Damn.
One of the men, standing by the front counter, yelled, “Get on the floor, hands behind your head. We want the girl bot.”
So, it had come to this. She would be taken back to Bio-Core.
“Do as he says,” Iris whispered.
The group nodded and lay down. Iris hoped that Daisy did the same on the other side of the bar. Even if Iris could take most of them on, she couldn’t guarantee the safety of her friends. Stray bullets had a way of finding a target.
She calculated every move and path to get out. She didn’t have any weapons, and she didn’t want to take a life. The guards would probably detain her in the end, but if she could get outside and away from her friends, she’d have a chance. She wasn’t the type to go down without a fight.
“I’m coming.” Iris raised her hands.
The first Bio-Core guard approached her and reached for her arm. She grabbed his sidearm and spun behind him, her arm across his chest, his gun trained on his temple. “Move.”
She shoved the guard forward toward the others. Two more guards flanked her. She pushed the guard in front of her away and ducked. The two guards stumbled. When she rose, she hit the one with an uppercut to the chin and sent him soaring backwards. Turning, she took the other guard out with a roundhouse kick to the face.
The rest of the guards attacked. She used her training, landing as many punches and kicks as she could. But before she knew it, two guards had her arms pinned behind her back. There were too many of them. She struggled, but they had a strong hold on her.
Another guard approached her—the man in charge. He aimed his 9mm at her face. “Enough.”
Iris writhed and growled in frustration. She was out of options.
The jukebox turned on, and she identified the song as “Tom Sawyer” by Rush. The gas was dissolving now, and she made out two people standing inside the door—one emitting a golden glow. His eyes were ablaze, intent on hers.
Gage.
The hands holding her slackened then released her. The man in front of her lowered his weapon. Like dominos, the guards closest to Gage dropped to the floor, followed by the guards behind her. Some were convulsing. Iris looked back at Gage, a twinge of concern in her gut. Was he under control?
His ethereal glow dissipated, and Adam patted him on the back.
“Nice work,” Adam said.
Iris ran to Gage, her heart racing. No. You can’t touch him. She skidded to a stop, nose to nose with him, pushing her hands to her sides. “I—sorry.”
“Are you all right?” He looked her up and down, but didn’t make to touch her.
“Oh.” She took a step back and rubbed her arms. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Adam!” Evie yelled from behind Iris.
The others joined them at the front of the arcade to welcome their friends home. Iris backed up and fidgeted with her hands.
Gage was back.
“Will someone please explain why there are armed Bio-Core guards scattered all over my floor?” Daisy asked.
“I’m sorry about all this.” Gage stepped forward. “They’re after me. They were planning on using Iris as bait.”
“And why are they after you?”
He sighed. “It’s a long story, but Adam and Iris aren’t the only ones around here who are different.”
“I’ll explain everything to you.” Adam put his arm around Daisy.
“So, you’re good now?” Mazy asked Gage. “Everything under control?”
“For the most part.” Gage glanced at Iris and then back at Mazy.
Iris heard sirens in the distance. She glanced at Adam.
“The police will be here soon,” Adam said.
“And that’s my cue to leave,” Evie said.
“You all should. I’m the best one to handle this because I honestly don’t know anything,” Daisy said, kicking one of the men on the floor, testing his responsiveness. Nothing. “Adam, you stay at Derrick and Luke’s tonight.”
“Take a drive with me?” Gage asked Iris, who glanced at Evie.
Evie shrugged. “My dad won’t be home tonight. You’re good.”
Iris looked back at Gage. “Okay.”
As the group walked toward the door, a shocked Jack stood in the doorway.
“Jesus Christ!” A half-eaten donut dropped from his hand and made a smooshing sound when it hit the floor. He staggered into the arcade, grasping the doorframe for support. “I’ve heard of some wild girls’ nights, but this?”
“I thought I sent you home.” Daisy frowned and put her arm around him.
“You did. But I got the munchies.” He looked around at the bodies and then at Daisy. “Are they—”
“No, they’re just passed out.”
“Oh, okay.” He kissed the top of her cotton candy hair. “You okay, sweetness?”
“I’m good, babe.”
Jack heard the sirens. “Oh no, not again.”
Daisy patted his side. “Yep, time for you to go too. Everyone out.”
Without a second glance, Jack pushed his way past the others and hightailed down the street.
26
Erasing the Past
Gage
Gage opened the door of his car for Iris, his heart pounding. She smiled and got in. He rounded the other side and drove off then checked his rearview mirror. Three cop cars were pulling up in front of Jack’s. How would Bio-Core play off the incident? Sheriff Grayson was going to have some serious questions. Also, what would he think about the mass illnesses continuing to plague Ashwater?
“Are you okay?” Iris asked, legs crossed, her body turned toward him.
“I’m good,” he said.
She raised her eyebrows.
“Oh, you mean my abilities, because of back there. I was in control, but they shouldn’t have touched you.”
“Oh.” She looked down at her lap. “Yep, that’s me. Untouchable.”
Shit. “I’m sorry. Poor choice of words.”
“Where are we going?”
“My house?” Gage peeked over at her.
“Okay.” Iris looked down at her hands, and he longed to reach for her.
Gage put the car into a higher gear and stepped on the gas. He spent the rest of the ride gathering his thoughts. He had a lot he wanted to say.
He pulled into his driveway just before seven.
Iris checked her phone. “The others are home. Evie said her dad called and won’t be home until morning.” Iris looked up at Gage’s house. “Is your grandfather here?”
“No.” He smiled at Iris.
She unbuckled her seatbelt and got out.
Gage opened the front door and tossed his keys in a bin. “Do you want something to drink?”
“No, I’m good.” She glanced around the hallway. “Why did you bring me here?”
He stopped and turned to her. No matter how many times he phrased it in his head, he didn’t think it would come out right. For once, he wished he could use his abilities and share his thoughts with her.
Then a new idea formed in his head. “Sing with me.”
“Sing with you?” Iris arched her eyebrow.
“Yeah, like before.” He took a few steps toward the hallway that led to his bedroom.
“Why are you doing this?” She raised her arms. “We can’t be together.”
“Please, just sing with me. One song.”
“All right.” She pulled off her heels and set them by the front door.
“Come on.”
Iris sighed and followed him.
Gage opened his bedroom door and felt more himself than he had in weeks. He’d gone straight to Dalia’s after picking up his car. She was the one who’s told him that Iris was at Jack’s when he got back into town, and he was glad she had. He glanced around. He missed his personal view of the mountains, his guitar, and his bed. Hell, he even missed the sight of his shelf of trophies. He settled down in the chair by the guitar. Iris came to the door.
He nodded to the chair opposit
e him. Iris sat down, drawing her legs underneath her like a cat. He played a few chords, testing his skills. “Do you know U2?”
“I can. Which song?”
“With or Without You.”
She looked away, blinking rapidly. When she looked back, she nodded.
Gage strummed the guitar and sang the first verse. Iris leaned toward him, swaying to the rhythm, her eyes fixed on his. She joined him for the chorus, her voice rising above his. Together they sang, each leaning closer and closer but not touching. He strummed the chords for the bridge as she sang until he joined back in for the chorus. Her voice filled the room and seeped into his heart, easing the pain of the last few weeks.
This was right.
They finished the song in perfect harmony, both smiling.
He set the guitar down on its stand and leaned forward, his arms on his thighs. This was going to be the hard part. “I have an idea.”
“An idea?”
“To fix things between us.”
“What is it?”
Gage wet his lips. “I want to touch you.”
“No.” She frowned.
He reached for her hand.
“I said no.” She bolted out of the chair and turned toward the door. She paused, shuddering.
His heart dropped into his stomach. Please don’t go.
Iris turned back around, tears in her eyes. “When we touch, it hurts me too. I don’t like what you see, what you know about my past.” She wiped some tears that fell on her cheeks with the backs of her hands. “I never cried before I came to Ashwater. Now I can’t seem to stop.”
“Iris—”
“No. I’m not finished. Steel didn’t just hurt you. He shattered me too. Now, you’ll only see me through his eyes—a disturbed android, a shell of a person. I can’t bear it. I’ve become too human for that.”
His heart went out to her. He hadn’t thought about how Steel’s memories had impacted her. He’d only dealt with his pain from seeing them. He stood. “I’m so sorry.”
“I know. It’s not your fault. But it doesn’t change the situation.” She turned toward the door again.
His heart whipped up in a frenzy as the fear of losing her was palpable. His palms were sweaty, and his chest was tight.
Tell her. Tell her now before it’s too late.
“I love you.”
Iris
Her breath caught as his words hung in the air. Then they found their way into her chest and soothed her aching heart. Iris touched the door to Gage’s bedroom, pressing her palm to the coolness of the wood. She should leave. Every optic fiber of her CPU told her to do so. She processed the possible outcomes over and over. Each time, their relationship ended. Don’t do it. Don’t. It will be easier to leave.
Tears formed in her eyes as something inside betrayed her mind. She smiled and turned back around. It took one look at his vulnerable, warm eyes to make her stay.
“I love you too.”
“Please, don’t go.” Gage exhaled loudly and ran his hand through his hair.
“I’m here.” She leaned back against the door.
He strode over to her and she flinched, but he stopped inches away from her. His eyes were shiny, giving them a sparkle. She looked down at his supple mouth, lips parted.
“Do you trust me?” he asked.
“Of course I do.” Her fingers scratched at the door behind her, her desire to touch him strong. She might have to sit on her hands.
“Good.” He walked over to his bed. When he turned around, he pulled his T-shirt off over his head, his expression heady.
“What are you doing?” Iris stared at his bare chest, her cheeks warming.
“The only way to erase the past is to replace it with a future. One we build together.” He held out his hand. “Come here.”
Her stomach flipped. She pushed away from the door, stopping just short of his hand. She wanted to touch him so badly. “Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
Iris moved to place her hand in his, eager and terrified. She hadn’t touched him in this way for so long. She craved it, longed for it. She placed her hand in his, and electric currents traveled up her arm and straight to her heart. He grimaced for a split second but squeezed her hand in reassurance. He pulled her against his chest and guided her hands around his waist. He released her hair from the clip holding it up and ran his fingers through the cascading strands, settling it down her back.
His eyes found hers again. “Kiss me.”
She looked into his eyes, and the hurt melted away. Iris knew in that instant that he was right. The past was no match for what they felt for each other. She drew him closer and pressed her lips to his. He parted his lips as she deepened the kiss.
They stayed like that for a while, kissing away the past and forging a path for their future.
Gage pulled back and cupped the back of her neck, his eyes ablaze. “Will you stay with me tonight?”
“Yes.”
He turned her away from him and lifted her sweater over her head. He pulled back her hair and nuzzled the tender area between her neck and shoulder, setting her body on fire. She leaned against him, reaching her arm around his neck.
“You sure you are okay?” she murmured.
Gage turned her around and smiled slowly, arching his eyebrow. “More than okay.”
Iris responded by pushing him back onto the bed, returning his wicked grin. The last logical thought she had was that she hoped Gage’s grandfather didn’t check up on him when he got home.
Iris woke to light streaming in from the large window and music. Did last night really happen? She selected the memory files and replayed the evening in her head. Finally, she peered out from the mass of blankets and comforter. Gage sat in his chair, strumming his guitar. It was a soothing melody, one she didn’t know.
“You’re up.” She smiled wide and stretched.
He stopped. “Yeah. It’s hard to sleep next to you.”
“What? I’m bad to sleep with?” Iris sat up in the T-shirt Gage had given her to sleep in.
Gage set the guitar down and climbed back into bed with her. “Yes.” He pulled at her shirt. “You’re too tempting.”
“Oh, I see.” She settled against him, relieved that she didn’t snore or flail in her sleep. She pushed his hair back off his forehead and kissed him. “Is this for real?”
“It is.”
“And you don’t have any—”
He pushed a finger against her mouth. “Nope. I only have visions of us.” He smiled and let his hand travel down her chin and throat toward her chest. “But if you’re worried, we can always create some more memories.”
“You’re going to have to feed me first. I’m starving.”
Gage laughed and rolled away from her off the bed, pulling his shirt from last night over his head. “You stay here. I’ll bring you breakfast in bed.”
Iris bolted upright. He couldn’t be serious. “You mean eat in your bed?”
He walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, his eyes sparkling in the morning sun. “Yeah, that doesn’t sound appealing?”
“Well, depending on what you’re bringing me, it could get messy.”
Gage leaned over and kissed her cheek and whispered, “I’m counting on it.”
Her mouth formed an O.
He stood and walked toward the door. Over his shoulder, he added, “Research it while I’m gone.”
After he left, Iris learned that whipped cream wasn’t just for sundaes. Her cheeks burned from her search. She covered the loud giggle in her throat with a pillow.
A few minutes later, he flew back in his room in a panic. “Get dressed.”
“What’s wrong?” Iris shot out of bed.
Gage handed her a hand-written note. “I found this in the kitchen.”
It read: If you want to see Pop-pop again, it’s time to finish what we started. I’ll give you one guess where we’ll be. Oh, and don’t dillydally wit
h the droid, she can be feisty in the morning. Tick tock. Pop-pop’s not in the best shape, you know. Love and kisses, Steel
Iris swallowed hard, her stomach dropping. Steel had been in Gage’s house. She took a deep breath and steadied herself. For Gage’s sake, she hoped Sam was all right. Gage rushed around the room, frantically trying to locate a missing sneaker. She pulled her pants on and ran her fingers through her hair, twirling it up in a bun, and clipped it in place.
Gage still couldn’t find his shoe. He spun around a few more times and groaned, his skin glowing gold. Iris did quick scan of the room and found it under a chair.
Once they were ready, she grasped his arms, forcing him to look at her. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll find him.”
He nodded, his aura shifting from bright gold to soft amber. “He has to be. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”
Iris nodded. She knew what he meant. It’s how she felt about him.
27
Infiltration
Gage
Gage was relatively certain that Steel had taken his granddad to Bio-Core, the one place he shouldn’t go.
He pulled up in front of Jack’s. Iris insisted that they pick up Adam since he still had his internal weaponry. What he didn’t anticipate was that the rest of their friends would be waiting for them. Mazy, Sloan, Derrick, and Luke leaned on the side of Mazy’s car while Adam and Evie sat on a bench outside the arcade. Gage got out and slammed his car door. There was no way he was letting them come with. Only Adam.
Gage shook his head and pointed at the group. “No way. You guys are staying here.”
Evie got up and stretched. “No one said we were going with you to Bio-Core.”
Gage stared down at her. “Then why are you here?”
“We’re the diversion.” Derrick yawned loudly.
Diversion? Gage narrowed his eyes at Derrick. Why would they need a diversion?
“My dad is patrolling the grounds. The spin from last night was that some kids tried to break into one of Bio-Core’s drug storage units. The guards supposedly pursued the kids to Jack’s.” Evie rolled her eyes. “Now it seems that someone tipped the cops off about another planned break-in at Bio-Core.”
Perfection Page 18