Nigel and Jet worked in the security office of the medical lab facility Melissa rented for Dr. Brody. Without the doctor or his staff, the facility was quiet. The only other people in the building were Melissa and her guards. Nigel hadn’t finished exploring the lab but had an idea for its size.

“I’m on the right track, but I need more time for analysis—”

“Nigel, come quick!” Jet said.

Nigel hurried to her workstation. “What’s the matter?”

“Look,” Jet said.

He followed her gaze to one of many monitors on the desk. Nigel was looking at something that could only be described as a dancing bear dressed in a tuxedo wearing a top hat. The bear appeared to be bleeding from many wounds. A caption appeared below that read:

Don’t wallow in this bear’s despair, embrace the fun of the circus of the mind.

The bear faded, and another figure appeared. It looked like a man dressed like a magician. He waved a wand and another image appeared. It was an animated teenage boy tied to a chair. It reminded Nigel of Peter’s video.

This is crazy.

The image of the boy squirmed and wrestled. They tied his arms and legs to unseen posts. A message with enormous letters appeared on the screen.

Do you want to save this boy?

For YES text 212-555-7283

For NO text 212-555-5455

“Where is it coming from?” Melissa asked.

“Something has infected this network,” Jet said.

“That means—”

“Someone is inside the building with us,” Jet completed Nigel’s sentence. Her eyes widened at the realization.

“I’ll have a look,” Nigel said.

“Take Klaus, the tall built guy with blond hair,” Melissa said.

“How many men do you have here?” Jet asked.

“Two. Klaus, and you already know George. He’s the guy that’s been driving us around,” Melissa said.

Nigel grabbed two handheld radios from a nearby table. “In case you need to get in touch.”

Jet gave him a thumbs-up signal. Nigel tested the radios, then headed toward the building’s entrance. Nigel flipped a nearby wall switch. The lights weren’t operational. He could see well enough without them, so he proceeded down the wide corridor.

Is it my nerves, or has someone turned off the lights? Maybe it’s just a fuse? Nigel thought.

George was standing next to the medical lab entrance.

“George, do you know where Klaus is?” Nigel asked.

George responded with a shrug.

Man of few words—that’s okay, I will find him myself.

The lab’s entrance was a large open area; a reception desk was visible opposite the double doors. There were three exits from Nigel’s current position. Since Nigel had just come from the hall next to the reception desk, he checked the hallway to the right of the entrance.

Not very well lit in here.

Nigel used the flashlight feature on his phone as he navigated the hallway. There were a few doors that led from the main hallway—all locked. At the end of the hallway was another closed door; Nigel could turn the doorknob, but it wouldn’t budge. He pushed harder. It was like someone had put something in front of the door. As he continued to push, he opened it enough to slide through. As soon as he did, the door slammed shut. It was pitch-black. Even with the aid of the flashlight, he could only see a few feet in front of him.

How big is this lab? I wish I had explored it earlier.

Nigel checked to see what was blocking the door, and to his horror he found Klaus. He was slumped over, and his white shirt was stained with something brown. He shook Klaus. The man’s head flopped back, revealing dead eyes.

Nigel’s mouth went dry. He grabbed the radio and tried to speak, but no words came. As Nigel tried to form the words, his lips moved, but it was like someone had switched his vocal cords off. Memories of Hunter flooded back. The man’s mischievous grin and knife paralyzed him and often caused a great deal of anxiety for Nigel, especially in stressful situations.

“Nigel, I didn’t get that,” Jet said on the other end of the radio.

He took in several deep breaths. After a few moments, he could speak.

“I found Klaus, and I think he is . . . dead!”

Nigel cringed at his words; he’d said the last a little louder than he intended.

“Dead? How?” Jet replied.

She sounded shocked as the awful truth gripped him. Nigel examined the body. His throat was cut. He turned and grabbed the door handle and yanked it as hard as he could, but it wouldn’t budge. It was locked.

The door must have auto locked! Nigel thought, on the verge of panic.

His hand was shaking so much the door handle rattled.

I must find another way out of here. Is the killer still here?

Nigel hugged the wall, looking for another way out of the room he was in. Although he couldn’t see the open area, it reminded him of an airplane hangar.

What was this place before Melissa converted it into a lab?

The room filled with light, and Nigel let out a yelp of surprise. He was in an enormous warehouse; it was so vast that he could barely see the other side. Various shelves and barrels made it difficult to navigate the area.

Is the killer still here? he thought again, panic rising.

Nigel walked for a very long time; then he saw another door leading from the warehouse. He ran toward it. His heart was racing, and he thought he could hear footsteps behind him. He quickened his pace. He flung the door open so hard it slammed against the wall. A long, featureless hallway appeared before him. It wasn’t as lit as the warehouse, but he could see well enough without the aid of his flashlight. He picked up his pace and, before he reached the end, he noticed a door. When he opened it, he froze when he saw the silhouette of a female.

“Hello, Nigel,” the figure said.

“Who . . . are you?”

“A friend.”

“Whose friend?”

“Is Treeka here? I’m her friend.”

“What did you say your name was?”

“My name is Nozomi.”

At that moment, the hallway illuminated with light. The woman was shorter than Nigel; he estimated she was about five feet tall. Her white hair provided little contrast with her white leather outfit.

Where’s Treeka? I haven’t seen her since last night, Nigel thought before telling her, “She’s not here.”

Nozomi’s eyes lit up.

“Ahh, thank you for confirming,” she replied.

Nozomi closed the distance and, before Nigel could react, her lips locked with his. Her mouth was soft and inviting. She slipped her hands across his body and found his tender spot. He pushed her back.

“Don’t you want me?” Nozomi said.

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“What? I don’t know you. What the hell are you doing in here, anyway?”

“Men cannot resist my charms,” Nozomi said as she unzipped her leather outfit.

Nigel froze as she undressed before him.

She’s beautiful, but who is she? And what the hell is she doing? Did she kill that guy? This is all too weird.

“I can tell you want me. I’ll do anything you want, and boys your age seem to want a lot. I will provide that—and more—if you help me.”

“Help with what?” Nigel said.

Why are you playing along? he asked himself. She’s psychotic.

Nozomi embraced Nigel again. He returned her embrace.

She’s different . . . oh, I want her. But I can’t . . . Jet!

Nigel pushed Nozomi back. She gave him a murderous look. Nigel’s heart got stuck in his throat. He didn’t breathe for a very long time. After a moment, Nozomi’s expression changed to the look of desire.

“What’s the matter? Am I ugly? Do you like guys instead?”

“No, it’s none of those. I think you’re beautiful. I . . .”

Just as Nozomi reached for his belt, the radio came to life.

“Nigel? What are you doing with that woman?”

He recognized the voice: it was Jet.

Holy shit, the surveillance system must have reactivated.

Nozomi laughed, grabbed the radio, and squeezed. It broke into pieces and crumbled into a ruined heap at Nigel’s feet. Nigel heard footsteps. He could see George rounding a corner, gun drawn. Nozomi charged him, and the gun went off. Nigel’s face was peppered with fragments as the wall burst into pieces.

Was I shot?

Nigel touched his face, and while he was bleeding, he realized he hadn’t been shot. The wall next to him had been. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. A naked Nozomi was fighting George. She disarmed him, and then George landed several punches that would have caved in the head of a normal woman. It seemed like Nozomi was getting hit on purpose. This all made no sense.

“Playtime is over,” Nozomi said as she hit him hard in the throat. George dropped to his knees, grasping his throat.

She disassembled the gun and threw the pieces aside. As George was trying to gasp for air, Nozomi strode to her outfit and grabbed a small knife from her belt.

“No!” Nigel said.

Nozomi gave him a playful smile. “Don’t worry, lover, I’ll be with you soon,” Nozomi said as she plunged the knife into George’s chest while maintaining eye contact with Nigel.

Blood spattered over Nozomi’s naked body. She smiled as George’s blood covered her body. She continued stabbing long after he was dead.

Nigel slipped out the door and ran into the warehouse. He had to get to Jet, and to safety. He ducked behind some barrels.

“Nigel, come out. Don’t you want to play?” Nozomi taunted.

What now? I hope Jet stays away from this psycho. She’s an assassin.

“Come on, Nigel, I just want to talk. I promise.”

Nigel snatched a glance. Nozomi skulked about the warehouse in her white leather outfit.

At least she got dressed. I wasn’t sure how long my willpower was going to last. She’s deadly, but captivating.

“If I come out, will you promise to leave my friends alone?” Nigel said in a weak voice.

“I promise—you have my word, Nigel.”

Nigel stepped from behind the barrels. Nozomi sauntered up to him.

“See, I’m not here to harm any of your friends, I just want to talk to Treeka.”

Resigned, Nigel led Nozomi to their impromptu command center; Jet gasped as they entered.

What a sight we must be, Nigel thought.

The blood on Nozomi had dried. It looked like a ruddy brown smear.

“I will not harm you, I promised Nigel,” she told everyone. “I just want to talk to Treeka.”

“She’s not here,” Melissa said.

“Where is she?”

“Why do you want to know? So you can kill her too?” Jet spat.

“I’m forbidden to kill Treeka, Dr. Ash wants her back.”

“Back where?” Nigel asked.

“To our mother, Dr. Ash,” Nozomi said.

“That’s impossible, Dr. Ash is dead, I saw her body,” Jet said.

“I secured Dr. Ash’s body. She lives once more.”

“What are you talking about?”

Nozomi brought Nigel and Jet up to speed with current events. She described how Dr. Ash’s consciousness had been downloaded into a machine before being reunited with her human body.

“What if Treeka doesn’t want to go with you?” Melissa asked.

“It’s not her choice. She belongs with her family. And besides, I need help training the new recruits.”

“New recruits? What are you talking about?” Nigel said.

“We have orders for hundreds of assassins, and Dr. Ash doesn’t need Treeka running amok undoing all the work she’s spent a lifetime cultivating.”

“You might as well let us go, Treeka isn’t here—”

“But I’m willing to bet you know where I can find her, or you have some clue as to where to look.”

“I’m not telling you anything,” Melissa said.

With the reflexes of a viper, Nozomi grabbed Melissa by the hair and raised a knife to her eye.

“If I poke out your eyes,” Nozomi said, “you will never see anything again. Well, perhaps Doc Chop can give you a cornea implant. He runs a rogue cybernetic clinic and asylum. I hear he’s quite good.”

“Get your filthy hands off my mum!” a female voice said from behind them.

Nozomi turned to find another cyborg who was about the same height with cropped white hair. A wicked smile formed on Nozomi’s face.

“Well, if it isn’t the little bot who likes to pretend she’s a real girl.” Nozomi sniffed the air. “I can smell your data core, sister.” Nozomi pushed Melissa to the floor and strode toward the teenage cyborg. “What’s your name, little one?”

“April Mason, but together we are Legion.” April’s voice sounded like several voices talking in unison.

“There’s more than one of you in there? Tell me I’m wrong,” Nozomi taunted.

“No, just one. Delta.”

Nozomi raised an eyebrow. “You’re the one that killed Dr. Ash’s human form?” she asked.

Delta smiled, then charged. Steel rods extruded from her wrists. Nozomi dodged the first blow, and then Delta belted her. The rods cut into Nozomi’s face just below the eye. A pink milky goo oozed from the gaping wound.

“You will pay for that,” Nozomi snarled.

With cat-like reflexes, Nozomi flung two blades in quick succession. Delta dodged the first attack, but the second blade plunged into her arm. A white liquid oozed from the wound.

“The Delta experiments were weak—you shall be a distant memory.” Nozomi unsheathed her sword and got into a fighting stance.

“You can’t beat her! Run, April,” Jet cried.

“Jet?” Delta said in April’s voice.

The teenage cyborg looked uncertain, then ran to Jet and embraced her. Nozomi watched with some fascination.

“Don’t worry about us, you have a bigger part to play in all of this. I need you to be safe,” Jet said.

Delta looked at April; she looked very much like a little girl. Jet kissed the young cyborg on the forehead, then motioned Delta to get behind her.

“Hand her over, Jet, she belongs with her own kind. This is your last warning. Release Delta into my custody, or I will do something drastic.”

Delta walked to Nozomi. “I surrender—just leave my friends alone,” Delta said with April’s voice.

“Alright, now come here,” Nozomi said, fetching a pair of handcuffs from a pouch on her belt.

Delta stopped, just out of Nozomi’s reach. Then she started convulsing and dropped to the floor.

“What’s wrong with her?” Nozomi said.

“I think Delta is coming,” Melissa said.

Nozomi attempted to handcuff Delta. She got one loop around a wrist, but before she could secure Delta’s other hand, Delta struck Nozomi so hard she flew halfway across the room and hit the wall hard enough she nearly went through it; a stud in the wall prevented it.

Nozomi recovered, then leaped on Delta. The cyborgs seemed to be fighting to the death. Nozomi was taking a lot of damage, but Delta was getting the worst of it. Nozomi dodged Delta’s attacks, then punched Delta. Delta fell flat on her back, and Nozomi picked up a desk and flung it at Delta, who tried to dodge it, but was too late. She was pinned against a wall and didn’t move. Nozomi kept kicking the desk. White liquid poured from her mouth.

“No, don’t hurt my baby girl,” Melissa pleaded.

“She’s already dead—she just doesn’t know it yet,” Nozomi said.

Delta collapsed on the desk. She seemed to lose energy. Nozomi reached for a compartment on her belt. Moments later she kicked the desk aside, then took out some thin wiring and garroted Delta. White milky liquid streamed from Delta’s neck like a fountain.

“Stop it, you’re killing her,” Jet said.

Nozomi ignored Jet as she pulled the wire tighter; it looked like she was trying to decapitate Delta. Nigel grabbed Nozomi from behind, and she backhanded him.

Nigel tumbled to the floor.

“Nige!” Jet screamed.

“Sorry, lover, it’s a shame I had to mark up that pretty face,” Nozomi said.

She just tossed Nigel around like he was a doll, Jet thought with panic. He’s not moving.

Delta was trying to get up, but Nozomi resumed her grip on Delta’s neck, which was streaming with white liquid. Nozomi pulled out a small glass tube and filled it with the white liquid pouring from Delta, then put it back in a pouch on her belt.

“I only need the memory core. We will transfer you into another body,” Nozomi said.

Nozomi continued to pull on the wire, and more liquid sprayed from Delta’s throat. She grinned as the white goo spattered her face.

I’m not letting this crazy bitch kill April.

Jet looked around for anything she could use to attack Nozomi. Then she saw it: a small knife that Delta had dodged during the fight. Jet palmed it, then got into position. Nozomi positioned her foot on Delta’s back to gain a firmer grip while she continued pulling the wire; Delta screamed, then made an awful gurgling sound. Jet plunged the small knife into Nozomi’s back. Her leather outfit provided some resistance, but she penetrated it. Jet’s hands were covered in a pinkish, sticky goo.

That should slow her down . . . I hope!

Nozomi screamed in aggravation. She turned and twisted, trying to reach the knife. Jet kicked her. Nozomi fell to her knees, desperate to reach the blade. Jet grabbed one of the giant LCD screens and slammed it over Nozomi’s head, and an awful audible cracking noise emitted. She went down. Jet hurried to Delta and, after some effort, removed the piano wire from her neck. The wound was grievous. April was back now, and she was sobbing.

She’s switching between Delta and April so rapidly it’s hard to tell them apart.

“Get something to stop the bleeding,” Jet yelled to Melissa.

Melissa slowly emerged from behind a desk. During the fight, she threw everything she had readily available at her daughter’s attacker. Nothing seemed to phase Nozomi, she was like an unstoppable force.

“Why does she want to hurt us?” April said as tears rolled down her face.

Jet’s heart ached at the sight of the Delta-51 body. She did not see a mindless killer—only a little girl. Jet wished the Delta consciousness would have kicked in before. This was not a fair fight.

Moments later, Melissa returned with some duct tape. Jet wrapped her neck with the sticky substance.

At least she’s no longer hemorrhaging.

Jet gave April a hug.

“Thanks, Jet. I was so worried she was going to hurt you guys,” April said.

“We took care of her—”

“Watch out!” Melissa screamed.

Before Jet could react, Nozomi plunged a knife deep within Jet’s back. Nozomi covered Jet’s mouth as she twisted the blade. She removed it then plunged it again, trying to rupture a kidney. Nozomi’s grip muffled Jet’s screams.

“Let’s see if Nigel still wants you after I cut your face off,” Nozomi hissed.

“No, I will not let you hurt my family!” April yelled.

Using the strength of the cyborg’s body, April hit Nozomi in the face, and a crunching sound emitted. Nozomi fell lifeless to the floor. April picked up Jet and ran out of the room. A trail of blood followed.

“April, wait, I need to call an ambulance,” Melissa yelled.

Melissa rummaged through the pile of ruined office equipment looking for an undamaged phone. She started to dial when Nozomi sat up. Her head was twisted around at an awkward angle. She screamed as she pulled her head back into place.

“Where did she go?” Nozomi asked Melissa.

Melissa stared back. “Your face!”

Nozomi picked up a monitor and surveyed the damage in the reflection. “Time to visit the surgeon, I suppose.” She flung the remains of the monitor at Melissa, who ducked just in time.

Nozomi followed the trail of blood out of the office.