The phone was vibrating in Ryan's hand with each sounding of its tone. Rather than the typical songs or musical tunes that adorned so many mobile phones, this was the basic, old fashioned 'ring ring' two tone alert.

He stared at it blankly.

"Who is it?" Pedra asked.

Rather than say the name, he held his hand up for her to see.

Ring ring.

Dad.

"Shit."

Ryan offered the device to Pedra, but she held up her hand and shook her head.

"No fucking way. You took it, you deal."

Ring ring.

Shit.

He pressed to answer, then hit the speaker icon, turning the volume down immediately to allow them both to hear while limiting it to their close quarters.

"Ryan, isn't it?"

Shit.

So, that didn't last long, did it? Any thoughts of having a head start were gone. Any thoughts of not being discovered at all were the stupid hopes of a naïve mind. He looked at Pedra and she shrugged.

Who did you expect? Santa? The Tooth Fairy? Answer him!

Thanks for the help, eh?

"Yeah. So?"

"How are you?"

"Who are you?"

"Hmmm... Good response. I like your spirit."

"No answers, as usual."

"But Ryan, you can't avoid my questions and not expect me to do the same. Let's start again. How are you?"

"Who are you?"

Dad sighed.

"Fine, I see how it is. I suppose I can't blame you. We haven't been very forthcoming, have we?"

"Forthcoming? Do you even know what that means?"

"You'd be surprised what I know. It's my job to, in fact. And I know all about you."

"Yeah, but I don't. I don't want to either. I'm happy with who I am, and that's not your plaything any longer."

Pedra was shaking her head frantically and making a repeated slicing gesture at her throat.

"NO!" she mouthed.

Maybe this guy wasn't the sort to be spoken to like that. With disrespect. To do so came with consequences and, in this place, they could be fatal. If Bradley was bad, her father would probably be worse.

So?

Well, Ryan thought, my dad always told me respect had to be earned, and this dad wasn't his and had done no such thing.

Suddenly, he could see his father saying those exact words. The man was tall and had a permanently fierce expression. His mum – shit, his mum! - would say her husband didn't have a 'resting bitch face' as it was never at rest. He staggered slightly and put his hand on the protruding keypad for support. The memories were as clear as it they'd happened only that morning. Shouldn't they be vaguer, dulled by the passage of time? How could they be so vivid? His parents! He could remember his fucking parents!

Pedra's looked concerned and moved to help him, but he waved her off. The memory, though it had shaken him, had also energised him. Whatever they'd done to him was wearing off. Perhaps his memories weren't erased. Maybe they were only veiled. Covered with a mental blanket that was slowly slipping off and taking with it Time's layer of dust.

"Oh, my dear boy, you were never our plaything. We don't play, here. We change the world! You've been helping us with that, and you've been wonderful."

"I didn't offer to help. You didn't ask. You should have left me alone. All of us."

"Unfortunately, Ryan, we can't do that. Greater good and all that. Necessity is the mother of all innovation, invention and some really nasty things that I don't like having to do, but must. Necessity, you see."

"Fuck necessity. You were experimenting on us! Killing us over and over!"

"And yet that doesn't fill you with wonder?"

"Wonder? It's barbaric!"

"I don't deny that, but you have lived and died so many times, my boy. Isn't that nothing short of a miracle? Even Jesus couldn't manage that."

"Well, if someone gives someone a present on my birthday in two thousand years, I'll admit you might be right. Until then, fuck you."

The man sighed. He didn't speak for a moment, then cleared his throat before continuing.

"I'll allow some attitude. It's understandable. I won't tolerate rudeness. My daughter's failings will still be our successes. And that includes you, Pedra."

Pedra's eyes were wide and she stepped back, right into the arms of a guard. One arm went around her neck and the other was held onto, to allow squeezing.

"Let her go," instructed Bradley's father. He must have been watching them, though Ryan couldn't see any cameras pointing at them.

"But, sir..."

"Now."

Bradley Senior didn't need to add any edge to his voice for it to be taken notice of, clearly. The guard released his captive. She moved to Ryan's side and took a posture that indicated she would react at the slightest provocation.

"Don't let me stop you Pedra. Do what you must. He did, after all, question me."

The guard's face was obscured by dark glasses and a mouth covering, so Ryan couldn't see his expression, but his instantly defensive stance and stuttered "No!" showed he knew what was coming. For her part, Pedra gave him no chance to do anything more. She was in the air, leaping from her spot next to him. Her leg extended, and foot connected under his throat. The guard was thrown back, accompanied by the sound of a neck snapping. They landed simultaneously. Only one was still breathing, and it was at a rate that had yet to increase.

"You didn't have to kill him, you know. He was decent, and he didn't have any cycles ready yet. Just another day or so would have been fine. They'd have been cooked."

Pedra shrugged and looked at the phone, but remained silent.

"Not in a talking mood, I see. I can understand that. It's a shame we'll have to kill you too. I always liked you. Didn't trust you, but you had a nice smile."

Her face dropped, but she didn't appear to be concerned. Ryan supposed, in a world where you could just be replaced if you died, death lost its mystery. It was no longer a threat, merely an inconvenience.

And so normal. He was surprised at little the words shocked him. Death, said or experienced enough times, became just another word.

"Of course, when I say 'kill you', I mean all of you. Did I mention that? I don't recall."

Pedra released a choked squeal and grabbed the phone from Ryan. She brought it close to her mouth.

"You bastard," she hissed. "I've given my life – lives – for you. You're a sadistic fuck!"

"And your contribution is without measure," Dad said. His voice was too jolly for the conversation. He sounded relaxed, and it was clear he was smiling. "But, let's face it, you were doing this for Fiona. Your feelings for her were known before we recruited you, and were one of the deciding factors in your placement. You'd do anything for her, and thus for us."

"W..what? No. You don't know what you're..."

"Deny all you like, Pedra. Why do you think my daughter kept you around? She knew you were in love with her. Oh, the joys and advantages of unrequited love!"

"I..."

Pedra stopped speaking. Her cheeks were flushed, showing her guilt, though Ryan felt there was nothing to feel guilty for. A person couldn't help who they fell for.

"That's better," Bradley's father said. "Now, bring our boy Ryan back. We'll cycle you and forget this ever happened. I might even be able to talk Fiona into going out on a date for you. How does that feel?"

Hope blossomed in Pedra's eyes, but it faded as quickly. She knew he was just playing with her. There was no going back, and Bradley would shun her, rather than welcome her with open arms and pouted lips.

Ryan took her hands and she looked at him helplessly. He shook his head.

"It's all bullshit, you know that right?"

She nodded, hesitantly.

"Are you certain of that, Pedra? You know I'm a man of my word. You've seen that."

She closed her eyes and shook her head.

"You are, yes. And you also don't change your mind."

"And what does that mean?"

"There'll be no cycling or dates. Fiona doesn't see me that way. I know that, so you can't change it for all your skills and influence. I know this is the end for me."

"It doesn't have to be, not if it stops now."

Pedra looked at the phone, struggling with what she wished for and what she knew. Finally, she pressed End Call.

"Fuck him and his games. You need to know the truth."

"But you'll die."

"So what? It won't be the first time. It'll just be the last. It's about time."

"Can you tell me how? What this all is?"

"I can do better than that. I can show you."