After the game, Stella helped Daku take Susie to the infirmary. Victoria stayed behind with the recruits to give them their assessments. Everyone was slated to get decent marks—except for Ironwhip. While his team might have won, his aggression surely had to be monitored going forward.

It was clear he had a competitive streak. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but he needed to keep it in check if he wanted to be a part of the team. Stella didn't have any room for lone wolves on her squad.

"She going to be okay?" Stella asked one of the nurses in the infirmary. She was stood next to the hospital bed Susie sat on. A bandage was wrapped around the girl's shoulder.

"She'll be just fine," the nurse replied. They gestured thankfully at Daku. "He managed to prevent any muscle or ligament damage. Her shoulder did get dislocated, but we managed to put it back in place."

Susie's cheeks reddened as she glanced at the boy from New Zealand. "Thanks, Kiwi. I owe you one."

He flashed her his pearly white teeth while rubbing the back of his neck. "No prob, Suz. And don't you worry about Darren. I'll get the bastard back for you."

"It's fine, honestly," Susie quickly said. "I'm sure he didn't mean it."

Daku snorted. "Course he meant it. Guy's a psychopath."

"Please, don't mess with him." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "He's crazy."

Stella sent him a scolding glance. "Hey, now. Be nice. Darren is not a psychopath. A little overzealous, maybe, but he's not a psycho."

"If you say so..."

"I'll be sure to talk with him about his behavior later," she told the two young Primes. She gave the nurse on call a nod before moving toward the exit of the infirmary. "I've got to go now, but I'll see you two at dinner later."

Daku and Susie waved her goodbye. Smiling, she left the room.

The two of them were some of her favorite recruits. They might not have had the flashiest abilities—with Daku being a healer and Susie's power allowing her to nullify another Prime's for a short time—but they were solid combatants and good team players. Not to mention, the crushes they had on each other allowed her to live her love life vicariously through them.

They had yet to make a move, but she knew it would happen eventually. The pair did everything together. And she saw the way they looked at each other. It reminded her of how she and Chase once were.

Her expression soured as she slowed up in the hallway she had been passing through. She eventually came to a full stop, pissing off a few of the people who had been walking behind her. Though, they were pretty much non-existent to her at the moment. Everything around her had all but faded into obscurity. Her memories had taken over.

That was never a good thing.

Pleasant memories of her time spent with Chase invaded her mind like a parasite, leeching away on her spirit and siphoning off her happiness. Her shoulders slumped as a deep frown marred her lips.

Oh, Chase...

Things had been going so well for them before the PRA. She remembered their first Christmas together at The Acropolis and how he bought her a custom nightlight that displayed yellow stars on her ceiling because he knew she was afraid of the dark. She remembered how he held her during scary movies and how he kissed her under the moonlight whenever they snuck outside during quiet hours.

Tears welled in her eyes.

She also remembered the times she stayed awake at night, desperately hoping he—and those who left with him—would come around and join her side. They never did. It broke her heart into a tiny million pieces; only now had she begun to put them back together. But, like an incomplete puzzle, it wasn't quite the picture she knew it to be.

For weeks after he left, she spent her days cooped up in her room. Her bedsheets had swallowed her, the soft linen whispering in her ear to never get out of bed. Eventually, she ran out of tears. The crying stopped and was replaced by long periods of staring into space.

Had it been up to her, she would've stayed like that forever.

Luckily, it wasn't up to her.

If it wasn't for Victoria, Theo, and Lucky, she wasn't sure how she would have made it out of the pit of darkness that threatened to drown her. The three of them made sure she ate her meals, woke up on time, and attended training regularly. They didn't rush her, but they made sure she didn't slip back into the depression she was trying to escape.

With enough coaxing and motivational speeches, Stella eventually reached a place of...contentedness. She couldn't call it happiness. She wasn't there yet.

She wasn't sure if she would ever get there.

Still, she was grateful for her friends. She was nothing without them.

Sighing, she pushed the memories of the past out of her head and stepped into the elevator. After pressing the button that would take her to the research wing of the compound, she stepped back and rested her head against the cool glass.

She wondered if the Jaegers had captured Chase and the others yet. It was highly unlikely that they would escape their clutches, especially with Orion helping lead the charge. They would be captured. She was sure of it.

Until then, she decided to take a trip to The Armory to get her StarBands recalibrated. With Archie gone, she had to rely on the other engineers of The Acropolis to upgrade and maintain her gear. Sadly, they didn't do as good of a job as the boy genius.

She missed him sometimes. His abrasive, calculating personality was charming at times. He might not have let it on, but deep down he was a big softy.

A frown pulled at the corners of her mouth.

She missed them all. Andre, Kai, Danai. Even Emily. Their relationship had been better than it had ever been—even when they were best friends back in middle school. But that all ended when she chose the other side.

The wrong side.

Sometimes she blamed herself for their mistake of leaving Atlas. She always wondered if she hadn't fought hard enough to get them to stay. Guilt filled her body like a toxic venom whenever she dwelled on it.

Now they were being hunted down like animals. This time, Stella wouldn't be around to protect them. She couldn't save them from what was coming. The Jaegers wouldn't let them slip through their fingers again.

As for those they had already collected, they were awaiting transport to The Vault.

Once they arrived at headquarters, Atlas agents escorted them into the temporary holding cells in the basement—which had been newly renovated since the explosion five years prior—as they awaited transport to The Vault. However, reports of a storm over the Atlantic meant helicopters weren't permitted to fly into the prison. That meant the captured Primes would be spending a few more days at The Acropolis.

In truth, she didn't want to see any of them in The Vault. She had only been a few times, but with all the new inmates and their treatment at the hands of the prison guards, it wasn't the best of places to be. Some of those captured were children as well—specifically Cassie and Mateo.

They didn't need to be in a prison. They needed to be with her, rehabilitating and purged of the nonsense Chase and the Exiles had filled their heads with. She knew they could become valuable members of the Prime Task Force.

Especially little Cassiopeia.

The girl was special—it didn't take a genius to figure that out. Stella recalled the security footage of the raid on the Atlas research facility in the Midwest.

Even in the grainy camera feed, Stella could see the young girl's power. She collapsed an entire building in the blink of an eye, erasing it from existence. No one had seen anything like her before. While Orion was a collector of abilities, even he didn't have the raw power that Cassiopeia Black possessed.

That was how she had gotten her codename. The research techs dubbed her the Black Hole. Her abilities were mostly cosmic related, allowing her access to a wide range of powers. If she trained enough and fulfilled her potential, she would be able to develop the ability to manipulate space and matter itself. If left undisciplined and untrained, she could've transformed into a dangerous weapon.

She was a black hole—a force so strong and deadly that nothing could escape it.

In the hands of the Exiles, she was a ticking time bomb. Chase wouldn't know how to handle her. But with Stella's help and the assistance of Atlas? They would help guide her into becoming what she was meant to be. What they were all meant to be.

A hero.

That's why they had been given these abilities. It was their job, their obligation, to use them for good. Because there were people in the world who wished to cause others harm. Some people thought they were above the law. And others just wanted to watch the world go up in flames.

Those people needed to be dealt with.

Those were the people Stela dedicated her life to defeat. Because, if she didn't, who else would?

That's why Stella couldn't leave with the Exiles. She believed in the PRA and she believed in Atlas. Not only for what they stood for, but what they were doing to protect the people of Earth from those who wished to harm it.

The elevator dinged, the sharp sound yanking her out of her thoughts.

Exhaling heavily, she stepped out of the lift and continued her journey to The Armory.

As she passed by one of the research centers, she heard two people speaking inside. The door had been left slightly open, allowing their voices to reach her ears. Shaking her head, she passed by.

"—you seen the footage of the attack yet? Orion's a freaking beast."

"Course he is. Dr. Johansson is the best at what she does. I've been trying to transfer to Zeo Labs for the longest time."

"You hear they're planning on making more?"

"More? Orion should be enough."

"You know General North can never have enough soldiers. He won't stop until he gets an army of 'em."

Stella stopped in her tracks. Her heartbeat quickened.

More?

She recalled her meeting with General North and the head researcher at Zeo Labs, Dr. Johansson. The doctor had said Orion would be the "future of peacekeeping". She didn't know exactly what that meant, but after hearing the people inside the research center gossip, she was beginning to form an idea.

When the general first announced the project Zeo Labs had been developing, she never thought there was meant to be more than one lab-grown Prime. She thought Orion was meant to help the Prime Task Force.

But with how those researchers were talking, it sounded like Orion—and more like him—were being created to replace it.

She blanched.

What does that mean for us?

Hands shaking, she speed-walked away from the door before those inside spotted her eavesdropping. She was pretty sure she wasn't supposed to hear what she heard, which made the entire thing even more scandalous.

Why hadn't General North mentioned he was planning on making more?

Now that she was thinking about it, this wasn't the first time the general withheld information from her. It wasn't the second, nor third, nor fourth. In the past, she chalked it up to being on a need-to-know basis with him, but she wasn't so sure now.

He was actively withholding vital information from her.

That was a problem.

She felt her internal temperature rising as she continued toward The Armory. No matter what she did, she couldn't get her mind off of that conversation.

A sense of dread followed behind her like a shadow. It tickled her skin and breathed down her neck, making the hairs stand up. She felt the goosebumps running up and down her arms.

One Orion was frightening enough.

The mere thought of more enhanced Primes was enough to strike fear in her heart.

Shaking her head, she pushed the thought out of her mind, electing to save it for later. She also made an internal note to schedule a meeting with General North.

The two of them needed to talk.

#

"Wait a minute," Zach said while hopping over the couch in the common room with a green soda in his hand the TV remote in the other. "They're making more?! No way!"

Angus scowled as he sunk into the other sofa. His blue eyes were narrowed and full of contempt. "Unbe-fucking-lievable."

"Language," Stella warned. She rubbed her forehead as she stared at the television screen in front of her. Zach had them watching a soccer game. She was more of a hockey girl herself.

It was Chase's fault, honestly. Before him, she had never even seen a hockey game. About six months into their relationship, he took her to a Blackhawks game and she fell in love.

A wistful smile spread across her face.

"What're you smilin' at?" Angus interrogated. "This isn't a good thing."

"Mind your business," she shot back. "And I know it isn't. I'm going to talk to General North about it."

Theo shrugged his shoulders while kicking his feet onto the coffee table. "I say you drop it. Who knows if what those two goons in the research center were talking about is the truth. You know how gossip spreads around the facility. It could've just been a rumor."

Zach nodded. "He's got a point."

"Of course you're agreeing with him," Angus rolled his eyes. He looked to Lucky—who was sitting cross-legged on the floor—for help. "C'mon, man, back me up on this."

The long-haired Prime simply shrugged. "I have decided to remain neutral on this subject."

"You're always neutral. I hate that about you."

"Hate is a strong word, my friend."

"God, you're annoyin'."

Stella fought off a smile. She wouldn't say it aloud, but Angus had a point. Lucky made it a point to not pick sides. A noble quality at times, it also got him into trouble when it came to inter-squad debacles.

"Surely you have an opinion on this," she said.

He peered at her over his shoulder. Unsurprisingly, he remained expressionless. "These matters are insignificant until we find out more information. There is no use dwelling over gossip and rumors."

"He's on my side!" Theo pumped a fist into the air. "Sucker." Angus rolled his eyes again.

"No, I'm not," Lucky quickly said.

Theo threw his head back. "Really dude? Why you gotta harsh my mellow like that?"

Stella gave him a deadpan look. "Never say that again."

"You guys are some haters," Theo said. He zipped to his feet in a blur. "I'm outta here. Peace!" He threw up two fingers before darting out the room in a streak of silver.

Zach glanced at where he had just been sitting. "Where'd he go?"

"We all saw him leave, Zach," Stella said. "Your guess is as good as ours."

"Probably went to go get a coffee," Angus joked. "I swear, he does not slow down."

Stella figured it was the only thing her brain and Theo had in common.

As she and the others watched the game on TV, Stella wondered if she should've taken Theo's advice. There was a chance he was right. Gossip did tend to spread around The Acropolis like wildfire. Most of the time, the rumors turned out to be embellished truths or flat-out lies.

The smart play would be to wait until more evidence presented itself.

She usually did the smart thing.

But this time, something deep in the pit of her stomach told her something was off. She wasn't one to ignore her gut. It hadn't steered her wrong before, and she wasn't about to switch up on it now.

She stood up.

Angus arched an orange eyebrow at her. "Don't tell me you're leaving too. You just got here."

"I need some air," she lied. "I'll see you all at dinner."

Before they could say anything else, she turned on her heel and left the common room.

#

Stella found herself running on a treadmill in the gym.

It was mostly empty, save for a few Atlas agents having a weight lifting competition near the back of the room. She couldn't hear them anyway, as she had her headphones clamped over her ears playing her favorite songs.

Not that she wanted to hear their testosterone-fueled grunts anyways.

With sweat pouring down her face and her heart thumping away in her chest, she pumped her legs and arms as she tried to keep up with the treadmill's pace. Her mind was too preoccupied with trying to stay upright to even think about the day's events.

Her face was full of intensity and drive. She fixated on the small screen in front of her, which displayed a mountainous trail. She imagined herself bombing up the slope to rescue someone at the top.

Puffing air out her cheeks, she willed herself to go faster.

A hand settled on her shoulder. She flinched hard enough to cause her feet to slip off the treadmill. Before she could hit the ground, an arm wrapped around her waist, keeping her on her feet. With her face burning, she whipped her head to the side.

It was Orion.

He released her. She could see the concern in his bronze eyes.

Coughing awkwardly, she thanked him and turned off the treadmill.

Taking a step back, the towering man gestured at the machine. "Perhaps you should try a slower speed."

Her lips puckered to one side as she arched an eyebrow at him. She grabbed the towel she had draped over the treadmill and wiped her face with it. "Excuse me?"

Orion blinked. "Apologies. I didn't mean to offend. It's just that...you nearly hurt yourself. Perhaps a slower speed would prevent—"

"You scared me, that's all," she told him. "Thanks for the save, though."

"Of course." His face fell. "You're afraid of me?"

She shook her head and chuckled. "No, that's not what I meant. I had my headphones on. I didn't see you coming. You just spooked me is all I was trying to say."

"You didn't deny it."

She froze under his calculating stare. She could tell he was analyzing her—trying to get a read for her emotions. Something told her lies didn't go over well with him.

His question bounced around the inside of her head like a tennis ball.

Was she afraid of him?

Not entirely. While his sheer power intrigued—and worried—her to an extent, she didn't fear him. What was there to fear? He was on their side. General North and Dr. Johansson had assured her that he wouldn't turn on them under any circumstance. Plus, he seemed to be nice enough. After all, he had just saved her from faceplanting into the tiled floor.

There was nothing to fear.

Besides, it wasn't Orion she was afraid of.

It was his creators. Those who controlled him.

To them, he wasn't a human being. He wasn't an entity with a soul. Instead, he was a tool; something to be used. He was a weapon that Atlas would unleash upon their enemies—whoever that ended up being.

Stella wondered if he even had a soul.

She kept her question to herself.

Blinking rapidly, she tilted her head at Orion. "Wait a minute, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be hunting down the rest of the Exiles?"

"Dr. Johansson requested me back here," he explained. "We also lost track of them. General North assured me his men would find them soon. When they do, I will leave to apprehend them."

"Right."

Orion nodded. "I will leave you to continue working out." He bowed his head at her. "I apologize for startling you." He turned to leave. Before he could, she impulsively grabbed his forearm. He peered at her curiously.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. Though, I