After the End - Chapter 12
The sky is just beginning to take on a red tinge as Cybersix steps back through her window. She'd needed to work the edge off after killing that techno and so had jumped around the rooftops for hours. A waste of energy, but... Finally a little tired, she goes over to her bed and sits down, sighing.
She'd had to kill him. He had shown up here twice, which meant he knew where she lived. Or at least had a very strong suspicion. She only hoped he hadn't told Jose already.
Or is she just being paranoid? Had she really needed to kill him?
She hears a sound outside and looks up to see Data 7 peering at her from the windowsill.
"Data," She speaks quietly. "You should get going. It'll be light soon."
Ignoring her, he hops down and walks over to sit silently in front of her.
Their eyes meet. Cybersix sighs again and looks away. She wonders what her brother would say to her now if he could only talk. He knows what's going on - what had happened to her tonight.
She'd lost herself again. From the time she'd descended on the techno to the time his neck had snapped in her hands there had been no thought. Only reaction. Events unfolded in images, sounds, sensations. It was some kind of... altered state. It was...
Exactly what Cybers were supposed to do. She didn't know if it was in their genes or a result of their training, but either way, it was the way VonReichter made them.
It had been happening ever since she was a little kid; something inside her would click and suddenly she would feel calm but alert, her mind completely still. It was as if information went in through her senses and directly caused her body to react, bypassing her brain altogether. When she woke up the memories of what she'd done would come back to her in pictures and sounds, like a movie.
And yet it never makes her do anything she doesn't intend to - just like she had, in fact, intended to kill that techno. So it isn't a loss of control. Or is it? She can't figure it out. It happens at the strangest times, too, not just when she hunts or is in danger. But she hates it.
Data 7 comes and rubs his head against her stomach, making a purring noise low in his throat. He's trying to comfort her, she knows. She places a hand on his neck. "It's all right, Brother, I'll be okay. Now you'd better get going unless you want to be stuck here all day."
He looks up at her with an expression like you'd better be telling the truth, then turns and disappears out the window.
Cybersix kicks off her shoes and, not bothering to get undressed, lies down on the bed. She can still catch a few hour's sleep before work.
Cybersix joins the crowd of people migrating toward the school. It's a bright, sunny day and the weather's beginning to get really warm. This is the time of year she starts wishing she could wear short sleeved shirts.
"Adrian!" She turns to see Lucas running up to her. He looks tired and disheveled, like he'd had a really rough night. He skids to a stop in front of her. "I really need to talk to you."
"Okay. What's up?" She tries to sound casual, but she can tell something's wrong.
Lucas hesitates. "No. Not here, not now. Can you meet me right after school?"
"Sure."
He nods jerkily. "I'll come to your classroom then." He spins on a heel and walks off uncharacteristically quickly.
Cybersix frowns to herself. After last night, she'd been hoping for a quiet few days. But she shrugs Lucas' behavior off as she opens the school's front door. Right now it will be nice to have just an average day at work.
****
The day does indeed progress normally, but by the time last period is drawing to a close, Cybersix finds herself itching to know what Lucas wants to talk to her about. Finally the bell rings and she begins to gather up her notes.
Looking up across the room, she notices Lori whispering to her gang and making shooing motions at them. Now that she thinks of it, the girl was unusually subdued during class today. She has a feeling something's coming.
Sure enough, after everyone else cleared out, Lori is still sitting at her desk. She looks upset. "Is there something wrong, Lori?" Cybersix tries to keep the reluctance out of her voice. She doesn't have time to deal with Lori right now, what with something being wrong with Lucas.
Lori is still for a minute, looking straight at her with a blank expression on her face. "I saw you last night." She half whispers.
Her heart skipping momentarily , Cybersix tries to look busy organizing papers. She asks calmly. "Saw me what?"
"You sucked that guy's blood, and then you killed him. " Lori's voice is quiet but steady.
Cybersix freezes. She's always known this day would come. One of her worst nightmares. She looks up at Lori.
"Are you some kind of vampire? Is that where you get your powers from?"
"No, I'm not. Look, I can explain what happened, but not now and not here. If I could meet you somewhere-"
The girl scowls. "You think I'm going anywhere with you? How do I know you won't bite me too?"
She sighs. "Lori, that man you saw wasn't human. And I don't bite humans."
"He looked human enough to me."
"So do I."
She looks intrigued as she realizes the implications of this. "You mean you're not? But what-"
They both turn as the classroom door opens. Lucas pokes his head in. "Oh, sorry. I didn't know you were with a student."
"Give us a minute, okay Lucas?"
"Sure." He sounds impatient, but closes the door, leaving them alone again.
Cybersix moves out from behind her desk to stand in front of Lori. "I meant what I said about being able to explain. You just give me a place and time where I can meet you."
Lori looks skeptical.
Cybersix represses a sigh. "Look, don't you think if I wanted to bite you, I would have taken you up on one of your previous offers to meet somewhere private?"
"Okay," Lori concedes after a bit of thought. "Meet me in Westpark by the fountain." She gets up to leave.
"When?"
She stops abruptly in her tracks. "Not after dark."
"Fine. How about five-thirty?"
"Okay." Lori walks out the door, brushing by Lucas. He doesn't come inside, but stands at the door waiting for Cybersix to follow. They leave the school in silence; it's obvious that what ever Lucas has to say must be said in private. That has her worried.
Finally they reach his apartment. "What is this all about?" Cybersix asks as soon as they are inside.
Lucas shuts the door firmly behind them and sighs. He takes a moment to turn to her. "I have some bad news. Please don't be angry with me, but.... that he vial of sustenance I gave to my friend? It was stolen from him two days ago."
Cybersix is absolutely still, a stony expression on her face.
"Look, it wasn't Kevin's fault. " Lucas says placatingly. "He had it locked up and everything. Who ever took it must have known it was there."
Cybersix begins to pace; definitely not a good sign. "This is really bad, Lucas."
"I know. But maybe, with any luck, it was just a techno who took it to drink it, and-"
"You'd better hope it wasn't." She stops pacing and turns to face him. "If it was 'just a techno' they'll report it to Jose, and he'll want to know exactly how the vial got there. In fact, your friend could be in danger."
Lucas' expression becomes grave. "So what can we do?"
"I don't know." Cybersix thinks. "Considering the tight security there, it was most likely one of your friend's co-workers. Does anyone there seem suspicious to him?"
"I don't know, I'll have to ask him."
"Just tell him to be very careful for a while. No going out alone at night, that sort of thing." Although if Jose sends a type after him, no amount of being careful will help. She adds to herself.
"Okay." He sighs. "You know, this is so frustrating. Kevin told me he was making good progress testing the sustenance, doing an analysis on it."
"Really? Did he tell you what's in it?" Cybersix asks quickly.
"No. He wouldn't tell me anything. But he did say that if he was able to get just a bit more of it, he would probably be able to figure out how to replicate it."
"Well, I do have that one vial left, but I don't want to give it up." She shakes her head. "It's not very often I have the luxury of time in the bank."
Lucas nods. "I understand. But you know, uh, I did think of a really simple way we could get more for him."
"Oh?"
He hesitates. "Well, it's in your blood, right? So we just give Kevin a sample of your blood. He could draw it himself; he knows how."
"But then he'd have to know about me. Have you-"
"No, I haven't told him. But I really think we should." He rushes on as an objection forms on her face. "Listen to me, Cybersix. This could be your golden opportunity. What if he really can do it? Just think; no more risking your neck to get sustenance, no more living day-by-day, never knowing if you'll still be okay tomorrow..."
Cybersix turns away from him. Lucas' words resonate in her like sound in a tuning fork. What if? But is it worth the risk? "I don't know, Lucas. I'll have to think about it."
"So what happens if you can't find some in time?"
"Then I die. It's been close before." Cybersix replies.
Her expression unreadable, Lori looks out the broken window. After meeting at the park, the two of them had moved to an abandoned warehouse in the harbor district. Here, they were certain of not being overheard, which makes both of them feel safer.
It's nearly dark now; they've been talking for a long time. Cybersix has just finished telling Lori everything about her life - after what the girl's seen, she thinks, it's probably best to just come clean.
"So why did you kill that guy - I mean, uh, "techno" - if you don't normally?"
She takes a breath. "I had reason to believe he found me out - discovered my secret identity. If he reported it to Jose, I'd be as good as dead. It would just be a matter of time."
Lori is silent for another minute. Cybersix waits patiently while she tries to absorb everything she's just heard.
Then the girl takes a breath. "There is something else you should know, Cybersix. About what happened last night, I mean."
"Yes?" She prompts when Lori become silent again.
"Well, after I saw you, somebody grabbed me. It was one of the guys who was with that obnoxious kid - Jose - when he kidnapped me that time. You know, the ugly one with the black under his eyes and black lips?" She shudders involuntarily. "I thought that was all make up until... until last night."
Cybersix becomes intently alert. "What did he do to you?"
"He told me that if I told anyone what I saw you do he'd kill me."
Her blood turns to ice water.
"But I don't get it," Lori continues. "I thought you and him were on opposite sides."
"We are." She answers in a quiet voice. She's just as confused; why would Sylvester - or for that matter Jose - care if someone found out she attacked people? Wouldn't that work to their advantage? "I don't know what's going on either. But I can find out."
"Would he... would he really kill me?" Lori's voice is the smallest she's ever heard it. Anger sparks inside Cybersix. First Lucas' friend Kevin and now Lori are both in serious danger because of her. And then there's Yashimotto, who even now is sticking his neck out for her. She abruptly gets up off the old crate they've been sitting on. "Don't worry, Lori. You're not much of a threat to him." But this thing is, she knows Sylvester really would kill Lori if for some reason she became a threat. "Just don't go anywhere alone at night or anything like that." She's said the exact same thing earlier that day. "And if you see him again, act scared. Now come on, it's getting late. I'll walk you home."
"Okay." Lori gets up and follows her out into the night.