DIVISION 52 - BOOK I

CHAPTER LXIV

– M A K A Y L A –

I woke before Alex did.

Wrapped in her warm embrace with the feel of her slow breathing against my skin. I carefully extracted myself from her arms. Slowly enough and silently that the heavy, whiskey induced sleep would be enough to keep her in dreams.

I watched her a moment longer. Some of her dark strands had come loose from the braid running behind and made her look young and entirely like a woman that didn't end lives and shift empires in her spare time.

I stood from the long white couch. Making sure that her breathing remained even and deep.

I slipped on the white t-shirt from the floor along with the cargo pants with one place in mind. I knew the interior of the station from memory. Imprinted in my memory from the hard ass head of security. I had to wonder if he made it out of Division 52's blood bound path for my father...

The glass doors slid open with a faint hiss and I walked the long white washed corridor with stars spilling out endlessly from the wide glass pane along the side. Many doors and hallways later I emerged out onto a wide expanse of sapphire blue water.

I walked the edge until I met the large outer glass window. If you dived under it would be like swimming in a sea of stars. Pure floating emptiness. I sat down at the edge and let my calves soak with warm water. I leant back on my arms and watched the slow rotation of the station bring the earth into view.

It still had a blue glow akin to the water at my feet despite our centuries of pollution and abuse. My father had spared no short stories in telling me of how our bloodline had funded the experimental algae weed that was modified to consume plastic particles and other synthetic pollutants centuries ago. Ironically they had to then modify a creature to consume the overgrown weed... But the results purified all ocean water.

One scar of many needing human intervention for something we had already caused.

I focused on the cobwebs of city networks. The lights that flashed by in quick orbit. Populations had always been tightly controlled and monitored in mega cities but I did wonder at the occasional blips of light I caught beyond the obvious sprawling cities.

Were people able to make a life for themselves without a governing force? Mega structures and mass food and water stores?

I chuckled quietly. 

Alex would tire of outer city life faster than you could snap a finger. Proximo's words flashed into my mind when I had stood over him. She is made for this. Then I had slashed a throwing knife across his hand... He would probably hold that one against me for some time. Alex would likely commend me rather than scold me.

The thought made me smile. I kicked my feet lightly watching it ripple outwards.

I couldn't shake the hole created. As much as I wished I couldn't care less about my monster of a father. I did care. I should be grateful I wasn't the one to pull that trigger. Alex didn't want that. She never wanted red on my hands. Even when I was forced to take a life all that time ago in the furthest Sector of the city. The criminal leader of the city did everything in her power to keep me from the dark she lives in.

I didn't hear a sound before the woman herself crouched beside me.

I flinched sharply and she laughed quietly. I didn't take my eyes from the water as she stayed crouched watching the ripples I made.

"How did you find me?" I murmured.

I caught one side of her mouth twitch upwards. "Seeing as most of this station is either storage or service space, there weren't many places you could go." She answered simply.