Chapter 25 – Epicenter

It was dark and cold but the night sky was amazing; not at all like the city sky. The stars pierced so brightly through the black of the sky it was like they were trying to put on a light show. She could see a warm hue of light in the distance and when she asked, Natalie told Ajay that there was the lava portion of the planet. Ajay was amazed that the planet could house two different atmospheres. Natalie took Ajay to the ice pit, which was a longer trek than she anticipated. "This is the epicenter. This is where the flash freeze happened." Natalie said. They stopped and looked around, "It's so pretty." Ajay remarked at all of the sparkling ice that had sculpted itself around the area.

They both sat down together on a broken bin and enjoyed the night sky. They had been out for a few hours just admiring the view, "Do ya go out by yaself a lot?" Ajay looked over to her new friend. Natalie looked a bit nervous and not excited like she usually did. "Natalie?" Ajay stood up. "What's wrong?" Natalie was looking down at her fingers as she fiddling with them, "Well... No. I am never by myself. And I never go out at night." Ajay just stared at her in disbelief. "So ya usually go out durin the day with someone?" Natalie looked nervously at the snow below her feet, kicking it. "With Elliot." Ajay was still staring at her. "Great."

Ajay looked up at the sky and then back at Natalie, "Maybe we should head back. It's getting late." Ajay pulled out her phone." Natalie sighed, "I don't know my way back in the dark and that phone won't work out here." Ajay glared at her phone because it was the only thing she could do not to glare at Natalie. Ajay composed the look on her face before looking at Natalie and offering her a hand, "Come on." Natalie took Ajay's hand as confusion settled into her face, "Oui? Where are we going?" Ajay pulled Natalie with her. "I think that there is a small buildin down there. It's better than bein out here in da snow." The two women hurried down the hill into the middle of the epicenter. Ajay was right about her assumption, there was a small building down to where they were headed. They walked in to a circular room that had another entry way on the other end and some structure in the middle of the room.

Ajay sat down on the floor and set her gun down next to her. "I'm sorry Ajay." Natalie couldn't even look at her. "It's okay. Just sit." She pated the space next to her that wasn't occupied by her gun. Natalie sat down next to Ajay, "What now?" Ajay smiled, "We wait. We wait until the sun comes up and then we head back the colony." Natalie gasped, "What about the prowlers?" She whispers. "I will keep watch. Get some rest Natalie." Ajay sounded jaded, but she was used to being up anyway.

Natalie opened her eyes to see Ajay's boots, "Huh?" She turned over, she was laying in Ajay's lap. Her pale cheeks turned bright red. She sat up and noticed the sun peeking through the entry way. She thought for sure Ajay was asleep until she looked over to see Ajay looking right at her. "Uh. I think I can get us back now." She smiled uncomfortably and hopped to her feet. Ajay grabbed her gun and stood up. They stepped out into the warm sun, epicenter looked even more amazing with sun shining through the ice.

Natalie led them back to the colony where Elliot met them. He had a look of worry on his face until he saw the guns in their hands. He followed them back to the gun cages where they put everything away. He didn't say anything to them until they putted the guns away, he wasn't that stupid. "SO. Where were you guys." Natalie was afraid to answer so Ajay did all the talking. "We went out for a stroll and we lost our back. So we spent the night in the epicenter." Elliot's mouth dropped as they walked back to the housing area. Ajay motioned to Natalie, "Go get cleaned and get some better rest. Just grab me when you are ready to get back at it with MRVN." Natalie nodded and went to her home.

Ajay and Elliot went to the housing area. After the door was shut behind them and he knew they were alone Elliot broke the silence, "What the hell Ajay! You could have called." Ajay pulled off her hoodie, she felt like a popsicle. "I tried Elliot. There was no signal." He followed behind her as she took off her shirt, "What if something happened to you guys. This isn't the fucking arena. You can die out here." Ajay got her shoes off of her frozen feet and peeled her leggings off. She found her pills in backpack and got two out of the bottle. She swallowed them without anything to drink as Elliot stood there. She then pulled a small first aid kit that she kept in her backpack. "Ajay. Are you even listening to me?"

Ajay turned and looked at him, "I hear ya. What do ya want me ta say? Nothing happened. I kept ya, whatever, she is to you, safe?" She made her way to the bathroom and ran the water in the shower. Elliot continued to follow her. "What do you mean by that?" She looked at him and shrugged, "I don't know what she is to you. So I don really know how ta refer ta ya two." She pulled her dressing off and looked at herself in the mirror. She notice that her wound actually looked fine. She decided to let it go without a dressing. Elliot was silent for a long time. Ajay removed her bra and panties. She didn't care to wash her hair, she left it up. She turned to get into the shower and was immediately stopped as Elliot grabbed her wrist.

Ajay stopped and looked him. Elliot dropped her wrist. She stood there naked in front of him. "I don't know what she is to me. It's complicated." He stepped towards her and placed his hand on her ass "She feels like ice." He squeezed her ass a little, "I don't know what this is. What we are." Ajay sighed and placed her hand on his cheek, "Go be with her Elliot." She smiled at him as he dropped his hand from her ass. Elliot stood there and watched Ajay step into the shower, "She can't stop talkin about ya Elliot." All Elliot could do was smile. He didn't know if it was because of Ajay's naked body in front of him "She is wet." Or if it was all this talk about Natalie but he decided to go see Natalie.

Ajay finished up in the shower and dried off. She got back into her bra and panties and picked up whatever mess she made. She checked the time on her phone as crawled underneath the covers. It was a little past noon. She sent a text to Silva to see how he was doing. She was surprised when he called. She laid back in the bed and answered her phone.

"Silva? Ya okay?"

"Che?" He laughed, "Do you not know how to talk on a phone?"

"I guess not?"

"How was your day Che?"

"Well, I spent all night awake in da snow."

"Did something happen? Are you okay?"

"Ugh my work partner wanted ta go for a night stroll and couldn't get us back until it was daylight."

"Sounds fun. Where are you?"

"Some planet. Talos."
There was silence for a moment.

"Silva? Are ya ok?"

"Be careful out there."

"Have ya been here before Silva?"

"Something like that. Just stay near the colony. And one more thing Che."

She waited, "What Silva?"

"We're on video chat so can you pull your face away from the phone so I can see you?"

She laughed and pulled the phone from her ear and smiled into the camera when she saw him. "You really don't know how to phone Che." She nodded, "True." She turned over in the bed and placed her left hand on her cheek, propping her phone against a pillow. "I'll be Saturday for the match." She looked at him and wondered if the video chat was frozen, "Silva?" He moved a little, "Sorry Che, I have a nice view here." She realized that phone was pointed at her chest. She smiled at him. "I am going sleep now Silva. Bye." He laughed with her, "Bye Che." They ended the call and Ajay pulled the covers up over her head.