"Things are going crazy, huh?" Ellie prompted, spearing a bit of lasagna on her otherwise empty plate with a fork.
Henry nodded, pulling the last little shrimp from the remainders of his alfredo. "Things are different."
"A year ago, Henry." Ellie turned her gaze to him completely. "A year ago, I was sitting in my apartment in Florida struggling to come up with a plan to pay rent. Now I'm here with you."
"Life's crazy." Henry's smile faded a little. "Were things really that bad?"
Ellie shrugged. "Nah. I mean, I wasn't lying when I said I don't get that many jobs because I'm not some old guy from the police or military or something. But when I did get a job, I get paid well. But something tells me this is going to have a little more job security."
"Stick with us and we'll stick with you," Henry hummed, grinning.
Ellie asked, "Henry, can I ask you something?"
"Yeah, sure."
"About that meeting you went to," Ellie said. "I know I shouldn't ask, and you shouldn't tell me, but does it have anything to do with the government?"
Henry shook his head. "No. No one's planning a giant attack or anything. Why?"
Ellie chuckled. "I thought it would be ironic the day after I joined you something happened to Charles, or something is all."
"Hah! Nah, I wouldn't let that happen. Ellie Bean, you and Charles have been my friends since middle school. I won't let something dumb like differences in opinion come between us."
"Oh, it's the government's opinion you should be stopped?"
"Yep!" Henry grinned proudly at his joke, all the happier upon hearing her laughter. God things have been going well, please don't throw a wrench in it. "Hey, so, it'll be late when we get back. Was there anything you wanted to do…?"
"You could show me around the ship," Ellie suggested. "Oh! Or meet up with the rest of your friends."
Henry raised an eyebrow. "You already met Howie and Katie, they're my closest friends on the ship."
"Yeah, but I thiiiiink there's someone else," Ellie claimed, her smile turning into a mischievous grin.
"I-I don't–?"
"Heeeeeeenry."
"Ellie…"
"It's Dave, isn't it?"
Henry's eyes widened. "What? What would make you think that?"
"I'm psychic."
"Ellie."
"Howie showed me a few places on the ship, including the Brig. I remember Dave."
Henry blinked. "You… what?"
"Yeah, Panpa. He was the new guy at the museum," Ellie informed him. "You remember my cousin, Jacob, right? He works there, too. After you went missing, I chatted with him for a while. Dave was a new guy, former police or something, worked at the same place you were in. Yeah, Jacob's partner said that he was a truck driver but quit after a certain incident. After the museum collapsed, a few people went missing. All but Dave were eventually accounted for."
Henry thought for a moment. "And what does that have to do with me being friends with him?"
"Oh, nothing. I just knew you'd tell me if I accused you," Ellie informed him with a chuckle. "You are so predictable, Papa Hen."
Henry sighed. "Okay, okay. Yeah, I do drop by and say hello to Dave. But… does Howie know?"
Ellie shook her head. "Nope."
"Did you ask?"
"Yeah."
"Why!?"
"That's how you get information!" Ellie defended and shrugged. "But, I don't think he was onto you or anything. You never mention him. Why don't you take me to meet him?"
"I mean, you can meet him, can't you? He's a person…"
"Be a gentleman. Introduce me to your friend~!"
Henry raised an eyebrow. "And you're a lady now?"
"Yes."
The lights outside were off as night had fallen over them. Henry left his room and strolled down the hall. Ellie met him at the end. Her greeting was cut off by a yawn. Henry nudged her and made his way to the Brig.
Henry knocked on the plastic window of Dave's cell. "Hey, Dave?"
"Henry!" Dave's voice came in immediate answer. "I haven't seen you for a while! How've you been?"
Henry unlocked the door and stepped aside. "Been busy. You know, staying alive, making plans. Dave, meet Ellie! Ellie, Dave!"
Dave looked between the two, his usual cheer gone and dark eyes flicking back and forth. Ellie smiled, a soft gesture that nearly disarmed Henry. "You're Dave, then? My cousin told me about you. Jacob. Do you remember Jacob Rose? From the museum?"
Dave squinted at her. Then, his caution ebbed, and he nodded. "Yeah, Jacob was new, too. He was hired about the same time as I was. So, you're his mercenary cousin?"
"Yep! Ellie Rose. Nice to mee you, Dave!" She held out her hand.
Dave stepped out of his cell and took it. "Thanks, Ellie. It's nice to meet you, too."
Ellie grinned. "Let's go explore the ship while no one's awake!"
"A-actually!" Henry dove back into the conversation. "Let's go to my room first for a minute or two? What do you think of a walk around the ship, Dave?"
Dave followed them back. "I would be okay with that, yeah."
"Good. Your hat's still in my closet."
PD"So, what's up? With your maybe frostbite or something?"
Henry, who'd been pawing at the dwindling amount of alfredo, jolted. "What?" He and Ellie had gone out clothes shopping for her new work outfit and some street clothes after Henry's meeting. After quite a bit of time outside, they'd stopped by an Italian food restaurant.
Ellie jabbed her fork in his direction. "I mean, you said you got hurt. But you wouldn't tell us what happened. What was with the 'probably frostbite' thing?"
Henry hummed and shifted in his seat. "I… got hurt leaving the Wall, yeah. You remember the Warden?"
"Mhm."
"You remember I was with you, right? For a little while? What I did?"
Hesitantly, Ellie nodded. She sucked in her breath. "Did you get shot?"
"No! Er, actually, maybe," Henry said, his voice slowing down a little. He shook his head. "Okay, so, I didn't get shot in the beginning, I was too good at running." He let out a quiet, humorless chuckle. Ellie didn't laugh or even smile. Instead, she watched him with soft eyes, her hands crossed on the table. Henry recalled the event that, though exhilarating at the time, lost its thrill with the weeks of healing and his new limb. "…and I got to take Dmitri down with me, but I didn't exactly escape unscathed. I fell into the ocean. From the air above the cliff."
Ellie's eyes went wide. "You what? How did you survive that?"
"I mean, I technically didn't," Henry admitted. "I died, at least that's what Dr. V said. She said I was gone but she brought me back." He took off his left glove. As his left side faced the wall, it was hidden from view from the outside.
Ellie blinked. "Did she…?"
"Replace my arm? Yeah. Part of my shoulder as well as my spine," Henry stated. He turned over his hand, showing off the blue bulb inlay into his palm. "It's called 'cybernetic augmentation.'"
Ellie reached toward his hand and hesitated, looking up at him. Henry shrugged and held out his hand for her to inspect. "What did she mean by that? Cybernetic augmentation?"
"It means I can do… other stuff. I'll show you when we're outside."
Ellie set his hand down again. Henry put his glove back on and fixed the cuff of his suit.
There was a device on their table, a kiosk, that allowed Henry to pay for their meal. Though Ellie tried, Henry pointed out that she really couldn't as she'd forgotten her wallet. Smug, he paid for their meal and, as they got up, tossed her wallet back to her. He didn't escape without injury as she punched his arm–the right one, not made of metal. He ducked his head and rubbed his forearm with an uneven chuckle.
Ellie asked as they strolled into the parking lot, "Is that why your old man didn't want you going outside?"
"Mhm."
"You're out here, now."
"Going shopping," Henry pointed out. "I probably can't hurt myself going clothes shopping."
"That's what he thinks!"
"And he'll keep thinking that or I won't ever step foot off the ship again!"
Ellie looked at his arm. "So, what did you mean by 'cybernetic augmentation?'"
Henry took off his glove. They stopped walking near the edge of the parking lot, where a red car sat. He held up his left arm. It lengthened and thinned, sharpening into a rapier.
Ellie gasped. "You can turn your hand into a sword?"
"Among other things." Henry's hand changed into a baseball bat and then shrunk back into a hand. He showed off the palm of his hand and pointed down. A short laser blast scorched the ground. Henry perked up. "I don't know exactly how much else I can do. I know I can fly, but everything else is just… figuring it out."
"You can fly?"
"Yep! I've never done it before, though," Henry answered. "I have jet wings attached to my spine, but I've never used them."
"Why not? Isn't that the sort of thing that's you'd always use?"
Henry chuckled and put his glove back on. "Well, not when you're on an airship all day. Also, the doctor said I needed to be careful while the skin on my back heals."
Ellie nodded. "Well, if you hurt yourself, I don't know how to fix you. So, we should probably just head back, then."
"Yeah, I like that plan."
Henry lay down on his bed, eyes closed and his metal arm over his chest. A cord ran from his shoulder to a plug strip sitting snuggly on the wall at the foot of his bed. He didn't quite know how long he would have to stay there, but the light on the head of the cord would go from red to green when it was finished.
The former security guard sat down next to him. Henry opened his eyes and looked up. "Huh? Hey, Dave."
"Hey." The man's eyes were drawn to the cord on Henry's arm. "Are… you okay? Still hurting?"
Henry shook his head. "I'm good. I don't even feel this cord thing. Then again, I don't feel my arm."
"How… how long will you need to stay like this?"
Henry shrugged with one shoulder, the other being deactivated like his arm, and made a noncommittal noise. "This is kinda new to me, you know? But I guess I'll find out. Doc wants me to recharge it tonight to full and meet him in the morning. Soooo, I'm kinda useless at the moment. Sorry we couldn't go out to the gym or out on one of the porches."
"Oh, no, it-it's fine," Dave reassured him, his eyes meeting Henry's. "You've been really nice to me, you know? I know you're hurt, so take as long as you need."
"Heh. You're a good guy, Dave. Blegh. Just wish I didn't need to do this. Like, why can't I just eat a bigger breakfast or something?"
"Because you're part metal, now?" Dave suggested.
Henry stuck his tongue out. "Honestly, as cool as this is, I'd… I kinda liked my old body. You know?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I get that."
…
Dave went on, "Is there… is there anything I can do?"
Henry chuckled. "Well, aside from somehow making my arm and spine need food as fuel instead of electricity, not much."
The former security guard nodded. "Okay. …well, how about some NewTube? Watch videos until you can move again?"
"I like that idea! Could you grab my phone from my desk?"
"Sure!" Dave retrieved the expensive piece of totally legitimately claimed technology–which, it actually was since Henry bought it even if the money was not legitimately claimed–and lay down next to Henry. As the cyborg was having a rather difficult time attempting to navigate the phone with one hand, Dave offered to take it and then went on the search for content they both enjoyed. Turns out, they both enjoyed Between Us. Dave didn't have a phone, so they couldn't play together, but they could watch other people play.
When Dave's arms got tired, Henry set the phone on his chest, moving his left arm to prop up the phone.
Henry didn't know when he fell asleep, but he did. He jolted awake upon hearing his phone's quiet, yet insistent beeping. He tried to turn it off with his left arm, only to remember it wasn't working. When he tried to move his right arm, he found it pinned. Dave used his arm as a pillow, and pressed himself up against Henry, Dave's knee on his, a hand tentatively laid on Henry's chest, sound asleep.
The alarm turned itself off after a minute.
Henry had long since stopped caring.
In fact, Henry had momentarily lost his ability to think. Dave was sleeping on him. They'd fallen asleep together. On his bed. Watching videos. Cuddling. What. What was happening.
After he managed to somehow pull his mind out of the Void, he looked at Dave. God, he was so… peaceful. Relaxed. Not at all the jumpy guy Henry knew. He knew, logically, Dave was supposed to go back to his cell. If someone delivered his breakfast to him in the morning and he wasn't there, an alarm would immediately be raised. However… Henry was set to bring him breakfast tomorrow. He knew because he'd always counted the days. He had more of them after promising to cover other people's duties. No one complained; Brig duty was menial work.
Anyway, since tomorrow was Henry's turn to bring him breakfast, potentially, Dave could stay here the night. He'd need to don a disguise for the short time it took to get back to his cell, and they would need to get up right before the security cameras changed hands. There was a short window of time when he and the last guard would talk before they parted ways. Then they needed to go at a time when everyone was already, or before anyone was, in the cafeteria as to not cross paths with anyone.
…eeeeeeh, seven will do. Thankfully, he already had an alarm set for seven. Breakfast was at eight, but he liked to give himself time to wake up.
Henry glanced at his arm. The light was still yellow. Oh well.
Henry's dreams were broken as reality squirmed its way into his brain. He let out a tired groan and shifted his weight a little. His arm was a little sore, now. But whatever pressure that had been on it was gone. The hand on his chest, just below his own metal one, was gone as well.
Now, Henry decided to open his eyes. God, it was before his alarm was supposed to go off. Whyyyyyy?
Oh, wait. That's why.
Henry looked over to find Dave pacing around the small room. "Oh. Hey, Dave. Morning." He bit his hand to keep from yawning but yawned anyway.
"Good-good morning, Henry," Dave returned, his voice gaining a higher pitch. "Uhm, I should have been back at my cell by now. Someone's going to-to find out I'm missing. They'll blame you, because you did do it, and then you'll get in trouble and something will happen to me. They might kill me or something, I-I don't know–"
Henry set his phone down and pulled himself up. "Whoa, wait, wait!" Dave stopped talking. "It's fine. It's my turn to take care of you today. No one's going to be nosing around in the Brig if they don't have to."
Dave nodded and swallowed, though he hadn't relaxed in the slightest. "Thank you, Henry. That's good. But, I just… what would happen if anyone but your friend found out?"
Henry shrugged, again with just one shoulder. "They'd be pissed, probably. But, hey, that won't happen."
Dave… relaxed a little at that.
Henry turned back to his arm. The little plug now had a green light. "Finally! God, that took forever," he puffed and unplugged his arm. He messed with a panel under the topmost plate on his shoulder. Now he could move his arm and flex his fingers. He pulled himself out of bed. "Come on, then. If you're really worried, I can take you back." He glanced at his phone. "…eh, right now's fine. No one's leaving for the cafeteria, so the hall'll be empty."
Dave let out a quiet breath and followed Henry back through the hall and to the Brig. Dave shuffled his feet a little before entering his cell. A pang squeezed Henry's heart at the sight. "Dave, I… I'm sorry."
Dave looked back at him and rubbed his arm. "No, it's fine. I fell asleep and probably, you know, made us late."
"Not that. And that's fine, I'm not mad about that." Henry waved his hand, as if he could brush the thought away with a simple motion. "I just… you don't deserve to be here. I'll find some way to free you, okay?"
The former nightguard gave him a small smile. "…thanks, Henry."
This was a hopeless cause.
IROSaturday and Sunday were clear for him. Rather, he had something Sunday evening he volunteered to do, but he should be clear to go out all weekend. Currently, it was Friday, so Henry had time to plan. He also had some time to talk to Dad Reginald.
"I have a question."
Dad Reginald, pausing in the hallway as he met Henry, raised an eyebrow. "You do? What is it?"
"Yes." Henry's heart stuttered and started to speed up. "So, when we leave, are we leaving this ship behind forever?"
"That is the plan, yes," Dad Reginald answered. "We will have no use for it, and the cost of upkeep will become too much of a burden."
Henry nodded. "And… I looked over the new plans a few times over. Everyone from the airship is going?"
"Yes." Dad Reginald's eyebrows knitted together. "What are you hinting about, Henry?"
"We've had that prisoner for a long time," Henry said. "The, uh, cop or something. I… I don't know what we do with prisoners? I mean, I helped Afanasiy escape, but I don't think that's what's going to happen here. I-I mean, I know that's not going to happen here, I'm not eleven. What will happen to him?"
Dad Reginald shook his head. "Eh, he does not take up too many resources here at the ship, but he will start to eat into attention we will need to be directed elsewhere. So, he will not stay a prisoner."
Henry refused to feel the hopeful flare in his heart. "So… what?"
"Why are you so concerned about him?"
Henry shifted his feet. "I just… I know that the cop is different from Afanasiy, but I can't help but feel that… you know… I ruined whatever plans we had for him. Afanasiy. But I also didn't know what plans we had for him, you know?"
"You are correct, those two are very different. We would have kept Afanasiy for a while longer. Until he proved completely useless at finding out information on our captive Clan members, we would have kept him. Once he proved useless, we would have killed him." Dad Reginald gave him a shrug and a flippant wave of his hand. "That security guard has some use, I suppose. Nothing he has told us was previously unknown, but he has been compliant."
Now Henry allowed himself to feel that little squirm of hope. Confusion rushed to meet him. "Wait, you were trying to get information from Afanasiy? I visited him pretty often, though. He never told me."
"I'm surprised by that," Dad Reginald admitted. "But you were not always with him. You must have found a way to learn when we interrogated him. In hindsight, your comfort and presence must have been keeping his sanity and courage bolstered enough to keep his mouth shut. No matter; we learned more from his actions than we ever could have through his words. Now, I am terribly busy. Good evening, Henry."
"Good night, Dad!" Henry waved as Dad Reginald left. Okay, so… that was… something…? Sort of. Yeah. Oh, no it wasn't. They weren't taking prisoners aboard the ship. So, what were they going to do with Dave? Was that such a hard question to answer? He was a security guard, for God's sake! What can you do with a security guard who's been a prisoner for some time, now? Still, it was all Henry had.
Henry thought over what he would need to say. Dave had just been so… he needed help. His help was in the form of certainty. So, Henry just needed to know for certain wat was going to happen and then tell Dave. That wouldn't be so hard. He knew for certain Dave wasn't going to be their prisoner by December!
Evening came and Henry found Dave. He was still so… sad. The look was muffled as soon as Henry noticed, but it wasn't completely gone. "So," Henry began as he shut the door to his room. "I was talking with Dad Reginald."
Dave perked up.
"I asked him about you, kinda. I asked about what would happen to our prisoner. And he said that you would be gone by December," Henry stated. "He wouldn't tell me anything more, but that just means that he hasn't completely made up his mind and I may be able to influence him."
"December? That's a few months away," Dave pointed out. "Is something happening in December?"
"Winter cleaning." Henry shrugged. "It's like spring cleaning, but he wants stuff packed up and organized and cleaned out before Christmas. One of said things is what to do with you. Currently, we don't know, but we do know that whatever happens, it'll be in December. Or by December."
Dave thought for a moment. "…thanks, Henry. That means a lot. Thank you."
Henry smiled and plopped down on his bed. "Sure, dude. Any time!"
Dave sighed and sat down on the other bed. "Yeah. Any time. Thanks."
"So, what's up for tonight?"