Luz quickly moves away from me as I straighten, hand to my ear, as I hear the requested ping in my ear. My eyes are wide when I look at her. Without making a sound, I mouth the words, "Don't say anything."

She nods and steps away from me, hands to her mouth. With the way her shoulders move and the new crinkles forming around her eyes, I can tell she's giggling. But I can't find what's funny.

As I take in a deep breath, I turn and face the clockwork machine behind me. "Accept the communications request," I say to the device in my ear.

But before my Cog communicator can accept and acknowledge my voice, Leader Mikel's voice echoes in my head, filled with concern. "Franklin, are you with the clockwork machine?"

I stare up at the clock. Beads of sweat line my hair. "I am, Sir," I say, watching the second-hand struggle to progress. "I am here with the replacement piece needed to fix the clock."

"Wonderful." There is something about Leader Mikel's voice. As if the concern has shifted into doubt. Uncertainty. He clears his throat. "Is there someone else in there with you?" he asks.

And I hold my breath, slowly turning to look at Luz. She stands near the farthest wall, her hands still over her mouth. She's as quiet as a mouse, eyes wide with curiosity. I lift one of my fingers to my lips, reminding her to remain silent. But as I turn back towards the clock, I answer Leader Mikel's question, "No, Sir. There's no one here but me. Were there..." Think of something, Franklin. "Were there more Cogs sent to Earth without my knowledge?"

As Leader Mikel grumbles under his breath, I quickly turn towards Luz. I place a hand on her shoulder to guide her back towards the portal we had entered from, but when she understands and agrees to follow, we find it won't open. No matter how I slide my hands along the brick wall, nothing happens. No portal reacts to my Cog permissions, no shimmering doorway appears to lead us out into the streets. My fingers touch nothing but Earth's old building, not the technology created by the overlords.

I bite my lip and look up at the clockwork's ceiling. Can he see us?

"No, no other Cogs have were sent to assist you, Franklin. You have a simple job," Leader Mikel says. "But there is a second presence detected within the clockwork machine, one without Cog permissions or overlord permits."

I gulp, looking down at Luz's face. She eyes me curiously, shoulders shrugged up as she mouths a silent question, "Are we in trouble or what?"

"Sir." I look back up at the ceiling, turning my attention back to Leader Mikel's call. "There isn't anyone else in here with me. It's just me and the clock, Sir."

"Right, Franklin." I can hear Leader Mikel move around his office on the other end of the call. "That's fine."

My head drops, my shoulders slump, and I let out a quiet laugh and a sigh of relief.

"Just be sure to tell Galaxy Enforcement that you're alone once they arrive."

My head snaps back up, so fast it hurts. I hiss as I stumble into Luz. She grabs me, observing my face, but I can't look at her. I'm transfixed on the second-hand I haven't fixed yet. "Galaxy Enforcement?" I mutter. "You've requested Galaxy Enforcement?"

"No, I didn't request it," Leader Mikel says. I hear him sip on a drink before a mug hits a table. Now is not the time for brug tea, sir... "But, as you're aware, if an unknown presence is detected within the machine's protected space, well, it's the Galaxy's job to eradicate it."

I hold my breath, bite my tongue, and count small sheep in my head, seeking a calming distraction. This isn't happening. It doesn't calm me. This can't be happening.

"Seems like the second you stepped in to fix the machine, something else followed you." He clears his throat once more. "If you're telling me you're alone, then there's nothing to worry about. One of those Earth's rodents could've scurried in there with you—"

I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes.

"—And if that's the case, Franklin, then they'll just kill it on sight."

My heart stops beating in my chest, even though I manage to take in a breath.

"They're just minutes away. Be ready with your identification watch when they ask for it."

Leader Mikel ends the call without saying goodbye and leaves my ears echoing with an ominous silence that strikes my core. I drop my hand from my ear and lean against the brick wall blocking our escape. Luz stands in front of me, her hands on my face. And I try to look into her eyes, but I find I can't focus.

Eradicate the presence. Kill it on sight.

"Frank." Luz pats my cheeks. "Frank, what's going on?"

I can't think. I can't feel. Sounds erupt around my ears like an alarm shooting out from the clockwork machine. It is as if the Earth is telling me what's wrong, reminding me of my mistake. And because of it, the Galaxy's top officers were coming to our location. They'll possibly kill us.

You had one job, Frank. Just one.

"Frank?" Luz's thumbs brush softly under my eyes. The feeling is pleasant, warm, and I look at her. She lifts her brows when our gazes meet. "What's going on?" she asks.

I'm not sure what to say to her. Do I be completely honest and say my boss has notified me of our demise? That within a few minutes' time, a group of Enforcement officers, recruited and hired based on size, skill, and strength, will arrive to "clean" the scene of any and all contamination? Or do I lie like I've done, making up whimsical stories to hide my existence?

But she knows the truth already.

Luz dips her head to one side. "Frank. Earth to Frank."

Earth is the very reason this is happening... "I... I..." Moving my hands to hers, I slowly push her arms back at her sides and place her beside me. With the space to move, I take steps towards the clockwork machine. The minute hands move another notch in its position, but the second-hand cries out, its metal stem struggling to advance.

My hand presses against the side of my jacket. I can feel the hidden replacement piece pulsating against my chest. All I have to do is fix the clock and all will be fine.

No, it won't. I turn back and look at Luz. They're coming. They'll kill her.

"Frank?" She balls her hands up into small fists. "Tell me what's going on. Please."

The sound of her voice—the fear, the slight hint of panic—hits my ears and rattles me. A tightening sensation wraps around my chest and again, I can't take in a normal breath.

Instead, I feel as if I take in all the oxygen in the room and once it fills my lungs, I let it out in a scream. "Fuck!"