Chapter 3

           Ifoundnopeaceinsleep.AMimicwouldsnuffoutmylife,orI’dblackoutinthemiddleofbattle.Afterthat,nothing.Thenwithoutwarning,thenothingnessgaveway.Thefingerthathadbeensqueezingthetriggerofmyriflewaswedgedthreequartersofthewaythroughmypaperback.I’dfindmyselflyinginbed,surroundedbyitspipeframe,listeningtothehigh-pitchedvoiceoftheDJreadtheday’sweather.Clearandsunnyouthereontheislands,sameasyesterday,withaUVwarningfortheafternoon.Eachwordwormeditswayintomyskullandstuckthere.

           By"sunny"Ihadpickedupthepen,by"islands"Iwaswritingthenumberonmyhand,andbythetimeshe’dgottento"UVwarning"Iwasoutofbedandonmywaytothearmory.Thatwasmywake-uproutine.

           Sleeponthenightbeforethebattlewasanextensionoftraining.Forsomereason,mybodynevergrewfatigued.TheonlythingIbroughtwithmeweremymemoriesandtheskillsI’dmastered.Ispentthenighttossingandturning,mymindreplayingthemovementsithadlearnedthepreviousdayasitburnedtheprogramintomybrain.IhadtobeabletodowhatIcouldn’tthelasttimethroughtheloop,tokilltheMimicsIcouldn’tkill,tosavethefriendsIcouldn’tsave.Likedoinganisopush-upinmymind.Myownprivatenightlytorment.

           Iawokeinbattlemode.Likeapilotflippingthroughswitchesbeforetakeoff,Iinspectedmyselfonepartatatime,checkingforanymusclesthatmighthaveknottedupovernight.Ididn’tskipsomuchasapinkytoe.