Page 79 of Anders
You’re not saying goodbye,he said.This isn’t the end of our story.It’s just the beginning.
She wanted to believe him—needed to believe him—and so she merely nodded.
THEY SPENT THE REMAINDERof that day and the next together, mostly in comfortable silence.
Anders insisted she eat to keep up her strength, though food held little appeal.He made arrangements for his deputies to handle security during the procedure and coordinated with Dr.Weiss on the final preparations to bring in Dr.Delores Trujillo and her team from the Stardust Pack in Colorado.
That night, before Anders’s bathroom mirror, Etta turned, lifting her hair to examine the mark at the base of her skull.The skin around the interface was red and inflamed.
Tomorrow, either the device would be gone or she would be.
The thought should have terrified her, but instead, she felt an odd sense of peace.Whatever happened, she was facing it as herself—part Etta Barone, the journalist she’d been programmed to be; part Eliana Thornwood, the lost wolf cub whose family had been murdered; and part someone new, claimed from the ashes of Asset E5.
No matter what, she was choosing her own fate.
For that alone, she would always be grateful to Anders and the Sunburst Pack.They had given her back herself.
Sleep came fitfully that night, her dreams a jumbled mix of memories, both real and implanted.She woke before dawn, her body tense with anticipation and a dull ache radiating from the interface despite the neural blockers.
She met Anders in the kitchen, where he had spent much of the night, obviously as unable to sleep as she’d been.
It’s time,Anders said simply, offering his hand.
Etta took it without hesitation, drawing strength from him as they made their way together to the small medical center.
The pack’s territory was quiet this early, the only sounds the calls of desert birds greeting the day and the soft crunch of their footsteps.
Dr.Weiss and Dr.Trujillo were waiting when they arrived, the medical suite now even more transformed.Surgical equipment gleamed under bright lights, monitors displayed various readouts, and a specially designed table awaited in the center of the room.
We’re ready when you are,Dr.Weiss said.I’ve prepared everything we discussed.
Etta nodded, suddenly unable to speak past the lump that had formed in her throat.This was it—the moment of truth, the point of no return.
Dr.Trujillo approached with a hospital gown.You’ll need to change into this,she said gently.And remove any jewelry or hair accessories.
Anders squeezed her hand once before releasing it, giving her space to prepare.I’ll be right outside,he promised.
Once Etta had changed into the thin cotton gown, Anders was allowed back in.He came to her side immediately.Etta sat on the edge of the surgical table, her heart racing despite her outward calm.
Dr.Weiss explained the procedure—how they would use a specialized electromagnetic field to disrupt the interface’s connection to her neural pathways before attempting removal, how they would monitor her brain activity throughout to minimize damage, how she would be under anesthesia but in a state where they could still detect disruptions to critical neural functions.
She listened carefully, asking questions when something wasn’t clear, determined to face this with full understanding.
I’ll be here when you wake up,Anders promised, his voice steady and sure.Through their bond, she felt his absolute conviction—not just hope or wishful thinking, but a certainty that she would survive this, that they would have a future together.
I’m holding you to that,she whispered, managing a small smile.
Dr.Trujillo approached with the anesthesia.We’re ready to begin,she said softly.The medication will work quickly.
Etta nodded, lying face down on the table as instructed.Anders’s hand found hers again, a warm anchor as Dr.Trujillo inserted the IV.
Count backward from ten for me,Dr.Weiss instructed, his voice calm and professional.
Ten, nine, eight…,Etta began, her eyes locked on Anders’s face, memorizing every detail as the medication began to take effect.Seven, six…
The world began to blur around the edges, sounds becoming distant, muffled.
Five…Her eyelids grew heavy, impossibly so.
