One
“In the end, if they ask if it was worth it, do you want to answer yes or I don’t know?” He throws a rock out into the canyon and it bounces off the side, echoing a dull tone back and forth. “It’ll haunt you for the rest of your life if you can’t answer. We both know it, Blue.”
We sit on the second shelf of a vast vein in a canyon. We’re close to the top, only about a handful of meters from the crest. The midday sun beats directly down on us, but I bask in its warmth and lean my head back with my eyes closed. It’s been weeks since they’d allowed me to be outside of the compound and I want to enjoy every second.
Tufts of brush and grass litter the ground, breaking up the monotony of greyed dirt and rocks. Trees rise around us and in the distance, fanning a canopy of shadow over pockets of the canyon. Water rushes somewhere to my right, further down, hidden by a corner. It’s fresh here, but the heady scent of heat snakes around the natural lift of desert flowers.
“You make it sound so black and white — so easy, Ryker. As if there’s no risk to my health or my life by doing this.”
“I never said this was easy or wasn’t a risk, Blue. I asked if you could handle dealing with the unknown.”
“I suppose I’ll have to if I don’t do this.” I say, rolling my lips together. “Some things shouldn’t be done.”
“What things? And who decides what should and what shouldn’t be done? You’ve dreamed of making people safe everywhere, helping to stop the spread of violence, since you were as tall as my hip.” His hand settles on my shoulder and he shakes me gently. “When did that change? And since when did you let other people decide for you?”
“I don’t know — since I learned I can die? The other trials haven’t exactly been successful.”
“Those other trials were with programs and materials not designed by you. Forget about those people and remember who you are.”
“Again—making it sound easy.”
Sitting to my side is the man who adopted me right after I turned eight years old and my parents were brutally murdered. He saved me, took me under his wing and has raised me by himself for almost a decade. Though, his confident facade is crumbling as I study him, fading away under the glaring truth of what we’re about to do — the risk I’m about to take.
I wish I had better guarantees for him. But the others in my industry who’ve tried to do what we’re undertaking have killed hundreds, maybe thousands, of people simply attempting to replace a single part of the human body. My ideas stretched far deeper than theirs.
“You know how much I love you, Blue. If I didn’t think you could do this, and I didn’t think you would or could survive, I’d advise you against it.” He said, but then chuckled under his breath. “But we both know you wouldn’t have listened, nor would you let anything take you from this planet before you’re ready.”
“I would have listened.” I argue, lighting hitting him on the arm. “I still would have done it, but I would have given you the respect of listening to what you had to say first.”
“Yeah,” he turned to grab my ears with his hands and squeezed lightly. “I’m wondering why you even have these installed if all my words go in one ear and out the other? Or maybe there’s a blockage somewhere?” Angling my head, he glares down into my left ear canal and pokes his finger into it. “Yep, there’s something blocking anything from getting in.”
Laughing, I squirm in his hold. “Let me go, dad!”
The man who took me in is older now. But his features are still the same. Hair as black as pitch is slicked back, curling at the edges and brushing against the starched collar of a black button up dress shirt. Round brown eyes twinkled beneath thick eyebrows and a narrow forehead. With a straight nose, thin pink lips and a sharp jaw, Ryker Daniels is the man I now call father.
And this man, despite the heat of the midday sun, refuses to wear anything other than black. How he isn’t melting into the rock with his black suit pants, black oxfords and black diamond watch, I have no idea. I’m sweating and I’m wearing jean shorts, a white crop top and white sneakers.
“Now that I’ve seen this! I know what to do.”
“And what is that?”
“I’m thinking I need some kind of direct connection into the processing part of your brain to get my point across. Translate my warnings to teenager speak.”
“It wouldn’t change anything.” I admit, stifling a smile as he looks me over. “Honestly, I think my brain is programmed to only hear its own thoughts sometimes.”
“You heard me when you were younger and there isn’t a single time I can think of, when it truly mattered, you ignored me.” Pressing his lips to my forehead, he wrapped me in his arms. “You know your own mind, something most people could only dream of. I remember the day you were born, already wriggling and kicking out of your blankets. We knew then you were destined for great things.”
The emotion clogging his voice is heavy on my chest, pulling at my heartstrings. I don’t think I want to think that far back, considering the turmoil stalking my every step since the night my parents died — the night a madman took the most important people in my life.
I’ve heard this story a million times. As soon as I came out of my mother’s womb, I wanted to explore and see everything the world offered. If it wasn’t nailed down, I moved it and if it was nailed down… well, I found out how to un-nail it and move it.
“And if I fail? If I’m not meant for these great things?” I ask. “If I’m nothing more than a star meant to burn out?”
“I know you’ll exceed expectations, little one. I have faith in you.”
“Thanks,” I stutter, creasing my hands together before launching into his arms. “That means a lot.”
He sighs into my ear, lifting his head from atop of mine. “I guess that means it’s time for you to go back to work?”
“What?” I pull away, glaring up at his face. “What are you talking about?”
“Your designated guard dog is here.” Snatching a surprised breath, I swing around and stop, smiling widely as my bodyguard and closest confidante, Catrina Bovin, gracefully slides down the steep embankment.
She’s beautiful in any light, but the sun only enhances the glow of her golden brown skin. A smile tilts her full mouth, begging attention to the secretive glimmer in her dark brown eyes. Light colored lip gloss brings a shine to her lips and matches the eyeshadow artfully painted beneath her eyebrows.
Her waist-long, blonde streaked brunette locks catch the light breeze as it blows, billowing it out around the skintight purple t-shirt she’s wearing. In the waistband of her jeans is a tucked a Glock with the safety on, and the thick black boots on her feet knock the loose dirt up from the Earth. My heart sputters and I struggle to speak as she closes in.
How could anyone be so beautiful?
“Hey, guys,” she smiles again, wider this time, until her pearly white teeth show and the edges of her eyes crinkle. “I hate to break up this father-daughter bonding moment, but we’ve been out here longer than we should. The rest of the team is getting antsy, and honestly, so am I.”
“Oh?” Ryker raises an eyebrow. “Trouble on the horizon, Bovin?”
“A few vehicles a click or two out, and you know I’m always cautious when it comes to you two.” She motions between us. “I’d rather get us back to the compound and avoid an issue before it becomes a problem begging for a solution. Also gives our enemies less time to lock onto Blue.”
“I hear you.”
Why won’t she look at me? She and Ryker are speaking as though I’m not even sitting right here. Clenching my jaw, I seal my lips together and angrily trace the horizon for something, anything, to distract myself.
She says she loves me. Is this love? Ignoring me to my face?
“We’d better get a move on, little one.” Ryker shakes my shoulder again and coaxes my body away to stand. With a flourish, he offers his hand to help me up. Giggling, I take it and let him scoop me off the ground like a small child. “There we are. Ready?”
His face dips as he latches onto my change of attitude, but he doesn’t say anything.
“Yeah, let’s go.” I mutter. As I stomp past her, my shoulder knocks against hers and she sucks her teeth.
“What crawled up her ass and died?” She asks Ryker, but I’m too upset to care.
Swimming in irrational rage, I power walk up the embankment and toward the row of black on black SUVs parked near the curb. Traffic is light, a few cars swishing past at breakneck speeds, but nothing out of the ordinary. A few men loiter around the vehicles with automatic rifles strapped to their chests and dark sunglasses perched on their noses. When I pass, they pause briefly and nod before making another circuit to ensure I’m safe.
All this security and I still feel like a sitting duck.
“Hey!” A hand shoots out and grabs my arm, stopping me from stepping into the SUV. Instantly, I know who it is. Her breath spears across my ear and I shudder, leaning as far from her as I can manage. “What the hell was that?”
“Everything okay?” She pulls back slightly as Ryker’s voice floats over us, but the grip she has on my arm only tightens. It’s a signal—a warning. Keep quiet and she’d handle Ryker.
At times like these, I was never great at giving the best answers. Ryker could see through me, always could. Instead of responding, I offer a wane smile.
“Yeah, just catching up.” The lie rolls smoothly off her lips and she doesn’t elaborate. “Why don’t you ride in the third SUV? I think Blue and I need to have a little girl talk.”
“Okay,” Ryker says, but he doesn’t sound convinced as he draws his eyes between us. “I’ll see you both at the compound.”
Anger steels her voice, and when it whips out, it cuts through me like a knife. “Get in. Don’t make me say it twice.”
Fear thrums inside me as I pull myself into the rear passenger side seat. Catrina moves to the other side, blocking my body as she steps inside and slams the door. As the vehicle pulls away from the curb, her finger latches onto the privacy window button and rolls it up. Tension strings the air in the silence, eating away at the brave face I’d offered to Ryker.
“You want to explain your little show back there? Actually,” a dark chuckle leaves her mouth, “let me rephrase, explain you little show back there. Right now.”
“Not really.” I mutter.
“Well, too bad. As I said, I wasn’t asking. What the hell is wrong with you? And in front of Ryker? Have you lost your mind?”
I feel silly admitting it, admitting the feelings bouncing around in my chest. “You ignored me.”
“I wasn’t ignoring you, Blue.”
“Yes, you were. You spoke to Ryker as if I wasn’t even there. I thought,” I pause, swallowing harshly. “I thought you loved me. You said you loved me. That’s not what love is.”
“Blue, look at me,” she reaches over, grasping my chin in her hands. “I’ve told you time and time again how I feel. How does a single conversation make you doubt it? Ryker is my employer and he asked me a direct question.”
That’s not technically true. I’m her true employer and cut the checks deposited into her accounts. Ryker simply handled the hiring process and ensured my security was top-notch. I doubt he would approve of how Catrina executes his security requirements.
“You could have at least said hi.” Pouting, I cross my arms. “Problem solved.”
“And if I’d done that, Ryker would know what’s going on between us. What did I say about people finding out?”
“I know.”
“What did I say? Repeat the words.”
“You said if people find out we’re together, they’ll separate us.”
“Yes, they will. They won’t understand our connection and will stop at nothing until we’re apart. Do you want it to happen? Us being separated?” Her lips pulled into a flat line. “Because I don’t.”
Slowly, I shake my head. “No.”
“Then we have to play it cool.”
“Alright.”
“Are you better now?” She sighs as a smile curves across her mouth. “Or am I still in the doghouse?”
“We’re fine. I’m sorry for my behavior.”
“It’s not okay, but I hear why you’re frustrated. We’ll talk more when the day winds down, okay?”
I perk up, smiling widely. “You’re coming to my room tonight?”
“Of course, someone has to protect you and keep you from sneaking out.”
Heat warms my cheeks, but I don’t respond. Instead, I turn my gaze out of the window, eyes centered on the road. Lifting off the ground like the jaws of a drawbridge, a section of the asphalt on the main highway exposes a deep burrow hidden below where the main populace drive. Our army of vehicles doesn’t slow or stop, we simply drop into the manmade cavern, one at a time and haul ass back to my compound.
I’m not sure I’m ready for the future or prepared for what’s next. Choosing to undergo a surgery like this could end my life before I’ve even lived it, or I could spend my time spinning my wheels and wishing I’d done it. Despite the hundreds of thousands of simulations ran to ensure my moment between life and death went smoothly, there was no way to plan for every possible outcome.
But I made a choice, and I was going to stick with it. Thick or thin. Life or death. Because sometimes, the price of the future came at the expense of the present. And I’d staked my reputation on doing the impossible.
After all, no one ever said fate, destiny—or whatever you call it—would be an easy road to walk, only that each of us would have to.
you know that feeling of c'mon c'mon come..on!!!?? I just had to wait 3HOURS for the story to load. my family thinks I'm certifiable! Thank you.❤❤