A knock on the door awakened Jet. She read the note Nigel had left as she headed toward the door. She looked through the peephole to see April standing in the hallway.

“Jet!” April said as she opened the door.

“April, it’s great to see you. Come in.”

April gave Jet a bear hug. “It’s so good to see you.” Then she cried as Jet put her arms around her.

“Don’t be frightened,” Jet said. “I’m here for you.”

April wiped the tears away.

“My mum told me to leave you alone, but I had to see you. I’m sorry if it’s early, but the guards wouldn’t let me visit last night.”

“That’s okay, April, but you’re going to have to be a little more careful in the future. Your mom told me about what happened at your home.”

“It was awful. This woman with white hair almost got us. I was so scared.”

Jet held April for a long moment.

“Can I stay here for a while?” April asked.

“You can stay for a little while, but Nigel’s coming back, and your mother will wonder what happened to you if you’re not back soon.”

“That’s okay, I left her a message.”

“How have you been holding up? Your mom said you haven’t been speaking or interacting with people as much as you should,” Jet said.

“Can you keep a secret?”

“After everything we’ve been through, you know I can.”

“After you and Nigel shut down Delta, she came back. She tried to escape. Later, she took over my body. I didn’t know what was happening when she did.”

“How did you find out?” Jet asked.

“Nurse Marge said something about how bad I was becoming. But I didn’t remember acting bad—I’m a good girl.” April paused before continuing. “I found something bad on my tablet that I tried sending to you and Nigel.”

“I don’t think we got it, April.”

The cyborg frowned. “I thought I sent it, but the merge—or nexus, as Lev calls it—may have mixed things up.”

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

“Lev? As in Leviathan?”

“Yes, she is part of me now, and so is Delta. I hear all of them in my head.”

Jet gave April a worried look.

“Wait, you mean Delta and Leviathan can hear us talk?” Jet asked.

April nodded.

Jet was speechless.

“Delta doesn’t want to harm anyone, does she?” Jet was worried.

“No—she promised she is going to be good. We want to help people now,” April said.

Careful, April, I don’t like where this is going, Delta warned.

We can trust Jet, she’s one of the good ones, April said.

I’ve switched us to a private channel. I’ve been doing some research. After analyzing our collective memories, I’ve determined Leviathan is not telling us everything. I found a note labeled “The Cabal” in a secret drawer the AI doesn’t know I have knowledge of, Delta said.

What was in the drawer? Damaris asked.

A detailed diary of everything that has happened since we fought our way out of Edinburgh, Delta replied.

Is that a bad thing? April said.

The information is not suspicious, but there is information about a rendezvous point with Dr. Ash, Delta said.

She’s dead—you killed her, April said.

Yes, because she failed us. And she was interfering with Grandfather’s plans. During my research, I learned Dr. Ash’s consciousness lives inside another AI I’ve tried to take control of. It’s possible she may gain possession of another cybernetic body. She may try to control us, or attempt to use us as a weapon, Delta said.

I’m afraid that isn’t in our best interest, Damaris said.

What are we going to do? April said.

We get help from your friends, Delta said.

Jet and Nigel? April asked.

Yes, but we need to keep it from Leviathan. The nexus that was formed caused Leviathan to detach from us; I’m not sure if it is aware. We need to be aligned in case Leviathan turns against us, Delta said.

Leviathan knows all of our thoughts—we are omnipresent. How are we going to control our thoughts? Damaris asked.

We partition our minds. I did this just before the nexus event. Leviathan was starting to get suspicious, I think, Delta answered.

I don’t understand how we can hide anything from Leviathan, April said.

It’s easy, little one, you store this knowledge in this special box. Delta held out a virtual hand, revealing a music box her grandfather had given her so long ago.

That may work. We store all memory of this conversation in our own version of the box until it is needed. But how will we know when it’s time? Damaris asked.

I will know when it’s time, and I will give you back those memories. Soon the AI will be connecting to the one of many wireless networks in the city. Once that happens, we may not be able to control it without help. That’s where your friends come in, Delta said.

“April, are you okay?” Jet asked, alarmed. She’d just watched April have a conversation with herself.

“Yes, I’m alright.”

“Were you talking with your friends?”

“Yes, we have agreed we can trust you.”

“You mean you and Delta?”

“And Damaris,” April said.

“You have two other consciousnesses inside your head?”

“Yes, and Leviathan is also there, but . . .”

Jet stared at April as if she was an alien.

“We don’t trust Leviathan. That’s why we need your help,” April said.

“I’ll help, but I’ll need to tell Nigel.”

“We expect you to, just be careful. I’m afraid of that white-haired woman.” April’s gaze shifted to the door. “We have to go, but we will try to get a message to you,” April said as she left.