Merilyn stood before the Omnis, or rather not the Omnis but the silhouette of the Omnis. The figure was cloaked in black fabric with a dark hood that covered their face. Their voice had leadership qualities: commanding and bold, rich and booming.

"You have disappointed me, Merilyn. And when I am disappointed, lives are lost. Do you understand what I am saying?" the Omnis asked.

"Ye… yes. I do," she said. After all, short of saying "I'm going to kill you," there was no way to make the threat any clearer. The Omnis just sat there, still as stone, something that could unnerve even the most defiant.

Merilyn began to sweat and shake from fear ever so slightly. Finally, after a long silence, the Omnis spoke again. "You have failed me and endangered not only THE GRAY SPACE, not only your own life, but the world in general. Do you remember what the world was like before we took power?"

Merilyn nodded and recited it in a shaky voice, word for word, in the way she had been forced to memorize before working for THE GRAY SPACE. "Before… in the world before THE GRAY SPACE took over, there were worldwide wars, and then The Plague came, limiting the intelligence of everyone it infected. The few who were immune studied for the cure. When they finally discovered it, the scientists formed THE GRAY SPACE, an organization that allowed the cure to be distributed as well as possible. Being as beneficial and kind as it was, the only price for the cure was to join THE GRAY SPACE, which brought worldwide peace to all."

The Omnis nodded and continued. "If Subject 17 had escape, everything that THE GRAY SPACE has worked for would be gone. All because of you. And so there needs to be severe punishment for you, Merilyn. As for Subject 17, they have been sentenced to a fate worse than death so that you can see what the preferable option for all parties involved would have been."

Merilyn gasped. "No. You can't mean… you can just end Subject 17's life instead… you, you…"

"Yes," the Omnis said, a note of malice in their voice, "I have sent Subject 17 to be reprogrammed."