CHAPTER 129: HEARTSTRINGS

CHAPTER 129: HEARTSTRINGS
"Go ahead, Ivanka." Orion's piercing voice reverberated across the chilly chamber.

I remained motionless, pointing the rifle toward Damian with a shaking hand. He looked at me steadily and calmly.

He whispered, "Ivanka, you know this isn't you."

The demands roared louder inside my head.

Compliance is required. Pay attention. Get rid of the danger.

I tried to ignore the voices by gritting my teeth.

I muttered, "I won't harm you, Damian."

Orion took a step forward. "The program will take over entirely if you don't."

I shut my eyes and tried to find strength. My mind was filled with memories of Damian—his generosity, his humor, and his belief in me.

I trembled as I asked, "Do you recall when we watched the stars?"

Damian gave a nod. "You told me that you felt liberated in the air."

I clung to the memories even as the voices in my head became louder.

"I am not a weapon," I firmly stated.

Orion's expression grew stern. Ivanka, you have to make a decision. Kill him or perish.

Tears filled my eyes as I glanced at Damian. "This is not something I can do."

He gave a soft smile. "Then don't."

However, my finger clenched on the trigger as the mental pressure increased.

"Go ahead, Ivanka." Orion's piercing voice reverberated across the chilly chamber.

I remained motionless, pointing the rifle toward Damian with a shaking hand. He looked at me steadily and calmly.

He whispered, "Ivanka, you know this isn't you."

The demands roared louder inside my head.

Compliance is required. Pay attention. Get rid of the danger.

I tried to ignore the voices by gritting my teeth.

I muttered, "I won't harm you, Damian."

Orion took a step forward. "The program will take over entirely if you don't."

I shut my eyes and tried to find strength. My mind was filled with memories of Damian—his generosity, humor, and belief in me.

"Do you recall our time spent gazing at the stars?" My voice trembled as I spoke.

Damian gave a nod. "You told me that you felt liberated in the air."

I clung to the memories even as the voices in my head became louder.

"I am not a weapon," I firmly stated.

Orion's expression grew stern. Ivanka, you have to make a decision. Kill him or perish.

Tears filled my eyes as I glanced at Damian. "This is not something I can do."

He gave a soft smile. "Then don't."

However, my finger clenched on the trigger as the mental pressure increased.

Everything seemed to go slowly. I was unable to move my arms. I felt like my legs were made of stone. Like a broken bell, my mind buzzed.

I wanted to scream, but I refrained from doing so.

"Ivanka!" Damian shook me. "Observe me!"

However, I was unable to.

I saw him. I could hear him, but I felt as though I was confined by a wall of glass.

Once more, the voice in my ear said. Be calm. chilly. similar to a machine.

"You are a member of the code."

"Do as you are told."

"No," I said to myself. "I'm not this person."

My face was in Damian's hands. He had tears in his eyes.

He remarked, "You're stronger than this." "Return to me."

He spoke softly. Like a storm of song.

And the buzzing ceased for a moment.

I blinked. Only once.

As he muttered, "Ivanka?"

Then the ache returned, more intensely.

My body got to its feet by itself. It wasn't told to me. I had no desire to.

I took a step back from Damian.

He stood trembling. "What's going on?"

I didn't want my lips to move, but they did.

Target attested. Getting ready to be executed.

"No!" Inside, I let out a scream. "Stop it! I'm not this person!

But my scream went unheard.

I reached down and took the rifle in my hand.

Damian stopped. "No, Ivanka. Keep them from winning.

I gave it my throughout the battle. I forced myself to do so. I mentally kicked the wall. I yelled.

Then a tiny recollection appeared.

That was the day I received a paper flower from Damian. It was crimson. similar to hope.

He had stated, "You are more than just code." "You are a heart."

And I felt as though something had broken inside of me.

In my grasp, the rifle trembled.

I rotated it.

I didn't point it at Damian.

at my head, anyway.

Damian let out a gasp. "Ivanka! Don't!

I gave a small smile. "That's better than losing myself than losing everything."

A fresh voice reverberated around the room as my finger touched the trigger: "Stop. That is sufficient.

I spun around, frozen once more.

Ethan emerged from the shadows.

alive.

and grinning.

I went cold.

My hands were shaking now, but my finger was still on the trigger. I gazed at him. Ethan. alive. He was standing there as if he had never left.

His feet were silent on the ground as he took a step closer. He replied softly, as if I were a child holding a toy I shouldn't have, "Put the gun down, Ivanka."

Behind me, Damian was panting heavily. Without even looking back, I could sense his terror.

I muttered, "You should be dead by now."

Ethan grinned, but it wasn't a joyful one. "You believe that I would allow this game to end without any surprises?"

My pulse quickened. I had lost the voice in my head. Keep quiet. As if it were awaiting Ethan's words.

"What are you looking for?" My voice was low as I asked.

He declared, "I want what I've always wanted." "To keep the world safe." And the key is still you, Ivanka.

With trepidation, I inhaled. "You attempted to manipulate me."

"I did," he declared. "Because you were overly gentle." Look at you now, though—ready to die instead of comply. Power is that.

I took a step back. "You are no longer able to use me."

Ethan's head cocked. "Oh, but I have it already."

Then he lifted his hand and gave it a snap.

The room hummed loudly.

Damian moaned and dropped to his knees behind me.

"Damian!" He was holding his head and trembling when I dropped to him. His eyes widened in agony.

"How did you treat him?" I yelled.

Calm and ruthless, Ethan knelt next to us. He is now connected to you. His bond awoke along with your code. Your thinking is linked to his.

I glanced at Damian below. His hands were grasping the floor, and his breathing was labored.

"He dies too if you die," Ethan remarked.

My blood became icy.

He said, "Ivanka, you have a choice." "Come with me, or we'll both be killed."

My grip on the rifle tightened once more.

With sorrow, Damian gazed up at me. "Avoid going with him."

I gazed at Ethan.

I could feel his hand reaching out.

He spoke softly. "Make a decision."

The lights then began to flicker. Behind us, a door crashed open.

A harsh, snarling voice yelled, "Ethan, get out of her way."

Slowly, I turned.

And Orion was standing there.