She speaks like you. She feels like you. She even flinches where you would. But what happens when the mask isn't just pretending… it's remembering?
Scene: Student Lounge – Early Afternoon
The light from the dome roof filtered down soft and sterile.The lounge was full, but no one was loud. Cadets lounged in groups, wristbands aglow, screens hovering, low laughter humming just beneath the surface.
Tessa Rye sat on the edge of one of the synthetic couches, tea in hand, eyes fixed on the girl across from her.
Ava Spire.
Blonde hair tight behind her ears. Uniform crisp. Composure flawless.
She was telling a story.
And it was one Tessa recognized.
"So I panicked, right?" Ava said, grinning. "I couldn't find the medical module, I was elbow-deep in half a synthetic circulatory system, and the instructor's just watching me suffer. And I blurt out, 'What kind of idiot makes the artery blue and the vein red?!'"
Laughter rippled around the couch.
Even Tessa smiled reflexively.
But that was her story.
Exactly.
Down to the phrase. The timing of the panic. The way the word idiot dropped from the tongue.
She'd told it once — months ago. To Rook, in private.
She hadn't laughed then. She'd been embarrassed.
But Ava? Ava made it a punchline. A performance.
And everyone bought it.
Tessa set her tea down slowly.
"You never told me that happened," she said carefully.
Ava turned, the perfect sheepish grin on her face.
"Oh, maybe I didn't. Guess it came up when I was shadowing your file before I was assigned under you. You know how much cross-reference stuff we get."
Tessa smiled back.
But something inside her pulled back.
Scene: South Training Wing – One Hour Later
Aya Sparks punched through the resistance dummy harder than the exercise required. The training field stank of burnt ozone and artificial adrenaline from the sim emitters.
She wasn't supposed to be there.
Technically.
But she was too wired to sleep and too angry to care.
A voice chirped from behind her.
"I used to overtrain when I was nervous too."
Aya froze.
Ava.
Leaning against the wall. Unbothered.
Aya narrowed her eyes. "You think I'm nervous?"
"I think you're aware," Ava said softly. "More than most."
Aya wiped her brow. "You know what your problem is?"
"Please tell me."
"You keep trying to talk like you've earned something."
Ava tilted her head.
"And you keep trying to talk like you're not afraid of becoming someone else."
Aya's stomach dropped half an inch.
Because that wasn't a guess.
That was a line she'd said to Rook. Once. Alone.
Her eyes narrowed. "Get out."
Ava just smiled.
Scene: Dorm 103 – Night
Rook was rethreading a blade filament when the knock came.Not at the door.
At the window.
He stood slowly. Slid it open.
Ava stood on the narrow ledge like it was solid ground.
"Bold entrance," he muttered.
She climbed inside like she'd done it a hundred times.
"I wanted to talk," she said.
"You could've scheduled it."
"Some things can't wait."
She walked the room like she knew the dimensions.
Sat on his bunk like she'd done it before.
Then looked up at him.
And said:
"You still twist the knife between your fingers when you're thinking."
Rook blinked.
He hadn't done that in days.
But when she said it, his fingers were twisting.
He dropped the filament.
Stared at her.
Ava stood. Slowly. Closed the gap.
"You count the people you've lied to every time you close your eyes."
Closer.
"You want her to save you, but you don't know if you'll still be there when she tries."
Closer.
"You say you're not afraid of dying, but the one thing you're terrified of—"
He moved.
Fast.
Pinned her to the wall, forearm to her neck.
Ava gasped. Didn't fight.
He whispered:
"Finish that sentence, and I'll end you now."
Her eyes didn't flinch.
She smiled.
"I already did."
Rook's pulse raced.
He stepped back.
She exhaled softly. Smoothed her jacket.
"I just wanted to see," she said, "if you still knew the sound of your own guilt."
Then she climbed out the window.
And vanished into the dark.
Final Scene: Data Room – Late Night
Tessa entered the old records vault with a code Rook hadn't given her.
She stood in the dim glow of the archive terminal.
Typed in: Ava Spire.
Result: No records found.
She tried: Student Surveillance Division.
Clearance required.
She typed: Subject 47-B.
And for a second…
The screen flickered.
Then shut off.
Behind her, a whisper:
"Tessa?"
She turned.
But no one was there.
Only the echo of her name, spoken with her voice.