The Recall Trials
Chapter 83: Jojo Is Dying... And It’s My Fault

Chapter 83: Jojo Is Dying... And It’s My Fault

Vincent’s POV

The ringing in my ears didn’t stop.

Only... it wasn’t ringing anymore.

It was a voice.

A whisper.

Then two.

Then... hundreds.

Layered on top of each other.

Vincent.

Vincent.

Vincent.

"No," I muttered, gripping my skull tighter. "Get out. Get out of my head."

But I couldn’t see any of them anymore.

Just flashing lights.

White. Then red.

Then nothing.

And then....

Memory.

It came in fast, like being slammed into the side of a moving train.

Metal walls. Screaming. My own voice. Strapped down. Wires in my skin. Eyes forced open. A man in a mask saying, "You’ll be perfect."

NO.

I shook my head, but it wouldn’t stop.

Another flash.

Me begging. Screaming. Tied to machines. My name echoing through a hallway as I was dragged away.

Vincent Aston. Wildcard initiated.

NO. STOP. PLEASE....

I screamed. But only inside.

My lips didn’t move.

My body didn’t move.

Only my head throbbed like it would crack open.

Then...

The Voice.

"So... you’re this strong?"

The voice was amused. Probably Curious too.

"You’re fighting it. You broke the command. You’re the first player to do that."

My breath hitched.

What...?

"Interesting. Very interesting."

I dropped to my knees again. My mouth opened but nothing came out.

"You shouldn’t be able to feel. Not after what we did to you. But somehow... you’re slipping."

"Shut up..." I whispered, but it didn’t come out as a whisper. It came out like a sob. "Leave me alone."

"You’re not one of us anymore, Vincent. You’re not part of the Aetherions."

I froze.

"You were never stable enough. Too emotional. Too...Weak."

"I said shut the fuck up!" I screamed inside my head, clawing at my skull like I could rip the voice out.

"Keep acting like your memories are back. Keep showing feelings in the game. You’ll see what happens."

"You’ll hate how messy it gets."

I couldn’t breathe.

Sweat soaked my skin.

My heartbeat raced like I was being hunted by something I couldn’t see.

"You were their favorite player. Our favorite experiment. Our weapon. But now?"

"You’re a failure. A bad candidate."

"Stop..."

"You broke the system, Vincent."

"Now it wants to break you back."

My vision blurred.

Behind my eyes, something cracked.

And then....

More memories.

Zaara laughing.

Piper looking terrified.

Carter, bleeding. Me, screaming. Letting someone go when I wasn’t supposed to.

Then...

The masked figure in black.

Watching.

Always watching.

"They’ll come for you now."

"And you’ll wish your memories had stayed gone."

I gasped.

And suddenly...

Silence.

My eyes snapped open.

I was lying on the floor.

Someone...Zaara? was kneeling beside me, calling my name.

Jojo was gone.

Theo was gone.

Carter was gone.

Only the aftermath remained.

And in my chest?

A terrifying, electric hum of something I couldn’t name.

I sat up slowly.

My fingers trembling.

Because I remembered something else.

Something that scared me more than the voice.

I’d been here before.

And last time...

I didn’t leave alone.

"Hey..." Zaara whispered, brushing hair from her face with trembling fingers. Her cheeks were stained with dried tears. "You’re awake."

She moved closer. Her eyes searched mine.

"I got scared," she said. "You were out cold. Like your brain just... shut down."

She leaned in, and before I could react, she was twisting my head gently side to side.

"Did you... did you get them back?" she asked. "Your memories? Are they back?"

I wanted to say yes.

God, I wanted to say yes.

To finally speak the truth.

But I couldn’t.

Because the truth came with consequences. The kind that didn’t just haunt you. The kind that could get you killed.

Because I remembered everything.

Every single damn thing.

Every scream.

Every order I followed.

Every person I hurt.

I remembered Jojo’s eyes when I raised the blade.

I remembered Asha’s voice, begging them not to take her.

I remembered the blood on my hands.. The steel mask they forced over my face.

I was a weapon.

Not just in name.

In purpose.

And now that I could feel again...

The memories were killing me.

I lowered my eyes.

I should be dead. Monsters don’t get second chances. Monsters don’t wake up.

Zaara tilted her head. "Vincent?"

I blinked.

Then...another voice.

Nomi’s.

She stood in the doorway, arms crossed.

"She’s stable now," Nomi said.

My brows furrowed. "What?"

Nomi stepped in slowly.

"There’s something you need to know," she said. "You’ve been out for almost three hours."

My chest tightened.

"And it’s about Jojo."

I froze.

"What happened to Jojo?" I asked.

Zaara inhaled sharply beside me. She hadn’t stopped crying. Her hand reached for mine and trembled as it held it.

"She’s... poisoned," Zaara said. "It’s bad."

"No..." My breath hitched. "What do you mean, poisoned?"

"She’s dying, Vincent. Slowly."

Everything in me locked up.

"No. No, that can’t be. How? How did that happen? Where is she...where is she now?"

My voice was rising. My chest rising and falling fast. Too fast.

I couldn’t breathe.

I couldn’t think.

Because I knew if I lost it here..if I let my emotions spill, it would be obvious.

Too obvious.

And if the Aetherions were watching?

They’d know I was broken again.

Zaara answered anyway, barely holding herself together. "She’s in the main room. They’ve stabilized her...for now."

I blinked fast. My fingers dug into the blanket under me. "But... how did she get poisoned? I don’t understand. Who would do that to her?"

That’s when Nomi stepped forward.

"Technically?" she said. "You did."

My world stopped spinning.

I turned to her, voice cold. "What did you just say?"

Zaara sat up straight. "The night of the Hunter’s Game. You stabbed her, remember? When you were the masked killer."

I shook my head. "I didn’t...no. I didn’t stab Jojo."

She nodded. "You did. It was laced with a specific neurotoxin. No name. No cure."

I stared at her like I was hearing my own death sentence.

"She’s been coughing blood since then. Hiding it. Playing strong," Zaara said. "But it’s catching up to her now."

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