Episode 11 — Prototype
The explosion didn't just echo—
It dragged attention with it.
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Heads turned.
Conversations stopped.
Even the wind felt like it paused for a second.
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"…that's not normal," Maya said under her breath.
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Bram didn't answer immediately.
He was already looking.
Tracking direction.
Distance.
Timing between echoes.
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"…it's not random either," he said. "Same interval. Same area."
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"…you can tell that just from—"
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"—listening?" He glanced at her. "Yes."
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Another blast.
Closer.
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Then—
Screaming.
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That changed everything.
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"…we're going," Maya said instantly.
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She was already moving.
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Bram caught her wrist.
Not hard.
But firm.
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"…wait."
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She turned sharply.
"…people are dying."
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"…and running in blindly won't change that."
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"…doing nothing won't either."
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Their eyes locked.
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For a second—
Neither moved.
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Then—
She pulled her hand free.
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"…you can stand here and calculate all you want," she said, already backing away. "I'm not watching people die."
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And she ran.
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Bram watched her go.
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Didn't stop her again.
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"…you're going to slow everything down," he muttered.
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Then—
He followed.
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The scene was worse up close.
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Smoke.
Broken terrain.
People scattered.
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And at the center—
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A Stoneback Brute.
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Bigger than the last.
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Its body looked like it had been carved from layered rock.
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And the ground around it—
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Was full of craters.
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"…we hit it with everything!" someone shouted.
"…it's not going down!"
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"…fall back! FALL BACK!"
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Maya didn't hesitate.
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She ran straight past them.
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"…hey! What are you doing?!" someone yelled.
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She dropped beside an injured man—
Blood soaking through his side.
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"…you're fine," she said quickly, pressing her hand down. "Stay with me—just stay with me, okay?"
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"…it's coming back…" he gasped.
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"…not before I get you out."
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Bram arrived seconds later—
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And stopped.
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Not because he was afraid.
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Because he was thinking.
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"…of course," he said quietly.
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Maya looked up briefly.
"…don't start that now."
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"…you're in the worst possible position."
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"…I know that," she snapped. "I just don't care right now!"
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"…you should."
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"…and you should help!"
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That hung between them.
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Then—
A heavy step.
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Closer.
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The Brute had turned.
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Toward them.
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"…Bram…" Maya said, quieter now.
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He didn't move.
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Not yet.
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His eyes were locked on the creature.
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Tracking.
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Not the whole body—
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Specific parts.
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"…it's distributing impact across its outer plates…" he muttered.
"…that's why the explosions aren't working…"
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"…this is not the time—"
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"—joints," he cut in.
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"…what?"
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"…look at the joints."
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She didn't want to.
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But she did.
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And—
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There it was.
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A delay.
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Subtle.
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But real.
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"…it's slower there…" she said.
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"…not slower. Less efficient."
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"…that's the same thing right now!"
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"…no," Bram said calmly. "One means we react. The other means we control it."
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The Brute moved again.
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Closer.
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The ground shook.
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"…we don't have time for this!" Maya snapped.
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"…we don't have time NOT to," Bram replied.
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He moved.
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Not toward the monster.
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Toward the debris.
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Fragments.
Shards.
Broken material from earlier fights.
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He picked one up—
Paused—
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His eyes sharpened.
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"…this is it."
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"…what is?"
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"…this holds it better."
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"…holds what?"
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"…energy."
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She stared at him.
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"…you're serious right now?"
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"…completely."
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The Brute lunged.
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Not fast—
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But unstoppable.
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Maya reacted instantly—
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Dragging the injured man back.
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"…MOVE!" she shouted.
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Bram didn't rush.
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Didn't panic.
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He adjusted his stance—
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Measured distance—
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And threw.
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The shard cut through the air—
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And struck—
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The joint.
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A crack.
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This time—
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Clear.
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The Brute staggered.
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Not much.
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But enough.
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"…again!" Bram said sharply.
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Something in his voice changed.
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Command.
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The others reacted.
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Not fully understanding—
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But trusting the result.
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"…aim for the joints!"
"…don't waste shots on the body!"
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Maya stared.
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"…you figured that out… this fast?"
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"…no," he said.
"…I confirmed it."
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The Brute roared—
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Movement becoming unstable.
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Another hit.
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Another crack.
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Then—
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It fell.
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Silence.
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Real silence.
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Maya exhaled—
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Relief hitting her all at once.
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"…he's still breathing," she said quickly, checking the man.
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"…good," Bram replied.
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He was already looking at the broken shards again.
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"…that's it…" he muttered.
"…that's the missing part…"
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"…Bram."
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He didn't respond.
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"…BRAM."
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He looked up.
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"…what?"
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"…people almost died."
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"…they didn't."
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"…that's not the point!"
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"…it is," he said calmly. "Because now it won't happen the same way again."
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She stood up slowly.
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"…you really think like that, don't you?"
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"…yes."
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"…even if someone dies while you're 'figuring it out'?"
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A pause.
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Not long.
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But enough.
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"…yes."
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That hit harder than anything else.
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CUT
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From a distance—
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The demon unit watched.
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Silent.
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Focused.
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"…he's different," one of them said.
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"…he doesn't react like the others," another added.
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The leader narrowed his eyes slightly.
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"…he doesn't fight the same way either."
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"…do we engage?"
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A pause.
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Then:
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"…not yet."
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"…why?"
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"…because he's building something."
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CUT
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Far from the ridge—
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Inside a command station—
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A screen flickered.
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Footage replayed.
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The Brute.
The impact.
The shift.
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"…that's not standard behavior," someone said.
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"…it's not the creature," another replied.
"…it's the person."
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A figure leaned forward slightly.
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"…track him."
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"…we don't even have a name yet."
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"…then get one."
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CUT BACK
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At the ridge—
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The group leader approached again.
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Different now.
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Less force.
More intent.
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"…you didn't just adapt," he said.
"…you improved the fight."
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Bram looked at him.
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"…I fixed a flaw."
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"…can you do it again?"
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A small pause.
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Then:
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"…better."
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Maya looked between them.
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Understanding dawning.
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This wasn't over.
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It was just beginning.
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And the gap between them—
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Had already started to form.
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"Some people fight to survive…
others learn so they never have to fight the same battle twice."
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End of Episode 11