"Alec, you ready to go?" I asked as I stepped onto the Space Needle. My brother was sitting on its edge, his eyes looking down at the city below.
"I'm ready, Bobbie," He said, turning his head towards me. I walked over and sat down beside him.
Pulling my knees to my chest and pressing my chin against them, I asked, "So, where's Max? I thought she was here with you?"
"Who told you that?" Alec asked.
"No one," I replied. "Everyone knows Max likes to think up here and where she is, you're not far behind." I looked down to see cars and trucks whizzing by down the street. Several stray dogs followed what looked like a meat truck in the distance.
Alec smiled at that. "I guess that's pretty obvious." He let out a breath of air and looked up at the slowly darkening sky. Thick rain clouds moved slowly in the horizon. "It's beautiful up here. You can just be alone with your thoughts." I glanced up in my brother's direction and nodded.
"That you can," I said as I breathed in the sweet air. "So, what happened between you two?"
"What do you mean?"
I cocked my head at my brother. "You don't get all philosophical and not have something happen. What did she say? Or is that any of my of business?"
"It's not."
I held up my hands. "Fine. I'm just asking."
"I know you were," Alec looked at me sideways. "I'm fine, Bobbie. I told Max about the order and she took it as well as she could."
"Meaning?"
"She's mad at me."
"Oh, for crying out loud!" I exclaimed. "What does she expect you to do?"
"Bobbie," Alec warned.
"Oh, no," I said, "Don't you 'Bobbie', me. Max knows as well as I do that Logan's presence here and his transgenic blood junkieness poses a risk for us. Ordinaries get wind of that business, we'll be locked up in cells faster than you can say, 'Jack Robinson'."
"She does," said Alec. "And she knows that Logan's a risk for us. He's too dangerous to have around here."
"Then what the hell's her problem?"
"Bobbie," Alec began patiently, "Max understands Logan's a problem and she agrees that he should be forbidden to come here."
"Okay."
"What she doesn't like is me threatening him and giving him 'shoot to kill' status."
"Oh, I see," I said in understanding. "So, what'd you say?"
"I told her that she put me in charge of protecting Terminal City along with being mediator for the Council," said Alec. "She trusted my judgment then by putting me in charge and she should trust me now regarding Logan."
"That's good," I said. "How did she react?"
"She told me that she'll accept my order, but she doesn't like it," Alec closed his eyes and continued, "She did say that next time she won't be so generous."
"Well," I said after a long pause, "at least Logan's not a problem anymore. That should be a relief."
Alec looked uncomfortable as he spoke again; "She's going to visit him at the hospital tonight."
"Well, he is her friend." The look on Alec's face told me that there was more to it than that.
"I'm taking her there."
"Alec!" I scolded.
"Bobbie, I couldn't let her go alone," said my brother. He looked at me imploringly. "You understand, don't you?"
I shook my head. "I'm not sure if it's my place to understand. I just don't want you getting hurt."
"I'm not going to get hurt."
"You say that, but I don't believe it. The girl's getting out of a serious relationship and she's confused and lonely. I don't want you to be her rebound."
"I'm not going to be her rebound," Alec protested as I tightened my lips in annoyance. "Bobbie, quit treating me like I'm six years old."
"I'm not!"
"Well, you are," said Alec. "You're way too overprotective of me when it comes to Max and I think it would go a lot easier if you'd lay off her." I crossed my arms and scowled.
"I'd lay off of her if she'd stop being such a..." I stopped when I saw my brother's eyes narrow at me. I glared back at him. "Fine! You don't want me protecting you, then that's your problem. Don't come crying to me when that girl jumps right back to Logan the minute he becomes the 'hero' of the piece. Knowing that ass, he'd do it while she's at the hospital with him, when she's telling him she'd stick by him no matter what."
"Max isn't that faithless," said Alec. I looked at my brother cynically. "She's a good person."
"She may be a good person, Alec," I said, "but she's weak when it comes to Logan. You remember what you told me about what happened between her and Logan three years ago. She felt so scared about putting Logan at risk, that she lied and told him she was with you."
"It wasn't a lie, precisely," said Alec, but the look on his face told me otherwise. He glanced up at my face and sighed. "All right, I was pissed about that one. Besides, she and Logan made up after that. Don't know how, but they were back together again by the time the siege began."
"And that's why I don't want you being her rebound," I said. "Sooner or later, unless she gets her head screwed on right, she's going to keep coming back to Logan like a broken record."
"You're wrong, Bobbie," said Alec as I frowned again. "Max stood up to Logan today or didn't you catch the fight between them?"
"I did," I said. "Max showed backbone for once."
"That she did," said Alec. "And she backed me up in front of TC."
"True."
"So, you have to admit that once Max drops Logan for good, which I think she will with the blood junkie issue, she'll be a stronger and better leader."
"Alec."
"Bobbie, just wait and see before you start making me TC's leader."
I looked down at the street and then glanced back up at the darkening sky. "All right. I'll give Max a chance..."
"Good," said Alec with a smile.
"But I don't think it'll do much good," I continued.
"Why?"
I looked at my brother. "I've already made you the leader in my heart and so has Mole and his friends."
"Oh." Alec's voice was small and quiet at my response. We sat there on the Space Needle for what seemed like the longest time.
"I knew you were going to say that," said Alec, after a while. "Sometimes, I wonder about it. Being the leader." I started to say something, but Alec rushed on, "I know Manticore made us leaders and I have no problem leading a recon team or even going on supply runs, but leading a whole nation? It's hard, Bobbie and I don't know if I can do it. I know everyone thinks I can do it, but it scares me sometimes, the faith you have in me. I've been a screw-up for so long, it's hard to feel like anything else."
"Who said you were a screw-up?" I asked. "Max?" Alec remained silent. "Was this when you first came out of Manticore? 'Cause I gotta tell you, we all were screw-ups when Manticore burned down. I've done some things--,"
"What things?" Alec interrupted, his eyebrows rising with curiosity. I pursed my lips at him.
"Things of which you will not get to hear unless I'm very, very drunk."
"Really?" I could see the gears in my brother's brain whirring for ways to get me sloshed. An evil grin crossed his face. "We'll see about that."
"Good luck," I said. "Wild horses couldn't drag what I did those first few months out of me. You'll just have to suffer in ignorance." I gave my brother a self-satisfied smirk, to which he smirked back.
"Give me time, Bobbie," he said. "I'll find out your deepest and darkest secrets." He paused for a moment. "At least the ones I don't already know."
I grunted, "Like, I said, good luck." I glanced up at the sky again. "Storm's coming."
Alec looked up in my direction. Flashes of light appeared amongst the storm clouds and the distant boom of thunder rattled the sky.
"Looks like it's going to be a nasty one," he said, while getting up. "We better get going. The Council meeting's going to start in an hour."
"All right then," I said, rising from the Space Needle and following my brother through the windows and into the observation deck. "You want to take the shortcut to TC or do the whole transgenic speed thing?"
"Let's do the transgenic speed thing, while taking the shortcut," said Alec. "We can't have ordinaries catching us." My brother opened the door that led to the stairwell.
While walking down the steps, I said, "Well, that's no fun. Half the fun in being a transgenic is watching the ordinaries' eyes pop wide open and say, 'How the hell did they do that!'"
"Bobbie, you want us to get caught?" Alec asked, while opening the door that led out to the street. He held the door open for me as I stepped out.
"No way," I said with a snort. "It's been a while since I really cut loose with my capabilities and the fight earlier today did not cut it. I really want to go all out."
"Be careful what you wish for," said Alec. "You just might get it."
"Thank you for the platitude, Alec," I said. "I'm sure I will completely regret what I said in two seconds."
"Just warning you Bobbie."
"Thanks anyway," I said with a smile. Alec and I walked steadily down the street since cars and trucks and pedestrians were walking beside us.
"Give fifty dollars to the cause!" a grandmotherly lady shouted behind a cardboard stand and held out several pamphlets. A few bystanders walked over to her and picked up the pamphlets. She smiled at them as she continued, "Support the fine Senators McKinley and Mahoney as they make our streets safe from transgenics! Would you like to give fifty dollars for the cause, young man?" The old lady turned to Alec with a warm smile. I could feel my brother stiffen at the lady's outstretched hand and his eyes were stormy hazel green.
"No thank you, ma'am," my brother's tone was polite, but I could sense the churning anger underneath. "I don't have money on me right now." The old lady looked crest-fallen.
"Well, dear, won't you at least accept the pamphlet?" Her small, wrinkled hands pressed the piece of paper into my brother's palm. "It speaks the truth, you know." Alec gave her a tight smile as he held up the pamphlet and read aloud.
"Transgenics are an abomination. Created by man, they do not have the souls normal human beings born between the sacred union of man and woman have in order to exist in this world," Alec gave a little laugh and turned to the old lady. "Ma'am, you really believe this?"
Slightly startled, she replied, "Of course. It's the truth. They're beasts!" She lowered her voice; "I heard that they've killed and are raising an army to wipe out the human race. A transgenic raped a woman last week, did you know?"
Alec had a sick look on his face as he answered, "No."
The old woman shook her head pityingly, "Poor child. The beast tore her apart like an animal, he did. Killed her too and she left a small boy child in her wake. The poor boy will have the memory of his sweet mum getting killed and raped. It's a shame."
"Mom!" Alec and I turned to see a woman in her forties, rushing up to us, out of a green SUV parked against the curb a few feet away from us. "My god, what are you doing out here?" The old lady turned her gaze from Alec to her daughter.
Confusion marred her wrinkled face as she asked, "Marnie? What are you doing here? I thought you were in San Francisco?"
Marnie let out an irritated burst of air as she turned towards us. "I'm so sorry," she said. "Was my mom bothering you?"
Alec and I shook our heads as Marnie reached out for her mother. "Come on, Mom. Let's go home." The old woman backed away, pressing close to her cardboard stand.
"I don't want to go home!" the old woman's face turned irritable. "You're going to make me take those drugs. I know you will!"
"Mom, please," said Marnie, glancing at Alec and me with embarrassment. "Don't make a scene."
"I'll make a scene if I want to!" the old woman yelled, causing several passersby to look at us with curiosity. I tensed, watching the strangers look at the old woman with fear and then walk away.
"Ma'am, it's all right," said Alec in a soft voice. He reached out to touch the old lady's arm. The woman looked up at him with a start, but relaxed when she saw Alec's soft hazel eyes. "It's going to rain pretty soon and you don't want to get your stand all wet." My brother motioned towards the cardboard stand the old lady had been hawking anti-transgenic pamphlets a few minutes before. The older woman smiled at her stand and picked up the remaining pamphlets.
"Yes," she said. "It wouldn't do to get them all wet." Alec bent down to fold up the stand. He held it out to Marnie who took it from him gratefully.
"Thank you," she whispered as her mother walked over to her car. "I don't know how I can repay you."
Alec held up his hands. "It's nothing. Just get your mom home."
"Marnie, let's go!" the old woman shouted from the passenger side of the car. "Survivor will be on in twenty minutes and I can't miss it!"
Marnie turned to her mother. "Don't worry, Mom. You'll get home in time."
"Good. That Frank Harwell's going to be voted off the island tonight. I'm sure of it!"
A smile crossed Marnie's face as she whispered, "What am I going to do with you?" She turned to Alec and myself and began opening up her pocketbook. She pulled out a checkbook and a pen and asked, "How much?"
"What?" my brother asked in surprise. He held up his hands again as he realized what Marnie was offering. "Oh, no I couldn't take your money. It's not right."
"Please. It's the least I can do. You were so nice to my Mom and she was spouting that anti-transgenic crap. I can't stand it when she's like that." Marnie scribbled on the checkbook and tore out a check. "Here you go. Please take it." She handed the check to Alec, who took it reluctantly.
I could see his eyes widen as he whispered, "This is too much. Five hundred dollars? It's too much."
"It's just right," Marnie insisted. Alec looked as though he was going to protest some more when a little girl popped her head out of the SUV.
"Momma," she said. "Can we go home now?"
"In a minute, baby," said Marnie, glancing back at her daughter. She turned to Alec again and whispered, "Look, please accept it. I know your people need it more than I do."
"Our people?" Alec's voice was soft as he looked at Marnie.
Marnie leaned close to my brother to whisper, "Transgenics." Alec took a step back and I clenched my hands into fists. My brother and I pressed our backs together as we looked warily at Marnie and her family. I used my zoom vision to scan the crowd for Familiars and other possible enemies.
"I don't mean to frighten you," said Marnie, looking at us with worry. "I'm on your side. Really! I just saw your barcodes and figured you might be transgenics. If you're not, I'm sorry. Just take the money and thank you for helping me with my mom." My hands flew to the back of my neck, as did Alec's to his. I could almost feel the dark bands that made up my barcode rising from my skin.
Marnie flushed deeply. "If I said anything I shouldn't have, I'm sorry. I just wanted to thank you for my mom and help you at the same time. I think you're getting a bad rap in the press and-"
"Marnie, quiet!" Alec snapped, his eyes glancing left and right. People still walked past us. If they thought anything was wrong, they didn't show it on their faces. The woman quieted and looked scared as my brother stepped close to her.
"Listen to me," he hissed. "Breathe a word of this to anyone and you're going to wind up dead. We're not transgenics; we're just a couple of punk kids who thought getting a barcode would be a hoot and a half. If you want to keep your family safe, you'll just take the check and go home and forget this ever happened."
"But," she began.
"Don't fight me, Marnie," Alec said. "Or you'll find out just how true the reports are." Marnie backed away a little frightened. Her dark blue eyes went from Alec to me and then back to Alec again.
"Don't hurt me," she whispered. "Please don't hurt me."
"I won't hurt you, Marnie," said Alec. "Just take the check and go. Forget about me. Forget about her. Forget this whole thing ever happened."
"All right," Marnie said, taking the check Alec handed back to her.
"Just walk away from us, like nothing happened," said Alec. Marnie nodded and walked over to her car. Alec and I watched with baited breaths as she started the engine and slowly drove away.
"Think she'll forget what happened?" I asked as I zoomed in on the tense look on Marnie's face as she gripped the steering wheel.
"Don't know," said Alec. "Got a look at the address on the check. I'll have a couple of X5s keep watch at her house."
"Good," I said. "Can't have her telling every Tom, Dick, and Harry what we look like."
"If Davenport and Lydecker were here, they'd tell me that I should have killed her," said Alec stuffing his hands into his pockets as we resumed our walk towards Terminal City.
"You didn't," I said. "You told her to keep quiet and you're going to have a couple of guards posted at her place. Sounds like a good plan."
"I know," said my brother. "It's not a Manticore plan, but that's not what I want."
"Definitely," I said, stepping aside for a couple of teenagers to zoom by on their roller-blades. "Wow, didn't know those were back in style."
"Everything old becomes new again," said Alec. We walked a bit more, making a right turn.
"Indeed," I said.
After a while, I spoke, "That was nice of her. Offering to give us money like that."
"It was nice," Alec agreed, "but it was stupid. Telling us we were transgenics out in the street like that. There could have been familiars or whatever monster of the week's that's gunning for us these days today."
"They'd love nothing more than to dissect us," I said.
"Or kill us," added Alec and I nodded. A loud boom echoed across the sky and looking up, I could see a bolt of lightening flash across the dark sky.
"Let's get out of here, " I said. "The alley's up ahead. We can take the shortcut from there and do the transgen speed thing."
"All right," said Alec, moving quickly towards the alley. I moved a little faster to keep up with him. "So, you want to make this a race? I win you do my laundry. You win and what?"
"You go clothes shopping with me," I said. "You owe me for waking me up at three in the morning last week."
"I said I was sorry!"
"Not good enough," I snapped. "Every girl needs her beauty sleep. Even those who are genetically engineered."
"All right, all right," said Alec with a wave of his hand. We stood at the mouth of the alley. A large wall stood at its end with barbed wire along its top. Alec began to crouch low to the ground. I followed suit. "You ready?"
"I'm ready."
"On your mark...get set...go!" Alec took off and I followed. We both jumped over the wall and landed on our feet. Running fast with only the stormy winds beating against us, we blurred on our way to TC. I ran along side the wall of an apartment building and used my momentum to grab a clothesline and swung upwards to the rooftop.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that Alec had the same idea and he had landed on the rooftop of the building opposite me. I jumped from building to building until I could see TC two buildings away from me. I glanced down to see a several trucks passing by. Taking a deep breath, I jumped down from the rooftop. Closing my eyes as I felt the wind rush past my face, the impact of my feet hitting a truck's rooftop made my teeth rattle. I bent down to gather my bearings. I looked around for Alec and grinned when I saw that he was still on the rooftop of one of the buildings. I turned my gaze to TC's main gate and prepared to make the jump from the truck over the fence. As the truck made a left turn, I stood up and jumped. Sailing through the air, I crashed to the ground as gracefully as I could. I started to crow, "I won!" but the words died in my throat as I saw Alec leaning casually against the main entrance.
Stomping over to him, I yelled, "How the hell did you get here?! You were supposed to be on the rooftop back there!" I pointed to the buildings behind me.
Alec smirked and rubbed his fingernails against his chest, "Bobbie, what do you see between the buildings?"
Looking back, I said, "Clotheslines."
"Right," said my brother. "I simply did what any self-respecting Tarzan would do and used the lines as my jungle vines. Being a good foot taller than you, the clothesline simply helped me gain the upper hand. So, my apartment, Saturday morning, eightish?"
I felt my lips curl in disgust, " I can not believe this." Alec had the nerve to wrap an arm around my shoulder, which I yanked off.
"Believe it, Bobbie," he said. "I won and you lost. Simple as that. I've got a heavy load for you to do so and remember my boxers are silk so you have to hand wash them so they don't shrink in the dryer."
"For the love of God," I groaned. "I can't believe you're making me hand-wash your stuff!"
"I'm a bachelor, Bobbie," said Alec. "Every now and then my clothes could use a woman's touch."
"Please," I snorted. "You're just too cheap to spend money at the laundromat."
"True." My brother glanced at his wristwatch. "Damn. We're going to be late for the meeting." I looked at my watch and it read eight fifteen.
"We can still make it," I said. "Luke's probably doing roll call by now."
"You're right," Alec said with a sigh. He ran a hand through his hair. "Let's go." He opened the central building's entrance door as and I started to follow him when the cell phone hooked onto the waist of my shorts began to ring. Alec held the door for me as I took the cell phone from my shorts' waist and looked at the number that was calling me.
"Oh, no," I whispered as the phone continued to ring. "Please, for the love of God, no."
"Bobbie, what is it?" Alec asked, letting the entrance doors close behind him as he sidled up to me. Glancing at the cell phone screen, he continued, "Who's calling you? Peter?" Wordlessly, I held the phone in my hand, suddenly unsure of what to do.
"Bobbie, if it's Peter, you have to answer it."
"I know," I said. "I just don't want to talk to him right now."
"Why?" asked Alec, peering at me. "You're not afraid of talking to him, are you?"
"Yes!" I exclaimed. "I mean-no! Oh, I don't know! Maybe he'll stop calling if I don't answer." As if to prove me wrong, the phone continued to ring, louder than ever.
"You said you'll break up with him," said Alec. "At least that's what you said last night. Are you chickening out of this?"
"Can I take a rain-check on that?" I asked, as the damned phone still continued to ring. I felt a droplet of water land on my hand. Alec gave me an exasperated look.
"Bobbie," he said. "You have to talk to him. I'm not saying you should break up with him right now. I'm just saying, get up the nerve to talk to him or I will!"
"You wouldn't," I said, backing away from my brother as he advanced towards me. I held the cell phone in my hand as if to ward him off.
"Try me," he said and blurred towards me. I ducked and ran over to a stack of boxes and climbed them until I reached the top. Alec followed me and as soon as he reached the tip of my sneakers, I jumped over to the next pile of boxes. A slow drizzle began to pour down and matted my hair against my face. My finger must have pressed the Send button on my phone because Peter's tinny voice came over loud and clear.
"Bobbie?" he asked. "You there?"
Affecting a Spanish accent, I spoke, "Me llama Elsa. El nombre de mi hermano es Roberto." ::My name is Elsa. The name of my brother is Robert.::
"What the hell?" Peter's incredulous voice came over the phone. I looked at it with guilt. Alec took this as an opportunity to grab the phone out of my hand and as I reached out to grab it back from him, he put it to his ear and said, "Hey Pete, how are ya?"
Alec nodded as Peter answered. A wide smirk crossed his face as he replied, "Looking for Bobbie, eh? Oh, who am I? Just a friend, Pete, just a dear old friend."
"Alec," I said, reaching out for my cell phone again. Alec hopped on the next pile of packing crates and I scowled at him. "Give me the damn phone, you ass!" I jumped over to where he was and knocked him down.
Landing easily onto the ground, Alec continued. "Oh, yeah, Pete. Bobbie and I go way back. You could say we went to the same boarding school. Oh? You didn't know Bobbie went to boarding school? Oh, let me tell you she was quite the wild thang, if you know what I mean?"
"Alec!" I scolded, jumping down and landing beside my brother. Quickly, I grabbed the phone out of his hand and smacked him upside the head.
"Ow!" he cried, rubbing the back of his head where I had hit it. "Bobbie, you could've made me brain damaged!"
"Too late," I snarled. "You're already there."
"Who are you? What the hell are you doing on Bobbie's phone?" Peter's voice came over the line, loud and indignant. I took a deep breath and turned my attention to my boyfriend.
"Peter?" I began breathlessly, "Are you still there?" A pause came over the line.
"Bobbie?" Peter's voice was uncertain. "Is that you?"
"Of course it's me," I said with a smile. "Pay no attention to the idiot who answered. Just a prank caller."
"Oh."
"So, how are you?" I asked, giving Alec the evil eye as he leaned against the central building's wall.
"I'm good," Peter replied. "Mama's good too."
"I'm glad," I said in a fake voice. Alec rolled his eyes and mouthed, 'Liar'. I stuck my tongue out at him and mouthed, 'Shut up.'
"Bobbie, did you say something?" I flushed deeply as my brother's shoulders began to shake with unsuppressed laughter.
"No, I didn't," I said. "So, where are you? I tried calling you this morning, but no answer." An uncomfortable silence fell between us.
Finally Peter answered, "I left for Washington." I had to restrain myself from snorting aloud and saying, "Figures."
I said, "Oh. Where are you staying?"
"Bates Motel." At that, Alec overhearing the conversation went into gales of laughter.
Glaring at him, I turned my back to my brother and said, "That's interesting, Peter. So, when will you be back?"
"Two weeks," he replied. "Tops. Mama wants to sight see for a bit. Take a picture in front of the MLK Memorial, you know, things like that."
"That's good," I said. "Nothing like advocating bigotry and seeing a statue of a man who helped fight against it to put you in the mood."
"Bobbie, don't start..."
"I'm sorry," I said. "It's just-that I still have issues from last night."
"Bobbie, about last night," Peter began. "It was crazy and we got off on the wrong foot. When I come back, we can talk and straighten things out." I felt my heart flutter at the idea of Peter and me working it out. He'll accept Alec, Jeremiah, Bree, all the others, and me and we'll be happy. I could get used to the idea of marrying him because I loved him and it would be so wonderful and...and I glanced around me, the drizzling rain coming down in torrents. My hair hung limply against my neck. In irritation, I pulled the damp strands away from my neck. My fingers grazed the barcode on my neck and in an instant, all my dreams of a life with Peter imploded. I looked at Alec whose face was impassive. Who was I kidding? Peter couldn't possibly understand who I was. What I was. Maybe he will understand, a small voice in my head spoke. He'll understand and he'll still love you. Isn't that what love's supposed to be? Loving a person, warts and all?
"Bobbie, I can't stay too long on the phone," said Peter. "Momma and I have got to take a connecting flight to the capitol in an hour. They want us at the security checkpoints soon."
"Peter," I began, "When you come back. We need to talk."
"I know, girl," he said. "I think we need to talk too."
"No, I mean we need to talk now." I felt a small burst of courage as I continued, "Peter, what you said last night hurt me."
"Is it about Mama?" Peter asked. "'Cause you know she's only looking after her baby boy. You know how she protects me since I'm her youngest."
"No, it isn't your mother," I said. "Even though, she does have a small percentage of my issues with us."
"Us?" Peter echoed.
"Yes. Us," I said, biting my lip. "God, Peter. I wish I could work this out with you, but I can't."
"Bobbie," said Peter. "Are you breaking up with me?" I felt my heart speed up and I glanced back at Alec who nodded in encouragement.
"I don't know," I said. "I love you, Peter. Please don't forget that. I will always love you."
"But we're just not working out," my boyfriend said. "It's not me. It's you, right?"
"Right," I said, feeling my throat ache. "I have issues that I need to think through and to do that, I think we ought to-go on a break." Inwardly, I groaned at my reply. The words, "we ought to break up" had apparently died in my throat.
"A break?"
"Yes, a break," I said, a little more confidently. "I don't want to break up with you. I think we need some time apart. You know, figure out where we are."
"I wasn't rushing you with the ring, was I?" Peter asked, with a hint of desperation in his voice. "'Cause girl, I never meant to pressure you. I said you could take your time giving me an answer."
"And you have, Peter," I said. "You have, but please, let's just take a break and see where this goes."
"You're breaking up with me," Peter insisted.
"Peter, I'm not."
"You are!" he cried. "Won't you tell me why?"
"I-I-I," I stammered. I looked at Alec through the heavy rainfall. His face was unreadable. I turned to the phone and continued, "Peter, I'll explain it to you when I'm ready. Let's just take a break from each other and see where this goes."
"No, Bobbie, " said Peter in a soft voice. "I got a better idea. Let's just break up."
"Peter!" I shouted into the phone. "No, please! You're wrong, I don't want-," It was too late, my boyfriend hung up and he broke up with me. The dial tone rang irritatingly and the rain beat down. Thunder boomed and lightening crackled as I held the phone in my hand. Absently, I let go of the phone and Alec ran to catch it. I closed my eyes and pressed a hand to my face. I couldn't tell if the water running down my face was rain or tears.
"Bobbie, we've got to go," Alec's voice whispered in my ear, pressing against my numb brain cells. I looked up at him, his eyes soft with concern.
"It's eight forty-five," he said. "Max'll be real mad at us for being late."
"Let her," I said. "I don't care."
"Bobbie, you care."
"No, I don't," I whispered. I looked at the fence and the area surrounding me. "Why should I? I could've told him the truth, Alec. I could have told him the goddamned truth and I didn't. I could've broken up with him and I didn't. Why?"
"You wanted to protect yourself," said Alec. "You didn't know how he'd react."
Numbly, I shook my head. "No, that's not it. I am coward, Alec. Not fit to lick anyone's boots. I'm lower than Lydecker, Davenport, and that goddamned TAC Officer combined."
Alec winced, "I think you're being a little harsh."
I looked at my brother, hard and cold. "Am I?"
"Bobbie..."
I held up a hand. "No, Alec. I'm a liar and it's all because I was too afraid of letting Peter see the real me." I swallowed hard as I pushed my hurt, anger and rage deep into the back of my heart. "Let's go." I moved towards the entrance doors of TC's central building.
"Go where?" my brother asked as I opened the main entrance doors.
Holding a door open for him, I said, "To the meeting. We've got an X-series to save." With that, I entered the main building, marching off to the conference room where the Transgenic Council held its meetings.