And just like that, Dakota completely snaps, beginning to run out of the door.

"Dakota, wait," I yell after her, but she's not listening, sprinting out the door almost immediately.

I race after her, Blake and Athena staring intently at the screen, furiously punching codes into the computer system. What happened? I have no time to consider that, however, as I dart out the door, after Dakota.

Once out of the room, Dakota taps the wall and a hologram pops up.

"We have to save Xavier," she says desperately, looking over at us, "and I know that if we play the video now, Xavier has zero percent of survival."

Her gaze flickers to mine. "Please, Amber. Please. You know how nigh Xavier means to me."

I stop short. Would I sacrifice Xavier for the sake of the revolution? My heart palpitates and my hands begin to get clammy, and I lick my lips, trying to make a decision.

"Amber," Carmen's voice rings out from behind me, the guards unable to reach us because of the blocks Carmen placed there, and the giant gap separating the two blocks. They're just standing there now, no guns or bullets or anything of the sort, and I know it's because of Xavier. His father will not let us get hurt because we're what he wants.

"Amber, there's a problem. Someone has hacked into our video, and I'm telling you there are dire consequences if we decide to play it, because there's some cyber technological problem that I don't even want to know about," she continues.

"Amber, she's right. Don't play the video. You don't want to hurt Xavier or anyone else, don't you?" Dakota's eyes are pleading as I turn around to face Carmen. Chance jogs out from the room, his eyes resting on me.

"Amber, we don't have time."

I take a deep breath, the consequences of my decision flashing before my eyes. What people would say about me. The hate. The rage. The detest.

"Play the video." I say firmly.

Dakota's eyes widen. "What?" Her voice hitches.

"I said, play the video." I repeat, stronger this time.

"Amber, are you thinking clearly?" Carmen snaps.

"Play the video." I almost yell.

"Amber," Chance takes a step towards me, and he looks as if he doesn't know me. He approaches me wearily, as if I'm a savage animal that will attack him at any moment.

Maybe I am.

"Play the video and proceed with the plan. Carmen, let me cross the bridge. I'll go myself." I know I'm being rash and hot-headed, acting on instinct, but I have no choice.

"I'm going to ask you one last time. Are. You. Sure?" Carmen asks.

I nod.

"You're not going alone." Chance says upon reaching me, his hand wrapping around my wrist.

I jerk my hand away, and hurt flashes across his face for a moment. I can't risk him, though. That's one thing I'm sure of.

"I don't need you," I say, and his face hardens. I've hit his weak spot-his pride. That was what landed me in the Black Hole, what started this whole mess. And yet again I'm triggering that bomb, that weapon that may kill me.

"You don't?" He scoffs. "So you think you're some type of major superhero that will save the day? Do you know how stupid and juvenile that is? You know, you know what walking away from me right now means." He lets go of my wrist.

I nod, trying to ignore the stab in my heart. Chance keeps his eyes on me, awaiting my reaction.

"The video is going to play in ten seconds," says Carmen, having returned from the room after my decision. Dakota stands pale and quivering, leaning against one of the blocks. The guards remain to stand at attention.

If I tell Chance the real reason why I'm not letting me go with him, he'll definitely force me to take him with me. And I can't let that happen, not to Chance.

"Let me go," I say, and Carmen pauses for a while before finally nodding and tapping some controls on the walls, motioning for me to walk through the right block instead.

And in that split second, chaos begins.

The soldiers run through the block even before I reach it, and aim their guns at us.

"Hands on your head!" They yell, and we begin to back against the room.

Except for Dakota. She's standing there, not moving, and I know what she's thinking. She's hoping that they'll leave or it's a hologram and that she can make a run for it and go save Xavier.

But I know better.

"I said, hands on your head!" The soldier bellows. Chance moves instinctively towards me, but the look on his face tells me he hasn't forgiven me yet. Slowly, Carmen raises her hands. I follow suit, my hands shaky. Chance's jaw tightens, but he says nothing as he lifts his hands.

"On your knees," a guard says, pointing a gun at us while another walks towards the immobilized Dakota.

My heart palpitates as I lower myself to the floor, Chance next to me, his eyes trained on the guard.

"Those in the room are to walk out slowly with their hands on their head, without any weapons in hand," the chief soldier-the one who'd been yelling all along-shouts.

"One." No one emerges from the room, and I close my eyes.

"Two." Silence.

"Thr-" everyone freezes, except for us.

Athena wheels herself out of the doorway, sweat dripping from her forehead. Blake is right behind her, Sharlynn and Caden tagging along. Sharlynn's face is pale, Caden's arm wrapped around her waist securely.

I get to my feet immediately, because Dakota is running away at such a fast speed I don't think Carmen can solidify the block in time. Sharlynn and Caden head towards Chance.

"Dakota!" I yell, racing after her. "Dakota, wait!"

And then that's when I hear the noise, the crackling in the sky, the hum of the pod, and my first steady breath. Then my voice booms across the whole floor.

"My name is Amber Corinne Evans..."

--------------

"Oh no. No, no, no," Dakota shakes her head, her eyes widening in panic. "We need to get to Xavier now."

And that's when the guards start moving again.

They head towards Athena, who has a look of pure determination, to fight, to live, plastered on her face.

Carmen and Blake defend her, knowing that they won't get injured too badly if Xavier's father wants them. Still, my heart is in my mouth as I watch Carmen narrowly dodge a kick from someone.

Guards head towards Chance, Sharlynn and Caden, another group's focused zeroed on Dakota and I.

"Run!" I yell, speeding through the block and heading towards the stairs, Dakota right behind me, the guards at our heels. Dakota's voice begins to play in the video.

"Go, go, go!" I urge, my feet almost missing a step. Dakota glides up the stairs flawlessly, and turns to step up the next one.

"Where was Xavier?" I ask.

"There's only one place that his father can keep him-the therapy rooms. It's upstairs," Dakota replies, her words almost incoherent.

We reach the next level and I open the door, the sound of machinery and loud bangs coming from behind me.

We need to go faster.

Dakota speeds through the door and I slam it shut, locking it with a flick of my wrist before moving towards the therapy rooms, all with identical yellow doors, placed side by side. Dakota opens the first door. Nothing.

I open the second and third door simultaneously.

And Xavier is in both of them, his father beside him.

"Xavier?" Dakota's voice is high-pitched and afraid.

Xavier's father walks out of the room, and the two of him become one. It works like a mirror, I suppose. The guards' footsteps stop.

And Xavier emerges from the room as well, his face stoic.

"Xavier!" Relieved, Dakota runs towards him, but Xavier shoves her away, making her collapse on the floor. Next, in one fluid motion he places his foot on Dakota's back and holds her wrists up in the air behind her back.

"If you haven't realized, Xavier's memories, the recent ones with you inside them, have been erased, Miss Adams." Xavier's father says.

"I'm not part of that family," Dakota spits, and Xavier yells, "Keep your mouth shut or you'll be sorry for talking back to my father!"

"There's no need for that, Xavier, don't worry." Xavier's father's faze roams towards me.

"Guess it's all over now, isn't it?"

And then Xavier's voice plays, and he raises his head to look at himself, the video playing on the wall.

"When was this taken?" He asks slowly, and his father approaches him at a tortoise speed. Xavier's eyes widen, and he lifts his foot, moving backwards after releasing Dakota's wrists. He drops to the floor in a crouch, his head in his hands.

"Xavier?" Dakota rushes over to him and wraps her arms around him. "Xavier, what's wrong?"

"Go away. Go away, Dakota," he says, before a scream tears its way out of his throat.

"Xavier. Xavier, relax," Dakota eases him into a seating position and wraps her legs around his hips. Xavier's father has a control in his hands.

"Shall I intensify the pain, Xavier?" He smirks.

"N-no, Master," Xavier stammers, broken and weak.

Dakota's hands cup his face and lifts his head to look at him in the eye.

"Xavier," she says firmly, "don't be scared of him. You're not like that. You're strong and brave and amazing."

Xavier grimaces, tears escaping his eyes.

"G-go away," he stammers.

"Xavier, you have five seconds. Five seconds to change your mind." Xavier's father warns.

"Xavier, look at me. Don't give in. Don't give up. That's what you told me, right?" Her eyes search his desperately. "You can't throw it all away, not now. Keep your chin up, Xavier, don't let your crown fall."

Xavier closes his eyes, the pain to intense to speak. He grabs on to Dakota, who stares at him and whispers soothing words into his ear. She's not going to let him go, even though he's Edit's successor, even though he has a tracker in him that may kill us, even though he's imperfect and doesn't have a family.

And that is love.

I think of my decision back downstairs. It seems so immature now, and I suddenly wished that I'd thought before I spoke. I shouldn't have hurt Chance. I should have considered his perspective.

"Three." Xavier's father's words carry an underlying menace.

Xavier's mouth opens, as if he wants to say something, but then he closes his mouth again.

He's not going to give up.

"Two." Xavier's father chuckles. "You seem very eager to relive your childhood, Xavier."

My heart stops just to think about what torture he has been put through. Dakota kisses his cheek, running her fingers through his hair and murmuring things to him.

Xavier grimaces, and buries his head in Dakota's shoulder. She kisses his head, rubbing his back. I can tell that he's in extreme pain, but he's fighting it. For us. For Dakota. For himself. He wants to stop Edit, and he's willing to make sacrifices.

I stand there limply, uselessly, and then watch the horror unfold.

"Last chance, Xavier, last chance." His father reminds. Xavier pulls back and looks at him, before looking back at the girl he loves doubtfully, his eyes holding pain and worry, and I know it's not worry for him, but for her. He needs to know that she won't get hurt by his decision.

I didn't think of that when I made my choice. She gently strokes his tear-stained cheek, her eyes warm and comforting, telling him silently that everything will be alright, and she will be there no matter what happens.

He presses his lips to hers just as the word leaves his father's mouth.

"One."

---------

Hey there! I'm back! Sorry for the late update, school's been quite busy nowadays. Hope that you all know how amazing you are, and thank you for reading this story even though it's not on the Hot List or Recommended. It means a lot to me.

xoxo -NeverEverGiveUp-