Cold.
That was the first thing she felt.
Not the sting of icy water on her skin —
but the cold inside her mind.
A memory.
A scream.
Daniel's scream.
Mara's legs buckled as she ran, the forest blurring around her. Ten held onto her hand with a death grip. Evelyn struggled to keep up, breathing hard, glancing over her shoulder every few seconds.
"Mara—slow down—please—"
"I can't." Mara's voice cracked. "He's out there. He's hurt. He needs me—"
Zero appeared beside her, walking instead of flickering, her expression carved from sorrow.
"You cannot help him if you die."
"I won't leave him!" Mara shouted.
Her voice echoed through the trees —
and something heard it.
A shape moved in the darkness behind them.
A growl.
Mechanical.
Wet.
Hungry.
Twelve.
Mara sprinted harder.
But the forest floor shifted beneath her feet — mud, roots, cold earth — and suddenly her shoe slipped. She stumbled forward, catching herself against a rotten log.
Ten yelped as Mara's grip nearly tore free.
"Mara! Don't leave me!"
Mara forced her voice steady. "I'm right here."
But inside, she wasn't steady at all.
Daniel's scream replayed in her skull on a loop — raw, terrified, cut short. A sound she had never heard from him. A sound she never wanted to hear again.
Evelyn grabbed Mara's arm. "The outpost is close. We can regroup there."
Mara shook her off. "Regroup? While he's—"
She couldn't say dead.
She wouldn't.
Zero stepped in front of her.
"He isn't dead."
Mara froze.
Zero's eyes glowed faintly white.
"I would feel it if he were gone. Your mind—your signal—would collapse. And it hasn't."
Mara's knees nearly gave out from relief.
Ten tugged her sleeve. "Then we have to go back for him."
Zero shook her head sharply.
"No. Twelve is guarding him."
The words hit Mara like a punch to the chest.
She closed her eyes.
The memory she had been avoiding broke through —
Cold water.
A hand around her wrist.
A voice inside her skull.
'Mara… with… me…'
Her breathing stuttered.
Zero placed a ghostly hand over Mara's.
"He did not hurt Daniel because Daniel is prey. He hurt Daniel because Daniel got between you and him."
Mara's stomach twisted.
"He shouldn't be following me like this," she whispered. "Why won't he stop?"
Zero stepped closer.
Her voice softened — not gentle, but sad.
"Because he is not hunting you."
Mara frowned. "What?"
Zero's face flickered like a glitching screen.
"He is trying to return you."
Evelyn paled. "Return her? To the facility? To Voss?"
Zero shook her head slowly.
"No. To himself."
Mara whispered, "Stop talking in riddles."
Zero's eyes glowed brighter.
"Twelve doesn't want you dead."
The forest went silent.
Wind died.
Even the distant drones quieted.
Zero finished softly:
"Twelve wants you complete."
Mara felt her breath leave her body.
Complete.
Merged.
One mind.
One body.
Him inside her.
Her erased.
"No," she whispered. "No. That's not happening."
Zero met her eyes, unblinking.
"Then you must learn to use what he is using against you."
"What is he using?"
Zero touched Mara's forehead.
A jolt of white light rippled through Mara's skull.
Her vision warped—
branches melted into wires—
the forest dissolved—
and suddenly—
She was underwater again.
Thrashing.
Sinking.
Twelve dragging her down.
But now she saw what she hadn't seen before:
Twelve's other hand wasn't grabbing her —
it was touching her cheek.
Gently.
Like he was memorizing her.
Like he was terrified she might disappear.
The memory shifted —
her lungs burning —
her vision fading —
and for a split second she heard his voice clearly:
"Mara… don't leave."
A plea.
Not a command.
She gasped as the forest snapped back around her, cold air burning her lungs.
Zero's voice was soft.
"He is fractured. Confused. Desperate. But his purpose is unchanged."
Evelyn whispered, "To replace her."
Zero nodded.
"Or to merge with her. He will take whichever path you give him."
Mara trembled.
Ten squeezed her hand.
"Mara… what are we gonna do?"
Before Mara could answer—
A shadow moved in the trees below them.
Branches snapped.
Heavy footsteps shook the ground.
Light gleamed off wet, damaged skin.
Twelve stepped into view —
mechanical chest rising and falling —
eye glowing like a dying star —
and Daniel slung over his shoulder, unconscious.
Mara's scream tore through the night.
"DANIEL!"
Twelve turned toward her voice.
His eye blazed white.
He dropped Daniel into the dirt — not gently, not cruelly — as if he didn't understand how to balance both of them at once.
Then he reached out a shaking hand to Mara.
"Mara… with… me…"
Mara stumbled backward, pulling Ten behind her.
Evelyn's breath hitched.
Zero whispered one word:
"Run."
And they did.
But this time—
Twelve didn't chase Daniel.
He didn't chase Evelyn.
He didn't chase Ten.
He only chased her.