Hera decided quickly she would feign innocence to any accusation Azrail might throw at her. She, however, couldn't help growling, "Leave me alone," to the cameras.

"I think we need to have a little talk." He spat across the speakers. Hera's pulse quickened as she made a gamble. She prayed he didn't hear what Jane had told her.

"I want to talk to Theo first."

"You want to talk to the person who betrayed you?" Hera could hear his smugness and wanted to strangle him. Relief was a close runner-up as she realised he did not know what she had done to Jane.

"I just want to talk to him, and then I'll..." She paused, unsure of a worthy trade. She swallowed before continuing, "I'll tell you the secret Zeke told me when you tried to kill him..."

The intercom went silent.

"Come on!" Hera sat back on her bed, defeated and angry, when the door opened, and Theo stepped inside. 

"Ask the wrong question, and I leave." She noticed the hidden message in his words. 

"Okay." 

She sat silently, hoping to appear in deep thought to the cameras. "Was everything a lie?" There was a tense pause, and Hera knew what answer she would get.

"Yes." His voice was low, and his fists clenched.

"Can you come sit next to me for a while? I'm tired." She was being truthful. It was almost painful to keep her eyes open. He was not expecting that question and searched her face as he walked closer. He sat cautiously, and the weight of the bed dipping forced their shoulders to touch. Their energies intertwined briefly, causing Hera's eyes to water and Theos jaw clenched. Her Evolution was betraying her. She wanted to keep her guard up around him, but it wouldn't let her. 

"Where are we?" She asked while sending Juno's shield around his mind. There was less resistance than with Jane, but she knew her exhaustion wouldn't let her hold it. 

"We are on a ship in the middle of the ocean." He replied. Hera knew he could feel the weight lifted off his mind as he leaned against her slightly. 

Is he controlling you? Theos head dipped and lifted so faintly she thought she dreamed it. Her shield snapped back, and his body stiffened. 

"When can I leave the room?" she asked him as he stood.

"When it's time to harvest you." He replied emotionless, walking to the door.

I get it now, Theo. It's not your fault. She screamed internally to the back of his head. His hand curled into a fist as he walked through the opened door. I love you. Her words hit like a physical blow, and he stumbled. Hera cried out, tears welling in her eyes as the door slammed behind him. 

She buried her head in her hands and cried.

...

Hera awoke to dinner being wheeled in. Jane stood above her and stared blankly before clearing her throat, "Azrail has asked me to retrieve the information you promised to see Theo."

When she finally processed the statement, she felt her stomach sink. "I would rather tell him in person."

"That's impossible..."

Hera cut her off. "I don't want to disclose any secrets to the person in charge of killing me."

"He is onshore at the moment. Perhaps you can write it down." She passed a pen and paper with shaking hands and clenched her teeth." Hera tried to look bored, throwing the items next to her while she ate. "You can go now, Jane. You don't need to watch me eat." She nodded slowly before turning and leaving the room. This time, Jane had left her with a fork, and she tried not to get excited as she finished the pasta on her plate. Instead, she rolled on her stomach, pocketing the silverware and opened the paper beneath her writing gibberish on alternating lines to the message Jane had left in faint pencil.

Total power shutdown in 3 hours - cameras deactivated for 10 min

Theo's room - L, R, L, L, RM. 126

Azrail has mind control abilities, amplified by dozens of mods. Destroy mods = weak

Attached to the bottom of the paper was a tiny silver chip which Hera carefully slid into her pocket. It made Hera sick seeing the tiny chip and imagining how many of her people were murdered to make something so small. 

I attached a Mod made from your blood draws- minor shield ability should help Theo.

Please save my son.

Jane

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she scribbled across the pencil marks hiding any trace of a message from Jane. She tore the paper into tiny pieces and threw it across the room. She hoped it looked like she was being a brat to anyone watching and counted down the minutes before she could escape.

...

The red glow on her room's security camera's disappearance was her only hint it was time to go. She jammed her fingers into the joins where the doors meet and pulled them apart with all her strength. They opened just enough for her to squeeze through. She hoped nobody would spot her as she jogged in the direction Jane wrote. 

Left.

She ran down a long damp corridor. 

Right.

The path took her up a flight of stairs, and a few agents ran past murmuring unintelligibly. She went left in the opposite direction to the agents and left again soon after. The numbers started at 110, so she ran down the hall as quietly as she could. She thought she heard steps behind her just out of sync, but when she looked back, there was no one. Her heart thudded in her chest as she reached Theo's room and silently turned the knob. Hera opened it just enough to fit her body and leaned against the door once it closed. 

The room was dim, and the bed was empty. Her heart sank, thinking he wasn't there when a cool blade pressed against her throat, and Theo's beautiful dark eyes stared down at her. "I've been ordered to kill you if I see you out of your room." His voice was strained, and he clenched his teeth together so hard Hera feared he would break them.

"Is that what you want to do to me?" She questioned, unafraid of the knife biting into her throat.

He had her caged in. "I have to... kill you."

"I forgive you. No matter what happens here." She said, swallowing as she felt blood trickle down her neck. The mod Hera pocketed was now gripped between clammy fingers as she trailed her hand along his shaking bicep.

"Stop." His voice was barely a whisper. He sounded so broken as she gently caressed his nape.

"It's gonna be okay." She murmured right before forcing the mod into his neck, breaking skin instantly. Blood poured from the wound, and he roared in pain, lessening his grip on the blade. Hera took this second to slip him and kick the knife from his hand. He clawed at the back of his neck, but Hera grabbed his hands and pulled them to her throat. 

"You're supposed to kill me, remember? Don't forget your orders!" Hera prayed the distraction from the mod would give it time to kick in. Instead, his grip tightened, and her vision went fuzzy. She knew she needed more time and pulled down on his wrists, opening her airway before she dropped her head and rolled out of the hold. 

His fingers dug into her shoulder, and he spun her around, pushing her back against the biting cold door. His arms caged her head, and his body pressed against hers. She knew he was fighting his orders with every fibre of his being. 

Hera tempted fate and closed her eyes, searching for the mod's energy in his body. She was distracted by the blood and quickly pinched his skin together, melding it to stop the torrent down his back. Hera realised the mod needed more force to settle against the brain stem, so she slipped her hand around his neck and pushed down. A scream tore from Theo's throat as it latched to the base of his skull. After a moment of agony, Theo fell silent. Hera was shaking in fear against his still form. The only clue that he was still conscious was his upright posture. His breathing had quieted, and Hera pressed her ear against his chest.

"Are you okay?" She tried to push him back, and without warning, she was lifted into a crushing embrace. Hera wrapped her legs around him and nuzzled her head into his neck.

"I'm so sorry." He breathed into her hair. "I'm so fucking sorry for everything." His grip on her tightened still, and when she pulled her head back to meet his eyes, she saw them swimming with unshed tears.

"It's okay. Everything's okay." She whispered one last time before he smashed his lips on hers.

Her lips parted, instantly welcoming the kiss to go deeper. His hands fisted her hair, and he pressed her body hard against him. She could feel how sorry he was, and she kissed just as hard to show she forgave him. 

"It wasn't your fault." She tried to breathe out between kisses. "We don't have much time. We have to go, Theo." He deepened the kiss one last time before placing her down on the floor. He retrieved his knife and was about to pocket it when his door creaked open. He poised to throw said knife when Joel's appeared hands high, "It's me! Don't shoot!" 

Hera's mouth dropped open in shock.