I open my eyes.

I’m sitting in a chair. I can’t move. It’s not just the grogginess – although, I’m having a hell of a headache – I can see the restraints in the corner of my eye.

Reinhart is sitting across me. Her head is buried in her hands.

“Are you awake?” she murmurs.

“Ngh.” Words can’t coming out. Annoying.

“Right, then.” she sighs. “It was worth a try. But you guys really are this stubborn, huh.”

“It was a decent display. But that’s all it was.” Oh. There we go. Words. Out of my mouth. Good. “I’m guessing your deal didn’t come through?”

She says nothing.

Good.

“And now it’s only a matter of time before the Agency figures it might as well go for broke with you. Immortal or not. Powerful or not. You’ve insulted them twice now, with this. And they don’t let those come in threes.”

She says nothing.

“What happened, in the end? Did you kill her? Or is it him? Was that Agent Harris, back there? In Edie’s body? Would explain a lot. Whatever. Where is he, then?”

“That’s not your concern.” she speaks, at last.

“And what would my concern be, then? If you had trouble convincing him, I assure you, you’re going to have a much harder time—“

“Your concern should be that I was being entirely honest. I truly, genuinely, did not want to cause further harm. I wanted for things to de-escalate. I wanted a little time. I don’t have the leisure of time anymore. I’ve made my move, and it’s inevitable your side will make theirs. And I’m going to do some more things we’ll all probably regret. Some less reversible things.”

“Oh.” I yawn. “Aren’t you a bad, bad girl.”

Look deep inside you. Can you hear me? Can you feel m—

C’mon. What is this, amateur hour? This isn’t going to work. How have you not figured this out already?

She shifts in her seat. “I will ask, one last time—“

I roll my eyes. “Look – do you honestly think any of this’ll work on me? I’ve seen your type. You’ve fucked with some people and decided you were God. That there’s nobody in the world who can possibly go against you. You can rise from the dead apparently. Cool parlor trick. But we’ve seen worse. We’ve seen bigger. You’re a Class C. That’s all you are. Fuck with my head. Kill me. Make me forget. Turn me into an animal. It doesn’t matter. They’ll get you eventually.

“Now, I’ll admit. I’m tied up. I’m weak. My own options are pretty limited. So if my last act is going to be telling you there is an option where you can untie me and come peacefully with us, so be it, and there it is. Do what you want. But I’m not going to be doing your bidding, because you’re weak and you know you’re weak.”

She rises from her seat. Our eyes meet for one last time, before she spins on her heel and leaves the room.

“I’ll take that as a ‘no’, then?”