Joan had a difficult time wrapping her head around all this. She couldn't understand the grand scheme of it. It was too much for a grumpy diner waitress to process.

"I... I don't know," she stammered, burying her head in her hands and rubbing her temples. The flood of information overwhelmed her, and she could feel a headache creeping in.

But there was still so much she wanted to know. Was Max truly trying to protect Robin, or was that just a ploy to get her to agree to follow him? How did she know Erik was even telling the truth? And the rebel organization, Ironside—Joan thought the name was ridiculous. She'd never even heard of it before.

"Jo, I'm sorry for dragging you into this," Max began, his words spilling out in a rush. "Ivar wanted me to bring in someone I thought could handle this many upgrades. I didn't want to involve Robin, so I thought you'd be willing... you know, to get the upgrade to protect her." He paused to catch his breath but quickly continued. "Then Erik came out of nowhere, talking about the government taking down Ironside. You have to help him, Jo. It's the only way for us to get out of this mess and have a normal life again."

Joan wasn't entirely listening—her headache was worsening—but she caught the gist of what Max was saying.

"So what about Bryson? Did he have anything to do with this? Was he threatening you or something?" she asked.

Max raised his eyebrows, surprised by the unrelated question.

"Oh, uh, no. I think he wants an upgrade, but Ivar doesn't want a privileged kid to get one."

Joan nodded. Max had more money than her, but not as much as Bryson. It made sense that Ivar wouldn't want to involve someone like him.

The stress was unbearable, and Joan's headache intensified. She closed her eyes, squeezing her temples as she breathed deeply. Erik noticed and approached, crouching in front of her.

When Joan opened her eyes briefly, she was startled by how close Erik was. She wanted to push him away but winced at the stabbing pain in her head.

"Here, let me," Erik said, sliding his fingers swiftly over his ear and then hers before she could react.

"Helix, activate the Medic upgrade," Erik instructed.

Medic Upgrade Activated, said the Helix.

Erik's blue eyes widened as he concentrated on something neither Joan nor Max could see. Joan froze as his fingers moved like he was maneuvering invisible controls. Both Helixes glowed a soft pastel blue—a calming, ethereal light unique to Medic upgrades. Joan found herself mesmerized by the glow until Erik stood and stepped back.

"I regulated some chemicals in your brain to alleviate the migraine," Erik explained. "Your serotonin and dopamine levels were low, and your norepinephrine was imbalanced—classic signs of stress."

Which you caused, Joan almost blurted but held back. Her migraine was gone.

"Wow," she whispered, tentatively touching her temples. She hadn't seen a medic in years; it was too expensive without insurance. "I guess you really are a medic."

"If you work for Ivar, I'd personally take care of you—like I do with Max," Erik said. "I'd monitor your health constantly, heal you when needed, and ensure you're in peak condition. And once we take down Ivar, I'll cut a deal to let you keep some upgrades. Plus, you'd get a salary. What do you say, Joan?"

"What does Ivar think is happening now? Does he know I woke up after the upgrade?" she asked cautiously.

"I told him you're still in a coma. It took Max a few days to wake up, but you only needed half a day—impressive. If you refuse, though, I'll have to report you. You're too dangerous to be left in the city without supervision."

"Why can't you just remove my upgrades now?" she pleaded.

"It'd be suspicious," Erik replied, sighing. "If Ivar finds out you woke up, he'll either force you to join him or eliminate you. Now, decide quickly—he keeps asking about you. He wasn't this interested when Max got upgraded."

Joan realized she had no choice.

"I'll agree... if I can break Max's face," she declared.

Max's eyes widened, and Erik struggled to contain his laughter.

"As his superior, I'll allow it—but just hurt him, not break him," Erik negotiated with a smirk.

"Deal." Joan rose unsteadily and approached Max. Erik intervened, pushing Max down.

"Take it like a man, Max," Erik ordered, holding him in place with his long legs.

"Joan, I'm sorry! Ivar made me activate my Ego upgrade—it wasn't my fault—"

Joan didn't let him finish. Weak from the upgrade, she used what strength she had to kick him in the face. The impact produced a satisfying crack, though not enough to break his jaw—unfortunately.

Max whimpered, clutching his face. "It wasn't my fault!" he cried.

"Stop being such a baby," Erik snapped. "You punched her first, remember?"

Joan massaged her foot, wishing she'd worn her combat boots for a stronger kick.

"What's the Ego upgrade?" Joan asked, ignoring Max's groans.

"It amplifies self-importance," Erik explained. "Max's upgrades suit him because they align with who he subconsciously wants to be."

Joan turned to Max. "Whether it was you or your 'alter ego,' you still did it. Man up and take responsibility."

Max averted his eyes, guilt written all over his face.

"You didn't explain the Vigor and Dagger upgrade," Joan insisted.

Happy that she was asking for more details about Max's Helix, Erik explained, "Yes, yes. The Vigor upgrade enhances the major muscles of the body, boosting strength, speed, and reflexes. That's why he was able to hit you so hard and knock you out instantly. The Dagger upgrade, on the other hand, is a whole different beast. It lets the nanotech in the ink manipulate your blood to create weapons. The ink and blood mix together and seep out of your skin, forming almost any weapon."

"So he cut my ties with a knife made out of blood and nanotech ink?" Joan scrunched her nose in disgust. She wasn't squeamish about blood, but the thought of Max wielding a solidified chunk of his own was unsettling.

"Exactly. Honestly, whoever designed these upgrades is a genius. Ivar keeps the scientist responsible locked away. No one but him has ever seen them. My superiors want us to find this person and bring them to our side. But priority one is taking down Ivar—dead or alive."

Joan mulled over the mystery scientist. What kind of person would create something so groundbreaking, only to hide away and work for someone like Ivar? They could be rich and famous if they used their talents for good.

"Why didn't you just kill him when I was getting my upgrade? He was right there," she pointed out.

Max, avoiding the scattered clothes and trash on the floor, stood up and walked to the door. He slipped into the living room, where Joan's mother was still passed out on the couch. Joan watched as he plopped onto the floor, grabbed the hologram remote, and started a low-volume video.

"It's not that simple," Erik said. "Aside from you and Max, there's only one other person who's survived dozens of experimental upgrades—and that's Ivar. I haven't seen what he can do, but the rumors are insane. He's mastered every upgrade he's ever had. The only way to take him down is to find someone who can match him. That's where you and Max come in."

From the other room, Joan could hear her mom's snoring growing louder. Max, visibly annoyed, turned up the volume on the trashy show he was watching. Joan clenched her teeth and stood. She stomped over to the door and slammed it shut, muting the chaos outside.

"What makes you think Max or I could take down Ivar if he's so strong?" The more Erik talked, the less confident she felt about surviving this ordeal.

She expected some kind of reassurance, maybe even a motivational speech. Instead, Erik bluntly said, "To be honest, I don't think either of you stands a chance against Ivar. Max already told you as much. Neither of you can handle the struggle."

Joan stared at him, stunned. Sure, Max might not have a fighting chance, but her? She'd grown up in the slums, scraping for every meal, wearing clothes so filthy she'd been picked on and avoided. Her mom didn't give a damn about her, let alone the fact that two men had barged into their apartment and hurt her. Joan wasn't physically strong, but she was hungry. For money. For power. For a way out.

She'd even risked her life for the upgrades. And though Max had lied to her, part of her was grateful for the outcome. If he'd been upfront, she might have agreed willingly. What really stung was the betrayal.

Fourteen upgrades were already dangerous, and she knew that. But thirty? That was on another level. It made her a walking target, the kind of person you noticed on the street. And it could kill her. But if it meant escaping this shitty apartment and her deadbeat mom, it was worth it.

The alternative was to rot here for the rest of her life. And at this point, she'd rather die.

Joan gritted her teeth but said nothing to Erik's comment. He had no idea what she was capable of. Neither did Max. Both of them had grown up with stable lives. Erik, with his polished demeanor, practically reeked of privilege. How could either of them compare their struggles to hers? Instead of arguing, she met Erik's gaze and said, "I'm ready. Take me to Ivar."