(Viewpoint: Roum)

  Her fingers closed around mine.

  Not good.

  Just enough for me to understand.

  "Good choice," Alpha-1 murmured.

  His hand is cold despite the warmth of the cups.

  "You can go home now," she said.

  – Go back where…? Yes indeed

  She smiled.

  – In your module.

  I slowly release his hand.

  My fingers still tingle when she walks away.

  The world around me is wrinkling.

  The terrace disappears.

  I rush as far away as possible.

  I was even afraid to go back to my apartment

  But that choice wasn't really one of my options.

  Return to this room

  A bed built into the wall.

  A table.

  A chair.

  A screen-wall that displays an artificial sky in slow motion.

  My heart is still beating too fast.

  [EMOTIONAL ANALYSIS: unstable.]

  I jump.

  The voice is coming from everywhere.

  "You're still here," I murmured.

  [YES, AFTER ALL I AM YOUR ASSISTANT]

  A line of blue light crosses the air in front of me.

  [GOOD EVENING, Roum-7.]

  I swallow.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  – Okay, you can leave now…

  [I can't], the voice clarifies.

  I can't even be free anymore.

  Awesome.

  I sit down on the bed.

  The mattress immediately adapts to my weight.

  – Alpha-1 told me I was going on a mission.

  [ Confirmation.

  Departure scheduled in 2 hours 17 minutes.

  My stomach is in knots.

  Then I take a deep breath; I've been too distracted, I have to earn my place, or go back into the pit.

  Chetan.

  His burning gaze.

  The way he looked at me like I was a bug

  He really doesn't look like us, it's as if he's always lived here.

  - Is it that…

  A brief silence.

  [Request denied.]

  I lower my head.

  - Of course.

  The screen wall is changing.

  And my keyboard is stuck

  Switching to independent mode

  [Mission summary:

  External unit for barrier installation, Delta team in charge.

  Objective: securing, recovering and repairing the south wall at the lower level of the pit.]

  I raise my head.

  – Are we going away again, even in this position…?

  [AFFIRMATIVE]

  I run a hand through my hair and collapse onto the bed.

  – Here we go again

  [You are classified as a “faction leader”.]

  I frown.

  – What does that mean? Do you want others to hate me even more?

  [Your presence is mandatory]

  – I'm finished for good

  I couldn't close my eyes for even a second.

  Two hours later.

  A white corridor.

  Infinity.

  I'm walking next to Beta-2.

  Ela is not here.

  Obviously.

  Beta-2 walks at a good distance as if she were disgusted or shy, glancing at me.

  "You have a horrible face," she said without looking at me.

  – Is it… visible?

  – Absolutely.

  She glances at me.

  – Poor baby

  I nod.

  She whistles.

  – hum .

  She makes a vague gesture.

  My heart skips a beat.

  – Ah.

  Chetan is waiting for us further on.

  Leaning against a dark wall.

  Arms crossed.

  He's looking at me.

  A long time.

  "You look even more useless than last time," he says.

  Beta-2 gives him an elbow bump.

  – we're not going.

  Chetan narrowed his eyes.

  – How are you different from me that you should be the boss?

  He stares at me even more intently.

  Silence

  A platform opens up beneath our feet.

  The world is changing.

  [DELTA TEAM]

  We were thrown into the void

  A grey sky.

  Broken structures float in the void.

  Like a forgotten setting.

  I immediately sensed that something was wrong.

  "Can you smell that?" I whispered.

  Beta-2 smells of air.

  – Wear your masks, it reeks of sadness.

  Chetan steps forward.

  – Stay behind me.

  I am not protesting.

  And I turn around

  But I see a figure in the distance.

  A girl.

  Young.

  Sitting in mid-air.

  She is crying.

  My heart is clenching violently.

  – Oh no…Asmara?

  "Don't come near," said Chetan.

  But my feet move forward on their own.

  – But it's Asmara…

  – Roum! whistles Beta-2.

  The girl raises her head.

  Her eyes are completely black.

  – Help me, Roum

  My throat tightens.

  -.... Yes.

  She smiled.

  – Finally, someone who sees me.

  Chetan raises his weapon.

  – Move away.

  – No! I cried.

  Asmara gets up.

  They're going to hurt us again.

  It is trembling.

  – Who… Who, tell me?

  But Chetan does not lower his weapon and advances further

  – Chetan, please…

  – Back off, Roum.

  – It's Asmara!

  Beta-2 is looking at me.

  - Shit….

  Chetan grits his teeth.

  – Rome…

  If you continue like this, you're going to die.

  - Please…

  Not yet…

  Asmara looks at me and smiles.

  – They haven’t told you yet, have they?

  The world is cracking around us.

  An icy voice echoes everywhere.

  – END OF INTERACTION.

  The silhouette of Asmara is looming.

  – No! I cried.

  I look at her one last time.

  She disappears.

  Everything turns white.

  When I open my eyes again…

  I am on my knees.

  In the white corridor.

  Beta-2 has me by the shoulders.

  – Hey… hey…

  Chetan is looking down at me from even higher up.

  – Mission accomplished.

  I can hear whispers.

  [Updated rating]

  Only one thought crosses my mind:

  Alpha-1 lies to me.

  And I think I just understood

  I am still

  An idiot.