Deviants Fallen: A DBH Story

Chapter 54: Coalesce

Connor tried not to watch as once more he and Richard brought Clara back to the Tower, one of the same memories that had been haunting him since it occurred. In his effort, he missed Clara collapse beside him, but he felt her hand pull from his. He felt a cold flash of horror as she fell to the ground, cradling her head in his hands. Frantic, he knelt beside her.

"Clara, what's wrong?" He tentatively placed his hand against her back, peering into her face.

Her expression morphed into one of agony as she met his eyes. Tears streaked down her face as she spoke, voice breaking. "I don't know." A shudder worked through her, and she curled in on herself, crying out. "It's too much! Stop! Please, Connor! Make it stop!"

Connor broke the connection, opening his eyes to find himself standing across from her underneath the willow tree. She pulled away from him, stumbling backward as tears continued to stream from her eyes.

"Clara?" He reached his hand out to her as she sunk to the ground still cradling her head. "Are you alright?"

She said nothing, not seeming to hear him as her breathing went ragged and her heartrate grew rapid. Connor watched in alarm as thirium began to seep from her right eye, staining the sclera a deep blue. She shook her head disoriented, raising her hand to her face, brushing away the blue blood, then her features twisted in horror and confusion as she stared at her stained fingers.

"What's happening to me?" Her voice slurred as she spoke, then violent tremors started to course through her. She coughed hard, and a trickle of thirium bleeding from the corner of her mouth as well.

Connor surged forward, catching her as she began to seize, and her body stiffened, going rigid and convulsing.

"No no no no no." Connor brushed her hair out of her face, analyzing her. "Clara!" Panic flooded him as he looked her over, not knowing what to do.

He could see the outlines of wires and thirium veins highlighted beneath her skin, running from her prosthetic into her shoulder and up her neck. As he traced the wires up her face, he noticed for the first time that her right eye was artificial. Closer inspection revealed places where some of the veins appeared to have ruptured, allowing thirium to bleed into her body. The nanodroids moved quickly, clustering in those places as they worked on repairs, and gradually, her body relaxed again, though she still moaned occasionally, eyes moving rapidly behind their lids as if in restless sleep.

Connor carefully lifted her into his arms, looking around as he tried to determine the best move. They couldn't stay out here, so it was either get her back underground or risk going to the main house. The house was closer, but there was a chance it was under surveillance by either police forces, Cyberlife, or both, but he'd risk running into who knows how many people trying to get her back underground, and seeing her in this state would only cause a panic.

She squirmed in his arms, crying out, voice pained. The sound pierced into Connor, and he flinched, then looked around again, coming to a decision. The house was closer. He'd just need to stay alert. He took off down the trail, climbing carefully over the low stone wall to walk quickly down the wooded path. Periodically, Clara would thrash again, moaning, and once he nearly dropped her, but he caught her before she fell, holding her close and tight against his chest.