Virgil gazed steadily at Fii's scowling face. Her brows were furrowed, and her eyes were narrowed—signs of defiaypical. She cked a killer's instincts, refusing to cross that boundary. Which was fine—he had a solution.

  "Before you say anything, I've been in your shoes," Virgil asserted. "Trust me when I say this: Killing a person ges you."

  Fii averted her eyes. Quinn shifted awkwardly in the er. Virgil ignored him.

  "Those Adrenomancers aren't ordinary criminals—they're Salvatore's elite enforcers. You're lucky they didn't use hostages or civilians as shields," Virgil lectured, crossing his arms. "ime, they won't hold back. Surviving will be the least of your problems."

  Fii stubbornly kept her gaze averted. Virgil inwardly sighed. Teenagers. He'd have to drill his words in harder.

  "Listen, kid. You're a Metahumaher you accept it or not. If you want to protect the slums, yonna have to evolve." Virgil softened his tone. "Don't deny yourself a on—it'll cost lives. I lives."

  Fii remained silent, staring sullenly at the bedsheets. Virgil had expected this—he pressed on. "Killing may stain your soul, but the sequences of ina will haunt you forever."

  Silence.

  Virgil g Quinn, who wore a flicted expression. Looked like the boy uood the stakes.

  "Think on it." Virgil made for the exit. "Rest. You'll have a bigger problem on your hands." He gestured at the window. "Soon."

  Quinn watched Virgil stride out of the examination room. The viginte was intimidating—his presenihe space, and his iy alpable. Quinn didn't envy Fii. Gettiured by Backfire must have been daunting.

  He focused his attention onto Fii, whose scowl had transformed into a crestfallen expression. Yikes. Virgil sure had a way with words.

  "Hey." Quinn approached gently. "Need anything? Water? Synthie?"

  Fii shook her head and stared bnkly ahead. Quinn sat down gingerly beside her.

  "Just...leave me alone."

  Ouch. Guess Quinn was unwanted pany. He stood up quietly and headed for the door.

  "Sorry," Fii mumbled.

  Quinn paused.

  "Don't be." He fshed her a reassuring smile. "I'm not mad. Get some rest, okay? Don't sweat Virgil's lectures. He means well."

  "Do you think I should have killed them?"

  Quinn froze. Um...this was a tricky topic. He didn't want to offend her—especially in her vulnerable state. Oher hand, hoy was the best policy.

  "Don't take this the wrong way, Fii. But...I think Virgil was right," Quinn stated carefully. "If you asked anyone else what they would have done in your shoes, most would have answered killing. Hell—even I would."

  Fii's expression crumpled. Uh-oh. Was he supposed to mention himself? Quinn tinued hesitantly. "Look. What I'm trying to say is—you're different. There's only a handful of people in the slums who'd choose not to kill. Most would stab an Adrenomancer in the neck first and ask questions ter."

  Fii buried her fato the pillow. Quinn winced. Oh shit. Was she g? He didn't mean to hurt her feelings. Maybe he should've shut up. Quinn wrung his hands helplessly—what was he supposed to do?

  "You okay?" Quinn probed cautiously. Fii didn't respond. He inched closer, h uainly he edge of the bed. "Do...do you need a hug?"

  Fii peeked out from uhe pillow. Quinn tensed—was she angry? Sad? Both? She didn't give any visual cues.

  "You...think I'm different?" Fii asked tentatively.

  "Yeah. You're a nice person. Helping people is a value—not a weakness. At least, that's what Rao said. I'm sure you've met other people like you." Quinn offered hopefully.

  "Most people...would've stolen from Rao," Fii murmured. "Instead, I delivered messages and ran errands. Aually pays me a wage."

  "See? Different." Quinn enced. Fii peered out fully—thank goodness. Progress. He smiled encingly. "Not a bad trait to have, either. Nice people are rare in the slums."

  "You're nice. You fix things and help people too. But you said you would have killed the Adrenomancers."

  Quinn rubbed the back of his ned ughed weakly. Oops. Didn't mean to expose his hypocrisy. "Uh...to be fair—they attacked the Rust Market. Even gangs know better than to do that."

  Fii frowned.

  Uh-oh. Wrong argument. Quinn scrambled. "Look. I'm not saying killing is right—just...well...sometimes the slums demands tough choices. Life-ah stuff. I know you know that. Virgil's right about the sequences. You saw what happeoday. That's bound to happen again."

  Fii didn't respond. Quinn fed ahead. "I get Virgil's lecture. Holy. He has a point—Salvatore's Adrenomancers will e back. You won't always win unscathed." Quiured to Fii's numerous visible bandages. "Clearly."

  Fii winced.

  Quinn's stomach ed—he hated pressurihe topic was a sensitive subject—best to offer advid leave. He cluded his piece. "Like Virgil said—rest. Think about it, okay? You'll figure out what's right. If you ever need an ear, I'm always around. Or Kenzo. Or Edith." Quiated. "...or Virgil, I suppose."

  "Okay." Fii burrowed deeper into her sheets. Message received.

  "Okay." Quinn turo leave. He stepped over the threshold, preparing to desd the staircase and leave Fii in peace.

  "Quinn?"

  Quinn halted. Fii spoke. Turnaround was a success. "Yes?" he prodded gently.

  "Thanks."

  Quinn cracked a relieved smile. "Anytime. Feel better soon." He exited the examination room aured downstairs. Mission aplished. Fii would bounce back—she always did.

  Fii buried herself deeper underh the covers, p Virgil's lecture. His warning weighed heavily—ime, the Adrenomancers wouldn't go easy.

  Hostages. Civilians. Colteral damage. Virgil had spelled everything out. Fii uood. The slums demaough choices—but could she bring herself to kill someone? Sure—she could defend herself. Beat up a few punks until they know better. She could justify all that.

  Kill? That was different. pletely different.

  Quinn said he'd kill the Adrenomancers—hell, practically everyone would. Virgil certainly wouldn't hesitate. Edith probably wouldn't blink twice either. Everyone advised Fii to follow their example. Kill and move on.

  Would Kenzo advocate the same?

  She doubted. Kenzo would sing about the importance of art and culture—not violence. He even used a sword that didn't cut—the perfect on for pacifism. Music, poetry, dahese were Kenzo's style. Not murder.

  Fii's thoughts drifted towards the Rust Market.

  What if those Adrenomancers happeo attack closer to Rao's store? What if Rao had been caught in the crossfire?

  She shuddered at the thought. Even imagining it left an unfortable twist in her gut.

  No. She'd hate herself if Rao got hurt—or worse. And if he died...?

  Her fists tightened. She didn't like the emotions brewing—dark and bitter. If Rao died because she couldn't—or wouldn't—kill, then...

  Fii's train of thought petered out. She exhaled—her emotional rollercoaster exhausted her even further. Best to rest and recover her strength. Whatever Virgil warned about—she'd tackle them eventually. Fii's eyes slowly closed as fatigue sapped her awareness. Right now—sleep. Then fight. Later.

  Edith had a headache. Between the ret influx of patients from the Rust Market attad Fii's Adrenomancer enter—everything was stressful. At least Fii hadn't sustained any life-threatening injuries. Virgil's report didn't ease Edith's s. The Adrenomancers would return—soon. Salvatore would not take their failures lightly.

  She massaged her temples and strode over towards her medie et. Edith retrieved a packet of generic painkillers and dry-swallowed a tablet.

  Ah. Sweet relief.

  Edith sipped her bottle of water and slumped into her chair. She idly rotated her office swivel—too draio aplish actual work. She'd let Sheri haient visits for h desperately craved a respite.

  A kno the door interrupted Edith's impromptu chair-spinning session. Seriously? Privacy. Edith could not catch a damn break. "e in," she barked irritably.

  Quinn poked his head timidly through the doorway. Edith restrained a groan—she wasn't in the mood to eain visitors. Hopefully Quinn had a valid reason—otherwise, Edith would boot him out instantly. No merot today.

  "Hi," Quined. He entered fully and leaned his nky frame sheepishly against the doorframe. "Um. How are you?"

  Edith stifled her sharp retort. Quinn was a genuinely nice kid. Annoyingly quirky, but nio reason to chase him out—yet. Edith tempered her annoyance. Quinn was a visitor. She was obligated to be civil.

  "I've...beeer," Edith responded drily. "What is it?"

  "I wao talk about Fii," Quinn blurted.

  Of course. Edith should've predicted this. From what she's gathered, Quinn acted as the girl's emotional support puppy—following her around like an affeate stray. Annoying—but oddly endearih grudgingly respected the guy.

  "I'll check up on her soon. For now, she just o rest. Physically aionally," Edith reassured. Quinn's apprehension persisted. Hm. Either he suspected something else or... "Why the long face?"

  Quinn's shoulders drooped. "Virgil talked to her. Said something about killing and sequences. I talked to her afterwards—she...didn't take it well."

  "Figures." Edith sighed.

  Virgil possessed no bedside manners. His methods were effective—but brutal. Empathy was a fn cept. The maed based purely os and outes. Effiothing less and nothing more.

  Edith sympathized—Virgil's teags stemmed from personal experience. Fii beed signifitly from Virgil's rigorous guidahat couldn't be denied. Still—his blunt mannerisms could prove detrimental to Fii's morale. Edith made a mental o speak with the vigier—clearly, the message had caused Fii distress. Quinn's arrival merely reinforced her suspis.

  "Look," Edith soled. "Sooner or ter, Fii will have to front her decision. There are no jails or prisons out here, right? No authorities except for the ones carrying the only good guns—aahuman cohorts. She's going to learn—one way or another."

  Quied. Clearly, the advice wasn't satisfactory. Edith inwardly sighed. Why her? She was a geicist—not a selor. Perhaps Quinn was expeg an optimistic speech. Something motivational. Edith's specialty didail sugar-coated half-truths.

  "But...shouldn't she figure things out without the pressure?" Quinn argued. "Virgil's putting her under a lot of stress. I get his points, but...maybe a gentler approach would be better."

  "You'd rather Fii learns the hard way instead? Would you rather get killed because she held back, and then cause her to freak out and snap?" Edith challenged.

  Quinn's mouth promptly cmped shut.

  "I...guess not. Sorry. Didn't think of it that way," he ceded. "Look. I get it. I'm with Virgil on this. Fii o ge—she has to. But...'t Virgil slow down a bit? Be a little more supportive?"

  "Have you sidered that Virgil's being a dick food reason?"

  "Huh?" Quinn blinked owlishly. Edith resisted the temptation to roll her eyes.

  "Look. Virgil trained Fii—right? Why does he bother stig around, ment a stranger, spending his precious time teag her?" Edith rhetorically questioned.

  Quinn didn't provide an answer—smart kid. He had a brain. Unlike Fii. The girl oster child of optimism. Believing in a greater good—naive, but irely unfounded. Optimism was ideal—but unrealistic. Edith preferred realists. People like Virgil—hardened ics who dealt with harsh realities.

  Edith internally scoffed—how could Fii and Quinn expect her to offer warm, fuzzy advice? She holy tried her best—really—but encement and sympathy was a moot effort. She was an outcast—sed by society and ostracized due to her troversial studies. She could scarcely tolerate humanity—let alo sympathetic.

  Yet here she ying the part of a doctor. Ironic.

  "Virgil doesn't mentor Fii out of the kindness of his heart. He does it because he aowledges her potential," Edith exposited. "And unfortunately—potential doesn't guarantee success. Potential isn't enough. Virgil wants her ready. And for that, he expects her to adapt." Edith scrutinized Quinn's facial expressions. "Does that expin his as?"

  Quinn processed the provided reasoniually, his shoulders rexed. Edith permitted herself an invisible smirk.

  "Thanks. Now—anything else? I'm busy," Edith lied. Quinn's visit drained her remaining patience—she was in no mood for small talk. Hopefully he'd take the social cue and scram.

  "hat's all," Quinn assured. "I'll go now. Thanks for the expnation."

  "Sure," Edith aowledged. Quinn nodded aed. Good—finally.

  Edith resumed her therapeutic spinning. Relief. Mental crity. Calm. Chair. Swivel. Chair. Swivel. Spi. Perfect.

  She indulged in her mini activity, sav the tranquil silence. Finally—alone. Pead—

  Helix's eleic voiterrupted her peaceful moment.

  "Dr. Weiss."

  Edith restraihe urge to throttle Helix's server—why, why, WHY?! Personal space! Did her ic's AI not prehend the meaning—

  "Adrenomancer activity detected," Helix notified.

  Edith's rage derailed instantaneously—her internal rant repced with a single priority.

  "tact Virgil. NOW." Edith bolted upright and snatched her portable ser.

  This was her ce to get valuable data. She just had to vince Virgil to keep one of them alive.