Hidden Worlds

by Kristie Cook

  Kaitlyn heard the hood open, and a moment later, Lucas muttered, “Satisfied?”

  Kaitlyn tensed, expecting the guard to demand that Lucas open the back door. She had been warned not to harm the guard, so her computer kicked into gear, searching for an alternative.

  “Not yet.” The hood slammed shut. “Open the back, and then I’ll do a quick sweep underneath.”

  Kaitlyn listened as their footsteps echoed on the concrete. The door swung open, and stillness settled over her. Through the blanket, she saw a flashlight swoop over her.

  “How long are they going to do this nonsense?” Lucas asked, distracting the guard.

  “Who knows. They said it would be random.” The door slammed shut.

  “Can I go now?” Lucas asked.

  “Yeah, man. See you tomorrow. Just following orders.”

  “I hear you. It’s just annoying. I’ve been here twelve hours and ready to call it a night.” Lucas shut his door and started the engine.

  “Take it easy,” the guard yelled as the Jeep rolled forward.

  Close call. Kaitlyn let out the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. She was jostled when they rolled over a speed bump. Lucas had put himself at risk for her. What did this mean? Was she really escaping? Her body revved up at the prospect.

  They drove for a short while before Kaitlyn felt the vehicle’s gears shift and begin to slow. They came to a stop, and the back door swung open.

  Kaitlyn launched herself at Lucas, her arms wrapping around his neck. “I can’t believe you got me off the compound.”

  His face seemed paler than usual. “We got lucky. Of all the days to do a stupid vehicle check. If it had been anyone other than me, he would have gone over the Jeep with a fine-toothed comb.” He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

  “What now? Where are we going to go?”

  Lucas’s face fell, and his shoulders slumped. “It’s not like that, Kate. We’re not leaving forever. They’d hunt us down, and I’d go to prison. Then, they would probably shut down your system.”

  “Oh.” Kaitlyn stepped away from him, suddenly sad. This wasn’t an escape; she would be going back to the compound. She would be sold as a top secret super soldier. She focused on the fact that she was alone with Lucas, and that would have to be enough for now. Plus, he thought she was worth losing his job over. That alone spoke volumes.

  “Why did you do this? You could lose your job or worse.”

  “I wanted to spend some time alone with you. Tomorrow, you might be leaving for good.” He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. Reluctantly, he pulled away. “You’re worth the risk.”

  “Won’t they realize we’re off the property?”

  “We’ll only have a couple of hours. If anyone checks the tapes, they’ll see you leave with Quess, and they’ll expect you’ve been with her the whole time. I also put a glitch in your GPS to make it appear as if you haven’t left.”

  Kaitlyn thought about this information. She could knock Lucas out and take off, leaving the compound for good. Unfortunatley, as soon as he put the GPS back online they would be able to find her. Lucas would lose his job, and potentially worse.

  She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his warm lips once more. “Thank you. Where are we going?”

  “We can’t go too far away, I’m afraid.”

  “I don’t care, as long as I’m with you.”

  Lucas grabbed her hand and led her over to the passenger’s side, where she slid into the front seat. Once Lucas was in the driver’s side, he placed his hand on Kaitlyn’s lap. His warm hand against her cool skin sent shivers through her. Being around him made her feel like a woman, not a thing. Her body responded to his touch in ways that sent her mind spinning. She never wanted to leave his side.

  They drove five miles, then Lucas flicked on his blinker and turned down a narrow, unpaved side road. The area was remote—not a house in sight—and the Jeep was surrounded on all sides by a forest. It seemed like all she saw were towering trees.

  “I come here sometimes,” he said, “to think.”

  Kaitlyn tilted her head to the side. “You have a place you go to think?” she asked, bewildered.

  Lucas squeezed her hand. “It’s relaxing. You’ll see.”

  He continued driving. The road got narrower and steeper. The sun had set long ago, and the sky was pitch dark this deep in the woods. Finally, Lucas pulled the Jeep to a halt at the top of what appeared to be a ledge. He left the lights on and hurried around to open her door, but Kaitlyn had already climbed out.

  “One minute. I have to grab something from the back.” He returned with the blanket in his arms, and anticipation coursed through Kaitlyn’s body. “I’m sorry I can’t take you out on a proper date, but time is limited and the compound is away from civilization. It takes ages to get anywhere. I was going to pack a picnic, but I remembered you don’t need to eat. So I thought we could just look at the stars, and get to know each other better.”

  “Ages? It can’t really be that far for civilization?”

  Lucas laughed. “Slight exaggeration on my part.”

  Kaitlyn glanced up at the sky, and saw white sparkles in the darkness. Crickets chirped in the distance. She could hear the steady rush of water somewhere close by. Her mind flashed with potential rivers, narrowing down the location.

  Lucas spread the blanket on the ground.

  Hesitantly, Kaitlyn closed the distance between them. Lucas’s hands slid down her arms and pulled her close, her body molding against his as if they were made for each other. Sliding her hand under his shirt, she spread her fingers across his back. Heat radiated off him, and his breathing increased. She smiled to herself, knowing she had caused the reaction. His lips brushed hers lightly, and an urgency spread through her body. She couldn’t get close enough.

  Breaking free from the kiss, Kaitlyn pulled him down on to the blanket. Lucas kissed her again, their legs tangled together. He broke the kiss, rolling to the side so they were facing each other. His hand gently trailed down her face, her arm, and her thigh. Her body felt like it was on fire.

  Kaitlyn pushed up his shirt and ran her hands over his chest; it was hard and warm. She couldn’t believe this was happening. It was like a dream come true. His lips trailed down her neck, causing her to gasp with pleasure. How could he have such an effect on her? It was mind-boggling. She closed her eyes and let the feelings take over.

  His heart pounded, and it was music to her ears. Kaitlyn pulled away and lifted off her shirt, giving only a passing worry to the teal plastic on her skin. Lucas groaned, his heated eyes racing over her chest. Kate fumbled with the button on his pants, but Lucas grabbed her hand.

  “Kate, are you sure?”

  Her eyes widened in surprise. “What do you mean? Of course I’m sure. This is what men and women do. Just like in the movies.”

  Lucas sat up abruptly and yanked his shirt down. “Kate, this isn’t right. I shouldn’t have let it get this far.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I’m taking advantage of you. You don’t even comprehend what’s going on. What a relationship entails. Hell, we don’t even know if you’re a virgin.”

  Kaitlyn reached for her shirt and spread it over her chest. “You don’t want to have sex with me?”

  “Not like this.” He rubbed his hands across his face. “It’s not fair to you. That’s not what I brought you here for.”

  “It’s not?”

  “No, I just wanted to spend time with you.”

  “Oh.” Kaitlyn tried to process that thought, and her processor began to argue the point. “They always have sex in the movies. When I saw the blanket—”

  “I care more about you than a roll in the hay.”

  Kaitlyn looked around. “Hay? I see nothing but grass.”

  “That’s what I mean, Kate. Things are still confusing to you. Come sit by me.”

  Kate scooted over and Lucas put his arm around her, but quickly pulled it away. “
Please put your shirt back on. This is hard enough as it is.”

  Kaitlyn tugged her shirt back over her head. “Better?”

  Lucas didn’t reply. Instead, he laid on his back and motioned for her to curl against him. When they were settled, he pointed up at the stars. “Can you pick out Orion?”

  Kaitlyn concentrated on the stars and pointed off to the left. “It’s right there. It looks like an hourglass. Did you know that in the Middle East, Orion is known as Al-Jabbar, ‘the giant’?”

  Lucas shook his head. “I only know it as The Hunter, from Greek mythology.”

  They were silent for a long moment, snuggled against each other on the blanket. Kaitlyn stared up at the vast expanse of star-dotted sky above them, acutely aware of his presence beside her.

  “I love sitting under the stars. It seems to put everything else in perspective. We’re just a tiny blip in the universe,” he stated, his arm squeezing her shoulders.

  “I can see why you like it here,” Kaitlyn said softly and laid her head against his shoulder. “Thank you for showing me where you come to think. Do you ever think about me here?”

  Lucas nodded, a movement she could feel above her own head. “All the time. I’ve wrestled with my feelings about you for a long time.”

  Over an hour passed of them sitting in peaceful silence. Once in a while, Lucas would point out another constellation, and Kate would report random facts that coincided with that particular grouping of stars. They would laugh at her seemingly endless well of knowledge.

  “We should probably head back. The guards have changed shifts. I should be able to get you in without any trouble.”

  “I wish I could stay here forever,” Kaitlyn said wistfully.

  “We’ll see what happens tomorrow. Hopefully, you won’t have to leave right away. I think I’ve finally convinced Harrington to make a condition of the sale that I’m able to watch over you.”

  “Really?” Kaitlyn bit her bottom lip. If she could still see Lucas, she could handle anything.

  “Really. I know it’s hard for you to believe, but he doesn’t want to give you up. He’s very invested in this project. Now let’s get you back before we get Quess in trouble.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Kaitlyn sat in the empty, sterile room for two hours, thirteen minutes, and six seconds before she heard familiar footsteps echoing off the tiles down the hall. Usually, the sound caused her heart rate to increase, but today it filled her with dread.

  Shoulders slumped, Lucas stepped into the lab. His face looked strained, and his hair was disheveled like he just rolled out of bed. “Kaitlyn. It’s time.”

  “I don’t want to go,” she whispered. “Can’t I stay here?”

  “I’m sorry, Kate.” His eyes were full of regret. “It’s way past that point. I will do everything I can to make sure I stay a part of the program. That’s the best we have right now.”

  She wanted to argue; to start listing tactical alternatives to their situation. Instead, her voice hardened. “Let’s get this over with.”

  “Kate, you have to believe me. I really wish things could be different.” He held open the door for her, and she brushed past him. Even now, his touch sent an electrical charge down her spine. It’s not fair, Kaitlyn thought, surprised at how much emotion welled up inside of her.

  In the hallway outside, Harrington stood, waiting for them, as rigid as a board. Kaitlyn had never before seen him so tense. She wondered if he overheard their conversation, but that was impossible, he was too far away. Humans’ hearing wasn’t that effective.

  “Just be yourself, Kaitlyn, and everything will go fine,” he said soothingly, like he was talking to a child.

  Be myself? She wanted to laugh. She didn’t even know what that meant thanks to him. She had no idea who or what she was other than what he had made her.

  Despite a desire to punch him, she nodded like the obedient robot she was. She glanced at the doorway and debated making a run for it. She could probably evade the guards since she knew all of their locations, but the fact was that with a click of a few computer keys they could shut her down. Her life was not in her control. The thought angered her, but her feet moved forward even though she wanted to stay rooted to the ground or bolt in the other direction.

  The trip down the long corridor felt like she was walking to her demise. Every step forward made her want to turn and run as fast as she could, to get as far away as she could. They left the building and crossed the campus. The sun was shining; the smell of fresh cut grass filled the air, and a blue jay chirped as staff members went about their business. Life as usual, she thought bitterly. Meanwhile, her life was about to be uprooted once again.

  All Kaitlyn could think about was that she may have been walking away from the IFICS lab for the last time. The thought filled her with an unbearable sadness. Even though the compound was sterile and cold, it had become her home. And the outside, whatever was out there, was scary and unknown. Glancing over at Lucas, her throat tightened.

  Maybe human feelings weren’t all they were cracked up to be. She almost wished there was a ‘turn off emotions’ switch.

  Harrington led them to a building, which was ten minute walk from the lab—yet another section of the massive compound Kaitlyn had never stepped foot in. They had kept her so isolated during her time at the facility, and now it was too late. She would never have the chance to explore the whole compound.

  She briefly wondered if she would have more or less freedom once she was sold. Probably less.

  When they entered the unfamiliar building, Kaitlyn glanced around, taking in the new surroundings. Unlike the stark, sterile lab, there wasn’t a white wall to be seen. Lots of browns, greens, and maroon. Abstract paintings hung strategically on the walls, and a large, fanciful vase of wildflowers sat on the reception table in front of the main doors. As they approached, a curvy blonde woman rose from behind the reception desk and smiled. “Good morning. They are waiting inside.”

  “Thanks, Gracie.”

  Harrington led the way, continuing through a set of massive wooden double doors and into a large conference room. There were several men and women sitting behind a long table; backs straight, and all eyes solely on Kaitlyn as she entered. Many were dressed in military uniforms. Kaitlyn’s computer scanned each for identification: High-ranking officials from three different branches. Army, Navy, and Air Force. ‘Caution’ flashed on her internal screen. Thanks, computers, she thought, slightly annoyed. I’m well aware the situation is problematic.

  She felt oddly detached from herself. She had to accept her new fate. Whatever was in store for her, she could handle … she would handle. After all, she had been programmed and prepared extensively for this day. Her eyes strayed to Lucas, and she knew she was only trying to fool herself. She really didn’t want to leave. His eyes met hers, and her heart sank.

  Harrington approached the head of the table as Kaitlyn stood off to the side with Lucas to the left of her. She felt calmer by his presence. She was surprised to see that Professor Adams was not in the room.

  Mr. Harrington took to the podium. “Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pride that I would like to introduce Kaitlyn to you. The first true cyborg of our time. Her skills surpass even the most seasoned solider, and with more training, she will only get better. Human nature and technology have collided, and as you can see, the outcome is spectacular. Where others have failed, we have surpassed even our own highest expectations.”

  A murmur of approval went around the table.

  “Kaitlyn, come up here.”

  Kaitlyn moved without thinking, making her way to Harrington’s side. Everyone was staring at her, looking her up and down from head to toe. Even though she was used to being on display, for some reason the people that were watching at her now made her skin crawl.

  An old man with four stars on his collar, and a scowl on his face, spoke from the middle of the table. He had an arrowhead patch on his right sleeve, which her scan identified as
JSOC. She guessed a former Delta Force commander. “Forgive me for not taking your word, Harrington. Are we going to see her in action?”

  “Of course. We’ve put together a short film for you.”

  With the click of a button on the podium, the lights dimmed and a screen scrolled down the right wall. Curious, Kaitlyn turned to watch along with her prospective owners.

  The film started out in the combat room. Kaitlyn easily flipped Jeff over her shoulder, slamming him to the ground. At six-foot-two, he had been six inches taller than her and outweighed her by almost one-hundred pounds. The man struggled to get back to his feet, and with one swift kick, Kaitlyn swiped his knee cap, bringing him to his knees. The man howled in pain and swung blindly, but Kaitlyn easily blocked the blow. Like an animal, Kaitlyn circled her prey. In the blink of an eye, her arms were wrapped around his neck, and he went slack. Unconscious.

  Live Fire flashed across the screen, and then there was Kaitlyn, sprinting through the woods, weaponless. Suddenly, she dropped flat to the ground as a bullet whizzed past, crawling into the brush. Within seconds, she located the target, waited until they were on top of her, sprung to her feet, and engaged. In the blink of an eye she had the shooter’s gun in her own hands and pressed against his temple before he knew what happened. The man smirked and raised his hands. Kaitlyn lowered the gun.

  It cut to Kaitlyn at the shooting range. Fifty-five meters flashed across the screen. Kaitlyn held a pistol and fired off shots, first using only her right hand, and then the left. The target came forward and showed a small, tight circle on the forehead of the silhouette.

  Someone muttered, “Impossible.” Several heads turned her way. She was surprised to feel a flush of pleasure from their awe.

  There were a few more brief scenes showcasing her skills, and then the room went dark briefly before the lights flashed back on.

  Everyone stared at Kaitlyn with renewed interest. Even the stoic older gentleman in the middle sat up in his seat and seemed impressed.

  “How do we know this is not doctored?” a stern-faced brunette woman asked. Her hair was pulled up so tightly in a bun that her eyes slanted back. Kaitlyn wondered if it gave her a headache. She wasn’t in uniform, so Kaitlyn had no idea who she was representing.