Awakening
Cat knew she wasn't dead but with how badly her mind hurt she somewhat wished she was, even when her body involuntarily drank down the water it was given her mind throbbed with pain that followed her to the blackness of sleep. She almost cried the day she woke up with only a mild headache, even with the painful growls her stomach gave she was grateful. Though when Darik started interrogating her as she scarfed down she had taken it back.
"What do you remember?"
"Blew up a building, told off an alien, cut it up a bit, zapped in the head. can i eat in peace now?"
"Jake is going to check you as soon as you're done."
"Check me?" Cat asked, several noodles from the cheap meal hanging from the corner of her mouth.
"Your electric modifications specifically." Darik clarified, "He's a certified doctor, owns a scanner that can connect to it." Though as he saw her blank look he sighed. "You do know what I'm talking about right?"
Cat refused to answer that, eyes locked with Dariks.
"She hates studying, she never bothered to learn the details about what modifications are. Just what they do for her." Tate spoke, breaking the painful silents that took the room hostage. "Let her eat and rest."
Darik soon left the two alone, peacefully in their dark bedroom. Tate knew better than to scold her for not studying but he also knew Darik didn't.
"The majority of our modifications are controlled by a computer in our brains, it makes the brain make certain chemicals to get the desired effects." Tate explained as Cat finished her food, swallowing down the last of it.
"How'd it get there?" She asked, of course none of them had undergone surgery to get them but it was still there. Their families wouldn't have allowed it during their time in the game either.
"The helmets injected hundreds of microbots into our eyes and ears for months until they were able to form it. It's been studied by hundreds of modifying companies since the game."
"That's stupid."
Tate couldn't hold back as the corner of his mouth twitched up and a chuckle escaped, the reminiscent thought of a child learning something so complex that they immediately hated it. Though it passed when she leaned back into him, expecting an order that never came.
"I don't want anyone else in our room. It's our space."
"Ok."
"I want to go to cambodia."
"Ok."
"I don't want you coming with me." her soft voice took a stern turn as her eyes narrowed at him.
The side of his mouth twitched again, narrowed eyes meeting her own, "You know that's against my duties."
"I want to hear them again."
"I won't leave your side, as long as the order doesn't bring harm to you I will follow every word, and I can never lie to you."
"Say the first one again." She barely whispered out as she leaned further into him, eyes closing softly as his rocky voice the chest against her ear.
"I won't leave your side." He spoke it again, his coarse fingers entwining with hers as her breathing relaxed further.
"Do i have to let him scan me?"
"Yes."
"I hate playing patent and doctor. Its stupid. Im fine."
"I know."
"Can't you just kill him for me?"
"Do you really want me to?" he asked, though his tone was softer than before he was serious, she knew he was.
"No, not really." She sighed, knowing that it would only cause further mayhem. So for a while they rested there together until Darik came knocking again for them to start the exam.