It had been nearly a week since they’d met, but Frelya was relieved she’d finally managed to wrangle her three misfit recruits into something other than a directionless machine disassembly crew. Of course, she still needed them to disassemble machines, but with a purpose now.

“Why do we have to keep doing these silly exercises to get a reward?” Lilith asked.

Kyro rolled her eyes.

Grinner grinned.

“These aren’t ‘silly exercises’ at all, Lilith. We’re clearing divisions. For every division we clear, the best performer gets an enhancer,” Frelya said, trying to balance a stern tone with the reward system she was attempting with these little monstrosities. She wasn’t sure how else to keep them engaged, rather than running off and doing their own thing until the end of time.

“What if I’m the top performer two clears in a row?” Lilith asked, scratching her chin, never one for modesty.

“You can’t have two enhancers, Lilith. You’d die,” Frelya said, opening another door in the Animal Research building and scanning for survivors.

Frelya had always considered herself numb to this kind of thing. Her life in her zone had been hard. Beyond hard. Yet, there was something about seeing the lifeless faces of people you’d passed in hallways, watched eating a meal, or sharing a kiss with a lover. It was wringing her very soul, making it ache in ways she hadn’t thought possible. Worst of all, each face made her think of Taylor, terrified she might one day find her the same way.

“You can’t get two enhancers implanted, Lilith…”

“Why not?”

“You’d die.”

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Positive.”

Lilith paused, and for a moment it seemed that might be the end of it.

“But have you tried it before?”

Frelya stopped, turning around and facing Lilith, the look of a disappointed parent plastered across her face.

“You mean… have I killed someone on purpose by fitting them with two enhancers, knowing it would kill them if I did? Is that what you’re asking me?”

“…Yes?” Lilith almost whispered, tilting her head.

“No, Lilith… I’m not going to start with you, either. I’ve grown too attached to you. You’ll be satisfied with one, I promise.”

“Doesn’t answer the question, though.”

Frelya had just turned around, but spun back to face Lilith again.

“What question?”

“What do I get if I’m the best performer two clears in a row?”

Kyro interjected, before Frelya had a chance to answer.

“Lilith…” she growled.

“What?”

“Just shut up and pay attention. By my calculation, you’re the worst performer of this clear so far, so it’s irrelevant.”

Lilith looked to Grinner, hoping at least someone would back her up.

Grinner grinned.

“Sorry, Lilith. I think Kyro’s right. I’m the best performer this time.”

“Hey!” Lilith hissed at her two animal comrades, partially in jest, but with a hint of childlike irritation in her tone. She truly wanted to be the best and was annoyed by the mere suggestion, even an obvious joke, that it wasn’t the case.

Frelya massaged her temple.

“Actually, I’m going to end up being the top performer, since I’m the only one taking the mission seriously. That’ll mean none of you get an enhancer after this division, and no one can override me because I’m the one who makes the final call on who gets one and who doesn’t.”

Even Grinner frowned at that.

Lilith and Kyro narrowed their eyes, nodding almost simultaneously.

Frelya placed her hand on the next door, nodding to the three behind her.

“I’m not sure why we’re being so cautious. It’s not like the machines—”

As if on cue, machine gun fire erupted through the door the moment Frelya pushed it open. One of the shots struck her in the side. Another bullet that missed hit the frame of the doorway, shattering pieces of it that struck her in the cheek and forehead.

She fell onto the floor, kicking herself out of the line of fire.

The three animals stood there, frozen. Their brains seemed to be failing to comprehend what was taking place in front of them.

“Look alive!” Frelya screamed, which seemed to snap them from their daze. Kyro and Lilith quickly positioned themselves on either side of the door with Grinner posted up several paces back, sidearm drawn.

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“Switch to rifle,” Frelya ordered.

Grinner wanted to argue, and started to. The sidearm was so much easier to maneuver in a tight space. It was what they were trained to do. She hesitated for a moment, holding eye contact with Frelya. She knew the sidearm was the right choice, and yet…

She quickly holstered her sidearm, drawing the large rifle from her shoulder and posting against the opposite wall of the hallway for support.

“Get ready to rush it,” Lilith shouted to Kyro. Kyro nodded and drew her serrated daggers.

“No!” Frelya tried to shout, but her lack of breath made that a challenge. Her ribs were broken, despite the fact her armor had prevented the round from piercing her body. Her lung was also damaged. She still had her eye, but the blood pouring over it made it impossible to see.

“No?” Lilith hissed angrily. “Why?”

“Hold your position,” Frelya ordered, clutching her side as she pulled herself to her feet against the wall. “Grinner. Blast the walls here… and here. Full power shots.”

Frelya pointed at two spots along the wall.

Grinner didn’t hesitate this time, raising her rifle and firing two successive blasts at the wall, leaving gaping holes. This material was tough, but it wasn’t meant to endure blasts from weapons. When struck with enough force, it created a cloud of dust that…

Suddenly it clicked for Lilith. She smiled, then looked to Frelya with a look that was something resembling admiration. “Smokescreen, with two spaces for suppressing fire!”

She wasn’t sure why she shouted it, but the realization felt significant to the three of them.

“Bingo,” Frelya wheezed. “Grinner, draw your sidearm and post up at the middle vantage point. I’m on the far left. Lilith and Kyro, enter when we drop suppressing fire.”

Frelya drew her sidearm, switching to her non-dominant hand and eye, and hobbled her way to the opening. The smoke was still heavy, but would soon settle. They had to move quickly. As soon as Grinner posted at the second opening, she disengaged the safety on her weapon.

“Does your sidearm have a thermal safety and do you know how to engage it?”

Grinner nodded. “But…” she began to question again, but immediately thought better of it. “Yes!”

“Engage thermal safety, and drop suppressing fire on my signal. Three… two…”

Frelya began firing, her shots slow and deliberate. Spaced out.

Grinner quickly picked up on the rhythm. As fire was returned to Frelya, Grinner fired a shot to bring it back to her. Back and forth it continued, until they were almost a continuous beat alternating between the two. They’d synced up to the point the return fire scarcely came at all, the automated targeting of the machine unable to rotate the machine gun quickly enough.

“Kyro! Lilith! Go!”

Kyro and Lilith burst through the fading cloud of dust, quickly finding themselves upon the machine. Lilith arrived a split second sooner than Kyro, swinging and missing at the nimble enemy. Kyro caught the thing in the air, where it couldn’t dodge again, adjusting her grip and ripping upward with precision that would be physically impossible for a human, severing the wire and hoses keeping it functional. It landed, then fired once, hitting Kyro in the stomach.

Lilith screamed out, flying through the air and landing on it before it could swing its slowing gun around to meet her. She pushed her dagger into several narrow spaces, but the fit was tighter on such a small machine. The tolerances between moving parts more unforgiving to a weapon seeking to enter that space. Yet, with a bit of elbow grease and rage, Lilith had managed it, taking the optics offline.

Now, it fired randomly, unable to target. She forced her dagger into the ammunition belt, snapping the thin metal in half before she tried again with the thicker remaining portion, this time stopping the belt fully.

Kyro groaned, dragging herself across the floor, leaving a trail of blood behind her.

Grinner’s next shot disabled the unit entirely.

“The upload link,” Frelya shouted. “Grinner!”

Grinner finally realized Kyro had been shot, and bad. There was blood everywhere.

“Grinner!” Frelya tried again. Grinner was frozen in place, like she’d become a machine herself, staring at Kyro struggling, unable to move or speak.

“Frelya, your sidearm!” Lilith hissed.

Frelya flung the weapon at Lilith, who caught it and fired three shots quickly into the machine.

“Did we get it in time?” Frelya asked.

“I think so. Barely,” Lilith said.

“Lilith, hold Kyro down. Grinner, get my bag while I put pressure on the wound.”

Grinner was still frozen. Frelya took a step toward her, slapping her hard across the face.

“Do you want your friend to die, Grinner?”

Grinner shook her head, rushing to get Frelya’s bag.

Lilith did her best to keep a cool head, but Frelya could see that it was getting to her as well. They’d chosen to remain behind, and had likely never seen anything like this in their short lives. They’d never had to watch one of their friends die right in front of them. They’d never had to go through the changes that created in a person. Tried to smile through the numbness that filled their heart after. Try to pretend to be normal, whatever that meant.

Again, Frelya struggled to keep her own mind from drifting to Taylor. She imagined her gunned down just like this, bleeding out, all alone with no one to help her.

“Hurry it up, Grinner!” Frelya shrieked, her voice cracking as she finally let the desperation shine through.

Grinner came sprinting back, sliding to a stop with the bag.

“Take over. Hold pressure on the wound,” Frelya ordered.

Grinner and Frelya swapped places, and Frelya began digging through the trauma kit in her bag.

“I’m sorry…” Kyro hissed through the pain. “S-sorry I… sorry I…”

“Sorry you’re what? What is it, Kyro?” Lilith asked, leaning close to hear her strained words.

“I’m sorry I… got myself killed and… let you win the… the top performer… when… when clearly you should’ve been the… been the second best.”

“Really? I hate you, Kyro!” Lilith shouted. Then, almost as though she was afraid those would be her final words to her friend, immediately abandoned the joke. “Please don’t die, Kyro. Please don’t die,” she pleaded.

Frelya applied a medicated patch to the front. “Hold that,” she said to Grinner before applying another to her back. “And that.” She wrapped a bandage around, keeping the two patches in place. The bleeding stopped almost immediately, before she’d even finished wrapping the bandages. Then, she pulled out a syringe, stabbing it into her chest and injecting the fluid.

“If that’s not compatible with cats, it was nice knowing you,” Frelya said, patting Kyro on the shoulder.

“What?” Kyro asked.

“I’m kidding. That’s what you get for messing with Lilith just now.”

“You really had me going there for… a…”

Kyro’s head fell, and panic immediately set in for Lilith and Grinner. Frelya was quick to raise her hands.

“Be calm. She’s fine. That last injection had a sedative. The emergency repair concoction I made can be a bit… hard to handle for someone awake.”

“Frelya, I’m sorry,” Lilith said.

“Me too,” Grinner added immediately. “I’m sorry I lost it back there. I almost—”

“But you didn’t,” Frelya snapped, cutting her short.

“Enhancers speed up healing. Kyro should get one first,” Lilith insisted.

Grinner nodded with enthusiasm, suddenly realizing that Lilith was correct.

“You two would sacrifice an enhancer so your friend heals just a bit faster?” Frelya asked, somewhat surprised.

Kyro and Grinner nodded again.

“Anyone would be lucky to have friends like the two of you,” Frelya said, surprised by her own smile. “Let’s get out of here. We’re suspending the operation for now, and resume in a few days when Kyro is back on her feet and out of the tank.”

It wasn’t just the three inexperienced animals that were caught off guard. She had been as well. This was a completely different kind of machine unit. They were modifying already? That could only mean one thing… Adversity Management still at HQ had been fighting them here, likely attempting the very thing they’d just attempted.

And lost.

This was not going to be easy.