Location: First Aid Station

Time: 3:20 PM, 12/29/2107

I could feel the stigma that marred my face start to pulse as I focused my energy in the space between my outstretched hands. A small spike of fluorescent orange energy appeared for a moment before dissipating.

“Disappointed. Is that it? Our failure seems the most probable outcome.” Hana spoke to me while rummaging through the cabinets, looking for something to bandage her arm.

“Shut up. I’m not used to using it, give me a minute.”

I refocused myself, concentrating on my connection to the information dimension, imagining the change I wanted to see in the physical world.

The spike of energy appeared once again, only this time I was able to maintain it. As I watched it for a few seconds I could feel myself getting nauseous.

From using a part of my brain I’d long left dormant, or just from looking at what I was capable of producing? I decided not to think too deeply on the matter.

“Curious. What does it do? Uncertain. Your father’s was able to cut through most materials. Is yours the same?”

I watched the light fade as I phased my augmentation off, taking a series of deep breaths. It seemed that while focusing I had forgotten how to breathe.

“No, it’s not the same, but it will work just as well.”

“Doubtful. Alright, it will do then.”

“Hey, don’t bother trying to lie.” Was she doing that on purpose?

“Surprise. You knew I was lying?”

“The only surprising thing here is how oblivious you are.”

“Understanding. Yes. Your lack of practical combat ability is certainly not surprising.”

“Oi. You trying to pick a fight?”

“Confused. Of course not.” So she was just insulting me unintentionally. Somehow I feel like that’s worse. “Regretful. I already spent far too much time in combat mode earlier. My body won’t be able to handle much more of it. Concerned. I’m not sure what I have left will be enough for us to kill her.”

She really didn’t pull her punches, and she certainly wasn’t interested in giving me anything to be optimistic about.

“Then should we come up with a backup plan?”

“Uninterested. If our first plan fails, we’ll burn that bridge when we come to it.”

“You don’t burn bridges, you cross them.”

“Denial. Not when you use them like I do. Appeasing. Another expression will do. Make sure to count all your eggs in one basket.”

“You’re doing that on purpose, aren’t you?”

I was starting to think that a large portion of my first and second encounter with Hana were somewhat skewed. Viewing her through the lens of my projected assumptions turned her into something more than she was.

And how did I reach the point where I was having a pointless conversation with the girl that was trying to kill me? Honestly, I wasn’t sure either.

---

As I was running from the scene of Charles and Oliver’s battle my futile attempt to come up with a plan was interrupted by the screeching of a long dormant PA system.

“Is it working? Can you hear Sara? Sara can hear Sara. Sara was going to find you, but Sara found the sparky girl and mister policeman instead. Oopsie. Sara had a good brain moment. Take mister policey. Sara is thinking he’s your friend. Sara also thinks you should pick better friends. Anyway. It’s time to fish! Sara’s never fished before, but Sara is definitely good at it. Sara will catch her target for sure. Bye Bye!”

A similar screech sounded as the PA system was switched off.

That was her angle. If Sara was fishing that would make Jaxon the bait, and make me the fish. Unfortunately for her, this fish wasn’t interested. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I wanted Jaxon dead or anything. It’s just, I didn’t think he was someone worth risking myself for. Why would the civilian go rescue the police officer? Like I said before, he made his choice.

If anything, he was making my potential getaway easier. If Sara was watching over him I’d have one less to worry about.

“Curious. What are you going to do?”

As I rounded a corner a familiar face was waiting for me. Even with her small frame Hana’s pressure managed to block off the entire path. I could have run back the way I came, but there was no point. Now that she wanted to find me I couldn’t escape her.

One way or another, I had to deal with her.

“Certainty. If you try to save him she’ll capture you as well.”

“Yeah, probably.” Without that electric pattern covering her body and that sadistic smile filling her face she was easier to talk to. “What happened to you?”

Her clothes were torn and splotches of blood stained her jacket, not to mention her own knife was sticking out of her left arm. She was no longer a monster to be feared, but a girl to be pitied. At least, that’s the feeling I got from looking at her.

“Agreement. Yes. I met with Sara once again. She threw a jelly donut at me.” Hana looked toward a purple smear on her jacket.

“That’s what you’re worried about? Anything else worth mentioning?”

“Yes. Expectant. You will help me kill Sara. Shameful. She is too strong for me to kill on my own.”

“Huh?” Too strong? She’s too strong for the Number to fight, and I’m supposed to help? “I feel like I've missed something. Hopefully I’m wrong about this, but I thought I was the one you wanted to kill.”

“Guilty. I don’t remember that.”

“For some reason I don’t think you’re being entirely honest.”

“Annoyed. Sara is too dangerous. More dangerous than you. I changed my objective. I can’t beat her. Oliver is busy. Expectant. You need to help me fight her.”

“And if I do?”

“Unsure. Maybe we win.”

“Yeah, I get that, but what do I get? Why should I put my life in the hands of a girl who’s after it?”

“Threatening. Your life has been in my hands from the moment I received a photograph of your face with an address listed on the back. Reasoning. Either I kill you myself and call this mission complete, or with your assistance I change the mission objective and kill Sara. Honest. You are a small threat. Sara is a big threat. Understand?”

“Yeah, starting to.”

Her reasoning was completely devoid of common sense, but in a twisted way it made perfect sense. To someone like her, completely devoid of emotional attachment to any of this, it was just a routine swapping of objectives. She didn’t want me dead, she just wanted to complete her mission. And now that a more important mission has presented itself she’s prepared to completely disregard her previous attempts at causing my untimely demise.

Even more audacious than that is the fact that she’s so willing to accept me as an ally, or at least a useful tool. That might be the logical decision of a doll, but for the one whose life was being targeted it’s not that simple. Most people couldn’t overlook our short history together so easily.

Was I just supposed to forget what she did to Jaxon? What about the promise of what she’d do to me?

Apparently I was. Or if not forget, at least overlook it.

“Advising. It’s like they say; when life gives you lemons.”

“So I’m supposed to make lemonade out of this?”

“Correcting. You can’t make any lemonade. I’m not actually giving you any lemons. It’s just an expression. When life gives you lemons you should be happy with the lemons you’ve received without asking too many questions about how an incorporeal concept like life gave you lemons in the first place. In this case, I’m the lemon.”

“You’re right about one thing. You’re definitely the lemon of this situation.”

“Happy. I’ve been told that before. So you’ll help?”

Everything about this nonsensical development seemed like a bad idea. If I was watching someone else in my position even consider something like this I would be crying out how ridiculous it was.

That’s why I didn’t need to hesitate. I would follow her plan.

The old Emelia would certainly say no, and maybe she’d be right, but being right had never got me anywhere. Like I told Jaxon, the lines on my face are proof of the unreasonable power that’s driven my life into the ground. The only way I could gain any semblance of control was to be just as unreasonable.

I tried hiding away, minding my own business. It didn’t work. I tried giving up and dying. Somehow that didn’t work either. So next, I decided to try the opposite. I’d take center stage. Work with the killing machine that was after my life and would almost certainly betray me? Sure, why not? It’s not like I had anything to lose at that point. Refusing her would kill me anyway.

“You’re not really leaving me with much of a choice.”

“Agreement. Correct. There are two possibilities, but only one is possible. I’ve already decided. We’ll kill Sara.”

---

“Are you feeling anemic? There’s a surprisingly large amount of synthetic blood here.” After helping Hana bandage her arm I looked through the rest of the medical supplies. Apparently the scavengers hadn’t found them yet.

“Certain. I don’t need it. My blood loss is within predicted levels.”

What kind of prediction was that supposed to be?

“Curious? You are a larger liability than the status of my blood. Your practice didn’t seem overly fruitful. Ready?”

“I’m not ready, but I’m not getting better any time soon. Recognizing you as my partner for this is the much harder concept to grasp, but it’s like they say; when in Rome.” Killing my personal feelings and following her lead was my best bet. If I was working with a Number I had to be prepared to see things the way she did. As long as I helped her with Sara I was no longer a target.

“Confused. When in Rome? Certain. When in Rome the Romans get going? Dismissive. I don’t think you’re using that expression correctly.”

“No seriously, you have to be doing that on purpose.”