That night, Jade remained awake long after the lights in their room had dimmed. She was thinking not only about this silly mission, which had happened years ago, but also about how she could escape the illusion.
She couldn't simply wait for Gideon to save her. For all she knew, he might not even be alive anymore.
The Hive Mind had already swallowed her settlement, and she had no idea what had happened to him afterward.
"Damn it, Gideon," she cursed under her breath. "You should have just asked for help. I could have sent more men, or I could have helped you..."
Jade stopped, realizing that was another lie. She couldn't have helped him as much as she wanted to believe, and she knew it.
Besides, he might be somewhere he couldn't simply ask for help, even if he needed it.
No matter how many people she had under her command or how much experience she had gained from surviving this world, there was no guarantee she could have done anything against something like the Hive Mind.
