A Theft in the Dark

Chapter 9

"Don't hurt her!"

It was Jian's worst nightmare come true. Instinctively, he reached for his gun, but he hesitated once his fingers had wrapped around it. His head was spinning with a thousand queries.

What if I miss and hurt Milo?

I can't shoot the mayor's son, they'll kill me. Then who will look after Milo?

Will they really hurt a child?

Bang.

His heart sank. People scattered in all directions, blocking his view. He tried to shove past them, but was caught in the wave of panic.

"Damn it! MOVE!" He barked, using the full force of his voice as he desperately tried to get to the stage.

But then, everyone stopped. A powerful voice commanded them. It was a voice Jian could never forget. He looked up, but did not recognize her. He was certain it was her, but she seemed so different now. Never before would he have imagined seeing Joy hold a gun, yet here she was confident in her stance as she threatened to end a man's life.

What happened to you, Joy?

He pressed forward, but only made it a few steps.

The movement triggered her senses. Joy pulled the mayor's son closer to her, using him as a shield as she backed away.

"All we want is to live in peace. But if you bring war to us, we are not afraid to fight!" She said once she reached the back end of the platform.

In one swift movement, she pushed the man forward and jumped backwards off the stage. She fled quickly from the site, with Orion following close behind. He tried his best to shadow her in order to protect her from the hail of bullets that pursued them. However, he had to take the lead before long, as she had no idea where she was going.

Orion scooped her up in his arms, doing his best to shield her as he dashed through the streets. She felt she was going to be sick from all the twists and turns as he tried to elude the guards, but she did not protest.

Joy clung tightly to him to stabilize herself. As her ear pressed against his chest, she was surprised to hear the rapid thumping of a heart.

What is he?

Once in the clear, he ducked into an alley to rest. Gently, he set her down and leaned back against a wall, panting lightly.

"I thought bots don't need to breathe?" Joy questioned.

"We don't need oxygen... but we do overheat. This... helps me cool down," Orion said in between pants.

"You're so strange. They really tried to make you seem human, didn't they? But why?"

Once Orion finally caught his breath, he stood up straight again and took her hand in his. "Let's go," he said, avoiding the question while starting to lead her away.

"Are you really even a machine??" Joy asked seriously. She felt as though she was beginning to lose her mind. Every sense was screaming at her, telling her this was impossible. There was no way he could be a bot. She felt his warmth, his breath, and his heartbeat. How could this be manufactured?

Orion laughed a bit at first, but was serious when he answered. "We have different beginnings. You were made by nature; I was made by hand. However, the end result is the same. There is more than one way to create life. Your people are just too ignorant to see it," he said.

"Well, whoever created you understood that. So, not all humans are ignorant..." Joy muttered.

Orion sighed. "That's true, but the many outweigh the few," he said.

They walked steadily now through the streets, trying to blend in again as they searched for an entrance to the underground. Manholes were scattered all over the city from before the war, so it was only a matter of time before they'd run into one.

Their efforts to blend were upended by a single word.

"Joy!"

She stopped, listening for that voice again.

It can't be.

Footsteps were rushing towards them. Orion urged her by the hand, but she wouldn't budge. And so, he stepped between the two forces just before collision.

Jian's shoes skidded slightly through the dirt as he stopped in time to narrowly miss slamming into Orion. He had been in such a hurry to catch her, that he hardly knew what to do now that he was faced with her.

"Joy, what the hell is going on? And where did they take Milo? I saw your 'friend' take him away," Jian demanded. Amongst all the things he wanted to ask her, Milo was his priority right now.

"Milo? Milo is here?" She nearly choked on her words. It all clicked together in her mind as she remembered the boy that had been onstage. Her hardened exterior suddenly melted away as she was given that glimmer of hope. "Orion, where did he go? Where did the boy go? I have to find him!" She pleaded desperately, shaking his arm a bit as she begged him to guide her.

She felt so helpless. All that time, her son was right there and she couldn't see it. Dread filled her heart. She was losing him all over again.

Seeing her face full of worry, Jian ached to hold her, to ease her pain. He tried to get closer to her, but Orion pushed him back.

"Who is this man, Joy?" Orion asked.

"Her husband." Jian said firmly. He tried to shove Orion back, but he was unmoved by Jian's efforts.

"Jian?..." her heart stopped for a second from the shock.

Jian felt tears welling up in his eyes as he heard her say his name. He had thought for so long that he'd never hear it again. "Yes Joy, it's me," he said softly.

She shuddered as though she had felt the presence of a ghost. Several emotions overwhelmed her, confusion, anger, pain, and despair. She breathed in deeply, then out slowly. She knew she had to keep herself steady for now. There would be time to sort herself out later.

"Orion, where is the boy?" She repeated calmly.

"Aries took the woman and the boy. I assume he brought them back to our home. The guards are probably looking for them too." He answered.

"Take me there. That boy is my son!" She said, gripping his hand tightly.

Orion looked at Jian skeptically. "He's a guard, Joy. He's wearing their uniform. I'll take you, but he can't follow. He'll turn us in!" He said, putting his free hand up to keep Jian a good distance from them.

"Jian, I will take care of Milo. Please, don't follow," she said.

"But Joy..." Jian started to say something, but he couldn't bring himself to go against her in that moment. He couldn't stand seeing her so upset like this already. All he wanted was to hold her, and make their family whole again.

He took a few steps back. "I won't follow," Jian said, even though it pained him greatly.

As he watched them rush off into the distance, hand in hand, a bitterness took root within him. Here he was again, alone.