PANIC ROOM • KENJI KON

LXVIII. I Won't Let Anything Happen To You

She raised her head off his chest, staring up at Kenji with love and adoration in her eyes. He offered a goofy smile, glancing down at her lips. She connected her lips to his, the two slowly moving in sync. Butterflies danced around in her stomach as they moved together.

The door of the cave hissed open, and the couple looked away from one another to the door, expecting Darius, Sammy, and Mae to come in, despite them being gone not longer than ten minutes.

Instead, the familiar kchink, kchink, kchink, of a BRAD approached.

Kenji gripped Eva's hands, pulling her off the couch and underneath Mae's desk. He moved the chair in front of them, pulling Eva into his arms and further back into the wall.

"Kenji—"

"Shh, it's okay. I won't let anything happen to you."

Kchink, kchink, kchink.

The BRAD scanned the left of the cave, and then the back hallway, and then made its way over to the desk. It scanned the top of the desk, missing Kenji and Eva completely.

Eva held her breath, not moving a single muscle or limb. Kenji's hand found her own and he gave it a tight squeeze.

The BRAD backed off the desk and turned, taking the two steps away before turning its head, its green scanning light directly on Eva and Kenji.

Eva gasped, banging her head against the desk as she tried to back up more.

"Unauthorized life form detected."

The BRAD's eyes turned red, and an electric ball began forming in its mouth. Kenji quickly put himself between the robot and Eva.

Her eyes widened, begging him not to. He placed a sloppy little kiss on her forehead, telling her to hang tight and run when she gets the chance.

She shook her head, pulling on his shirt, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

Kenji closed his eyes, awaiting the sting of electricity.

"Hyah!" Yaz shouted, and a second later, something clattered to the ground.

Kenji peered around his shoulder, gasping in surprise. He quickly slid out from under the desk, pulling Eva with him. Yaz stood beside the robot body holding a frying pan, while the head of the robot was over next to the couch.

"Dude, I could kiss you!" Eva blurted.

"Hey!"

"Could, Kenji. I didn't say I would. Not without her permission, at least. Consent is sexyyyy," she sang.

"You guys okay?" Yaz asked.

Eva pulled her into a hug. "Thank you."

Yaz nodded against her, patting her back slightly before pulling away.

"Did you see that swing! Oh, it was perfect!" Brooklynn exclaimed.

The door hissed open again, and in came Dr. Mae Turner, Sammy, and Darius. Mae had a white block in her hand, and was staring at it calculatingly, before double taking the fallen BRAD. "What happened here?"

"It came in a few minutes after you left," Eva said. "It was scanning all over the place. If it hadn't been for Yaz..."

Sammy pouted. "There goes the one place we were supposed to be safe."

"Apologies, Sammy," Mae said. "Seems you were right to be suspicious of Mantah Corp."

~~~

Eva sat comfortably, curled into Kenji's chest and fast asleep. Kenji shifted below her, looking at the others for help, who were getting to their feet to hear Dr. Mae Turner's bad news.