Adrian let his voice fade into the room, watching as each person temporarily relinquished their link to this reality, forcefully routed to their minds. He fervently hoped they took what he said to heart.

Soon, all that remained was the slight thrum of electricity pulsing through the electrical and fiber-optic lines, too quiet for a normal person to distinguish, and the hum of the vents that cycled fresh air to the warm bodies in those chairs.

On that thought, he flicked his eyes towards the nearest camera. Raide apparently understood his intention, because the temperature started slowly dropping along with fresh solution pumping through the IV lines. This next part was going to be brutal on their bodies. If they didn’t have a cooled environment and enough nutrients during the first stage, they could encounter difficulties.

To him though, much louder still were the breaths that the seven members before him released periodically. Every breath was like a nail hammering into him, knocking at the door of his fast beating heart. He was responsible for them now. What a feeling... Each face represented a soul that had placed themselves in his care, for better or worse. Their hopes and dreams for the future...the success of each would in a way stem from this moment, and the burden of the decisions he laid upon them.

“Sir, we should...” Adrian held up a hand, halting his A.I. from speaking further.

He needed to be here for this.

Thinking of something, he turned his head slightly, again looking at the camera as his expression maintained its serious thoughtfulness. “Contact Roger. Make sure that no crews come in tomorrow or the day after.”

It was currently Sunday, so they didn’t have to worry about prying eyes or ears, but that wouldn’t be the case tomorrow or Tuesday. The entire complex was extremely close to being completed. Judging by Raide’s reports, really, the only things left were the finishing touches like cleaning up construction debris and moving out all of the double-wides they’d brought in. Making it presentable would be about 3 days of work for two teams, so letting them start Wednesday would still let them get it done by Friday.

Adrian glanced to the light bar that circled the room, noting that it had stayed blue to indicate that Raide was still concentrated here. It made sense. He hardly needed to employ any significant amount of attention to make a trifling phone call. The large majority of projects had been sidelined as well to make sure that he could react accordingly to any situation that may develop concerning the people going through their upgrade, however slight the chance.

From the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught a blooming of heat.

Turning to the first chair on his left, he was mildly surprised that the first to begin the physical transformation was Nova. Hopping up from his chair, he strode quickly to her side, observing her features and also keeping an eye on the heat she was radiating while his eyes flitted back and forth from the glass vitals display. Most of it was being created by all of the metabolic functions of her brain cells as they constantly created new cells and synaptic connections. She looked to be in pain, so he placed a hand on her forehead.

Controlling the absorption of heat in his body, he directed the specialized proteins to carry more energy to the core thus aiding in the dropping of the temperature in the room and that of his skin. All of the excess energy radiating from her head steadily poured across the bridge that his hand created, absorbed by his palm.

The slight grimace that scrunched up her beautiful face gradually relaxed.

The most difficult hours were the first 16. First, for 8 hours they’d have to endure a total restructuring and genetic rewrite that fully encompassed every cell in their bodies. Bone would be regrown, muscles torn and rewoven, organs reforged. All to be in accordance with the DNA sequencing that was hijacking their place.

Adrian had told a half-lie when he was describing the process to them earlier. It was true that he and Raide were unlocking their potential, but they also were grafting new code onto the existing DNA template.Otherwise, how would Raide have supplied Adrian the cerebral cord addition that was currently hidden, tucked away in the shadow of his spine? There was no biological precedent for such a thing.

Thankfully, Rich was too dazed by the situation to notice the inconsistencies, as he was the only one who knew differently, or Adrian would have had a headache with all the complaining he could expect. When the words “new cerebral cord” and “spine” are thrown around, people start getting some weird ideas.

Nova’s expression may have gotten better, but it was short lived. After only a moment of peace, she started trembling in her chair, agony written on her face. Adrian grimaced. He couldn’t do anything for her here. This was all internal and not heat related.

Raide whispered in his earpiece and drew Adrian’s attention to a chair directly across from Nova. Heather. She was the second to start the Rewrite Stage. He crossed the 3 meter distance in flash and also placed his hand on her forehead, removing the excess heat that was threatening to overheat her brain. He knew they weren’t in any lasting danger, but it still unnerved him. Just like Nova, only a few moments passed before she too started convulsing.

He swiftly secured her restraints and moved around the circle doing the same for everyone else, his hurried footsteps tapping on the sterile concrete lab flooring. Sergio seemed to flinch a bit in his sleep when his restraints were put on, but Adrian thought it was just his imagination.

Pausing once he was done, he looked around thoughtfully, but soon froze when he noticed the previous two girls.

“What the hell?” He murmured while drawing closer to Heather.

Adrian put a hand on the headrest and leaned in, scrutinizing the unbelievable scene. His brilliantly electric eyes flashed with a hint of amazement. Her hair was losing its pigmentation from the roots and slowly working its way to the tips. Her previously chestnut brown hair was turning a pearly white. But unlike albinism, which signifies a complete or partial loss of pigmentation of the eyes, skin, and hair, hers seemed to be restricted to just the hair. Would it continue on to other areas afterwards?

Concerned, he spoke out, “Raide?”

“Vital signs are nominal and the loss of pigmentation isn’t consistent with known congenital disorders like albinism. Leucism would be close, but that would entail more being affected. Whatever is happening to her is a localized response relegated to the hair and its production of melanin. It’s almost like she’s undergoing achromotrichia.”

“She’s graying because of aging?” No, that can’t be it. His eyes swept over her. Her skin condition remained unchanged and she looked just as radiantly youthful as always.

Adrian’s face scrunched up in confusion and ran through all of the possibilities. He enjoyed fantasy novels growing up just like the rest of them, but visual changes like this were just too….fanciful. Call him cynical, but he believed that there was always a cause and effect, as well as a trade off to be considered for every change. Especially when the change was biological.

This reminded him of his own situation with his eyes. Will every person end up with a distinguishing characteristic to identify them as a member of the liberatur species? God, that will be inconvenient. Their existence should and would be kept a secret for as long as possible. If every single one of them developed some physical abnormality though, there would inevitably be a variation that is impossible to cover up some time down the road.

Sometimes, he thought that life liked to mock him. Everything he did or was involved in had some additional caveat or option that complicated things. Perhaps it was biology’s way of laughing at him for trying to control its evolution.

Never moving his gaze from the agonizingly slow advance of her hair’s transformation, Adrian put on a helpless smile. “Well, I think we’ve been had my friend. This had to have been caused by the serum’s induction, but I can’t rationalize how or for what purpose.” He cut his eyes towards Raide’s image.

“Indeed. I’m quite...disconcerted by this development. The only other explanation I can offer is that it’s stress related. It’s been suggested that the accumulation of the hormone cortisol within hair follicles can have an effect in such a way, but the correlation hasn’t been proven yet. Further research is warranted,” Raide said while looking troubled.

Curious, Adrian pulled up her eyelids. She was out cold, so he wasn’t worried about her waking up or anything. Staring at those sky-blue irises of hers which held life but not awareness, he was a bit weirded out for a second before he saw something that he really wished was a part of his imagination.

“Raide...did you catch that?”

The A.I. nodded. “There was a faint arc of electricity, in the exact same fashion as yours.”

Adrian sighed and then cursed rather dejectedly, “Shit.”

They’d briefly discussed the problem of his eyes back after he got his upgrade, but really it was a minor concern then. He was one person. By the time he was exposed to the public’s eye, they would have completed the nano-contact design they were working on that would both be able to resist the arcing current pulsing underneath it and also act as a digital lenses for Raide to capture visual data. They both knew that it was possible, they just had to devote the time, resources, and manpower to their nanotechnology research. Originally, another thing destined for the “to do” list.

This changed things, though. It was too early to say, but if every single person who went through the upgrade took on this electrified eye characteristic, they could kiss their anonymity goodbye. Unless, of course, they resolved the nano-tech eye lense prototype in the near future.

Adrian grimaced. I’ll have to put them on house arrest until it’s completed. How ironic is that? They get their upgrade and immediately get locked down like a teenager caught lying to his parents.

Shaking his head slowly, Adrian backed away from his thoughts and turned to Nova.

Her change wasn’t as readily noticeable to the same degree as Heather’s but his sharp eyes could instantly tell the difference. Her golden brown hair was reflecting light much better than it was before, making it appear slightly blonder in coloration. On top of that, the thickness of the hair follicles seemed to be increasing. Either that, or the density of the hairs were adding to the volume. He grinned, bemused. Heather gets white hair while Nova gets volumizing treatment? He could already see the reactions.

Just as he was turning, he noticed a soft glow coming from Nova’s hair. Turning back confused, he walked over and leaned in only to gasp a moment later. Her hair wasn’t only reflecting light better, it was actually exuding it. The effect was so miniscule that it was hardly visible to the naked eye, but he could still see that her hair was actually glowing. Honest to God, human bioluminescence it looked like.

A very loud, exasperated sigh escaped his lips. Hesitantly, his hand floated over her face and peeled back her eyelids, checking for what he feared. Silence spanned a few moments before he dropped his hand back to rest on the side of the metallic chair. Feeling the coolness of the aluminum, he thought for a moment before a weird expression came across his face.

He swayed and then shrugged, turning his eyes to Raide who was looking at him on the wall, raising his hands as he spoke, “I’m done.”

Raide said confusedly, “What do you mean?”

Adrian nodded to himself and then said nonchalantly, “I mean, I’m done. I don’t care anymore. I am shelving all of these concerns until we get the entire picture. Constantly analyzing their changes from moment to moment is dangerous to my mental health.”

“But...”

Shaking his head, he repeated it a third time. “Nope, I’m done.” Stalking over to his chair, he pounced backwards up into the seat, crossing his legs as he did so. A dark, brooding atmosphere surrounded him as he stared menacingly back at the other four team members. It was almost like he was daring them to have the same results as Heather and Nova.

As the minutes and hours ticked by while he watched over his friends and now family, Adrian’s mood gradually became more serious. His sentinel-like figure gradually stilled until he was no longer moving even the slightest amount. Only his ethereal blue eyes still moved from person to person, vigilance written within.

***

Saad Rahal looked back at his Sheikh gravely. The man before him was not known for his kindness, nor was he one to accept excuses. To hold such an honorable title in today’s world which was economically and politically dominated by infidels, a ruler of the tribe had to be merciless - he understood this. And it was also a part of why he revered the venerable Sheikh in the first place.

But the days like today were the reason that he also feared him.

“My Sheikh, we have tracked the errant purchase that was lost when our business contact was destroyed. We have followed her, but the police protects her home well. She is also spending a large amount of time at a new compound. We’ve yet been able to identify who owns it, but we are assuming it to be a place of work for her.”

The dignified man known as Sheikh Fekri Jafri was silent, reclined behind his desk. Lavish carpets from all over the world adorned the floor and walls along with plants and greenery, adding an earthy, tribal feel to the small palace that the two were currently in. The entire place exuded a feeling of tradition. His large beard trembled slightly but was gone as soon as it began, his eyes still flashing a dark, piercing light. Saad knew this was a sign of rage so he quickly bowed his head in supplication.

A gravelly voice grumbled out, “Saad, I‘ve never understood why you use the infidel tongue so much. The sin that is perpetrated daily by the people who speak it makes my soul quake with fury.” His eyes leveled out on Saad’s face. “More still though does your failure in acquiring the girl irk me.”

Saad bowed low. “My humblest apologies, Great One.”

The sound of the Sheikh tapping his fingers on the desk sent tremors into his heart. How many men had he watched the man butcher in his position, no, how many men and women had he butchered in this very spot for the Sheikh which they all served in the glory of Allah?

Soon the voice returned, though somewhat softer. “Raise your head, Saad. Your troubles are understandable.” The tapping changed to a hard slap that sent a loud loud noise echoing through the room, making the servant jump. “However, you should know how I feel about my possessions. The price has already been paid, the deal struck. She is mine.” The Sheikh leaned forward menacingly. “I don’t care if she’s protected by the Great Devil’s army, or by the President himself, you will bring her to me. I’ve already been patient for the past month. Pick your method, I don’t believe I should have to school you on how to do your job.”

Saad replied hurriedly, “Of course not, my Sheikh. I will hasten to accomplish this task.” He bowed low again and started walking backwards to the exit.

No matter how much he didn’t like it, he would have to try and grab her at that unknown place that was almost completed. It was fortunate that the latest report he’d received mentioned that only 8 individuals besides the construction workers were seen coming to and from the complex. Perhaps if their luck were to continue, the workers would be done in the next couple of days. The situation was already not ideal. Attacking any location in force on American soil was almost suicide. If they were too loud about the snatching, they’d incite the devils into closing all of the borders.

They would have to do this as quietly as possible or he and his brothers would not be able to return home. Saad did not relish the thought of having to stay within such a perverse society for any length of time.

The Sheikh nodded at Saad’s obediently retreating figure. “Fi amaan Allah.”

The words reverberated into his still bowed head and Saad was reminded of the gentle nature of his ruler. He would not disappoint him again in this matter.

Arriving at the door, he raised his head and said with a salute before turning to leave, “As-asalaam ‘alaykum.” Moments later, his figure had disappeared down the darkened corridor.

Fi amaan Allah = “In God’s protection”

As-asalaam ‘alaykum = “Peace be upon you”

***

Nova had lost all concept of time. Again. A foggy recollection was enough to tell her that she’d done this same song and dance many times already. How many, she couldn’t count. There were moments where she clung to lucidity within this strange dream world, but as quickly as her hope of stability had been rekindled, she would then be plunged back into a whirlwind of indiscernible shadows and light, robbing her mind of any clarity she had temporarily gained. She wondered if this was what a drug trip was like.

Wait, she actually was tripping on drugs technically. The thought brought a wave a mirth to her mind before she was flung back into obscurity.

Passing through lands of darkness, she occasionally saw distant memories from her life. Floating to a standstill, she found herself in front of an indistinct 7 year old version of herself, almost like she was a painting. Freckles dotted that cute face which was crowned by a lighter version of her sun-kissed hair, enormous brown eyes staring back her, and Nova couldn’t help but giggle, her laughing face relaxing into a content smile. It’d been a long time since she’d been that carefree.

Reaching a hand out, she lightly pierced the image and ran her fingers through that golden brown hair. In reaction, smaller Nova beamed back brilliantly before turning around and going through a change, her dainty clothes morphing into a soccer uniform. Sprinting as fast as she could, she joined a few of her friends out on a field, playing their hearts out in an attempt to reach the level of the heroes they’d seen on T.V. Every single one of them knew, without the shadow of a doubt, that they would grow up to be pros.

Clumsy passes and imprecise goal shots flew everywhere, but to them it was perfection itself. No one could run faster than them because they were the wind incarnate. Happiness flowed freely and when someone was injured, they would cry until they felt better before joining the throng of children again, their pain already forgotten. Watching the girl that was right in the middle of it, Nova smiled one more time and then turned around.

Her hopes and dreams then were so grand. When had she allowed herself to be sucked into the flow of reality’s depression? Every child had to grow up, she knew that, but what concerned her more was that she had somehow lost something important along the way - the ability to dream. Her so-called dream job was a sham compared to the things she wanted to do when she was small. When had everything become centered on a job?

The scene changed like a revolving door and she was in New Orleans. Time flowed quickly and she watched, terrified, as Hurricane Katrina, writhing like a powerful, grotesque demon, struck the city, dealing destruction as if it were seeking recompense for some unknown slight an angel had paid it. Buildings collapsed and people by the hundreds died after the levee collapsed. Trees, windows, and rooftops were like paper before its fierce winds, all without a firm foundation ripped from their place.

Time sped up and disaster relief arrived along with a 12 year old Nova Svensson.

It had been sold to them as a mission trip, an idea that she shamefully thought of as a mini vacation at the time, but the reality that greeted them was far more than the new middle schooler could handle. She was too small to help with some of the debris clearing, too weak to be put to use moving things. Instead, she spent her time face to face with the darkest consequence that Hurricane Katrina gifted those that lived here - despair.

Older Nova moved closer, watching the younger version of herself help serve food in a tent. The faces that shuffled by were distraught, bereft of something vital to them, little Nova could see it. But she couldn’t understand anything. She saw all this sadness, all the grief and fear, and yet she could do nothing for them except ladle more soup or pass off an extra biscuit that she had gotten for herself in silence.

Confusion reigned in her little heart.

Walking closer, the older version of Nova sat down at one of the tables and held the hand of one of the victims, a little old black man that was bent and wrinkled with age. When she arrived at his side, the phantom touch of her hand upon his, he seemed to sense something and looked expectantly at the empty chair beside him, the profundity of hope rekindled for the briefest of moments. But when reality struck home once again, his view greeted by the vacancy, tears streamed from his eyes.

Nova remembered him. His name was Walter Childs and he had just lost his wife of 50 years.

Little Nova may not have been able to understand at the time, but she was more equipped to at least imagine the sorrow his heart must have been enduring. Might still be enduring. Looking around, a tear slipped from her eyes as she gazed around at the faces that she saw all those years ago. While her dream so far had been cloudy and indistinct, here it was blessedly in focus. Lives were congregated in this place and she could feel that her heart was reminding her that they were worth remembering.

At the same time, she also understood something that she’d missed while ladling soup for the destitute all those years ago. They were afraid and grieving for the future as well as those they’d lost. Decades of work dedicated to building homes and lives, raising children and sending them off...all disrupted and destroyed. Where were they to go from here?

Nova stared back at them and wondered where each soul had ended up. Were they happy now? Had they managed to build new homes for themselves? Little her had never given it much thought. While the burden of their sadness had been passed on to her, she never did truly understand. Not until now. It was just so hard to build a place for themselves in the word nowadays. Sprigs of doubt and worry clung to her mind as she silently prayed for them.

Feeling the awakening of a truth, she looked to the side and saw her 17 year old self walking down the aisle at graduation while the tent filled with disaster victims vanished into tendrils of smoke off to the sides. Gone were the dilapidated houses ruined by water and storm. Gone were those that were worried about tomorrow. Replacing them were rows upon rows of smiling teenagers, dressed in cap and gown, striding forward at the call of their name.

Walking leisurely to the row that she saw herself sit down in, a small smile floated to her face, overshadowing the grief that had just been there. So beautiful, so confident. She’d been accepted to an exceptional school and her parents were “tickled”, as they liked to say, because they were so proud. She was a girl blessed with every advantage under the sun: brains, beauty, background... but as she watched the younger version of herself, she recalled a deep-seated uncertainty.

So much was expected of her. Get a good job. Marry a quality guy, preferably from a good family. Build or buy a house and settle down to have kids so that her parents could play the doting grandparents. It seemed slightly ridiculous to her. That’s it? That’s what the next 40 years would be highlighted by? It all seemed too simple, too forced. She respected all of those things, but at the same time, she had once dreamed of being part of a magnificent story. Watching the younger her from the side, Nova recalled the struggles of her heart.

She wanted a romance that would awe people’s hearts - one that made others aspire to it. She desperately wanted to be a part of something earth-shattering, something that drew people away from darkness and back to life. But where could she find such a thing? So many companies and organizations touted bylines like “change the world” but how could such small groups ever have a real hope of doing something substantial?

She was small though, too.

Sitting there on that hard metallic chair, decked in the traditional black garb of a successful student beneath a sweltering May Sun, she had confronted herself with the arguments of reality. How, even though her heart yearned for something greater, she shouldn’t have too much hope. She’d heard how others had dared to dream too big and flown too close to the Sun, only to come crashing back down into their parents’ basements. She couldn’t bear the thought of the disgrace.

So she murdered her dreams.

Reality was too cruel, so she had to ward against it. She’d said that her dream job was architecture. She liked to design beautiful things, she said. However, the entire time she was numb. Studying came naturally, so she lost herself in the rote mechanics of self-improvement by way of higher education.

Shifting again, her view changed to the moment that it’d finally all made sense - her meeting with Adrian. She smiled charmingly at the confident man as he talked to the past her in that row of books. Finding him had been a pain, but the peace that came with his presence made it all worth it.

Initially, she’d been afraid of him. What girl wouldn’t be when a madman such as him took interest in her? But as she watched him tackle each problem after the other, all the while protecting her and patiently waiting for her decision on whether to join them or not, she gradually came to understand him. He wasn’t evil, despite the way the media painted him and modern conventions would have you think. His way of things certainly differed from society’s standards, sure, but it wasn’t wrong. Everything was supported by logic and aimed towards his goals.

Circling around, she peeked around his shoulder at her own face which had frozen in time. Which, by the way, wasn’t he incredibly close? Was she still too dazed at the time to notice a simple distance problem? A slight blush heated up her cheeks and she scolded herself. What am I, a 14 year old girl?

Shock and bemusement were written across other hers features. Chuckling, she imagined what Adrian must have been thinking about while talking to a random girl he didn’t know that looked like... this. She looked pityingly at the other her.

In fact, it still amazed Nova that he bothered with her at all. She didn’t lack for confidence in herself, but she had no qualifications for joining something as monstrously monumental as his group of friends. She had no history with him like the rest of them. She was just a girl, lost in the tedium of school who happened to meet him while trying to provide herself with a momentary respite from reality.

Smirking to herself a bit, she then laughed as the void started to retake the edges of her view. Shadows devoured books by the dozens, and some silent wind ripped apart the bookshelves, inevitably grabbing hold of her previous self and Adrian and flinging them back to her memory.

Watching them disappear, Nova solidified the thought she’d been working on through this who drug trip. She wasn’t sure what the future would hold but she did know that out there, in the real world, her place was beside Adrian. There was this inexplicable sense of rightness to it all that soothed her soul.

That feeling wasn’t born from watching Adrian and his buddies kill a bunch of bad guys. No, it was more like her place beside them had the potential to give her back the autonomy over her dreams again. Everything she had just seen only served to remind her that she was not happy in the pursuits that she previously thought to be important. She wanted -she needed - to get back to that primal, indistinct urge that inflamed her passion.

Here, bereft of any capriciousness or fancy, devoid of obligation and “should’s” she’d always felt pressured by, she finally felt truly home. Whatever she wanted to do, Nova knew that she would have his full support and freedom.

Thinking of Adrian’s need of a botanist, a weird smile bloomed on her beautiful face as something clicked. She’d always struggled with exactly what she was supposed to do in this life. It was only now that she realized that she no longer had to think think in terms of one lifetime’s worth. She would have the opportunity to do a great many pursuits to satisfy her heart.

So she decided that she’d do things like this first. Nova would be the one that keeps Adrian and the rest balanced because sometimes the most important person in the mix was the one who supported. If they continued on down this path, how hard would it be to maintain a person’s sanity? It was only going to get harder from here. Of course, along with her new lease on life, she’d have to cultivate life, right?

Her mind registered the change in focus and a series of micropulses echoed down the chain of her DNA with a small ping. Like a key sliding into a lock, something within her mind and body aligned and unlocked. Was the sound made the effect of the shackles that bound her soul from seeking its freedom shattering? Was it the breaking of her parent’s hearts as she wiped away her intention to follow the Plan expected of her? She wasn’t sure.

More changes chained together and her thoughts began to come faster and more complex. All at once, she found herself going down a nostalgic train of thought and realized that she was probably emulating the broader points of what Adrian wanted to accomplish and the bigger picture involving all of them, especially her. Had this moment been the reason that he kept pushing her? Finally reaching the understanding she’d been yearning after was sublime.

A silly grin spread across her face. That’s what he wants to do? Why didn’t the idiot just ask?

But she quickly shook her head afterwards, admitting to herself that she was too short sighted to be able to accept it back then. Gaily laughing, she did a twist and allowed her body to fall back into the void where a green liquid had started bubbling up like a spring of life. Landing in it softly, Nova let out a small exhale as she slid beneath the surface.

It was time for the body to catch up with the mind.

***

In contrast to 23 hours ago, Adrian now sat in the midst of a blazing torrent of heat, the air distorted like was he was in the midst of the desert. There were no flames, but the sheer quantity of heat stuffed into the 2000 sq. ft. room was suffocating, ripples of the air shimmering as it all flowed towards the 7 bodies still in their chairs. They were going through what he had, just at a much more manageable rate.

A quick scan by Raide a few hours ago had confirmed the new presence of the heatsink core, so they inverted temperature differential of the room and start pumping massive amounts of nutrients directly into their blood. Adrian flitted his eyes toward the wall and noticed that it was 60℃, or a sweltering 140℉ if one was judging based off of Imperial measurements.

Yet, in all of this, Adrian still didn’t move. He just watched, a silent guardian protecting them while they slumbered, and left the majority of the medical work to Raide. A handy thing, the A.I. All the while, he silently hoped that they would be alright. It was a silly and emotional thought, given the practically perfect chance of success, but he worried all the same, the responsibility he now bore constantly tugging at his mind and heart while playing havoc with the logic he relied upon.

Giving a slight start, Adrian uncurled himself from the chair he’d stuck himself in for so long and appeared beside the young lady that even now glowed slightly with an angelic light, further framed by illusions given birth by the heat. He focused in on the breathing which had changed from before and undid the restraints. Just as he unfastened the last one, his eyes floated back up to see that Nova had awoken.

Staring back at those orbs which bore a new strength of vitality and intelligence, he was suddenly shocked. Because, she didn’t have two amber colored eyes anymore. One was still the same, but her right now looked back at him in olive green kindness, sparks of electricity across both reminding him she was no longer the girl she was before.