Chapter 12: Breakdown

Silas… His name is Silas.

If there was any question about whether the original still had some degree of influence, it was gone now. The wave of emotion that had just overtaken me was wholly unfamiliar. Not just to the extent that they had originated from some other place. They were feelings that I had never felt before at all.

…I can’t say for certain, but I’m pretty sure that I, No. That Eira loved him?

For a while now, I had begun to try and think of Eira and myself as the same person. That was what the mirror man had said to do. But this time was a bit different and prompted the first outright rejection of the concept. It was disturbing, but there was no time to contemplate it now; Michael was right before me and presumably waiting for my thoughts on the matter.

To begin with, this plan of his has a lot of obvious holes.

“…I’m sorry, but I don’t see how that will help. Even if me and…” My voice trailed off; there was no conceivable way for me to know his name.

Stupid! There’s no way that I…

“Silas. The target’s name is Silas.” Michael’s eyebrow was raised questioningly, but it appeared he interpreted me trailing off as a question.

“Silas… Even if Silas and I did know each other, I don’t remember it. I am unsure how useful I could be in an infiltration.”

He shook his head, “Your lost memories are, in reality, an asset; you will be going in under the guise of having escaped, but not after losing much of yourself. Silas is predisposed to accept such a story. Once you locate their hideout, send a signal back to us, and we will move in on them.”

Just like that? It still sounds fragile… but it would get me out of this damn building. Hell, if there really is a resistance group or whatever, I might be able to use them to bring down this facility… And I could meet Silas again.

Wait, again? And why do I care…? I mean, why do I not care? Silas is… Uhm…

“Eira, if you please, do this for Emergent?”

Michael’s voice pulled me out of whatever that had been. It was highly likely that I was going insane; in that case, it would be best to get out of this place as soon as possible. This assignment was a way to get out, so there was no point in refusing.

“Yes, I would be happy to serve. How, how exactly will I be ‘escaping’ then?”

He nodded, “Thank you. To answer that question, you will be shot down. We have a few satellite facilities for various purposes. You will be ‘transported’ to one such, and the shipping log will be left in a vulnerable location. I very much doubt that Silas will miss the opportunity to recover you.”

That sounded absurdly dangerous. A shiver ran down my spine, and I hesitated a moment before replying, “…And what if he doesn’t?”

Michael shrugged, “Then the operation is a failure, and we will simply bring you back after a few days.”

“…All right. When do I leave?”

He smiled, “Now, actually. Come this way, if you please.”

He stood and led the way out of his little cabin thing and through the faux forest in the opposite direction of the way we had initially come. We were moving quickly, to the point where I had to half-run to keep up.

Now!? Why now!? This is the sort of thing that usually takes a stupid amount of planning!

No, isn't that the point? I'm supposed to get shot down and then rescued. So by springing it on me, throwing me off balance…

But this is just too fast!

We came to a stop suddenly as Michael raised his hand to signal a halt. A moment later, part of the air slid away, revealing a doorway standing seemingly unsupported in space.

"Beyond this point is heavily restricted; you have been given the authorization to follow only a specific path. Stray off it, and you will trigger the automated defenses." Michael let his somber warning hang in the air for a moment before he proceeded through the doorway, and I hurried to keep up.

"Highlight clearance levels."

In response to my command, my earpiece spun to life and projected an augmented reality into my eye.

Nearly every side hall and doorway was highlighted in red, with a bold 'NO ACCESS' emblazoned in the middle. Only the sections Michael led me through had green highlights, along with 'ACCESS GRANTED' and a small check symbol. This starkly contrasted with the lower levels where I had first used this function.

Down in the white hallways, everything had been bathed in green. Even other people's living quarters were open to me; only the security offices and outpost had been red. That wasn't the only difference about this section, though. Whereas everything had been a stark white down there, this section was more… industrial.

The walls, floor, and ceiling appeared to be made from concrete, with singular light sources placed equidistantly along the top of the walls. There were exposed pipes and wiring as well, running along the ceiling. Though everything was maintained well, the dull yellow glow of the lights did not illuminate any rust or fraying. But compared to the clean, clinical atmosphere created by the white hallways below.

Why though? Why two completely different styles, three, if you count Michael's quarters. What is the purpose of this part of the building?

The lower areas were where I had thought all of the peons lived and worked. Meanwhile, the upper areas were reserved for the chosen and the leadership. A way for the self-proclaimed messengers of god to look down on those below them. But this area didn't follow that understanding. It was clear I was missing something. Something else that was missing was the people; since leaving Michael's residence, we hadn't passed anyone at all.

And is it just me, or is he starting to walk faster!?

Ever since entering this place, it seemed like Michael had been gradually speeding up. Even if he was simply power walking, it had gotten to the point that I had to jog. Hopefully, we were not going too much further. As it turned out, that was correct.

After several turns, including at one point four right-hand ones all in a row, we arrived at a door with the green 'ACCESS GRANTED.' Part of me wondered if Michael had been using such a convoluted route and moving so quickly in an attempt to throw off my sense of direction. But the more significant, more logical part, remembered that my earpiece had a navigation function that would render such attempts relatively fruitless. Unless they cut it off.

Right now, I am wholly dependent on them and their infrastructure. But that's not why he would lead me around in a maze pattern…

Something was missing from my understanding.

Unless he knows. About you.

I froze. That last thought… something about it wasn't quite right. It wasn't me. But, it was my primary fear this whole time and the most likely answer to those questions. If Michael knew about me…

Then is this whole affair just a ruse to get rid of me?

"Eira? Through here, if you please. We don't have time to waste." His voice yanked me back.

If it was a ruse, there's no reason for that. If he did not, he could easily just have killed me or incapacitated me. There wouldn't be any need to do something like this; just get me up in his quarters, and boom, done.

Lingering no more, I stepped through the doorway and into the small room beyond. It was barely bigger than my own room, most of the space being taken up by a pair of desks along the far wall and some giant thing in the middle of the room. It was enormous, a sort of cylinder stretching up to the ceiling, with a prominent access port built in. It was also heavy. I saw multiple reinforcement points and dozens of rivets from where I stood.

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A container or containment? If I'm going to be transported somewhere… no way… in that?

"Eira, long time, huh?" There were also two other people present, the first I'd seen up here other than Michael and myself. One of them, a male in a white suit, looked familiar to me though I couldn't place his name.

That said, I knew where I had seen him before, "Yes, not since I woke up. You helped me find my quarters, thank you."

"Amar, enough of that; we don't have time." Michael cut in with a reprimand, "Is everything ready?"

The Doctor, Amar, nodded, "Yes, everything is ready on our end."

"Good. Eira, these two will get you ready for transport."

Following Michael's prompting gesture, I took a half step forward. Something was bothering me, though, hanging at the back of my mind, something… off-putting about all of this. Amar moved towards the cylinder while fiddling with his tablet. There was a soft hiss of air escaping as whatever seal the whole thing had broke, and the access panel slid out, then up and away, revealing the interior.

My growing sense of apprehension turned to dread as I beheld what was inside; a standing gurney and a straitjacket. For whatever reason, these two items evoked a sense of sheer terror and despair. Scrambling backward, eyes widening and darting to and fro, I had to escape those things. I didn't know how I knew, but they were bad news. Any thoughts of hiding that I was not a blank slate had long since fled.

"It seems that your suspicions were correct after all. I would offer you congratulations, but this is all rather unfortunate." The third man, who had as of yet remained silent, spoke up, "Still, how could this happen? I wonder? The treatment seemed, for all intents and purposes, successful… Michael, do be a dear and catch her, please?"

Without a word, Michael began to advance toward me. He had yet to shift, but I wasn't going to fool myself into thinking I could beat him. Even if I could shift, he could likely deal with me without doing likewise. There was a distinct gap between us, one not so easily overcome.

"Get away from me!"

So then, why am I fighting him!?

Indeed, at some point, I had drawn my lightsaber and ignited it, taking a ready stance. The blade of my longsword was positioned between the two of us.

"Eira, please, calm yourself. I don't wish to hurt you." He was speaking in a dull monotone, betraying his genuine opinions. He definitely wanted to hurt me.

I need something, anything, to turn the tide here…

I should have just gotten in the straitjacket. Played my role and been done with it. You heard them, this was a test, and I failed.

Great, now I'm talking to myself.

No, I've been talking to myself for a while now… ever since…

Silas.

{A small hill within a copse in a park. A man and a woman, sitting together on a blanket, 'That's why, you can't come with me. if Refletech found out about you….' Said the man. Unable to continue, he grimaced and turned away.}

Eira.

{The man and the woman, sitting together on a blanket laid out on a hilltop within a copse of trees in the corner of a park, 'That's why, I will go with you; you need me there more than you care to admit… besides, I feel like I'm supposed to go… one way or another.' Said the woman. She placed one hand on the man's shoulder, she forced him to acknowledge her.}

The two of them, Silas and Eira…

Everything suddenly made sense while at the same time not making sense at all. Those errant emotional responses, the flashes of knowledge about essential people… they weren't vestiges of this body's former owner. They were the still living Eira, exerting some influence over me.

{"Now, my interference can only go so far. Because of what a Singularity is, you will be changed by this. But whatever happens, … remember … all of you. It would be… bad idea … fight and hold on. … will be …  easier … you … embrace."}

The last words spoken to me by the mirror man before I woke up in this body. Where previously I had only recalled snippets, the general idea intent behind them, now they were clear as day. Ringing in my head like church bells.

Something… changed. About me. About… us? Singularity. Something unexplainable. A myriad of things becoming one. Accept the changes… Accept Eira.

I opened my eyes. Amar was lying dead on the ground, bisected at the waist. The third man was slumped against the far wall, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. Michael… Michael was standing to block me from advancing on the third man, indicating that he was a figure of some importance. The man's identity was irrelevant right now, though. What was immediately concerning was the fact that Michael had shifted. Once more, I beheld the visage of his Angel Shift. Long golden hair, two large feathery wings, pearl white skin, and two green eyes narrowed ominously toward me.

Whatever sequence of events had transpired to bring us to this point, I had no idea. Evidently, while I had been off in la la land, I had somehow killed Amar and severely injured the other guy. And I had done it in such a way that Michael deemed using some modicum of power appropriate. But if we were to be wholly honest, it wasn't me who had done it. After all, time was currently standing still.

Isn't that right?

"Oh? So you did notice. Well, sorry, I guess."

The bodiless voice that responded to my inquiry did not sound at all sorry. Not that I was particularly expecting a demon to feel any degree of remorse.

"Please don't disparage me like that."

Whatever, I don't have time for this. You're here because you wanted to make a contract, right?

Despite my conversation partner not having a body or even a tangible presence, I got a distinct impression that they were grinning. Maliciously.

"You know, even if I was so inclined, there's no way you can beat that guy."

That's fine. He won't kill me; I'm way too good of bait. Now, do you want to make a contract or not? I won't let you just keep following me around as some sort of freakish freelancer.

"Yea, you are fairly interesting to watch, and you've got some decent prospects. Especially with ol' Man In The Mirror being so invested in your actions… And your body isn't that uncomfortable, either. Heh. I may as well get in on the ground floor. My name is Coyo, of the genus Sataniel."

If I could move, it would have been impossible to stop the smile from spreading across my face.

Coyo of the genus sataniel, I am Eira of the genus veritas. I now offer you a contract.

"It'd be my pleasure! Glad to do business with ya!"

A sudden feeling of heat washed over me so hot that, for a moment, I feared I might burn. Then it faded, and a bit of information flowed into my head.