H is awake. H is awake. H is awake. Those words spiraled endlessly in my mind. That meant alive. That meant safe and sound. My heart damn near burst out of my chest, happiness and relieve mixed with a gnawing anxiety, that had my insides turned upside down. What the heck was I supposed to say to her now? Would she be angry? Sad? What questions would she have?

I got to the medical bay as fast as I could, but when I arrived, I found Kate waiting outside Heather's room.

"Have you seen her?" I said, rushing toward the doorknob. Kate slid into my path, blocking my way.

"Slow down, Grace."

"What? Is she okay? Please tell me she is okay!"

"She is. The doctor told me she was really lucky. Part of the laser bounced on her rib's implant." Kate explained.

The information comforted me in such a way that I felt as if I had been freed from chronic pain. Who would've thought I'd see the bright side of implants in this way?

"I brought her clothes, a blanket, two towels, some snacks..." I couldn't stop talking; my nerves were the ones speaking.

"Calm down, Grace." Kate said, looking at the massive bag, I was carrying. "Thanks for the stuff. I'll make sure she gets it." She gripped the handle.

"What? No way. I'll give it to her myself." I tugged the bag closer to me.

Kate let it go without averting her gaze from me and took a deep breath. One of those nobody likes, the kind that tells you something bad is happening, something worse is about to spill, something you fear is about to be unleashed. I wasn't wrong. The words that followed were exactly all of that.

"She doesn't want to see you."

There it was. My most feared but quite expected output of all that shitty mess swirling around us. And I understood, I really did. But somehow, I had convinced myself that I would get the chance to explain, to make things right. Kate looked at me with the most pitiful look I had ever seen.

"Listen, I don't know what went down between you two. But she's made it crystal clear. She doesn't want you near her. I'm sorry, Grace."

A prick of pain throbbed in my head, and I closed my eyes. I was exhausted, both emotionally and physically. I had waited for this moment all day, afraid of losing her. I had imagined all the possible conversations we could have, all the possible ways of explaining what the hell had happened in the tunnels.

But I never imagined this.

I never imagined a scenario where the only thing left to do was turn around and walk away.

"Are you okay?" Kate said, putting her hand on my shoulder.

"I... I don't even know how I feel right now..." I dropped the bag to the floor and reached for a nearby chair to sit down because I swear I was on the edge of another panic attack. Kate followed me and sat too.

"Look, she's upset right now. Give her time. She'll eventually want to see you."

I shook my head. "I'm not so sure. I fucked it up." Tears welled up.

"Can you explain what happened?" Kate said.

I shook my head, although I really needed to talk to someone, but it was all too fresh, too raw. I just couldn't bring myself to tell all to Kate, not yet. After what happened with Mark, how could I trust anyone now?

"Sorry... I'll tell you one day... but not now, I just can't." I handed the bag to Kate. "Please, take care of her."

"I will."

After that, I went back every day, hoping she might change her mind. I brought her more snacks, more clothes, I even snatched one of her plants. But she shut me out every single time.

A week passed, yet the consequences of the attack were still far from fading from our faces, it was as if death had settled in our eyes. I saw it in each of my comrades, in the way our old routines had subtly changed, reminding us that nothing would ever be the same again.

Every morning before breakfast, we visited the training yard, where flowers had piled up right where the bomb had exploded. The flags now waved with the black triangle Reg, and the places that were once filled with laughter and noise, like the service area or the hall, had become eerily silent. It was as if nobody dared to be happy again, as if that state was forbidden.

Then there was Mark.

They took him to that Reg Punishment Center without even letting us say goodbye, and we had no idea what the hell was going to happen. No one spoke about it, as if they were afraid of being linked to him. Yet despite the silence, his absence was impossible to ignore, he wasn't someone you could simply replace.

We missed him every morning in the breakfast line, always begging for extra strawberry syrup, peanut butter, or anything sweet he could get. We missed him when the leads were mad, he was the one who broke the heavy silence, usually with a bad joke, of course. And on those days when morning and night blurred into a dull, endless gray, when everything felt lifeless, his absence was unbearable.

And as if that wasn't enough, Reg HQ was back, and they weren't coming empty-handed. They had big plans for the border. It didn't surprise me, to be honest. They had witnessed the attack firsthand, watched the border crumble, and fought just to survive. Retaliation was inevitable. Still, the news had everyone on edge. Well... everyone except me. I couldn't bring myself to care. Because really, what more could possibly go wrong at this point?

The day they were set to announce their grand plans, Kate was running around like a chicken with its head cut off, setting up chairs in the Conference room and looking nervous as hell. HQ had shown up without warning and called for a big meeting, with the entire Narval house expected to gather in about five minutes. So, I offered to help.

"It's about time. Hurry up, Grace," Kate said as we hurried to set up chairs in long rows while Narvals started trickling in through the entrance.

"You can come in," I told them, and the chairs quickly began filling up.

I had just finished the last row when three unmistakable figures stepped inside. The Narvals moved instinctively, forming a hallway to let them pass, like they were sacred figures no one dared to touch.

Brooke, the woman I'd talked to about implants just before the explosion, fixed me with that hybrid gaze of hers, part human, part machine, and walked straight toward me. She didn't hesitate, didn't break stride. When she reached me, she stopped for just a second, like she was analyzing me.

"Hello again."

I straightened up, "Hi."

"Grace, right?"

"That's me."

"How are you, Grace?" It was hard to tell if she was genuinely interested or just being polite. Her half-tech-human eyes were difficult to read.

"I'm perfect. Better than ever." I said tersely. "Is there anything I can do for you?" I was just so eager to put an end to the conversation before it even really began.

"I was left with the worry you'd be okay after the attack." She said.

"Oh, yes. I am. Fully recovered."

"Good. I'd like to have a chat with you later. In private, if that's okay."

I needed a moment to answer because something inside me set up an alarm.

"Sure."

She smiled. "Meet me after the presentation."

"Okay."

She moved onto the stage, her partners trailing behind her like loyal dogs, while all the Narvals took their seats. Once silence settled over the room, Brooke stepped up to the microphone.

"Hello, Officers. On my way here, I kept wondering how to start this speech—what would be the right words, the right way to begin after the great loss you've suffered. And the only thing I could come up with was to offer you my deepest apologies. I have failed you. Reg HQ has failed you all, the system has failed you, and for that, I am truly sorry."

She paused, taking a breath, her gaze sweeping the room as if trying to command it with her eyes.

"I want to extend my deepest condolences to each of you for the profound loss we've endured. The recent attack by the Phoenix Group has left a gaping void in our ranks, one that will never be filled."

Sobbing noises began to spread through the room. A few rows away, Laura was crying. More Narvals followed.

"But thanks to this tragic incident, we are now more aware of our weaknesses."

Thanks to this incident? Really? Clearly, they needed some serious improvement in the speechwriting department.

"Now we can prevent something like this from happening again. For this reason, it has been decided to remove humans from the border. Starting tomorrow, all of you will be relocated to other jobs in the Reg Society. And a selected group of techno-humans, who are stronger and more prepared, will assume the tasks of the border from now on."

A collective awe struck the silence of the room, followed by an incessant murmur that grew louder with each passing second. I shot a glance at Kate, but her expression wasn't one of surprise; it was disappointment.

"I know you might have a lot of questions right now, but you have to trust that this will be for the common good. Early tomorrow morning, you'll receive your new assignments, and by evening, you'll be on your way to your new destinations. That's all for now. You can start packing your things, and remember, be grateful. This is a new beginning for you all."

Be grateful. Always conveying this idea that we should be content with any leftovers they give us. As If we didn't have the right to live freely. As If our lives were now at the mercy of those who saw fit to dictate our every move.

So, it was over. In just a few hours, we'd be bidding farewell to the Narval House forever. I couldn't wrap my head around it. And what about Heather? What would become of her in all of this?

At the end of the presentation, we all stood up and eyed each other. Everyone seemed equally confused, although I must admit I also saw looks of relief. As I waited for people to move to the rooms, a pair of eyes met mine from across the crowd. Behind all my nervous colleagues, amidst the whispers and lingering questions, Heather stood. My heart raced. She looked different. Her eyes were dimmed like fading embers. Her left hand rested on the left side of her stomach, where the laser had struck. Maybe because it still hurt her. A couple of scars marked her skin, one clean cut on her chin, and another on her forehead. I immediately made my way through the crowd, eager to reach her, but before I could even take a step, Brooke cut in.

"Where are you off to? We've got some unfinished business, remember?" She arched an eyebrow, and damn, she had me. I promised I'd stick around to listen to what bullshit she had to tell me.

"Fine. What's the matter?" I tried to sound calm, but it came off a bit too strong and she noticed.

"You sure know how to throw your weight around, don't you? Even with people who outrank you. Quite the trait, whether it's a strong spirit or just plain recklessness." I hated her annoyingly philosophical way of talking.

"Probably just recklessness."

She smiled. "Well, watch your step then."

I nodded to appease her. No wise choices would come from speaking, at least now, I had learned to keep my mouth shut.

"Well, Grace," she continued, "I wanted to see you because I have plans for you."

"What do you mean?"

"I was very impressed by you the day of the visit and also by your reaction to the attack. I've heard nothing but praise for your unwavering strength and instincts."

What the hell was she talking about? I felt like a complete wreck. Scratch that, I was a complete wreck. It was the first time someone had viewed my impulsivity as something positive.

"I want you to leave with me tomorrow to the Nexus Court. I want you to work for me," What the hell? Working for the Reg HQ? And in the Nexus Court no less: the most important and secretive place on Earth. It was like being offered a ticket straight into the heart of the Reg Society's system.

"What about the new assignment?" I asked, trying to make sense of it all.

"Consider this your new assignment. What do you think?" She asked, genuinely curious.

I mulled over her proposal.

"Well, I don't know. What kind of job is it exactly?" I needed more information to evaluate whether this was a potentially positive outcome or a horrible fate. But even if it was the latter, did I really have a choice?

"I require a right hand. Someone from outside. Someone fresh and unaware of all the politics and power struggles within the Reg's higher ranks. I require someone human, but strong and fearless." She explained.

In other words, she needed someone unsuspecting, perhaps naive enough not to fully grasp the intricacies of Reg HQ politics, but who would still be willing to do whatever it took for her. Now I understood why my impulsiveness had caught her attention.

"What if I say no?" I said.

She grinned as if she enjoyed my question. "Then you'd simply be a letdown. That's all. Sleep on it tonight, and we'll talk tomorrow morning." She said before leaving.

I stood there, rooted in place, feeling like everything was spinning out of control. Now I had to make a decision that could potentially change my life forever, and I had no idea which choice was the right one. And this was my last night at Narval House. Our last night, almost for all of us. Which meant that, maybe, it would be my last night with Heather.

I left the Conference room and hurried upstairs towards Heather's room.

As I reached for the doorknob, my body froze, and my hands trembled. I could hear sounds from the other side, and I knew she was there. My heart pounded loudly in my chest, like the beat of an impatient drum. Then, like a sudden collision, that memory hit me again: the tunnel, her eyes filled with hurt, my hand aiming the laser gun at her. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to erase that moment from my mind.

Heather meant everything to me, and almost losing her made me realize just how deeply I cared. But reality was staring us both in the face. We were different in so many ways—different priorities, different views on life. Could we overcome those differences? Or perhaps the more difficult question: were we even willing to try?

The weight of the things we needed to talk about hung over the night like a dark cloud. I could already sense it was going to be a long one. That is, if she even let me in. Time was slipping away, and we didn't have much left.

I couldn't let her push me away this time, not after all those beautiful moments we shared. For the heartfelt cuddles in her bed, for the fiery kisses we stole in every corner, for the intimate talks at the pool, and for that intense spark that blazed every time our skins met. It was a feeling unlike any other, something rare, something real. That had to mean something, didn't it? Something worth fighting for.

Standing there, feeling as vulnerable as the day I first crossed the border, I knocked softly on her door, hoping that, no matter what happened, my feelings for her would shine through the darkness that had crept between us.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: 

Hey lovely people! 💖So many changes happening all at once, right? Grace and Heather have some serious talking to do. On the other hand, would you accept Brooke's offer if you were in Grace's shoes?

Thanks for being here with me! Your support means everything! Love you all!

Ava 💫