Morgan frowned, and Vale gritted his teeth. Kira wasn’t sure what was happening until she saw the soldiers fidgeting uncomfortably, torn in two directions by the competing authority of two members of the Trust. She looked at Samm and saw him swaying, a bead of sweat rolling slowly down his brow. She took his hand.

“You’re stronger than they are,” she whispered. “You don’t have to obey either one of them.” He gripped her fingers tightly, so tightly she felt they were ready to crush under the weight.

The contest of wills carried on, Vale and Morgan staring each other down, the soldiers wavering in the middle. Kira saw their knuckles turn white as they clutched their rifles desperately, and one reached up to grasp his forehead.

“Enough!” said Kira. “This isn’t getting anyone anywhere. Dr. Morgan, what do you want?”

Morgan stared at Vale a moment longer, then looked away and released a shallow breath. Vale did the same, and the alignment of the soldiers didn’t seem to have changed at all; they remained loyal to whoever they were standing closest to. Kira looked at Samm, but read nothing on his face. She felt her heart race, terrified that she’d lost him back to Morgan’s control, but he squeezed her hand.

She realized, in that moment, that she’d never been more relieved in her life.

“I am here for my esteemed colleague,” said Morgan. She looked at Vale and smiled. “I’m putting the band back together, Cronus. Enough is enough, it’s time we reversed your expiration date once and for all.”

“Are you trying to do it with gene mods?” he asked. “You saw what they did to Graeme; what they’ve done to Jerry.” His put his hand on the shoulder of the Partial soldier in front of him. “Our minds can’t take it, and neither can theirs.”

“We can make them into anything we want,” said Morgan. “We’ve done it before, and we can do it again. They’re the future. Our children. Made in whatever image we’d like.”

“Gene therapy is not the answer,” said Vale.

“You would know,” said Morgan. “But I don’t have time to solve your genetic riddles on my own.” She looked at Kira. “That’s why I’ve come for you, and for her. The new model. The one without all those pesky genetic limitations.”

“I won’t let you take her,” said Samm.

Morgan started to answer, but Kira cut her off. “I’ll go,” she said quickly.