CHAPTER TEN

HENRY

I finally went home after I haven't seen my parents since the entire ordeal with Max and I. I knew a lot was going to happen as soon as I step into the house and I wasn't wrong.

I walked through the front door, exhausted from the past three days. I hadn't been home since I'd brought my sister to Synod, and I knew my parents were going to be furious.

As soon as I stepped into the living room, my mom launched herself at me, her face red with anger. "How could you do this to us, Henry?" she screamed. "You've destroyed our family!"

I didn't want to engage so I stepped away from them "I don't want to argue, at least not today" I said trying to make my way up the stairs

Mom wasn't having any of that as she did not stop "I knew you had always been ambitious, but going after your own sister was the last straw! You are not the son we raised" She continued as dad chimed in "Maxine is your little sister, it is your duty to protect her, but you led the people who took her into custody all for some reason unknown to anybody" Dad scolded and I was done with everything

I felt a surge of anger and hurt. "You have no idea what I've been through," I yelled back. "I did it to protect my sister, and it was for a good cause. And you know what? It paid off. I just got a promotion at work."

My mom's face turned purple with rage. "A promotion? You call betraying your family a promotion?"

My dad stepped in, his voice calm but firm. "Henry, your mother is right. What you did was wrong and getting promoted at work because of it is even more deceitful."

But I was beyond reason. I was angry and hurt, and I just wanted to lash out. "You don't understand anything!" I screamed. "You never have! With my fellow agents I can breathe, I am myself, I love my job and I would do whatever it takes to secure it, no matter who gets in my way. Besides it's not everyday the leader of New Eden congratulates and finally acknowledges your efforts."

I turned and stormed out of the house before Mom could speak. I knew she still had a lot to say but I was tired, tired of fighting, tired of retaliating and justifying my reasons. I slammed the door behind me as I took my leave. It was time I moved out because I didn't see us moving past this at least not yet.

I didn't know where I was going, but I knew I had to get out of there.

NIKLAUS

I walked into the Vortex headquarters, my mind racing with the latest development. I had just received a call from Shane, one of the agents who had evidently been seen helping her, Maxine Wilson. He had reached out to me, claiming he wanted to help us get Max out.

The story, the time frame and everything else especially her supposed relationship with Henry Wilson was too complicated for all of this to not be some kind of trap.

I walked into the Phoenix-5 office with the 5 directors including my mother as they ran through some file work.

As soon as I got to them I filled them in on. the new advancements with our new case subject, McKenna, and the rest of Phoenix-5 members listened intently as I concluded. "I don't trust him," I said, my eyes narrowing. "He's been working with Arlo this whole time. What's to stop him from betraying us now?"

Ezra who seemed like the only reasonable member on my side chimed in "It's too much of a coincidence, why would Henry betray his sister? give her up? we are walking into a trap, a trap that would get us all killed" He resounded as my mother remained quiet

She suddenly raised her head up from the file in front of her. "EVE what is the current update on the NX-5 situation?" She asked as EVE gave a quick beep before replying

"The NX-5 has indeed been confirmed to be Maxine Wilson, sister to Henry Wilson. She has been taken and duly apprehended by Synod Agents. Henry has equally been offered up a promotion after she was brought in" she beeped shut back

"Thank you EVE. If Maxine is indeed in need of our help and we chose not to help, giving Arlo the grounds to exploit her as much as he likes, would you take the responsibility of the fate of the world?" She looked indifferent, as if she had been waiting for me to come back with a protest

I looked at her with a small spec of guilt welling up inside"But what if it's all a lie?" I asked calmer this time

As she relaxed into her seat at the head of the table "Then I will take full responsibility of whatever happens next" She looked confident as she always has.

Her expression was thoughtful. "We can't just dismiss him out of hand because of a mere gut feeling, Klaus. If he's genuinely willing to help us, we need to consider it."

I hesitated, still unsure. But McKenna's words struck a chord. We did need all the help we could get if this wasn't the trap I thought it was.

"Alright," I said finally. "I'll meet with him. But if he's playing us, he'll regret it."

I pulled out my private DX163 phone and sent Shane a text. "Meet me at midnight. Come alone. If this is a trap, I'll make you pay."

I looked up at McKenna, a grim smile on my face. "Let's see what Shane has to say for himself."

***

It was time to meet up with Shane Parrish, despite my uneasiness I still needed to be sure of what I was doing.

I revved the engine of my Neural bike, the machine's engine roaring to life as I sped through the city streets in my helmet matching the bike I rode.

The neon lights of the city reflected off the bike's chrome surface, casting a kaleidoscope of colors across the surrounding buildings.

I fired up the engine, the bike's AI, EVE, chiming in with a smooth, melodic voice. "Destination, Klaus?"

I grinned, feeling a rush of adrenaline. "Meet Shane. Alleyway on 5th and Main."

EVE's response was instantaneous. "Plotting course. Hold on."

The bike surged forward, accelerating with a smooth, silent power that pressed me back into the seat. The city blurred around me, a kaleidoscope of lights and sounds that EVE expertly navigated.

As we approached the alleyway, EVE's voice chimed in again. "Arriving at destination. Be advised, Klaus, I'm reading multiple hostiles in the vicinity. Synod Agents are on their usual night patrol."

I smiled grimly, my hand instinctively going to the grip of my gun. "Thanks, EVE. I've got this one."

The bike slowed to a stop, and I swung off, my eyes scanning the alleyway for any sign of Shane. I finally arrived at the designated meeting spot, a dimly lit alleyway on the outskirts of town.

Shane was already there, leaning against the wall with a look of nervous anticipation. I had already killed the engine and swung off the bike, my eyes narrowing as I approached him.

"What's going on, Shane?" I asked, my voice low and even. "You said you had information about Maxine Wilson, the NX-5."

Shane took a deep breath before launching into his story. He told me about how Max was being held at Synod, about the experiments they were running on her, and about his own conflicted feelings on the situation with Henry.

At first, I didn't obviously buy it. I still thought Shane was just trying to play me, to get me to let my guard down. I sneered at him, my anger rising to the surface.

"Why should I believe you?" I asked catching him completely off guard "What?" He immediately exclaimed as his eyes narrowed at me

I checked around my surroundings before continuing, placing my hands in my pocket. "We take a new test subject off your hands, suddenly an NX-5 shows up in need of help, proven to be Henry Wilson's sister which is ridiculously impossible. He takes her on himself, you two are offered up a promotion but suddenly you want to help me get in and save her.....why would you do it when her own family isn't even bothered about her.....It's too good to be true..... especially knowing how much we want to get to the underground facility and find out what is going on with our fellow NX-5'S" O calculated my words. Each one with precision."I'm sure even you know it's a bit too good to actually be true"

I saw Shane's face twist into a fit of rage as he grabbed me by my shirt."I do not care if you think I am playing you but are you willing to gamble a life on your hunch? Max is........She has been a person I have had in my life for as long as I can remember and I will not let anything happen to her....."

I finally saw why he cared so much, he had feelings for her, maybe it wasn't at all a trap after all."You like her don't you?......What a sore love story, knowing you cannot be together" His grip on my shirt loosened as his eyes grew softer

"If you do not want to help, I'll find someone else who can, who will help" he retorted looking defeated

I crossed my hands on my chest waiting for him to come to reality with the fact that no one was going to help. No one who isn't my team and I."And where will you find such a person? No one goes against Arlo or Synod, you know better than that, exposing your plan to anyone else will only get you and her killed. We are obviously the only people who can help you, but I will need to trust you as do you....I will not be putting my life on the line for some spoiled, privileged kid"

He looked a bit pissed with a mix of fear. "Will you help or not?" He went straight to the point, his voice in a desperate attempt to somewhat get help. Why would he care for her better than her own family.

It was disgusting how Henry gave her up so easily while a friend did all he could to protect her from her brother himself. It was pathetic and pitifully beautiful him placing his life on the line foolishly for love.

I took a deep breath before replying."I'll keep you informed through texts, we will make plans for her rescue but we will need time, because we want to gain access to Synod completely. We do not know how yet but we will work on something. In the meantime, accept the offered up promotion from Arlo, that's the only way you can help out for now" I ordered as he gave a nod of affirmation. He got on his bike and sped off.

I came here with doubt of all of this but then I saw the fear in his eyes, the genuine concern for Max's well-being. And I saw the care, the way he spoke about her with a tenderness that I hadn't expected.

Something about Shane's demeanor struck a chord in me. I decided to take a shot, to trust him.

"Alright," I said finally, my voice a little softer to myself. "Let's see how far he can go to protect her."