How to Disappear Completely

Running in black jeans. Uncomfortable, but still possible. Siska's perplexed as I sprint without my stilettos on, in stockings. "I guess you'd be prepared if we ever had to flee the scene," Siska jokes, arms crossed. He observes, not jumping onto the treadmill himself. "Your blood pressure's higher than normal. Are you angry about something?" He reads the monitors. "Rory, is there something you'd like to share?"

"Beckett is hypocritical." I grit my teeth as I continue to dash on the machine. I can hear the blood pumping through my veins, my breathing. "I can't stand that man."

"Rory, he's our leader, and we have to accept that." He scrutinizes the monitors. "Slow down. You're going too fast." I turn the machine off and gradually slow down. "I didn't tell you that you had to stop," he says, furrowing his brow. "Anyway, Beckett's human, therefore he's hypocritical. One cannot always stick by his or her words."

"Why not?"

"Because we all make mistakes. Rory, everyone makes mistakes. Cut Beckett some slack." He rests a hand on my shoulder. "And Rory, what you did to Mrotek...that was cruel."

"...move out of the way, Deleon." We freeze.

"Mr. Beckett, I'm sorry, but she doesn't want to see you at the moment."

"Well, that's too bad. Step aside, Deleon. I'm saying this as calmly as I can."

"Sir, please--"

"Deleon, move, or I will resort to violence."

I step out of the room, and Deleon whips around. "Miss Evans," he greets. "I--"

"Thank you, Deleon." My eyes lock on Beckett. "What do you want?" Siska drops a hand on my shoulder. "I'm busy; make it quick."

"Running on a tread mill in jeans is practically impossible," Beckett comments, studying Siska's expression. "Were you monitoring her blood pressure?"

"Beckett, if you aren't going to say something important, it's best if you leave," Siska announces, turning around. "C'mon, Rory, finish your work out. Then we can get to dynamics and weight lifting." He glances at me. "Rory?"

"Sir, just let her finish her workout. Please," Deleon pleads. "I'm sure Johnson would like some help with his Linear Algebra."

Beckett stomps off with Deleon, and Siska motions for me to run again. I can't. I don't want to. Beckett's presence ruined my reason to run. Siska stares, waiting. "I'm finished for today. I'm going to finish with dynamics, and read some manuals."

"You're so boring, Rory," he teases, exiting the room. "I have to train Colligan in endurance, so I'll see you later." I trudge back to my room and stretch, and then take a shower. After, I stroll back to the vast wooden furnished library in search of computer manuals. I pick out three and start to head out, but a soft hand lands on my shoulder.

"Miss Evans, I..." Durden's voice trails off. "Um...I'm not too sure how to say this." She bites her lip. "Miss Evans, you must understand--Andy means a lot to me, and--"

"We only refer to each other by our last names, Durden. I am Evans, and 'Andy' is Mrotek." I start to leave, but she keeps up with my pace. "What?" I question, heading to Carden's examination room.

"Evans, I...." Durden takes in a deep breath. "Mrotek means so much to me. And what you did..."

"...One punch?" Carden's eyebrows are raised. "One punch did that? I thought someone hit him in the chest with a metal baseball bat. This damage is...incredible!" Mrotek's bandaged up and sitting on the white table. "Rory, I want to test things with you. Hope you don't mind. I'm sorry Mrotek, but...this is absolutely...incredible." Carden's grin melts. "But Rory, you are never to harm someone like this again. Only an enemy, only when we're in deep shit. No hitting teammates."

I nod.

Mrotek hops off the examination table and saunters out with Durden. Carden frowns."The two of them...I don't know what's going to happen. I doubt this will last. After all, we are only human."

"What do you mean?" Chislett enters and leans against the wall. "They're going to last."

"It's called human nature. We only want the best. The most beautiful. The minute she turns sour, she'll be baptized by torture and fed back to the machines as free labor." Carden slips off his latex gloves and throws them away in the trashcan. "Chislett, he'll toss her soon enough."

"I don't think so, Carden. You don't know anything about humans, even though you study and live around them." We chuckle. "Carden, they have something special. They will be together for as long as the other stays alive for."

"Which won't be long," Carden grumbles. "In half a year, we'll be launching our one and last shot in defeating Big Brother, that son of a bitch."

"He will be defeated." Chislett eyes the manuals in my arms. "We will destroy him."

"We will destroy this."

"How are you so sure?" I question.

Chislett grins. "Because as humans, we destroy."