How to Disappear Completely

"You're failing me, the lot of you. How are you not capable of doing these equations? If you can't get passed even the simplest parts of multi-variable calculus, you'll get nowhere."

"But, Mr. Chislett--"

"Math and science is the key to destroying Big Brother. You all can study this again." Chislett flips the book onto the floor and stomps out of the library. The quintet study diligently, frightened by Chislett's sudden reaction. He isn't one to do something so harsh.

"Rory, I need your assistance." Chislett and I march out together, slipping into the laboratory. Carden looks up from examining a vial. He sets it back into the test tube rack, placing a label on it: "M5". He wanders over to the woman in water, tapping the glass. Nothing. The last injection caused her to age significantly.

"Well, hello there." Carden shakes his head. "So far, nothing's happened. Still infertile. Still Aryan." He pulls up pictures on the large computer screen. Each of them of her body bruising, or veins bulging. "Those are the stages she went through." He turns to me. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Mrotek?"

I furrow my brow. "What?"

"I don't know. I thought he was looking for you. I guess not."

I turn and bolt for the door, sprinting back through the library to the sparring room. Down in the swimming lanes, I see Beckett's thin frame free-styling to the other end.

I glance at the sparring room and see Mrotek and Durden, sitting on the floor cross-legged. I don't understand. What are they doing?

I open the glass door and step inside, but they're absorbed in their conversation and ignore me. How interesting; Mrotek is usually very alert. This is a very first.

"The way they treated you...are you all right? You aren't hurt?" He touches her arm, and she doesn't shrink back. Durden smiles warmly, squeezing Mrotek's hand.

"Andy, I'm just fine. After the first mistake, I haven't made one since. What they do is unbearable." She lifts up her hands and shows him her palms. The deep, dark scars slither down her wrists. "They say they're cutting the mistakes out of our hands. But in reality...they just destroy them." Her hands are mangled, worn. Inhuman, yet still human. Our bodies can be scarred.

"I'll kill every single one of those bastards." Mrotek stands up, and I do too. "R...Rory?" He stops, his anger melting into surprise. "What..how long have you been there for?"

"Two and a half minutes." I flick my hair out of my eyes. "Mrotek, you will do no such thing. Big brother's ways may be inhumane, and we will fight. Now is not the time."

"But Rory, did you see her hands? They're--"

"McMahon attempted to save Hansch, but failed miserably." I turn to leave. "Would you like the same fate?"

"That was different!"

"How different?" I whip around and punch him in the chest. Mrotek coughs, falling to the ground. "He killed so many men, just for one woman. One useless woman who ended up dying anyway." I squat down next to him as he tries his best to breathe. Unfortunately, Mrotek falls into a coughing fit. "This emotion...love, is it?" He glares at me. "It's made you weak."

I spin around and swing the door open to exit. Mrotek coughs loudly, spitting at the ground. Blood, perhaps. "You're turning into Beckett...you know that?" he chokes out, coughing some more.

"I am nothing like Beckett." I exit, stomping out of the room. I waltz passed the library, Marshall trying to catch up to me. "What is it?" I interrogate, still marching out into the hallway.

"Miss Evans..." He stops. "Miss Evans, please turn around." These children are so polite.

I face him. "What, Marshall?" I bark.

"Mr. Beckett was looking for you." His hand doesn't leave my shoulder. "Are you all right?" He frowns.

"Human emotion sickens me."

"Now, now, Rory. You're human." Beckett steps out, rubbing his wet head with a gray towel.

"I am not human!" I roar, stomping my heel at the ground. My stiletto shatters, the carpeting perfectly fine. "I am not human; I am a laboratory experiment gone horribly correct."

He throws the towel around my waist and pulls me towards him. Marshall steps back, fleeing from the scene. "Rory, Mrotek feels emotion, like most of us do. I know you feel something deep down as well." Beckett presses his nose against mine. "Rory, we humans are flawed. You may be superhuman, but Big Brother hasn't erased the idea of emotion yet." He throws the towel over his shoulder. "As for what you did to Mrotek...Carden will not be happy."

I flick my ebony hair over my shoulders. I feel a pang of guilt...emotion? No. "What happened?"

"Broke something. Several other minor issues." Beckett plays with the silver necklace he gave me months ago. "Rory, if this happens again, I will make sure you don't step foot in here again." His expression is blank. "Control your emotions."

"And you control yours." I stamp off to the lifting room in search of the tread mills. "Beckett, you hypocritical bastard, you disappoint me."

"Poor Mr. Beckett. Miss Evans was harsh."

"Why is he so upset?"

"How would you like it if the woman you were apparently 'in love' with called you a disappointment?"

"Marshall, Hooligan, Crawford, shut up." Deleon apologizes for their foolishness. "Miss Evans, if there's anything we can do..."

"Keep Beckett away from me." I slip off my shoes and search for the treadmills and Siska.