The world came back into perspective at alarming speed. A moment ago, I was lost in the cosmic design of the multiverse, and another moment, I was present in the stark coldness of the laboratory. But I wasn’t like Brianne who left. From our fused consciousness, I drew strength from Lucy, and it brought me a clarity and direction that I’d never experienced earlier.
Standing in front of us, The Architect and The Raven looked upset with a blend of fury and astonishment. The tension filled the air and was dense enough to have trouble breathing.
“This is impossible,” The Architect spluttered, his usually easy manner breaking apart like thin ice. “The integration had the purpose of making you obedient and flexible. “This” was supposed to be our tool, not you.
I had the sensation of a smile trying to pull my lips up, as Lucy’s spirit of defiance came alive within me. “I’m sorry to say this,” I responded, my voice considerably calmer than I had heard it be before. “But we’re nobody’s tool.”
The Raven looked at something with her eyes narrowed and a gaze that could slice. “No matter,” he hissed. If our control over you is lacking, we will just need to remove you. All of you.”
I could barely react because it happened so fast. His coat swallowed the Raven’s hand, and it reemerged with a polished, black pistol. The Architect, alongside his, duplicated the movement, resulting in the creation of his own weapon.
“No!” Chase shouted, making a forward lunge. Still, he was both too far off and too slow.
My observation of their tightened finger grip on the triggers felt as if time began to slow down. At that continual moment, I had a crystal clear perspective on everything. Zoe’s eyes, wide with terror. Knowing he’d come too late, Detective Morris held his weapon halfway ready. As Chase wore a face full of pain and regret, he reached out in a sad attempt to stop what was on its way.
At that moment, before I really felt the hit of bullets
chaos erupted.
A loud and thunderous sound accompanied the opening of the laboratory door. A large influx of armed police officers came in, their weapons up and their commands roaring in a cacophony.
“POLICE! DROP YOUR WEAPONS!”
“PUT THEM WHERE WE CAN SEE!”
“ON THE GROUND, NOW!”
The Architect and The Raven took a split second to evaluate, looking back and forth between us and the newly emerged threat. It took the police that amount of time.
Two strong cracks rang out, forcing The Architect to reel back, while red appeared on his immaculate white shirt. He gazed at the widening stain with a look of nearly comic surprise before collapsing to the floor.
Being the survivor that he is, The Raven laid his weapon down and put his hands up. But the icy rage in his eyes made it clear that this wasn’t yielding-it was just a strategic withdrawal.
“On your knees!” an officer yelled and moved closer to him with his weapon consistently aimed.
I thought he would follow through for a short while. Finally, almost as swiftly as a snake striking, his hand went into his pocket. I noticed a gleam of metal-not of a gun, but a small, rounded piece.
“Grenade!” Yelling, Detective Morris jumped towards Zoe and I.
The planet became a blaze of light and a cacophony of sound. I perceived the force of Morris’s body hitting us, bringing us to the ground as the blast’s concussive energy washed over us. My hearing grew faint, and there were spots that spun before me.
After my vision improved, I recognized The Raven bolting through a side door, shoving aside stunned officers as he went. Nevertheless, he had misjudged the readiness of the police force. When he burst through the door, he collided with another set of officers who were working to secure the perimeter.
He fought like a trapped animal, his movements a swift whirl of deadly precision. Still, he had the smallest number and the weakest arms. My heart beating fast, I stood by watching as he managed to strike down two officers, with a third then landing a clean shot.
The gunshot resonated within the room, and The Raven stumbled. For a moment, he was rooted in place, rocking a little and his eyes opened wide with shock. She fell apart, just like a marionette without its strings.
The quiet that happened next was terrifying.
“Is… is it over?” Zoe’s unsteady voice interrupted the illusion.
I aided her to her feet as my own legs carried on shaking. “I think that is the case,” I replied, even though I found it hard to believe.
Detective Morris was already making motions, giving commands to the officers arriving in the room. “Secure the perimeter! I long for an exhaustive search of every single inch of this location. “Get a medical over here, right away!”
As the shock began to subside, the room turned into a chaotic commotion. A team of officers crowded every space, gathering evidence and assembling staggered members of the Phoenix Organization, who had come to check out the commotion.
Standing in the center of this tempest, I felt a strange kind of apartness. The cosmic energy that rushed through me a few moments earlier is still there, yet it feels quieter now, obscured by the very human events happening around me.
“Brianne?” I became attentive to Chase’s doubtful voice. A few feet from him, his face reflected guilt alongside uncertainty. “Are you… I mean, is it really you?”
I evaluated him for a moment, allowing the memories of betrayal from Lucy to clash with my own feelings of friendship. “It’s me,” I said finally. “But it’s not only my concern anymore.”
A comprehension arose in his eyes. “Lucy,” he breathed. “She’s… you’re…”
I illustrated, ‘We’ve merged,’ because I felt the explanation didn’t capture the deep change that had happened to me. I have obtained all of Lucy’s memories, along with her strength and weaknesses.