When I woke up, I found Lucy sitting on the couch in our common room.

Her attention was fixed on the TV, so she hadn't noticed me yet. I was on my way to my workshop to start unraveling Richard's power when I stopped to see what she was watching.

Prime Minister Candidate Melody Ella-Rose endorses Ajax occupation amidst Pandora Initiative pushback?

"You missed it," Lucy said, shooting me a worried glance. "Ajax captured some of Pandora's supers and Liberation retaliated. He gathered some of his strongest supers and destroyed a Walker. I have no idea if there were any casualties, but my dad will know. He was likely part of that squad."

I felt my blood freeze. She had no idea Bloodhound was part of the group that attacked us, and if Liberation had gone after the right Walker, then they had him back.

Richard was right here. If he—

"There is no need to panic. Francis was able to take care of Bloodhound," Cyberspace intruded on the conversation. I saw Lucy stiffen for a moment. "Liberation's goal was retrieving his personnel, and two from his strike-force died assaulting the Walker. How they knew which Walker to assault is a mystery. I suspect they have a newly awakened Mentalist."

I heaved a sigh and tried to slow my racing heart.

"Hold on, Liberation and some Pandora Supers managed to take down a Walker?" I blinked owlishly, remembering how quickly their hunting squad was captured. Sure, I had done most of the heavy lifting, but Ajax's warmachines were legendary. "How did they manage that, and who died?"

"Gemini and Shatterpoint," Cyberspace replied.

"That's a pretty big blow," I mused. "If they keep this up, they'll finish themselves off."

"They were successful in retrieving all but Bloodhound. Francis and his agents made certain of that."

I saw Lucy shudder out of the corner of my eye.

"The problem is solved. I expect they already know of your part in capturing Richard," there was an uncertain pause in Cyberspace's speech. "…which could potentially be troubling."

"Worried they'll come after us?" I asked.

"No, they are aware of his power and may come to the conclusion that he has compromised you and the rest of Madhouse." Cyberspace explained. "If so, it is very likely they will consider 'Richard' to be too great of a threat to let live, and come after you much like they did with Grim. Even if they do not believe that, they may still use it as an excuse to attack you outright."

I groaned and rubbed my face.

"Wonderful."

"I would ask you not to stress about that possibility yet," Cyberspace replied quickly. "The Pandora Initiative's attack has upset the balance we've been maintaining since Ajax's arrival. They've sent a message and proved that they can back up their words with force. Their followers will feel secure in the Initiative's strength and they will not risk further provocation after damaging their standing. With Gaea openly endorsing Ajax and Madhouse's reputation, they will not be able to form alliances easily."

"That won't stop them," Lucy said. "Pandora won't allow someone like Richard to live. They went after him because he's too dangerous and they'll be coming after Madhouse now."

"They just lost two heavy hitters to a Walker, and they've still not recovered since Grim," I said, perplexed. I was still trying to digest the fact that they managed to destroy a Walker. "They should be weakened. If they come after us, we'll just push them back and whittle them down."

"They are weakened, not weak," Lucy pulled her knees close to her chest and hugged them for comfort. "There's a reason they've been able to stick around so long despite Gaea and Grim being in the city, Liberation is a force all on his own."

"There is also the unfortunate fact that New Elpis—Bayside specifically—has caught the attention of Pandora's global leadership. Their numbers here might have dwindled due to Grim's rampage, but they have the resources to replenish what they lost." Cyberspace explained.

Was that even a war they could win—better yet, was it worth it? I couldn't imagine the logic behind openly warring against a super that had enough firepower to glass the planet. What was Pandora hoping to achieve? Was chasing off Ajax even a feasible strategy? How would that work?

How do you chase off someone with that much firepower?

"I've seen what's inside the Citadel. This isn't a fight they can win." I shook my head in disbelief. "Whatever they manage to destroy will only be replaced. They can't win a drawn out fight and if they try to end it quickly, they'll get squashed the moment Ajax decides to stop holding back."

Lucy looked worried, probably for her father. I didn't get how she could still care about him, but I suppose people were weird when it came to family.

"Agreed. They cannot win," Cyberspace said. "I do not suspect they want war. Instead, they are going to appeal to the public. They know there is a lot of resentment over this occupation. It is disruptive and residents are starting to grow weary. Pandora has put the message out there that Ajax and Chronos are not welcome, something which the public is starting to agree with."

I looked back at the TV to see Gaea speaking, and the puzzle started to click into place. With this, she would be given more leniency, and the rest of the Queen's Court was likely exempt as well. That wasn't even taking into account her new ability. There was no telling what Springsong would be capable of or what Uplink would be able to do. I hadn't heard anything from them since our alliance ended with Grim's downfall.

The Queen's Court was set to win if everything continued to go their way. The only thing Gaea wasn't winning was the public opinion. The protests outside the Citadel said more than enough, and Gaea endorsing things wasn't going to improve her standing with the city. That meant she had to consider the loss worth it.

"The Queen's Court takes the safe option and publicly supports Ajax's efforts to control the city," I muttered under my breath. "She—and potentially the rest of her side—is granted immunity to act however they like without fear of Ajax's war machines bothering them. Pandora takes a more daring approach and aligns with the majority in order to win approval. Not only that but they can also spread the narrative about our enslavement to Richard. The ECU will already know something similar happened with Seraphim, so they won't be able to dismiss Pandora straight away, and people will notice that…" I ran a hand through my hair. "Have I got all that right? This isn't looking good for us."

I shot a forlorn glance at Sam's bedroom door. We needed Gold's insight now more than ever. Richard's capture suddenly felt like it was one step forward and three steps back.

I didn't regret capturing Richard because he did need to be dealt with. It was just… I was hoping for a clean win this time.

"The Queen's Court won't be able to operate however they like," Cyberspace corrected. "They have leniency, but that is not immunity. Springsong and the rest of her private military have been ordered to keep their heads down. However, your suspicions about Pandora's motives could turn out to be true."

"I don't suppose you guys could try the same thing as Gaea?" Lucy suggested weakly. "I mean… it would take a lot of heat off of you. You could maybe beat Pandora to the punch before they have a chance to spin the narrative in their favor."

"No," Cyberspace said flatly. "The Queen's Court lives and dies by Gaea's reputation. Special privileges are afforded to her as being one of the Trinity. Her cooperation with the ECU, as well as her political standing are significant factors in how the ECU classifies her. Madhouse—and Maxis by extension—are considered vigilantes, and are to be captured. Attempting to broker any sort of deal with Ajax and Chronos will only lead to detainment."

I laughed mirthlessly.

"Vigilantes, huh? I figured we would be deemed outright criminals by now."

"Since the formation of Madhouse, you have contributed to keeping the city clean. You have not committed any petty crimes, and you have, for the most part, been seen to act in the best interest of the city. I have done my best to keep you from tarnishing that reputation."

"What about our excursion last night?" I asked. "Ajax's war machines pursued me," I idly rubbed the part of my chest that was still very sore from being hit with the miniature particle cannon. "Way I see it, you don't attack someone you're trying to capture with that kind of weaponry. If I wasn't wearing my armor, I would've been killed."

"You were engaging Pandora in an evohuman skirmish past the mandatory curfew. I am surprised those Walkers opted to capture the Pandora hunting squad instead of exterminating them. If this were anything like the conflict with the Iron Maiden, none of you would have been left alive," Cyberspace explained. "Now, enough with that. You two have assignments to do, and the day has long since started."

Lucy sighed and grabbed her bag. She dug around in it for a moment before pulling a gun. The same one she had when Francis reprimanded me.

I stared at her in bewilderment.

"You were going to take that to school?"

"I don't want to hear that from you of all people, Max," Lucy glared. "I know you brought drones to school last week. Do you seriously want to grill me about bringing a weapon to school for my own safety? It wasn't even my idea."

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

I frowned as I eyed the gun.

"I'm not upset about that. You can't take a gun to school because the ECU scanners will find it. You're going to get found."

"Which is why I was instructed to give it to you," Lucy grumbled, holding out the pistol for me to take. I stared at it for a couple of seconds before slowly reaching out to take it. "You need to make it like yours and it can't be a laser. Francis was very clear on that. It needs to be quiet with some specific upgrades. I have a list here," she pulled out a small folded note from her bag. She squinted at the writing and brushed some of her hair out of her eyes. "Sorry, his handwriting is kind of messy."

"Lucy, I'm not sure you should be—"

"Maxis." Cyberspace's voice cut me off. "I would appreciate it if you fulfilled the request."

I felt my temper flare, but I was able to rein it in quickly.

Getting Lucy involved in all of this wasn't my intention when I brought her here. I wanted this place to be a safe haven for her—somewhere she could hide if things went sour for her. I had kept quiet because I hoped Francis would be teaching her in order to help keep her safe, but it was clear Cyberspace had other plans. I could see the logic—Lucy was another set of eyes inside Pandora's operation, and any information coming from the upper echelons would be crucial.

That didn't mean I was happy with it.

"You know I can help. Let me." Lucy said softly. "I've been part of this world much longer than you have. I might not have powers, but that doesn't mean I'm not capable of helping."

She must have seen the conflict on my face. Let it be known, I wasn't the best at completely masking my emotions, especially when the topic concerned my best friend.

"I introduced you to everyone because I hoped to give you somewhere you could go in case things got bad. You are not obligated to help," my reply felt hollow because deep down, I knew there was a possibility of this happening, and I let it happen anyway. "I don't feel comfortable with the idea of allowing you to put yourself in danger."

"How do you think I feel?" Lucy shot back. "Do you think it doesn't bother me that you've been doing all this? That you went to war against the Cains and put your life on the line to fight Grim? That you're willing to jump into another fight with Pandora with Ajax's war machines patrolling the city? Max…" A bitter laugh escaped her throat. "Before you got your powers, school and D&D used to be the only stuff you stressed about. Now, everything is different. You're different—and before you say it, I know it hasn't been easy to digest my secret either."

A tense silence lingered between us.

The simpler days without my powers fucking everything up seemed like so long ago—an eternity.

"Things change. People change." I said.

"And not always in the way we want them to." Lucy replied, offering the weapon to me. My fingers curled around it as my power opened up all the possibilities to me. "I've seen what powers do to people. No matter what they decide to do with them, there's always a shift. I'm not about to stand here and lecture you about… about anything honestly, but just know that our concerns go both ways. You want me to be safe? Give me the best tools you can."

My common sense was telling me to contest her and put my foot down against Cyberspace. My continued cooperation could be used as leverage, but I knew that was a losing battle. I would never convince Lucy to stop, and it would intrude on whatever Cyberspace was planning for her.

I just had to trust Lucy not to do anything stupid.

She had a better head on her shoulders than I did.

"Give me the list." I conceded. Lucy handed me the list, and I took note of each function. They were simple upgrades, and it wasn't long until it was done. Conveniently cheap too, since most of it I had done before. It only took eight charges. The weapon in my hand turned to liquid and folded in on itself. In seconds, it was transformed. I handed back the weapon. "Here, I'll show you how to use it."

After a five-minute breakdown, Lucy was shifting the gun in and out of its disguised state. She was also managing to switch ammo quicker than I expected. Though I wasn't sure why I was surprised; she was always a quick learner.

"Thanks." Lucy said.

I was about to reply when Cyberspace beat me to it.

"Lucy will also require easily concealable armor, much like the ones you made for the rest of Madhouse. Ensure that one is ready for her by tomorrow morning," Cyberspace requested. "I'm sure we both agree that the safer she is, the more at ease our minds will be."

"Sure," I murmured. I didn't buy for a second that Cyberspace actually cared. They only cared because I cared. "I'll do the best I can."

"Good." Cyberspace said.

While I made my breakfast, I watched as Lucy finished her preparations for school.

"You're not coming?" Lucy asked, breaking the silence. When I went to reply, she just laughed sullenly. "You don't really need to answer that, actually. I sort of expected it, you're busy—got stuff to do."

"Yeah," I mused as I sipped my coffee. The hot beverage cleared the rest of my morning drowsiness. "It's also not a good idea. I've heard nothing about Seraphim, and she knows about me. With Richard captured and Sam recovering, she'll probably come looking for me."

Lucy looked surprised.

"You think she'll come to our school? Abby and her mom will take her down before she even gets close. Besides, everyone will see her coming in broad daylight. It's not like it's hard to miss the girl with half a dozen giant metal wings." Lucy crossed her arms.

"It's best I don't take the chance. Without my suit, she'll rip me to pieces. But like you said, I have stuff to do anyway."

Lucy nodded and went to continue getting ready, but then she stopped. She turned back to me with a curious expression.

"How does she know about you through Sam? Has she seen you two together?"

I sighed.

"Sam took me on a play date with all her friends and their boyfriends before the Grim stuff went down. Nikki—Seraphim—thinks we're dating. It's part of Sam's cover at school, so if she can't find Richard or Sam, she'll look for alternatives. She found out Sam had powers during their last encounter, so she might think I do too."

Lucy frowned and went quiet for a few moments.

"So… you two are—"

"No. We're not like that." I cut her off flatly. "There's too much going on and way too big of a chance something goes wrong."

Her expression became unreadable.

"...Right." Lucy nodded slowly. "Okay."

I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but it was something more than that.

Once she left, I descended into my workshop and sat down in front of Splicer's equipment.

Francis had already moved Richard into the tank and secured it. He didn't know how to actually work the machine, so all he had done was attach the life-support equipment to him. Richard was curled up at the bottom of the tank, breathing steadily. When he noticed I was present, he lifted his head and looked at me with his one good eye.

There was a flash of recognition, followed by an intense, rage-filled glare. He lifted a fist and pounded against the glass, but he was far too weak to cause any damage.

"If you feel any discomfort, I can force Splicer's cooperation," Cyberspace's voice sounded again. "You don't need to put yourself through this if you do not wish to. This kind of work can be… dehumanizing," I noted the tinge of concern in Cyberspace's tone. It felt rather odd to hear. "That being said, we are both aware that forcing one's cooperation is not ideal."

I shook my head.

"I can do this."

"If you're certain, I will not object."

"I said I can do this."

I stood up and stepped toward the console attached to the tank. Richard's eye followed every step as I approached. I gently rested my hands on the screen and allowed my power to flow into the machine. Like before, I had to pull my focus back so I could see more of the tech I was interacting with. Slowly, I began analyzing the hardware.

It was a slow, grueling process to look through all the hardware and software operating the mechatech, but I eventually discovered where I needed to start.

An hour and a half…

I needed to be thorough, but I hadn't been aware of how quickly time was passing.

My fingers moved as I began executing the startup process. There was a churning in the tank which startled Richard. After watching me stand there for so long, he had calmed down a bit. Now, the banging on the glass resumed. I ignored his attempts to escape and continued to ensure the right precautions were selected.

There were a couple of things that needed to be just right.

The tank needed to be at the right pressure for the fluid to have the intended effect. The breathing apparatus needed to have the correct flow of oxygen, otherwise the subject's lungs would burst. There were several other things that needed to be just right, or I would botch this and kill Richard by accident.

When I checked the last procedure off the list, I looked up to see the tank filled. Richard was already floating in the orange fluid and unconscious. An image of all the filled vats in the bunker flashed through my mind, and I ripped my gaze away from him.

I shuddered, suddenly feeling cold. When I looked down, I saw that my hands were slightly shaking. I brought them up to my chest and dug my fingernails into my shirt to try and stop it, but I couldn't ignore the nausea that overwhelmed me.

As detestable as Richard was, seeing him floating inside the tank just like how I had seen Mia ignited a very visceral feeling of self-loathing. I captured him with the intent to kill, but decided he was better off in there. Despite what I was doing this for, to help Seraphim, Sam, and everyone else he had hurt, I still felt sick.

Like I was turning into a monster.

Mia wasn't the only person I had seen in Grim's bunker. Pete had been down there too. Seeing Richard only reminded me of my school's asshole sports superstar. He still hadn't come back to school—or maybe he had? I hadn't seen him around at all.

I found myself wondering if he survived. Then, I felt like an asshole when I realized I genuinely didn't care.

"You appear disturbed," Cyberspace noted cautiously. "Do you wish to continue?"

"I—" I stopped myself when I realized how shaky my voice sounded. I cleared my throat and did my best to bury my anxiety. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just unsettling is all. I thought I wouldn't care if it was him. He's hurt people—hurt Sam. I figured I wouldn't care, but it just… it feels so wrong."

"Don't forget why you are doing this," Cyberspace remarked. "Hold onto that purpose. This is simply a necessary evil."

I spared a glance at the vat over my shoulder. The second look brought the uncomfortable cold feeling back tenfold, but I managed to bury it.

Tentatively, I turned back to Splicer's equipment and took a slow, deep breath.

"I know."

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