Dr. Vlad Orlov was followed by eager subordinate scientists through fluorescent hallways. He was a smaller man. Especially for a Russian. He wasn't over 5.5 feet. Round and weasel looking. Large glasses framing his face. His ginger hair receding into a widow's peak. He kept his face neatly shaven, his hair quaffed and lab coat diligently ironed. Even the pen in his front pocket needed to be straight. Especially on this day. They were on their way to an academic discovery that had been in the works for months. In their minds, it was another day of work. Perhaps an exciting one. But nothing compared to the excitement of Dr. Orlov. This day was going to change science and the entirety of his life. His perception of the world. As the other scientists were on their way to observe the outcome of their research and experiments, he was on his way to a delivery room. Soon to meet the compass of his career. His life.

They entered a sepia lit laboratory. A large incubator humming to the centre. They donned gowns and gloves. Face masks and even shoe sleeves. Dr. Orlov approached the incubator first. A fleshy and artificial pouch acting as a womb. Within the tissue a baby at full gestation. No risks or defects. Growing and sustaining just as a baby would in nature's womb. Inseminated in the simulation nine months prior, and now the due date was here.

Dr. Orlov took a small scalpel to the tissue and made a vertical incision. The amniotic fluid spilled into a reservoir, and Dr. Orlov easily reached inside the warm liquid for the fetus. The baby came out quiet, and was soon surrounded by doctors and nurses. Using syringes to suck the mucus from the nostrils and lungs, checking the heart rate, removing the cord. Just like any birth.

Then the baby wailed their first cry, bringing claps to the observation. Dr. Orlov swaddled the baby first. He admired her for a moment longer, letting the full room fade into the background.

At first they saw a baby. But they knew she was far more than that. Created and designed to be something revolutionary. Something none of them could truly understand yet. That was the purpose of her birth. To learn and to innovate. To overpower the rival countries most powerful defences.

Dr. Orlov spoke down to her, as if it was just the two of them. "Hello Lilja. I'm your dada. You're everything I've dreamed."

"Lilja!"

Riley throttled her shoulders, bringing her back to the stinging cold through her veins. Frigid rocks stabbed into her shoulder pads, and suddenly a spray of water came from her mouth and nose. It sent her into a haze of coughing. Shiva and Riley's hands clawed her upright, patting her back.

"Easy, kid, easy…" consoled Riley.

Shiva sighed, "Ugh. Thank God." Both of their voices were sputtering and hoarse. Lilja finally opened her eyes as the winds chilled her. She was soaked from head to toe, the wind burned worse at her cheeks. The engine whir of the tripods was across the bay. Miles but still loud enough it carried to them. A bleak reminder of what had happened. Their brush with death. And now that it was over, they were stranded in the chaos. No knowledge of the Scouts' status and no way to communicate for rescue. Left like refugees and now having to navigate like them.

Lilja glanced into the Hudson with the slow realization. Surrounded by trees and heather. They were swallowed by the wilds now. She was in a world unfamiliar and plagued with fear, no safety net of the National Guard for protection. She slowly looked up to Shiva, still keeping quiet, but her face said enough.

"Yeah," said Shiva in heavy breath, "We're on our own now."

"Not for long," called Riley as he surveyed the area. "We're not far from Athens. Last I knew, a guard battalion was headed that way to guide refugees fleeing from New York. We make our way to the ferry. Here's hoping it's still operating. We cross to Athens and use one of their radios to dispatch Webb. We may even come across soldiers on our way."

"Wow," said Shiva dryly, "It's like we're not living in an alien takeover or something. You think anyone is gonna be manning that ferry right now?"

"That ferry is one of the few moats of transportation across the Hudson. They blew up the bridges. The National Guard is gonna make damn sure it's operating for the refugees."

"That's until a tripod finds it." Shiva said pessimistically.

Riley quipped back, "Then we better get you two walking if you want to catch it."

"National Guard can help fight it?" Lilja asked weakly.

Riley nodded, "They'll have to if they want to live. That's if Shiva's worst prediction is right. She likes to fear the worst."

"Serves me right for expecting the best," said Shiva wryly, calling attention to Riley when she said it. He made a gruff sigh, subtly rolling his eyes as he strode up the shrubby floodplain.

"Can you blame me?"

Riley groaned still trudging ahead, "Not doing this with you."

Shiva hissed a curse under her breath before glancing down to Lilja. Her deer in headlights look was back. Shiva consoled, "Come on. Remember, as long as you're with me, I'll protect you. We'll follow Lieutenant Asswipe, trust he doesn't walk us into a tripod, get back to the Scouts unit."

Lilja cooed, "Shiva…"

"Yeah?"

"It knew about me."

Shiva stressed her brows and asked quietly, "What do you mean? The tripod?"

"I couldn't see it. It was so close. The entire time, it was so close. I couldn't see it. It knew I would know."

"We got away from it, Lil." Shiva assured, "You're safe now. Doesn't matter if it knew about your power or not, it's not gonna find us."

"If one knows, they all know." Lilja said chillingly, "And if one can hide itself from me, they all can."

"Perhaps she is just a child." Dr. Resnikov said to Orlov as they assessed the wailing infant laying to a steel table. Lilja had reached her 3rd month of age. They were certain to expect something by now. Anything.

"Of course she is a child." Orlov replied, pained to see her scream so helplessly. Pokes from needles littering her arms like chicken pox. Her short life had been a toil of thorough experimentation and needless pain. Pain for proof. But the confirmation of his works was inconclusive each time. To the point his moral compass was finally succeeding his ambition. Orlov shooed Resnikov away, quickly swaddling the infant into his arms. She continued to scream, and he bobbed with her gently. All alone in an observation room with Lilja, he sat down to a chair. Pulled a bottle of formula from the shelf. She refused to eat at first. But eventually she settled into her feed. Falling asleep halfway through her bottle.

Orlov stayed grim in thought. Feeling his studies were all for nothing. That the General would walk into his lab and jail him for wasted funds and time. Leaving Lilja to her fate. He shuddered to think what it would be. Nor would he risk it. He'd sooner flee the country with her if she didn't show results.

He gazed down to her, softly petting the red curls on the top of her head. At first an experiment, now a daughter. His child. He was the only one in the lab who saw her as such. With that in mind, he was the only one who could protect her. His eyes drifted back to space into the floor. Fearing the worst outcomes and planning for them, too. Then the panel lights overhead flickered, and the air went cold. Dr. Orlov set his eyes back to Lilja and flinched. She was wide awake. Staring up to him unblinking. Eerily focused for a 3-month-old. For a moment, he thought she could be dead. But he relieved to see her chest moving. Faster and faster. As if she was about to cry but her face didn't change. Neither did her gaze.

Dr. Orlov lightly touched her cheek. "Lilja?"

As he said her name, her pupils dilated and continued to dilate until they took the blue of her iris. Her skin paled white, as if she wasn't taking in air. But she clearly was. Such an unnatural and jarring appearance of an infant, but Orlov did not react. Then the lights started to static and click, flashing intensely before some combusted from energy. Dr. Orlov's discomfort was overtaken by joy. The closest he ever felt to a father's pride. He smiled down to her vacant eyes. She was listening intently, even tilting her head slightly. As if she could hear his thoughts. He lightly chuckled and said, "I hope you see how much I love you, Lilja. That's right. Dada loves you."

The three marched under the last hours of daylight. Lilja wandered behind, with Riley and Shiva ahead. Bickering over direction for at least thirty minutes straight, Lilja started to slow her jaunt for her own sake.

"We saw that before." Shiva pointed out wryly.

Riley snapped back, "Heard you the first time!"

Shiva stomped up to his attention, "You heard me, so your kind of getting the gist that you made us lost? Do I need to say it a third time?"

"You can say it twenty times, I really don't give a shit, Shiva."

"We should have stayed with the road!"

"No! Jesus, no. Are you insane? That's where they'd be looking for people. Do I need to point out the obvious?"

Riley whipped back around to rant, with Shiva stopping with her hands on her hips. Obliged to rant right back. "You know, dying by galactic laser ray seems a lot cooler than freezing to death in the wild. Latter is a pretty lame way to go. You're gonna lead us to death, make it a dignifying one!"

Riley grumbled back, "You're actually insane, gotcha."

"You haven't changed a day, Kenneth," clapped Shiva condescendingly.

"Changed? Changed from what?"

"From being a prick!" Shiva hissed, "I always wondered why the boys talked shit. Then I got to know you for ten minutes in Baghdad."

"Was that before or after you fucked me?"

Shiva's face retched in surprised disgust. "You're a goddamn animal, you know that?"

"You said the same thing, except you were a lot happier, then."

Shiva grumbled and stepped forward, "Lick my ass."

Riley's voice raised hotter, pointing a stern finger, "You know it wasn't my goddamn idea. You used your thing on those extremists, you weren't very subtle about it in the field, that's for sure. Was only a matter of time before the boys started asking questions."

"And what were your answers, Ken?" Shiva twisted back around, "What did you say? No. What did you do? You were the only one who knew. The only one in our platoon who knew what I could do."

"Yeah! Then the Major Dickweed got suspicious, you wouldn't stop! I told you to stop!"

"I couldn't stop! I was the only reason our platoon lasted out there! You know it!" Shiva rammed her finger back into his chest, "When they arrested me, what did you do?!" Her voice suddenly split into a roar, "You watched!"

"I didn't watch!"

"You did, asshole! They sedated me against my will, and you watched it! You didn't stop them! What, you thought they were gonna fly me back to Germany? Discharge me and book me a flight to D.C? Do you have any idea what it was like in that lab?! You have any idea?!"

"You had Lil." Riley said shallowly.

"Are you serious right now?"

"What was I supposed to do? Fight my own, wrestle you away? We would run away to Pakistan?"

"Something!" Shiva's voice broke, "I expected you to do something!"

"Like what? Who do you think I am – Superman?!"

"I did!" Shiva's voice fell into her words, tears sparkling her eyes. She held back the shake in her lip – but it was enough for Riley to back down. Sink into his own repressed guilt. She said defeatedly, "You were mine, yeah. At the time. You… you were the only one I had. The most important person. I… expected you to do something."

Riley asked sullenly, "Like what, Shiva?"

"Beg them to stop?" Shiva whimpered, "Plead them not to? Not watch your best friend get treated like an animal. A monster."

Riley flicked his eyes from her for a moment. He couldn't collect a thought seeing her now. Reminding him how much he had missed everything. Missed her. Knowing her pain was far worse. "I didn't want it. I didn't want any of it. The guys were saying things about you. Not to me, but it was enough I overheard it. If I didn't call Webb, they would have killed you, Shiva. They were scared of you. And I was scared to lose you."

Shiva's tears dried quick against a scowl. "You did lose me." She snarled, wiping the tears in her eyes like inconveniences not worth her time.

Riley bowed his head, letting the hurt crush just long enough to freeze him to his spot. Shiva studied him for a while longer with wet eyes. Hoping he'd at least apologize. Try to rekindle something. She was used to disappointment. Then she set her eyes behind.

"Where's Lil?"

Riley sniffled and shot his head up. Behind them was a grove of last sun rays and falling leaves. Lilja was not in sight. He stayed quiet, listening for footsteps of shuffling of leaves but there was nothing.

Then he shouted loud enough it echoed through the trees, "Lilja!"

"Bring her in." Dr. Orlov said through the radio. He stood in the observation with Dr. Resnikov and a few more academics. The doors opened with an orderly holding a year old girl – Lilja. Just in her diaper, and a teething ring in her mouth. Her red curls longer and more feathered now. A healthy infant on track with her milestones, able to sit up and crawl. Learning to stand on furniture. Her progression was on track. But the doctors in the room were not concerned with her milestone journey. They were tracking something else.

The orderly set her down on the floor, setting a few toys to keep her distracted in one place as he slipped an electrode cap on her head. The cap was joined with wires that led through to observation. Connected to speakers and a revolutionized eeg reader. Lilja took it indifferently, far too busy with her rattle to pay mind. The orderly left promptly after, and Orlov switched on the device and speakers to max volume.

"You're certain this will work?" Resnikov asked Orlov.

Orlov replied, "We're about to see. The General wanted proof, so we're giving him proof. Anything that happens today will be recorded."

Lilja played with her rattle for moments that bled into minutes. Just an infant babbling and whacking a toy on the tile floor. Completely unbothered. Yet the scientists were on the edge of their seats. Praying for anything to happen. Confident it would. Lilja babbled, "Dada."

Orlov got on the intercom, "I'm right here, darling. Do you see me?" He tapped on the glass and waved, a large smile spreading to his face.

Lilja gazed up with her rattle in her mouth. She lifted her mouth from it to stare into the observation glass. She wouldn't blink, she wouldn't move. She became unusually still for a year old child, gazing into the glass as if she was staring at nothing. The lights started to flash, and the eeg metres pinged. Like many moments before this, her face paled, and her pupils enlarged. Now spreading stressed veins to her chubby face. The speakers squealed and hissed, then a woman's voice cried through. Wailing in Russian, begging God, doctors, anyone to help her. Save someone. Pleading for mercy. Asking whatever higher power that was listening to take her instead. Orlov flecked a brow of confusion, but Resnikov sunk into himself. Wanting to run out the doors and hide his own screams.

"Who is that?" Orlov asked out loud.

It took a moment of digestion. Coming to terms this was actually happening. That he would have to answer, or their research would be for nought. Resnikov mumbled, "My wife."

Orlov was startled to hear it. All eyes went to Resnikov's trembling frame.

"Your wife?"

"When our son died… sixteen years ago…"

The scholars in the room shuddered to hear it, glancing back in sweated brows to the infant. But not Orlov. He looked back to her with astonishment – pride. He whispered in awe, "A memory."

He wouldn't dare share his glee, but it was fit to burst through his lungs. With every month Lilja's abilities grew stronger. Revealing more gifts the Russian army could regale. His creation was a resounding success. She was the summit of his career. Most of all, she was his child, and she honed the power of a god.

Lilja wandered to the floodplain, certain they would follow the river to the ferry. Hoping their yelling would muffle the farther she ventured through the underbrush. She wasn't too concerned on losing them, she knew how to find them. In her solitude, she fed her curiosity. Her first time breathing in fresh air from the trees, themselves. Hearing the river ripple a yard away. The brooks babble. The birds and leaves sing with the wind. The more she observed, the more entranced she was. Every small thing a colossal thing. She never realized how good the sun felt on skin. When it lost its blinding glare, it was soft like a kiss from a loving protector. A father. Taking her back to memories she had revisited for ten years. Even now as the world was falling, they still crept back.

She knelt down in the rocks by the water, catching her own reflection by surprise. Certain there was someone staring back at her from underwater. Only to realize it was her as her fingers traced her face. She studied herself, and she was not flattered to see it. A girl with no hair, a face pale and dead-like. Large dark circles under her reddened eyes. She did not look like a girl. Seeing more of the world outside and knowing what a girl must look like. She was not that girl. Her reflection only reminded her of the white walls separating her from the world. She was as alien to it as the invading machines. The beings inside that operated them. Her time outside only showing a kindredness to the ones she fought. Not the ones she fought to protect.

What are you? Would the world have you? If they weren't here but you were, would you find home here? What is home to something like me?

Then a quick snap of a twig to her right. Lilja flinched up and two deer did, too. They were at the water to drink. Lilja nearly blended with the heather and dead bush with her oversized pale, sage jacket. Not even the animals react to me as human. But they kept staring, preparing to lunge away into the shrub. She didn't want that. Never had she seen them out of pictures and stories. A doe and her fawn. The golden flecks on the baby's back as if it was just a few days old. She conveyed her intention telepathically. Even into an animal's mind where things felt so strange to dwell into. Yet it was so benign compared to the minds of men and invader. Strange but comforting. Simple to convey she was no threat, and they immediately dropped their alertness. As if she was just another animal in their forest resting by the Hudson.

The deer went back to drinking, but Lilja stared dreamily to the two. A sense of belonging she never had before. Where she could just be herself among benign creatures. She was no longer seen as the weapon. Where they didn't curdle or gawk. They didn't fear her. She wasn't feared by the river's solitude. She held her hand out, unsure why. It compelled her to say hello in a way they'd understand. A smell or even an acknowledgment of her doing so – she reached her hand out for anything from the creatures. The fawn was just as curious as she was. The mother didn't seem to mind as she kept drinking. The fawn stumbled a little over rocks just to get to her, and it moved its soft and wet nose along the tips of her fingers. Shooting a feeling through her she had never felt. So powerful it was almost enough to bring her to tears. A sense of belonging.

Lilja beamed a grin, finally releasing pent up breath as the fawn went back to their mother. She rarely smiled, and feeling the split-second grin was so strange it left quickly. She took her hand back and tucked it to her chest, sullenly watching the animals move on. A sweet hello and a painful goodbye. Tears came when she didn't want them to. Her emotions taking flight of their own with her abilities, even sending ripples in the water from where she sat. Whirling the wind along the branches and grass surrounding her. Golden leaves twirled up her back then swept into the water. She quietly wept by the river, letting her short gasps fade into the ambiance of rapids.

Her father flipping the pages of the book was the most comfort. Her head tucked into his shoulder. What happened to Bambi's momma? Her voice cooed.

Dr. Orlov said as gently as he could, "She had to leave Bambi. So, he could find the strength he needed to be the prince. To learn to be strong. We all must leave our mothers one day."

Her five-year-old self was always asking questions. Always wanting to learn. Understand how people think. Book characters were the most intriguing. They did not have minds to steal into. No thoughts to read but words. Perhaps that's why she loved them so much. Her long strands of red hair nearly covered her face, but Orlov tucked them neatly behind her ears. Her large blue eyes were always a beautiful sight. He wouldn't have them hide.

She asked, "Do we leave our fathers, too?"

"Yes." He said, "One day when you're old enough, it's best you leave me. So, you can grow strong like Bambi."

"And be a prince?"

"And be whatever you want to be, Lilja. Before you do, you'll have so many questions. I'll answer as many as I can. When you come back, you will have answers for me. Because your mind is such a fantastic thing. You will change the way we see the world. You've already changed mine."

"What if people don't like me?"

"How could they not?"

"The doctors don't like me." She said, "They're scared of me."

"Weak-minded people will always fear. But some will get to know you. When they do, I promise, they will accept you. As will the world. We've already begun in that acceptance. When you get older, the rest will be up to you. I know you'll do what's right."

Then Shiva's voice cried over all of it, "Lilja, where are you?!"

Lilja shot up from ground and pulled up through the underbrush – back to the groves. Riley yelled her name again before she stepped into the open for their wary eyes to glare.

"What the hell, Lil?!" Shiva heaved in relief, "You scared the shit out of me!"

"Where the hell were you?" Riley barked angrily. Lilja pointed to the river.

Riley asked again, "Why?"

"I don't know." Lilja said flatly, making Renick and Shiva exasperate.

"Don't do that again." Riley berated, still letting his heart rate settle back to normal.

Lilja nodded, "Okay."

Riley rested his hands to his hips to think for a moment, convey the importance of sticking together as a group. Then he lit up, "Oh. Guess we could just follow the river to the ferry."

"Are you stupid?" Shiva winced angrily.

"You didn't think of it, either!"

"Yeah, I wonder why! I trusted you again, and what did it get me? A headache and a dose of homicidal rage!"

Lilja fluttered her eyes back to the forest floor, her own way of rolling them in anguish to have them back to arguing. Lilja snapped out loudly, louder than she ever had. "Hey!" It was startling enough to silence Riley and Shiva.

Then she said in a dry, monotone stare, "This is not the time."

Lilja started walking, saying lowly as she passed them, "You still like each other, anyway. You're both stupid."

Shiva and Riley swallowed their next battling words like a dry rock. Exchanging awkward glares to each other. The fifteen year old ahead had surely put them both in their place with a few choice words. They preferred not to say anything, but as Riley walked ahead, Shiva had one last thing to add to the fire.

He walked straight into a tree and fell back hard on his head. He was sure he felt the bark scratch his skin, wood smack his forehead. But as he resolved, there was no tree in front of him. Seemingly what he thought before he turned. Then it made sense as Shiva made a slow and taunting walk by as she asked, "Who put that tree there?"