Ten

Brynmor's POV

I woke up with pain in my arm, the bullet wound from last night. This injury was nothing compared to the exhaustion that haunted my mind. I glanced at Fiora, who was sitting in the corner of the room with her head leaning against the wall. Her eyes were closed, but I knew she wasn’t really sleeping.

She had changed a lot since the matching ceremony. Though her body was weak and her emotions still turbulent, there was something in her that began to show strength I hadn’t expected.

I shifted my gaze to the small holographic screen in my hand. I checked the latest data I had managed to retrieve from Devlin's network. Their trail was getting closer to our location. We couldn’t stay long.

“Brynmor,” Fiora's voice broke the silence.

I turned to see her fully awake, looking at me with questioning eyes.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

I simply nodded. “We need to move this morning. They’re getting closer.”

She sighed but didn’t argue. “Have you figured out where we’re going?”

“There’s an old facility outside this zone. It used to be a storage place for augmentation technology. We can take shelter there for now.”

She nodded without saying much. That was one of the things I liked about Fiora—she didn’t complain, even when things were difficult.

We began our journey before dawn. The rocky paths and uneven terrain made the journey harder, but Fiora kept up with steady steps.

“You’re stronger than you think,” I said suddenly.

She looked at me, surprised. “What do you mean?”

“Most people would give up in a situation like this. But you haven’t.”

She was quiet for a moment before replying, “Maybe because I don’t have any other choice.”

I couldn’t help but smile slightly. “There’s always a choice, Fiora. But not everyone is brave enough to take it.”

She didn’t answer, but I could see a faint smile on her face.

When we arrived at the old facility, I immediately checked its security. Even though the place seemed empty, I couldn’t take any chances.

“You wait here,” I told Fiora. “I’ll check inside.”

She nodded, though I could see she didn’t like being left alone.

I entered the facility, activating the emergency lights that were still working. The place was covered in dust and rubble, but its structure was still strong enough to be a temporary shelter.

When I came back outside, Fiora was sitting on a large rock, gazing at the sky, which was beginning to change color.

“This place is safe,” I said. “We can stay here for a while.”

She nodded and followed me inside.

A few hours later, after making sure all the security systems were activated, I sat in one corner of the facility, trying to plan our next move. Fiora sat near me, holding a small device she had found among the rubble.

“What’s this?” she asked, showing it to me.

I took it from her and inspected it. “It’s a neural-link connector. But this model is old. It’s probably not working anymore.”

She looked at the device with curiosity. “Can a neural-link really show someone’s thoughts?”

“Yes,” I answered. “But only certain thoughts. Usually the most emotional ones.”

She was silent, seeming to think about something.

“What did you see when our neural-link connected back then?” she suddenly asked.

I looked at her, unsure if I wanted to answer. But her gaze forced me to be honest.

“I saw my mother,” I said quietly. “And the pain of losing her.”

Her expression softened. “I’m sorry, Brynmor. I didn’t know…”

“It’s not your fault,” I interrupted. “But that’s why I chose you. Because your family was involved in her death.”

She was silent, her eyes widening. “So, you chose me for revenge?”

I couldn’t deny it. “At first, yes. But now... I’m not so sure.”

She stared at me, trying to read my expression. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know,” I replied honestly. “Since I met you, a lot of things have changed. You’re not what I expected. And that makes everything more complicated.”

She didn’t say anything, but I could tell my words had surprised her.

That night, I was woken by the sound of rustling outside the room. I immediately grabbed my weapon.

“Brynmor,” Fiora whispered from the corner of the room. “What’s happening?”

“Quiet,” I said softly, trying to listen more clearly.

I moved slowly toward the door, checking the small screen in my hand, which was connected to the sensors outside. There were signs of life approaching.

“Devlin’s forces,” I muttered.

“What should we do?” Fiora asked, her voice full of worry.

“We need to leave now,” I replied. “They’ll find us if we stay here.”

She nodded and quickly packed her things. We left the facility cautiously, moving through the shadows to avoid detection.

But before we could get too far, we were blocked by a group of armed men.

“Commander Brynmor,” one of them said, his voice dripping with mockery. “You think you can run forever?”

I raised my weapon, shielding Fiora behind me. “You won’t touch her.”

The man laughed. “She belongs to Devlin. And you can’t fight us alone.”

“I’m not alone,” I replied, firing my weapon at them.

I used my body augmentation to dodge their attacks, while Fiora stayed sheltered behind a large rock.

But there were too many of them. I started to feel overwhelmed, and one of them managed to get close to Fiora.

“Brynmor!” she screamed.

I ran as fast as I could, using my body to protect her from the attack. I felt plasma bullets hit my back, but I didn’t care. The important thing was keeping Fiora alive.

When it was all over, I collapsed to my knees, my body heavy with the wounds I had sustained. Fiora helped me stand, her face panicked.

“You’re hurt,” she said, her voice trembling.

“I’ll be fine,” I said, though I knew it was a lie.

She helped me walk back to the facility, where she started treating my wounds with the remaining medical supplies.

“You don’t have to do this,” I said softly.

“What do you mean?”

“Protecting me. I’m the one who should be protecting you.”

She looked at me with teary eyes. “I don’t care who protects whom, Brynmor. I just don’t want to lose you.”

Her words made my heart race. We sat near the entrance of the facility, gazing at the stars in the dark sky.

“What are we going to do now?” Fiora asked.

“We’ll keep fighting,” I replied. “Until we find a way to stop Devlin.”

She nodded, her face smiling. “I’ll help you.”