Merc Assault seemed to sense his exhaustion. "You're running out of energy. I can feel it. Your dream-form is becoming less stable. Soon you'll start fading, and when that happens, your consciousness will be trapped here permanently. Even if you're strong-willed enough not to die outright, you'll be in a coma in the real world. Might as well be dead."
"Not happening," Satou said firmly. "I'm waking up. And you're going to let me."
"Why would I do that?"
"Because you're trapped here too," Satou pointed out. "You said it yourself—you've been here for decades. You can't leave until I either die or wake up. That's the nature of dream assassination, isn't it? The assassin's consciousness is linked to the target's. If I'm stuck, you're stuck."
Merc Assault was quiet for a moment. "You're smarter than I thought. Yes, that's true. But I'm patient. I can wait here forever if needed. Can you?"
