⊰ 20 ⊱ When Worlds Collide

I sit in the back of the sleek black SUV, my heart pounding in my chest as we speed down the winding country road. Beside me, Ben fiddles with the controls of the nano-drone, his brow furrowed in concentration. In the front seat, Pablo drives, his eyes scanning the road ahead, while Frank sits in the passenger seat, his hand on the gun on his lap.

We’re on our way to a remote location, a vast expanse of land owned by Marcel’s family, to conduct a field test of the nano-drones. The same place where we tested the first set of bombs I built almost a year ago. The anticipation hangs heavy in the air, mingling with the undercurrent of tension that’s been lingering since we left the estate.

As we turn off the main road onto a dirt path, the SUV bounces and jostles, kicking up a cloud of dust behind us. I grip the edge of my seat, my stomach churning with a mix of excitement and nerves. Another SUV follows closely behind, carrying a few more of Marcel’s men for added security.

*This is it. The moment of truth.*

The cars come to a stop in a clearing, and we pile out, squinting against the bright sunlight. As I climb out of the car, I take a deep breath, the crisp evening air filling my lungs, clearing my head.

Ben and Pablo immediately get to work, unloading the equipment from the trunk space, while Frank and the other men take up positions around the perimeter, their eyes scanning the surrounding trees for any signs of trouble before the sun completely sets.

Marcel tried to convince me to stay home. After all, I’ve already done my part. Any in-field adjustments would fall in the hands of the engineers, but I insisted on coming. I wanted to watch it happen. I *need* to watch it happen.

*If this works,* really *works…we’ve made history.*

I stand off to the side, watching as Ben powers up the drone, the small device whirring to life in his hand. He glances over at me, a small smile playing on his lips. “Ready to see your creation in action?”

*You mean* our *creation?*

I nod, a flutter of pride blooming in my chest. Despite everything that’s happened, despite the lies and the betrayal, I can’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment at seeing the product of my hard work come to fruition.

Ben lifts the drone into the air, and it hovers for a moment before zipping off, disappearing into the trees. Pablo pulls out a tablet, the screen displaying a live feed from the drone’s camera.

*Now, let’s see how far and how long it runs for.*

For a few minutes, everything seems to be running smoothly, the only sound the gentle rustling of leaves in the freeze. As the sun continues to set, the camera of the drone adjusts, allowing us to see through the darkness, the audio picking up even the distant creaking of the insects in the ground.

I glance over at the far left corner of the screen, reading the coordinates of the drone’s location. Ben is careful, navigating it further through the trees. Then, briefly, I see it: a shadow on the screen. Pablo snaps his head up, glancing over at Ben as he says, “Hold it. I saw something.”

I furrow my eyebrows, watching as Frank cocks his head to the side out of the corner of my eye. He glances over at the screen in Pablo’s hands, darting his eyes back to the treeline before us. Slowly, he begins moving towards it, signaling for his men to follow with his gun ready in his hand.

*What’s going on?*

Abruptly, Frank comes to a stop, halting his men beside him. For a moment, he’s perfectly still, glancing over at Pablo whose gaze is fixed on the screen while Ben manipulates the drone back to the coordinates Frank quietly requested.

“Get her back in the car,” Frank suddenly orders, nodding towards me, his hand tightening on his gun. “Now.”

I feel a chill run down my spine, my eyes snapping back to the screen in Pablo’s hands. My heart drops as I squint at the screen, the shadowy figure coming into focus. It’s not just a trick of the light or a glitch in the feed. It’s a person, unmistakably human, moving through the trees with purpose.

I open my mouth to call out to Frank, to warn him, but before I can even mutter a word, the sound of gunfire rips through the air, shattering the tense silence. The sudden eruption of noise is deafening, the acrid smell of gunpowder filling my nostrils as I instinctively duck, my hands flying to cover my ears.

It’s like I’m watching it happen in slow motion, Frank already returning fire as he shouts, “Get her out of here!”

Chaos explodes around us as men in dark clothing emerge from the trees, their faces obscured by masks, their guns blazing. We’re outnumbered, outgunned, and completely exposed. Frank and the other men spring into action, firing their guns, their shouts and commands barely audible over the flying bullets.

In the next moment, I feel a hand grasp my arm, and I’m yanked behind the cover of the SUV, a sharp gasp parting my lips as Ben’s voice cuts through the din. “Stay down, Mercy!” My heart pounds wildly in my chest as I see the grim look on his face, his eyes wild with adrenaline and determination.

His hand doesn’t let me go, pulling me, dragging me towards the side of the car where he yanks the door open and pushes me into the backseat. But as he ducks, a round of bullets breaking the door’s window, I catch a glimpse of Frank through the windshield, his body jerking with the impact of bullets, blood blooming across his chest.

A scream tears from my throat, raw and anguished, as I watch him fall, his eyes already glazing over, the life draining from him in seconds.

“Frank!” I sob, my heart stopping in my chest, watching, waiting desperately for him to get up.

But he doesn’t.

It’s too late.

He’s gone, his body lying still and broken on the ground, surrounded by a growing pool of his own blood. Tears blur my vision, my eyes wide, my breath caught in my lungs.

“Stay down!” Pablo shouts as he hops into the front seat, his hand reaching back to push me down against the seat. “Just stay down, Mercy. We’re getting you out of here.”

I barely register the car peeling out, the tires squealing as we speed away from the carnage. I’m in shock, my mind reeling, my heart shattering in my chest.

*This can’t be happening. This can’t be real.*

It feels like I’m in a dream, a nightmare I can’t wake up from and can’t move or think in.

Dimly, I’m aware of Ben beside me, his face pale, his hands shaking as he fumbles with his belt. It takes me a moment to realize what he’s doing, to see the blood soaking through his blue jeans, the bullet wound just above his knee.

“Y-You were shot,” I breathe out shakily.

*Wake up, Mercy! Think!*

I blink, snapping out of my daze, my hands moving on instinct. I help him with his belt, pulling it tight around his thigh, trying to staunch the flow of blood. He grits his teeth, a pain-filled hiss escaping his lips as I do my best to hold it in place, his warm blood staining my hands.

“Mercy,” he manages, his voice strained. “Get 911 on the phone. We need help.”

*911? The hospital’s…*

“N-No,” my voice shakes as I scramble to get my phone out of my pocket. “Get us home.” With fumbling fingers, I pull out my phone, my hands shaking so badly I can barely navigate the call app.

“No. We need—”

“Just listen to me!” I snap, setting the phone on speaker as it dials Marcel’s line. “We’ll never make it to the hospital in time.”

I see the hesitation in his eyes through the rearview mirror, but then he nods, muttering an *alright* that I barely catch. The phone rings, my blood pulsing in my ears as I wait painfully until finally, blessedly, I hear Marcel’s voice on the other end.

“Mercy? What’s going on?”

“Marcel,” my voice trembles. “I-It’s Ben. He’s been shot. W-we were ambushed. And–and Frank…”

I can’t finish, the words sticking in my throat, choking me. There’s a beat of silence on the other end, a pause that feels like an eternity.

Then, Marcel’s voice again, hard and controlled. “Where are you now? Are you safe?”

“We’re in the car,” I manage, my eyes flickering to Pablo in the driver’s seat as he watches Ben through the rearview mirror with a worrisome, guilty glint in his eyes, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. “We got away, but Ben…he needs help, Marcel. H-He’s…th-there’s a lot of blood…”

“Get back home,” Marcel orders, his voice calm and collected, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I’ll have a medical team ready and waiting. Just keep pressure on the wound, and keep him awake. You can do this, baby doll.”

I nod, even though he can’t see me, a shuddering breath escaping my lips. “Okay,” I whisper. “Okay…”

My eyes snap up to meet Ben’s glassy ones, his green irises just slightly faded as he struggles to hold an even breath.

The drive back to the estate is a blur, a nightmarish haze of fear and adrenaline. I keep my hands pressed to Ben’s leg, feeling the warmth of his blood seeping through my fingers, trying to ignore the way his face grows paler with each passing minute.

*Please, God. Please don’t let him die. I can’t lose anyone else.*