Slink and Sway play their version of 20 questions

Chapter 3

They set on the couch for a couple of hours just talking, drinking and laughing. Both of them enjoyed the honest company without someone demanding something or sucking up for one reason or another. They had killed the pint and with Sway telling him where to find more, Slink retrieved another of the blackberry. After he gave them each a half glass, He set in thought before asking a question.

"I know you'll be honest, really honest with me." He paused staring at the glass in his hand. "What do you think of right before we start the race, they fuel their tanks?"

Sway stared at him for a moment. "You mean with people? Live people?" Slink nodded. She thought for a moment. So many thoughts swirled through her brain. What she truthfully thought, how he would react with obviously so valuing her opinion. "Honestly? I think it's disgusting and disturbing." She held a finger up for him to let her finish. "But they're blood drive engines, and this is the Blood Drive... It would work. And more than likely thrash everyone into a frenzy. But that's me...I don't like killing, never have...not even when I had to do it."

That statement caught his attention. Slink knew she could take care of herself, he's seen it first hand more that once. However he never would have imagined that Sway had killed before.

"Who'd you kill?"

"Ahhhh..." She locked eyes with him and smiled. "If I tell my secrets, you have to tell yours. Real secrets on both parts. Before you say anything, there has to be rules."

He placed his glass on the end table and turned his body so he was facing her again. "Rules, really?" Slink's voice was deep, methodical.

"Yes. This, such as it is, is my home, my world, my oasis. I don't allow anyone in here unless I want them here. Except for what pertains to the race, whatever is said or done here, stays here."

"Like Vegas, hummm?" If a smile could be truly called filthy, his was it.

"Yes, but better. This is cozier. Do you agree to my terms, Julian Slink?" She stared into his eyes and waited for what felt like forever.

"Fine by me," he laughed softly and set back slightly. "You first."

"Four separate times. Men who couldn't take no for an answer. Your turn." She nudged his thigh with one foot.

"I've worked for Heart Enterprises, almost since the beginning." He was remembering how truly long ago that really was.

"Been a while, huh?"

"Feels like an eternity." He lightly thumped the top of the foot she had nudged him with. "Your turn."

"One day, I want to go back to where my Grama's from. Just to see if there's anything left. Mom said they went back there when she was young, but I've never been." She leaned her head against the couch where the arm and back meet.

Slink thought for a moment, trying to remember what she had said last night about her family. "Kentucky wasn't it?"

"That was my Dad's side. My Mom's is from further east. Buchannan Virginia actually." She nudged his thigh again.

His head was buzzing from all the drinking they had been doing and got a strong urge to really talk to her. Slink had his glass almost to his mouth and said, "I was born in 1925." He drained it's contents and just held the glass in his hands.

"How? That would make you like 70 something. You're not that old. You can't be that much older than me." Sway knew he had to be bullshitting her, but didn't call it because he had agreed to her terms.

"I am though." He looked at her intensely. "This stays between us, no one here knows what I'm going to tell you."

She set up and put her arms on her knees. "Yeah man, nothing leaves here."

He sighed deeply. "This isn't my first body...it's cloned." He touched his temple with two fingers. "My mind, my consciousness what makes me-me transfers automatically each time." Slink paused to gage her reaction, and saw that she was taking no enjoyment, but not showing any horror in it either, so he went on. "Before they made some 3000 odd copies, they did some modifying...they removed everything below the belt." Seeing her shocked reaction and confusion, he knew what she was thinking so he knocked on his crotch. It was solid and hollow sounding. "Cup. Wouldn't really do if I were walking around with my trousers fitting me like I had a pussy, would it?" He again gently thumped the top of her foot.

"No it wouldn't. When I was young, there was a bad wreck...my tats cover scars from it. Except the one on my shoulder, never did get it covered up for some reason." She pushed her hair back and looked into his eyes. "Just between us? What I'm going to tell you could get me killed here, or worse."

"Just between us." He was again completely absorbed, wanting to know what dark secret could get her killed. Had she worked for Contracrimes at some point?

"We lived about 100 miles from where the scar opened up...I remember it happening." Sway brushed her hair away from her face again and focused on his eyes, maybe she wouldn't cry if she looked there. "Heart wanted to find out genetically what the scar was doing to us." She saw Slink straighten up, and wondered if he knew about the testing. "Anyway evidently I failed what they deemed as normal." She did air quotes around normal. "They took me away and sterilized me and tattooed me with that fucking mark that states I'm not quite human. Those four men I told you about? They thought because I was marked...well, no from me didn't mean anything."

Slink did know about the testing, he had been one of the doctors that had reviewed the psych evaluations on some of them. "You were part of the '91 research?" Sway nodded slightly. "Would you show me the mark?" He watched as she bit her bottom lip, and averted her eyes from his. Then she raised the right side of her shirt. From the bottom of her breast to nearly her waistband, there was brightly colored flowers interwoven with vines that formed Celtic knots, "Whoever did this cover up did a wonderful job. It's very difficult to see a trace of it."

Sway lowered her shirt as she felt him lean back. She raised her eyes back to meet his. "Thanks Slink. For not calling me sub-human."

He grinned, "And thank you for not calling me a sexless beast." It made him feel good that his remark about his own mutilation made her smile. "We're all broken here."

"I guess we are." She got up and went to the fridge and got a coke, then held one up asking if he wanted one too. He nodded and she brought one over to him. She retook her seat with her feet touching his thigh, if he minded, nothing was said. "When they modified you, how bad did they mess you up?"

Slink froze with the can almost to his mouth and squinted his eyes at her. Was that concern in her voice? "They took my dick and balls, how much more messed up do you want," he said flatly, and took a drink.

"Have you looked at it?"

He let out a dry barking laugh and leaned toward her. "What, squat over a mirror like in some feminine empowerment class? I have to piss sitting down for fucks sake."

"Would you let me look?" If Sway hadn't been half drunk, she would never have asked such a thing.

Slink coughed. "Excuse me?"

"Would you let me look?" She stared into his eyes.

"Why should I?" He stared back and leaned forward.

She shrugged, "I showed you my shame."

He cocked his head and pondered it a moment. "Touche' my dear, that you did."

Slink got up and went to the door, locking it. He then went back to the couch and bowed slightly and extended his hand. When she took it, Slink pulled her against him, placing the back of his little finger against her cheek.

"Now then here's my rules. You want to see my scars, you have to show me yours...all of them. Do you agree?"

"Yes." The speed that he grabbed her left her momentary off center; but oddly, not threatened. Normally this is where she would have punched someone in the throat, or head-butted them. This time Sway returned his gaze and waited.

He grinned and released her. "Then lead the way."

The hallway to her room was short, barely a dozen steps, and as they entered Slink noticed how tiny it was. Just a bed and a couple of chairs. He placed his jacket on the back of a chair while she set on the side of the bed. He sat on her left and removed his boots and socks, looked at the floor, sighed, then looked back at her.

"You know, you're the closest thing to a friend I have." Slink stood and untucked his shirt and began to unbutton it.

"None? What about Rasher?" Sway saw him pause as he was folding his shirt, then carefully lay it on the chair his jacket was on before turning around.

"Rasher was hired by Heart. He's a yes man that I tease and flirt with to keep things running smoothly so the race won't have any hic-ups. He's loyal to the company." Before he could continue, Sway had her hands on his stomach.

"Where's your belly button?! Why don't you have one? What the hell, Slink?"

After retaking his seat, Slink grinned and tapped the end of her nose with a finger, "Clone, remember?"

"Clones don't have belly buttons?"

"No," he whispered still grinning, this time at the confused look on her face.

Still trying to figure it out, Sway undressed as Slink folded his pants and placed them with the rest. Once he set back beside her on the bed, she noticed how quiet he was. Nervous and possibly a little sad looking. She leaned against him and took his hand in hers.

"You're my only friend too," she said quietly before kissing him on the cheek.

"What was that for?" This time he was the one confused.

Sway shrugged. "You looked like you could use it."

Slink looked at their hands resting on his leg and admitted that it felt comfortable, but one thing was greatly different from the other. Even though he presented as being indifferent and driven, he had his insecurities. And in truth he was lonely. The company she gave him tonight had been enjoyable, not fake or forced just...simple. Now he wondered if things were going to go back to the way they had been. It did bother him that the companionship that had been enjoyed was going to end. Then there was fingertips on his chin.

"Hey, I promise I won't deliberately say anything that's going to hurt you...or laugh. Unless you do something real funny." She smiled slightly, "besides once you see past the ink... my scars will look worse." Before there was any protests Sway climbed further back onto the bed and tugged on his arm. "Come on. I don't bite. Much."

Once he was in the middle of her bed he lay on his back and wondered if this was going to be one of his few mistakes. Pushing that thought away, Slink put a hand under his head and looked at her sitting beside him, at his hip. Watched as she put her hand on his stomach, rubbing where his navel should have been.

"If you're interested, I could explain it to you sometime." As she turned to look at him, Slink really looked at her. The scattering of colorful tattoos on her left arm, her lower stomach and on both legs. With them stretched out it was easy for him to run his fingers across the one on her right foot. The scar under the ink almost felt melted, and he briefly wondered just how bad the wreck had been, and he thumped her foot again. "Let's get this little game of show and tell started, shall we?"