But also, those eyes seemed awfully familiar. Had she seen them somewhere before?
Carolyn smiled at the camera, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Today’s a big day. Our first successful cyborg is going to open its eyes for the first time. Our first test subjects never even reached the growth stage, but with Zero, we were able to complete the cycle. It’s the world’s first cyborg.”
Jade cringed.
Carolyn had just called Zero—Nightmare—‘it’.
Just like in the papers she’d read.
Carolyn grabbed the camera and approached the bed.
Jade gasped. Nightmare lay on it.
A tear ran down her cheek, and her chin started to tremble.
He looked so peaceful, so beautiful. So innocent. Still unaware of all the bad things that were going to happen to him.
Jade wished she could jump through the screen and take him away from it all. She’d never wished for something this badly before.
Olive approached, gasping, too. “Oh my God. Is that—?”
She dried her tears and nodded. “Yes. They’re about to wake him up.”
Her colleague gave her a look. “Are you crying?”
“Don’t worry about it.” She focused on the screen.
The two male doctors that stood on the other side of Nightmare’s bed looked up at Carolyn.
“Are you sure you want to wake it up?” one of them asked. “We can use its blood, bone marrow, and more without it being conscious.”
“I know,” Carolyn answered, “but I’m curious.”
“What if we can’t control it? It’s a lot stronger than us.”
“Then we’ll find a way to control it. Wake it up.” She put down the camera on something so that it could easily film the whole scene.
Jade was unable to take her eyes from the screen, as she watched the doctors remove the machine Nightmare was attached to. They injected him with something, and seconds later, he took a big breath, his chest buckled.
Everyone in the room remained still as he started to move.
Eventually, he opened his eyes, and sat, looking around in the room with no expression on his face. There was literally nothing, just dead, cold eyes staring ahead.
Weird.
A newborn cyborg would’ve been emotional, searching for his bound one, and if he didn’t find her, he’d go into panic, but Nightmare was completely still.
Carolyn approached him slowly. “I’m Carolyn Williams. You’re creator.”
He met her gaze, still without emotions. “My creator.”
Both Jade and Olive stared at the screen gaping.
“Did he just speak?” Olive asked.
Jade was unable to confirm out loud. A newborn cyborg couldn’t speak. It took a few hours for his mind to start working and processing everything, even language. Everything was about emotions and feelings in the beginning.
“Your name is Zero, and you will do as I say. You belong to me,” Carolyn went on.
Nightmare tilted his head.
Was he registering what she was saying? Or was that a hint of dislike in his eyes?
“I belong to you?” he asked.
“Yes. And you will do as I say.”
Nightmare remained silent for a while. The dry, emotionless expression on his face made Jade hold her breath. “I will do as you say.”
Carolyn grinned. “Good.” She reached for the camera. There was a click, and the screen went black.
Jade’s heart skipped before settling into a canter. She didn’t want to see more, but she had to. She jumped forward, clicking on another folder with a date set several years later.
“I can’t believe this. There didn’t seem to be a bond,” Olive said.
Her gaze jerked to her colleague. “You noticed that, huh?”
The woman frowned. “Of course, I did. He didn’t behave like a newborn cyborg.”
There was no point in holding anything back anymore. “The bond is the reason I came back, to figure out what Carolyn really meant with it. When I was with the Fighters, they told me the bond is a poison that’s programmed to be released into the cyborg’s body when his bound one died. At first, I didn’t believe it, but I don’t doubt it anymore. Now, I have to figure out what the heck is going on.”
Olive’s eyes were so wide they looked like two spheres. “A poison?” She let out a loud breath. “This is just getting worse and worse.”
Jade snorted. “You have no idea.” She clicked on another video. “Let’s watch this one.” It was more difficult to say than she’d expected.
The video started inside an office, with Carolyn in front of it. She looked tired, but also angry. Carolyn glared at the camera and she pulled a hand through her hair. “My curiosity has killed my research. I should’ve never woken them up. I should’ve just kept them in a vegetate state and take what I needed to continue my research. Them being awake was never necessary anyway, but I just needed to know, and now look where it has taken us.” She let out a long chant of curse words. “They’re impossible to control, and if I am going to get what I need for my research, they need to be controlled.” She went silent for a while, staring at her desk, before looking into the camera again. “The problem is, I need many of them. A few cyborgs won’t fuel my research, and I need to find a way to make that happen. I won’t let anything stand in my way.” Carolyn leaned closer to the camera. “I have a plan. It’s still in construction mode, but if it works, it will change everything.” She grinned. “I call it ‘the bond,’ and I intend to use it on Zero, if he ever fails me again.” The screen went black.
Jade didn’t move. For a long moment, she was barely able to breathe. “The cyborgs were meant for something else. She didn’t create them to help lonely women. She created them for something else.”
Olive didn’t move, either. She seemed just as flabbergasted. “Well, this turned out to be a life-changing day.”
A click sounded from both screens.
“The information has been transferred,” Olive said and gave both hard drives to Jade.
She stared at them. Right now, she held the most precious thing in the whole world. All the answers the Fighters ever needed were on these two drives.
And she was going to give them to the Fighters.
Jade placed them inside an inner pocket of her jeans and closed it, knowing they’d be safe there.
The other screen beeped.
Olive approached to check what was going on. A frown grew on her forehead. “The cameras outside, near the emergency exit, have been turned off.”
“What?” Jade was instantly by her side, watching the screen.
“Something from the outside hacked the system and turned them off.”
“When?”
She pushed a few buttons. “About twenty minutes ago. The defense system was tricked into thinking it was an authorized move, but it discovered just now that it was not the case.”
Jade frowned. “What do you mean it was tricked? It’s a fool-proof system.”
“And yet, it was hacked.” Olive pushed a few more buttons.
A few more seconds passed with Jade trying to calculate what could’ve happened, then it hit her, and she gasped. “Nightmare.”
Had he really followed her? Was he that stupid?
She had to know. “Quickly. Check the cameras nearest the emergency exit.”
Olive did as she asked. “The ones on the inside are still on.”
Thank God.
That would make it easier to find him, if it was him, but who else could it be?
“Show me every camera on the lower floor.”
Her colleague clicked a few things, and five images showed up on the screen, showing different parts of the lower floor.
Some cameras showed parts of a hallway, one was pointed toward a door, and the third one …
“Oh, my god!” Jade almost screamed.
Nightmare was held against the wall by two cyborg soldiers in the middle of a hallway.
Two others stood nearby, and Soul’s bound one, Janice Walker stood in front of Nightmare with a wide grin, as she talked to him.
Jade’s lower lip trembled.
He’d been beaten.
The way he leaned forward, the pain written on his face, the bloodied lip, and the red eye spoke no other language.
“Turn on the sound!” she yelled to Olive.
What the heck was Janice doing?
The doctor-tech pushed a button.
“Have you missed me, Zero?” Janice asked with a sweet, but cold smile and caressed Nightmare’s cheek.
Jade’s blood started to boil.
How dared she?
Nightmare glared with pure fury, hate, and disgust at Janice. “Don’t imagine anything, Carolyn. You mean nothing to me, and you never have.”
What?
Had he just called Janice Carolyn?
Was he malfunctioning?
Janice looked nothing like the Carolyn she’d just seen in the videos.
Janice had a more masculine appearance, with a fit and tall body, and Carolyn was more feminine-looking, with a styled and attractive appearance.
“Aww, isn’t that a shame.” The woman’s grin didn’t fade, but her sweet voice pissed Jade off, even more so when she placed her hand on Nightmare’s chest. “But I’m sure your bond has.” She met his gaze.
Nightmare flattened his lips, obviously refusing to answer.
“What is this?” Olive asked, the confusion in her voice was clear.
“I don’t know,” Jade said with barely a whisper, but something was very, very wrong.
“You and I used to have so much fun together,” Janice told Nightmare. “I’m sure we can have fun again. What do you think of that? You’re in my arms again.”
“You’ll never have control over me again,” her cyborg hissed and pulled on his arms in an attempt to get free, but the soldiers didn’t budge. “But I would love to know how come you’re alive. Your eyes are the same, but you look different.”
Janice chuckled. “It’s all thanks to you, your since long dead brothers, and many other cyborgs. You all were never anything but toys to fulfill a greater purpose. Your lives mean nothing. You were created for one reason only, and I will make sure you all fulfill that purpose.”
Jade’s anger boiled over. “That’s it! I’ve heard enough.” She grabbed the gun she’d taken from her office, and headed for the door.
Olive grabbed her arms. “Wait! You can’t be serious about going out there.”
“I have to. There’s no other way.” She pulled out one of the hard drives from her inner pocket and handed it to Olive. “Keep this safe. Stay here, and don’t let them see you. Leave once it’s safe. I need to get him out of here. I’ll be in touch.”
Confusion was written all over her colleague’s expression, but she took the hard drive. “I have no idea what’s going on, but something is messed up for sure.” Determination awakened in her eyes. “You can count on me, but you’ll put yourself in danger going out there.”
She took a deep breath. “I need to help him.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m his bound one.” She exited the room, leaving a gaping Olive behind.
CHAPTER 28
Nightmare stared at the woman in front of him. She reminded him of Carolyn, but at the same time, she didn’t.
Her hair was blonde, but darker. Her eyes were brown, but brighter. The shape of her head was different, more prominent.
She was like a subtle imposter of the Carolyn he’d once known; gentle changes here and there, but still enough for her to look like a long distant relative.
This Carolyn looked physically stronger, fiercer, than the elegant and feminine Carolyn from his past.
Yet, she was Carolyn.
The disbelief was overwhelming, but he didn’t doubt it. It was her.
How?
And why did she look so young?
She seemed to be in her forties, but Carolyn died about forty years ago. He hadn’t seen it, but he’d heard about it.
It’d been all over the news, and he’d almost died with her, when his bond had gone crazy. He’d learned then how dangerous the bond really was.
She’d never told him about the poison, but he’d figured it out.
The first few weeks after her death had been hell. His bond had started screaming after a new bound one once it realized it couldn’t kill him.
Every day had been a struggle to not go after the first woman he saw. Somehow, Nightmare had managed to stay hidden and put his signal together, the signal that blocked the bond.
He’d managed to place it inside himself and put the bond away for good. Only, the need for another bound one remained. Ever since that day, it’d been like an addiction he hadn’t been able to shake.
But now, another bond lived in his heart.
His bond to Jade.
A bond that didn’t control him.
The thought of her filled him will love and a pinch of joy, despite the situation. The image of her beautiful face, her dark eyes, golden skin, made his lips twitch. He’d fallen in love with her on his own before the bond had been initiated, and it warmed his heart.
He loved her.
He really did.
How he wished he’d told her. Now, it looked like he’d never be able to.
Carolyn moved even closer. “You’re smiling. Your bond remembers me, doesn’t it?” Her hand glided down his chest.
Nightmare frowned. Did she think his bond for her was still active?
He snorted internally. Of course, she did.
She knew nothing about the progress he’d achieved these past forty years. All she knew was that he was a dirty, dangerous, and untrustworthy Fighter who struggled in life. Carolyn only knew what the media shared.
In other words, nothing.
He could use this.
“Yes, it remembers.” It was almost impossible to speak the lie, especially with that pinch of longing he added to his voice.
“Good. Then it will remember this too.” She leaned in for a kiss.
Nightmare inhaled sharply. His bond to Jade started to scratch on his insides as she moved closer.
Thank God that awful thing was locked away but Carolyn couldn’t find out about it. If she discovered he was bound to someone else, things would take an ugly turn.
Carolyn aimed for his lips.
Despair washed over him, but all he could do was allow it to happen.
“Get away from him!”
He winced from the sudden voice filling the hallway. Nightmare turned his head.
Jade stood a few feet away, with a gun pointed straight at them. Her hand trembled but the determination in her narrowed gaze was obvious.
All eyes were suddenly on her.
“Jade,” he whispered, unable to hold back a smile. He’d never been so happy to see her, but she shouldn’t be here.
She should run; he needed her safe, but he was too tired, to achy all over from the beating to tell her that.
Carolyn gave him a side-glare.
Nightmare flattened his lips. Had she noticed the love in his voice?
Carolyn’s focus returned to Jade. She smiled. “Jade. What’re you doing here? I thought you were on vacation.”
“I just came back.” His bound one’s voice was cold. “Release him.”
His former bound one frowned. “Release him? You must’ve forgotten what we do with the Fighters here. Besides, he walked in here of his own free will. I’m just making sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.”
“By beating him up? Last time I checked, we don’t hurt the Fighters.”
Carolyn hesitated. “He was resisting. I had to calm him down.”
Jade snorted and glared. Pure hatred shone in her eyes. She’d stormed right in with the gun ready. She hadn’t been taken by surprise.
That could only mean one thing.
Jade knew.
Nightmare raised his head, and instantly found the ca
mera on the ceiling a few feet away. His lips twitched as pride filled him.
Fear lingered in the back of her gaze, but she didn’t allow it to rule. “Don’t take me for a fool,” Jade hissed. “I heard everything—Carolyn.” She spit out the name. “Now let him go, or I’ll put a bullet through your head.”
The woman’s jaw dropped. Then she found the camera as well. “I see. I guess that means the game is over.” With what seemed like lightning speed, she pulled out a small gun from a back pocket and pointed it straight at Nightmare’s forehead.
He winced. How had she managed to pull out the gun that fast?
He barely got the chance to blink before it was in her hand. Not even a cyborg was that fast, but then again, she should be dead. Somehow, she’d stopped herself from aging and even changed her appearance.
The cyborg soldiers didn’t move, but they studied the situation.
“I suggest you put away your gun,” Carolyn said. “You wouldn’t want Zero to get hurt, now would you?”
“His name is Nightmare, and if you hurt him, you’ll be dead before you reach the floor.”
His heart stirred. This was definitely not the right situation to be overcome by sweet and lovey-dovey emotions, but he couldn’t help it. Everything she was doing right now intensified his love for her.
Jade shook her head, and disbelief filled her expression. “I can’t believe this. You and I have worked together for years. Not even once did it occur to me that you’re Carolyn. How’s it even possible?”
Her eyes were filled with dark amusement. “Do you really believe I’d walk away so easily from my life’s work?”
“But you died.”
She nodded. “Yes, I did. I got hit by a car. I never thought it’d end like that. I was too consumed by my own thoughts and I didn’t watch where I was going. Just like that, it was all over. I woke up days later. My doctors brought me back, but by then, the world had already been told I was dead. I decided to use that.”
“And how have you been able to stay this young? And what about Soul?”
Carolyn grinned. “Soul was nothing more but a tool, and when it comes to my youth, I’m sorry, but I won’t share my masterpiece with you. Let’s focus on more important things, shall we?” She pressed the gun against Nightmare’s forehead. “Like, how’re you going to get out of this situation, without getting both of you killed?”
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