Between Love And Obsession

in her pocket like it carried not data-but ghosts. Snowflakes drifted through the cold Montana air, melting against

ebastian was pacing, trying to hold it together. Victor,

tered. "All this time... you watch

r said. "Not a girl. Not yo

t. They missed. Whatever hurt once had burned ou

rp

creaked b

?" Sebast

he said, eyes st

never quite softening. "I'm not asking you to forgive

. Thought about not answer

Let's find out what

wall was a screen. Another was bulletproof glass overlooking

it

Brain-mapping overlays. Footage of Audrey-restraints, injections, simulati

rozen. Audrey did

Victor said quietly. "Same one Lucien took. B

n?" Audr

ou were dead. Fontaine didn't stop looking. But you resurfaced a year later-

a conscience?" S

ctor replied. "He wanted her as a

She wasn't ready for th

n flicker

played. Fon

ry-someone named 'Bastian'-interrupts neural compliance. Reconditi

le

to Audrey. "You

said softly. "Even wh

eyes

ved to a second drawer and retrieved a thin red envelope. Inside:

ut Fontaine lied. Lucien wasn't terminated. He was repu

slowly. "Then i

an said. "It

s never

es, Audrey stood at the edge of the estate grounds. Images, voices, fragmenta

spoke, sh

derly encircled her. He said, "Y

'm what they made. And w

. "No, Audrey. You'r

hunger and memory, desperation and war. It was two people w

ld, dangerous place, Audrey

afraid of

f what she might