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The first thingI noticed as I exited the steps through the statue’s base was the predictable absence of singing birds or any other sounds of nature. I hated this place and couldn’t wait to be back on the true surface again. I rushed toward the aquarium, unsure what I’d be up against when I arrived but knowing I had to hurry.

I slipped behind the building, refusing the memories associated with it to take any of my precious time. The hatch that hid the entrance to the pod was pried open, making it easy to locate. As I descended the steps, I could make out voices below. I crept around the corner into the pod, so similar in layout to the one we’d used to descend into this madness. What I found was the back of Travis’s head and Candice cowering on the floor.

“I knew you’d come!” she shrieked, pepping up at the sight of me. “I knew you weren’t dead. Not when you pulled that stunt with the nitrogen.”

“I’m not falling for it, Candice. Sam’s not behind me, and I’m not turning around. You’re going to die.”

“You keep saying that,” Candice snapped. “You know what I think? I think you haven’t shot me yet because you don’t want to be a killer.”

“Shut up!” Travis’s voice boomed across the small space, echoing back and forcing Candice to cringe lower, clutching the seat closest.

“Don’t do it, Travis,” I said, soft but firm, reaching out toward his shoulder.

One quick glance at the profile of his face told me he was shocked but still determined as he pointed the pistol steadily at Candice and took a few steps forward.

“Listen to the pretty girl, Travis,” Candice called with a strangled voice. “You’re just as guilty as I am.”

“Whatever we’ve done, it was against our will,” I said. “We never would have cooperated with you if we’d had a choice.”

“What if that isn’t true?” Travis asked softly, still focused on the woman before him. “What if I wanted to do it? I hated the Bennets. Still do. Well, most of them.”

“Travis,” I said, squeezing his shoulder. “You wouldn’t have. You won’t.”

“How do you know?” he asked, sounding once again like a little boy.

“Because I know you. We’re a lot alike.”

“I’ve heard that people under hypnosis won’t do anything they really don’t want to do.”

“That’s right!” Candice said.

“Shut up!” We both yelled.

“Look, I know how you feel.” I stepped in front of him, between the gun and Candice. “I seriously do. But if you shoot her now? You won’t have any excuse. You’ll have to live with it for the rest of your life, knowing you made a conscious decision to kill in cold blood.”

Travis stared at me, the gun forgotten.

“It’s over, Travis. We won. We can take the pod up to the surface. Let the authorities deal with her and this whole mess.”

The gun dropped to his side. “International waters. Who has jurisdiction? There will be a mess of red tape.”

“Someone will try her. She’s an American citizen, right? Let the others figure it out. Just come back with me so we can get Mason and leave this hellhole.” I held out my hand for him, and he stared at it.

“How sweet,” Candice said, but something was wrong. Her voice was right behind me, her perfume gagging me, and Travis’s face had become a vision of horror. The gun swung up to point at me, and I cried out as a hand slipped around my neck, pressing my own blade to my throat. The tip of the knife cut into the top layer of skin, smarting. Every time I breathed in, it pressed deeper.

“Let her go and I’ll let you go. You can run away and hide or something, maybe have a chance at getting away before they find you.” Travis lowered the gun to his side.

“A lovely idea! But I think I’ll kill you both first. With any luck I can still reach Mason and the others and make up another lover suicide story.”

After all I’d been through, I knew one thing. If I was going to die, I was not going down without a fight.

I exhaled as much as possible, making more space between the blade and my neck. Then I twisted inward, letting the blade scrape across my flesh. Warm liquid slid from the stinging line, and I hoped it was as superficial as the adrenalin coursing through me made it feel. Then I faced Candice because it would have been the last thing I’d expect if I were her, and I remembered how stunned the robots were when I’d behaved irrationally.

Before she could take it in, I dropped straight down and swept out with my leg, making her fall backwards. The knife skittered across the pod’s floor, landing at Travis’s feet. I straddled her back and put a knee against her spine before she could worm her way to standing.

“Are you okay?” Travis asked as he rushed to my side. He touched my clavicle gingerly, examining the blood streaked across his fingers. “Oh my God, Sam.”