After the End - Chapter 9
"So how exactly did you meet that guy?" Still sitting in his chair, Lucas follows Cybersix's movement as she walks over to the window.
"Well, to make a long story short, Jose went to him to get him to track me down. He refused, so Jose kidnapped his little sister and Julian, who was playing with her at the time. Anyway, Yashimotto found out where I lived and we rescued the two of them together."
Lucas makes and noncommittal noise, thinking. He watches as Cybersix shifts, begins to fidget, then starts pacing. Here we go.
"Uh, Lucas, not meaning get rid of you, but I need to go. Out, that is." She gestures toward the window.
"Why? Are you going after Sylvester?"
"No, but if I see him we'll be sure to have a little chat."
"Do you need more sustenance, then?"
"No, not right now. "
"So what do you want to go out for?"
She stops pacing and looks at him. "This is one of those things you don't understand, Lucas. Just let me go, okay?"
"No." Frustrated and seeing his opportunity, Lucas decides it's finally time to have this out. He stands up, crosses over to the window, and takes Cybersix by the shoulders. "Don't you leave on me again." Noticing her confused look, he backs off a bit. "You're always telling me I don't understand. But you never stay long enough to explain it to me. So if you want me to understand something, explain it to me now."
Cybersix studies the floor for a moment before looking back up at him. "Okay. I'll try."
Her eyes take on a faraway look as she collects her thoughts. "I go out at night even when I don't have to, even when I don't need sustenance. I do it because I - like to." Like is not nearly strong enough a word, but she doesn't want to use another.
"But it's dangerous. Especially now that so many people are trying to find you."
"I know. It doesn't matter."
He looks at her strangely.
She sighs and decides to plunge on. "Fish swim. Horses run. I jump. It's not just how we get around, it's intrinsic to our nature, to who and what we are."
Lucas is about to tell her to stop speaking in literary devices, but stops himself when he sees the deadly serious look on her face. Does he understand? He thinks back to the night when she carried him on her back and remembered how much she seemed to enjoy it. She had been... in her element. So that was all?
Suddenly the realization hits him. Like a race car driver, a pilot... He opens his mouth to say something, then changes his mind. She doesn't want to be called out on this. Patience. "Okay, I guess if you like it that much." He tries to sound casual. "I just wanted to know, that's all. I guess you... need to get your exercise, eh?"
He is delighted to see her smile. "Yes, that's exactly it. So you understand, it's not that I don't want to spend time with you..."
Lucas sighs. "Okay, I guess I'll leave." He reaches for his coat.
"Plus, I might be able to find Sylvester and get some answers." Cybersix adds hastily.
He nods, once again finding himself having to suppress the jumble of feelings that rise within him. "But I will talk to you tomorrow, right?"
"Of course. Goodbye, Lucas. "
****
Cybersix steps up onto her windowsill, glancing around the immediate area like she always does. A flash of red by the corner of the building across the street catches her eye. Red hair. It's Lori; and she's looking right up at the window. Great. Cybersix jumps off the sill, aiming the girl.
She lands only a few feet directly in front of Lori. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, hi, uh - Cybersix. I was just going for a walk and I looked up and saw you there"
One of Cybersix's eyebrows arches. "Going for a walk? This late at night? By yourself?"
Data 7 lands beside her, having followed her out the window.
Lori looks uneasily at the panther. "That's some pet you have there."
"He's not a pet. He's my brother." She regrets it the instant she says it.
Lori looks at her dubiously. "Really? How does that work?"
"Never mind. " Cybersix says quickly. "You shouldn't be out here. Go home, Lori. "
The girl rolls her eyes. " I can take care of myself. " In classic Lori style, she abruptly changes the subject. "So, who was that other guy who went up to your apartment with Lucas?"
"Lori! You've been spying on me. "
Her face takes on a guilty look. "Well, I, uh, like I said-"
"I don't want to hear it. " This is the first time Cybersix has ever seen Lori frazzled. She tries to think of a way to get rid of her without actually threatening her. "How would you like it if I spied on you and your friends?"
Suddenly a man comes around the corner and nearly runs into Lori's back. "Sorry. " He mutters. Then he looks up and notices Cybersix. Their eyes lock for just an instant before he hastily looks away. "Oh, uh, hi. I didn't mean to interrupt. I was just uh-" he looks around him as if searching for an explanation, then recalls the cigarette in his hand. "-Out for a smoke!" He declares triumphantly.
"Do you mind going somewhere else?" Cybersix's tone suggests he had better do just that.
"Of course!" The man almost bows in his attempt to appear apologetic. "Sorry to interrupt. I'll just go somewhere else." He walks surprisingly quickly back around the corner and disappears.
"Wow, you sure scared him off. " Lori sounds impressed.
Cybersix makes no comment, thinking of what the techno could have been up to. "Lori, you really shouldn't be here. The streets aren't safe. And-" She assumes her best annoyed teacher voice. "You also shouldn't be spying on me."
"I was just curious. I was worried that day you didn't come to school."
Cybersix progresses to giving Lori her best annoyed look. Which, without much exaggeration, is enough to stop the entire student body of their school in its tracks.
"I'm sorry." Lori actually sounds sheepish.
"Good. Maybe we can talk about this later, but not now. Now go home."
Without another word, Lori turns and walks off.
Signaling to Data 7, Cybersix jumps for the nearest rooftop. She walks over to the other side of the building and looks down. Sure enough, she can see the techno half running down a nearby street. Briefly she considers going after him, but then decides against it. It's too soon for her to drink again, and she would not kill the techno just because he'd seen her. Besides, if it really was just coincidence that he was so close to her apartment, catching him and questioning him might look suspicious. "Let him be." She says to Data 7.
Cybersix raises her face to the cool night breeze and gazes up at the moon. Time to jump.
Reaching the city's downtown, she jumps to the top of the highest building in the area. She pauses to look down at the streets, watching for any signs of people passing by, but all is quiet. Smiling, she is just about to leap off her perch when a warning growl from Data 7 stops her.
"What is it?" She jumps over to where he's standing and follows his gaze toward the ground. Aha; Down below, Sylvester is leaving what is reputed to be the seediest bar in town, his head bent over something in his hands.
She nods to Data 7, then crouches down on the ledge of the building, trying to find a good angle to pounce from. Sylvester's back is directly facing her. Perfect. She drops off the edge, diving like a falcon. He turns and looks up, a surprised look on his face.
Sylvester hastily backs up, trying to get out of her range. As she knew he would. Even before her feet hit the ground she reaches out her arms to grasp him by the shoulders.
"Oh crap." Sylvester says when she looks him in the face. He shoves the wad of money he's been counting into his pocket. "What do you want? You can't possibly be thirsty again."
Without replying, Cybersix pushes Sylvester roughly, hustling him up against the opposite wall. "Did you rape that girl?" She demands when she has him pinned.
"Did I what?"
"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about."
"You're accusing me of... Hello, Cybersix! Look who you're speaking to here."
Her brows furrow. "So what's your point?"
Looking at her like she's in idiot, Sylvester opens his mouth to make a sarcastic reply. But then his expression suddenly changes. "Oh, that's right, you wouldn't know, would you?" He attempts a wry smile. "I'm fixed."
"You're what?"
"Fixed. You know, neutered. I'm a eunuch, my dear."
It takes a moment for this to sink in. "Are you serious?"
He grins again and puts his hands on his belt. "You want to see the proof?"
"No! Thank you." She puts up a hand to stop him, looking away. "That's quite all right, I believe you." She turns back to him. This was a typical VonReichter thing to do, now that she thinks of it. And it certainly explains Sylvester's high voice. "And you're not mad at VonReichter for doing that to you?"
"No. Why should I be?"
Cybersix notices his left hand creeping toward her knee. She grabs his wrist and pins his arm up above his head.
"Sorry. I had to try." He says. The sleeve of his shirt slips up, revealing his tattoo: PTCan.Fam.I.W.1-C. She has no idea what it's supposed to mean. VonReichter had never specified exactly what Sylvester was, but everybody knew he was different, unique among their Master's creatures.
His gaze follows hers to his arm. "Of course I know what it means," he says as if reading her mind. "I know exactly what I am. But I'm not going to tell you-" He breaks off, his face taking on a look of concentration. "There's a cop coming."
"Oh yeah, like I'm going to fall for that."
"Listen."
For a long moment Cybersix can hear only silence. But then... is that the buzz of a police radio? She grabs Sylvester and half-drags, half-carries him into the nearest alley, hurls him into a dark corner, and dives in after him.
She lands nearly on top of him. Knowing he's going to whine, she quickly cups her hand over his mouth. He responds by somehow getting his tongue out and licking her palm.
Unable to stop herself, she pulls her hand away. "Eew! You pig!"
For some reason the sends Sylvester into a fit of giggling. Getting significantly annoyed, Cybersix plants him one in the ribs. He stops instantly.
Leaving him there, she crawls up to the alley's mouth, keeping to the shadows. She watches as a cop walks by. Sylvester creeps up beside her. "Told ya," he whispers when he sees the cop. Ignoring him, she looks up at the roof; sure enough, Data 7 is there, looking back down at her.
Then Sylvester isn't by her side anymore. He's out walking out on the street, looking very casual, as if he has every right to be there. The cop eyeballs him suspiciously, but leaves him alone.
Shit. He got away from her so easy. She can't fallow him of out there; he might look suspicious, but the cop has no justifiable reason to stop him, whereas with her he does. She watches intently as Sylvester disappears down a side street. When it is safe, she jumps back up to the roof. " Let's get him, Data 7."
Together they jump in the direction Sylvester went, stopping on a slanted roof top overlooking the street he walked down. Cybersix looks left, then right; Sylvester is standing in the middle distance, looking back at her. He's seen me. Then he turns around and starts running. The chase is on! Sylvester isn't much of a fighter or a jumper, but he can run - like the wind.
Cybersix springs eagerly after him, swallowing the span of an entire small building in one huge stride. He picks up speed rapidly, diving around the far corner. She leaps to the other side of the street, scrambling up one side of a slanted roof and down the other, then half slipping, half jumping onto a lower roof below. A single stride and she takes to the air again, heading for the adjoining street where Sylvester would be crossing any second....
He flashes by in a blur of speed. For a second the night breeze dies down, and the silence is filled with the sound of his feet drumming rapidly on the street below.
Cybersix's blood begins to sing as she flies after him, wind rushing over her face and in her ears. She lands on the roof of a house, hops over the chimney, and runs along the narrow peak of the roof as if it were a park path. One more brief flight and she's running nearly parallel with Sylvester.
He looks up at the same time she looks down, and even across that distance it seems their eyes meet for a second. Then with inhuman agility, he changes direction 90 degrees in mid stride and races down a side street.
Well, I can do that too. Cybersix spins on one leg, leaning into the turn like a barrel racing horse. Landing on the other side of the road, she hops back and forth across the roofs of the narrow street like a kid playing hopscotch, the elastic power of her legs bouncing her along with no effort.
Up ahead Sylvester makes another sudden turn. She knows where he's going now; home. She picks up the pace. Faced with a tall high-rise, she pushes off the ground with all her strength, attempting what is a huge leap even for her. Realizing she can't make it all the way, she lifts her arms, reaching out, stretching to her utmost to grasp the high ledge. Just as she reaches the end of her momentum, her fingers make contact; she pulls herself up easily and keeps running.
Cybersix reaches the other side of the building and jumps off into the cool night air. She looks down to see Sylvester still running almost directly below her. She's closed the distance between them, but is it enough? They've reached the edge of town. Not much time now. Summoning all her power, she makes a desperate dive for Sylvester's fleeing form.
She misses him by inches and lands hard on her hands and knees. Without pausing for a second she gets her feet under her and looks up.
Just in time to see Sylvester flying over the gate to the Jose's mansion. Suddenly finding herself exposed, Cybersix jumps into a nearby tree and tries to be quiet. There would be a fixed idea standing by the mansion's front door, and she can't go any closer without being seen. Sylvester's home free.
She hears the front door of the mansion open and close. Keeping herself hidden, she leans up against the tree's trunk and tries to get her breath back. When was the last time she was so out of breath?
Minutes pass by in tense silence. So Sylvester isn't going to alert anyone to her presence?
Then a movement catches her eye: a third floor window opens and Sylvester appears. He looks around and easily spots her in the tree. She tenses, ready for the possibility of being shot at.
But instead of trying to kill her, Sylvester puts his thumbs in his ears, sticks out his tongue, and waggles his fingers. She shoots him a poisonous look and he puts his hand on his stomach, miming laughter. He stops suddenly and looks at her seriously for a moment. Then, to her great surprise, he gives her a genuinely warm smile and a thumbs-up before closing the window and disappearing.
Cybersix finds her anger rapidly evaporating. Sylvester had taken a big risk, running full tilt through the city streets like that. She jumped; he ran. Yes; it had been a fair game, and she'd lost. And he could have brought all the residents of Jose's mansion down on her just now, but he hadn't. Perhaps her original assessment of him was correct; maybe they were enemies only by circumstance, not by nature.