Chapter 32:
"What the fuck was that?! You?! Why did you do that?! What is wrong with you, you psycho?!"
Back in Katherine’s class, her voice cracked as she screamed—and with it, the simulation around them began to dissolve. The holographic walls of the bank flickered and faded, revealing the sterile white metal walls of the underground training facility.
Riley, unfazed, calmly lowered the gun he had used to shoot the hostage. His eyes remained fixed on the girl he’d just shot.
Only... she wasn’t really a girl. As the simulation collapsed, her body deconstructed—first into a mannequin, then fully revealing the robotic frame underneath. All of the people in the simulation—hostage, kidnapper, bystanders—were robots. The holographic illusion was gone. All that remained were metallic skeletons scattered across the training hall.
"Why would you shoot the hostage?!" Katherine stormed up to him, fury burning in every step. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"Because I am here for you, Ms. Scarlet Mage," Riley replied evenly. "You told me to find you if someone caused me trouble. I was only following your instructions."
"What...?" Katherine’s face twisted in disbelief. "That—what?! That’s not the point! You shot the hostage!"
"I wanted the simulation to end," Riley shrugged. "We have the same program in our basement. Eliminating the hostage is the fastest way to conclude it."
"I was ending it!" Katherine clenched her fists. "I had already taken down the kidnapper! Why would you shoot the little girl like a fucking psycho when it was clearly over?!"
"No, it was not." Riley shook his head.
"What do you mean?!" She snapped.