I honored my deal with Melvin... After my encounter with the twin Axeheads, I looked for Basil Ulsam. She was the older sister of an unsuspecting boy who grew up on one of SAAF's bases. Her picture didn't capture how rugged and unimpressive she was.

  Picking fights in Moonlight. Trading fists for information. An informant for SAAF. Basil only cared about money. Her younger brother was brainwashed while she chased the gang leader, Krypt.

  I offered them protection. They refused. Melody suffered for it. Krypt was decapitated. Basil raped, then killed. Melody's older brother, Gnis, got her out in time.

  They wound up homeless. Melody was only a child. Her brother was captured by the Sentients. Maybe that's why she uses information as a weapon. Somewhere in those data streams is a set about him.

  If he's alive... If I had gotten to them sooner... If I hadn't waited until the Sentients stepped in...

  Chuboki... He doesn't know... How could he?

  Melody's last family member is a man of sure-will who doesn't know defeat. Telling them the truth... Chuboki's sister abandoned him? He might betray me. Melody's mother worked for SAAF? She would fall apart.

  I may not lie, but withholding the truth seems worse somehow. Chuboki used to ask about his sister. Somewhere along the way he must've assumed she died. Melody used to ask about her brother... It's better not to know.

  All I can hope for is this mission... This mission... Who am I bringing?

  Lucas and Jackson are inseparable. They have to come. Nao... She's a new recruit, but she's shown real grit during the drills. Who else?

  A knock... I grip my side and rise. Why isn't this healing all the way? I lift my shirt. Is it infected?

  I answer the door. It's Chuboki. What's that smell?

  He steps in. "We need to talk."

  We sit in the lounge. He folds his hands. "She's worried about you."

  My legs bounce. I can feel the wound throbbing. "Why would she be worried?"

  He shakes his head. "Probably because you scared her with your stories."

  Is he talking about the mines? "She's old enough to understand."

  Chuboki scoffs. "You're not seeing it."

  I grunt. "Seeing what?"

  He stands. "She's afraid you're going to repeat the past."

  My stomach gurgles. Damn this hunger! My hands tremble.

  Chuboki raises a brow. "You don't look so good."

  I shove my hands under my arms. "I'm fine!" My legs won't stop bouncing.

  He faces the window. Hands behind his back. "I'm joining you on this mission."

  What? I stand, then fall back. My head is spinning. "I don't need a babysitter!"

  He glances at me. "Yes, you do." He paces. "You've been gone for a century. Barthelemy barely kept this place running." He grabs the armrests of my chair. "Who do you think defends the Wyre?"

  They're both... I laugh... He backs away... He looked like Basil just then.

  I wave my hand. "Fine, Chuboki. Come and watch me play. If you get bored, you can order someone around."

  He snorts. "Isn't that you're job?"

  I try to stand... My legs... I swallow. "Can you carry me?"

  Chuboki eyes me. "Get up yourself!" He marches toward the door.

  I reach for him. "Wait!" Then topple over. "It hurts!"

  He moves closer, then shoves my arms away from my stomach and lifts my shirt. He jerks. "What happened?"

  Everything's cold. "It started to heal at first... But now it..." I cough blood.

  He picks me up. "Tell me what to do!"

  He's so warm. "Garza... I need Garza..." I cling to him. He smells sweet.

  Healers gather around. Light in their palms. Threads in their fingers. They try to stitch the wound closed, but it's...

  Garza growls. "Why didn't you bring him to me sooner?"

  Chuboki shifts. "He didn't tell me!"

  Garza punches the bed. "You kept this a secret?" She huffs. "How are you supposed to go on your next mission if you're—"

  Melody rushes to my side. "Zachariah?" She grabs my hand. "Are you... How are you feeling?"

  I stroke her hair. "My little girl..." She looks like her mother. How hasn't Chuboki noticed it? Maybe he can't remember.

  Chuboki touches Melody's shoulder. "You shouldn't be here."

  She shrugs him off. "I'm not leaving!"

  I smile. "I'll be all right." I squeeze her hand. "I'm not feeling well."

  Melody looks at my body. Her breathing turns shallow. She opens her mouth, then runs.

  I nod to Chuboki. He goes after her. At least they have each other.

  Garza pushes the healers away. "Get back!" She pulls out a ball of light. Her muscles strain. Fingers shake. The light separates into multiple threads. They dig into my gut. I groan. She concentrates. "Sorry! I've never done this before."

  The threads churn my insides. I squeeze my eyes shut. "Stop!"

  Garza breathes through her teeth. "Hang on!"

  The threads darken at my wound. Garza whines. "I can't release it!" She steps back, then she's pulled in. "Zachariah?"

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  I sigh. "It's working."

  Garza tugs on her wrist. "Zachariah!"

  It's like breathing. When I draw air in, I can feel the wound begin to close. When I breathe out, it starts to open. I suck the air in.

  Garza screams. "ZACHARIAH!"

  The healers gasps and watch Garza's skin wrinkle. Her hair falls out in strands. Voice turning old. "You're killing me!"

  I'm almost healed. Just keep breathing in. The next thing I know, there's a dried up skeleton laying on top of me. I jump up.

  The healers stare. Why are they... Is that Garza? I grab her. Her soul! I drop her. Did I... My hands shake... "I'm sorry."

  The healers flee.

  What have I done?

  The ride to the lab is quiet. Melody can't keep her eyes off of me. Chuboki's squad is on standby a couple miles out.

  Nao picks her teeth. Lucas and Jackson hold hands in the front. Something isn't right...

  The truck halts. Jackson looks back at us. "We're here."

  We climb from the truck... A set of large metal doors... Claw marks... Ground cracked... Whatever was here came to kill.

  Melody stands behind me. "Zachariah?"

  My hands are shaking. I make fists. "Whoever did this might still be inside. Stay ready!"

  I move in first. This beast scorched everything in its path. The walls are pushed outward. Judging by these marks... We move down a hall and enter a room with cages.

  The others cover their faces. I inspect the bodies. "Wasn't much of a struggle!" They were executed. All of them. Even the scientists.

  I look at Nao and Jackson. "We'll need photos. Upload everything to the KWCR forums." They nod.

  I turn to Melody. "Take me to the control room."

  Everything's destroyed. Scientists piled in a corner. Their bodies roasted. Melody picks up pieces of a monitor. "I can't salvage this."

  I huff. "Keep looking!"

  I follow the scorch makes down another hallway. A burnt sign on a door. I enter the archives room.

  Melody talks through my headset. "I found something... Looks like a camera."

  Pages all on the floor. I sift through the ones that weren't completely destroyed. "Is it working?"

  She replies. "No...repair it..."

  These files are useless. Most of them are illegible or blacked out. I turn to leave... What's that? I move a shelf. This one's still intact.

  Data set 4449, Theodore

  "Collective data on subject 4449, archive 83, shows clear signs of hostility when provoked. 4449 has no desire to entertain anyone outside of their own agenda. Over 1 million victims have been accounted for due to 4449's alliance with 8701. Both subjects have eluded capture and engaged in multiple attacks on SAAF.

  4449 is the leader of [redacted]. 8701 is a decoy for 4449's true objective. Their methods are not understood.

  END OF LOG

  The rest of the document is marked out in black ink. There's photographs of strangers, mutilated corpses, settlements destroyed, and... Is that me?

  Why would I be in a data set about Theodore? The Axeheads think I did something to him, but this photo... I turn it over. "Subject 4449"

  I rip up the photo, then stuff it into my mouth and swallow. If anyone ever saw that... Lucas's voice shouts through my headset. "Someone's alive down—" The lab rattles.

  Was that an explosion? I run into the hallway. "Lucas? Lucas!" Static.

  Another explosion! I fall into a wall. "EVERYONE RETREAT! MEET ME AT THE TRUCK NOW!"

  I sprint towards the control room. Melody's already gone. I rush towards the entrance. Someone's calling for help. I chase their voice... It's Nao!

  A beam fell on her. Jackson strains. "I can't lift it!"

  I shove him aside and heave the beam off her.

  Nao groans. "My legs are screwed?"

  Jackson pulls her out, then looks at me. "Lucas?"

  I carry Nao on my back. "There's no time!"

  We jog to the entrance. Melody is waiting for us. "Zachariah, the truck is—"

  The lab collapses behind us. We cough on the dust. I set Nao down. "Where's the truck?"

  Melody grabs my arm. "It's gone!" She coughs into her shirt.

  I scan the area... A shadow... The truck! It slams into the ground in front of us. BOOM! We fall down.

  Someone's standing in the flames. They saunter toward us. Her voice... "IT'S THE MAN! THE MYTH! THE LEGEND!"

  I know that voice...

  She laughs. "ZACH-AR-I-AH, do my eyes deceive me?"

  Why do I recognize that voice?

  Melody holds my shoulder. "Who is that?"

  Jackson shakes Nao. "You good?" She lies motionless. "She's unconscious!"

  I stand. "Who are you?"

  She touches her chest. "OUCH! You hurt my feelings! After all that time ruminating and you can't remember my name?" She stops a few yards away. "Let me jog your memory." She removes her mask.

  I shake. "Tatiana!" How'd she escape?

  She chuckles. "Is it all coming back to you? Man, man, man! You can't imagine the spirals I've gone through." She steps closer. "Thought we were friends, then you locked me in that prison!"

  Tatiana lunges. Melody cuts her off. They go at it for a moment. Tatiana copies Melody's movements.

  Melody steps back. "Zachariah?"

  Tatiana snickers. "Your soldiers fight like you!" She charges.

  I throw Melody to the ground. Tatiana's fingers pierce my shoulder, then she knees me in the groin. I grab her wrist, then headbutt her. Her eyes roll back. She wraps around me. I slam us into the ground.

  Melody's voice. "ZACHARIAAAAAH!"

  Something's impaling me... I can't move off of her. It's expanding!

  Tatiana coughs blood onto my neck. "Why did you do it? We survived in those tunnels! Why did you lock me away?"

  I... I can't feel... I can't feel my cock anymore. It was there between my legs. Where did it go? Am I moving my toes?

  She throws me. My head hits the ground. A few feet away... I see my toes wagging. That's not right!

  Fire—Melody! Her wings ripple with heat. What's she doing?

  Tatiana snickers. "You gonna do something or just stand there?"

  Melody shakes. Tears in her eyes. "I'll go with you."

  What? I reach for her. "Mel..."

  Tatiana cackles. "You'll come with me willingly and leave him here...like that?"

  Melody swallows. "Yes." The flames die out. Her wings retract. She looks at me. "Just let me go."

  No. No! NO!

  Tatiana groans. "I was hoping for more of a fight, BUT if you insist." She punches Melody in the gut. Melody slumps forward. Tatiana hoists her up and carries her.

  I crawl. "Q'AAAN!"

  She freezes.

  I can make it. Just a...little closer...

  She puts on her mask. "Stop being a hero, Zachariah."

  I'm almost there. "Come back!" She's not stopping. "COME BAAACK!"

  I won't make it... "Jackson!" He cowers with Nao in his arms. "Do something!"

  He hangs his head.

  Weak... Weak... Weak... I'm so weak... Everyone's so weak... Chuboki... His strength can save her...

  White petals twist by my face. "Weak. Strong. Left. Right. Up. Down." Pale legs dance in front of me. "All this pitiful, painful torment for a life you refuse to remember." She giggles. "If you despise your own existence, you're not living at all."

  Must get to my legs...

  She skips to them and hums. "Don't you see that you've done this to yourselves?" She pokes my knee. "We are the creators of our own suffering."

  Almost...

  She spins on her toes. "Every life you try to save will fall to ruins because you ruin yourself. And for what?" She lays down in front of me. Head resting on her arm. "You love as deeply as you can, but does someone who hates themselves love at all?"

  I grab my pants and pull my legs close.

  She snickers. "What kinds of experiments will they do on your friend?"

  I pull my pants off.

  She tilts her head. "Do you have the stomach to kill a friend?"

  I chew on my thigh.

  She sniffs my foot. "What do you taste like?"

  Metallic... Salty... Bitter...

  She toys with my penis. "Does the hair get stuck in your teeth?"

  Like floss against my gums. Braiding in my throat. Clumping in my stomach.

  She brushes my knee. "You're still warm."

  Bones snap between my teeth. Blood like liquor. Veins like taffy.

  She bends my toes. "Why can't you let her go?"

  Oil popping on my tongue. Jaw tired. Never enough.

  She laughs. "Don't forget about your friends over there!"

  They'll be next... I'll eat until—

  Chuboki stands next to me. "What are you doing?"

  I slurp. "Healing."

  He huffs. "Is this what it's come to? Eating yourself?"

  Toes so soft. Soles of my feet. A salty treat.

  Chuboki lifts me. I growl. "I'm not done!"

  He stuffs me into a truck. "You'll heal."

  I grip his collar. "Melody!"

  He stares.

  I spit. "Get her!"

  Chuboki looks at Sian. "Let's go."

  We drive past them. I bang on the window. "Stop!" Tatiana waves. "SHE'S RIGHT THERE!" They shrink into the distance.

  He let her go... Why did he... How could he...

  I lean into Chuboki's arms. "Why aren't we stopping?"

  He breathes. "She told me not to."

  I jerk. "What?"

  Chuboki looks out the window. "She wanted this."

  I punch him. He holds me still. I bite at his neck. He pins me against the floor. "Let her go, Zachariah!"

  But she's... Can't breathe... Everything's getting so dark... Waves rushing over me... I'm melting... "She's your..."

  A white field of flowers... Someone's cradling me... Blood spilling over their shoulders... Or is it hair?

  "It's okay... You can open your eyes."

  I shove her off. "Who are you?"

  She smiles. "I'm your only friend." Teeth all in a row. "You belong to me."

  Not this dream again! I try to stand... My legs... Where are my legs?

  She laughs. "Be a good boy and say it back!"

  I crawl. "Never!"