CHAPTER 2

Year: 04/8/2525, 0900

Planet: Sargasso

Location: Leades Wilds Forest, Life Foundation Research facility

Ronald Reece took a swig from his shot of bourbon from behind his desk, then leaned forward with his face in his hands. One of the symbiotes from last night’s shipment had escaped due to ‘faulty equipment’. To make matters worse, someone had decided to become its host and play the part of a superhero! Worst of all, Ronald had to report what happened to Mr. Drake. He shivered from head to toe.

“Sentry, connect me to Mr. Drake,” commanded Ronald—a cold sweat formed on his brow.

“Yes, Director, setting encryptions and direct link now,” answered a digitized voice.

The projector lit up, and Mr.Drake stood in the middle of the office with a smile that set Ronald on edge. He had seen that type of smile before, and it usually came before an uncomfortable talk.

“Director, I have been expecting you,” he greeted.

Ronald took an audible gulp. “You… you have?” Carlton Drake nodded.

“Yes, you see, I had an interesting news report forwarded to me.”At that moment, a holographic screen appeared next to Drake playing a news clip from Sargasso's local news. It showed the symbiote’s host rescuing some hostages. Drake let it play for a few minutes before he paused the clip and looked at Ronald. “Mind explaining what we just saw?”

Ronald's hands shook violently, knocking the shot glass off his desk.

“There…. There was an incident last night,” Ronald paused for a moment taking a deep breath. “One of the symbiotes escaped.” Carlton Drake's smile disappeared as he narrowed his eyes. Ronald instantly got up, tipping his chair over.

“Mr. Drake, you have to understand. There were only so many precautions we could take while maintaining subtlety. If we took any more precautions, it would have drawn suspicion! But don’t worry, I will send a retrieval team supported by-” Carlton raised a hand, and Ronald instantly closed his mouth.

“Director, don’t worry, I am not mad. In fact, I view this as an opportunity.”

Ronald raised an eyebrow. “Opportunity, Mr. Drake?”

Carlton nodded, then pointed at the video screen.

“What I see here is a chance to study how well symbiosis can be achieved in a less-” Carlton twisted his wrist. “-restrictive environment. Also, I find the host’s and symbiote’s actions interesting. I believe we can use this to make the Kyltantar more…. Palatable to the public,” He adjusted the cuff on his suit.

“Besides, we have more important things to worry about. Keep an eye on them, and figure out who the host is for eventual retrieval. I leave the time of retrieval up to you,” he ordered.

Ronald nodded his head.

“Ye-Yes, sir, Anything else?”

“Yes, when retrieval happens, and if you send Dynamo’s team, do tell him to try to keep Widow from making a mess. I want to avoid…. less than savory incidents if possible, ” he said before the hologram disappeared. Ronald took a napkin out of his coat and wiped his forehead.

“Sentry, send an off-the-books order out to Desperado mercenary group stating that we need a symbiote retrieval team. Also, request specifically Dynamo’s team. Send word to our agents to investigate the identity of the host. I also want them to compile up-to-date reports about this ‘Nightstalker’ and send them to the retrieval team when they arrive. Finally, upon arrival tell the retrieval team not to make a move until my signal.``

“Orders sent, Mr. Reece.”

Ronald nodded as his knees crumbled under his weight. Honestly, he would’ve requested Yellow Jacket, Whiplash, and even Ghost for the assignment, but they’re almost never available. He just hoped that Dynamo and Bludgeon could keep Widow reined in. Ronald’s shaky fingers grabbed the bottle of Sargasso Jackberry bourbon. He took a long swig of the sweet burning liquid. It was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted.

---------

Year: 04/8/2525, 0930

Planet: Sargasso

Location: Fairfield City, 4th precinct outskirts, Spencer Estate.

Amaranth stood up, completely frozen, doing nothing but quietly breathing as she stared at Daisy’s mother, who strolled towards her. Amaranth thought of faking a collapse, but she knew it would be fruitless as her mother had seen her doing it way too many times to be fooled by that act. She broke out of her stupor and moved towards Daisy’s mother.

“Mom-” Amaranth stopped in her tracks as she saw her face morph into disbelief and joy. She stepped forward, her shaking legs threatening to give out. After a few moments, Daisy’s mother, looming over her at 5’10, finally reached for her and bent down to her eye level.

“You’re standing,” she croaked, disbelief and happiness evident in her voice. “You’re walking… The doctors said… You couldn’t… They said…” Tears streamed down her face as she continued to speak.

“That you will never stand or even walk without a cane. Yet, here you are standing strong, with no shaking or signs of falling. My baby, standing here strong and without support-” Amaranth suddenly found herself wrapped in delicate yet surprisingly strong arms, their grip tightening by the second. “I prayed every day for your recovery or for something to happen. I watched you become sicker and sicker for so long… I feared that I would lose my only child.” Amy whispered the last part. Daisy’s mother released Amaranth from the crushing hug, staring her in the eyes.

“How did this happen?”

Amaranth stared blankly at Amy; she had to think of something. What reasoning could she think of to explain her sudden recovery? ‘Nightstalker, a little help!’

‘OK, here’s wh-.’

‘Wait, I got it!’ she interrupted.

Daisy’s mother stared at her worriedly. “Daisy? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine… I just had the urge to stand up, and I did. When I saw I was standing without my legs hurting, I walked to the TV. I… I guess it's a miracle.” she squeaked the last part out. She wasn’t exactly lying. It was technically correct; the miracle came in the form of a blob of slime. Daisy’s mother brought Amaranth in for another crushing hug.

“You’re right, this is a miracle!” She cried, letting Amaranth go before standing up straight and wiping the tears from her eyes. “Stay here, I’m going to call your father and tell him the news.” Without another word, she ran out of the kitchen with a joyous beat to her steps.

“She is so happy,” Amaranth breathed. She stared at the entryway where Mo—Daisy’s mother—had disappeared. She knew that her worsening condition had profoundly affected Daisy’s parents and that they would be ecstatic by her recovery. But seeing Daisy’s mother's reaction made her heart clench painfully. It was a reminder of how much love they had for Daisy and what she had stolen from her.

Amaranth felt something slide down her cheeks; she wiped her face and felt tears.

‘Amaranth, thanks to your lack of foresight and impulsiveness, you potentially brought attention to us.’ chastised Nightstalker. ‘Now, we must be on guard if we get the unwanted kind.’

Amaranth's eyes widened at Nightstalker’s biting words. It was right, she had screwed up. And now her- Daisy’s family was at risk. Amaranth clenched her fists. ‘Nightstalker, we are going to train as soon as we can.’

Nightstalker chuckled. ‘I’m planning on it.’

‘Good...And Nightstalker...’

‘Yes?’

‘Don’t go easy on me,’

Amaranth felt Nightstalker’s amusement. ‘I never planned to. We need to get your body in peak condition as soon as possible. I will push you as hard as I can to achieve this.’

Daisy’s mom called her father. To say he was ecstatic was an understatement. Mrs. Spencer sent a video of Amaranth standing and moving. The minute he saw the footage he hung up the phone. In less than an hour, the sound of a car screeching to a halt was heard coming from outside the house. The front door flew open, and Jon Spencer came through, sweating, heading straight towards the living room. He stopped the second he laid eyes on the standing Amaranth. His mouth hung agape for a full minute before he burst into joyous laughter. He rushed towards Amaranth, picked her up from under her armpits, and twirled her around as he used to when she was six.

“I can’t believe you're standing! Standing and looking so healthy!” he cried, tears flowing down his cheeks.

“Dad, can you put me down?! I think I’m going to be sick.” Amaranth felt her breakfast on the verge of making a fast track towards her throat. Daisy’s father put Amaranth down with a sheepish look on his face.

“I’m sorry, my little flower, but look at you. You’re standing and walking!” He calmed down, and his face instantly turned to stone. “Get ready, we are going to the hospital.”

Amaranth choked. “Hospital?”

Mrs. Spencer stepped forward. “Jon, our daughter, after being sick for so long, is standing strong and healthy! Can’t we just accept this miracle?” Mr. Spencer rubbed the bridge of his nose with callus fingers.

“Honey, I understand, I really do, but we have to be realistic. Our daughter just did something that the doctors said would be impossible,” Daisy’s father went to Amy, “I just want to make sure that our daughter is alright and find out how this was possible. Maybe we can use what we learn to help others with similar conditions.”Amy wiped the tears from her face and nodded.

“I just don’t want this to be a false hope.” She looked down, and more tears streamed down her face and hit the floor.

Jon used his index finger to lift Amy’s face from under her chin. “I know, but this feels too good to be true. We need to be sure.” Amy forced a smile and turned her attention towards Amaranth. “Daisy, Sweetie, let's go.”

“Yes, Mom,” Amaranth answered, following her parents to the car. She tried her best to calm her rapidly beating heart along the way.

Thirty minutes into the drive, no one dared speak. Daisy’s father rhythmically tapped his index finger on the steering wheel as Daisy’s mother silently prayed. Amaranth rubbed her hands together, watching the passing buildings and vehicles. Their preoccupation with the revelation of the morning captured their full attention.

‘You’re going to rub your hands raw if you keep doing that.’

Amaranth’s hand rubbing intensified. “How can you be so calm?! The doctors could find out about you if they look hard enough. And if they find out, your captors will likely, and possibly the people who took Daisy, it will put us all in danger! They will be really interested in the fact that a clone destined to die is as healthy as a-”

‘THAT’S IT!’

Suddenly, Amaranth's hands stopped rubbing, and her arms lowered to her side, unable to move further. ‘Nightstalker, what are you doing! What if they notice?!’

‘I am trying to talk some sense into you and calm you down before you do something stupid. Think logically. Turning yourself into a nervous wreck won’t do you any good. I know how to hide. I can disguise myself as your cells so the doctors won’t find anything. And I won’t let anything happen to you or your family. I made a promise, and I intend to keep it.’ it vowed.

‘What if you're wrong? What if they examined my blood and saw through your disguise, discovering bits of you floating around?!’

‘Amaranth, I’ve been in many hosts, and not all of them wanted me to be found. I had to hide from many doctors and tests of different advancements. You have nothing to worry about.’

‘How do you know my kind doesn’t have something that could detect you easily? Like some method or machine you’ve never faced before?’

Nightstalker growled in frustration. ‘The possibility of that is almost non-existent. I have seen many things, Amaranth, and I can say that your kind’s medical technology is primitive compared to some of the technologies of my other hosts. Your people still use needles and blood tests that take hours, if not days, to analyze. There’s nothing in your medical technology that I haven't faced before. Remember, I have been captive in a human lab for many years. I know.’

It had a point; it very likely hid from countless medical tests made for who knows how many different aliens, but it did little to alleviate her stress..

‘I’m sorry, but It’s just hard to remain calm knowing I screwed up, and now I might have inadvertently put everyone in danger.’

‘Hold on, let me try something.’

Amaranth regained control of her arms, flexing her finger and bending her elbows as the feeling of control returned. Suddenly, her body felt different. Her heart rate slowed considerably, her muscles relaxed, and her breathing normalized. ‘Nightstalker, what did you do?’ she asked as the calming sensation spread throughout the rest of her body.

‘I can manipulate the chemical functions in my hosts. Right now, I am using this ability to calm you down.’

Amaranth raised an eyebrow. ‘Wait, so you can just play around with my hormones?’

‘Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing, and this is the only time I will do something like this without your permission.’

Amaranth laid her head back and let out a deep breath. ‘No need to be so defensive. I’m just voicing my concerns.’ Amaranth closed her eyes, slowly drifting into sleep. ‘Nightstalker,’

‘Yes,’

‘Thanks,’

Nightstalker let out a ‘humph’. ‘You’re my host and home, so it's in my best interest to keep your well-being in mind. Now, sleep, your stress is messing with your hormone levels, making me very comfortable.’

That was the last Amaranth hard before fully succumbing to blissful slumber.

Sometime later, Amaranth felt the car stop suddenly. Opening her eyes and looking out the window, she saw they had arrived at the entrance of the Fairfields Emergency Hospital. It was an eight-story white building. Designed by a famous artist, its rounded design and lack of edges helped to put patients at ease. To assist in this, it was routinely cleaned from roof to base of any grime and repainted to maintain its clean appearance. Due to her condition, she needed to take a series of tests- blood work and MRI scans- every few months that could only be done there.

“Come on, Dr. Rashid is waiting,” Jon said hurriedly. He, along with Amy, quickly hopped out of the car. Jon went around to Amaranth’s side and opened the side door. Amaranth stepped out and was greeted by a male doctor and a couple of nurses. The family doctor, Dr. Rashid, was a tall, well-built man with a dark complexion and a shiny bald head. He was wearing grayish-blue scrubs under a white doctor's coat. He rushed to the car with a nurse in tow, pushing a wheelchair. Rashid stopped in front of them and blinked a couple of times.

“I… I can’t believe it. When you told me that your daughter was… This shouldn’t be possible.” he stepped to the side, clearing the way for the nurse and the bane of Amaranth's existence. “Come, we must perform some tests; get her in the wheelchair-”

“No.”

Dr. Rashid blinked, staring at Amaranth. “Excuse me, I am sorry, but it's hospital-”

“I said NO! I spent eight years in a wheelchair, and for the first time in years, I can walk and move without assistance. So, excuse me, but I will not be put back into a damn wheelchair!”

“DAISY!” Amy gasped. “Language!”

Amaranth suddenly felt sheepish and looked down, darting her eyes away. She had let her temper get the best of her, but she had meant what she said. She was never getting back into a damn wheelchair. Never!

“Sorry,” she mumbled. "I just don't want to return to that place," she said quietly.

“Daisy,” comforted Amy before turning her attention back to Rashid. "Doctor, can’t you just let her walk?"

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Spencer, but it is hospital rules.”

“Doctor, look at her. I don't think it would be good for her mentally. She needs this,” Amy argued.

Rashid looked at Amy, then Amaranth, his eyebrows knitted together before letting out a sigh.

“You're right, I’m sorry, Daisy." he apologized. "I should have taken your feelings into account. I won't force her since it's best for her mental health.” The doctor nodded towards the nurse, who, in turn, took the wheelchair back into the hospital.

“Now, we must hurry. We need to get to the bottom of your daughter's miraculous recovery. It should have been downright impossible! What we learn could change everything!” he repeated to himself. Without further delay, the Spencer family followed Rashid into the hospital. They passed through the automatic doors that led to the lobby. After checking in with the security at the receptionist's desk, they walked down the hall, their footsteps mixing with the others. Amaranth could hear doctors talking to little kids who were bored out of their minds and something being announced over the speakers.

They also passed by patients, including the extremely sick ones.

Amaranth kept her head down, trying not to look as they passed by rooms. She didn’t want to look, but she would subconsciously lift her head a few times. The sight made her throat dry and hoarse, and her body trembled while she quickened. Amaranth hugged her quivering form and leaned forward as if trying to shield her churning stomach. Her breathing accelerated along with the rhythm of her heart

The different patients were attached to some sort of life support. Oxygen machines, heart monitors, and other medical machines reminded her of when she met Nightstalker. What would her life be if she had never met it? She could’ve just as easily been the one attached to those machines. Amaranth’s heart beats even faster and felt like it could burst. Her lungs felt heavy, like they were filled with pebbles.

She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, looked towards its owner, and saw it was Amy. “Daisy,” she said, staring with worried eyes.

“I’m alright, Mom. I'm just feeling nervous.” she fibbed.

Amy didn’t seem convinced. “Daisy, are you sure you don’t want to use a wheel-”

Amaranth shook her head. “No, I’m alright. " She wasn’t going back into that thing, but she needed to ease Amy’s worry.

‘Nightstalker, can you-’

‘On it.’ it responded, reading her thoughts.

Amaranth felt her heart rate slow back to normal, and her breathing steadied, relaxing her body. “See, I’m alright; I just need to gather my bearings.”

Amy still looked worried. “Alright, but if you feel nervous again, please let us know.”

Amaranth nodded in response. “Yes, Mom, I will.”

The group kept walking until they reached an elevator. Rashid pressed the 3rd-floor button. Amaranth felt the elevator go up and, after a few seconds, stop with a ‘ding.’ The group stepped off the elevator and followed the doctor to the receptionist's desk by the double doors, which had a sign that read ‘Diagnostic and Intervention Imaging Center.’

Amaranth looked at the door; she had been here many times throughout the years. She remembered being so scared of getting her first MRI. Still, Daisy’s father and mother had stood by her throughout the entire thing, giving her emotional support. Amaranth smiled warmly at the memory but then frowned, remembering who she stole a moment like that from.

Amy and Jon went to the desk, and the receptionist gave them a stack of paperwork to fill out. Amy stopped writing and turned towards Amaranth. “Daisy, sweetie, this may take a while; go sit in the waiting area for a few minutes.”

“Okay, Mom,” she said before heading towards the waiting area. It was a simple setup, some chairs surrounding a table with magazines of various topics stacked on top. A holo-TV in the corner showed a recruitment ad for the UNSC Marine Corps. After a moment, it switched to the news talking about the cancellation of all travel to Harvest, followed by a story on an insurrectionist movement on some far-off colony.

Amaranth sat down and tried to get herself comfortable. She looked through the magazines but most didn’t catch her interest. They were either extraordinarily outdated or not for her demographic. It wasn’t until Nightstalker pointed out a magazine that her interest piqued.

‘Amaranth, to your right; we should read that one.’

Amaranth looked and saw the magazine in question. It was a fitness magazine, and on the cover were two people. A man who looked as tall as Daisy’s dad but more ripped and a woman who was just as muscular were doing poses and- according to the magazine’s cover- were former elite CrossFit champions. The woman had bigger muscles than the average woman, and her physique reminded Amaranth of Daisy. Amaranth didn’t know much about fitness, but she knew it took years of hard work and intense training to reach that point. And they were adults, so the question was, what kind of hell did they put her through to get to that point?

‘Amaranth, focus. We need to strengthen ourselves first, and then we can move to bigger things.’

Nightstalker was right, she needed to focus. She opened the magazine and began reading, taking mental notes of different exercise routines, diets, supplements, and tidbits they found useful.

‘Hmm, considering your body genetics, composition, and chemistry. You’re fairly well-balanced in all areas, leaning towards strength and endurance. Exercises about increasing those attributes and a good amount of cardio would do your body well,’ it advised.

‘If we plan properly and everything goes as planned, you’ll be close to your genetic limit in roughly 3-6 months-”

Amaranth choked. “Three to six months!” she yelled, catching the attention of Daisy’s parents and passing by staff members. She lifted her chatter pretending to look at it and quickly added with feigned excitement. “Till the release of the new Shadowkaiser and Bio-Knight Sakura figures!”

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Daisy's parents chuckled and turned their attention back to the receptionist filing the paperwork she provided. Amaranth let out a relieved sigh before focusing back on the subject. ‘You want me to make that amount of progress in three to six months!? That’s impossible!’

‘Normally, yes, but I can accelerate the process and make you taller.’

That piqued Amaranth’s interest. ‘Taller? How tall?’ asked Amarnath, according to her doctors, her growth was stunted due to her failing body spending most of its energy staying alive.

‘Based on your genetics, I could get you roughly to your father’s height, and since you're still growing, it would be a much smoother process for you.’

Amaranth kept reading, chuckling at the thought of being as tall as her Dad and using her newfound height to have a little fun with he- Daisy’s friends.

‘Focus on the task at hand. We’ll need as much information as we can get. Think, Amaranth, what will you need for this endeavor?’

Amaranth continued to read, making a mental note to further research on waypoint as soon as she got home. She flipped a page, landing on an ad for fitness clothes and realized she will also need to shop for workout attire; Jon and Amy can help her with that. She could also ask Jon for a few tips. Her friends Martha and Samantha were slight fitness fanatics, so they could help as well. She then remembered another tidbit. Jon was in the Marines which means he knows some martial arts. She could ask him to teach her a few moves. He was teaching Samantha and Martha, so why not her? She could also learn some Tai-Chi from Samantha, which from what she heard from her, was a good supplement to Jon’s teachings for enhancing flexibility, body control, focus, and flow.

‘That’s it, Amaranth, plan for the future. Are there any other things he could teach you that would help with your goal?’ pressed Nightstalker.

Amaranth bit her lip, taking a few moments to think. ‘Well, he could teach me how to use a gun. It's a skill I might not need it, thanks to you, but it's better to have and not need it. But the only problem is convincing him and Amy.’

Before Nightstalker could respond, a voice called out. “Daisy, the doctor’s ready—What are you reading?” Amaranth lifted her head, closing the magazine. Her dad was looking at her, perplexed.

“Just a fitness magazine. I was given a new lease on life, and I don’t want to waste this chance. I… I don’t want to be weak ever again.” Daisy’s father stared at her, his eyes full of sadness and understanding.

“I understand and am proud that you’re willing to improve yourself.” A smile spread across his lips. “But let's slow down and see what the Doctor says. And ‘maybe’, if he gives the okay, we can go to the gym together. But we will start small with light weights and slow walks and work our way up from there.

Jon ruffled Amaranth's hair. “Now come on, the doctor’s ready,” he said, taking his handoff.

Amaranth got up from her chair and placed the magazine back. She followed Jon to the receptionist's desk, where the others were waiting. The receptionist handed her a wristband.

“Please, put this on. All patients are required to have one at all times when entering this area.” explained the receptionist.

Amaranth took the wristband- it contained her primary information such as her name, birthdate (or what they thought her birthday was), etc- and put it on. The double doors automatically opened, and the group went in. After some walking, they entered an unoccupied room that Amaranth had visited many times. It was the standard doctor’s office with the usual items. The only thing different from the standard office was that in front of the examination table was a curtain for privacy when she changed.

Dr. Rashid, now carrying a datapad, sauntered in, with a nurse following behind him, closing the door.

“Now, Daisy, please take a seat at the table.”

Amaranth did as she was told and sat onto the table with Daisy’s parents standing by her. Dr. Rashid pulled up a chair and sat down, shaking his head as he looked at his datapad.

“Before I go on through the usual routine, I must emphasize that your daughter’s recovery should not be possible in any shape or form! It's mind-boggling!” he said in further disbelief.

“It's a miracle, Doctor. There is no other way to put it. I’m just glad my baby girl is healthy,” responded Amy.

“I understand you want this to be true, Mrs. Spencer, but we have to do every possible examination and test just to be safe.” he lifted his datapad. “On a personal note, I’m not religious, but if your daughter is this healthy, then I wouldn’t hesitate to call this a miracle either. If we can find out the cause, it can help so many like her. Before we can do the MRI, I must ask some questions.”

For the next few minutes, Dr. Rashid posed the standard questions about Amaranth’s medical history, such as whether she had had any surgeries, any with metal implants, changes in diet, etc. She was then weighed, her temperature taken, and her heart rate and blood pressure checked. During that time, Amaranth was nervous despite Nightstalker’s reassurance, fearing they would find something hinting at its existence. Rashid entered all of the information into his datapad as she answered.

“Well- besides your miraculous surge in vitality- you’re by all accounts healthy as a horse, which is much better than the results from your last check-up. However, you seemed to have gained some weight. Still have that huge sweet tooth, eh, Daisy?” he joked.

Amaranth let out a tense laugh. “Yeah, I have been eating a lot of chocolate as of late,” she said with a crooked smile. Rashid shrugged and typed something in his datapad. At that moment, the door opened, and a male nurse came in with a tray in his hands. A syringe wrapped in plastic was lying on it, together with an alcohol bottle, towels, a tourniquet, a vial, a needle wrapped in plastic, and other items. Rashid put the tablet aside and washed his hands in the sink.

“Alright, Daisy, I will draw some blood to send to the lab for tests. You know the usual, so hold out your arm.”

Amaranth hesitated. What if the Nightstalker disguise fails, and instead of drawing red blood, they end up drawing a piece of Nightstalker by accident? Amaranth imagined the look of surprise when, instead of blood, the syringe would fill up with a mixture of blood and a blue and black tar substance.

‘Don’t worry, let them take some blood. I can control every part of my being. Nothing will come out if I don’t want it to.’

Amaranth took a deep breath and stuck out her left arm, watching Rashid’s every movement like a hawk. Rashid dried his hands and put on some gloves. He sat in front of Amaranth and prepared her for blood withdrawal. The doctor unwrapped and assembled the needle.

“Alright, just clenched your fist and hold still. You will feel a little pinch.”

Amaranth clenched her fist and felt the needle pierce her skin. Her heart beating a mile a minute. Dr. Rashid slowly drew blood, and to Amaranth’s relief, it was red. After a few seconds, he was done. He immediately released the tourniquet and grabbed a small piece of gauze from the tray. Rashid slowly removed the needle from her arm while at the same time covering the hole with the gauze, pressing down. He then removed the needle from the syringe, disposing the needle in a biohazard container, and transferred the blood into the vial using a transfer device.

Rashid turned his attention to the nurse.“Make sure to take the blood sample to the lab.”

Nightstalker didn’t react or say anything, but Amaranth could practically feel the smug grin on his face.

The nurse gave a ‘Yes, Doctor.’ and put the vial into a bag with a biohazard symbol before walking out of the room. Rashid turned his attention back to the Spencers.

“Dr. Adjei will be taking care of your daughter’s MRI today,” he said. He got up and went to a drawer in the corner of the room. He opened it and pulled out a hospital gown, slip-resistant socks, and a plastic bag. Daisy, you will need to put these on and make sure there is no metal on yourself.”

“Alright,” answered Amaranth.

“Thank you, Doctor,” said Jon. Rashid smiled warmly.

“You’re welcome. Alright, now, I have some paperwork to take care of. I will join you shortly.” He went to the door, but he turned back towards the Spencers before going out. “Mr. and Mrs. Spencer, I hope everything turns out alright,” he said before leaving.

Amy looked at Amaranth. “Alright, sweetie, let's get you changed.” She turned towards her husband. “Jon, give us girls some privacy.”

“Um, Mom, I… want to dress by myself, please,” added Amaranth.

“You sure, sweetie?”

Jon placed a comforting hand on Amy’s shoulder. “Now, Amy, let Daisy enjoy her newfound independence.”

Amy nodded and reluctantly closed the curtain around the examination table. Amaranth quickly took off her clothes and changed into the hospital gown and socks provided. She placed her clothes and belongings into the bag and opened the curtains. At that moment, a knock and then a voice came from the door.

“May I come in?” asked the voice.

After getting the okay, A slightly portly middle-aged man entered, “Hello, I am Dr. Adjei.” He shook both Amy’s and Jon’s hands. “Nice to meet you. I will be performing your daughter’s MRI scan today.” he opened the door. “Now, if you follow me, we can get started.”

They followed Dr. Adjei until they arrived at a set of double doors with a sign that read ‘MRI.’ Dr. Adjei opened the doors and urged them to come in. Inside was a small room with lockers, a metal detector, and another set of doors on the other end. “Before we go to the MRI room, I must remove all metal from your person.” He walked over to a locker and opened it, taking out a plastic bin. “Please place all metal items in the bin, then walk through the detector.”

The Spencers did as they were told and walked through the detector one by one: first Jon, then Amy, and lastly Amaranth. Dr. Adeji then pulled out a detector wand and waved it across the three. After confirming that there was no metal on any of them, he gestured towards the lockers while presenting a keycard. “Please, place all valuables in this locker. Once the scan is done, we will return them to you.”

Jon took the key card, and the family placed their belongings in the locker before locking it. They then followed Dr. Adeji through the door. Inside was the control station with holographic screens and keyboards for different data machines lining the walls. Behind the monitors were glass windows, and standing before them was a woman in gray scrubs. Facing her was a holographic 3D image of a snake wrapped around a staff likely the hospital's AI. On the other side of the glass was a gray and tan cylindrical machine with a massive ring around it. Rashid pointed at the device.

“We will start with the MRI. Daisy, please follow me,” he instructed as he walked through the door to the MRI room. Daisy, would you like one of your parents to accompany you?”

Amaranth shook her head. “No, sir, I will be alright." She said it was nothing new to her. She had many MRI scans before. The only difference will be that the next few scans will be the last ones she will receive in a long time. She smiled internally. No more going into the machine every month!

‘Amaranth, are you sure? What does this machine even do?’

‘‘It uses electromagnetic waves to scan my body for any problems. No sound if that's what worries you. Unless you’re-’

‘I can hide from the scan. I just want to avoid nasty surprises, as your kind would say.’ it answered.

“You sure, my little flower?,” asked Jon worriedly, grabbing Amaranth's attention.

“Don’t worry, Dad, I’ll be alright. It's just an MRI; nothing will happen. I’m a big girl.” Amaranth said with a smile. Jon smiled and then let out a chuckle.

“No matter how much you grow, you will always be my little girl,” he said.

Amaranth's smile fell just a little. She wasn’t his little girl. His little girl was long gone, replaced by a fake. They may have raised her, but it was under false pretenses. A fabricated lie so well woven that even the liar didn’t know.

‘No time to dwell on that, Amaranth. The doctor is waiting.’

Amaranth followed Dr. Adeji into the MRI room. It was spacious and very spartan, with the MRI machine in the middle and nothing else. Amaranth lay on the bed in front of the MRI machine. With the hum of the machinery, the bed slowly retracted into the tube-shaped machine.

“Alright, Amaranth, just relax and try to stay still. This will be over before you know it. In fact, this is a new model and scans faster than before.” assured Dr. Adeji through a speaker system.

“Caduceus, start scanning.”

“Scan will start shortly,” said a digitized male voice.

Amaranth cocked an eyebrow. “Really? What makes this model so different?”

“Well, it uses sound waves along-”

‘Sound!’

‘Sound!’

At that moment, Amaranth let out a blood-curdling scream, her body seizing and convulsing as pain surged throughout her body. She could feel it; she could feel Nightstalker’s agony! It was just like- No, worse than at the nightclub. It was like a migraine spread across her body times ten.

“Turn it off! Let me out! Turn it off!” she screamed and begged as tears ran down her face, her arms and legs flailing wildly. She could hear yelling coming from outside the machine. Immediately, the pain stopped. Strong hands grabbed her feet and yanked her out of the machine. Amaranth panted, covered in a cold sweat, as she was lifted up to see a worried Dr. Adeji and Jon. Amy stood crying in horror behind them. Amy pushed- with a surprising strength- Jon and the doctor aside. She hugged Amaranth, sobbing on her shoulder.

“Oh, my baby!” she lifted her head from Amaranth’s shoulder and studied her over. “Are you okay!? You screamed like the devil himself had entered your body.”

Jon looked at Dr. Adeji, breathing hard. “Doctor, What the hell happened?” he demanded, straightening himself up and entering the Doctor’s personal space.

Dr. Adeji lifted his hands. “Mr. Spencer, we do this procedure over a hundred times weekly. We have never had a reaction like this, but it is very likely she had a panic attack."

“Yeah, that’s it!” Amaranth said, wiping tears off her face. “I had a panic attack!” This explanation avoided any further uncomfortable questions. Jon and Amy looked at Amaranth as if she had grown a second head.

“Daisy, are you sure you’re okay? That didn’t sound like a panic attack to me. It sounded like-” Amy choked on her words. “You were in pain.”

“Mom,” Amaranth started slowly, feeling a lump in her throat. She was touched by how much she cared. I’m alright, really. The idea that they might find something just got to me. It suddenly felt like the walls were closing in.”

“Are you sure?” asked Jon. Amaranth nodded her head.

“Yes, I am,” she reaffirmed. Jon and Amy didn’t seem convinced, but they, thankfully, let it go.

“Alright, Daisy, if you say so,” said Jon. Dr. Adeji coughed into his hand.

“I believe that's enough tests for today. If you three could follow me, I need you two to fill out some paperwork.”

“Um, Mom, Dad, can I go for a walk? I just… want to clear my head,” Amaranth stammered.

“Are you sure? Maybe you should rest,” suggested Amy.

“Honey, I think a walk would do her some good. If the doctor allows it,” said Jon.

After Dr. Adeji confirmed that Amaranth was physically alright, she was given the okay and reminded to keep her chatter on. Adeji escorted her to the locker and got her things, and then she was taken to the bathroom next door. After changing her clothes, she ran to the elevator and headed down. During the elevator trip down, Nightstalker and Amaranth took the time to process what happened.

Amaranth leaned against the wall, her legs halfway crumbled beneath her. She took deep breaths, wiping the sweat that formed on her brow. Her stomach felt like it wanted to die, and she fought to keep the contents of her breakfast down. “I don’t ever-” Amaranth went into a coughing fit before continuing. “-want to experience that again.”

Nightstalker growled. ‘Next time, double-check to see if any device you enter uses sound. You have me to consider now. Be more careful in the future and take my heeding more seriously.’

Amaranth paused, a pit forming in her stomach. “I’m sorry, I’ll be extra careful from now on.”

Nightstalker sighed. ‘What’s done is done. Just learn from your mistakes and be less impulsive in the future.’

The elevator bell rang at that moment, and a digitized female voice said, “1st floor. Please, watch your step.” The conjoined two got off the elevator. They walked down the hall, accompanied by beeping medical equipment and the smell of sanitized air. Amaranth walked quickly to avoid the rooms of the sick patients, bumping into nurses, doctors, and medical equipment. She suddenly stopped. A woman about Amy’s age with brown hair, wearing sandals and a sundress, rushed out of the room and was followed by a doctor. She was sobbing profusely.

Curiosity got the best of Amaranth, and despite Nightstalker's discouragement, she looked into the room. It was a standard room, by the numbers. playing on the TV. But, what disturbed her was the person in the bed. A sickly pale boy about her age connected to many different machines: the scene sent a chill down Amaranth’s spine. The boy noticed her and struggled to lift his head slightly. He spoke to her, breaking her out of her trance.

“Hello... Are … You lost? If… you… want … you can... come in. I… don’t mind... visitors,” he said. Every word sounded like a struggle.

She didn't know why, but Amaranth went to his bedside and got a good look at him.

She immediately regretted it.

The boy was pitiable: he had chestnut brown hair that was probably at one point vibrant and full but now thin and lanky. His brown eyes were dim. They were barely holding on to life. His face was bony, and his body couldn’t retain any weight. A breathing mask covered his mouth, making every breath audible with the rhythm of the air pump. Wires attached to his chest and right index finger connected to a heart rate monitor on his right. There was something familiar about him. like she knew him. The boy smiled weakly.

“Thank... You, I… don’t get ...many visitors… my age….” he wheezed. The boy took a ragged breath before continuing. “Not… since… My… condition... got worse. My name… Is… Joseph.” Joseph. In the back of her mind, Amaranth knew she had heard that name before, but she didn't know where.

“My name... My name is Daisy,” she said. Joseph smiled, but it wasn’t a delighted one. There was sadness behind it. He was trying to put on a strong front.

“Nice… to… meet you, Daisy.” He tilted his head slightly. “Daisy… you seem familiar … I ...believe I... heard that name before. Have… we met?”

“No, I don’t think so,” she answered slowly.

Joseph laid his head back and looked at the ceiling as if contemplating something. He took a few labored breaths before continuing the conversation. “You… know, when…. I… was… little… I wanted… to be an ODST… like my uncle. Before... My…Condition… worsened…”

Daisy stared at Joseph, perplexed.

“Why are you telling me this? A total stranger.”

Joseph did the closest thing he could to a shrug. “I… don’t know. I… just feel… like I… could trust and…. talk… to you,” he answered.

‘Amaranth, touch his hand.’ Commanded the Kylntar.

‘What, why?’

‘Touch his hand. I want to see something.’

“Can I hold your hand?” asked Amaranth.

Joseph looked at her for a moment, then nodded. Amaranth held his left hand. It felt so light and fragile, like it was made of glass and could break with the slightest touch. Amaranth felt Nightstalker extend a tiny tendril out of her palms, just small enough that none could see unless she moved her hands. Joseph smiled and gave a weak chuckle that broke Amaranth's heart.

“You know… this is the first… time… a girl… has touched… my hand that isn't my mom… since we came here a … few weeks back… And she… is pretty too…,” he said listlessly. Amaranth blushed. She felt the tendrils retract back into her hands.

‘As I suspected. Amaranth, you can let go now.’

Amaranth did as she was told, setting his hand down like it was a glass figurine.

‘What was that about?’ she asked, trying to forget Joseph's compliment.

‘Amaranth, he is like you.’

‘Wha… What?’

‘He is a clone.’

Amaranth stared at Joseph. It made sense, given his familiarity, his condition, and the fact that he seemed to recognize her from somewhere. It would make sense that there would be more than one kidnapping and more than one replacement. But she had to make sure.

“Joseph, can I ask you something?”

Joseph nodded weakly, so Amaranth continued. “When did your condition worsen and did anything happen before that?”

Joseph’s eyebrows knitted together. “When… I was six. After… I… went missing. Well, that’s what… my Mom… said.”

That was all the confirmation she needed. Joseph was a clone just like her. Then came another chilling thought. This could've - No, it would’ve been her if she had never met Nightstalker, bound to a bed depending on machines for survival.

“You… know, I always had these… Dreams…” he said, breaking Amaranth out of her thoughts.

“Dreams?”

Joseph let in a few weak breaths that reverberated in his breathing mask. He was suffering, and a wave of empathy surged through Amaranth. “You don’t have to-”

“I… sometimes have… dreams… where… I’m… healthy. Where… I… could… do… things… that I… haven't been… able to do… since… I… was…little.`` Joseph went into a coughing fit. Tears started to stream down his face, and he looked at her straight in the eye. He reached for a small spiral notebook on his bed, but it was too far for his fingertips. Amaranth took the notebook and handed it to Joseph. Joseph took the pen out of the notebook’s plastic spiral, opened the book, and began writing.

After a couple of minutes, he stopped writing and, with shaky hands, handed Amaranth the notebook and turned to the page he wrote on. Amaranth read his message. My mom says I will get better, but I know. I know I don’t have long. Daisy, I don’t want to die. When I die Mom will be devastated. Even with my aunt’s support. She already lost Dad…, and I know she can’t bear to lose me. And there are so many things I want to do.

Amaranth couldn’t take it anymore.

‘Nightstalker, please, can you help him in any way, please!?’ Amaranth begged distraughtly. ‘Something! Anything!’

‘Amaranth,’ it started.

‘Please!’ Tears flowed down Amaranth's face for the boy she wanted to save so badly. The boy whose pain she understood so well. ‘Nightstalker, please.’

‘There’s nothing I can do. I’m still fixing you, and if I separate from you now. You will likely die.’ it said coldly.

Amaranth's hands clenched and shook. “Damn it!” she said softly.

“Excuse me, but who are you?” said a voice.

Amaranth turned around and saw the woman from earlier. Her eyes were red and puffy like she had been crying.

“Hi, Mom... this… Is… Daisy… I... invited… her… in.”

Amaranth quickly wiped her face and tried to hide the crack in her voice. “I’m sorry, I saw you run out and looked inside-”

The woman interrupted her. “It's alright since you were invited in. My name is Celty Gabson, but you can call me Celty. I’m Joseph's mother.” the woman produced a warm smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m glad my Joseph is talking to someone his age. His condition doesn’t allow for many social interactions.”

“Since you’re here, would you-” a croak was heard, and suddenly, the sound no one wanted to hear echoed throughout the room: the sound of a heart monitor flatlining.

“Oh god, Joseph! Joseph.” Celty ran to the side of his bed where a row of buttons were located and slammed one of them, causing a loud noise similar to a fire alarm. At that moment, doctors and nurses flooded the room, followed by an automated crash cart to initiate CPR. Amaranth was pushed out into the hall and out of the medical staff’s way. She watched the whole thing: Celty crying and calling her son’s name as she was pushed to the wall and the medical staff doing chest compressions to restart Joseph's heart. Amaranth imagined herself in Joseph’s position, her pare- Amy and Jon grieving by her bedside while doctors tried in vain to keep her alive.

The thought was too much.

She needed to get out.

She needed air.

Amaranth ran into the hall, tears flowing down her face like a torrent of water. She ran past confused patrons, through the lobby, and out the door. She continued across the street, narrowly missing being hit by a hog all-terrain vehicle, and into the park across from the hospital. She kept running deeper and deeper into the park until she couldn’t anymore. She collapsed onto her knees and wept in the middle of a grassy clearing.

She was so selfish! All this time, she had been so concerned with saving Daisy and her family and being able to walk. She never considered that there were others like her and families like Daisy’s.

“How many, Nightstalker?!? How many clon- no people were created just to die?!?”

‘Amaranth-’

“How many families have to watch their sons, daughters, grandsons, and who knows who else die in front of them? Unable to do anything! How many parents had to work to the bone just so their kids could get the medicine, so they could live a little longer?! How many suffered?” she sobbed, breaking down even more. She banged her fist into the grass again and again until her knuckles were red with blood, and once she stopped, her skin knit itself back together.

“It's unfair! How many were like Joseph with hopes and dreams?! Who would do this? Who would be so cruel?”

Amaranth heard the sound of thunder. She looked up and saw dark clouds covering the sky. Rain started to pelt her face, mixing with her tears. The heavens wept with her. She felt Nightstalker ooze out of her head and shoulders. It covered her and formed into a midnight blue and black hoodie jacket to protect her from the rain.

‘Life is unfair, but the question is, what are you going to do about it? Sit here and waste time feeling sorry? What happened to that girl that was so determined before?’

“What?” said Amaranth, incensed. “How can you be so cold! A life was cut short!” Amaranth choked on a sob.

‘Again, what are you going to do about it? Sitting here and feeling sorry won’t accomplish anything and is counterproductive to your goal. I don’t fully understand human emotions, but I understand hormones associated with them, and I can feel a high level of the hormones associated with anger coursing through your body.’

‘I can feel it in your mind.’

Nightstalker paused. ‘If you want to do something about it, then get up! Show me that determination I saw last night, or was I mistaken and you're that weak-willed!’

Amaranth gritted her teeth, and her mucus-filled nostrils flared at the klyntar callousness. “Why, you cold-hearted bastard! He was just like me. Someone created to grow sick and die! While so many others like him die, I was lucky that you found me.” she then screamed towards the sky as if raging against it before slamming both her fists into the ground, now covered in a mixture of mud and blood. Like before, pain surged through her hands, followed by a numbing sensation as her injuries were healed.“It's unfair!”

‘It may sound cold, but you know I’m right. The longer you sit here, the more time wasted that could be spent bettering yourself to achieve your goal. Are you going to allow Joseph’s life and others like you and him to go to waste?’

Amaranth slammed her fist into the ground, and with as much strength as she could muster, she got up on shaky legs and tried to hold back her tears. Despite how cold it sounded, Nightstalker was right. Sitting here wasn’t going to solve anything. She needed to get up.

‘Yes, that’s the will I saw last night. Take that anger and channel it! The first lesson is a human saying I picked up. Fall 7, get up 8. Remember, if you want something, you must work for it. ’ encouraged Nightstalker.

‘If you want justice, you must grab it by your hand.’

“Grab it by my hand,” whispered Amaranth.

At that moment, a voice called out. “Daisy!”

Amaranth looked behind her and saw Jon, wearing a raincoat, approaching her.

“There you are. You had me and your mother worried,” he said, running over to hug her. Amaranth sobbed into his coat.

“I’m sorry, Dad, it just-”

“Shhh, it's alright, we heard what happened,” he soothed and stroked her hair. “You did a good thing for that boy. I believe his mother is grateful for talking to him in his last moments.”

Amaranth broke down. “It's unfair! Why did he die and I lived? Why?” she sobbed into his chest.

Jon hesitated as if trying to formulate the right response. After a couple of minutes, he let out a sigh. “I don’t know, my little flower, but listen-.” Jon let go of Amaranth, then bent down and held her shoulders, looking her in the eyes. “I know exactly how you feel. In my time in the Marines, I saw... I saw many people die; some of them were close friends.” Jon coughed, and his shoulders trembled. “When they died, I wondered why them and not me. Especially when I had to-” Jon went quiet and coughed before regaining his composure. “Inform their families. I spent many sleepless nights just wondering why I survived and not them.” Jon furrowed his brow and looked at Amaranth with a seriousness far cry from his usual endearing self. “I’m going to tell you something my drill instructor told me. ‘Honor the dead by marching on.’. Ask yourself this: what do you think Joseph would want for you?”

Amaranth hesitated, averting her gaze before looking back and answering. “ I guess he would want me to live and enjoy life,”

“Then you owe it to him to march on. Just like my brothers in arms would want the same for me.” Jon then whispered. “Unfortunately, it's easier said than done.”

“It will be a tough battle, and unfortunately,” Jon went quiet momentarily. “Some of my friends lost that battle and-” Jon didn’t need to complete his sentence for Amaranth to understand the implication. “But you can overcome it. You must! You have the will and strength to overcome. You showed me and your mother that for the past eight years. You showed me that when you decided to study to improve yourself in the waiting room! Just like I honor my friends by living life, honor Joseph by living.” Jon’s eyes then burrowed into her. “Whether it's a miracle by God or a fluke of nature, you were given a chance many would never get. Honor him by making the most of it and move forward.”

Amaranth nodded. She had to keep going; she had been given a chance, and she was going to make the most of it. Otherwise, she would be spitting on the graves of those like her. She knew what she had to do.

“Dad, I want to go home,” she whispered.

Jon nodded. “Alright, my little flower, let's head back,” he whispered.

The two made their way back to the hospital. With a fire burning in her heart, she knew what she had to do. No more crying. It was time for her to stand. To soar. They wanted her and others to die with a whisper, but she wasn’t going to give them that satisfaction. Her whisper will become a mighty roar for all those who died.

For Joseph, Daisy, her family, and all those who suffered.

As Nightstalker said, she must grab justice by her hand, and she wasn’t going to stop until it was served.