting directly in the middle of the room. Whatever criminal work they do must draw in quite a bit of money.

In the corner of Clara's vision, she spots two people, one behind the bar preparing drinks and the other setting down drinks for a few Clan Kelley soldiers lounging on one of the black leather couches. The workers are attired with white tank tops and pants which stand out from the red leather jackets the Kelleys are wearing.

She takes a glance at one of them serving the drinks. The server is a pale man who looks to be in his early forties and his hairline is receding. A dull frown appears on his worn face as he makes his way back to the bar, moving away from the two Kelley soldiers who are chatting and cackling away with champagne resting in their hands.

Clara finds it a bit odd and can't shake off the feeling that something sinister is happening with this group. She knows they do criminal work, but Rachel had never specified what sort of work they do. She had never heard of this group before given that this is Clara's first time in London. Everything is new from the people to the confusing roads, at least from Clara's perspective.

Clara shifts her attention away from the exhausted looking man as she continues making her way towards the stairs behind the doberman statue. With each step she takes, Clara secretly hopes that Rachel's lead on Aiden would be a cold one. She is surprised that Rachel is still hot on her pursuit for Aiden after several years. Clara thinks even Aiden would have given up on finding Lena's killers by now if it were him at this point.

Who is she kidding? She is one of Lena's killers. Clara had learned a long time ago that it's best to keep all of her guilt and worries buried. She has been dragged into Rachel's hatred for Aiden for more than a decade and she had learned to adjust even if she didn't want to.

Clara reaches the top of the stairs while being mindful of how fast or slow she walks considering that Rachel is lingering behind her. A young man enters their line of view to the left of them as he stands above a shorter set of stairs. He isn't wearing a red leather jacket like the others. Instead, he is wearing a black suit jacket with a green collared shirt.

"You all must be here to meet Mary Kelley," he says with a heavy accent.

"Thats right," Rachel says as she stands next to Clara.

A small grin appears on the mustached man's face. "Right this way."

He waves his hand and gestures the group to follow him. Clara releases a heavy sigh before she and the group continue up the other set of stairs until they are directly following the man.

Clara catches sight of three more people wearing similar white clothing to the other people she saw earlier. Two women and one man. One woman stands while holding a tray with drinks and the other two are sweeping the floor. The same worn down look are apparent in their faces. Clara can't help but wonder who these people are and why there aren't any Kelley members cleaning.

Are they maids? Even if they are, they look too miserable to be working.

"You have intrigued Mary with the tech you're offering Miss Williams," the man interrupts Clara's thoughts while nodding to Rachel. "Deals like this are difficult to make with her since we use our own microchips, but this must be something new."

Clara can sense the excitement in his voice and she can visibly see his eyes gleam beneath his tinted glasses.

Microchips? Similar to the one behind Clara's neck? What exactly is Rachel planning here?

"I can assure you that my chips will be very beneficial to you," Rachel responds with an enthusiastic smile.

Clara listens to their conversation deeply. A part of her wants to know everything Rachel has planned, but Clara has become adjusted to being strung along and controlled by her to the point that she doesn't bother anymore.

They continue to pass more tough looking soldiers, some chandeliers dangling from the roof and some royal looking paintings of London before entering a seperate room with automated doors opening for the group.

"This way," the man guides them towards the elevator in the center of the small room.

They enter the elevator. The man presses his hand against an electric palm reader on the left side of the elevator walls before the door closes. The orchestral music playing is only heard faintly as the elevator ascends. Even though it's only a couple of floors, Clara feels like it's lasting for an eternity. The silence in the elevator makes Clara shift uncomfortably given how close she is to Rachel.

The doors finally open and they are greeted by a hallway leading to a large set of black doors. The man is the first to exit the elevator and Clara follows with the group. More Kelley guards are positioned by the walls, some of them wearing armor. They must be ready if the deal goes sideways.

"There's so many of them," Clara observes them as she starts to develop goosebumps.

Rachel had only brought a handful of people with her who are trained intensely for combat. Despite Clara being trained to be one of Rachel's greatest soldiers, she can still sense the intense power radiating off the Kelleys.

They continue to follow the man until they reach the doors. The man gently nudges the door open and positions himself beside it to hold it open for the group.

"Your guests have arrived," he announces with his head turning towards someone Clara can't see.

As Clara enters the room, she takes in her surroundings. The black and white marble floor showcases the Kelley wolf logo, and she sees another white clothed maid sweeping next to a metal table sitting towards the end of the room. The somber melody of a hushed piano plays throughout the speakers.

"Right on time," a woman with an english accent can be heard on Clara's right.

Thats when she sees the woman. The old woman who looks to be in her sixties uncrosses her legs and sets down her book upon the seeing the group. The clacking of her heeled boots can be heard as the woman rises from her chair and saunters towards the group.

Her piercing green eyes first make contact with Clara before shifting to Rachel. Her wrinkles show through the growing smile on her face.

"Good evening, Mrs. Kelley," Rachel says with a nod of courtesy.

"Ah, just call me Mary. No need for formalities, dear," Mary replies while extending her hand out for Rachel to shake. "You must be Rachel."

Clara observes Mary as she shakes hands with Rachel. The elder woman is wearing a crimson leather jacket with a black shirt and slick black leather pants to match. She accessorizes with silver earrings along with gold and silver bead and chain necklaces, and her grey hair is presented in a pixie cut. From her smokey eye makeup down to her jewelry, everything about her sceams authority and luxury.

Her attire does justice for her title.

"Yes, I am," Rachel responds while placing her hand back down to her side.

"Well I'm quite interested in this erm...controlling device you've offered," Mary speaks a bit too enthusiastically, "So let's get right into it. Show me what you've got for me."

Rachel clears her throat before speaking, "The device is fairly simple. I will demonstrate with my subject, Madison."

Rachel gestures her hand towards Clara. Clara releases a breath and frowns. Madison is the fake name Rachel had come up with for Clara to keep her identity hidden from potential groups such as Dedsec.

"Madison, come here," Rachel commands.

Clara grows sour at the nickname, but her body forces her to move until she is standing directly in front of Rachel.

"Compared to your chips which give pain to your subjects, this chip will allow you to have them do whatever you tell them to do with no fuss. They will immediately respond to your command."

Mary rests her knuckles under her chin while listening intently.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but that sounds like mind control don't it?" Mary notes with an amused chuckle.

"Yes, "Rachel returns a smirk. "That's precisely what it is."

The two women share a few polite laughs as Clara's stomach churns. Just listening to their laughter makes Clara scowl as little as her face allows her to due to the chip. Resentment dwells within her. How can Rachel criticize Aiden and his actions when she goes out of her way to enslave Clara?

"That does sound ideal. Although the microchips are useful, sometimes it can be a hassle puttin' up with our merchandise wearin' them. I've even had a few try to cut their chips out," Mary states with an eyeroll, "But I'll believe your offer when I see it."

Rachel plasters a smirk on her face.

"Allow me to demonstrate then. Madison, look at Mary."

Clara turns to make eye contact with the matriarch before Rachel utters the final word of her sentence. Clara's irises flash a neon blue color briefly while maintaining her eye contact before returning back to their normal color. Mary's eyes slightly widen, feeling stunned at the sight.

"Her eyes don't normally flash, but for presentation purposes, they are," Rachel explains, "There would be no worries about suspicion from others."

Mary ponders for a moment while watching Clara. Despite being intrigued by the visuals, she isn't fully convinced.

"How do you particularly control her? With a remote?"

"Yes," Rachel reaches into her pocket and pulls a small remote fitting the palm of her hand.

"Whoever possesses the remote has control of the subject."

Upon seeing the remote, Clara lightly shudders at the memories of it

"Could I have a go at it then? Mary asks "It would only be fair if I tested it for myself."

Rachel is hesitant for a moment, but she realizes she has a backup plan if the Kelleys decide to steal her device.

"Sure," Rachel responds before handing the remote to Mary.

Clara grows anxious as she observes Mary taking the remote. Rachel has never passed on the remote to anyone outside of Impulse, so the idea of being put into the hands of someone unknown makes Clara a bit more nervous than with Rachel. At least she knows what to expect from Rachel, but the Kelley woman can't be any more mysterious.

Mary inspects the remote while trying to figure it out even though it only has two buttons.

"You'll have to push the top button to get it accustomed to you. Then you, should be in control," Rachel explains while secretly hoping things go smoothly.

Mary hums before pressing the button. She watches Clara's eyes shine blue neon colors while feeling bewildered and a little thrilled for something new. Mary toys with ideas for what her first command should be. Clara can practically catch a whiff of cigar smoke coming off of her.

"State your name," Mary commands.

"Madison Chambers, "Clara states her fake name quickly.

Clara shifts uncomfortably at Mary's penetrating stare. Mary appears to be lost in thought before a mischievous smirk reaches her face.

"Kneel," Mary points towards the floor.

Before Clara can process the command, her legs force her knees to touch the floor and she is now kneeling to Mary Kelley. What kind of command is this? Clara catches sight of the white clothed maid a few feet behind Mary. Her sweeping comes to a slow pace as she seems to be investing in what Mary is doing. Her frown and furrowed brows suggest her worry at the sight of Clara being controlled, but a quick sharp glare from one of the Kelley soldiers averts her attention away from the scene and back to her sweeping.

Witnessing that makes Clara realize what the Kelleys are doing to these people. No wonder something feels off.

"Look up at me. Don't be shy now."

Clara tilts her head up and her eyes meet Mary's. She looks delighted at Clara being at her will. Clara's chest stings at the feeling of humiliation taking over her. Is this all her life would be? Being at the service of others and being used as a toy? She had pondered this long before, but the question is ever so present now.

"Ha," Mary says, "Would ya look at that. I've never had someone comply so quick."

"Precisely," Rachel notes, "You'll never have to worry about delays."

"Now you've snagged my attention. Out of curiosity Rachel, what exactly do you plan on getting out of this? Money?"

"Specifically, funding. I'm hoping for more resources for our organization."

"Hm," Mary crosses her arms. "We can certainly do that. This does seem promising afterall."

Rachel eyes Mary cautiously as she makes a swift turn and walks towards her desk with the remote still dangling from her hand.

"Welp. It looks like we've got a deal, eh?"

Mary reaches for a champagne glass only to discover it's empty.

"Peter, do you know if there's any champagne left?" She asks while inspecting her glass for any remains.

"There's more downstairs, ma'am."

Mary takes a glance at him being ready to command him to bring more alcohol until she catches sight of Clara with her knees to the floor while keeping her eyes glued to Kelley's.

"Why don't I have you fetch the drink carrier for me?"

Mary stares at Clara with a playful grin on her face. She really is getting a kick out of this, isn't she?

"You are our servant for the day, yes?" She stiffles a giggle. "Would that sit right with you, Rachel?"

Rachel thinks about it before responding, "Sure, but I would like it if one of the members of my crew go with her in case something goes wrong."

Mary holds her gaze onto Rachel's with a hint of skepticism while her grin remains on her face.

"Well this is supposed to be working tech. It shouldn't go wrong."

"What I mean is Madison could lose her way. This is her first time being here."

Mary crosses her arms. "If thats the case, I'll have one of mine accompany her, unless..." Mary takes a few steps towards Rachel, "you're afraid I'm trying to snag this thing away from you." She waves the remote in her hand.

Rachel maintains her composure while being wary of her next choice of words.

"You can never be too careful," Rachel says while playing off a smirk.

Mary's eyes bore into Rachel's causing her heart to beat quicker. This has to work. She needs eyes and ears within the Kelleys. Clara can sense potential tension between the two as she is still awkwardly kneeling to the floor.

Mary chuckles. "Thats fair. You'll have one of your own and I'll have one of mine go with her."

Mary gestures for one of her armed soldiers to come over to which they comply.

"Kindly show them where to go."

While the soldier settles himself, Mary shifts her gaze back down to Clara.

"You can stand up now, sweetheart."

Clara promptly gets to her feet and she notices a smirk dancing with humor on Mary's face.

"Well," Mary clasps her hands at the sight of Rachel's soldier and her soldier near Clara, "off you go."

Clara quietly sighs before she begins following the Kelley soldier with one of Rachel's by her side. Clara notices Rachel carefully watching her as she passes her and makes her exit out of the room. Upon exiting, the doors close and Clara is now left with silence among the two soldiers. The three enter the elevator and the Kelley soldier uses his hand print to activate it before the doors shut.

Seconds go by and the elevator can't be any more quiet. The only noise she can pick up on is the faint choir music and the soldier's breathing. She wonders if this is all going to Rachel's plan. Rachel definitely has proper funding and resources for Impulse. She always knew Rachel was the type to never reveal too much information during a deal in case it goes wrong, so she probably isn't revealing her true intentions because of that.

The doors open and they exit the elevator. Clara proceeds to follow the Kelley soldier out of the automatic doors and she is lead towards the white leather couches where she is met yet again with the white clothed workers. Knowing what she has to do, Clara approaches the woman with a tray of drinks in her hand.

"Mary Kelley needs..." Clara starts to speak to her until her mouth stops moving.

Clara freezes.

That ongoing force from the chip making her do things isn't present. She doesn't feel it. Clara attempts to shut her mouth and to her surprise, they do on her command. Clara blinks rapidly as she willingly moves her head around while receiving a confused glance from the woman.

She can't believe it. She is doing this on her own.

"What is going on?" Clara wonders as her hearts starts pounding.

Is this some kind of test from Rachel, or is the chip disabled?

"What's the hold up?" The surly voice of the Kelley soldier is present behind her.

Rachel's soldier takes notice. Time seems to slow for Clara as she takes everything in.

"You're free," a voice says through her ear piece.

She can't begin to tell if the masculine voice is familiar as both the Kelley soldier and Rachel's soldier surround her, their gazes remaining sharp.

"Free?" She tries to process the sentence.

Her feet shift lightly and she can barely register the complaints of the Kelley soldier towards Rachel's. She tries to decide her next move. Is this real? Is this some game? Who could have freed her? Clara wonders is she should risk an escape, but with the soldier's approach towards her, she has to act quick.

Building up as much courage as she can muster, she mutters, "Fuck it."

Clara launches her fist towards the soldier's face and lands a brutal hit across his jaw. She swiftly positions herself behind him and grabs the pistol from his holster. Keeping a firm grip on the soldier's neck, she aims her gun at Rachel's soldier who is readying his pistol. Clara gasps as she fires a bullet towards his head just in time before he can shoot.

The bullet punctures his head causing blood to gush out. This alerts another Kelley soldier nearby and they retrieve their rifle. Clara catches the sound of the rifle loading while struggling to keep the first soldier within her grasp.

Clara positions him directly in front of her while aiming her gun towards his head. He grunts and his struggling comes to a slow upon seeing the gun. The other soldier quickly aims her rifle towards Clara and clumsily fires. Instead of landing on Clara, it hits the side of the first soldier's head.

A splatter of blood sprays on Clara's cheek while the soldier's head falls limp. The other soldier's eyes widen at her mistake before Clara shoots another bullet towards her chest. The bullet strikes her and she collapses to the ground.

Clara releases the dead soldier from her grip with heavy breaths and wide eyes. She can only now process the ringing in her ears from the gunshots. She faintly hears the shaky breaths of the white clothed woman staring directly at her while the other two hide beside the couches.

Clara presses her lips into a hard line and contemplates helping them, but with their microchips and the gunshots being loud enough for the whole building to hear, it might not work out and she doesn't have time. She shifts her gaze away from the woman and onto Rachel's dead soldier on the ground.

Clara attempts to maintain her now shaking body as she kneels down to rummage through the soldier's backpack and finds a crossbow and a quiver with a set of arrows. She promptly opens the straps of the quiver and wraps them around her shoulders. She has to get out of there fast.

If this is her only chance at escape, she has to take it now.

Clara knows the gunshots were loud enough to have alerted the people upstairs and she can hear more Kelley soldiers rushing upstairs.

As Clara makes a run for it, Mary has already been alerted by the noise. Both Rachel and Mary freeze as they process the noise.

"Was that..." Mary starts until her eyes land on Rachel's and glares at her.

Rachel can't help but feel penetrated by her stare. What is going on down there? Rachel attempts to keep her composure while Mary makes her way towards her. With a frown, Mary snaps her fingers and the soldiers surrounding the room aim their weapons towards her and her group.

"So this is just a game to you, eh, Rachel?" Mary's lips quirk up mischievously. "Comin' in here actin' like you've got us fooled."

"I can assure you that I have no idea whats going on down there," Rachel explains, although she has a fair idea of the possibility of Clara's chip not working.

She mentally prays that isn't the case. Her blood boils at the thought of Clara escaping.

"Ma'am," one of the armoured soldiers speak, "Just got word of a few of our own down. It was that woman."

Mary furrows her brows and her poker face vanishes. Rachel clutches her hands towards her pocket along with her soldiers readying their grenades. Mary's emerald eyes slowly make their way back to Rachel's.

"Hm," Mary clenches her fists. She never likes when things don't go her way. "Who you workin' for? The inspector?"

She practically spits out the last sentence while keeping her eyes narrow. Rachel frowns. Her plan is ruined now. There's no way this would turn out good no matter what she says.

"No. Even this would be too much for a cop, so what are you really after, Rachel?"

"The chip most likely malfunctioned and the subject is trying to escape."

"See I don't think I believe you. Even if you were telling the truth, if you can't get your merchandise to work then we have no business here." Mary's face starts to grow as red as her jacket.

Rachel watches Mary carefully as she starts to raise her hand. Suspecting she is going to open fire, she nods towards her soldiers and they each throw their smoke grenades. Smoke fills the room, blinding the Kelleys. A few of the soldiers blindly fire at them with Rachel spotting the remote being dropped to the ground. She sprints over and retrieves it from the ground before Mary can even get a glance at her.

Rachel and her crew rush out of the room. She pulls out her assault rifle from her bag and fires at the other soldiers standing by. It takes a few shots, but the bullets pierce through their armor and they go down. They make it to the elevator only to discover that a handprint is required.

"Shit!" Rachel exclaims while turning towards her soldiers. "Cover me!"

The doors burst open as more Kelley soldiers file out. As Rachel dashes to retrieve one of the dead bodies, two of her soldiers toss explosive grenades while the others open fire on the Kelleys.

"Don't let her get away!" Rachel hears Mary call from a distance.

Rachel drags one of the bodies towards the elevator while nearly missing bullets. Rachel breathes heavily while placing the soldier in the elevator. She picks up his hand and presses it against the handprint device.

"Get inside the elevator!" Rachel shouts through the soldiers ear pieces.

Finishing off their last rounds, the soldiers sprint inside the elevator. Rachel grows tense hearing the Kelley soldiers approaching the elevator.

"Come on," Rachel mutters while watching the hand print process.

The box turns green much to Rachel's relief and the doors shut just in time before the Kelleys can get in. Everyone catches their breath before one of the soldiers speak up.

"Now what do we do? Clan Kelley is on us and they know who we are."

Rachel sighs exasperatedly. "Don't worry. We'll cover our tracks. Thats what we always do. Right now, we need to focus on finding our escapee."

Meanwhile, Clara races towards another set of automatic doors. They open and she is greeted by gunfire to her left. She shields herself and fires back before making her way towards a downward set of stairs. Once she reaches the bottom, she huddles herself against the wall for cover. She glances around for any soldiers and spots one cautiously aiming his gun in search her around a pool table.

Clara releases a slightly relieved breath. That means they've most likely lost her for the moment. Clara pulls one of the arrows from her quiver and adjusts it onto her crossbow. Once it's loaded, Clara aims towards the soldier with his back turning to her. She fires the arrow and it pierces the man's neck.

When the soldier falls to the ground, Clara practically tip toes away from her hiding spot and keeps her ears open for any more footsteps. She glances around the room and spots a door to her left. Clara gasps at the possible exit and approaches the door.

"Please be unlocked," she repeatidly whispers.

Getting closer, she notices that there is a red key pad next to it. She huffs realizing it requires a system key. Her ears perk up when she hears a female soldier's voice from a distance.

"There she is!"

Clara ducks at a few bullets heading to her direction and takes off towards another set of stairs leading upwards. She reaches the top of the stairs and realizes she is back in the same room where the white leather couches are sitting. Clara catches her breath and constantly glances around.

"Câlisse. How am I supposed to get out of this place?" She says to herself.

She spots the three way stairs she encountered when she and Rachel first walked in the building. She recognizes the doberman statue and realizes that has to be her way out. Clara almost makes a run for it until her heart drops.

She watches three Kelley soldiers go down by bullets along with Rachel emerging from her cover. Clara's hands grow sweaty from her anxiety at the sight of Rachel's fuming ecpression. Rachel can't possibly have any control over her now, right?

Clara attempts to keep a firm grip on her crossbow as she gulps.

"Come on," she groans. "Just make it across the stairs."

But it isn't just Rachel. Clara sees five more of Rachel's soldiers stepping over the dead Kelley soldiers. Are there even any Clan Kelley soldiers left?

She sees the optiks on two of the soldiers flash an orange color as they nod to each other. Thats Rachel's soldier's form of hidden communication. From the distance she's at, she can't interpret what they are saying to each other.

Clara quietly removes her quiver and searches for an explosive arrow. To her luck, she fishes out one. Putting the quiver back on, she adjust the arrow onto the crossbow and releases a long shaky sigh.

She has to make this shot count.

Clara looks over the railing and sees Rachel and a few of her soldiers approaching the stairs. Clara aims the crossbow towards her group. Clara tries to control her breathing, but for some reason, she can't properly do it. Does Rachel's presence scare her that bad?

Clara gulps and does her best to keep her growing panic under control. Clara's finger pushes the trigger before she can think about it. The arrow lands directly at the bottom of the steps and explodes. The impact knocks Rachel back, but fatally wounds her other soldiers.

Well that is not what Clara planned.

Not having time to mentally scold herself, she takes the opportunity to sprint across the stairs. Clara can hear Rachel groan as she runs across the hall. There has to be another door somewhere.

Clara reaches another doorway and she is now in another section with a railing showing a view of the main entrance, but to her misfortune she can see two guards blocking that area. Clara's feet become sore as she glances around for any more doors until she spots a metal one. Praying that it's unlocked, she is about to head towards it until smoke clouds her vision.

It takes her only a few seconds to process that it's a smoke bomb before a sharp pain hits her back as she is kicked to the ground. The smoke starts to clear a little as Clara scrambles to her feet and winces at the pain in her back. She makes out a figure emerging in the smoke and a pair of nails grab a fist full of her grown out hair.

A rush of air hits her as her head is slammed into the railing. Clara cries out and she collapses onto the ground, her head pounding from the impact.

"You're not going anywhere!" She hears Rachel's infuriated voice.

She wraps her arms around Clara's neck attempting to put her into a chokehold. Clara's breath tightens and her heads starts to spin. Her hands scramble to fight back against Rachel, but fails to do so.

More pressure is applied to Clara's neck causing her to whimper. Her hands scramble once more until she feels her gun. Remembering that she has it, she clumsily aims it backwards and fires at whatever she can. Rachel cries out as she releases her arms from Clara and clutches her shoulder.

The pressure is released from Clara's neck and she inhales a sharp breath. Her head pounds while she slowly gets back to her feet. She tumbles backwards away from Rachel, still catching her breath. With Rachel on the ground bleeding out from her gunshot wound, Clara readjusts her stature and checks around the room for the metal door she saw, or any potential exit that can get her away from Rachel.

With her mind growing clearer, Clara spots the door. The possibility of it being locked only briefly crosses her mind as she makes a run for it. Feeling too afraid to finish off Rachel, she doesn't look back as she reaches for the door and pushes into it.

To her surprise, the door bursts open and she is greeted by a set of metallic stairs leading downward. Without a second thought, Clara rushes down the steps. She encounters a door with a small window showing the oustide. Clara charges towards it and to her surprise, she manages to push the door open.

Once she steps outside, a chill breeze hits her face and a shower of rain washes over her. She immediately spots a mini van parked up a small hill just a few feet away from her. She must have reached some sort of parking lot with only one car. She makes a run for the van and reaches it. She tries to open the doors only to remember that the doors require an automatic unlock.

Rachel bursts through the door while clutching her shoulder. Clara instinctively pulls out her phone, hacks into the car's locks, and enters from the left side. Rachel toughs through her pain all the while readying her rifle and aiming towards the van. Clara realizes she is in the passenger seat instead of the driver's side and mentally cringes at herself.

The glass shatters from the trunk window as Clara attempts to shield herself and make her way to the driver's side. A shower of bullets nearly miss Clara with her postioning herself to the driver's seat. She starts the car while more bullets intrude the van. The engine starts and she shifts the car in drive.

Clara breathes harshly. Pushing her foot on the gas pedal, she speeds off. The van pushes through the open gate leading Clara out of the small hill and into the main road.

"Shit!" Clara screams as soon as she realizes she is about to collide with a car on the right side of the road.

Clara swerves towards the left side and starts to panic. How is she even supposed to drive on this road?

"Just follow the arrows and other cars, Clara. You've got this."

Doing her best to act like she knows what she is doing, Clara stays on the left side of the road while glancing over at the mirrors every few seconds. After a short period of time driving, she tries to relax a little. She presses a hand on her chest to steady herself and checks the mirrors again. To her horror, she spots a black car tailing her and she can only assume it's Rachel.

"She got a car that quickly?" Clara states breathlessly.

She floors it and races her way down the confusing road. Gunfire erupts and Clara does her best to maneuver past other vehicles. Clara presses both of her hands firmly on the steering wheel and takes a sharp turn towards the left. Rachel is quick to follow pursuit and gains speed.

The front of Rachel's car grows dangerously close to Clara's, requiring her to think quickly for any ideas. She pulls out her phone. There has to be something she can hack into, but from the looks of it, her access is blocked from traffic lights, or anything else she can possibly use.

Clara searches around and discovers a row of closed blockers. Clara connects to it, being mindful of Rachel following close behind her, and waits for just the right moment to activate the blockers. Nearing the in ground blockers, Rachel swerves her car over to the right, avoiding the blockers entirely.

"Damn," Clara grunts.

Of course Rachel would have guessed she'd do that.

Avoiding oncoming traffic, Rachel cuts a sharp turn back towards Clara's van. She scrapes just the edge of the back of the van. With Clara not seeing much options for hacking, she secretly panics. Her chest tightens at the thought of having no escape and potentially getting captured by Rachel once again. No, she has to get away. This is her one and only shot.

She can't go back.

Just when things can't get any worse for Clara, blaring sirens surround the two of them as drones hover around them. An Albion car also follows hot in pursuit. Clara clenches her fists on the wheel. She knows this would draw some attention, but this fast?

The gleaming red lights and screeching sirens of the drones overwhelm Clara as she tries to plan an escape route. Clara cuts a turn to the right and directly cuts off an oncoming vehicle. She knows she's on the wrong side of the road, but she can care less at the moment.

A red line coming from the drones aims towards Clara. She ducks her head down just in time before a bullet blasts through her window. She pops her head back up to see that there is a crack in the window. She glances towards her rear view mirror and witnesses the Albion officer exchanging gunfire with Rachel.

The Albion vehicle suddenly swerves off the road and crashes onto the sidewalk, barely missing pedestrians. Clara can briefly see the Albion officer bleeding out from his head onto the steering wheel before facing the road again with a gulp.

The drones remain hovering around Clara and Rachel's vehicles. Clara holds her phone again and a brief idea pops in her head. Wondering if the drones are linked to ctOS, Clara connects to one of them and discovers options to either control the drones, disable them, or have them attack her pursuer. She swiftly disables two drones and has the other two direct their attention towards Rachel and open fire.

Watching the drones do her bidding, one of the drones aims at Rachel's tires while the other at her. Clara is slightly relieved to hear one of Rachel's tires blow out and she takes the opportunity to increase speed. What started as a nuissance turns into Clara's weapon. Rachel loses pace behind her from one of her tires being blown out. Clara takes a sharp turn towards the left and continues until she gets further and further away from Rachel.

Once she can hardly see Rachel anymore, she cuts a few more corners as a precaution. Clara wonders if Rachel is truly gone while driving for a minute and still configuring the rules of the road. Praying that she's in the clear, Clara takes a deep breath and searches for a place to park the now rough looking van.

After searching for a few seconds, Clara discovers a back alley wide enough to park her van. She turns into it and secures the van into park. Clara breathes in and only now notices the bitter metallic smell of blood on her face. Not wanting to get out of the car like this, Clara searches for anything to clean up. She notices a half filled water cup from Quinkie's and opens it up.

It looks like enough.

Clara dips her hand in the cup and soaks it with water. She splashes it across her face and wipes it only to realize that the blood is smearing on her hand. Clara shudders and reaches for the glove compartment for any napkins. Rummaging through, she manages to find two and uses one sparingly across her face.

The napkin does its job with getting most of the red fluid off of her face. Once the napkin is colored red, she sets it aside and wipes the remainder of the blood with the other one. When she finishes, Clara sets the napkins down and huffs.

What does she do now? Is Rachel truly gone?

Clara thinks about it. She can potentially still be looking for her, so Clara's best bet is to leave her vehicle and hide out since the van is riddled with bullet holes. Clara crumples the napkins and shoves them in her jean pocket. She inspects herself in the rear view mirror. She runs her fingers through her fully grown layered hair sitting past her shoulders. Her makeup is very light and nothing like her old punk rock self.

With there only being a touch of mascara and some gentle pink lipstick, one would not recognize her looking like this. The only hint of familiarity to her is the three piercings on her cheeks and the underside of her chin. Clara releases a pained sigh at not being able to recognize herself anymore.

Before she can burden herself with it, she remembers the possibility of Rachel searching for her. Clara does a quick check up on her appearance. She doesn't catch any traces of blood on her face. She sticks her gun in her jacket pocket and only then realizes she still has her crossbow resting on the passenger seat.

"How can I hide that?" She murmurs.

It doesn't seem like anybody is around, so for now she can get away with holding it. She briefly considers leaving it, but she knows she needs as many useful weapons as she can have. She shuts off the van before stepping out into the cool rain. Clara holds her crossbow close while walking out of the alley. She peaks around the sidewalks and can only see a few people walking around. The rest are huddling under their umbrellas and doing their best to stay out of the rain. She glances around for Rachel, but doesn't see her or her car anywhere. Tucking her crossbow underneath her jacket, she prepares herself to go onto the sidewalk.

It feels awkward to keep the crossbow underneath her jacket, but by the looks of it, people only seem to keep to themselves and could care less about what she is doing. Keeping her arm positioned over it, she exits the alley and ventures onto the drenched sidewalk. Clara makes herself appear as inconspicuous as possible while walking casually through the small area of the city.

As she keeps a look out for Rachel, Clara takes in details of the city. Black flags with the logo "Albion" on them come into her view. A car with the same logo along with a disgruntled looking soldier standing in front of it also catches her eye. She sighs. She has always been aware that London is under heavy authority, but she has never realized how much control Albion really has on the city.

The neon blue lights from the Blume drones hovering above the streets and all the other drones racing above the main roads only add to that thought. One of the smaller Blume drones scans a nearby pedestrian for identification who looks to be pissed off. Clara wonders how people can deal with that. She is already familiar with the predictive algorithms of ctOS, but this is a whole new invasion of personal space. Feeling bad about not being able to do much about it, she continues walking while going out of her way to avoid the drone. She doesn't need any more attention drawn to her.

Clara proceeds to walk. She every so often looks over her shoulder and occasionally takes in London's castle like architecture. A gentle breeze brushes against her face and she breathes in the smell. She doesn't care for the rain pracrically soaking her clothes or her body growing cold.

This is freedom. Freedom from Rachel. Freedom from her mind being enslaved. It almost doesn't feel real to her. She spent those fifteen years doing things she never wanted to do. Hurting innocents and being trained into some kind of killing machine.

"Who could have saved me?" Clara ponders.

Does she deserve to be saved after everything? From Lena's death to harming good targets, including Dedsec, is it too late? A pit forms in her stomach and that familiar guilt returns.

Should she just...?

Rachel's car appearing from a distance snaps Clara out of her thoughts. Clara's heart quickens in pace and she becomes freightened. She can't get caught.

Clara jogs towards the side of a nearby bar with the company of two trash cans and some bushes. With others around, she would appear too strange hiding behind those. With swift thinking, she decides on hiding her crossbow behind the dumpster and making a run for the bar. Clara makes it to the front of the bar with a sign that reads, "The Earl's Fortune." Not caring for onlookers, Clara gets to the bar entrance and bolts her way inside just in time before Rachel's car passes.

Clara slams the door shut once she's inside the bar and breathes heavily. She blinks rapidly and processes the bar's surroundings.

"You alright there, love?" Clara hears a deep feminine voice close by.

Clara darts her eyes foward and catches sight of a woman with her raven black hair put up into cornrows, and golden brown skin. She has her tattooed arm leaning against the bar while she studies Clara curiously.

"Um...yeah...yeah." Clara collects herself and holds both of her arms with a slight shiver. "Just trying to get out of the rain."

The woman relaxes her brows and her lips quirk up.

"I hear ya. It's gettin' pretty bad out there," she notes while approaching Clara.

Clara, attempting to appear calm as possible, puts on her best poker face as she checks herself to make sure she isn't too drenched.

"The name's Connie. I own this place."

Upon hearing this, Clara frowns feeling like her presence inside the pub is overwhelming given her messy state.

"I apologize, Connie, if I look like a trainwreck," Clara says awkwardly.

"Meh. You don't look too bad. I've seen drunks that have looked worse," Clara laughs before observing her. The woman continues. "And I mean no offense by this, but you look old enough to be in here, so just stay out of trouble, yeah?"

Clara manages to chuckle given her terrifying circumstances.

"Not sure if that is a good or bad thing, but thanks," Clara replies knowing that being in her mid-forties would wear on her face a little.

"You get used to it," Connie says with a smirk.

A brief moment of silence passes after that before Connie gestures towards one of the vintage leather chairs sitting near the fireplace.

"You can lounge there if you'd like. It'd be much warmer than standing there."

Clara nods while subtly taking a look out of the blurry windows for any potential car lights heading in her direction. When she doesn't see any, she turns back to Connie.

"Thank you," she says, feeling grateful that she has a hiding spot.

"It's no problem, dear."

Watching Clara make her way towards the chair, Connie can't shake off the feeling that there's more to her story than just being caught in the rain. She decides to leave it alone, but plans to keep an eye on Clara just in case.

Clara sits down on the chair and she can already feel the heat coming off of the fireplace next to her. She watches Connie return back to the bar while reclining back in the chair still pretending to not be anxious. Clara can only briefly take in the environment, catching sight of a few drinkers chatting away and others not looking too pleased as they drink.

With the rain softly tapping against the window, the crackling of the fire, and the calm chatter, she would have found this place to be cozy and relaxing if not for her being hunted down by the woman who has kept tabs on her life for several years. She still can't believe she managed to survive, or let alone escape. She can even argue that she feels like a child running away from home. Well an abusive home.

It seems like a silly comparison in her head, but it tells how secluded she was and being around people in a nonhostile space is a breath of fresh air. Her eyes continue to scan the window, checking for any potential cars pulling up to the pub. After a few minutes, Clara has a brief moment of tranquility, feeling like everything could be alright now. It's short lived, however, when she makes out neon blue car lights coming from the window. She can make out the color and shape of the car and realizes it's Rachel's driving by the bar slowly.

"Does she know I'm here?" Clara's mind scrambles.

Her throat goes dry, feeling the rising panic build in her chest. She mentally pleads for Rachel's car to not stop at the pub as she watches carefully. She drowns out her surroundings while staying completely focused on Rachel's car. Five seconds feels like an eternity as she watches the car pass and leave her view.

After not seeing the car for a few seconds, she slightly relaxes her shoulders and gulps. She wonders if she should stay put, or bolt out the door. For all she knows, Rachel could have parked behind the building and can be approaching it this second.

"You alright, dear?"

Clara jumps in her chair being startled at the sound of a woman's voice. Once she sees that it's just Connie, she sighs in relief and places a hand over her chest. Connie stares at Clara with a frown and knitted brows. She had clearly taken notice of her state.

"Yeah...yeah. You just startled me," Clara says shakily.

She does her best to put on a brave face, but from Connie's look of skepticism, she isn't buying it. Connie squints her eyes at Clara, trapping her in her gaze. Clara wants nothing more than to keep an eye out for Rachel, or let alone leave the pub at that point, but being under the woman's stare forces her to tread carefully.

Clara is about to get up until Connie's expression softens and she asks, "Do you need help?"

Clara's brows raise from being slightly taken aback by her question.

"What do you mean? Help with what?

"Is it Albion? Clan Kelley?"

Clara presses her lips into a hard line finding it more and more difficult to hide her fearful expression. Who exactly is this woman? Clara isn't going to stick around and find out.

Clara stand up from the chair and prepares herself to leave.

"I can help you," Connie speaks in a soft voice and seems to hesitate before letting out her next sentence quietly, "I'm with Dedsec."

Clara freezes.

Dedsec?

Now it makes sense. Thinking about it, Dedsec can benefit her in this situation, but even so, she feels undeserving of their help after what she has done to some of their members. A glum frown crosses Clara's features and she is consumed with regret as she starts to walk away.

"It's not too late," Connie's voice trails behind her.

She stops in her tracks. Not too late. Memories of her involvement in Lena's death nearly bring her to the verge of tears.

It's definitely too late.

Clara glances at Connie over her shoulder before saying, "Thanks for letting me stop here."

Clara doesn't let Connie get her next word in as she rushes out the door, leaving the pub owner with a defeated sigh. Being greeted by a heavy downpour once again, Clara shivers. Clutching her arms, she darts her eyes around the roads to see if Rachel's car is anywhere nearby. When she doesn't see it, she paces down the sidewalk and heads back to where she left the crossbow.

Clara finds the dumpster and peaks behind it. She is pleased to still see her crossbow in the spot. She picks it up and sheathes it under her jacket before making her way back to the sidewalk. Clara walks around for a few minutes being paranoid from the sounds of cars passing by. She wonders where Rachel is and if she is still in the area. Her best bet now would be to find another car.

The cool autumn air and the rain is getting her to the point where she is becoming irritated. Thinking of having to steal someone else's car, she shifts her focus towards the parked cars by the buildings. It doesn't take her long to find an SUV parked with an autodrive symbol on it near a small theater.

Striding over to the vehicle to get out of the rain, Clara unlocks it with her phone and is about to open the door until she realizes it's the wrong side.

"Passenger's side. Right."

She goes to the correct side and opens the door. She huddles herself inside, shuts the door, and huffs. She gets chills from the cold and the discomfort of being drenched with rain. She starts the car and promptly turns on the heat. Clara groans at not only feeling icky from her soaked clothes, but her nervousness as well. It had been a few minutes so Rachel has to be gone by now.

She wonders what her next move should be. There's no way she can move on and go about her day after this. Rachel is hounding her now. Impulse would pursue her and she doesn't know if she can bear a life of running. Clara buries her face in her palms. She dreads the possibility of that Connie woman notifying Dedsec of her being suspicious.

Would Connie sound the alarm and have Dedsec hunt Clara too? She curses at the thought of having two dangerous groups after her. Her heart races as another familiar person comes to mind. An old ghost she has been chasing.

Aiden.

Is he actually in London? Is Rachel's source correct? Even if he is, Clara doesn't have the strength to face him. She recalls his hurt and angered expression upon realizing that she had wronged him. She killed his niece and there's no going back from that. Aiden would most likely resent her and the person she became. She shouldn't bother. He is better off thinking she is dead.

She should have died anyway.

Her stomach churns at her overwhelming thoughts and she clutches her stomach. Tears sting at her eyes. She feels like she is going to be sick.

She shifts the car into drive, not wanting to be tormented any longer and takes off down the road. Not caring if she doesn't know how the rules of the road works, she focuses on getting her mind off things even if it's temporary. Her breathing grows heavier as she has trouble doing this.

An oncoming car honks at her from the side causing her to jump in her seat and swerve out of the way. This isn't working. She has to stop somewhere, but where? Hell what is she supposed to do at this point? Clara brings her attention back to the road. She has to focus. She'd stop somewhere and figure things out with what she is going to do about Rachel, Aiden, and with herself.

Well...hopefully.