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Chapter 16

Sleeping in a cot isn't as fun as it sounds. Sure, it keeps you off of the cold floor and away from the occasional mouse, but it's not comfortable. They had invested in warm comforters but not memory foam. I'm going to add that to the list of recommended items we should definitely get.

I was just glad their showers had warm water. Sure, they didn't know where it was coming from, but they had already tested the water to make sure it was safe. Luckily, there was no one else to watch me shower when I did. I grabbed a towel, warm from sitting on the same hot water pipe, and quickly dried myself. I put on a new set of clothes I had packed and started a new brew of coffee.

"Oh," I heard. "Uh, good morning."

I turned around. It was Diana. She was in yellow pajamas with rabbits eating carrots.

"Hey. Morning. Coffee?"

"Please."

I poured a second cup.

"Cream or sugar?"

"Both. Don't go shy on the ingredients."

I poured as much as I thought a person could consume without having a heart attack.

"Thanks," she said and took a big sip. "Sleep well?"

"It was... less than pleasurable. But, I've been in worse."

"Glad to know your bed is up to standards," she said sarcastically.

We sat in silence in the kitchen. I swished my coffee in my cup for a short minute before speaking.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"For what?"

"Everything."

She looked at her coffee.

"We're all sorry. Pity won't change our circumstances."

"Right."

I emptied my cup.

"Why do you think we have these powers?" I asked.

"I... don't know."

I got up to put my cup in the sink.

"You know what they call us?" She asked.

"What?"

"Glitches," she said a little shamefully. "I had to look it up. I don't know whether to feel special or to feel like an accident."

I laughed. "My mom used to say there are no accidents, just undesired circumstances."

She didn't laugh. Or smile.

"Of course, that's what she said about my father leaving us."

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't be. We were better off for it."

I put my hands in my pocket and wandered to the living space. I turned on the TV to the news. It wasn't anything special, just some current events and politics. Eventually, I was drowning in my own thoughts. I was rehearsing in my head over and over what to say to my mother. How she would react. None were realistic. I couldn't seem to find the right way to tell her.

"Adam!"

Victor came running from the tunnel.

"What is it?" I asked, concerned.

"I've got a plan to infiltrate Shiva's data servers."

"Oh," I said, putting my and to my heart. "You scared me. I thought something happened, you dumb bloke."