Page 47

“They threatened my family,” she continues, wringing her hands.

“My sister, her children… they made it clear that one misstep, one hint of disobedience, and they’d disappear.

I was trapped. Every breakthrough felt like a new chain.

I haven’t heard from my family in years…

I can only imagine what’s happened to them. ”

My fists clench, knuckles whitening under the strain. Every part of me aches to reach out, to soothe her, but I can’t—can’t show any weakness now. My chest constricts, the desire to help at odds with the fear of what it might cost.

“But you still did it,” I say, struggling to keep my voice from rising. “You kept developing the NeuroMods, knowing what they’d be used for.”

Dr. Vance nods, her jaw tight. “I did. And that guilt… it eats at me every day. But I thought I could change things from the inside, make the technology less invasive, more humane.”

The room falls silent. The others are watching, waiting for my reaction. Part of me wants to believe her, to see the woman behind the lab coat. But can I trust those instincts?

“It wasn’t enough,” she utters. “I realized too late that there’s no ‘humane’ way to strip someone of their emotional autonomy. When I finally tried to sabotage the project, to leak information…that’s when they turned on me.”

My stomach tightens. This is it—the moment of truth.

“They came for me in the middle of the night,” Dr. Vance continues, her words tumbling out in a rush. “Dragged me from my bed, threw me in a cell. They…they used my own creations against me. Do you know what it’s like to have your emotions twisted, amplified, shut off at someone else’s whim?”

I swallow hard, imagining the horror. Despite my reservations, I find myself taking a step closer to her.

“I’m sorry,” I say softly, surprising myself. “No one should have to endure that.”

Jarek scoffs from behind me as Dr. Vance looks up, her gaze meeting my own, hope flickering in her eyes. “I know I don’t deserve your trust,” she says. “But please, let me help. Let me try to undo some of the damage I’ve caused.”

I hesitate, acutely aware of the weight of this decision. The fate of our rebellion, of countless lives, hangs in the balance. Can we afford to trust her? Can we afford not to?

When we extracted her from that cell, I don’t think any of us truly considered the consequences of taking her with us. Or the extreme measures Colvin might take to retrieve her.

Arden steps forward, her green eyes, usually sparkling with mischief, are shadowed now. I swallow the lump forming in my throat as I take in the way she holds herself, slightly hunched, as if bracing for a blow.

“I can vouch for her,” Arden says, her voice rough. “We were in the same cell. She helped me stay sane when they tried to break me.”

I lean in, torn between my desperate desire for more information and my fear of what it might reveal. “What happened?”

Arden’s gaze flicks to Dr. Vance, then back to me. “At first, I thought she was just another Authority lackey. But… she helped me. Kept me sane when they were messing with my head using those damn psychological torture techniques.”

The memory clearly pains her. I fight the urge to reach out and comfort her, knowing she’d hate to appear weak in front of the others. I ball my fists at my side and take a long, deep breath. Later, once we get through this, she’ll need our help to overcome what she’s been through.

“Dr. Vance taught me how to resist,” Arden continues softly. “How to build mental defenses against their psychological manipulation. Without her, I might have broken. Might have given up everything about our rebellion.”

Dr. Vance’s gaze lingers on Arden before dropping to the floor. It’s hard to reconcile the woman before me with the cold scientist I’d imagined.

Arden takes a deep, measured breath. “Look, I know it’s a risk. But she wants to help us. And frankly, we need her expertise if we’re going to have any chance of taking down The Authority.”

The strain in Arden’s face is unmistakable as she makes her case. Her hands tremble slightly, and there’s a haunted look in her eyes that wasn’t there before her capture. It’s clear that trusting anyone associated with The Authority is difficult for her now.

“She saved my life,” Arden adds softly. “I think… I think she deserves a chance to save others, too.”

My jaw tightens as Dr. Vance’s confession and Arden’s impassioned plea settle over me, a storm of emotions brewing inside. Anger bubbles up first—hot and fierce—at the thought of all the suffering Dr. Vance’s work has caused. The NeuroMods, the very tools of our oppression, born from her mind.

“You created the instruments of our enslavement,” I spit out, unable to keep the bitterness from my voice. Dr. Vance flinches and takes a step backwards, her eyes downcast.

But as quickly as the anger flares, a wave of disappointment crashes over me, making my shoulders slump. I’d hoped, foolishly perhaps, that she was different. That someone within The Authority had seen the truth and fought against it from the start.

“I… I understand your anger, young man,” Dr. Vance says softly. “I’ve made terrible mistakes. But I want to make them right.”

Her words stir something deep inside me—memories of my grandmother’s stories, a time when people believed in second chances and redemption. Elara would’ve scolded me for my lack of empathy, urged me to show compassion to the woman standing before me.

Scanning the room, I gauge the others’ reactions. Marcus stands rigid, his jaw set. Ziva’s brow is furrowed, clearly conflicted. Arden’s eyes are imploring, but Jarek, Jorell, Liora, and Tariq all appear unconvinced.

“We can’t ignore the risk,” Ziva finally speaks up as someone scuffs their boot across the concrete. “If this is some elaborate trap—”

“It’s not!” Arden cuts in, her voice sharp, rounding on Ziva. “I swear it.”

“But how can we be sure?” Marcus counters. “The Authority’s deception knows no bounds.”

“My suggestion is to kick her out and leave this place behind.” Jarek starts before Arden interrupts him.

“We can’t just abandon her,” Arden pushes back, her voice rising with the tension.

I watch Dr. Vance closely as the debate swirls around us.

Her shoulders are slumped, the weight of her past clearly visible.

But there’s a determination in her eyes that I can’t ignore.

A part of me really wants to believe that she is on our side and wants to make things right.

She can’t change what she did in the past, but she does deserve the chance to redeem herself from her own actions.

“If we turn her away,” I find myself saying, surprising even myself, “we lose a valuable asset. And we prove we’re no better than The Authority—unwilling to see the humanity in those who’ve made mistakes.”

The room goes still, the weight of my decision pressing down on us all. I know the others will respect my choice, even if they don’t fully agree with it.

I draw in a shaky breath, feeling the weight of all eyes on me.

Every muscle in my body locks up, the pressure of their eyes like an invisible hand on my chest, squeezing tighter with each passing second.

I know I can’t back down now. Not after everything that’s been said, everything that’s been lost.

“Dr. Vance’s knowledge of the NeuroMods could be invaluable,” I say, my voice growing steadier. “She knows their weaknesses, their inner workings. That kind of insight could turn the tide of our fight.”

Ziva nods slowly, her dark eyes thoughtful. “You’re not wrong, Myall. But can we trust her?”

I turn to Dr. Vance, studying her face. The lines around her eyes speak of years of worry, of guilt. “Dr. Vance,” I say as I turn to address her directly, “if we accept you, what exactly can you offer us?”

She straightens, a hint of her earlier confidence returning.

“I can help you disable the NeuroMods by guiding you through the process of building a device that can shut down the mainframe,” she says.

“And I know the layout of The Authority’s Compliance Monitoring Division here and in Elysium.

I can guide you through their defenses and how to shut down the NeuroMod and Sentinel systems for good. ”

My heart races at the possibilities. With that kind of information, we could strike at the very heart of The Authority.

“It’s too dangerous,” Marcus cuts in, uncrossing his arms. “She could be feeding us false information, leading us into a trap.”

The tug-of-war inside me pulls hard—hope fighting suspicion, trust battling caution. “We’d need to verify everything she tells us,” I admit slowly. “But if it checks out—”

Arden steps forward, her eyes blazing. “I’ve seen her suffer at the hands of The Authority,” she says fiercely. “Trust me when I say she’s not loyal to them anymore.”

Looking at each of my companions in turn, I read the conflict and mistrust on their faces.

“This can’t just be my decision. We need to vote,” I say finally, gazing at each person in the room. “But before we do, I want to hear from everyone. What are your thoughts?”

As the others begin to voice their opinions, arguing the pros and cons of trusting the woman to helped create our emotional prison, I watch Dr. Vance.

She stands quietly, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself as the last voice falls silent.

I lock eyes with Dr. Vance, searching for any hint of deception.

Her piercing blue eyes hold mine, unwavering as she waits for us to decide.

“Alright,” I say, my voice cutting through the silence of the room.

“We’ve heard everyone out. It’s time to decide.

This isn’t just a decision for me—it’s for all of us.

Dr. Vance knows more about the NeuroMods than anyone.

If we’re going to defeat The Authority, we need her.

But don’t think for a second that I’m blind to the risk. ”

Ziva’s sharp intake of breath is audible. “Myall, are you sure about this?” she asks, concern etched across her face as she meets my gaze.

I nod, though my stomach churns with uncertainty. “We’ll take precautions. Dr. Vance won’t have unrestricted access to our plans or locations. But we need her expertise.”

Dr. Vance’s shoulders visibly relax, and I catch a glimpse of relief in her eyes. “Thank you,” she says softly. “I won’t let you down.”

“See that you don’t,” I reply, my tone firm. “Because if you do, the consequences will be severe.”

As the others begin to discuss the logistics of integrating Dr. Vance into our operations and where would be the smartest location to hide her from Regent Colvin, I find myself lost in thought. Have I just made a decision that will save us all, or have I invited a viper into our midst?