Breaking Sunlight

Chapter 8

"Dead? What do you mean, dead?" The guy still didn't turn around.

I clutched my fists tightly with anger.

"Levi Jaxon is dead. As in, not living, deceased, not alive, gone from-"

"I know what it means. How-, why-" I couldn't think of the right words to say or the right question to ask.

"What am I supposed to do now? What am I going to tell the Jury?"

"Tell them that you have failed your mission. Tell them that they all will die. Tell them that you wasted your time, because the scientist they are looking for is no longer alive."

I started to get triggered. I had wasted my time to look for the scientist, and only to find this.... this.... Who was he?

Without hesitation, I spun his chair around.

It was a young male. He looked around my age. He was fair skinned with dark brown shaggy hair. His soft aqua colored eyes looked me up and down, then held my gaze in his. Facial hair was barely visible around the sides of his face, and his chin, unless you looked closely. His smile was warm and sweet. I couldn't help but stare. Although, I hated to admit it, my anger soon flushed away; and was replace by... admiration. He was a gorgeous being.

Once I realized I had been staring, I broke our gaze and looked down. A habit I was terrible at breaking during an awkward situation.

"I, uh- who are you?"

He stood up and walked around the desk. He leaned on the front of it, directly in front of me.

"I am Carter Jaxon. Levi Jaxon's son, and I'm sorry, but I cannot help you."

He was on his way out the office, I followed him.

"But, aren't you the scientist's sun? Don't you know some stuff about science?"

"Yes, I am the second- best scientist this Unit's got. However, I am far too busy to be available for your problems. We have problems of our own, you know."

"Busy with what? Whatever you help us with, might help your Unit."

"I doubt it."

"We're both looking for the sun.
He paused, as if considering my statement.

"No, no I can't help you. I'm no my own with this journey. What my dad knows, I know. I am the people's only hope, and whatever is fixed here, should soon be fixed in your Unit. Case, point, closed."

"Not closed!" I yelled louder than I meant to.

Startled, he turned toward me and folded his arms.

"Yes closed. I can't go with you to your Unit and fix whatever is causing you problems."

"But, why not?" I whined.

"Because I have to go on the other side of the world to figure out what's wrong with both Units. I won't be able to find the answer in yours."

"There- There's another side of the world? Of this world?" I was shocked.

"What other world is there?" He looked to see if I was kidding, and his sarcastic expression disappeared when he noticed that I wasn't. "You didn't know that?"

I shook my head.

"Wow, there must be a lot your Unit has to be caught up on. There are not just two Units. There is also another side." He leaned closer to me. "It's called the third Unit. That is the Unit that controls everything. They have all the top information. We are next to them in that category." He raised an eyebrow. "I can see that your Unit missed out on that protocol."

I rolled my eyes.

"Ok, but how do you know that they have an answer?"

"Because they have all of the answers. If anybody would know why the weather is acting up, they would. If anybody would know why your people are dying so suddenly, they would. If they can figure that out, I can help you. That's why I need to go." He picked up a large duffel bag. "And fast."

He started stuffing food, vials, tools, and clothes in the bag. I just watched as he scrambled around the room.

"Let me go with you." I said softly, sure that he didn't hear me. He didn't.

He stopped in the middle of stuffing his socks in the bag.

"What?" He asked, eyeing me carefully.

"Let me go with you. I can help. I can explain what's going on with our Unit without missing a single detail."

He shook his head and continued packing.

"You already told me. I can go tell them myself, thank you."

"No, you can't."

He stopped again; this time standing straight up instead of hunched over his bag.

"Oh yeah?" He strolled closer to me until his face was only a few inches from mine. He smelled of warm vanilla and cinnamon. I would never admit it to anyone, but being so close to him made my stomach twist in knots. It was cheesy. Extremely cheesy and stupid. I waved the thought away and put on a brave face. I was going to go one way or another. He wasn't going to hold me back from completing my assignment. I wouldn't go home and watch my family die, if they haven't already. I wasn't going to die without a fight.

He stared hard into my nut-brown eyes, searching my thoughts. Searching my true emotions.

"Who's going to stop me?" A playful smirk crossed the bottom of his face.

Instead of panicking, as usual, I stepped closer to him. I felt his warm breath on my face. I looked down at his lips, and quickly back up to his eyes.

"I am." He didn't flinch. I poked his chest hard. "You will take me with you. I have an assignment to complete; and I'm not going home empty-handed."

His smile faded.

"Why don't you just go back home to your Unit and tell them that the answer hasn't been found yet."

"I will go with you and find an answer." I said in a stern tone.

He bit his bottom lip. Cute, but not cute enough to make me back off. I was determined to get an answer. There was no telling how long it would be before I was soon vanished from the world as well.

"Very well, then. You can go." He stepped away from me and picked up his duffel bag. Running his fingers through his hair, he started out the door. He didn't wait for me, but casually looked back to make sure I was right behind him. "You know, maybe this will be good for you. You get to experience the evils and dangers of the world. The mischief people get into without the rules of the other two Units to hold them back."

I shuddered, imagining a horrid face full of wicked wonders and troubled souls. Instead of saying so, I played along with Carter's game. There was no way he would get me to change my mind.

"Really?"

"Yup. It's a whole other world out there in Unit three. The high technology and expectations that is presented here and in your Unit, is far different in that Unit. There is barely any protection to save you from the harmful things people do there."

"Like what?"

He turned to me and walked backward. His eyes twinkled. "Do you really want to find out?" The playful grin he previously had was back.

I smiled back.

"I think I'll take my chances." I answered.

He shrugged and turned back around.

"Suit yourself."