Chapter 6

I sat up in bed and shut off my alarm, rubbing my head afterwards. No dreams I could remember. Good. As I was getting dressed, the savory scent of cooked meat assaulted my nose. I left my room to investigate.

My investigation was short, I found 11-7 laying across my entire couch, and I saw a plate of what looked like cooked synth-ham sitting on my coffee table. She looked at me from the corner of her eyes and sat up. I witnessed her eat that entire plate of ham, and then lean back on the couch, letting out a sigh of contentment after she finished it. It was clear from the smug grin that graced her face and the fact she kept glancing over at me to see my expression, that she had planned this little maneuver to upset me.

I'm sure I did what she expected, which was to look around the room for my presumed plate of ham. I didn't find one.

"Hungry?" She asked, feigning ignorance.

I looked back at her with a frown. "Obviously." I gestured to the air.

Still smirking, she slithered close to me and stuck her neck out as she passed me. "I left the pan out for you." She pointed to the kitchen and giggled down the hallway as she went into her room.

I actually managed to upset her. It was kinda funny how she went through all that effort to annoy me. It really wasn't that big of a deal, but here I was in the living room hungry as hell because I smelled ham, and now I wanted some. I rushed over to the fridge to look for it. I pulled open drawers and looked around, but I couldn't find any in the fridge or the freezer. Dammit, of course she ate all of it. She's quite good at that, so why wouldn't she. That was my ham, granted I get my groceries for free from Advent most of the time, but it was still mine. I slammed the fridge door shut and tossed the greasy pan she left out in the dishwasher. Guess I was having toast today.

0-

As the day went on I was starting to get tired of watching tv, and it annoyed me that Manny hadn't called yet to tell me this problem was resolved. So I decided to call him first.

He answered. "Greetings Mr. Hickey, is there something you wished to discuss?" He sounded unenthusiastic.

"Yeah, what's the word on dispelling these rumors?"

He sighed. "You know as well as I do there is a process to this, but I think I may be able to line something up... soon."

"Soon, huh. Not today I take it?"

"No Mr. Hickey, not today." He grumbled. "And I would advise staying inside until I resolve this issue."

I am not staying cooped up in here with that feisty serpent. "You can't keep me locked inside all day like some kind of animal. I'm going out - incognito style."

He uttered one sound, "Hmm," and was silent for a few moments. "I will permit this Mr. Hickey, but do not make more work for me, or I - will make more work for you." I had managed to annoy him, but this wasn't the first time I've done this. I often got into these petty tug-of-war matches with Manny just to make sure I was still able to make my own decisions.

"Thank you, I'll try to not get into any trouble."

"Enjoy your time. I will continue my - diligent work until I find a solution." His voice was deadpan, and as soon as he finished he hung up.

Time to get ready I suppose. I threw on an old baseball cap I had (to hide my hair), a jacket, long pants, sunglasses (to hide my eyes), and a scarf pulled up to hide my face. As luck would have it, it was chilly outside, so I could justify wearing a scarf. No one would ask questions.

It only took a few minutes to get ready, I crept past 11-7's room, and attempted to sneak out, only to find her kitted out by the front door. She had her plasma rifle and her armor on. How could she have found out? She must have heard me talking to Manny because it would have taken her some time to get that armor on. Her hearing is impressive.

She must have noticed my stealthy posture because she commented on it. "Going somewhere without me?"

I groaned and stopped trying to sneak. "Maybe, might have gotten away with it too."

She scoffed. "You know the rules, not leaving neighborhood D18 without my escort."

It was annoying how she stayed one step ahead of me most of the time. I walked up to her and gave in. I mean, what was I going to do, push her out of the way? I'd need a damn skid loader to move her against her will. "Fine, let's go. With you in tow, I'm sure people will leave me alone. Just don't say my name in public, I don't want people to recognize me."

She looked me up and down and chuckled. "Is that why you cover your face like you have a deformity?"

I ignored her joke. "Yes." Out the door I went and she followed. I didn't want to be out long, just a quick walk through the city for some fresh air.

0-

Didn't take long to get past the gate and out into the city. There were some people out, but it was the middle of the workday, so traffic was lighter than usual, on the road and the sidewalk. As I walked around people would occasionally look at me, but no one stared. Seems my stereotypical disguise was working, not that I was suspicious looking or anything. Though, I'm sure the fact I was being followed around by a 7ft tall alien with a gun canceled that out.

As I walked I took in the sights, not that there was anything interesting to look at in the city. There were monuments to the Ethereals I had seen a hundred times, and some parks, but I didn't want to turn this into a big outing. I was already tempting fate by being out so soon after those articles were published. 11-7 said nothing. It was a silent walk, with the sounds of cars, people talking, and the occasional Peacekeeper car siren filling my ears. The most she did was look at me with a neutral expression when I looked behind at her. I heard some commotion coming from the front of a building. It didn't match any of the other white noise from the city, so I walked down the sidewalk in that direction.

Before I could see what was going on, 11-7 said something. "It would not be an intelligent idea to approach a crowd, if your goal is to remain hidden." I stopped and turned around to face her. Her expression was still neutral, and I couldn't detect any emotion behind that statement.

Her eyes wandered and she seemed focused on our surroundings, rather than me. What few people were around gave us a wide berth as they walked past. Considering how conspicuous my bodyguard made me this was a bad idea, but I was curious. "I just want to have a quick look, to see what's going on, and then we'll go."

She locked eyes with me for a second and snorted, before going back to scanning the area. "If that is what you wish."

I chuckled. "Oh, it is definitely what I wish."

As we walked around the corner of a metal building, it became more apparent what the ruckus was. There was a sizable gathering of people outside an old stone building that didn't fit in with the more modern Advent style buildings around it. It was square shaped and didn't have many windows. There were steps leading up to the building, and at the top a line of Advent troopers stood ready. The troopers seemed relaxed with their body language. The group of people stayed down at the bottom of the steps, not one of them being daring enough to get any closer to the troopers. I saw the sign above the building and realized I had somehow wandered down to city hall.

Now I was even more curious. The group of people gathered were all wearing different clothes, some held signs, and there was a guy up front with a megaphone. They didn't appear to be an organized group, so why were they here? I saw some reporters off to the side talking in front of the cameras for their prospective news stations. Then one sign a person was waving around caught my eye. It was made of thick paper and had the text Park is Weak written on it with red paint.

Park? Maybe it was a name, it was one I had heard before. Could they be mad at the mayor? I got my answer soon enough. The guy with the megaphone started yelling stuff through it.

"We have been here for three hours and Mayor Maria Park has not acknowledged us. It has been almost a week since Anti-Advent terrorists attacked the gene clinic opening ceremony, and she has done nothing to assure us of our safety! All she has is empty words and empty promises!" He paused for a moment and the crowd yelled in agreement. "While she hides in her safe office, guarded by Advent's finest, we are left to fend for ourselves in the street. How many more have to die before you acknowledge our concerns, Mayor! -" He kept talking, but I tuned the rest out, I had gotten the gist at that point.

I couldn't fault them for their anger. The security at that event was taken out quickly, and Advent took some time to get boots on the ground. Hell, I still didn't even know the death toll because I've avoided all news after it happened, I was there after all, I didn't need to be reminded of it. Apparently, the mayor didn't do enough after it happened, or she pissed off enough people off to trigger a protest. Can't say I've seen one like this in a while. Not to say there aren't protests, it's just most of them get broken up by Advent Peacekeepers as soon as they form. So, it was strange to see one that had been going on for - three hours according to that megaphone guy.

Having satisfied my curiosity I decided to leave, but before I could I saw someone out of the corner of my eye walk up to me.

It was one of the reporters. He was an older looking guy with short black hair that was combed to the side, and he was wearing a dark blue sports jacket with a button up shirt and matching pants. A small microphone was attached to his shirt and a cameraman was tagging along.

I heard him clear his throat. "Hello sir, are you here for the protest?" His tone was polite, and he kept his distance, eying up 11-7 after he finished speaking. I glanced over at the cameraman, he was fiddling with his camera and had it pointed at the ground.

I wasn't being recorded, so I responded. "No, I'm just a bystander. I heard some people shouting and came to check it out."

His smile grew. "A neutral party, perfect. Might I trouble you for a brief interview? It'd be a few questions about the protest and the terrorist attack on the gene clinic. I'm sure you've heard of it."

I was nervous because this guy came out of nowhere, but, judging from what he was saying, he didn't know who I was. I could pretend to not be me and humor some questions. "I heard what happened, awful stuff. I suppose I could answer some questions." 11-7's body was tense and she looked ready to leap at someone in a moment's notice, but she didn't stop me.

The reporter looked pleased. "Great." He turned and spoke to the cameraman. "Kyle, are we ready to go?"

He was still messing with the camera and didn't look up from it. "In a minute, sir."

The reporter's eyes drifted over to the scarf covering my face. "It's a cold one today isn't it? I should have bought a scarf." He joked.

I felt a tickle in my nose. "Yeah - I... Ahhchoo!" I sneezed mid-sentence. "Whoo, bless me." My face felt colder and I realized my scarf had come off. Maybe I should have wrapped it tighter.

I saw recognition in the reporter's eyes. 11-7 spoke up. "Time to go."

She began slithering in a direction and I followed. The reporter yelled as I sped off. "Wait, don't go!"

"I've changed my mind about the interview!" I responded.

I could have sworn I heard him start to chase after me, but I never looked back to check. We moved fast, attempting to juke our potential pursuer, passing people who gave us concerned looks. 11-7 kept looking back at me, probably to make sure I was keeping up. I was still amazed how quick on her feet she was, considering she didn't have any. She ducked into an alley and I followed her.

The alley was not as dirty as I expected. Sure, there were plenty of fire escapes, but there weren't any dumpsters or trash cans, it was more like an outdoor path between buildings. She moved slower now and led me further down the alley, taking a left into a different alley. She looked around and honed in on a path that led to yet another alley. There were other places we could have taken turns at, and she moved with purpose, so her decisions seemed to be calculated rather than spur of the moment. Our escape ended when she led me to the entrance of a street.

"Stop. I need a breather." I sat down on the concrete against the metal wall of a building, taking some time to get a few deep breaths in.

She looked down at me and nodded, taking a position across from me in the alley. She was panting, but not as much as I was. I was a little out of shape. Her head movements were methodical as she looked around to see if anyone had followed us.

In between my breaths I decided to ask her a question. "You - seem to know your - way around the city."

She looked at me for a second. "I have done patrols around city hall before, I know the layout of this area."

I couldn't help but laugh at how absurd this situation was, which caught her attention.

She had a curious expression on her face and cocked her head. "What is making you laugh?"

I stifled my laughter for a moment to respond. "We ran from that guy like he was trying to kill us or something. I don't even know if he chased us."

"He pursued us, but gave up long before we reached the alley." She spoke matter-of-factly and my laughter didn't seem to affect her.

"Come on, you gotta admit it's a little funny. I mean, the camera wasn't even functional when we ran."

She dropped her rifle to her side and gestured to me with her free hand as she spoke. "Yes, this situation may be - ludicrous, but you should being careful in the future. You could have made your situation worse."

I shook my head and leaned forward on my knees. "Don't I know that, I can already hear Manny chastising me." I looked up at her. "You gave me some good advice, but I chose not to listen. So, don't feel too bad." I joked.

She snorted and flicked her tongue at me. "I do not feel bad for your foolish decisions. - I am only here to counteract them when you make them."

"Well, I'd say you've got your work cut out for you." My speech was forced as I stood up.

Her brow furrowed. "I might not be so efficient with my assistance if you make my assignment difficult."

"Only joking, of course. The last thing I need is to get in trouble again." I dusted off my pants. "I think I've pushed my luck enough for one day, let's go home." I made sure my scarf was snug around my face this time.

0-

The inside of my house was a welcome sight. I took off my jacket and threw it in the closet by the door. My couch called to me, so I ran over and hopped onto it, leaning back on the corner with my hands behind my head. 11-7 slithered towards the couch, her head focused on her bedroom door. She said nothing to me and headed for the hallway.

Seeing her slithering away, probably to stay in her room all night, didn't sit right with me, and I knew why. The prospect of being alone didn't seem appealing anymore. Who would want to be around me after reading about me having a Viper fetish in some tabloid? Hell, I already know what my neighbors think, and the general population. I had to cover my face just to be in public today. I guess I could hang out with the weirdos, like that Cody guy, but I'd rather not. I was getting tired of keeping everyone at arm's length, and It's possible that Manny might not be able to completely fix this. Being alone was something I had experience with, something I understood. Something I despised, but could never really escape. Now it was about to become my reality. Just me and my house, no friends or family, suckling from Advent's teat until I died.

I had been preparing for this moment the whole walk home, thinking of what to say. My anger from the previous day had been replaced with regret. I still felt bad about how I treated her the other day, and the way she acted this morning made it clear she wasn't happy about it. Destroying my previous conception that she might not have emotions. I knew what I had to do, I had to apologize.

"Hey wait, 11-7." She halted her movement and turned to face me. "Look, I uh, - I'm sorry about yesterday. I'm sorry for how I acted."

She tensed up and flicked her tongue out slower. "What are you doing?"

That caught me off guard. "I'm uh, apologizing - for my behavior yesterday?"

She scratched her chin with a claw and looked away in thought. I heard her mumble something like. "An apology? - never received one." She looked back at me with a curious expression. "Very well, proceed."

Proceed? The way she talks sometimes makes me feel like I'm in court. "Ok. - I didn't mean all the stuff I said yesterday. I'm just, you know, dealing with a lot of shit, and it keeps piling up."

She didn't look convinced. "That's no reason to talk down to me. I did not write those articles." She pointed at my phone as she spoke.

I sighed. "I'm sorry for that too. I know this isn't your fault, it's those damn journalists' fault. Stirring up drama instead of reporting the news that matters. You've done your job well. I... I shouldn't have directed my frustration at you. It was wrong of me to do, and I won't do it again."

11-7 seemed like she was really enjoying my apology. She looked like a kid who was receiving a forced apology, courtesy of her parents. When I finished, she seemed to mull it over for a while. "Hmm. I can forgive you Lucas, it was a minor infraction. But, don't think you can go back to insulting me after this. I will not take your insults without reaction. My people's bite is worse than our words." She nipped the air in my general direction and turned to leave.

Again, I felt a nagging sensation at the back of my mind. What could I want? I had already apologized to her; my conscience is clear. Well, I guess it has been a while since I've socialized with anyone outside work, and our interaction last night was not unpleasant. Am I so starved for human interaction, that I'm seriously considering hanging around her? She isn't even human, so I don't think that would constitute human interaction. But, it would be better than nothing I suppose, and it's not like this could affect my public image. My blinds are down, and my neighbors won't visit. Even if someone found out, I doubt it would make things worse than they already are. There's still too much time left today, and I am not going to bed early. The last thing I need right now is more dreams. Maybe she could help distract me from this shit, even if it's just for a few hours. It may be worth a try.

I saw 11-7 reaching for the doorknob to her room, and decided it was worth a try. "Don't go just yet. Do you uh, maybe want to watch some movies tonight with me?"

She spun around and squinted her eyes. "And why would you want that?"

I shrugged and tried to play it off. "I uh... why not. Unless you're busy with something?"

She cocked her head and slithered up to me. "I had assumed you wanted to be away from me." She paused for a few moments. "You've already apologized, you do not need to interact with me further.

"Well uh, you assumed wrong. Now come sit down, or do I have to order you to do that?" she looked cross when I mentioned ordering her. I put my hands up non-threateningly. "I was joking, it was... that was a joke."

She relaxed her face and snorted. "Let me change out of my uniform first, I will return." She slithered off to her room and was gone for several minutes. I sat on the couch in an increasing pool of nervousness until she came out.

A white tank top covered her lithe torso when she returned. She leaned on the hallway entrance to the living room as she spoke. "Lucas, I didn't expect you to come around like that, to - apologize. I have never received an apology from a human. Not once, even when one was deserved."

Now even she was giving me a weird look, but it wasn't disgust like everyone else, it was interest. "Well, I'm uh, full of surprises."

She smiled and sized me up, still leaning against the wall. "I can see that. Tell me, do you like me Lucas?"

I looked into her dilated crimson eyes, but couldn't read her intent behind that question. Besides her lips, which were curved upwards ever so slightly, her body language gave me no hints either, which made it an even more complicated question to answer. A question like this required a subtle and well thought out response. One that would leave both the questioner and the answerer satisfied. "Of course I do, I haven't tried to replace you yet, have I?" Dammit, me and my damn mouth.

She snorted. "No, you haven't." She left her post in the hallway and slithered onto the couch. "So, what did you have in mind?" Oh? Seems I spoke too soon.

I shrugged. "I don't know, I figured I'd flick through channels until we found something that looked good."

She gestured to the tv. "Start flicking then." She emphasized the word flicking, which implied she didn't know what it meant.

I chuckled and started looking. Eventually I clicked on crappy romantic comedy #503 by accident. I didn't even see what it was called. I went to change the channel, but 11-7 was interested in it. She wanted to watch it even more when I explained why it was gonna be bad. Saying something about wanting to learn more about how humans interacted. She watched it intently, but I didn't care for it much. I ended up studying 11-7 instead, watching her reactions to the movie. She laughed at every joke they made, and when I say every joke, I mean it. There was some lame joke about the female lead's mother being a cougar, and she laughed at it. She had a childlike sense of humor, I guarantee if I sat on a whoopee cushion she would probably think it was funny. Guess she wasn't lying when she said she hasn't seen much entertainment.

Honestly, the more I am around her the more human she seems. In the beginning I just assumed she was some kind of Advent attack dog, well attack snake, but she might actually have a personality... and a bad taste in comedies. I suppose it's a good thing she's not just a drone. She might be the only person, or alien, that'll want to hang out with me from now on. Even still, I can't trust her. It's not like I can just forget what I've seen, and she's a soldier. She's not like my neighbors, who I can say off-color remarks to and be fine the next day. She's an agent of Advent. Her loyalties are with them, not me.

I looked over at her and she was giggling at another stupid joke that the protagonist of this romantic comedy made. She looked so innocent in this moment. No gun, no armor, no hostility, no professionalism. Even her crimson eyes, normally laser focused, had a twinkle to them. She was someone sitting on a couch and enjoying a subpar film. I know what she is capable of, but can I really say that I know her? She's still a mystery to me, maybe we could actually be friends. I can usually get a good read on people, but her, I don't know. I'm sure the whole alien snake thing isn't helping with that. Seeing as I'll be stuck with her for a while I should get to know her, but where to even start? It's difficult to get to know people, but aliens are a whole 'nother ball game. I've worked with Manny for how many years, and all I know is that he's an asshole who drinks whisky sometimes. Shit the commercials are on, better think of something quick. I guess work is as good a place to start as anything.

11-7 was watching the commercials, oblivious to my scheming. "So uh, where were you stationed before this?"

She turned her head to face me. She squinted her eyes and slowly flicked her tongue out. That twinkle in her eyes was gone. "Why are you interested in that, Lucas?"

Maybe asking something related to Advent operations isn't the best way to start off. "Oh, uh. I'm just making conversation. You know, small talk."

She scrutinized me. It felt like she was trying to locate an inkling of proof that I had ill intentions. After a few moments of that, she seemed satisfied. "I was stationed at base #45, it is located here in the city."

I waited for her to elaborate, but she didn't. "What did you do at base 45? If you don't mind me asking."

She inspected me again, this time taking longer to do so, and again she seemed satisfied with her investigation. "I was assigned to patrol different sections of the city, sometimes deployed when conflict arose."

"So, uh, what was that like?"

She didn't examine me this time, she just looked confused. "I don't understand."

Ugh, she must not talk to people very much. "I mean, what did you do specifically, and did you enjoy it?"

"Enjoy... it?"

"Yeah, you're enjoying the movies, right?" I pointed at the tv. "Did you enjoy your work?"

She looked away from me and back at the movie, but she wasn't watching it. She was silent for a few moments before responding. "I enjoy combat deployment, but patrols are boring. Nothing ever happened on patrol."

Now we're getting somewhere. "What was your housing like?"

"Do you mean quarters?"

"Yes"

"Bunkhouse, they crammed together us in one building. Each species had their own bunkhouse, all kept separate. Viper bunkhouse was far from entrance to base."

"Interesting, what was that like? Being it a bunkhouse."

She shook her head. "Bad, no room, bed was stiff, all showered together. No free time for us, only work. Food was bad, but not terrible. - But, it was... lively." She lingered on the word lively and stared off into space.

Sounds about right. That probably was standard military life for human soldiers before the war. "Can't say I'd want to live like that. My apartment was pretty bad before I got this place."

She refocused on me and cocked her head. "You lived somewhere else before?"

"Yeah, I used to live in a shitty two-bedroom apartment with... myself, and I worked at a small arms factory. Made weapons like the one you carry around." Let's not open that can of worms now.

She looked surprised. "Engineer of weapons. That is a respectable job, a necessary one."

I felt embarrassed that she thought I was smart enough to be an engineer and corrected her. "Well, I didn't design them. - I just built them."

She nodded and responded without skipping a beat. "Fabrication is just as important."

Wow, some actual appreciation for my old job; she's gonna make me blush. "So, you were all kept in separate bunkhouses, huh? Must be weird sharing a house with a human then."

She took some time to answer. "It has been interesting. You are strange, but the comforts here are better than those afforded in the barracks."

Strange? What does that mean? Did she notice the desire, or the fear? "I'm glad to hear it, I guess. What do you mean I'm strange?"

She looked at me and put her hands on her... lap? She looked like a parent about to tell their child something they didn't want to hear. "Don't become agitated, your behavior is normal for humans."

Oh, so it's a human thing then. "Well, how am I strange? I won't get mad."

She snorted. "You can't seem to decide about how to interact with me."

Yup, she noticed, probably both. Shit, how well can she read me? I could be an open book to her for all I know. I should just be honest. "Having you here has been an adjustment for me, but don't get me wrong. I am happy that you're here. You were a little overzealous the other day, but you've done a good job keeping me safe. I'm sure people would have harassed me if you weren't backing me up."

She cocked her head. "You truly mean that?"

"I do."

I saw her lips curl upward into a slight smile. The movie started back up soon after, which ended our conversation.

We watched movies all day, and well into the night. I was dozing off around the third or fourth romantic comedy. Eventually the boredom overtook my desire to stay awake and I fell asleep. When I woke up, a different movie was playing and I had leaned back on the couch while I dozed off. I felt cool scales touching my arm. I looked to my right and 11-7 was sitting very close to me. My arm was laying on the couch, and the side of her hips were pushed right up against it. I blinked a few times to make sure she was really there. 11-7 didn't disappear, she had actually scooted all the way over to sit next to me and was oblivious to anything other than the movie. How long has she been sitting like this? I didn't know how to react, so I just pretended to wake up. The moment I stirred I felt the sensation of her cool flesh leave, and I heard something heavy slide across the cushions. When I looked over, she cast me a nervous glance, like she was trying to figure out if I knew something. Great, if she wants to pretend that didn't happen, then I'll play along.

Well this has certainly been an eventful day. I yawned. "I'm going to bed, don't stay up too late."

She seemed to relax when I didn't mention anything about the whole sitting next to me thing. "Goodnight Lucas, but I only sleep for 4 hrs a day."

That was surprising. "What, why?"

"The Ethereals have genetically modified my species to be more effective in combat."

"Whatever, I don't want to discuss genetics now, or how that would make you more effective in combat. Enjoy your 4 hrs of sleep, but don't watch too many of those romantic comedies. They'll rot your brain."

She looked concerned. "Do they really?"

"No, it's a figure of speech."

She nodded. "Oh, I understand."

She really needs to work on her understanding of human phrases. Though, I suppose it's impressive that she can carry a conversation at all. I left and went to my bedroom.

It would seem that instead of getting away from that serpent, I'm being pushed closer to her. Not that I'm a completely unwilling party to it. I mean, she was sitting close to me while I slept, and was embarrassed about it when I woke up. That's cute as fuck; I never stood a chance, did I? No, this isn't right, I've got to do something. How could things even work between us? Who knows what she has going on anatomically. She might not have anything... down there, since these Vipers never wear things that cover their waist. There's still a chance for redemption, I can save myself before things get too serious. I just have to think about how. I looked at my phone, 12:22 am. Too late now, I'll sleep on it. I climbed into bed and plugged in my phone.

She really sat right next to me, didn't she? Hell, I'm surprised she wasn't holding my hand when I woke up. That's so corny, like something from a movie... I'm going to have to start keeping tabs on what she's watching. I swear if I have any more weird dreams about Vipers or terrorists, or viper terrorists I'm gonna have to do something drastic. Sleep came easy, I lost some energy after outrunning that reporter, and those romantic comedies took what I had left.