Luther’s POV
“She’s awake!”
Ariel’s voice immediately got everyone’s attention.
I jumped out of the SUV and hurried to the back.
The girl was sitting upright, pressed against the side of the vehicle.
Her eyes darted around frantically.
“Easy.”
Ariel raised both hands.
“We’re not going to hurt you.”
The girl stared at her.
Then at James.
Then at me.
Her breathing was still unsteady.
“Where… am I?”
“You’re safe,” Ariel said.
At least…
I hoped she was.
James crouched down a few feet away.
“We found you inside that truck.”
The girl’s expression suddenly changed.
“The truck…”
She looked around.
“Where are they?”
“The Raiders?”
She nodded.
“They’re gone.”
James grinned.
“Very gone.”
I gave him a look.
“What?”
“You’re not helping.”
“Right.”
He cleared his throat.
“Sorry.”
The girl looked at us again.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Luther.”
I pointed toward James.
“That’s James.”
“And that’s Ariel.”
Ariel gave her a small smile.
The girl hesitated.
“My name is…”
She stopped.
Her expression became distant.
“…I don’t remember.”
We all exchanged glances.
“What?”
James frowned.
“You don’t remember your name?”
She shook her head.
“I remember running.”
“I remember the truck.”
“I remember those men.”
“But…”
“Everything before that is blurry.”
Ariel immediately sat beside her.
“It’s okay.”
“You don’t have to force yourself to remember.”
I looked at James.
Something about this wasn’t right.
Then…
Ding.
A blue notification appeared before us.
[New Party Member Detected]
[Name: Unknown]
[Rank: ???]
[Power: ???]
[Status: Memory Suppressed]
My eyes widened.
“…Guys.”
James looked at his screen.
“What?”
“Check your Status.”
Ariel did.
Her expression changed immediately.
The girl looked between us.
“What’s wrong?”
I slowly turned toward her.
“We need to talk.”
Because somehow…
The little girl we’d rescued wasn’t just a random survivor.
The system itself didn’t know what she was.