ROGER (Read Until 7/31)

T W E N T Y - S E V E N

"Clara, it's like this."

Xerses gave me space to stand and grab my gun, but he stood, too. When I staggered back, he moved forward, just as the light returned overhead. His restraints were gone, with no sign of struggle...

Who let him out?

"Updates happen all the time. Your laptop gets one, connects, and that little bar starts to move. Slow and steady at first, until its finished, right?"

I turned left down another hall, still walking backwards, while Xerses moved forward. I told myself, no sudden movements. Xerses wasn't himself—hell, I couldn't tell if Verba was there, either. But I couldn't take the chance; I had no idea what he'd do to me in this state of mind.

"Are you listening to me?" He took three quick steps forward and I nearly tumbled. My nails dug into the lines of the wall for support.

"I am," I told him, trying to hide the quiver in my voice, "get to the point."

He leaned back and smirked as he observed me. His blue, abnormal eyes danced up and down as I stared at him, still shifting backwards down the hall. The bulbs flickered on as we walked beneath them, and my heart beat at the same rhythm of their flashing lights.

"Point is, nothing changes on your laptop until the download is complete. It's got to reboot, restart, and then everything installs. If it shuts down, or gets interrupted somehow, nothing happens. It's back at zero. You—" he pointed at me, "—you were in that process. Those Peace scientists were installing data in that busted receptor of yours, and—poof—Bessel ripped you out of it. Interrupted all of it."

My heart sunk as I thought back to my gun. I couldn't wield it. Shooting it hurt my arms, burned my hands. All that Roger taught me, instructed me to do, was gone? I remembered it, but my body—that muscle memory I should have carried back into reality—didn't have it? I groaned as I shifted back faster.

"You're back at zero, Clara. Just regular, normal, boring Clara. Am I right?"

Boring. How many times had I told him I thought I was boring when we were growing up? He taught me computers so I'd feel interesting; he hung out with me so I wouldn't feel alone. And yet, this was the moment he decided to use it and tease me with it. My weakness.

Just like a wolf to a prey.

Despite what I'd thought about myself then, I was a different person now. Someone who wouldn't give up or back down; who wouldn't stop trying. That's why I gripped my gun and pointed at him again, both eyes open.

"Really, Clara?" Xerses laughed. "This again?"

In my ear, Roger ordered me to shoot, but I couldn't just shoot him. Regardless of his state of mind he was still my friend, the only family I had. If I shot him and he died, I'd never forgive myself.

"Xerses... please," I begged, staring into his eyes.

"Please?" He chuckled and shook his head. "Now you want to talk. What about earlier? You couldn't talk to me then..."

He'd been listening in the room when I tried to tell him about Roger and me; Verba let him hear me. And yet, I hadn't the courage to really say what I needed to say. There wasn't any courage then, nor now. I was scared, guilty, and tears welled up in my eyes.

"Disarm him!" Roger ordered, but his voice broke out with static. "Shoot him in the leg!"

I couldn't... I couldn't shoot him anywhere. Because I'd miss. I increased the gap between us instead. "X... what do you want?" I whimpered. "What are you doing down here?"