"Do not attempt to adjust your set. This is a Streaming Freedom Video bulletin. This cable hack will last exactly 60 seconds. It cannot be stopped and it cannot be traced and it is the only free voice left in this once great nation of ours..."

O'Neil must have turned it on, Jondy assumed, since he had informed her these Eyes Only hacks were currently an evening occurrence.

The noise of the tv travelled unmuffled to her ears to the bedroom she was currently being held captive in for further treatment at Colonel Lydecker's orders.

"For decades billions of your tax dollars have been siphoned off by shadow-government actors to fund experimental genetic engineering through project Manticore and other clandestine operations. Many of these black-ops projects preyed on young children and vulnerable women…"

Following an episode where she had hallucinated uncontrollably from serotonin poisoning, posing both a danger to herself and those around her, Lydecker had ordered she be sedated for three days. He had told her afterwards that it was to flush her system, but she wasn't so sure.

Apparently, the handcuff restraints applied to both her arms and legs Lydecker currently still had enforced, were her to stop her sleep walking - and from making a run for it too, she supposed. Asshole that he was, Lydecker had resolutely ignored her protests until she was blue in the face that they had a quid pro quo, his position was that there were no other X5s on base to monitor her - her emotional state be damned.

The X5 Core had all been deployed, including Brin. Her family was slowly fragmenting, each member walking into danger unknown. It felt worse than the escape.

Her emotions were driving her wild, stuck in this room, with too much time to think and worry about Zane. For all she knew, he could be dead. Not knowing was tearing her apart.

"For the last week, these so-called 'mutants' have been working to save your lives. Our President, Senators and Congress continue to deny Project Manticore's existence, but this is nothing compared to the lengths these same corrupt individuals have gone to pervert the course of justice and undermine our democratic society since the turn of the century…"

Jondy could feel rather than hear Logan Cale's scathing tone cut through the exacting broadcast.

The X5 knew an old jar-head like O'Neil would be keen to be engaged in the on-goings, now that the ramifications of war were beginning to be felt far and wide. He had told her Kilan's son was deployed to the East Coast in the National Guard yesterday morning after New York was attacked by another terrorist group.

"Tonight, the shadow government is on notice. To those who call themselves Familiars, I know what you are – global and domestic terrorists. You're unmasking is imminent."

Jondy felt a sense of relish knowing Armitage would certainly take notice of Eyes Only's threat, slimy snake that he was.

"This video bulletin is being streamed across our great nation. Be alert. Be alarmed. Stay Strong in the struggle. Peace. Out."

"Hey kid, dinner is served." O'Neil was at the doorway, plate in hand.

Over a week later since her seizure in Lydecker's office, Jondy figured O'Neil was mightily sick of being her watcher. It was weird that Cameron hadn't been assigned a day-shift to break up the monotony, considering she reported to him currently.

"Beans and rice again?"

"I'm afraid so." He made his way to her bedside, releasing the restraint on her right wrist and handing her the meal. At least it was hot.

"Thanks, this room is freezing. Even for me."

O'Neil let out a wry grin, tugging his beanie down as he took a seat.

"How are you feeling on day three back in the land of the living? You've seemed pretty wiped out …"

It was true, coming out of the sedation she had been in-and-out of sleeping all day for two days straight. It was as though her body had turned off all her fight-or-flight systems, it was scary to say the least.

Thankfully she was safe in this location. Apparently, she had asked O'Neil for reassurance add-nauseum every time she woke up the last couple of days.

"So much for being "operational asap", huh?" She bit out a weary laugh. "A bit better now it has sunk in the safehouse if definitely off the map."

O'Neil nodded kindly. "Well, naturally you've been quite concerned about that."

Jondy swallowed. "So, do you think the Eyes Only hacks are helping aid our objective?"

"From what I hear, with the general public, yes. We are managing to counter the disinformation campaign, in the hearts and minds of the average person."

"But for the stakeholders it matters with?" She felt anxious not knowing if the real power players had taken any hits. Putting her family's lives in danger would be worth nothing, if that was the case.

"That's a Deck question, Jondy." O'Neil asserted firmly. "But we are certainly mobilising, as per this morning's briefing. So, we are making good progress aboard." He must have seen the eager expression on her face. O'Neil swallowed down a bite of dinner. "Need to know basis. That's all I can say on that, kid."

Jondy couldn't work out what Lydecker was up to. It had been days since he had last stopped by, and she was beginning to feel a strange sense of trepidation, as though anticipating that another anchor in her life could soon become unmoored.

"Something on your mind?" O'Neil asked speculatively. He had kids of his own and was used to dealing with teenagers and their troubles, although these were slightly different to the types of troubles X5s had, but teenagers were teenagers none the less.

"It's just hard," Jondy admitted quietly setting aside her half-eaten meal, "not knowing who's dead or alive... it was different before, we were running from danger not into it."

"Worry accomplishes nothing," O'Neil reminded her, Manticore logic at its finest. "And you need to eat the rest of this."

He handed the plate back to her. Although his delivery was gentle, to Jondy his words sounded like an order.

So this was the current chapter of her life, she mused darkly to herself as she forced the unappetizing food down her throat, everything was coming full circle - she was in Gillette, Wyoming under the supervision of Manticore Black Ops being subtly brainwashed. Life was just great.

"So, do you want to tell me something?" O'Neil broke her reverie with a teasing and knowing tone.

Jondy looked up sharply. "What do you mean?"

"I know we have had you doped up pretty good," O'Neil allowed, "but engage your senses..."

Jondy looked at him astonished at this turn of conversation.

"Why am I hearing vibrations coming from over there?" He pointed to her pack in the corner of the room.

"I -"

"Not a bomb timed to go off, by any chance?" It was a sarcastic question, but there was a thread of real concern, Cameron had told him she was an expert at munitions as a kid according to her file.

Shaking her head, Jondy didn't say anything as she watched O'Neil get up and rifle through her belongings for second time.

"No?" His tone continued to be mocking, as he up ended her belongings onto the floor.

"Hey!"

"Lets see here," he commented delving a hand into the inside of her empty pack. "Only another piece of contraband tucked away in a secret pocket!"

He held up a small sat nav phone, which was currently flashing and vibrating, with a flourish. "That's two extra sessions of guard duty for you, kid."

Her eyes narrowed, not impressed by his efforts to lighten the mood. Fuck, Jondy swore to herself, that vibrating flashing device was either Max or Logan or Alec.

"Give it to me," she cried, moving fast to untie her restraints one handed as O'Neil moved to put the encrypted satellite phone to his ear.

"No! – Please don't answer – they'll think I'm compromised!"

The small X5 was before O'Neil in an instant, pulling the device out of his hand.

"Maxie?"

Her tone was worried, as she stepped away from the older man, one hand in the air to signal she did not intend to pose a threat.

Jondy turned her back to him and began pacing, clutching the phone in two hands.

"It's Alec."

"Oh! Alec – what's going on? -"

"I've been trying to contact you for days!" Alec's annoyed tone was loud and clear to her ears.

Jondy felt her heart race and her mouth go dry as she stood stock still.

"What's happened?"

"That asshole –"

"Which one?" She bit out darkly.

"Worthington!" Jondy felt her chills run down her spine. "He has taken Max. Double crossed us - the son-of-a-bitch!"

Her heart skipped a beat.

"When?"

Although he could not hear the other side of the conversation, O'Neil could sense the mood in the room shift in an instant into something cloaked in seriousness and urgency.

"Logan has been working around the clock to put the pressure on White and his band of merry Familiars –" Alec's tone was coming through loud and sarcastic down the line "- and then yesterday we organized a meet –"

Jondy had never heard him so angry. Alec took a breath, she imagined her was running his hands through his hair in agitation.

"Lydecker was meant to be there. He fucking sanctioned it! Said it was in the best interests of the war effort -"

"I told you – you-can't-trust-him!"

"The whole thing went sideways. Logan was right, and Max just wouldn't listen -" his frustration was palpable.

"Where are you?" Jondy demanded, brow furrowed, thinking fast.

"We had to leave Terminal City, it was just too unsafe. I'm on the road -"

"And Cale?" She interrupted.

"He's going out of his mind… He is at a friend's – that's all I can say over the phone. But he is safe."

"Understood."

"I-"

"Come here. Regroup here." Jondy ordered instantly. "There's a safe house. Fuck operational protocol…" her voice died in her throat and she bit back a sob. "I need to know at least one of us isn't in danger for no good reason."

"Okay." Alec agreed and paused taking a breath. "Okay, sounds good, send me the coordinates."

The line went dead.

Jondy turned back to O'Neil, who stood with his hands on his hips, expression stern. This was a series of protocol-be-damned-decisions he was not used to an X5 making, it could get him into a lot of hot water.

"Lydecker." Jondy demanded, adrenaline pumping. "I need Lydecker right now."

O'Neil nodded the affirmative.

"Okay, let me get Kilan." He gestured to her and the phone. "I'll elevate this." There was no mistaking the promise in his tone. Jondy's body visibly relaxed, grateful.

"But Jondy," O'Neil instructed sternly as he noticed she was becoming greyer and greyer as the seconds ticked by, "you need to sit down before you faint. And I'll remind you again, worry accomplishes nothing soldier."

—

The bucket of icy cold water hit his bruised and naked body like piercing knives. Zane spluttered, gasping for air, as he jerked to, forcing himself to be alert as possible.

The rats squeaked in delight, running to lap up the puddles of water on the floor of cell.

"So you are X5-789," the tall six foot five man drawled as he approached the X5, stepping out of the shadowy darkness and in the middle of the dimly lit cell. Stars shone through the window to Zane's left.

Zane felt his ire rise. He would recognize Armitage anywhere, after the numerous times they had clashed in the past. The high-caste Familiar had spent years vying for his wife's romantic attention before he and Jondy had reconnected. Zane knew the other man was similar to his own age, but he looked a lot younger than his late twenties. He supposed privilege did that to a person.

However, age is where any similarity ended between the X5 and Familiar.

"I should have known."

Armitage's posh accent didn't hide his derision. He wore high collared white robes, over a three-piece suit and spoke with a posh New Yorker accent that sounded so outlandish to Zane's ears after weeks of deciphering broken French.

"Trans-genic filth." He spat in Zane's face.

"Feel like a big man, huh?" the X5 taunted, there was no mistaking his low opinion of the Familiar before him and it felt great to channel his fear into a target of derision.

Armitage glared contemplatively, his thumb rhythmically tapping the taser at his side, before turning on his heel to speak to the French Familiar guarding the dank cell.

"You can leave this place." There was no mistaking his authority or fluent French. "I'll call if I need."

The woman bowed her head beneath her robes, and turned, exiting silently.

"You've come a long way to settle an old score Armitage." Zane observed, his shrewd gaze taking in every moment and committing it to memory. "I feel like it's probably time you should let it go," he continued to goad, forest green eyes narrowed in disgust. "There are plenty of other unsuspecting women you can knock up and traumatize."

The taser hurt like a bitch when it struck Zane's side, but he wouldn't change that moment for the world.

"I'm here to get you out." The other man spoke directly into Zane's mind as he continued his torture. "That Quisling was mine - betrothed to me in accordance with the bloodlines. Rather than sully our inheritance, I dodged a bullet. Despite being an abomination, I owe you a debt…"

Stepping back to give the X5 a once over and relishing the burn marks he observed, Armitage paused before speaking aloud for listening years.

"It is a great gift that you transgenic scum can feel pain." His arrogant tone carried through the hallway. "One I relish, just like the opportunity to enact a bit of well-deserved revenge to settle a score. It is a privilege one does not take lightly."

"I'm sure you of all understand." Armitage drawled his departing words fixing his suit, he turned sharply on his heel.

His next words spoke directly into Zane's mind as he exited through the wrought iron door.

"I'll be back before sunrise. Be ready."

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