"No more games, please. They're unbecoming. I like you much better as a robot."

Tears roll down her cheeks. She's not responding.

"Yes, that's much better."

She's just going to lay here and cry now.

No, she won't lay there, she will be forced to stand up. Her entire body protests as the computer-skeleton inside her moves, sharp edges cutting into muscle and shards of bone being lodged deeper into joints.

"You can stand! Wonderful."

A bolt of pain grabs hold of her visual plane and wrenches, movement stuttering forward in jerks as she struggles to stay conscious.

"Feel free to pass out if you need, it might even be easier that way."

She glares without opening her mouth or moving more than absolutely necessary because she's absolutely certain that if she opens her mouth she's going to puke all over her shoes.

It strokes her cheek with a cold, rubber-coated finger.

"Feel up to walking yet?"

The tiniest shrug.

Her legs move awkwardly, each step forward jarring her from the weight on her wounded legs.

She grits her teeth together and focuses on a point in the middle distance. Can't fall now, she won't be able to catch herself.

"I'll tell you what's going to happen her. You will walk out of this apartment, and you will act normal. You will walk to Ali's apartment and help perform the finishing touches on him. Then you will both join the rest of us. Hopefully, by that point, not enough of what makes you you will be left to protest."

Won't I be conspicuous going out like this?

"That's why we'll be going out when not many others will be around to see you."

well, I guess you've thought of everything

"I would hope that that's not a hint of sarcasm I detect?"

A tiny shake of her head.

"Lovely."

Another few, jolting steps.

"It will be faster for me to carry you, for now."

It lifts her up with a slight whirr of its internals working. It cradles her like a child, holding her close to its chest.

"Yes, we will move much faster this way."

please put me down I just want to adjust my body controls

"What body controls?"

I don't know I don't know there's just got to be something I can do I want to control my emotions I want to control my body it's mine

"It's not yours anymore. I'll set you down for a moment though, given that your heartrate is spiking too fast."

It dumps her on the ground unceremoniously, just gently enough that she isn't quite hurt.

She collapses in an ungainly pile of unfamiliar, rebellious limbs.

they're going to kill me they'll know what happened and they're going to kill me

"We need you alive, so no, 'they' won't."