[ChicletPrime]

Chapter Five

• meanwhile back at the ranch... the girlfriend confirms that the attempted "takeover" was a diversion. A dozen aircraft streak off into the night sky, likely Caleb's reinforcements (however that works). yeah, okay. "The fleet bases were never in danger. It was Caleb who played the diversion. And you knew, Liam." 
  
• does adjutant'ing come with danger pay? 
  
• so the girlfriend finally clues in that Caleb knew something was going to go down at the banquet and made sure she was well away from it.  Liam points out (rightly so) that if she was there, it would affect any decisions the Colonel could make. still, annoying. i have guns! i know how to use them! 
  
• "Liam, you're Caleb's adjutant. Do you think he trusts you?"  "I don't need the Colonel's trust. I only need his orders."
  
• well, that's a cold ass line.
  
• Liam's eyes are empty as he confirms that if Caleb ordered him to leave his loved ones behind, he would (because he follows orders).  "We're not the same as you."
  
• "Because I haven't been modified by that chip?" 
  
• huh. Liam says that if i had a chip, the Colonel would do whatever it takes to have it removed. but i am pretty sure at this point that i DO have a chip? or maybe... i did pick up a "chip implanter" from Caleb's office so maybe i am still on my way to getting one, before we catch up to the beginning of this chapter when i didn't recognize anything, including my own brother.
  
• okay, so Liam is out since he's done his duty to keep me distracted and advises me that the Colonel said he'd wait for me at home after the banquet.  however last we knew, Caleb was fighting for his life with some unknown person who might have a shot at taking him out? dun dun dun
  
• oh. oh no, girlfriend. do not be standing alone in the rain, thinking about the chip and the implanter hiding on your person and 'erasing the remaining distance between me and Caleb'.  that is crazy talk. 
  
• OH FUCKING HELL GIRLFRIEND.  okay. she did it. she injected herself in the arm.  which means that the wound we saw on our arm at the beginning must be the chip having come OUT.  what am i thinking?! is this one of those 'if you have to live in a cage, i'll join you behind bars' kind of thing?
  
• "Just imagining Caleb's reaction upon finding this out sends a shiver through the depths of my heart."  Rafayel is going to be pretty upset too! did you not even think of the fishboy ONCE before throwing your bride-hood over for a cyber-metal crown? 
  
• Caleb found us! as we sit hopelessly in the slowing rain on a bench in the city. 
  
• okay. so. whatever happened in the armory after we faded to black... Caleb won? or just escaped? or was permitted to continue after chastisement? no, black silhouette guy did say he was going to kill Caleb since the chip was too troublesome to worry about, so either our boy won past, or managed to just get out of Dodge.
  
• "When we played hide and seek in the past, Caleb always managed to find me. But even if he finds me now, I can't bear the thought of going back to that place called 'home" with him." 
  
• this is SO DIFFERENT in vibe from the mock wedding vows we just went through. where we literally build a small home for Caleb as a promise for the real one someday.
  
• oh, that's so sad.  the girlfriend doesn't like apples because there was a specific type of apple tree that grew by the  train station, and every time Caleb had to leave to go back to Skyhaven, she had to smell the petals.
  
• "No one can take me away from you."  that is a LIE, Caleb Xia. "Will you come back with me now?"
  
• "How long do you plan to lock me up this time? A month? A year? Or forever?"   well, at least she's getting the bigger picture. that's something. 
  
• oh, wow. and if somebody should come looking for me? "I'll hold a funeral they can attend."  that is so gruesomely perfect.
  
• this is... so wow. much pain.  halp.
  
• did Caleb just have a chip related whiteout?! i am going to rip Ever's collective face off.
  
• i've seen that little clip elsewhere before, where he fold to his knees in front of us, and asks to go home, but i did not know he just literally collapses to the ground right afterwards! Caleb, no! 
  
• ... the use of rain instead of tears was perfect.
  

i keep trying to stop and take screenshots :D