Chapter Text
I wandered into the trial, body aching as I pushed myself to keep moving forward. Murkoff had taken me—a seventy-two-year-old black woman—off the streets after I'd been fired from the only job I adored. My family had worked for the Kress' for generations, and now I found myself trapped in this nightmare, subjected to cruel experiments and forced to endure unspeakable horrors. The only thing keeping me going was the hope that one day I would escape and somehow find my way back to them, to the life I once knew. But as each day passed, that hope grew dimmer and dimmer, replaced by a deep sense of despair and resignation. After gaining access to to the main plaza of the shopping mall, I knew my chances of survival were slim.
The Murkoff Corporation's security forces were relentless in their pursuit, and I had no choice but to keep moving, hoping against hope that I would find a way out of this nightmare. Or at least be killed by an Ex-Pop or a Prime Asset. The thought of being caught and subjected to the Corporation's experiments was enough to keep me on high alert, constantly scanning my surroundings for any sign of danger.
As I navigated through the maze-like corridors of the mall, the sound of distant screams and mechanical whirring only served to heighten my sense of dread. Gaining access to the department store was just as easy as slipping through the cracks in the system. The empty shelves and abandoned checkout counters served as a stark reminder of the world that once was, now twisted and corrupted by greed and power. When I placed a box on the conveyor belt, I heard a buzzsaw come to life, followed by murmuring voices.
"That's not an Ex-Pop," I whispered as I quickly crouched down behind the counter, realizing a Prime Asset was approaching.
"I keep dreaming of Father. With his scalpels and tinctures," a familiar woman said, her slurred words sending a chill down my spine.
"Father's nothing but dead; he can't hurt us anymore. You held his heart in your hands," an equally familiar man replied calmly.
"That Doctor talks like he thinks he's our father. I hate him," the woman grumped, her voice filled with bitterness and resentment.
I stayed hidden, trying to make sense of the strange conversation unfolding before me. I knew then that I needed to escape quickly before it was too late. As I peeked out from my hiding spot, I saw the Prime Asset scanning the store with an unsettling intensity, his eyes glowing with a hunger for something more than just merchandise. I sucked in a sharp, quiet breath as realization and recognition dawned on me—this man, with the woman sprouting out of his back, was someone I was all too familiar with. Otto and Arora Kress, the conjoined twins I'd taken care of when they were children, stalked past me with a sense of purpose that sent shivers down my spine.
"Watch those fingers," Arora warned, her voice low and amused.
"I was only scratching an itch," Otto said, his tone defensive.
"Not every fold in your neck is yours," Arora replied with a smirk, causing Otto to chuckle.
"Every inch of my neck is yours, for that cunt yokes me, certain as the grave," Otto said, his eyes flashing with a mix of defiance and affection towards his sister.
"Keep talking, you'll make me ruin the starch in your collar," Arora threatened playfully, but her eyes softened with love for her brother.
The siblings continued on their way, leaving me with a flood of memories from our time together. As I watched them disappear around a corner, I couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia, missing the days of being their caregiver after their mother died. I got to my feet, grunting a little as I felt my bones protesting the movement. As I walked away, I couldn't shake the feeling of longing for the bond I once shared with Otto and Arora, wishing for just a moment to go back in time and relive those precious memories. The buzzsaw whirred again, and I looked over my shoulder just in time to see them charging at me, teeth bared in a threatening display.
"You'll be a treat for my beloved!" Otto roared, his eyes wild with hunger.
Yelping, I turned and ran as fast as my aching legs would carry me, knowing that I had to find a way to outsmart these once beloved companions before it was too late. The guilt of leaving them behind weighed heavily on my heart, but survival instincts kicked in as I pushed myself to keep moving forward. With a wild grunt, I flung a bottle at them, hoping to distract them long enough to create some distance between us. As I heard the shatter of glass behind me, I knew I had bought myself a few precious seconds to come up with a plan.
"How dare you!" Arora wailed, her voice filled with betrayal and hurt. I could feel the sting of her words, but I knew that in this moment, my own survival had to come first.
With a heavy heart, I dove under a table seconds before they walked by. I needed to do something, something that would remind them of the bond we once shared, something that would make them hesitate before harming me. As I lay hidden, I racked my brain for a solution, knowing that my next move could determine whether I lived or died. With a soft gasp, I remembered something, something that I had spent two months' worth of paychecks on. Arora's necklace with the green gem and Otto's brooch that I had commissioned just for them. These were the symbols of our friendship, and I knew they would recognize them instantly. Creeping out from under the table, I slowly got to my feet before getting closer to them. Neither of them were facing me, which was good.
"Hey!" I shouted. Arora and Otto turned around, their eyes widening in surprise when they saw me. We just stared at each other for a long moment before I spoke again.
"I see you're wearing the necklace and brooch I got for you. I hope you both like them," I said quietly. A second later, recognition dawned on them.
"Agnes? Aggie?" Arora asked meekly, her voice filled with confusion and disbelief. "What are you doing here?" I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves before answering.
"You two weren't the only ones taken by Murkoff," I explained, my voice wavering slightly. "You remember me?" Otto shrugged as best he could, given how he was supporting Arora.
"I—we remember bits and pieces," he admitted. "But it's all a blur." Arora reached out a hand towards me, her eyes pleading for more information.
"What happened to you, Aggie?" she asked softly.
"You were always good to us," he said softly. "We never forgot that." I felt a rush of emotion at his words, grateful that our bond had endured despite the horrors we had faced together.
"I was fired not long after your eleventh birthday. Your idiotic father said that I was no longer needed, that he could handle things on his own, and that it was time you two stopped having a nursemaid. But we all know how that turned out." Arora's eyes widened in realization, a mix of anger and sadness crossing her face.
"I remember now. You were like a second mother to us," she whispered.
"You always made sure we were taken care of, even when our own father couldn't be bothered. Thank you, Aggie," Otto rumbled in a deep voice, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. I smiled sadly, a sense of bittersweet nostalgia washing over her.
"You two were my whole world," I said softly, her voice filled with emotion.
"I pleaded with your father to let me stay and continue to care for you both, but he was too proud to accept my help. I never stopped thinking about you, even after all these years," I whispered as I walked toward them, my heart heavy with regret for not being able to be there for them sooner. "I tried my best to follow your careers, but it was never the same as being by your side. I hope you can forgive me for not being there when you needed me most." Tears welled up in my eyes as I reached out to embrace them, hoping they could feel the sincerity in my words. Despite the distance and time apart, the love I had for them never wavered.
"Of course, we do!" they both said in unison, wrapping me in a tight hug. "We understand, and we're just grateful you're here now." The weight of guilt lifted off my shoulders as we stood together, finally reunited after so long.
"Did you kill him?" I asked once I broke the hug and wiped away my tears. Otto and Arora grinned viciously at me, their eyes gleaming with a shared understanding.
"Oh, yes," Otto said, his voice filled with deranged glee.
With a mischievous glint in her eye, Arora added, "We took him apart and stitched him back together."
I nodded sharply, giving them a venomous grin of my own. "Good. He was a monster, and he deserved every bit of it." The three of us shared a moment of dark satisfaction before an alarm went off.
"Please exit the trial," the voice said flatly.
"Oh, come on! Are you serious right now?" I shouted as the siren continued to go off.
"Go," Otto commanded, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the exit.
"We'll finish this later," Arora whispered, a wicked smile playing on her lips. With a final glance back at them, I hurried out of the trial before security arrived.
I'm never leaving those two behind ever again, I thought decisively.
On the second floor of the Sleep Room, I wandered into the cafeteria and plopped into a seat across from Dorris with a groan, who gave me an amused look.
"I swear, I don't think I've ever been this tired in my life," I said, rubbing my eyes. Dorris chuckled and handed me a cup of coffee, saying, "You definitely look like you could use this."
"You're a blessing, Dorris," I said gratefully, taking a sip of the hot coffee.
"What do you think about the new Prime Asset?" Dorris asked knowingly. I scowled at her, finding her question intriguing yet slightly invasive.
"I'm not sure yet. It's been a long time since we saw each other," I replied cautiously, wondering how much she knew about my past with the new Prime Asset.
"So you weren't their maid?" Dorris pressed, raising an eyebrow. I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal about my past with the mysterious new Prime Asset.
"Let's just say my history with them is complicated," I finally admitted, hoping to end the conversation there.
"Complicated? Since when is anything simple with you?" Dorris chuckled, clearly not satisfied with my vague response.
"I just hope you know what you're getting yourself into," she added cryptically, leaving me to ponder her words as I finished my coffee.
"I hope I do too," I muttered under my breath, feeling a sense of unease settling in the pit of my stomach. As I sat there, I couldn't shake the feeling that Dorris knew more about my past with the Prime Asset than she let on.
"You're not gonna say anything more, are you?" I asked dryly, trying to hide my growing anxiety. Dorris simply smiled enigmatically and shook her head, leaving me with more questions than answers.
"You are unhelpful," I snarked, no real bite to my words, and she chuckled softly, a glint of mischief in her eyes. I knew then that getting information out of her would be like pulling teeth, but I was fine with playing her game for now. After all, patience had always been my strongest suit. All of a sudden, panicked screaming pierced the calm air of the Sleep Room, causing nearby Reagents to scatter.
"What's going on?" I demanded when I stopped a young, female Reagent who was running past me. She turned to me, wide-eyed and pale, and whispered, "One of the Prime Assets got into the Sleep Room."
My blood ran cold as I realized the gravity of the situation, knowing that we were all in grave danger.
"If you can't defend yourself, get to your room and stay there!" I ordered and rushed out of the cafeteria. Following the shouting and banging of stun rigs being thrown, I made my way towards the Sleep Room, mentally preparing myself for the chaos that awaited. As I approached, I could hear the sounds of a struggle escalating, signaling that the situation was quickly spiraling out of control. Looking over the stair bannister, I relaxed somewhat when I realized that it was Otto and Arora, kicking up a fuss. Arora was flinging flasks of poison while Otto was wildly swinging his saw. Someone lobbed their stun rig at the conjoined twins, blinding them temporarily.
"How dare you touch us!" Otto bellowed as Arora continued to curse and throw vials of poison in retaliation. The chaos in the Sleep Room was reaching a dangerous level, with no signs of calming down anytime soon. I knew I had to act fast before things got even more out of hand.
"Aggie! Where's Aggie!" Arora shrieked, her voice filled with panic. I knew I had to show myself before the situation escalated any further. I bolted down the stairs and shoved my way through the crowd, finally reaching Arora and Otto.
"I'm here, Arora," I said, trying to calm her down as I assessed them. They were covered in fresh cuts and bruises, their faces pale with fear.
"Aggie," Otto breathed, relaxing slightly as he saw me.
"Aggie! We found you!" Arora slurred happily, grabbing me with her free hand.
"You can't be here, you two," I told them, flapping a hand at the exit. "This place is only for us Reagents."
Behind me, I could hear guns being drawn and shouts of alarm as security closed in on us. I knew that if they didn't leave immediately, we would all be in serious trouble.
"You have to go now," I urged, my heart racing as I nudged them towards safety.
"No! We want to stay!" Otto stated sharply, glaring at the guards behind me. I rolled my eyes, it finally clicking that sheer stubbornness was still a common trait between the twins.
"Fine, but you better be ready to face the consequences," I warned, knowing that their defiance could put us all at risk. With a resigned sigh, I turned to face the approaching security, preparing myself for whatever came next.
"The Prime Asset will make their way back to their room," a guard ordered coldly.
"They're calm, and they've got names. It's Otto and Arora. Now, if you don't let me tend to them, I will gladly let them kill all of you painfully. Besides, right now, I'm the only one they'll allow to be by their side," I said flatly, making it clear that I was not going to let anyone harm the twins under my watch. The guard's expression softened slightly, immediately realizing that I was not someone to be messed with when it came to protecting those in my care.
"Very well. I will allow you to tend to them, but do not forget that they are still under our surveillance," the guard conceded, stepping back to let me do my job. I nodded curtly and turned back to Otto and Arora, ready to ensure their safety no matter what obstacles lay ahead.
"Park it, Ott," I ordered, pointing at Otto, then to the table Reagents arm wrestled on. Otto sat down, Arora swiveling around to face me with a grateful smile, knowing that I would do whatever it took to keep them safe.
"Thank you, Aggie," Otto coughed, his voice hoarse from the recent ordeal. I simply nodded in response, my focus solely on the task at hand as I began to assess their injuries and provide the necessary care. I carefully and gently pulled broken glass from Otto's head and applied pressure to stop the bleeding, all while softly reassuring him that everything would be okay. Arora watched with a mix of concern and relief, grateful for my quick actions in their time of need.
"Your turn, Ror," I said, shifting my attention to Arora, who winced as I began to clean and bandage the cuts on her arms. As I worked, I could see the tension slowly leaving her body as she relaxed into my care, trusting me to help them both through this difficult situation. Arora rested her head on my shoulder and let out a deep sigh, finally allowing herself to release the fear and anxiety that had been building up inside her. I continued to work in silence, knowing that my presence alone was providing comfort and reassurance to both Otto and Arora.
"Are you finished, Reagent?" The guard from before asked, and I nodded sharply, glaring something fierce in his direction.
"Yes, we're done here," I replied curtly, my focus still on Arora and Otto.
"Next time, if they want to see me, just bring them here instead of having them escape," I added with a pointed look at the guard. The guard nodded in understanding, clearly chastened by my words, and I turned back to Arora and Otto, offering a small smile to reassure them that they were safe now. Otto gave me a tiny smile in return, grateful for my protection. Arora's eyes softened with relief as she whispered a quiet thank you, and I knew that they would be okay under my watchful eye.
"See y'all later," I murmured as I watched them walk away, feeling a sense of responsibility and duty towards their well-being. I knew that I would always be there to protect them from any harm that may come their way.