"All of these are fine," Maddox said, breaking the silence and putting the last book to the side. "And so is your request to give him a couple notebooks and pens. Once we're done here, I'll take them down. There's just one thing missing. Where's the book he specifically asked for?"

Lily blinked a few times, and he waited for her to process what he asked and catch up on the conversation. Then, she shook her head and looked down at her hands. "You heard what Dahlia said yesterday. I'm not giving him a reason to think he can manipulate me."

Awkward tension filled the office, and Maddox struggled with what to say. She had been quiet since she appeared in his office twenty minutes late for their appointment with a pile of books. Her eyes were red and dry from crying, and she didn't mention once how great an opportunity it was for Nolan to finally open up to her. She was entirely shut down and lost in her own thoughts while pulling at the end of her sweater more than usual.

Not that he could blame her. She always seemed to be the focus of the high-school level drama that kept popping up around the facility. Mahal, Dahlia, even the therapists who had nothing to do with the research department somehow found a reason to pick on the one and only historian. Despite what Dahlia said, she wasn't as much of a 'space cadet' as they all thought and was at least aware of them targeting her. Usually, she seemed able to brush off the snide comments and condescending looks. But the things Dahlia said the other day hit a bullseye in Lily's insecurities.

Maddox hated it. He hated that another person he genuinely cared about was being bullied. Lily might have her head in the clouds and might be a little naïve, but she had also never been anything but kind to the people around her. She loved nothing more than to hear about the other projects and the focus of other specialties. But instead of being met with the same respect, she was shut down for her work as being unimportant in the grand scheme of the Organization.

Was that why Tytus was so obsessed with her? Because she was the exact opposite of the kind of person that he was typically exposed to?

With a sigh, Maddox opened a drawer, pulled out a copy of the infamous novel, and stared at the obvious signs of wear and tear. The cover image was faded, the spine was so cracked the glue barely held together, and the book itself was almost twice as thick as it was supposed to be from being handled so much.

It was Rhia's. Her own personal copy. The one he bought for her thirteen years ago for her birthday.

"He wasn't trying to manipulate you. The opposite, actually," he finally said quietly. From the corner of his eye, he saw Lily look up, but his attention never left the book. "I assume you have read his file. You know who he was dating before he was brought here."

"Entity Charlie."

He wasn't quite able to hold back the wince as she said that. It was easier to pretend around Richard and the rest of the scientists. Not so much around someone as genuine as Lily. "This was her favorite book. She was the exact demographic and target audience at the height of its popularity. Thirteen or fourteen years old, a bit of an outsider, and someone who desperately wanted someone to love her as unconditionally as that sparkly marble statue loved the main character."

"Okay? So?"

"So... Nolan Wes is going to spend the rest of his life in a glass and concrete box. His family is dead. Everyone he knows thinks he's dead. Asking for this wasn't manipulative. He was asking for the smallest reminder of the woman he loved because he knew we wouldn't allow a proper keepsake."

"Then why are we giving it to him?"

"It's just a book, Lily," Maddox sighed again, and added it to the pile. "Besides, if it gets him to open up to you, I'm willing to let it slide."

When he looked back, she was almost glaring at him with an inquisitive and suspicious scowl. Okay, now he could sort of understand why Tytus liked her. Lily had zero poker face. She could not lie to save her life, let alone to toe the company line. He probably felt safe around her, knowing that she was always honest, whether she meant to be or not. "You're not like everyone else here," she said slowly.

"In a good or bad way?"

He gave her a smile that would have charmed the pants off any other woman. Instead, she gave him the same reaction Nova usually did, which was to narrow her eyes further at him. "I don't know. But the way you talk about them... the Entities and the subjects, I mean... You're the only one who talks about them with any... you know..."

"Respect?"

"Yeah..."

Maddox slowly leaned back in his chair to give himself time to think about his answer. He really did like Lily. She was a sweet woman who sparked his inner big brother and made him want to protect her. But did he trust her enough with this? Was she someone he could turn against the Organization? Tytus seemed to think so, and they were partners... right?

"Can I tell you something that can never find its way onto an official record?" he asked, carefully watching her reaction.

That never-ending curiosity came to life in her eyes, and after a minute she nodded.

"Do you know what the emotional lynchpin of the Entity Project is?"

"I don't have access to those files."

"No, I guess you wouldn't. And Bravo never had one, so it wouldn't be in his records anyway. It started as a pilot with Rhi- with Charlie and Delta. The directors wanted to see how well they settled with their designated families if they had someone closer to their relative age that they could rely on entirely. A sibling, cousin, friend... someone other than the Colonel and their spouse. The idea was that the chosen person would join the Organization when the entities were recalled for phase three."

"And... you were Charlie's lynchpin?"

"Yeah, but... neither Charlie, Delta, nor I were told about the Organization. Delta's E.L, on the other hand, was told everything. So... kids being kids, it eventually got out that she was forced to be friends with him and that he was basically a science experiment. Predictably, Delta was hurt and being a kid, he didn't know how to process those emotions in relation to his magic. He lost control and killed his colonel, the colonel's family, and tortured his emotional lynchpin before disappearing. The kid was ten. It was the Organization's first major failure with the Entity Project.

"Given how well Charlie was settling in her designation, however, the next step was just trying it again with Echo with a slight adjustment. They told both Echo and their E.L everything. It worked out so well that that's what they've continued to do ever since and put the entities on a 'need to know' basis. But, because they didn't know what would happen to us, they never told me or Charlie. Instead, they continued phase two as originally planned.

"The thing they didn't really think about at the time was that these relationships go both ways. Rhia was my little sister. I was her big brother. She followed me and my friends everywhere, kept coming into my room no matter how many times I told her not to, and she made me drive her to see the Twilight movie three times when it came out. She drove me nuts. But... she was also my biggest supporter. She came to every one of my games, cheered the loudest even when we lost, and was in the front row when I graduated from the Police Academy. We worked damn well together too when she became a paramedic.

"I never understood why Colonel Kincaid didn't love her as much as my mom and I did. It wasn't until we were brought to the Tahoe facility that I was told about all of this. Rhia... Charlie... whatever you want to call her... she and I were supposed to be as much a team here as we were out there. I can't say what it's been like for her since she decided to leave, but it's not been easy for me to fully... separate myself. And with Nolan being here... a lot of those feelings keep coming back up to the surface."

Lily's head tilted slightly, and that inquisitive look faded just enough to make room for sympathy. Then she glared at him. "You liar! You totally knew Wes before you came here."

Maddox barked out a laugh and shrugged. "He was dating my baby sister. He made her happier than I'd seen in a long time. So, I got to know him as well as I could before everything changed. I didn't lie about how he was one of my doctors and he was more interested in Rhia than me."

"Doesn't that make create a conflict of interest?"

"No." He felt bad that he had to snap and make her flinch to keep up the façade. "I am a professional, Lily. I know what is expected of me, and I am more than capable of doing my job. It's not like I have much of a choice, anyway. We don't have the manpower to pass this off to someone else. The Colonel and the directors are aware of the situation. If you feel I am making unreasonable decisions, you are free to take it up with them."

"N-no!" Lily stammered, shaking her head. "I'm just worried that Doctor Wes might take issue if he finds out that you're in charge. I just managed to convince him to talk to me, but he's suspicious. I don't want to give him another reason to shut down again."

"He already knows the Colonel and I are here. He already knows that he's being watched at all times. Convincing him to communicate was all on you. Just keep doing what you're doing."

Her brow furrowed, and she started plucking at her sweater again. There was something else on her mind, and Maddox waited patiently for her to figure out what she wanted to ask, or if she wanted to ask at all. "Is... is that why..." she stopped midsentence and gave him a worried look. "Can I ask something that can't go on an official record?"

"Of course."

"You and Bravo... you two are close, right?"

For a fraction of a second, there was a barely perceptible ripple of light in the corner behind Lily. A flicker of proof that Tytus was following her around while remaining entirely unseen. Maddox had suspected it for a while, but this was the first time Tytus had ever faltered. There really was something about Lily that piqued the entity's curiosity. Which could be good for him. But it could also be incredibly dangerous for Maddox. I'm trusting you, you silent bastard, he thought. Don't make me regret it.

"Define 'close'."

"He made a joke with you. I can't get him to even say hi to me and neither can anyone else. I think, by that standard, you two are best friends."

That made him laugh, and he shrugged. "It's different with us. We're soldiers. Not talking could mean the difference between life and death. We still have a long way to go if we want to be truly effective."

"What do you mean?"

Another brief hesitation while Maddox considered his answer. Not because he couldn't tell her. She had access to all of Tytus's files and could easily find the information. But because he wasn't sure if Tytus wanted or planned to tell her himself. Well, he could consider this an icebreaker.

"Colonel Krawiec died very suddenly a few years ago, so right now Bravo's not assigned to anyone. While all of Colonels Kincaid, Birch, and Walsh are without entities, I'm the only lynchpin available. Danika Schell ran off a couple years after Kilo and was turned into a vampire, and Jennifer Frazier chose not to join the Organization when India failed. Before they start looking for alternatives, the directors want us to work together and see what can come out of it."

"So... you are friends?"

"We don't need to be friends to work together effectively. We have to be able to trust each other with more than just our lives. That's where we're stalled. We're working on it, but only time will tell if Bravo's able to fully put his faith in me and vice versa. If you come watch our next assessment in a couple weeks, you'll see what I mean."

"Sure... the point, I guess, is that you're the closest thing to a friend that Bravo has. So... maybe you can tell me what his deal is with tattoos?"

Maddox's eyes raked her body, as if expecting to see them jump out of her sweater, and her cheeks went red. It was a similar, but not quite as intense look as Bravo had given her. "Didn't peg you for someone into body art," he said and rolled up the sleeve of his right forearm to reveal the solid wall of ink from wrist to elbow depicting a forest scene with the silhouette of a wolf howling at a full moon. "Tattoos mean something different to a lot of people. You're a historian, you know this."

"Personal, cultural, historical, nostalgic... It can be the sign of wealth and respect or damnation and sin. Nowadays, it's as much a form of self-expression and individuality."

"Two things Tytus was never allowed to have."

She blinked and met his eyes again. "T-Tytus?"

"His name. The name given to him when he was born. Everyone around here just calls him and the other Entities by their designations, but... I mean, there's a reason they were allowed to keep their names."

"I don't understand."

"It's the difference between Doctor Smith the historian, and Lily Smith the person. Whether you realize it or not, you act differently when you work and when you're on your own time. Everyone does. Bravo is a stone cold operative when he's given orders. He will obey those instructions down to the last letter. He is the perfect entity. But... who is Tytus? That's what you need to figure out on your own."

"By... showing him my tattoos?"

"Entity or not, Tytus is still a man. Showing off a little skin now and again will take you a long way."

Lily went from a little pink to bright red with steam coming out of her ears in less than half a second. She shot up out of her chair and bolted from the office without another word, leaving Maddox almost giggling to himself. She didn't need to say it. Her reaction told him that one of her tattoos was somewhere very personal. Leave it to Bravo, of all people, to be the one to peel back the layers of Doctor Lily Smith.

~

Nolan stalked the perimeter of his newly shrunken cell. A wall had come down, dividing the space in half and waking him up from a restless sleep. The reason was made clear once he came out of the separated bedroom to see what the hell was going on. A panel in the smooth concrete wall opened, and Organization lackies were coming in and out to furnish the space. A couch, a desk and chair, and even a bookshelf.

Life of luxury, he thought bitterly as he watched them bolt all the new furniture, other than the chair, to the floor.

He watched their every move. Memorizing the location of the door panel and calculating how long it took for them to leave and come back with another tool. He tested the divider wall, making it rattle ominously and the workers hesitate. But it didn't break. This glass was a whole lot stronger than the one he'd woken up in. He doubted that, even if he could shift and access the whole of his magic, he wouldn't be able to break through. They didn't know what he was. But they weren't taking any chances, either.

They were in and out for an hour at the most. Outside the cell, the side where Doctor Smith usually sat trying to get him to answer her questions, another team was installing a black panel just above the door. For what, Nolan could only imagine. When they were done, one of them brought in a cardboard box and left it on the desk. After that, both sides packed up their tools and equipment and left without a word or glance back.

The second the divider was lifted, Nolan bolted for the location of the panel and slammed his weight against it as hard and fast as he could. Pain exploded through his shoulder and side as he bounced off the solid wall without leaving so much as a dent. There wasn't even a crack outlining where the panel had been. He had a better chance of breaking the composite glass material.

Rubbing his aching shoulder, Nolan went to the desk next to open the box and investigate. Before he could, the panel on the other side of the room came to life and dull blue neon numbers read 20:57. It was a clock. A damned clock. Finally, he could tell the passing of time.

But the best gift waiting for him was in the box itself. The books that Lily promised him along with half a dozen blank notebooks and a box of cheap ballpoint pens. She worked fast, that's for sure. Though it probably helped that Maddox was involved. And right on the top of the pile was an old, rumpled copy of Twilight.

As he picked it up, a shudder ran up his spine. A familiar scent filled his nostrils, and his fingers started to tingle. It couldn't be. Rhia?

Though it wouldn't have really mattered, he retreated back to the bedroom for a false sense of privacy. He knew there were cameras everywhere, but he felt somehow safer when he could close a door between himself and the rest of the cell. He sat down on the bed and pressed his nose to the book, inhaling deeply. It was definitely Rhia's scent. It was softer than what he was used to. She had probably been a lot younger when she read this book a million times, and it was long before her awakening. But it was hers.

He thumbed loosely through the pages and found the confirmation that Maddox had been behind this. A piece of paper folded over a small envelope.

Nolan,

The cameras are working but not recording. Audio is fully functional and recording. There aren't enough staff to have you watched 24/7. You will only be watched live during sessions with Lily. You still need to be careful, but I hope this gives you some peace.

You have been here 160 days, including today. Give me that long to get us out. You're not alone. I have allies, and I'm working on getting Lily on our side. It would help if you could apply some of that charm that made my sister fall for you.

Speaking of, this is her book. I think she would like it if you returned it to her personally.

Maddox

PS. Look in the envelope. I found them in your personal effects. Keep them hidden.

It was short and to the point, but the letter still brought one hell of a smile to his face. For the first time since waking up, he dared let himself hope. Hope that he will leave this place. Hope that he will survive. Hope that he will see Rhia again.

Opening the envelope wiped the smile from his face and replaced it with tears. He recognized what they were before he'd pulled them all the way out. They were the two pictures he'd always kept in his wallet. One of his family. Bastian, Sybil, Cameron, Val, and even baby Ethan. The other of Rhia's bright, smiling face. She'd called him old fashioned for having physical pictures in his wallet while he carried a portable computer in the form of a smartphone in his other pocket. But she'd still smiled and humored him while he aimed the camera at her.

God, he missed her. Her smile, her snark, and the way she pressed her body into his when she slept. If all he had to do to see her again was survive.., he would do it. He had to do it. He just hoped she hadn't given up on him.

~