"You're kinda losing it, Aeris...." Lulu whispered cleaning up the coffee I spilled on the floor while I rubbed my temples. She peered up at me with concerned jade eyes through her auburn bangs.
"Yeah," I murmured in agreement. My mind felt fuzzy, like I was missing blocks of time and all I could focus on was this project but even that somehow seemed unclear. I was progressing so much and when I worked I was so intent but outside of that it was like I couldn't think about it. It was like my mind went blank until I was back in the lab.
"Maybe you need some time off?" She offered handing me a fresh cup of coffee.
"Absolutely not!" Ivan sang like an opera baritone as he burst into the break room like his moment had been cued.
"Ivan, she needs a break," Lulu lectured, placing her hands demandingly on her petite waist.
Ivan laughed heartily. "Not my Aeris, she is a programming robot. She doesn't require worldly things other humans do, like time off or more money."
"No, more money would be good," I retorted cleverly, trying to lighten the tension. I actually was cracking but that didn't mean I wanted anyone to know.
"Seriously, you really are like a robot though, Aeris. I popped in to ask you questions this morning and it was like you didn't even know I was there. Your mind was so fixated on programming."
I froze, so as not to show the slight panic I felt at her statement. There was no recollection in my mind that she ever entered my workspace. I could barely remember the moments leading up to entering the break room, but somehow, I was getting work done. Ivan kept praising me. Victor was thrilled and all the while when I wasn't programming, I felt so in the dark. Was this just work-related stress? Tobias didn't seem stressed at all, which only frustrated me more.
Ivan threw his arm around me. "Nothing stops my little Aeris when she sets her mind to something."
"Right," I laughed anxiously and Lulu gave a hesitant smile, still thinking I wasn't alright.
"Tell you what," Ivan began boisterously, "When you finish this project and Victor is even more over the moon, I will give you a month of vacation that I know you won't take anyway, but it's there if you want it. As long as you help me hire more programmers."
I snorted. That was more challenging than the project I was working on. We were so short-handed. It wasn't just programmers though, it was everyone; scientists, project managers, secretaries, every position. People were just disappearing into thin air and leaving in masses without even the decency of 2 weeks' notice.
"One of our competitors must really be offering higher salaries and benefits," Lulu murmured.
Ivan growled in annoyance. "You mean Comptrix?" he spat. "They are barely on the radar as far as competition. They don't even have a quarter of the clients we have; how could they possibly need our entire workforce?"
I knew he was right, but it still was strange the way people kept up and leaving. Victor said it was human nature and when things get difficult people will leave in droves. He said what we were doing at InTeque was challenging new heights and it takes a certain level of dedication that the average person didn't have. We would find the right people; that's what he kept assuring me. Until then, I had to keep pushing forward.
"It will work out eventually," I reassured, more so to myself than Ivan and Lulu. "I'm gonna get back to work. Robo Aeris has much to compute," I snickered.
They both chuckled as I walked to the lab and entered the sliding frosted doors. Inside, sat Tobias, kicked back in my hover chair with a knowing grin. The mental exhaustion prevented me from stopping my groan of annoyance.
"Is it really already that time again?" I complained. We had to work together daily and the dread set in every time I saw him. I hated that I had to work so closely with him. It wasn't just his arrogance; it was just the overall vibe I got from him. He felt toxic to me.
He smirked and stood up. "Don't act so haughty, Aeris. If I'm not mistaken, you are much more improved after every session of our work together," he retorted smugly, and I rolled my eyes.
If he was improving me so much, I sure had not memory of it. We would always start programming together and then suddenly it was like time passed without my knowing until hours later when everyone else had gone home and I was suddenly aware of how late it was. Tobias was the real robot. He never stopped. I would leave with Victor and he would still be going at it. I hated that about him. I was in a constant state of one-upping by this pompous jerk.
"The hair dye must be leaking into your brain if you think my skills at all relate to you," I retorted with a menacing grin.
An amused chuckle escaped him as he shook his head. "Your defiance is such fun for me," he laughed and I sighed. He was so strange, it almost seemed that he thrived on our constant competition and bickering.
"Can we just get this over with already?" I moaned not in the mood for his banter.
He moved closer and drew his face closer to mine, seemingly to intimidate me; it didn't.
"Do you not enjoy our time together, Aeris?" he asked seductively which only further my annoyance. Every little action of his always felt like a form of manipulation.
"No, not particularly," I answered coolly.
He looked down at the floor for a moment and chuckled before drawing his eyes back to mine, but now with a purple glow that made me jump.
"Oh, I think that might change, my dear," he said slyly, caressing my cheek with his fingers. The sweeping sensation of my exhaustion only intensified and my eyelids could no longer stay open.
When my eyes opened, I found myself floating weightlessly in a dimly lit room with the peaceful sound of water that was immediately disrupted by the pain in my head. I groaned, pulling myself to standing position but quickly clutching the wall of the recovery chamber tank. Whatever happened to me, I was barely functional. I sat down on the stairs of the tank and grasped my head.
"What the hell happened?" I muttered, my mind flashing back to the cavern and the memories that sprang forth in those moments a strange energy emitted from me. I pulled my hands away from my head and looked down at them, now trembling. How was I capable of any of that?
"Aeris," a voice said sternly and I jumped, realizing Trish had been sitting in the corner all along.
"You scared me," I breathed, holding my chest to catch my breath.
I looked at her sitting in the chair in the corner, her knees pulled into her chest like a scared child. The look on her face was one of uncertainty and anxiety.
"What's wrong," I asked urgently. "Where's Xan and Neron? Are they alright?"
She nodded slowly and I felt a small sense of relief, but still I could sense the uneasiness from her,
"What's going on, Trish?" I asked sympathetically. Trish was strong and determined, I had never seen her in this state of fearfulness before.
"Teo, Tierian, and Ryuna saved us," she began in a small voice. "But they couldn't do it alone and Teo had to call the GIU."
I felt my heart drop. "They had to rush you and I out first," she said with a trembling voice. "The GIU can't know about us. They'll lock us up."
"They took Neron and Xan?" I inquired sullenly and she nodded slowly.
I understood how she felt. It was like her heart had been ripped out of her chest; like the enemy had just stolen everything she loved. I understood because I felt it too.
"Teo said we can go there. Neron made a deal and it's safe for me to go, but..." her voice trailed off.
"You're still scared though," I finished and she nodded now beginning to sob.
"I just want Neron back," she cried uncontrollably. "But they did horrible things to me there and I just keep reliving them over and over every time I think about setting foot there."
Words failed me for a moment. I understood her fear, but in a way, maybe I was luckier. I had no recollection of the things Tobias did to me; only the more recent events. But Trish... she had years and years of memories of horrendous things they did to her. How do you just casually step foot back in the place that nearly destroyed you?
"Teo said I could stay on the ship or anywhere else, but I can't. I need to be there for Neron," she insisted through tears. "He means more to me than anything and I have to push through this fear."
I smiled. Her devotion to Neron was one of the only things that gave me a sense of hope in this chaos. To push past her own fears just to be there for him; it was a nice offset from the horrors that were coming to light.
"Well, I'll be there with you," I comforted and she looked at me confused.
"Xan would kill me. It's too dangerous to take you there."
I shrugged. "I don't care," I said. "I want answers. Tobias, Raeland, whatever his name is now, he is still alive, I assume?"
She nodded in affirmation. "Yeah, I didn't think we could be so lucky," I breathed, feeling the deepest form of loathing for that being.
"Then I have to go too. He has answers. And I'd like to see Xan...just one more time." His time with us was now over, that was clear. I wanted to at least say goodbye, even if it felt like it might kill me.
Trish sat up and took a deep breath. "You're sure? You understand that Tor17 is strict and if the GIU realizes you aren't a Torian, they may do worse to you then Raeland." She shivered. "Much, much worse."
I rubbed my head where the pain was coming from. Whatever Tobias had done to me was unnerving, but I couldn't not go, just to keep myself safe.
It would be terrifying to confront Tobias and learning the truth could be more upsetting than the amnesia plaguing me. Above all that, letting Xan go would be even worse. There were several things ahead that I didn't want to contend with. Hiding was easier, but it wasn't an option. If I did not confront these things head on, I would never be able to live with myself.
"There's too much at risk to let fear stand in my way," I answered.
Trish planted her feet on the ground and sat up straight. She took a breath and nodded slowly. "We will stand out a lot. Some Ceres and a Roxan..." she looked at me sternly. "We have to make sure you come off as a Torian. These are rigid, law abiding beings."
I nodded. "Basically, put in my eye drops and keep my mouth shut?" I snickered.
She looked me over more curiously. "It's strange, you not needing that face mask," she paused, unsure if she should finish.
"What?" I asked.
She frowned. "What did he do to you?"
I sighed. She didn't know about anything that happened. Xan was the only one who might have had an idea, if even that. There were several gaps I needed to fill in, from my Earth ties to Tobias all the way to the events in his lab.
"There's a lot I need to tell you," I answered while looking down at my wristband and suddenly remembering the files I had taken from the lab. My finger tapped it and the files symbol displayed but not without another brief wave of pain in my head. Though the pain was still happening, it wasn't as intense. Whatever these new abilities were that I had, my body was slowly adapting. At least that's what I hoped.
I tapped again and brought up the file; Project Phoenix. Holding my wrist out, Trish approached and leaned over the edge of the tank, reading the name aloud. Her eyebrow arched as she looked at me nervously.
"I don't know what that psycho did to me, but I'm gonna find out," I affirmed.
She looked at me and grinned. "This is a new side of you; very bold," she chuckled before placing her hands on her waist. "Now we just need to choose the right attire."
I looked at her puzzled. "What do you mean?"
She stepped back and rolled her eyes. "You need to look like a tight-ass Torian, so you need trendier clothes, but don't worry, I've got you covered."
I nodded, not feeling all that worried about it. My eyes drew back down to my wristband, the words glared in my face; Project Phoenix. What did that have to do with me? Tobias had been closely analyzing this file and its contents. Something in there had to shed some light on things.
I nodded at Trish. "You take care of that," I said with a smirk. "I'm going see what Project Phoenix was all about, and then we are going to Tor17 to get what's ours."
Author's Note:
Hey everyone! Sorry this took so long to post, but I am back on schedule! I hope you are all well and keeping safe! We are gearing up for some big events now and you can expect another Xan chapter heading your way. Thanks again for reading and I can't wait to read your comments :)