The Annihilation Code

Chapter Ten 𑁍 Marisa Contreras 𑁍

Eight hours ago, Patch went missing. The day started like any other. Patch and I sat around the table, enjoying our breakfast of bacon, eggs, and coffee.

Patch scanned the apartment. "Hey, where's your brother? I haven't seen him in a while."

"I don't know. He left with Chase to go meet a friend yesterday, but I haven't heard from him since."

Patch raised an eyebrow, "Who's Chase?"

"Umm, the guy who was in your workshop for a month and has been living with us ever since."

He gave a recollecting nod. "Oh, that guy. I knew it seemed quieter around here this morning!"

I fidgeted in my chair. "Atlas has been ignoring all my messages and calls. I'm getting worried."

Patch took a long, slow sip of coffee. "I'm sure he's fine. It's good for him to get out and have some fun for once. He's so serious all the time."

I clenched my fists. "Something's wrong, I can sense it, and my intuition is always right!"

He let out an exasperated sigh. "Atlas is tough, I know he can handle himself."

"He's my baby brother. It's my job to look after him."

Patch pulled me into a tight hug. "No, it's my job to look after both of you."

I returned his embrace and gave a reluctant nod.

"I need to go run a few errands around town. Do you want to come with me?"

I took a step back and shook my head vigorously. No way. Just thinking about it, made my stomach sick. "I can't!"

Patch couldn't hide his disappointed expression. "Alright, I should be home in a few hours."

"I'm sorry," I muttered, sensing I'd let him down.

"It's alright, kiddo. I want to help you get better, okay? I don't know the first thing about treating anxiety, but I want to support you however I can. Alright?" For the first time in his life, Patch's tone wasn't laced with sarcasm. He'd meant every word.

I gave a faint smile. "Maybe next time?" I suggested.

Patch smiled back. "I'd like that." He gathered his things and left the apartment, leaving me all alone.

I was used to being home alone. My agoraphobia makes it almost impossible for me to leave the house. Simple things, such as being in crowded areas, being more than five minutes away from home, or being in large open spaces, can trigger full-on panic. It didn't start this extreme. It started with a panic attack here and there when I was in overwhelming situations. Now.I can barely go outside at all. I have no right to be this way. Atlas's time with Bionic Corp was so much worse than mine, and he's still able to function. He was an assassin on the front lines. I just worked in the tech department, but some of the things I witnessed while I was there irrevocably scarred me.

I grabbed my Holopad off the kitchen table and climbed onto my bunk bed. I cocooned myself in my blankets, pretending they could shield me from the traumatic experiences of my past.

I still remember everything perfectly, no matter how hard I try. After Atlas was drafted into the cyborg army, I was devastated. I'd already lost my parents, and I couldn't bear the thought of losing my brother too. As soon as I was old enough, I enlisted as a Cyber Operations Specialist, which is a fancy term for a hacker who works for the military. I've always been a computer prodigy. My teachers always said I had a bright future. Maybe in another life that might have been true, but I chose to be with my family instead.