I lie against the wall, mesmerized by the random imperfections in my goggles. The door opens and someone drops to the floor. Rose shouts, "When Norbert gets here, he's going to-" The door shuts and she slaps her hands against the door. "Hey!" She groans and scoots against a wall.

  She exclaims, "Jack!" She calls out again and she stands up, she calls out again and I shout, "Shut up!" She looks down at me, "What's with the attitude?" I shout, "You can't talk to me like that!" She gives a frown, "I don't care what you think!" She groans, "We have to just get the hell out of here!" I shrug, "They'll just get you out." "Mama's locked up too! And Markus is plain unreliable." I huff, "Good riddance." "W-" She paces around the small dark cell, "What's your problem!?" She walks into the dim lighting, "You all lied to me!" She shouts, "I never lied to you!" I look up at her face, "You didn't correct me! Not a single time when I believed that lie!" She puts her hands up, "Oh, finally you look at me!? Either way, you would've hated me for correcting you anyway! I don't care about you!"

  A great big frown grows on my face, "If you didn't care, then why didn't you?" She stammers, "I-What?" With a great push, I rise to my feet, "You're a liar. You hate me." She shakes her head, "I don't hate-" With a scream, I jerk towards her, "Then why do you pester me, all the fucking time!?" She looks away, "I don't know." She backs away, "You do know!" She shouts, "I don't!" I shake my head, "You are so stuck up, you can't even tell me the damn truth." I inch towards her again, she looks back as she hits the wall, "Jack-" "That's not my name!" I grab her arm, "You're scaring-" "When Carter's done with you guys, I'll go back to my real family." She screams and her punch knocks me to the floor. I push myself up as the glass shards are all over the floor. A million tiny fragments, all the assorted images, all in place. She kicks my head and I double over.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  She hiccups, "You're willing to let us die to maybe meet your family? W-weren't we family?" I sweep up some shards of the goggle with my hands, shove them into my pocket. I stand up and she hugs a wall. With a shake of my head, I take out the key, "Without a second thought." She runs after me, but the guards shove her back inside the cell. A sudden urge to rub my chin rolls over me, but I don't move a damn inch. The old hag is watching.

  The blinding light of the cell door opening makes me cover my eyes. I shout, "Stay away from me!" Carter smiles as soldiers set a table and chairs down. He smiles, "Looks like he's going to let you die. Hearth too?" He sighs, "Surely the chair would be nicer than that floor?" He shrugs and sits down, "If you don't get up, I'm going to make it impossible for Norbert to even recognize you, let alone find you." I stand up and sit down, glaring at him. He smiles wide, "I have a deal for you, take it, don't, doesn't matter to me." I roll my eyes, "I want you swear an alliance between the United Galaxies and the British government. You will never be harmed but you must do every executive command I give you." Leaning in, I smile, "I am no one's puppet." He slams his fist down and the tables breaks, I fall back in my chair, "After I kill them, I will film your torture for all to see. It will go on until you die." I crawl backwards as his body warps in abnormal ways, "A pure and young girl, you'll crack in the first session. You will take the deal or that will be your fate." I quiver as he slams the door shut. My tears roll down my face as I muffle my sobbing. Can Norbert even beat something like that?

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