The Darkness Within Us

Chapter 4

"Considering he'll be reassigned after next week." He threw up his hand to stop me from saying anything. "I have made up my mind and if you choose to argue about this, I will be forced to send him back to the station and arrange for his transfer sooner. As it is, I thought you would appreciate my thoughtfulness."

Your thoughtfulness? I screamed in my head. How was this anywhere even close to thoughtful? I wanted to yell at him and throw things around his office, but my father never made idle threats and I knew that if I caused a scene, Jackson would be gone before the cleaning staff could even pick up the pieces. Instead, I just stared at Jackson. I was seething and he could see it. I felt my nostrils flare as I tried to hold my breathing even. The shake of his head was almost imperceptible. He knew I was about to do something stupid. Fortunately, my father's attention had already returned to his work, so I didn't wait to be dismissed and stormed through the door with Jackson following behind me.

"Where is he going to send you?" I asked once I was seated back in the styling chair. My angry tears had dried, but Akimi was working to reapply the makeup they'd washed away. Seth attended to my murdered nails.

"He hasn't said. Just that I have a week left on the station before my reassignment."

"I don't understand why, though." I looked up at Jackson and saw my own pain and anger mirrored in his eyes. Sometimes, I felt like we were one soul split between two bodies. He could anticipate my feelings and moods and always knew just what to say and when to say it. How would I ever survive Dr. Nakamura's hateful words and arrogance without Jackson as a buffer? Who would be there for Jackson when the nightmares became overwhelming? We needed each other.

"It's because someone released that machine on the station on purpose."

"Wait, what?"

"Your father thinks it was either a kidnapping attempt or an attack on your life."

"But why does that mean you have to go?"

"We're too close, Anaïs. I should have seen something suspicious going on, but I was too busy trying to tell you about the Calexa. I was distracted."

"But you saved me and Charlie."

"It doesn't matter. It was too close. Remember those maintenance men that were staring at you just before the accident? They weren't on the payroll."

"Why would they do this, though?"

"That's all we know right now."

"Jackson, I need you. You're my best friend." Tears threatened to fall again, but I steeled myself against my emotions.

"I know, but there's nothing we can do." We were quiet for a while as my stylists worked. Jackson walked over to the wall of windows as lightning flashed outside. "You know," he said softly, "Dr. Nakamura is going back to Ersaad to collect more samples. Maybe you could go along with him as his research assistant." He turned to face me.

"How do you know about that?"

"Kahil told me."

"Why would I want to go down to that wasteland?"

"I don't know, Anaïs. You're the scientist. Maybe it would take your mind off things. Plus, he's going in a couple of days so I would still be your assigned guard." He looked down at his fingers absently. "Maybe we could even sneak off in the transport for a little to explore the planet. It could be more interesting than you think." Without moving his head, his silver eyes quickly met mine. I dropped my chin a little then nervously looked around. My stylists were across the room, busying themselves with their supplies while waiting for Marcella to come back and help dress me. Was he really suggesting what I thought he was?