Gideon still crouched down to examine rice despite his yful words.


    Just then, rice''s eyes snapped open, and a deep male voice that wasn''t hers suddenly came from her lips.


    "Analise Chamber, is it? I''ll remember you."


    "Oh my, still capable of speech?" Gideon responded.


    He leaned back slightly and took out a thin, sharp knife from nowhere. Then, he sliced into rice''s chest. As the de cut through her skin, blood gushed out.


    "What is this? Looks like a heart substitute," Gideon murmured.


    He stared at the irregr silver object at the opening of the wound.


    "Analise, go take a look. I need your vision. I''m sensing something familiar."


    Analise had been watching from a distance when Echo suddenly spoke. With no other choice, she stepped forward, crouching beside Gideon to examine rice''s wounded chest.


    "Ophir."


    Echo''s voice was faint.


    Analise frowned and asked in her mind, "What is Ophir?"


    Yet, Echo didn''t respond.


    Analise felt her connection with Echo growing distant-not weaker, but farther away. It felt as if the system had temporarily left her, and she still hadn''t figured out what exactly this "Ophir" was.


    "Why don''t you close up the wound first?"


    Analise felt queasy watching the steady trickle of blood. "She might not die, but letting her bleed out like this doesn''t seem right."


    Gideon had been fixated on the object in rice''s chest. It was only when Analise spoke that he finally turned to nce at her.


    "I only brought a knife..."


    Analise was speechless.


    "Alright, I need to take this robot-no, Ms. Riley-back to Shadowhawk Alliance to examine her further."


    Gideon stood up and offered a hand to help Analise up.


    Analise smiled but got up on her own. Then, she offered her hand for a shake and said, "I''ll leave her in your hands. Since she still has self-awareness, maybe she can truly be saved."


    "Ms. Chamber, how abouting along to Shadowhawk Alliance for a visit?"


    Gideon raised an eyebrow. His fingers idly stroked the back of her hand.


    The surrounding males were practically seething with jealousy. Of course, Scott and Fiy were the most jealous of all.


    "Maybe another time."


    Analise gave her hand a firm tug and finally pulled free from his grasp.


    "Alright then."


    Gideon spread his hands and shed her a smile before walking over to one of the security force members.


    "Captain Lloyd, I''ll be taking Ms. Riley back to Shadowhawk Alliance.


    you''re concerned, you can affe


    few officers to apany


    When facing Nathan Lloyd, captain of the security force, Gideon''s expression


    grew much more serious. It was practically unreadable.


    Analise couldn''t help but think he was a master of changing expressions.


    As if on cue, just as she finished her thought, Gideon turned back and threw her a flirtatious wink.


    Analise was once again at a loss for


    words. She hadn''t caught his


    l.ne


    conversation with Nathan, but in the end, he sessfully took rice with him.


    "Are you really noting to Shadowhawk Alliance?"


    After walking a few steps, Gideon turned back, giving her a pitiful look.


    Analise''s brow twitched. "No."


    Gideon kept ncing back as he walked away. Then, he suddenly called out,


    "Female, aren''t you even going to ask my name?"


    Analise sighed. "Alright... What do they call you?"


    Gideon stopped and blinked at her. "I don''t know. No one''s calling me right now."


    Analise found herself speechless yet again.


    Gideon chuckled softly, then he turned back and casually pulled Analise into his arms without hesitation. "My name is Gideon rke."