Baby's Point of ViewThis whole area has changed in the course of a few hours, and it no longer feels the same as it did a previous couple of days. There was a significant shift in the atmosphere. The amount of activity I see through the smart lenses is staggering. There were all sorts of scanning devices that have been installed.The formerly vacant hallways are suddenly crammed with a slew of attendants standing on every corner of the two adjacent walls. I suddenly felt suffocated by all the attention on me when I walked into the huge dining area. Everyone is sporting their usual robotic self, which makes me wonder how Rich gets these people and how exactly he trains them in a small amount of time. I felt a tinge in my chest as I cringed at the thought of the strict training they might be subjected to.I was led to the usual empty pristine long floating table that has now been transformed into a contemporary masterpiece, complete with table settings and trendy décor. On cue, one of

Charles's Point of View"This is going to be a mistake, Charles. I could just give her the wrong coordinates and we could have someone retrieve her. " Rich pauses from air swiping the command on the screen, and I can tell how frustrated he is using this system without his glass tablet by his stern worried expression."Of all people, you should be the first person to know that second chances only come once. It's no longer effective to use all those weaknesses we put in a box against her. If I want to have a queen who is just as ruthless as me in this new world we're trying to build, she needs to understand how powerful she can become if she gets on my side. " I got up from my seat, moving closer to the monitor screen as I looked at Baby hugging our little son. My finger touches the air as I play with her hologram's image. Why am I still so engrossed with her? I can't imagine the day that I will no longer feel this strongly for her. Everything about her keeps pulling me back to my obses

Baby's Point of ViewWhat in the world are you wearing? You need to show a little more skin! " Carly teases me, tugging down the sleeve of my oversize shirt, exposing my shoulder. I jumped up and hugged her tight, making her scream. Tears well up in my eyes as I feel her warmth and simply being around her."Carly, I miss you so much," I repeatedly say. After a few seconds of no response, I looked up and it was just a pillow I was hugging. I got up and ran out to the door to look for her and started calling her name out. The place was very dark, but I didn't care and still moved in the forward direction. I ran and ran till I tripped on the wet floor. I pushed myself up only to fall back on the sticky liquid. I looked at my hands to check what it was and, with the smell, I knew it was blood."BLOOD"I say this because I've found myself in the midst of a puddle of it. Carly is at the far end of the room, which I detect quickly. "This is all the blood of the people who perished as a resul

Baby's Point of viewAfter flailing my arms for an indeterminable amount of time, my head fully spun. Eric didn't stop me but instead waited for me to get exhausted so that I could let out all of the anguish I had been trying to keep hidden in front of Dave. With every breath I took, I could see drops of perspiration and tears falling to the ground. I took in as much air as my lungs could handle."We need to get back to Anthony." Eric's voice was calm and soft said snapping me from my fit. A little round flask filled with a yellow liquid is placed in front of me, and I accept it. I knew it was some kind of energizer, and if I had been in any other situation, I would have hesitated to take it, but after what had just happened, I wanted to feel good right now. I didn't bother to inquire what was in it; instead, I simply gulped it all down without thinking.The liquid tasted like water, but it was so wonderfully cool that as soon as I felt a few drops down my neck, I wanted to dump the w

Baby's Point of viewThey say hate and love have a very thin line between them, and I look back at the fresh memory that occurred in that plane. I knew it was all hate that I was feeling, but my actions said the latter. They both disturbingly exist side by side within me as I watch Charles's skin turn blue until his body slumps down on the floor, barely breathing. I should have been filled with so much joy seeing him in this condition, but instead I was screaming "no" inside the pod. He uttered those words again before collapsing completely. I couldn't explain the battle inside me and why I was feeling this way, contemplating what had just happened.Before the pod released me, it had applied a protective plastic coating to my face and body, starting at the top and working down. The smart system told me to put on the oxygen mask to activate the pod's unlock mechanism, which I had to figure out on my own after a while.Strong air pressure releases could be heard as the pod produced a de