The hivemind is conquering for me?

Keyla began to casually chat and drink with Delilah and Zeona, she waited a while before probing out with her under-link.

’So, what’s going on Delilah? Why are you still here? Sammy didn’t even know you were still here and that concerns me.’

Delilah took a glance towards Zeona mid conversation before replying, ’ Yeah, I know. Don’t worry, everything is safe, it’s just that our original plan was for Zeona to return to her home and take me with her, but after her arms deal with Zorina, she started liking this place. She has a large amount of disposable income so she bought a year’s worth of residence at this private resort and every few nights, we hit the reefs and gamble a lot of money alongside eating and drinking. I don’t know how she thinks I am still a normal human though, if it wasn’t for my enhanced biology, I would be so fat now... But what about you? Why are you here? Has something happened at home?’

...

Keyla spent a few seconds explaining things to Delilah, having an under-link connection meant she could just share her memories after all, things were much simpler in that regard. Afterwards Delilah had a smile upon her lips.

’How romantic. Our Apollo getting so bent out of shape and angry that he calls you to rip and tear his enemies asunder... I hope one day he-’

”What are you smiling about, Delilah?” Zeona suddenly asked, wrapping her arm around her best friend.

Delilah, being a practised liar at this point, replied, ”Oh am I? Hehe, I must be getting drunk again. I still haven’t eaten yet today. Should we look at what’s on the menu?”

At the prospect of food, Zeona’s eyes went wide. ”Yes! I am craving some nuggets like crazy right now... Keyla, would you like to join us?”

Keyla nodded her head. ”Sure... I haven’t eaten yet today. Why not? I hope they serve veal here.”

...

After a few hours of fun in the sun with D and the Gynoid, Keyla managed to sneak Delilah away for a moment as the two of them walked along the beach she had arrived at earlier.

”So are you going to be alright, Keyla? You have already spent a few months alone without cult connectivity. I understand the feeling myself, but, well, how do I put this? I am more... Mentally fortified than you are. I know I can get through years on my own, especially since I get along so well with my target, but you-”

Keyla cut her off.

”-Meh, I am fine. Trust me. Sammy may be rocking her own family now, but I know spending time with her will be enough. Besides, once the news cycle ends I am sure I can go back. And if things do end up taking a nose dive, I can just head up to Apollo-minor and kick it with Big mama for a while. Becoming one with the hive feels great after all. Then when Apollo gets back, he will see me and want to plow me... Wait, why haven’t I just gone there now? That seems like a way better plan... Oh well, Samantha would be upset if I leave, she is too dependent on me.”

Delilah suddenly hugged Keyla, catching her off guard. After pulling away, she explained. ”Sorry, just hearing that you, who is still a cultist, confirm what Samantha told me, it just makes me more excited about reaching my true evolution when the time comes... Also, I am just going to ask one last time because I care about you, are you going to be ok?”

”Delilah... Have you forgotten what I was like before Apollo?” Keyla suddenly spoke, her voice lacking all emotion, her face dead, cold, feelingless.

The face of a Psychopath.

Delilah gasped, not out of fright, but out of remembrance. Keyla always was able to mask and front, it was why all the customers just adored her, but she did forget that it all used to be an act. Until the moment Apollo walked through the doors and she got to feel up close the love that had always been there in them all for the eighteen years prior.

Delilah then smiled at Keyla affectionately before looking around and her train of thought taking a hit. ”Wait... Where is your boat? How did you get here?”

Keyla pointed behind her towards the ocean, her face now smiling again. ”Oh, I docked my submarine a few miles away and swam. Didn’t want to risk it being caught. Anyway, I will see you at some point in the next week or so as I will be coming back. Good luck on your mission Delilah. Bye~”

Delilah then took a seat in the sand and watched as Keyla began to swim out to sea, she smiled watching her until she lost track of her purple hair amidst the waves. However, she didn’t get up after Keyla left.

True to her words, she was fine being away from the cult for so long, but she did miss the routine of her old job. She enjoyed her life greatly. She enjoyed her new job as well, she really did get along with Zeona after all, it wasn’t fake, she was just incorruptibly loyal to Sophia and Apollo. She would do anything for them.

So taking a few moments by herself, with no one around, she watched the ocean, the waves crashing against the shore. The whooshing of the tide. Thinking about her future. A future where perhaps one day, she got to enjoy a scenery like this with Apollo and her sisters.

The thought left her smiling, it was nourishment for the soul. However for a brief moment another thought lingered in her mind. She remembered before she was found by Sophia. She was on a beach again, much more crowded than this private one, with her child.

Her lips parted into a smile at the memory, she had not thought about that for a long time. However as she did, she began to think about the future again, only this time dozens of children were there, her belly was swollen alongside her sisters while Apollo was playing in the distance a game with a ball with all the children.

Delilah found herself missing a breath and gasped for air at the thought. Her hands went to her cheeks and she found them hot and flush.

”BOO!” A voice suddenly yelled, startling her.

”Ahh! Zee! That wasn’t funny! I am an old woman, you could have given me a heart attack!”

Zeona laughed as she planted herself in the sand next to Delilah.

”Well I kept calling you as I approached, what are you thinking so intensely about that you ignored your best friend?” She then placed her head on Delilah’s shoulder and looked out towards the sea.

”Oh... I was just thinking about my dream future. I got lost in the fantasy for a moment.” Delilah said calmly.

”Oh, I see.” Zeona replied before a long pause of silence that was only interrupted by the crashing of the waves before Zeona continued.

”A-And in this fantasy future of yours. Do you see me in it?”

Delilah said nothing for a moment as she closed her eyes and thought some more about her fantasy. Next to her, sharing a large beach towel was a figure with long white hair laughing alongside her in a bikini. Something she knew Apollo would like the sight of...

Opening her eyes she rested her head atop Zeona’s and watched the waves. ”Of course I do, you and me till the end.”

...

”Grrr... I am going to eat her, I swear I am going to eat her...” Samantha mumbled under her breath as she paced back and forth impatiently.

No one nearby uttered a word, they could feel Samantha’s bloodlust at this moment. Whoever was keeping her, she wanted to kill at this moment.

”I’ve put hard work into this plan and she just struts in and expects me to accommodate her? I swear if she is late, I am seriously going to discipline her. I can’t afford to treat her like old Keyla, she needs to be taught a lesson about-”

”-Yikes... You know I have good hearing right?” Keyla said, walking into the room casually with a bag over her shoulder.

”Where have you been? There are two minutes until we need to leave.”

”Sammy, Samantha... Relax, I told you I would be here at six. I still have two minutes until I am late. You should have said something if six was pushing your limits, sorry, jeez. As for where I was? I was out getting a dress. Or could you guarantee you have a nice pretty dress in my size?”

Samantha opened her mouth to rebuke, but nothing came out, she was right, she didn’t have clothes that small at the moment, not nice ones anyway.

”Judging from your agape maw, I am right? Now come on, let’s have a fun dinner, or a serious one alright, stop with the looks... Do you want me to put my best Apollo voice on and give a little tushy tickle on the way over so you will mellow out- Okay okay! I am going, come on, take a joke!”

Keyla said, walking back out the door, leaving the faint sound of a growl coming from the room that soon followed her as they made their way to the transport for whatever was next planned for the evening.