Cyber Witch

Chapter 3.1 - Trust Issues

The next step was covering my tracks. Scooting my chair across to Mac's open terminal, I erased the last few minutes of the video footage, then shut down the whole security monitor system. To the investigators that came later, it will look like Avia's work.

Going back to the cell, I folded Avia's snoozing body and stuffed her into a black duffle bag that usually carried my equipment. She'll probably feel stiff when she wakes up later from the tightly curled position, but she'll get over it.

Whistling a cheerful tune, I strolled through the station to my ship, wheeling the duffle bag behind me, as if I wasn't smuggling out a dangerous Aberrant. On the way, I stopped at an auto-vender and bought all the Goober Gummies it contained. Actually, they were kinda tasty.

*****

Avia laid on the narrow built-in bed in the spare quarters, peacefully sleeping off the sedative. A padded storage bench, a swivel chair, and a small desk, took up most of the remaining floor space. Most everything was made of gray plas-steel and secured to the deck — standard starship design. A narrow open door led to a tiny bathroom. The low thrum of the star-drive provided faint background noise as my ship, the Freebird, sped away into interstellar space.

I rummaged through her backpack, which was frayed from years of use. The contents included spare clothing, rolled up tightly to conserve space; a dark hooded cloak; a half-full plas-steel water bottle and a few meal bars; a thin blanket and inflatable travel pillow; miscellaneous toiletry items; a small stack of credit slips, allowing her to make purchases without leaving an electronic trace; and several packs of Goober Gummies, of course. All things for an Aberrant on the run. Missing were any electronic items, but she had that in her head, nor any kind of weapon for self-defense.

Now and then, she would make tiny jerks and her eye balls moved back and forth under the closed lids. I wondered what she dreamed about? Cyborg sheep?

As I gazed at her, Avia let out a faint moan and her eyelids fluttered open. Her eyes squinted against the bright lights as she scanned the bedroom. Then she wrinkled her brow and focused on my face.

"Have a good nap?" I asked.

As Avia lifted her head, propping herself up on elbows, she wavered and color drained from her cheeks. I guided her head back down to the pillow. "Easy now. There's still some residual sedative effects."

After a few deep breaths, Avia asked, "Umm, where am I?"

"My ship, the Freebird."

Angry fire shot from her narrowed hazel eyes. "I know your ship's name. You own your own personal starship while everything I own fits in an old backpack!"

"Sorry," I replied, actually not feeling sorry. "Life's not always fair."

"Tell me about it..." Avia spat, then let out a long breath. "Okay, so tell me why I'm on your entitled ship and not in some grimy cage on a prison transport?"

"I can still arrange for that."

"Oh, no, I'm not complaining." Avia quickly replied, shaking her head. "Seriously, why am I here?"

I sat down on the bed and took up my hand. "I need your help, Avia. Something terrible is about to happen, and only you can prevent it."

Avia drew her eyes into narrow slits, snatched her hand away, and hissed, "So you kidnapped me?"

"Kidnapping has such negative connotations. So, let's call it... active recruitment? It's either this or Aberrant jail. Your choice."

"Fine, I'll help you." Avia blew out a long, frustrated breath, suggested she really did not think it was fine. "There really was no choice, was there?"

"Nope."

"Did you plan this all along?"

"Yep."

"Couldn't you have told me before?"

"And spoil the surprise?" I responded, putting on a grin. "Have to admit, though, you were much harder to catch that I originally thought. And I needed to turn you in first to fulfill my Hunter contract."

"Then aren't you in trouble for busting me out?" she asked.

"Oh, don't worry. I made it look like you did it yourself. So, I'm in the clear. But you're not."

Avia rolled her eyes. "Great..." With my help, she sat up and swung her feet off the bed. Groaning, she stretched her arms upward and rotated her neck. "I'm so stiff. What did you do to me?"

I pinched my lips together. "Umm, probably just a side-effect of the sedative."

Avia lowered her eyebrows after noticing the thick black ring on her leg. "What's with the ankle bracelet?"

"Additional compliance incentive." I answered, holding up a small, black remote-control button. "If I push this, it will give you a nasty bio-shock. Very uncomfortable, I understand." As she gazed down at the ring, I continued. "It's direct radio link — no computer chips. So you can't hack it with your cybernetics."

"We have trust issues, Zach."

"It won't be so bad, Avia. Better than me turning you over to the Federation, for sure. Besides, there are bonuses."

"Like what?"

"You get to hang out with me," I answered, pointing a thumb at myself. Then I tossed her a familiar candy pack. "And I'll get you all the Goober Gummies you want."

"Oh, wow, "Avia responded in a voice dripping with sarcasm. "You are sooo generous."