So, I'm going to combine a couple of short ones (which are too short to make up a whole chapter), so please mind the time gaps... sorry.
"What the hell did you do?!" Nevada yelled at me, nearly causing me to lose my balance as I stood atop of a chair on my bed, "I only left for one. fucking. hour!"
"I need a place to keep my research." I spoke through the scissors between my teeth as I began to tape a blueprint on the wall, "Don't freak out. It'll all stay on my side of the room."
"YOU'RE A NUT JOB IF YOU THINK THIS IS OKAY IN A SHARED ROOM!" He began to flail his arms.
"Don't yell so much." I huffed under my breath, propping myself against the wall, "If I don't focus on balance, I'm going to-"
"Fall? Yeah, that oughta learn you." He growled, sitting on his own bed. After a few, nearly silent moments, he began humming a tune.
"If I could just see it all, just like a fly on the wall, would I be able to accept what I can't control?" I began subconsciously singing along. It's a song on my Mp3, so of course I'd know the lyrics. I haven't been able to update that thing in three and an eighth, "And would I share what I saw, or just sit back and ignore, like nothing never happened. I haven't seen you before." I looked over my shoulder, facing the younger man, "How the hell do you know that song?"
"Perhaps the same reason you do." He gave off a soft chuckle before sprawling out on his bed.
"I don't think so." I laughed, carefully stepping off my chair, "You see, that song is from the early two thousands."
"It's also on your Mp3 player." He allowed his smile to curl at the corners of his lips, "You play that thing so loud, it's hard not to listen."
I sighed, looking over the wall, "So, how do you feel about the three that just graduated, today?"
"It's odd for Kappa to let more than one in a grouping." He sat back up, looking back at me, "She must really have a lot of faith in them to let them all go through."
"West Virginia, New Mexico, and Arizona." I felt a smile plaster itself onto my face, "May they have the best of luck, then."
"That leaves seven more slots open."
"Montana, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New York, Maine, North, and South Dakota." I collapsed onto my bed, "Just ten and a half more months and I don't have to mend the highly accident prone any longer!"
"Unless she fails a few groups."
"Yeah, but that's not bound to happen anytime soon." I lolled my head to where it just dangled off the edge of the bed, "Not at this rate, anyway."
It has been five years, and the Kappa AI has only passed four of the seven; Maine, York, North, and South. Because of the delay, three have ended up dead... so we still have six slots open.
"What the hell!" I shouted at the child, who had sat attentively atop of my bed.
"Hello, Lazerus! How have you been fai-"
"Cut the crap!" I nearly hissed through my teeth, "Why are you taking your sweet time to complete the Director's god damn collection?!"
"They're all weak." She spoke in a flatlined tone, staring at me with a blank expression.
"They at least have the motivation!"
"Motivation isn't enough." She stood up on the bed, making it so that the two of us were at eye level, "It is merely human nature, anymore to be weak. Arizona is weak-"
"But you still passed him!" I shouted in her face, causing a faint anger to bubble inside of her.
"Don't you dare test me, Lenning!" She snapped, a menacing demeanor in her eyes, "The only reason Alec was qualified was because he has TWO family members worth passing! It was nowhere near his ambition being the reason! ALL of his success come from his brother and cousin!"
"Don't you dare tell him that." I hissed through my teeth, sending the girl a menacing glare, "Don't you tell tell the kid that. He personally told me about how this is the first time he felt like he had potential, and if you dare squander that-"
"We both know he has no potential." She scoffed, a crazy grin forming against her features, "He is unable to gain anymore muscle, and the only one in his family that isn't battle ready. He's worthless."
"Don't question a person's worth!" I felt anger well up inside of me as I raised the little bot by the collar of her shirt. She didn't writhe, but remained still and lifeless, "Lives are not made for your judgment."
"I am never wrong."
"No, I want you to check your logs to see just what people are capable of."
She stared at me with a blank expression, "Murder. Inventions. Innovations." She watched me for a moment, "Even so, the kid doesn't have a future. If he died, it wouldn't make much of a difference, aside from the fact that two people in the entire universe would be upset, but that may only help them with their performance."
"How can you say something like that?" I set her down, balling my fists at my side, "How can you just measure someones worth on strength and sociability."
"Unfortunately, that's how the world works, anymore." She sighed, looking back at me with an apathetic look, "It's been five years, and he only talks to anyone when absolutely necessary."
I let out a slow sigh, running a hand through my hair, "He has more worth than you give him credit for. You should have a little more faith in him."
"I need thirty cc of anesthetic, stat!" I yelled at my co-worker as I looked over the body of the barely conscious eighteen year old boy.
"Yes, Sir!" He rushed over to a cabinet, digging for the bottle needed.
"Top shelf."
"Yessir!"
I looked over the boy, attempting to calm his sporadic breathing, "Why'd you do it?"
The boy looked up at me, a faint grin nearly buried by all the pain, "The world doesn't revolve around me... I just know... that I had to..."
"Here you go." The nurse handed me a needle.
"Thanks." I sighed, poking at the boy's arm and injecting the anesthetic, "You'll be better in no time."
... The surgery itself took about a half an hour, but it was successful. The two of us lay the boy onto one of the beds, and that was it for the day. We both left the medical bay, pagers in hand.
"Doctor?" New Mexico looked up at me from where he had been sitting.
"Cameron, you're not supposed to be stationary in the hallways." I sighed, kneeling in front of the boy.
"He's alright, right?" I never saw the guy cry, but tears easily brimmed his eyes.
"He'll be fine." I gave him a comforting smile, "He's just resting, but you can wait for him to wake up inside, if you'd like." But that would mean I would have to stay within the Bay.
"Thanks." He stood up, wiping his eyes.
"I have to tell you something, first." I sighed, standing up myself. He was roughly my hight, but obviously a lot stronger than me, now, "I want you to know this before I tell him."
"What." His voice held many different emotions, but concern and fear were the more identifiable ones.
"I'm not going to say he can't, but..." I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to find the right words to use, "His left leg was a bit screwed up, and some of the nerves were stripped. There's a good chance he may never be able to walk again."
"... Alright." His voice was vacant, but it was obvious he understood, "He's not going to be kicked from the-"
"I'll do my best to prevent that." I gave him another smile, hoping to keep the guy relaxed, "In the meantime, I would highly suggest that he tried physical therapy. We might be able to get him back into active duty."
"Yeah..." He ducked his head a bit, looking through the door that had still been open, "May I please see him?"
"Go ahead." I moved out of his way, allowing him into the room. Immediately, he sat at the chair next to his brother, eyeing every inch of gauze and red.
"I'm sorry." I overheard him mutter before I closed the door to my office.
So far, I've been here for eleven years, and man has that been hectic. Arizona, undergoing therapy for two years, is finally able to walk without any supports, but not run, yet. We don't want to rush things. The Director, though, doesn't see the improvement. For the longest time he had been demanding that the Kappa AI would kick Alec from the Project, saying he is of no used to him, anymore. I would say "like father; like daughter," but it's obvious they share drastic differences. The girl understands what it's like to want to stay close to a sibling, and she doesn't want such separation to happen to these twins, who have known each other throughout their whole life.
Three years afterwards, an the guy's back to peak condition. Well, sort of. In order to be able to do anymore that walking, he has to wear a brace, but with the help, he's back in active duty. His motivation is what keeps him strong, and that's how he expresses his worth.
One year after the boy returned to active duty, there is only one spot open in Project Freelancer. That's when I met Her.
