Project Starfall (Completed)

Chapter 22

Pierce sat with her back against the helicopter, fiddling with the device Terra had given her. It didn't look like much; it was a baseball-sized sphere made of metal. At the top was a single red button Terra had told her to press once inside the main security room.

"Shouldn't you be studying the map?" Terra asked. Darius was piloting the plane, but Terra and the other NOVA agents had stayed in the back with the hybrids.

"Already did," Pierce answered, eyes still on the sphere.

"You sure?" Terra sounded skeptical.

"I could navigate it blindfolded," Pierce assured her.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Terra said. "With your background and all." Pierce tensed, and Terra studied her curiously. "Darius and I have extensive knowledge on each of you," she explained.

"Wait, you know why the boss is so terrifying?" Knox asked. The tall hybrid was lying on his back in the center of the helicopter, making it difficult for the NOVA agents to move around.

"Terrifying?" Pierce raised an eyebrow, trying to appear nonchalant.

"You know, that thing you do where you shoot people." Knox grinned crookedly.

"You haven't told them?" Terra asked.

"Would you?" Pierce retorted, a hint of a warning in her tone.

Terra shrugged. "I just assumed you didn't care what people think of you, is all. I mean, some of the things you've done ... "

Pierce opened her mouth to make an angry retort, then closed it again. If Terra knew everything Pierce had done then it was only logical she believed Pierce to be a heartless monster. "Who we were doesn't matter." Grey broke in. Quiet anger was smoldering in his fake blue irises. "For all the terrible deeds Project Starfall has done, they have given us something priceless, though unintentional." Grey met eyes with each of the other hybrids. "They gave us a new beginning. From the moment we woke up in that lab each of us was changed. We are literally not the people we once were. So, stop making judgements based on what everyone has done. Focus on how they are now." He looked at Pierce and the flame died down. "Without Pierce we would have died a long time ago, and I know for certain that she cares deeply about everyone here. We still have a long way to go, and there is no one I would rather follow."

"Thank you," Pierce whispered, and a hard light entered her eyes. "But you all should know the truth."

"Pierce," Elliot said quietly. "You don't have to tell us."

Pierce stared at the kid, wondering whether he would hate her after she shared her story. "No, you deserve to know. You shouldn't have to follow me blindly."

"Just hurry up and tell us." Madigan scowled. "We don't have all day."

"I worked as .... um .... a hired gun," Pierce said slowly.

"So you were an assassin?" Knox clarified. "Knew it."

"It was pretty obvious." Madigan rolled her eyes.

"Do you have an assassin name?" Elliot asked, eyes wide.

Pierce gaped at them. "You're all taking this differently than I had imagined," she muttered. Grey watched her with an amused expression, but said nothing. "Pierce is my ... assassin name," she addressed Elliot's question.

"Oh," Elliot sounded almost disappointed. "How come you didn't you choose a new one for your alias?"

"I liked Pierce." Pierce shrugged.

"So, since we're probably not going to make it out of this." Knox grinned. "How 'bout you tell us your real name?"

I'm going to regret this. "Kaiyo," she answered.