I lasted six hours.
Six hours of watching news feeds show the seventeen replicas dying. Antarctica facility detected them immediately. Quantum defenses activated. I felt each death through residual connection. Felt seventeen versions of myself dissolving. Screaming. Begging for mercy Marcus never granted.
They died buying humanity time. Died believing they were heroes. Died never knowing Marcus had wanted them to attack. Had planned for their sacrifice. Had used their deaths to refine Generation Three protocols by studying how conscience-infected prototypes failed under pressure.
Their redemption was his research data. Their sacrifice was his advantage. Their deaths made Generation Three stronger.
And I'd stayed home. Playing mother. Playing human. Playing safe while seventeen people d
