LOGINThe first security team lasted less than thirty seconds. Prime One hit the front guard hard enough to throw him across the corridor. Prime Two used the Stabilizer module in one arm while catching another soldier’s rifle with the other hand. Metal bent beneath his fingers. Natasha moved behind them. “Do not kill!” Prime One caught a man by the chest, then he stopped. For one frightening second, Natasha thought the command had come too late. Then he dropped the soldier alive and turned toward her. Natasha nodded. “Good.” The Cerberus commander moved again, then they reached the elevator. It was locked. Prime Two placed the Omega module down. Natasha tried Prime authorization. ACCESS DENIED. “Adrian changed it.” Prime One struck the door. Nothing happened. He did again. The metal dented. Natasha looked toward the service corridor. “No. We don’t have time.” She remembered Evelyn’s information. Lower west route, Level seventeen or eighteen. They were currently on the fourteen
Adrian came to Natasha personally the next morning, and that told her everything she needed to know. He believed she was close to cooperating and accepting him. And of becoming useful on his terms. But Natasha intended to let him enjoy that belief for a little longer. “I made a decision,” she said. Adrian stopped. “What decision?” “I’ll help you test the Omega interface.” His expression barely changed. But Natasha saw the satisfaction. “And Cerberus?” “One thing at a time.” “You want conditions.” “Yes.” “I expected that.” Natasha stood. “I want full access to the Omega research while we work.” “Supervised.” “Fine.” “I want continued biological monitoring.” “Fine.” “And I want your cooperation with Prime command testing.” Natasha pretended to consider it. “As long as you stop using pain frequencies on them.” Adrian smiled slightly. “Agreed.” He thought he had won. Natasha almost admired how easy pride made intelligent people to manipulate. *** The Prime commanders
Aaron stood over the tactical table while Victor watched him move the same marker for the third time. “Can you stop doing that?” Aaron looked up. “What?” “Trying to turn uncertainty into a map.” Aaron straightened. “I am looking at possible surface exits.” “You looked at them ten minutes ago.” “And now I’m looking again.” Victor folded his arms. And Rowan stood nearby. Elias continued monitoring the communication system. No one had heard from Natasha. That silence had lasted too long and Aaron hated it. He looked toward Hargrove. “You’re sure these service exits existed?” “Years ago.” “That is not what I asked.” “Eden changed continuously. I cannot promise they still exist.” Aaron’s jaw tightened. Victor stepped closer. “You need sleep.” “I slept enough while she was drugging me.” The room went quiet. But Victor did not react. “Fine. Then eat.” “I’m not hungry.” “Ross.” Aaron turned, and Victor held his gaze. “If Doctor Reese gets herself out of that place, you had
Natasha barely slept that night. Not because she was afraid or something. But because she was planning. She replayed every corridor she had seen since entering Eden. The lower containment level and the Cerberus wing. The main research section, the Omega corridor, and residential Four. The elevator system, the security classes, and the prime access. By morning, Natasha understood one thing clearly. Escaping Eden would not depend on overpowering every guard. That would be impossible. It would depend on making Adrian believe she was cooperating long enough to reach the right places. Then moving before he understood what was happening. The door opened. And Adrian entered. “You’re awake.” “I assumed today was important.” “For both of us.” Natasha stood. “No restraints?” “Not unless you give me a reason.” “I’m touched.” “You shouldn’t be.” “Good. I wasn’t.” He almost smiled. *** The Omega level sat behind three independent security barriers. Natasha counted every one. Th
Victor Mathew stood on New Haven’s western wall before sunrise. Below him, Arsenal vehicles were being moved into position. They're not there for an attack, but for readiness. Heavy transport trucks. Armored personnel carriers. Fuel carriers, and medical vehicles. Several pieces of equipment brought from the Strategic Reserve Arsenal had not been used since arriving in New Haven. And Victor intended to change that. Ryker joined him. “Eastern units are set.” “Good.” “Ross has requested another update.” Victor looked toward the city. “He has requested eight updates in three hours.” “Nine.” Victor sighed. “Of course.” Ryker almost smiled. “He is not handling this well.” “He is handling it better than most men would.” “Would you?” Victor looked at him. “If my woman drugged me and disappeared into an enemy fortress?” “Yes.” Victor thought for a moment. “No.” Ryker laughed quietly. Then Victor became serious again. “Keep the western teams ready.” “You think she is coming
Aaron woke with a headache and Natasha’s name already on his lips. For several seconds, he did not understand why his body felt so heavy. Then he saw the empty space beside him, and everything returned. The syringe, Natasha catching him. Her tears and her voice. “Forgive me.” Aaron sat upright too quickly, and the room tilted. But he ignored it. “Nate!” There was no answer. He grabbed his communicator and checked. Three missed calls popped up. Marcus. Rowan. Elias. Then he saw the recorded message waiting on Natasha’s device. Aaron stared at it. But he already knew. Still, he pressed play. Natasha appeared on the screen. “Aaron, if you are watching this, then I am already gone.” His jaw tightened. By the time the message ended, he was standing. His anger was so strong that for a few seconds he could barely think. She had drugged him despite her promise. And then she went exactly where he begged her not to go. And that alone. Aaron dressed quickly and left the penthouse. *
Josh didn’t have an answer to Natasha’s questions—because there wasn’t one. But Natasha took his silence as an answer anyway. Once again, nothing was settled. It felt like her marriage was falling apart, and she couldn’t do anything to stop it. Night came quickly, and they both went to bed. Josh s
The late morning sun streamed through the curtains and fell across Natasha’s face. She stirred, then jolted awake. For a moment, she did not move. Her eyes scanned the room slowly, trying to make sense of where she was. The bed, the walls, and the familiar scent of her room. She frowned. The last
The air in the dining room was heavy from the moment breakfast began. No one said anything at first. Plates were set, food was served, and chairs scraped lightly against the floor as everyone ate. It looked like a normal morning, but it did not feel like one. Natasha sat quietly, her hands resting
Virginia (2040) Natasha Reese woke up to a banging headache that made it hard to breathe. The pain sat heavy behind her eyes and pressed against her skull, she gasped, fighting through the sleepy fog until her lungs filled with air again. Sweat covered her skin, making her black tank top stick to







