ABANDON

Chapter 56 -- How to Make a Monster

"Three! She lied! You lied!"

Jane scooted backwards, pushing further inside the rocket. Now she understood, now the frustrating journal entries from the other Jane made sense. "I never lied. I'm not the other Jane. I didn't make this creature. I wasn't even born!"

"Withholding information!"

"I thought you knew." Jane shouted back.

Captain charged at her, he grabbed her hair forcing her head into the floor. His knee went on her chest and the gun went to her head. Jane had been in this position in training, and Captain was a lot lighter than John. Jane twisted her hips and rolled. Captain was thrown to the floor. He quickly got back up.

"There's still hope Jane. I don't want to kill you. It all makes sense now: why it would only respond to her, why she protected it so fiercely, why she believed so strongly that her absence would mess things up and knock some sense into the brains that were calling the shots. She thought those in charge would beg her to come back. They didn't stay alive long enough to. But she was right."

"I'm not listening to you anymore."

"Please." Captain approached, hands extended, the gun still clutched in his hand, but it wasn't pointed at her. "I need you to understand, someone has to understand me. I know you Jane Hallowell. I know you better than you know yourself. I had years to figure out what motivated her. Does it give you comfort to know just how similar you are? I protected her too. Don't think I didn't see her weaknesses. Always changing at the slightest obstacle. Afraid to do anything other than what the people around her wanted. So easy to manipulate. But I helped her. I helped her stand up to them. We moved this project further than anyone thought possible. I am on your side Jane. We work well together, we always have."

Jane wanted to leave but something was stopping her. There were too many conflicting desires in her head. Something caused her feet to become metal, bound to the planet by its magnetic pull. Jane wanted to run, but the monsters wanted to stay. Through her, they wanted to learn.

"Some people never change. So, what have you got to say for yourself now? Oh wait, I know what you do, go ahead and tell me what you think I want to hear. Come on Jane, please me."

Jane felt anger stir within, felt her jaw tense, felt her anger join with the anger of the monsters. They watched from their hiding places, waiting, wanting to know more. Hungry for the knowledge they had been deprived of.

"Well, well, well." Captain smiled. "Here she is—the real Jane."

Wrapped up in anger, Jane found it nearly impossible to speak. Captain didn't know what was best for them, he didn't understand that no matter how much you want something, no matter how much effort you put in to get it, sometimes it still doesn't become yours. Sometimes failure is the best option.

As though he read her mind, Captain's smile grew. "This time I won't fail."

Words popped into Jane's mind, she spoke them before they faded into the bright red that was consuming everything. "Your desire to win in this has caused you to fail everywhere else."

"Hmm...No promises, no trying to please." Captain pointed Michael's gun at Jane, "You have changed."

She had changed. So had the monster. She had to convince Captain that he could as well. Jane realized this was her window. She had to convince Captain to let go; she had to parent him. But still her mouth was reluctant to move. Jane struggled to get the words out. "I can see that you value them."

"I do."

"Then you have to let them be free. They want to be independent. They don't need their creators anymore."