Chapter 26: The Dorian Collective

Cycles of Immortality

Mario Rapoza sat in the sturdiest of the wooden chairs he could find, but the stiffest chairs in the world could not suppress the stabbing pain twisting the inside of his abdomen. 

He knew what it was–it wasn’t difficult to recognize–but he kept the self-diagnosis to himself. If the Collective were privy to his family’s medical history, they would’ve chosen another Believer as Driver, but in the end, they didn’t. They chose him.

“You seem…tired,” Akal said. “How are you feeling?”

Mario paused. He’d been contemplating coming clean for some time now, but there hadn’t been an ideal time to spill a secret of such magnitude. 

“I’m dying,” he blurted. 

The words left his mouth before he could suck them back in. Akal nodded silently. 

“I should’ve told you sooner, but–”