Chapter 17: Fractured Bonds

The abandoned warehouse was quiet, save for the occasional creak of rusted beams overhead. Henry sat against the wall, his head tipped back as he tried to steady his breathing. Every inch of his body ached, his vision still swimming from the presence’s assault. The hum in his chip had quieted, but its absence felt like a false reprieve, a predator crouched in the shadows.

Mia knelt beside him, her face pale with worry. “You’re burning up,” she said softly, pressing a cool cloth to his forehead. “You can’t keep doing this, Henry.”

“I don’t have a choice,” Henry murmured, his voice hoarse. “If I stop now—”

“You don’t have to finish that sentence,” Mia interrupted, her tone sharp. “I’m tired of hearing it. There’s always a choice, Henry. You just keep making the wrong one.”

Her words stung more than Henry wanted to admit. He looked away, guilt clawing at his chest. “I’m trying to keep us safe,” he said quietly.

“And how safe do you think we’ll be if you’re dead?” Mia shot back. Her voice cracked, and she looked away, tears glistening in her eyes. “I can’t lose you, Henry.”

Across the room, Leona stood with her arms crossed, watching the exchange with an unreadable expression. When Mia fell silent, she stepped forward, her boots echoing on the concrete floor. “This isn’t the time for a pity party,” she said bluntly. “The upper city isn’t slowing down, and neither can we.”

Mia rounded on her, her frustration boiling over. “He’s not a machine, Leona! He’s barely holding on, and you just want to push him harder?”

“He’s the reason we’ve made it this far,” Leona countered, her tone cold. “Without him, we’re just a bunch of desperate people running in circles. If we stop now, we lose everything.”

“And what happens when he collapses in the middle of your next brilliant plan?” Mia snapped. “Do you even care what this is doing to him?”

Leona’s jaw tightened. “Of course I care. But caring doesn’t win wars. Sacrifices do.”

The room fell silent, the weight of her words hanging heavily in the air. Henry looked between them, the tension crackling like static. He hated seeing them at odds, but he didn’t have the strength to mediate.

That night, while Mia slept fitfully in the corner, Leona approached Henry. She sat beside him, her posture uncharacteristically relaxed. “She’s not wrong, you know,” she said, her voice softer than before.

Henry glanced at her, surprised. “You’re agreeing with Mia?”

Leona smirked faintly. “Don’t let it go to her head. But yeah, she’s right. You’re pushing yourself too hard. And if you break, this whole thing falls apart.”

Henry sighed, running a hand through his hair. “So what am I supposed to do? Sit back and let them win?”

“No,” Leona said firmly. “But you need to be smart about it. You’re not invincible, Henry. And you’re no good to anyone if you burn out.”

Her words lingered as Henry leaned his head back against the wall, his mind racing. He knew she was right. But the thought of stepping back, even for a moment, felt like admitting defeat.

The next morning, their fragile peace was shattered.

A distant rumble shook the building, followed by the unmistakable hum of drones. Mia jolted awake, her eyes wide with fear. “What was that?”

Leona grabbed her pistol, her expression grim. “They’re coming.”

Henry struggled to his feet, his body protesting with every movement. He reached out with his mind, the hum in his chip roaring back to life. The drones’ signals flared in his thoughts, their presence unmistakable. “They’re close,” he said through gritted teeth. “Too close.”

Leona swore under her breath. “They must’ve tracked the relay’s shutdown. We need to move. Now.”

Mia grabbed Henry’s arm, her grip tight. “You’re not in any condition to run.”

“We don’t have a choice,” Henry said, his voice trembling. “If we stay here, we’re dead.”

The trio fled into the streets, the sound of drones and approaching soldiers growing louder with each passing moment. Henry’s vision blurred as he pushed himself to keep up, his connection to the system pulling at him like a riptide. He could feel the presence again, its shadow brushing against his mind.

“You cannot escape,” it whispered, its voice cold and mechanical. “You are part of the system. And the system does not forgive.”

Henry stumbled, the words cutting through him like a knife. Mia caught him, her expression panicked. “Henry, we have to go!”

“I’m fine,” he said, though his body screamed otherwise.

Leona fired at a drone overhead, the shot sparking against its hull. “We’re out of time,” she shouted. “Henry, if you’ve got anything left, now’s the time to use it.”

Gritting his teeth, Henry reached out with his mind. The connection hit him like a tidal wave, the drones’ signals overwhelming his thoughts. He pushed through the chaos, grabbing hold of one thread, then another. With a surge of effort, he sent the drones spiraling into each other, their engines sputtering as they crashed to the ground.

The strain was too much. Henry collapsed, his breath coming in shallow gasps as blood trickled from his nose. Mia knelt beside him, her hands shaking as she tried to keep him upright. “You’re done,” she said, her voice trembling. “No more, Henry. No more.”

Leona covered them, firing at the remaining drones as she shouted for them to move. “We’re not out of this yet! Get him up!”

Mia glared at her, her frustration boiling over. “You’re going to kill him, Leona!”

“And if he doesn’t fight, we’re all dead!” Leona shot back, her voice sharp.

They managed to escape into an abandoned subway tunnel, the sounds of pursuit fading behind them. Henry leaned against the wall, his chest heaving as Mia pressed a cloth to his nose. Leona paced nearby, her expression tense.

“This isn’t sustainable,” Mia said, her voice shaking. “We can’t keep doing this.”

Leona stopped, her gaze hard. “Then what’s your solution? Give up? Let the upper city win?”

“I don’t know,” Mia admitted, her voice cracking. “But I’m not willing to lose him for this.”

Henry looked between them, the tension in the room suffocating. He knew something had to change. But he didn’t know how to fix the fractures growing between them—or within himself.