I smash through it again. And again.
And again, until my fists are a bloody, bruised mess. I roar a
nd charge through another row, ripping through thick cables with my teeth. Every bit of rage I concealed around Ava, I let out onto this room.
I allow my anger to rise into an unstoppable crescendo, and there’s nothing Elon can do to stop me. His creation is over.
Well, at least, somewhat over. I should be dead. But I’m not.
When I open a door at the back-end of the room, I see my world again. It’s blinking, moving in and out of focus like a broken hologram set. Finally, the power drops out, and the world is dark.
Elon stumbles behind me, weeping like a sour child. “What have you done?”
I pant, feeling guilt sweep over me. I’ve destroyed it. It’s a wonderful thing. It has to be a wonderful thing…
But as the darkness settles, a new image appears. There are at least one hundred ground troops, weapons drawn, automatic and deadly. Red lasers circle around my body, darting in my vision.
I blink and focus on them, weighing my options very carefully. It’s not looking good. They wear tactical gear and pristine body armor, each holding no expression whatsoever.
One soldier leans into his radio comms device. “Target acquired. Requesting to open fire.”
I read their badges. Earth Federation. AI Unit.
“Elon,” I whisper. “What the fuck is going on?”
He inches back as the unit closes in on us. “I told you to follow me,” he says. “We needed to be careful.”
My body tightens. Panic riddles my mind. “Where is Ava?” I ask. “Where is my family?”
Elon’s Adam’s Apple darts up and down as he swallows. Slowly, he raises one finger and points.
“Behind them.”
I see her, the woman I love. The woman I was meant to be with throughout eternity. One soldier throws her to the ground, kicks her, and cackles with laughter. When she echoes his movements with a painful gasp, the violent brute aims his rifle at her head.
“Stay down,” he says.
“Ava!” I scream.
“Kalxor, just do what they say,” she mutters.
My heart floods with loving endorphins, but they are cut off when another soldier brings in my family.
They want me to react. They want to kill me.
What am I going to do?
I thought the end would be easier. I wished for a happy ending.
That kiss. That sunset. As cheesy as it sounds, it would have meant everything to me.
Instead, I got this.
The darkest night of my life.
But I’m not done fighting for her.
No way. No how.