[ COMPLETED ]
BOOK 2 of the ORPHIC series
MONACHOPSIS
/ˈmənˌāˌkōpˌsis/
the subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place.
~~~~~
Lucille "Lucy" Opal Baker might be the unluckiest person...
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"Chaos is merely order waiting to be deciphered."
Washington D.C, United States February, 2013
VERFALL DIDN'T NOTICE THE WAY Winter tensed as soon as they exited their transport vehicle, entering a dark garage of what seemed to be an abandoned bank vault. She didn't notice the way he hunched in on himself, or the way he walked so close to her their shoulders continuously bumped into each other. Verfall didn't notice, because if she didn't notice, then maybe no one else would think something was wrong with Winter.
Verfall knew that James had reverted into his Winter self because he'd succumbed to the protocol and conditioning embedded in his head. He couldn't do a manual mind-wipe by himself, but he could pretend to. But there was something about returning to bases and having to face Sasha thaat drew a primal instinct from both of their chests.
It was an instinct that screamed to get away, get away, get away. It was an instinct that roared at them to survive. It was an instinct that was only quelled by the fear of punishment, and fear was a wonderful motivator.
Too wonderful.
Verfall kept her head lowered, eyes focused on the floor like she'd done something wrong. She couldn't have mind-wiped James, not that she would ever decide to, but Sasha would still make it her fault. He would do that, wouldn't he? But he'd been reasonable before–so, so maybe it was reasonable that Sasha took her three important senses.
Because she'd been the one to mess up.
Sasha had been arrogant, but that didn't mean it was his fault.
It had to be all her fault. It had to be. She'd let herself show facets of herself and Dr. Schaffer had taken so long beating that all out of her, but she'd healed. And now Sasha was tasked with beating it all out of her again.
She didn't mean to be so difficult last time.
She didn't mean to be so difficult this time.
They entered a lower section of the bank, where a cell-like area was revealed. There were hundreds of shelves painted in metallic cold with names, pieces of metal starting to rust. But those were the only old components of the room. Pushed to one side of the room was the Chair, two technicians typing away at the computers circling the leather seat.
Verfall didn't notice the way Winter's feet came to a complete stop. Because if she didn't–if she didn't notice–
But she was a fool to think something so ridiculous and stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
