Forgotten Reality
Chapter Four: One Too Many

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For once, Cybersix was angry at her strange sleeping patterns. What she would have given to fall into bed and fade away into sweet, blessed, silent rest. But her mind was too busy, and her eyes would not stay closed. Who was the man who had so recently given her a flash of hope? Why had she felt so utterly strange when they had talked? And how could he help her?
She rolled over on her bed for the thousandth time, ignoring the sleepshirt that had slipped its way up to her waist. Daylight seemed incredibly far away, and, according to the clock on her dresser (3:43 AM), she still had at least two hours of time to think. And those were two hours she could definitely do without. For example (at least the fiftieth example tonight), Cybersix had already run over everything that had happened more times than she could accurately count. Her mind actually hurt from asking question after question and never getting the answers. It was getting to be an extremely annoying habit of hers, and it didn't help her focus on her teacherwork at all.
Her mind drifted towards the small matter of Mikae. Out of everyone she'd talked to, excepting the man with blue eyes, Mikae had been the least hostile. And since she'd left with some mystery, Cybersix thought perhaps she'd peaked Mikae's interest again. Which meant very little, but again, it was a small hope. The teenager's personality would probably be difficult to cope with for awhile, but if the former CyberX could be won over, Cybersix would have yet another ally - and a far more reliable one at that.
Cybersix smiled briefly. Calling Mikae reliable was a complete oxymoron, but times had made the adjective true. And besides, Cybersix reasoned, this whole Meridiana was an oxymoron. Why not call Mikae reliable?
The smile disappeared as Cybersix felt a familiar twinge in her left wrist. And there was the last and most worrisome problem she had. She'd tried to avoid thinking about it, but it kept coming back. Von Reichter simply did not exist. José had never been created. Obviously none of the Cybers had, either, because Data 7 was not prowling the sewers and Cyber Ten was not terrorizing the rooftops. And Mikae had never been altered. Which left very little hope that some sustenance could be found, except in her own bloodstream. Aside from the fact that it wouldn't do any good, sucking blood from her own wrist wasn't an attractive idea. So really, there was only one thing to do before the situation got more awkward. Ask Blue-Eyes if he knew anything about sustenance, and if he could possibly get her some before she keeled over and began flopping like a dying fish.
Well, shit, she thought, I'm beginning to sound like Mikae. She glanced at the clock again (3:57 AM). In frustration, she threw what small cover the sheets had provided off of her legs, and climbed out of bed. She left her bedroom and marched straight to the couch, sitting down heavily. After fumbling for the remote in the relative darkness, the blue-white light of the television lit up the room, giving her skin a strange glow. Hugging her knees to her chest, she watched the remains of late night television, and the beginnings of the early morning news.

Adrian's attentions were not on his classes. They were instead on Lucas' behavior and his own left arm. To be fair, the students didn't care much at all, aside from Lori. But Adrian was of the opinion that she didn't really count. The notes, however, were getting to be very, very annoying, especially as they began to walk the line between love notes and lust notes.
Which did NOT help Adrian's mood at all.
Neither did the midday heat, which was so oppressive by noon that the students were nearly falling asleep in the lunch line. Their rubbery legs drifted about a mile behind them, and their chins bounced up and down on their chests in rhythm to their walking. Girls pulled hair up into ponytails, and boys carried their gym towels around to sponge their foreheads. All in all, the school stank of sweat and humidity. Adrian decided to walk home and get something - anything - to better prepare himself for the afternoon.
Leaving his trenchcoat in his room, he returned to his apartment and dug through the refrigerator. Several bottles of ice cold water were stacked along the left side, and he took one out gratefully. The walk back to school was no less torturous, but the water provided some small comfort. Upon returning to his classroom, he noticed that a pocket on his coat had been flipped open, and a small corner of white paper was peeking out. Placing the bottled water on his desk, he deftly pulled the note from the pocket, suspecting Lori of yet another antic.
But the handwriting was decidedly different. It was not the delicate cursive of a lovestruck teenage girl, it was clean, sharp, and printed neatly.

Six-
You need to be careful. Don't go up to the peninsula without me, and don't draw any attention to yourself tonight. There are several angry editorials in the paper today, one from a police detective. I expect you know who I'm talking about, even if... well. I'll explain everything tonight. Don't be late.

-Ace Rayer

Cybersix was now angry. Not only had she missed meeting with Blue-Eyes again, he had invaded her locked classroom and left a note using her designation in plain view. Then again... she thought, he must have been waiting for me to leave, and known that I'd be the first one back into the room... and he must have needed to make sure I noticed his letter. Anger subsided, she now began to feel uneasy and apprehensive. She trusted Ace, certainly, but she doubted his ability to help her.
But there wasn't anyone else to go to.

When the last shades of red disppeared from Meridiana's skyline, Cybersix made her quick and silent way to the water tower, where she waited in the shadows near the ladder. Her black eyes searched the barely visible outline of the tower. She shrugged and leaped to the small maintenance platform, stumbling a bit on the loose metal grating. A gloved hand reached out, grabbing her arm and steadying her. She looked up to find herself gazing into a pair of blue eyes.
Ace Rayer said gently. It's easy to fall up here. He glanced around the rooftops. You weren't followed, were you?
I would have heard them, she answered, shaking her head.
You didn't hear me last night.
He has a point... I was a little preoccupied.
Ace leaned against the side of the water tower. Understandably so. Look, I'm really not sure how to explain this... Okay. Well, by now you're probably aware that Von Reichter doesn't exist here, which probably really confused you.
Confused, yes, but I'm more worried about sustenance.
Wha- oh, right... I'll have to ask... Haven't needed to deal with that in awhile. All right, first - I don't live in this Meridiana. And neither do you. Von Reichter DOES exist, and he's playing a trick on your mind. Cybersix, you're in the wrong place.
...What do you mean?
I mean that... oh hell, you won't even remotely believe this... Von Reichter has some new machine that splits dimensions. And he's forced you into the wrong one in order to torture you.
Cybersix blinked. This explanation, though extremely farfetched, had its possibilities, and it could make sense. So... you're telling me... that I'm in another dimension. And there are multiple Cybersixes running around?
Yes. And I'm proof of that - wow, does this sound weird - I'm engaged to one of you.
Well. Uh. Damn. Which, uhm, could explain why I trust you?
Possibly. It also explains my somewhat stupid comment about how beautiful you are no matter where you go.
Cybersix shook her head. It wasn't stupid, she said, but glanced down at her feet to hide the light blush across her cheeks. She cleared her throat and looked up, reminding herself that there were more pressing matters at hand than how flattered she felt. So.. what can you do?
I'm going to ask my Six... God, she'll hate me for calling her that-
Cybersix laughed quietly.
-I'll ask her where I can find you some sustenance and talk to her about getting to Von Reichter's stronghold. She's more familiar with it than I am. When I bring you some sustenance, I'll let you know what our - well, her - plan is. It will probably involve transferring to your dimension, breaking into a mad scientist's fortress of doom, sneaking through the security protected hallways to find you, getting you away from whatever it is that keeps you trapped in here, and thereby returning you to your own dimension, after which we go back to ours and voila! you're back in the Meridiana you know and love - and free to tell Lucas how much you missed him, which will probably only confuse him more.
Cybersix commented, Either Von Reichter's getting smarter, or you just have the craziest rescue plans ever.
Ace laughed. I'd go with the second one. I haven't been known to be fully sane, no matter where I go or what I do.
You seem sane to me.
I can't escape that, can I? Six won't let me badmouth myself, and neither will you... Anyway, I'll ask her where I'll find you some sustenance, and I'll bring it to your apartment and leave it there. How many vials do you think you'll need?
...if you're a quick worker, three. If you're not, five or six.
Well, we'll do our best, so how does four sound? Four should be fairly easy to get a hold of.
Four is fine. Cybersix shifted her weight. I suppose you'll be going?
Yeah, that's the thing to do. Listen, keep your head high and don't worry. We'll do everything we can, I swear.
Cybersix smiled. Thank you.
Not a problem, love- er, sorry. Freudian slip and all... There was an awkward silence, then Ace stepped up onto the guardrail. Sorry. I'll see you soon. And he dropped backwards out of sight.
Cybersix crossed her arms. That really is anti-climatic.