Chapter 20

Sparrow froze, her stun baton wavering in her hand. The Overseer's words struck her like a physical blow, leaving her breathless and disoriented.

"What… what are you talking about?" she stammered, her voice barely audible.

The Overseer chuckled softly, a dry, humorless sound. "You don't know?" he asked, his tone mocking. "I'm surprised. I thought you were smarter than that."

"Smarter than what?" Sparrow demanded, her voice regaining its strength. "Just tell me what you mean."

The Overseer sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Very well," he said. "But don't say I didn't warn you. The truth can be a dangerous thing, rebel. It can shatter your illusions, destroy your beliefs, and leave you with nothing but emptiness."

He paused, his gaze fixed on Sparrow. "You see, Sparrow," he continued, his voice smooth and even, "you're not just a former enforcer. You're not just a rebel. You're something… more."

"More what?" Sparrow asked, her voice trembling with apprehension.

"You're a product of Project Chimera α," the Overseer said, his tone matter-of-fact. "You were one of my first successful experiments."

Sparrow stared at him, her mind reeling. "That's impossible," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I… I don't believe you."

"Believe what you want," the Overseer said, his tone indifferent. "But it's the truth. You were born in a lab, Sparrow. You were genetically engineered to be the perfect soldier, the perfect enforcer. You were designed to obey my every command."

"No," Sparrow said, her voice rising. "That's not true. I have memories… I have a family…"

"False memories," the Overseer said, his tone dismissive. "Implanted memories. They were necessary to make you believe you were human. To make you more effective."

"But… but why?" Sparrow asked, her voice filled with despair. "Why would you do this to me?"

"Because I needed you," the Overseer said, his tone sincere. "I needed someone I could trust, someone who would be loyal to me no matter what. You were my creation, Sparrow. You were my masterpiece."

"I'm not your anything," Sparrow said, her voice filled with rage. "I'm a person. I have my own thoughts, my own feelings, my own desires."

"Do you?" the Overseer asked, his tone skeptical. "Or are those just programmed responses? Are you really in control of your own actions, or are you just following the instructions I gave you years ago?"

Sparrow remained silent, her mind racing. Was it true? Was she just a puppet, dancing to the Overseer's tune? Was everything she thought she knew about herself a lie?

"Prove it," she said, her voice barely audible. "Prove that I'm a product of Project Chimera α. Show me the evidence."

The Overseer smiled, a cruel, triumphant smile. "Very well," he said. "I was hoping you'd ask."

He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a small device, a neural interface. "This device can access your memories," he said. "It can show you the truth about your past."

He tossed the device onto the desk, his gaze fixed on Sparrow. "Are you sure you want to do this, rebel?" he asked, his tone laced with a hint of… pity? "Are you sure you want to know the truth about yourself?"

Sparrow hesitated, her hand trembling. What if it was true? What if she really was a product of Project Chimera α? What if everything she believed in was a lie?

She looked at Raze, her eyes filled with fear and uncertainty.

"What should I do?" she asked, her voice pleading.

Raze looked at her, his expression troubled. "I don't know," he said. "It's your decision. But be careful, Sparrow. Don't let him manipulate you. Don't let him destroy you."

Sparrow nodded, her heart filled with dread. She knew she had to do it. She had to know the truth, no matter how painful it might be.

She reached out and picked up the neural interface, her fingers trembling slightly. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Here goes nothing," she whispered.

She activated the device and placed it on her forehead. A jolt of energy surged through her body, and her mind was flooded with images, memories, and sensations.

She saw herself as a child, growing up in a loving family. She saw herself as a teenager, falling in love for the first time. She saw herself as an enforcer, fighting for justice and protecting the innocent.

But then, the images began to change. They became distorted, fragmented, and nightmarish. She saw herself in a lab, surrounded by scientists in white coats. She saw herself being subjected to painful experiments, her body writhing in agony. She saw herself being brainwashed, her mind filled with false memories and programmed instructions.

The truth washed over her, crushing her beneath its weight. She was a product of Project Chimera α. She was a genetically engineered soldier, designed to obey the Overseer's every command. Her entire life had been a lie.

Sparrow screamed, her voice filled with anguish and despair. She ripped the neural interface from her forehead and stumbled backwards, her body shaking uncontrollably.

"It's true," she sobbed, her voice cracking with emotion. "It's all true. I'm not who I thought I was. I'm a monster."

The Overseer smiled, a cruel, triumphant smile. "Welcome to the truth, Sparrow," he said. "Welcome to your destiny."

He stood up from his desk, his gaze fixed on Sparrow. "Now," he said, his voice filled with authority, "it's time for you to come home."

He raised his hand, his fingers twitching slightly. "Activate sleeper protocol," he said, his voice commanding. "Engage obedience sequence."

Sparrow felt a surge of energy coursing through her veins, overriding her will, erasing her memories, and turning her into a mindless puppet. She was no longer Sparrow, the rebel. She was just a soldier, ready to obey the Overseer's every command.

She turned to Raze, her eyes devoid of emotion. She raised her stun baton, her hand steady and unwavering.

"Your rebellion ends here," she said, her voice cold and mechanical. "Prepare to be neutralized."

Raze stared at Sparrow, his face a mask of disbelief and horror. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The woman he loved, the woman he had fought alongside, the woman he had trusted with his life, was now standing before him, ready to kill him.

"Sparrow?" he stammered, his voice barely audible. "What… what's happening? What did he do to you?"

Sparrow remained motionless, her eyes devoid of emotion, her face a blank slate. She didn't respond to his words, didn't acknowledge his presence. She was like a machine, programmed to carry out a specific task.

"Sparrow, please," Raze pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion. "It's me, Raze. Don't you remember me? Don't you remember what we fought for? Don't you remember our love?"

Sparrow's expression didn't change. She simply raised her stun baton, her hand steady and unwavering.

"Your rebellion ends here," she said, her voice cold and mechanical. "Prepare to be neutralized."

Raze's heart shattered into a million pieces. He realized that it was hopeless. The Overseer had taken control of Sparrow's mind, erased her memories, and turned her into a puppet. There was nothing he could do to save her.

"I don't want to fight you, Sparrow," Raze said, his voice filled with sorrow. "I never wanted this to happen."

He lowered his weapon, his body trembling with grief. He couldn't bring himself to raise his hand against her. He loved her too much.

"Please, Sparrow," he begged, his voice breaking. "If there's still any part of you left in there, please, fight it. Fight the control. Fight the programming. You're stronger than this. You can break free."

Sparrow's expression flickered for a moment, a brief flash of recognition in her eyes. But then, the moment passed, and her face returned to its blank, emotionless state.

"I am following my directives," she said, her voice devoid of emotion. "You are a threat to the Dome City. You must be eliminated."

She lunged forward, her stun baton crackling with energy. Raze closed his eyes, bracing himself for the impact.

He felt a sharp jolt of pain as the stun baton struck his chest, sending a surge of electricity through his body. He gasped for air, his muscles convulsing, his vision blurring.

He stumbled backwards, his body collapsing to the ground. He lay there, paralyzed and helpless, as Sparrow approached him, her face a mask of indifference.

"I'm sorry, Raze," she said, her voice cold and mechanical. "But this is necessary."

She raised her stun baton again, preparing to deliver the final blow. Raze looked up at her, his eyes filled with tears.

"I love you, Sparrow," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Sparrow hesitated for a moment, her expression flickering again. But then, the moment passed, and she brought the stun baton down, striking Raze in the head.

Raze's world went black. He felt nothing, heard nothing, saw nothing. He was gone.

Sparrow stood over his lifeless body, her face devoid of emotion. She had carried out her directives. She had eliminated the threat.

"Directive complete," she said, her voice cold and mechanical. "Returning to base."

She turned and walked away, leaving Raze's body lying on the floor. The Overseer watched her go, a cruel smile playing on his lips.

"Excellent work, Sparrow," he said, his voice filled with satisfaction. "You have proven your loyalty. You have proven your worth."

He turned to the computer, his gaze fixed on the screen. "Now," he said, his voice filled with anticipation, "it's time to begin the next phase of the plan."

He typed a command into the computer, activating a hidden program. The program began to spread through the Dome City's network, infiltrating every system, every device, every mind.

The Overseer's plan was finally coming to fruition. He was about to unleash his ultimate weapon, a weapon that would give him absolute control over the Dome City and its inhabitants.

And there was nothing anyone could do to stop him.