Train Game

Algreya, Tompston - Day 2

|--VERONICA--|

I hadn't found a job last night. I was the only one who hadn't found a job. Kane had his 'secret' job that he never told anyone about, Corvin had his temp. news paper deliveries the rest of the time he searched for his mother, Tyler had his barman gig and Angelique homeschooled Toby. Except, while everyone had been out chasing Corvin's mother or chasing after a job we didn't need– I had respected the condition that had come with renting the house: cleaning it. Angelique and Toby had helped with making the house spotless. There was only a little bit outside left to do and we still had three days left. Kane and Tyler had even decided to fix some parts of the house starting today. But, this morning, Kane had woken me up and kicked me out the house to get a job.

One street away was a small retro-style diner that had somehow survived. When I came in the place was already packed for early breakfasts.

''Is the owner around?'' I asked a waitress as she walked by me.

''Hum, yeah. She's over by that table.'' she pointed to the corner of the diner.

A woman in her late 40s but in pretty good shape, was taking the table of four's orders. I walked towards the counter and waited for her to come give the cook the order.

''Excuse me, I'm looking for a temp. job.'' I stated in a confident tone.

The woman turned around and stared at me. ''For how long and can you start right now?'' she asked fixing up the drinks. ''Oh and please tell me you have experience.''

''I'm here for 3 or 4 days, depending on circumstances and yes I could start right now.'' I stood and walked behind the counter where she offered me an apron.

I remember seeing the sunrise but as I came out of the diner counting my tips and pay for the day, I realized that I hadn't notice the sunset. I rolled my eyes at myself and walked with a quick pace to the house.

''Nooooo!! Let him goo!!'' I heard Angelique's voice scream from the house.

I sprinted down the street just in time to see Toby being shoved into a van and the van speeding away. Angelique started to run after the van but I caught up to her and held her back. I knew running wouldn't get us anywhere. I turned around looking for our van and swore when I noticed that Tyler hadn't come back with it after coming to show it off.

''Vero! Let me go! Please! They have Toby!!'' Angelique wailed and fought in my arms.

I held on tight to her and held on tight to my own emotions.

|--KANE--|

Everyone except for Tyler who still hadn't returned, spent the rest of the night looking for Toby, evven Corvin who had temporarily returned. Early the next morning as we were coming home, having lost hope of finding him, we found Toby's body on the front porch. Corvin puked, Angelique broke down and only Veronica and I managed to stay calm. I took care of Angelique and Veronica took care of Corvin.

Once Corvin had overcome the shock of seeing the beaten body of this twelve year old child, he agreed to take care of Angelique while Veronica and I dug a hole to burry Toby in the backyard. Veronica seemed lost in her mind– quiet and calm while she focused on the task ahead. I could only imagine what she was thinking of. I clearly remembered the day they found that man's body in her room. I also very well remembered watching her run away, hide in that alley, change, burn her clothes and break down.

What she had done with the file those years ago I didn't know. I didn't dare ask what she had found or if she had found anything. All I knew was that along the way she had found Tyler and then Tyler had found me. I kept digging in silence and thought about how Tyler probably had no idea of who this girl really was. Heck, he probably hadn't even guessed that she and I knew each other.

''How are you holding up?'' I asked her.

She stopped digging and looked up at me.

''I'll break down when I have time to do so. Which means, never. Not in this world.'' She answered and started digging again.

A few hours later we called out to Angelique and Corvin and gave Toby an imitation of a funeral. Angelique fell asleep singing a lullaby to Corvin which I could hear from my room. I hummed to the sound of Angelique's lullaby and relaxed a little into the make-shift mattress that consisted of many blankets on top of the other.

''Kane?'' whispered Veronica's voice from the opened door.

''Mmm?'' I answered and kept humming, not even opening my eyes.

''Can I sleep with you? The plumbing broke in my room and all the blankets are wet.'' She spoke quietly but was already lying beside me before I could answer.

''Sure. Make yourself at home.'' I answered after she was already comfortably tucked into the blankets.

''Kane?'' she whispered again with her back to me.

''Mmm?'' I looked at the back of her head and resisted the urge to run my fingers through her hair.

''How do you know me?'' she asked after a moment of silence.

''We were neighbors as kids. I went by Thomas Kane at the time. Then I was drafted into the Authority and we never saw each other again. But I'd remember that hair and those eyes anywhere.'' I finally gave up resisting and stroked her long hair.

''You read my file, right? The one you gave me.'' she slowly turned around to face me.

I simply nodded and kept stroking her hair, moving it out of her eyes, letting her open up.

''I was 'concieved' to be experimented on.'' she closed her eyes and kept talking. ''They wanted to make a 'humanized robot'. That's how I lost my memory of my childhood. That's why I only remember being taught to fight and hate and want to kill. They implanted a chip that made me semi-robotic.''

''But your chip got hacked into.'' I added, a grin spreading on my face.

''That's the night I killed Peter. My emotions were all over the place, I was rational yet not and after killing him I felt more human than I had ever felt.'' She sighed and I wiped the few tears that left her eyes. ''Am I a freak of nature, Kane?''

''No, you're the result of this cursed war.'' I pulled her into my chest and she fell asleep crying.