This will be the final chapter of this book!
After the recent event with pranks that ended with me running away from Chase, I haven't been able to think clearly whenever I'm around him. Every time he and I were together, my thoughts got all jumbled and I got so frustrated that a couple times I glitched because of it.
And it wasn't better when I was alone either. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Chase. It's like the harder I tried to not think about Chase, the more he'd enter my mind.
I keep telling myself I don't like him. I'm just overthinking things.
To keep myself busy, I decided to work on a little project.
I walked into the lab on a mission. It's been a month and a half since Davenport promised he would figure out how to remove my bionics. But he hasn't had much time to actually do anything. I don't hold it against him, he's a busy guy.
So last night I got a brilliant idea. Why don't I try and figure it out myself? I have superintelligence, so technically I'm supposed to be smarter than Donny. I can speed read everything I need to know about bionics and then I'll be good to go.
I stopped when I saw that Chase was in the lab. Great, the very thing I'm trying to not think about. He looked up from the book he was reading when I came in and it took everything in me to not freeze when his eyes met mine.
"Hey. Are you here to hang out with Bree?" I shook my head and went over to the cyberdesk. I can still work if he's in the lab. I've done it before.
"No, actually I'm here to do some research. Is it cool if I use the cyberdesk?"
"Yeah." I nodded in thanks and activated the device. After putting in the password I started looking for the files that contained all information about bionics. Chase came over and I pretended to not notice how close he was standing next to me. Come on, it's no big deal.
"What are you doing on it?" He asked curiously.
"I'm going to see if I can figure out how to remove my bionics on my own."
"Wait what? Why?" I sighed, getting annoyed that he's asking so many questions when I don't want him here in the first place.
"Mr. Davenport is too busy to do it so I thought I could see if I could figure it out myself. I am the smartest girl in the world after all."
"I didn't think you still wanted them removed."
"What makes you think I changed my mind?" I asked as I typed something into the computer.
"Well, you use them all the time and don't seem to hate it."
"Well, maybe I don't hate being bionic. But, I don't want to stay bionic forever."
"Why?"
"You wouldn't understand."
"Try me." I wanted so bad to tell him that it's none of his business, but one glance at him and I couldn't. Sighing, I paused what I was doing to answer him. Maybe if I tell him, he'll leave me alone to work.
"It would be different if I could remove my chip and then choose not to. But I can't. So even though we captured Douglas, it still feels like he won. And I just can't live with that." When I finished I glanced at Chase who wore an expression I couldn't read. I waited for him to say I was being silly.
"Maybe you should pull up the schematics of your bionic infrastructure first and see why you can't remove it in the first place." He suggested, surprising me. "Here I can do it." I didn't really have a choice because he reached over and typed a command into the cyberdesk. My cheeks flushed a little bit when his hands brushed mine. A message popped up on the screen.
Restricted Access
"That's weird, it's locked." Chase said. I didn't let that deter me and cracked my knuckles.
"No problemo, just give me a few minutes to hack in."
"Normally I'd say to not do it, but to be honest I've been curious about why your chip isn't removable like ours. I don't understand why Douglas would make yours different."
"Well we're about to find out." I said without looking at Chase.
About ten minutes later I had bypassed the locks Davenport put on the file and I quietly cheered.
"Ok, if you click there, it should pull up the schematics." I did and an image of my bionic infrastructure appeared on the screen. Little icons popped up at various places and I clicked on the one for my bionic chip. Instantly a bunch of information started being listed and as I read on I grew to be very confused.
"Am I reading this right?" I asked Chase.
"I... don't know." Was his reply. His expression mirrored mine.
"It says my bionic chip can be removed. That can't be right. Davenport wouldn't lie to me, would he?" I asked looking at Chase who shook his head.
"No! He's not like that." He said but I couldn't bring myself to believe him.
"He did lie about being your real father." I pointed out. "I can't believe this!"
"Mr. Davenport wouldn't lie unless there was a good reason to." Chase insisted, but doubt was already making me not believe it. I became sarcastic as I talked back.
"Oh yeah, what reason would that be, Chase? I'm thinking of a few reasons but none of them are good." Chase looked at me sternly.
"Let's not overreact ok?" I scoffed bitterly.
"I think I'm reacting the appropriate way anyone would when they find out they've been lied to." Then the doubt turned to anger that I directed at Chase. "You said I could trust him."
"You can." I scoffed again and had to look away. "Like I said, he has to have a good reason for not telling the truth."
"In my experience Chase, there's never a good reason to lie." I hear Chase sigh.
"Look, Mr. Davenport is gone for a conference but he'll be back in the morning. Once he gets here we can talk to him, ok?" He puts a hand on my shoulder and forces me to turn so I would look at him. His expression was stern again. "Promise you won't do anything until we talk to him." When I didn't answer he spoke a little louder. "Promise me." I hated the fact that he knew I was prone to making rash decisions when I was worked up. I shoved his hands off me and reluctantly nodded my head.
"Fine." I said shortly, even though a part of me wanted to take my chip out and smash it into a million pieces. No, I'll wait until I face Davenport. I'll destroy it in front of him.
The sun had set as I walked home. I didn't use my super speed because I wanted to see if a walk would help me relax. One question kept circling in my head and it was starting to drive me crazy.
Why would Davenport lie to me?
Everything he's ever said to me was put into question. Davenport said he believed in me and wanted to help me - but were those lies too? They had to be. The thought that I'd been messed with made my fists clench and I could feel my heart begin to pound as I grew more and more upset. I was starting to wonder if Chase was a part of this too. He appeared to be as surprised as I was when we found out Davenport had lied. But he could be lying too.
I should never have listened to Chase. How could I let myself be tricked into thinking I could trust those people? How did Chase have the power over me to convince me that he cared?
Because you like him.
I shook my head at the thought. I made a promise to myself to never let myself open my heart to anyone in that way.
But you started to open up to him.
I shake my head again, even though deep down I'm realizing the voice in my head was telling the truth. I can think back to little moments where my guard slipped a little each time. For example when we were buried in the snow, I felt comfort when I was wrapped in his arms. Or even before that, like when he felt sorry for hurting me when he was Spike and did everything he could to make me feel better. He got me that gift and even carried my things despite my telling him he didn't have to. I remember feeling a small warmth in my chest even though I felt awkward about someone fussing over me.
But I think the pivotal moment in our relationship was when I had my panic attack. Chase saw me at my worst and didn't make fun of me. Anyone else would have taken the opportunity to mock me relentlessly for it. Chase didn't.
Somehow Chase managed to tear down the walls I had around my heart and ignite feelings I never thought I could have. He was the first person I went to when I was in danger of exposing my bionics. Usually I try to do things on my own, but this time I just knew I needed help and I chose him without thinking twice about it. Chase had become what I lived without my whole life: someone I could rely on.
And look what the result was. With my guard down, I let other people in and was able to be convinced that they could be trusted as well.
Any warm fuzzy feelings I was having was replaced with frustration. Chase is the reason my heart opened up to trust again and the reason why it's broken once more. And yet, I couldn't hate him, which added to my anger.
As if things weren't terrible enough as it is, rain began to fall. Within a couple minutes I was drenched to the bone.
I decided to take shelter under a canopy on the side of a building, deciding I'd rather stay there then go home. I'll have my melodramatic moment in the rain like girls in the movies have after their heart is broken.
Through the sounds of the rain hitting everything around me and thunder that began to rumble, I thought I heard a peculiar noise come from deeper in the alley. The fact I couldn't tell what it was made all sorts of alarm bells go off in my head.
I straighten from my leaning position against the wall and squint my eyes into the darkness. Since I haven't used my power replication recently, I didn't have the ability to scan and see who or what was hiding in the shadows. I did however pick up the faint sound of footsteps, two sets of them. They were trying to be quiet, but with my bionic hearing I could just barely hear them. And that was enough to send me running.
I turned to get the heck out of there but I heard that weird sound again and suddenly I ended up running into a big, tall figure. I jumped back and got a better look at whoever it was. It was someone entirely clad in black clothing, including a long trench coat. And most creepy of all was the distinct white face mask they wore.
Before I could even begin to wonder who this person was, a dark, sinister chuckle echoed off the walls on both sides and it wasn't from the figure in front of me.
I turned slightly, just enough to where the figure was in my line of sight on the left and I could see whoever was about to reveal themselves.
"Who's there?" I demanded, and I heard another chuckle along with footsteps. When I was finally able to see who the owner of the chuckle was, I swear my heart stopped. "D-Douglas?" The man, who I quickly realized was still in the same ragged sweater and snowpants he was wearing when I froze him, chuckled again, more maniacally this time. A flash of lightning illuminated his face and the insane look in his eyes made my blood run cold. He's never looked more unstable in the entire time I've known him.
"I'm baaack." He announced in an evil sing-song voice that made my skin crawl. But I won't be afraid.
"This is impossible! How did you escape!" I demanded, becoming unnerved at the dark figure who hadn't made a sound but was staring at me with an unwavering gaze.
"I had a little help from my friend here. We're taking you on a little trip."
"That's not going to happen." I swivel around and go to punch Douglas' accomplice, but I'm left shocked when he stopped my fist with his hand and it didn't seem to take much effort. But my super strength should be able to push through that.
While I'm briefly distracted, the figure took the opportunity to use his free hand to send a hard blow to my stomach that sends me flying backwards until I slam against the building. I cried out as I made contact with the wall and collapsed to the ground. I hear Douglas chuckle as he watches me gasp for air after having the wind knocked out of me.
"Have a nice sleep." Suddenly there's a flash of light from somewhere and then everything goes dark.
To be continued...
A/N : And we have reached the end of book one! I can't wait to start on the next book where we'll be jumping into season three of Lab Rats!
Thank you to all who have read my book and have voted on it! Keep an eye out for book two!