MasukDr Thorne's smile was triumphant and terrible. "Physical death, perhaps. But consciousness, dear sister, is merely information. And Father was the first successful test subject for our new preservation matrix."
The facility shuddered as something impacted its hull. Through the manufactured windows, I could see flashes of light, weapon fire from the approaching resistance craft.
"Thomas Jackson's mind has been guiding this project for the past two centuries," Dr Thorne continued, his voice rising over the alarms. "Every innovation, every breakthrough, he's been there, learning, adapting, perfecting the art of consciousness manipulation."
Costa grabbed my hand, pulling me toward what looked like a ventilation grate near the floor. "We need to move. Now."
But Dr Thorne was faster, his hand slamming against a wall control. The room's pleasant facade flickered and died, revealing the sterile medical chamber beneath. Restraint fields activated around us, invisi
I smiled, feeling a strange calm despite our precarious situation. "No technology. Just something you never understood, genuine choice."The tracking bracelet on my wrist suddenly burned hot against my skin, its pulses now continuous. Through the transparent walls, I could see Elena leading a team of resistance fighters, cutting through Dr Thorne's security forces with practised efficiency."The memory anchors," Costa said, understanding dawning in his eyes. "They're not just recording devices, are they?""No," I confirmed. "They're consciousness stabilisers. The exact opposite of your merger technology."Dr Thorne's face paled as he realised the implications. "You knew. You knew what we were planning.""We suspected," Costa corrected. "But thanks for confirming everything with your megalomaniacal monologuing."The facility rocked with another explosion, this one close enough to disrupt the power systems. The restraint field wavered, then co
Dr Thorne's smile was triumphant and terrible. "Physical death, perhaps. But consciousness, dear sister, is merely information. And Father was the first successful test subject for our new preservation matrix."The facility shuddered as something impacted its hull. Through the manufactured windows, I could see flashes of light, weapon fire from the approaching resistance craft."Thomas Jackson's mind has been guiding this project for the past two centuries," Dr Thorne continued, his voice rising over the alarms. "Every innovation, every breakthrough, he's been there, learning, adapting, perfecting the art of consciousness manipulation."Costa grabbed my hand, pulling me toward what looked like a ventilation grate near the floor. "We need to move. Now."But Dr Thorne was faster, his hand slamming against a wall control. The room's pleasant facade flickered and died, revealing the sterile medical chamber beneath. Restraint fields activated around us, invisi
The tracking bracelet pulsed against my wrist, so faintly I almost missed it. Elena was still monitoring us, which meant our location was being tracked. I just had to keep Dr Thorne talking.“So, brother,” the words feel odd on my tongue, “do you really know what happened the day we were taken?”Dr Thorne's eyes narrowed slightly, his clinical demeanour briefly disrupted by something that might have been genuine emotion. "I've studied the records extensively. Father was quite meticulous in his documentation.""Records can be falsified," I pressed, sensing vulnerability in his perfect facade. "Tell me what you believe happened."He hesitated, then gestured toward a pair of elegant chairs positioned near the window. "Perhaps we should be comfortable for this conversation."Costa helped me from the bed, his touch communicating caution as we moved to the seating area. I noticed how Dr Thorne watched our interactions with analyti
"Rest now," Dr Thorne said, his voice taking on an almost hypnotic quality. "When you wake up, you'll be in a place designed specifically for your comfort and rehabilitation. No more difficult choices, no more overwhelming stimuli. Just peace."As consciousness faded despite my efforts to resist, I felt the tracking bracelet pulse once against my wrist, a final signal to Elena that we were moving into the unknown. Whatever Dr Thorne had in store for us, I had no doubt we weren’t going to like it. However, seeing Dr Thorne now, he almost looked familiar, as if at some point we could have been related. My Father was one of the founding members of the Council, and he wasn’t much less than a man slut. I was sure that there were many more half-siblings that Eliot and I never knew about.The darkness swallowed me completely, but unlike the dreamless void of preservation, this sleep was filled with fragmented images, echowisps dancing through my subconscious, whispering warnings I couldn't q
As darkness fell, we positioned ourselves in the designated clearing, the false distress signal still broadcasting from our location. The tracking devices felt heavier than their actual weight, reminders of the surveillance we were voluntarily accepting."Contact," Elena's voice whispered through our hidden communicators. "Three aircraft are converging on your position. Remember, you're desperate refugees who've realised the outside world is too overwhelming."The first vessel descended with mechanical precision, its searchlights cutting through the amber night. Two more followed, forming a triangle around our position. When the doors opened, familiar figures emerged—Dr. Thorne and his clinical staff, their faces hidden behind protective masks that seemed unnecessary in the clean air of Haven's Gate.
"What are you thinking?" he asked, catching me watching him."That I'm glad it's you," I replied honestly. "If I had to face all of this, the awakening, the Council, everything, I'm glad it's with you."His expression softened as he crossed to me, his hands framing my face with careful tenderness. "Six hundred years ago, I defied a kingdom for you. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."The kiss that followed was different from our cautious one the night before, deeper, more certain, a promise rather than a question. When we finally parted, something had shifted between us, a bridge spanning the centuries that had tried to keep us apart."Costa," I whispered, my hands resting against his chest where I could feel his heartbeat, steady and strong. "I don't want to wait anymore."Understanding dawned in his eyes. "Are you certain?""The only thing I've ever been, and I’ve waited 600 years to be fully yours and you mine,” I said, my eyes filled with love, longing and want.He lifted me into his







