Zen
Mirror 3: Cookie
Tenaya reached into one of the grocery bags and immediately pulled her hand out, shaking her head. If she ate the cookies before she got them back to the Garage Dillon would never let her hear the end of it. Of course, she wouldn't be hassled at all for eating a banana, but that didn't mean she was about to. She carefully shifted the bags so that she was holding one in each hand. That should keep her from snacking along the way. And, just to give herself something else to focus on, she began whistling as she took a shortcut down a back alley. It was her favorite song, the one from Dillon's watch. It always made her feel like she was home, no matter where she was. After several minutes she realized that a second whistle was accompanying her and turned sharply.
"Very pretty," Zyon said. He was standing twenty feet away and she had the feeling he'd been tailing her for longer than he'd been whistling.
She was about to ask what he wanted but that hadn't worked out so well for her last time.
"Not going to run?" he asked, taking a step closer.
She took a step back. He didn't need her to tell him that he was faster than she was.
"Pull out a concealed weapon?" he continued. "Call for help? Scream?"
"I don't scream," she said and winced, he would probably see that as an invitation.
"You know," he said, casually walking closer, "I wouldn't think the Black Ranger would let you leave the base after my last visit."
Tenaya backed into a wall and cursed herself, she should have been heading for the nearest street. Unfortunately, she didn't think the others even knew she was gone. They were still trying to find their equilibrium now that the twins had joined the team and she'd used the opportunity to sneak out and stock up on food. At the time it had seemed like a good way to get Dillon off her back, now it looked like he was going to chain her to the lab.
Zyon crossed the distance between them, invading her personal space but carefully keeping from touching her.
She tried to steady her breathing, reminding herself that this robot could actually be a human being, forced to do Venjix' bidding. She probably should have told K about her theory, but she didn't want anyone else to know until she had more proof.
"I have a question," she said, not quite able to keep the tremor out of her voice.
He smirked. "What if I don't want to answer? Will you give me something in exchange? The dome's shield codes perhaps."
She held up one of the bags. "Cookie?"
His eyes darted from her to the bag and after a moment's hesitation he reached quickly in to retrieve one of the sandwich cookies. He stepped back and began munching. "Shoot," he said through a bite, crumbs flying from his mouth.
She almost giggled at the sight but instead asked, "Why did you help them?"
"Who?" he asked, almost laughing at the idea.
"The orphans. You gave them back that medicine even though you knew it'd probably mean your life."
His eyes clouded over for a moment and she knew she was right. He was remembering being human. The cookie in his hand fell to the ground and he staggered back.
"You're lying," he said, shaking his head. He looked up at her and in a flash was pushing her up against the brick wall. "You're lying!" he snarled, but there was no anger in his face, only fear.
Before she could think of a suitable answer there was an explosion in the distance. At almost the same moment her communicator went off. She glanced at her belt where the communicator hung while he looked towards the smoke rising from the center of the city. He gave her one last shove before stalking off.
"Try not to kill anyone, Ziggy!" she called.
He froze and his whole body seemed to tense for a moment before he ran off.
AN: I promise, the next one will be funny again. Also, review!