“Look, I know this is super confusing for you. I went through the same thing last year, cried for like a week straight. Actually, that’s when I met Iris, the woman that dropped you off with Tal right after our little firework show. I know Palin and Kalli had a past, but let’s not make this weird. Iris isn’t the same person. You know that because you’re not the same person Palin was.”
“No… I’m not.”
“Perhaps you’re more because of him.”
Selene hands me her furry little cat and looks down at me with eyes that burst like twin supernovas, violent storms of violet and black. “Iris stole Koko here and gave her to me to help adjust. It’s not stealing to her; she calls it involuntary property redistribution. You can borrow her if you need to. She’s the sweetest kitten.”
“Koko?” I ask distractedly, still trying to get used to the nakedness of my new cubicle. Everything I have is lost. My entire life is this grey room now, small, and empty. I barely know who I am.
“Yep, yep. With a K,” Selene explains, assuming the correct spelling of her cat’s name is of any importance to me.
Her expression melts, dragging her head to the floor with it. A couple of tears cling to the brim of her eyes, vowing to never let go. I can’t help but feel a little responsible.
“Still no word, huh?”
“Nothing yet. I’m afraid something awful has happened. She should have been back by now. Iris is never late.”
“I’m sure she’s fine. If she’s anything like Kalli she’s probably out there, trying to redistribute another pet for you,” I joke from the firm twin-sized mattress I can call my own. It’s small, but I think I can get used to it. From what I understand, most of my time will be spent inside Lotus anyway. Learning, training, becoming who I need to be to help finish Lethe.
She tries to laugh but stops herself.
“It’s okay, E. We’ve all accepted our fate. We fight for something greater now. What does our death matter, if through us, thousands more are awakened and stirred to action?”
“I don’t want to see you die for the cause, Selene. The point is to make the other guy die for his.”
“War is more than killing,” she replies with icy soberness. Her rosy cheeks flushed red with emotion. “You must be willing to do whatever it takes. And when the time comes, you can’t hesitate.” She turns to exit but stops mid-stride. “Did you just feel that?” she asks wide-eyed and noticeably shaken, hand clutching the door frame tightly.
I tuck Kalli’s knife into the fresh set of utilities she gave me to wear, the same horrid, digital pattern as the rest of militia. More comfortable than I thought though.
“Feel what?” As the words leave my mouth, the concrete growls violently beneath me, shaking the entire vault as dust rains from the ceiling.
“What was that?”
I snap to Selene.
Panic, leaking from her eyes now. She moves to the hallway, still clinging to the door frame.
A thunderous blast echoes from the main entrance of the vault. Seconds later, Niko storms the hall, visibly distraught and screaming. Most of Kronos is asleep, real sleep. It’s still early, can’t be long until dawn. Lights shoot on from every room he passes as he shouts orders to his waking men and women.
People and Machina emerge in a hurry, silent for the most part, working in a military-like manner. Movements rehearsed like they’ve practiced this day before.
“Evacuate now! Keep to the plan! Meet at the checkpoints!!” Niko yells, his voice beginning to strain.
Selene has already disappeared by the time he makes it to my doorway.
“Wait, wait. Like right now? This is happening right now? What about the training? I have no idea what the plan is, or what to do??” I shout, forcing my words around the fist-sized lump lodged deep in the well of my throat.
“Lethe found us. They must’ve captured Iris, retraced her memories using the Delta. We knew this would eventually happen. We’re ready for it.” He takes a deep breath. Pulls his pocket watch from the front pocket of his trench coat, stares at it until he looks satisfied. “Our sentries are holding them off for the moment, but you must hurry.”
“Wait! Wait.. I’m not ready.”
“Death doesn’t care. Find the others. Stay with your team. Follow their instructions. The time is now, Eros!”
The hallway begins to swirl. Everything is happening so fast. A million different things flash into my brain at once. All I can do is pant, standing in the way like some unpowered droid. Frozen. Terrified.
“E! This way!” shouts Selene a few doors down. She’s carrying a brown duffle bag on her back that’s as tall as she is.
No hesitation. Whatever it takes.
I run to her, sliding by uniformed strangers in the crowded hallway. Her purple hair is a beacon.
Pushing and cutting through the mob, she guides me into a smaller airlock, one of a series down another hallway that never seems to end. The airlock slides open to an empty room. We’re the only two that took this direction. The room’s small, industrial metal, identical to the elevator room I arrived in, except this one has a single green button on the inner cage.
“You ready?” she asks, the green gleaming from her pupils.
“Not really.”
She smashes the button and away we fly. Faster than any shuttle I’ve ever flown, we shoot upward, until we come to a quick but gradual stop. The wall splits open to a rocky tunnel carved into what looks like brick and asphalt. It’s dark, cave-like.
Selene leads the way, unbendable, far from the mindless piece of ass I once thought she was. She shoves her bag through
the tunnel, crawling after
