A/N: Whaaat? A new update already :O ... Thanksgiving, bitches. A time for me to not grade papers, not write papers, and avoid my family.
Enjoy :)
Jade collapsed against a wall sometime later, panting heavily and face flushed crimson. "Do you still hear them?" She wheezed, pulling her windswept hair out of her face and into a messy bun. Tori turned her ear down the alley they had just sprinted down and listened carefully, using her enhanced hearing to established a sort of echolocation map.
"No… They're a few streets over still. We may have a second if you need to catch your breath." Tori was winded, but not to Jade's extent. Before she was frozen she was an avid jogger; it had taken a few minutes for her lungs to stop burning but when they had she was able to slip right back into her routine. It probably helped too that half her respiratory system was electronic. Jade, on the other hand…
"No. No, I'm fine." She huffed, taking a few more deep inhales to ease her aching lungs before forcing herself to breathe at a normal pace. "I'm fine. We're almost there, come on." She repositioned the files and tablet under her other arm and wrapped the free one around Tori's waist, leading her through a maze of back roads. "Just keep an ear out."
"It's hard to hear over your wheezing." The cyborg chided. "Have you ever considered exercising? Or… you know, quitting smoking?" She had discovered a pack while digging through Jade's things, and had a habit of making bad jokes when she was nervous.
"Bite me, Vega." Jade snapped, glancing sideways at her. "We can't all have the fortune of being super-human."
"Just call me the Six Million Dollar Man." She beamed, earning a lifted brow from her companion. "It's a TV show?" The brow remained peaked. "One of your grandfather's favorite. A classic. No? Kids these days… no taste. Geez."
"You know if you'd rather, I can probably put you up in a museum somewhere. You can be a new exhibit – "Lives at the turn of the century" – I'm sure they'll give you a rocker and a cane and you can just shake it at people and tell them to get off your lawn." Jade replied smoothly, turning her attention back to the path ahead.
"Bite me, West." Silence fell between the pair, and despite the gravity of the situation it was a comforting one.
"Thank you… for that. Back there." Jade muttered, focusing intently on the road. Tori grinned, easily recognizing the inherited West pride. "Stop that." She added, feeling the smile on her.
"You're welcome. And thank you too. He was about to turn me into spare parts." She imagined this unspoken truce was going to be the closest thing she was offered as far as an apology. She was just glad the other girl didn't seem to be holding a grudge despite their heated argument.
"Yeah, I doubt that. I'm the only one allowed to harvest your circuits." Tori chuckled, wondering how serious Jade's frequent threats were. "How's your face? Looks like the bleeding stopped."
"Throbbing, but I'll live. Your wrist?"
"It's fine. Here we are. Looks like he's home." Jade came to a stop before a boarded up brownstone. Someone had installed iron bars on the first floor windows, and the front door had a heavy chain wrapped around the brass doorknobs. It didn't look physically possible to even enter the building, let alone inhabit it.
"How can you tell?" Tori shook the padlock on the chain to test its strength.
"Fire escape. It's up. Can you give me a boost?" Jade stood expectantly under the wrought-iron ladder. Tori looked at her skeptically. "Look, do you want to stand out here and let me explain while the Sweepers are looking for us? Or would you rather get inside?" The cyborg frowned but complied, lacing her fingers together and cupping her hands to provide a foothold. Jade rested her combat boot in it gently and put a hand on Tori's shoulder to steady herself. "Okay, on 3. 1 – 2 – Shit!"
Before she could call "3" Tori launched her into the air, easily lifting Jade's weight with her enhanced strength. The pale girl managed to snag onto the ladder and haul herself up. She hooked the crook of her arm through the rung and glared down. The brunette grinned broadly up at her and shrugged her shoulders. Jade huffed and continued her climb to the landing, releasing the ladder and lowering it down to her companion. "Cute,Vega. Come on."
The climb to the roof was a nerve-wracking on Tori's end – she had never been a fan of heights. She gripped the handrail so hard that she dented the metal, and at every step she was convinced she'd fall through the grate to her death. "So… who lives here?" She inquired, hoping conversation would take her mind off her impending doom.
"Andre and Beck. Andre's mother worked with my father at Compass, I've known him forever. When dad... He let me live with him until I was able to get my apartment set up." Jade reached the final ladder and paused, using the height advantage to survey the area for Sweepers.
"So he's like you? A Techie?"
"Merely by relation to his mother. He doesn't even like to dabble in technology. He wanted to be a musician before Armageddon... Was looking into some pretty prestigious music schools." Jade awkwardly tucked her folder and tablet under her arm as she climbed, tossing both of them over the ledge as soon as she could reach.
"And Beck?" Tori inquired, watching her companion scale the ladder and disappear onto the rooftop. There was no reply. "Jade? I asked who Beck was." She huffed, following the younger girl. She was about to call out again, but as soon as she hoisted herself up onto the roof her voice caught in her throat.
Tori couldn't have been happier to be on solid ground, and was absolutely stunned by what she saw on the roof. Someone had turned it into an urban paradise. In sharp contrast to the dark, dreary world eight stories below, the roof was vibrant and thriving. Ivy and flowering vines clung to arched trellises, and brightly painted patio furniture (seemingly salvage and repaired) were placed throughout the garden. Someone had gone to great efforts to make this place feel like a sanctuary from the world that it resided in. It made Tori stop cold and stare, mouth agape. Why couldn't Jade live here instead of that abysmal basement? It felt like a dungeon.
Jade was unfazed. She knocked aside a few creeping vines and disappeared into the urban jungle. Tori rolled her eyes and followed, keen on meeting the person responsible for all this. The pair reached the roof door and the paler girl reached for the handle, cursing when she discovered it locked. "You'd think having the equivalent to a drawbridge would be enough for him." She muttered, banging the heavy door with her fist. "Andre!" She called. She ceased her pounding and pressed her ear against the door, listening for activity on the other side. "We don't have time for this. Open it." She ordered, stepping aside and making a sweeping motion with her arm.
"What? No. I can't break his door!" Tori stepped back, arms crossed.
"You can, actually. Quite easily. Give it a little nudge." Her voice and face were devoid of emotion.
"Jade!" The cyborg chided.
"Jade!" The inventor repeated, summoning her best impression of Tori. In her opinion, it only made Jade sounded like a 1940's flapper. "With great power comes great responsibility! Nevermind that I was obviously designed with strength in mind!"
"I don't talk like that!" Tori rebuked shrilly, frowning. Jade smirked and opened her mouth to counter but was interrupted by the scraping of metal on metal. Tori jumped and spun around in time to see a face appear in the doorway; Andre, she presumed. He appeared confused, to say the least.
"About damn time." Jade greeted, elbowing past him and into the stairwell.
"Wait, how'd you get up here? I know I pulled the ladder up!" He called after her. "Jade? … Jade! Come on now." The pair was met with the sounds of another door slamming deeper within the building. He sighed in defeat and turned back to Tori. The pair stared at each other curiously.
"Um… hi." She waved awkwardly. "I'm Tori… Nice to – "
"Are you ladies going to stay up there all day? Should I bring you some tea and cookies?" Jade barked from below. "Andre! Where's Beck? I need to talk to him!"
"Nice to meet you too. Come on, before she rips my place up." Andre welcomed, holding the door open. Tori smiled appreciatively and slipped inside, eyes immediately adjusting to the dark stairwell. She allowed the other boy to lead her down one story, where the original building floor plan had been remarkably altered. What should have been a tiny hallway of about six apartments had been converted into a penthouse suite. Someone had taken great effort to knock down the majority of the walls to rend a giant open space, save for the privacy of what appeared to be bedrooms and bathrooms. Ten people could have easily inhabited this place.
Why couldn't Jade live here? Tori thought to herself again as her eyes wandered around the room. It was much more comfortable than the basement she secluded herself in.
Jade was currently seated on a worn leather sofa, hunched over the files she'd retrieved from Compass and organizing them into stacks. "Long time no see, Jade." Andre smiled, flopping onto a chair opposite her. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Blue eyes darted up from her work. She stared wordlessly at the dark-haired boy before turning her gaze to Tori, brows raised. Would you like to tell him or shall I? They asked, hands stilling on the papers. The cyborg shrugged in response – Jade's friend, Jade's responsibility. "It's a long story. Where's Beck? He'll want to hear this."
Andre's smile faded. "You – ah – haven't been checking the lists lately, have you?" He asked softly.
Tori swore she could see Jade's blue eyes harden into ice. They darted in her direction. "Check the Techno-anarchists government website. Search for Beck Oliver." She ordered. The cyborg opened her mouth to complain but immediately clamped it shut when Jade's eyes widened in irritation.
Huffing instead, she averted her gaze and did as she was told, scrolling through the website in mind's eye. "He's there. Charged with attempted Grand Theft Auto – he hotwired a car and tried to make off with it." She informed. "They're still determining his sentence… It doesn't say when he'll be released." She turned her attention back to Jade and watched as a swarm of emotions fought for dominance.
"Wait, how'd you do that? How'd she do that?" He asked, rising from his chair and turning his attention back to Jade. The girl tore her gaze away from Tori and looked up at him, forcing her countenance to harden and burying any weakness under the surface. Andre wasn't oblivious. He put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently, silently apologizing for his outburst when he knew the subject would be sensitive. "You know Beck. He always had a thing for cars…"
"Whatever. It was only a matter of time. I'm sure he's fine." Jade dismissed, shrugging his hand away. Tori sighed to herself, wondering if Jade was this stony to everyone. She'd yet to see the girl drop the sarcastic and apathetic attitude even when she was so obviously upset. She wondered how the pale girl kept it up – it must be exhausting to keep everyone at arm's reach all the time. What was it about Beck though? Why was she having such a strong reaction?
"This is Tori. She's a time-travelling cyborg." The raven-haired girl chimed, having grown uncomfortable with the attention.
"Jade!" Tori protested, raising her arms and dropping them in disbelief. She felt there should be a delicate method in doing this; it felt like Jade was giving up her secret identity.
"I found her in Compass' basement on Tuesday. My grandpa put her down there forever ago."
"Really?" Tori couldn't believe Jade was still talking. "Shut up!"
"It's not like you have to worry about him stripping you down for parts. He doesn't know the difference between a flat-head and Phillips screwdriver." Jade commented, rising to her feet and making her way towards the modified kitchen. She yanked open a cabinet next to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. "Who needs a drink?" Tori's and Andre's hands both shot into the air. "Good deal."
"So, wait. Seriously? Cyborg?" Andre inquired as he eased himself back into his seat.
Tori forced a nervous smile and removed her coat, pushing her sleeves up to reveal her cyborg arm. She felt a small jab in her backside and turned to see Jade struggling with the three full glasses and a half-empty bottle tucked under her arm. She gratefully accepted a tumbler and pulled the bottle free, raising her brow to silently question whether Jade was okay. Her companion nodded briskly, unconvincingly, and nodded in the direction of the couch.
"The first." Tori nodded.
"No offense, but shouldn't you be like 70-something at this point?" Andre pointed out, sipping his drink slowly.
The two girls exchanged a look. "We've got a lot to catch you up on." Jade smirked.
The hour passed slowly as the pair reconstructed the last week of their time together and the last few weeks of Tori's life in the past. The more detail they went into the more it began to sound like a science-fiction novel. Tori wasn't sure if anyone would believe her story when it was all said and done.
Andre pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes when the pair finished, plunging the room into silence. "I think my brain is crying." He groaned. "So… letter from mystery sender leads you to Tori. A letter from your grandpa hidden in your circuitry explains how you disappeared and kind of points a huge finger at Compass for murdering him. You still have no idea about this "missing piece" puzzle business, and now you're on the run from Sweepers?" He slid his glass across a scuffed coffee table and rested his elbows on his knees, staring at the pair.
"Essentially. I can't risk going home again – I took that behemoth's tablet so he can't turn in an official report with my name on it, but if he manages to remember my face after that kick to his head it would put us both in a lot of danger. If anyone figures out Tori's back, we're fucked." Jade nodded, refilling his glass.
"Well… your room is as you left it. You can hide here as long as you need to, if you promise you'll actually hide. I don't need Sweepers investigating me again." Andre ran his hand loosely through his dreadlocks before waving lazily towards a door a few feet behind the couch.
"Hold up. You used to live here?" Tori interrupted. Jade shot her a warning glance. "You used to live here and you moved into that dungeon you call a home? What gives? I bet they have hot water. You have hot water, right?" She turned to Andre who, brows raised in confusion, nodded slowly. His eyes flickered nervously between the two, sensing something Tori was oblivious to. "He has hot water and sunlight, Jade."
The pale girl hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip for a moment before answering. "Living conditions here were no longer suitable to my wellbeing. I figured it best to bow out before I was tossed eight stories to my doom." She said diplomatically (and rather uncharacteristically), as if the statement had been practiced time and time again. "And speaking of hot water, I'm going to take a shower." Without another word Jade rose briskly from the couch, brushing past Tori's knees as she made her way to the bathroom.
"Hey, stay away from my vanilla bodywash!" Andre called as the door clicked shut.
"Not a chance, Harris." Jade replied before running water was heard.
"What's her deal? She's acting weirder than usual." Tori muttered to herself, rubbing her eyes in frustration and hissing when the butt of her hand brushed against her wound. She had all but forgotten about it, the alcohol numbing the pain delightfully. She tapped it gently with her index finger, feeling for fresh blood.
"Beck and her used to date." Andre said softly, tearing his eyes away from the bathroom door to focus on Tori. The Latina froze, oozing cheek forgotten. She stared hard at boy before her, trying to find the words to tactfully inquire more. He sensed her internal struggle and continued on. "It used to be the four of us here – Cat, me, Beck and Jade. They were pretty serious for a while… but you see how Jade is. She's pure evil sometimes. They'd fight and go to their separate corners but it's kind of hard to get your space when you live with someone, you know?" He traced his fingers around the rim of his glass. "To be fair, Beck pushed her buttons a lot. Jade was all about staying out of trouble. The people in charge keep a closer eye on her more than they do the rest of us, considering her family… And Beck? Beck has sticky fingers. I can't tell you how many times he almost got all of us in trouble. It never sat well with Jade."
"So she ended it." Tori muttered softly, watching Andre's fingers swirl. Something inside her bubbled angrily at the thought of someone hurting Jade. She suddenly found herself rather happy that the pair was no longer dating and, to some degree, was pleased he wasn't even around.
"Explosively. And she decided it was time to move out before the fighting ruined all her friendships. Cat didn't want her to go alone, so she went with her. I guess it's been a little over a year now. The space has helped everyone calm down about the whole deal. Beck and her were just getting back on semi-friendly conditions… then he went and got himself arrested a few weeks ago." He finished, downing the last of the whiskey and rising (a mite unsteadily) to his feet. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I think I'm going to follow Jade's lead and grab a shower. My brain's taken enough abuse for the day, I need some quiet time. No offense." He smiled apologetically as he stumbled (presumably) to another bathroom.
"Man… Jade's got my bodywash. And my loofah." He sighed, disappearing behind a closing door.
Tori chuckled softly to herself before standing and stretching, wincing as sharp pain shot through her body – she'd forgotten about the scuffle she had gotten into. With a soft groan she stressed out tense muscles and massaged a growing lump on her shoulder, glossy eyes surveying the room. Her gaze eventually stopped on Jade's old bedroom door. She pursed her lips, glancing at the bathroom door and calculating whether or not she had time to investigate. "Just a quick look." She muttered to herself, slipping across the room quietly and casting one more peek over her shoulder before entering the bedroom.
Though it looked nothing like her squatter's den – with the pelts, skulls, and general chaos – the room was still distinctly Jade. The room was dark lavender, the black blankets and pillows adorned with skulls. There were a few tattered horror movie posters on the walls – some Tori recognized, many she didn't. Most of them made her cringe. There was a single bookshelf by the bed that doubled as a table and a small dresser against the opposite wall. Other than that the room was empty; she wondered if Jade had moved out the majority of her things or simply lived this sparsely while she was here.
The cyborg eased herself down onto the bed and scanned the books on the shelf, one title in particular grabbing her attention. Stellaluna. Gingerly she pulled the thin book free, staring at the faded bat on the cover and tracing her titanium fingers along the title. She couldn't believe it was here.
"Dad used to read that to me all the time as a kid. It was his favorite." The voice pierced the silence and made Tori jump. She turned to see Jade wrapped in a towel, wringing her dark hair out on the hardwood floor. Satisfied it was dry enough she tossed the damp locks over one shoulder, exposing the soft skin of her neck. She took a seat next to olive-skinned girl and stared intently at the book.
"I know," Tori replied, placing it in her hands. "I bought this for his birthday. I read it to him every night when he was a kid." She smiled sadly as she recalled those evenings. It hadn't taken him long to memorize the book in its entirety; the pair would pick their favorite lines and recite them to each other.
Jade flipped through the pages and sighed; it sounded like she was deflating. She'd had a rough day, Tori realized. She wondered if this amount of stress was normal for her in this world, or if it was just since Tori arrived. "You and Beck, huh?" She asked softly.
"Ugh. Andre and his big mouth." She huffed, spell broken. She flipped the book shut and tossed it onto the dresser.
"Oh please. You totally threw me under the bus earlier with my secret identity." Tori chided. "Are you… okay?"
"I'm fine, Vega." She dismissed coolly, combing her fingers through a few knots as she rose to her feet. She crossed the short distance to the dresser and knelt down, clutching the towel around her as she rooted through it for clean clothes.
"Jade." Tori called softly. She averted her eyes when the inventor dropped the towel to reveal a matching pair of navy-blue lingerie. She felt warmth creeping into her cheeks as her eyes wandered back towards her companion's form, gaze trailing from her calves to her shoulders. Jade reminded her of a lion she realized. No, a panther. She mused to herself. Lithe and graceful but powerful; beautiful but deadly. Jade turned and caught Tori staring, her studded brow climbing up her forehead curiously. Tori didn't avert her gaze shamefully, knowing she should probably blame her brass on the alcohol numbing her sensibilities.
"Tori." Jade replied finally, breaking their stare when she pulled a grey t-shirt over her head.
"Would you just show normal human emotions besides rage for once?" The cyborg huffed.
To her surprise Jade smiled. She pulled on a pair of yoga pants and reclaimed her seat next on the bed, facing her friend. "I don't like showing human emotions." She said softly, hooking her finger under Tori's chin and tilting her head to the side. "Your gash is weeping and has bits of alleyway in it. You need to clean it – go take a shower."
"I'm too tired and sore to even fathom showering, even if it would be the first hot bath I've had since I've been awake." Jade rolled her blue eyes wordlessly and stood, disappearing for a moment before returning with the bottle of whiskey. "Ugh. I don't need any more of that either. I'm already starting to lose feeling in my toes and I think my lips are following suit and – "
While Tori prattled on absently Jade soaked a corner of her towel with alcohol and dabbed it gently against the cyborg's face. She chuckled when the other girl howled and jerked away, nearly throwing herself off the bed. Ignoring Tori's pitched complaints Jade grabbed her chin and forced her to maintain eye contact. "You have a gaping wound on your face that you don't feel like cleaning out. If you don't you'll get an infection and those gorgeous cheekbones of yours are going to rot off. Shut up and let me clean your damn face." She demanded softly. Tori whined one last time but complied, wincing each time the alcohol made contact with the open wound.
Satisfied with her work, Jade blew gently on Tori's cheek to alleviate the stinging and fell back onto the mattress. "It's been a long-ass day." She sighed. "I'm going to be pissed if Sweepers trash my place."
"Not really much you can do about it at this point. I'm just glad we're somewhere safe in case it happens." Tori yawned, rising to her feet and examining her reflection in the mirror on the dresser. She frowned, hoping the wound wouldn't scare too badly. "But I'll let you get to bed… it's getting late and you haven't really slept the past few nights." She made her way towards the door, wondering which bedroom she could claim. She supposed it didn't matter.
"Tori… wait."
A/N: :O This would be a better cliffhanger if I wouldn't post the next chapter immediately. But I hate cliffhangers, so the next chapter should be ready by later tonight/early morning (depending on your time zone). So you're welcome. I love that you guys are actually enjoying this :) I love getting reviews and messages about the plot and the characters. I love bouncing ideas off you guys (especially you, Newsies. You're my favorite).
Speaking of questions – a few guest reviewers asked how old I was. Since I can't reply to them, I'll just answer here: Old enough to buy alcohol, not old enough to rent a car. Oooold.
As mentioned in the last chapter, here's another piece of news:
Washington, 2026 – Another spree of hate crimes has been reported along the eastern seaboard. A number of individuals recently entered in the cyberkinetics program have been found in various stages of destruction. Survivors who managed to escape to safety reported groups of men and women armed with hammers and blowtorches, intent on disassembling them. "They say they wanted to make me human again," states ex-marine Wesley Gunnells; he just finished his last round of physical therapy with his cyberkinetic arm. He was assaulted early yesterday morning while exercising in the park. "They tried to kill me. They're nuts."
Hate crimes against the cyborg population are nothing new to this country, but the methods are becoming more a cause for concern. Cyborgs have been found deactivated with no external damage. When examined by scientists, they were found to have the systems that keep them operational short-circuited.
The population fears a terrorist group may have obtained detailed schematics of the cyborg technology and designed a weapon to deactivate them swiftly and permanently. Compass Industries and its partners claim to be looking into the issue. No statement from President and CEO, Madison Chase, could be retrieved at this time.