He had watched the reception many times from the bridge that was just above their heads. He had watched the humans while Phoebe had explained things to him. He had asked questions and he had learned, but standing here was a completely different experience. Everything felt bigger and he found himself among humans he didn't know. They walked by him, heading in different directions. Some headed for the elevators, others for the entrance. Some entered the building, some went for the escalators. Some even looked him in the eyes before they went on with their business.
Shade turned his head and looked in the direction of the reception. A man and a woman dressed in identical black suits with white bands around the sleeves near the wrists stood behind the desk. The woman stood by a computer and the man browsed through the digital pages of a newspaper.
They approached the reception desk, making the man and the woman look up. The woman smiled at him, but he didn't smile back. His instincts told him to grab Phoebe and keep her close, but he resisted. His teachings told him that neither the man nor the woman were dangerous. They were only doing their job, and right now, that job was to sign him and Phoebe out.
“Hello, Doctor Silva,” the woman said.
Shade found the woman plain-looking with her dark hair put up in a ball on the top of her head. She wore a gentle makeup and a professional smile along with well-polished nails. Other males would probably find her attractive, but for him, there was only one woman. His Phoebe.
“Hello, Erin.” Jade turned her head to the man. “Nice to meet you, Alberto.”
The man answered with a smile and a nod. “What can we help you with today, Doctor Silva?”
The man was tall with a fit body. He had black hair and darker skin. His dark eyes told Shade that this human male was a strong willed person who took his job seriously.
“I am here to sign out Shade and Phoebe. It is time for them to go home,” Jade said.
Alberto turned his gaze toward Shade and nodded with a smile, but his eyes remained emotionless, professional. He had probably done this one too many times to care much, Shade assumed.
“Congratulations,” Alberto told Shade and Phoebe before he turned to Jade. “I will give you the documents to sign.”
Alberto put away his digital newspaper and took a step to the side. He pulled up a big black screen that was attached to the desk. He tapped on it once and it came alive, turning blue with colorful, digital buttons.
“Please, put your hand on the screen in front of you,” Alberto told Jade.
Shade looked down and saw a black, rectangular, glass screen attached to the desk. Jade placed her hand on it with spread fingers. A white light came from the screen and disappeared as fast as it turned up. The screen in front of Alberto reacted with a few beeping sounds.
“Do you agree to Shade being signed out?” Alberto asked Jade.
“Yes.”
Alberto nodded and pushed a few buttons. He looked at Shade. “Now, it's your turn. Please place your hand on the screen.”
Jade moved away and made room for Shade. He moved closer to the screen and placed his hand there the same way Jade had. The light showed up and disappeared. Alberto pressed a few more buttons before he looked at Phoebe.
“Are you Phoebe Rogers, Shade's bound one?”
Phoebe took a step forward. “Yes, I am.”
Alberto nodded. “Please place your hand on the screen to finish the signing.”
Phoebe did as he asked.
“Thank you,” the man said and gave them a stiff smile. “I will let Erin finish. I wish you a happy life.”
“Thank you,” Phoebe said as Alberto walked away.
Erin placed herself by the screen. Her eyes were filled with compassion. “Don't mind him. He is always like this. He is happy for you whether you see it or not.” She looked at Jade. “You know what to do, Doctor Silva.”
Jade smiled. “Of course.” She took her place by the screen again, and for a second time, she placed her hand on it, but this time, the light was red. “I hereby approve that Shade, bound to Phoebe Rogers, is allowed to leave MedAct. He has undergone his schooling for one whole month since he woke up and has proven that he can adapt to our society. If I am wrong, the responsibility is mine. I am aware of the risks if something goes wrong and I will willingly accept the consequences if he should fail during the following two years.”
“Thank you,” Erin said and pushed a few buttons. “We are now finished. Have a nice day.”
Shade tensed and stared at Jade as she removed her hand from the screen. He hadn't expected that. “What consequences?”
Jade gave him a pale smile as they walked away from the desk. “If I have misjudged you, I will lose my job, and I will never be able to work with cyborgs again.”
Shade's eyes went big. “So your happiness lies in my hands.”
“Yes, so don't go and do anything stupid, Shade.” They stopped in the middle of the reception. “But also know this, I will not allow you to do anything stupid. It is my responsibility to make sure that the following two years will work out for you. I will bring you in if I find it necessary. Do you understand?”
He nodded. “I will not fail you.”
“I trust you ... even if you don't like me much.”
He snorted. “Who knows, maybe one day we will be able to become friends.”
She smiled. “I hope so.”
A movement caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head and saw Wind, Diane, and Faye approach them. Wind and Diane walked forward, each wearing gentle smiles while Faye waved frantically and almost jumped from happiness. He took a deep breath. There was another one he had a hard time getting along with, and apparently, Faye didn't live far away from Phoebe. Phoebe had assured him that Faye never made unexpected visits or would be in their faces. She wasn't like that. She was just filled with energy and always happy.
Faye gave Phoebe a big hug. Three weeks ago, that would have been a huge problem for him, but he knew better now. He just didn't like Faye touching Phoebe because she was Faye. As long as she didn't hug him, he was fine. Faye never made any attempts to approach him. Instead, she gave him a wide smile. He smiled back. He knew she meant well and she was important to Phoebe. Because of that, she was important to him even if he didn't like her. She made Phoebe happy too, and that was what he wanted for her.
Wind and Diane stopped near them and he greeted them by shaking their hands. That was also something he had learned to accept. He still found the gesture somewhat strange, but if that was how people greeted each other, then he would greet people like that.
“So the day has finally come,” Wind said and looked at him. “How do you feel?”
Shade looked toward the big glass doors that would take him outside. “I'm curious.”
“That is a good start.”
Diane gave him a reassuring look. “We will all be there for you. I know what you are going through. Some things will be more difficult than others but both Wind and I will help you out the best that we can.”
Shade felt trust for Diane. He saw her as a friend, just as he saw Wind as a friend. Besides, Diane had experience when it came to living with a cyborg. She knew what awaited him and Phoebe because Wind had once been in his shoes. With Phoebe and his friends by his side, Shade was sure things would work out just fine. Jade didn't need to worry about her job. He might not be fond of her, but he would not let her down.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed more movement. Shade turned his head and spotted Silver entering the reception area from the elevators. Two cyborg soldiers walked by his side, holding his arms in firm grips. The cyborg soldiers were created to deal with difficult cyborgs because no human could physically take down a cyborg. The cyborgs that held Silver while they led him through the reception area were muscular like bodybuilders, around seven feet, and had fierce facial expressions. Silver didn't fight them. He was probably still weak and drugged. Also, the handcuffs on his feet and wrists would make it more diffi
cult for him to escape.
“What is he doing here?” Phoebe gasped.
“He is being transported to the place where cyborgs like him live,” Jade answered.
“What kind of place is that, exactly?” Shade asked without taking his gaze off Silver.
“I'm sorry, Shade, but I can't tell you. That is classified information, but don't worry, he will not be hurt in any way. He will be well taken care of and will be given a good life, and if he chooses to bind himself to a new bound one, he will be able to leave.”
Shade's gaze narrowed. “He doesn't seem willing to go.”
“Of course not. He knows that his only way out of that place is by binding himself again and that is the last thing he wants.”
Silver noticed them and turned his head toward them. Shade met his gaze. Silver gave him a dark grin and there was something in his eyes that Shade didn't like. He tried to pull his arms free from the cyborg's grip, but his eyes told Shade that he wasn't really trying, he was just having fun. It was almost as if he was play-acting ... toying with the cyborgs.
Something wasn't right ...
“Don't worry,” Silver told him with a loud voice. “It will be over soon.” He winked.
Phoebe tensed. “What is he talking about?”
Shade opened his mouth to answer, but before he got the chance to say a single word, an explosion went off in the reception area. The blast from the explosion knocked everyone to the floor, covering them with shattered glass. Within seconds, the calm and elegant reception area turned into a chaotic place with glass splinters everywhere. The main entrance was destroyed. The glass doors were no more. Several humans lay motionless on the floor, probably dead. Blood was smeared on the walls, on the destroyed glass, on people, and in growing puddles under some of the bodies. Shade heard men and women screaming. He saw people get up and run out in fear, away from the danger.
His body hurt all over. He groaned from the pressure in his head and the growing headache. It felt like he had been hit by a wall, but it didn't matter how much his body ached. His only thought was of Phoebe.
He grimaced as he tried to get up. A sudden, sharp pain hit him when he tried to support himself on his right hand. He turned his arm to look at it and noticed a big piece of glass sticking out of it. He sat on his knees and without hesitation, he pulled it out. Somehow, he managed to hold back his scream. His body trembled from the pain, his eyes watered, and his head spun, but he didn't have time for this. It didn't matter how much it hurt. He had to check on Phoebe. She was in danger.
He turned his head to the right. Diane sat on the floor with messy hair and glass splitters on her clothes, but she seemed unharmed. Wind was by her side. He held her in his arms with a stern facial expression. Apart from a few bleeding scratches on Wind's arms, he seemed fine too. Jade was already on her feet, looking around with a worried gaze.
Phoebe, on the other hand, lay on the floor.
Motionless.
“No,” he gasped and crawled to her, ignoring the pain in his body.
He grabbed her shoulder and turned her on her back. With a quick gaze, he took a look at her body. Glass splitters lay on her clothes and in her hair, but there was no indication that she was injured. Confusion struck him. She was breathing as if she was sleeping. He shook her lightly, but she didn't wake up. Then he noticed something white sticking out from her leg. He grabbed it and pulled it out.
A dart.
“What the ...” His confusion rose.
“Bad aim. Sorry about that. It was meant for you.”
Shade jerked around and stood, making the ache in his body grow, but the familiar voice told him that he should not show weakness. He tensed his muscles and facial expression, staring right into the eyes of Silver.
Silver grinned. “I won't miss this time.”
A muffled sound was heard and a sharp stinging pinched him in the stomach. Shade jerked from the pain, groaned, and looked down. A dart, similar to the one he had pulled out of Phoebe, was stuck in his flesh. In Silver's hand was a gun, pointing right at him. The dart in Shade's hand fell to the floor.
“That's better,” Silver said, his grin widening.
Silver's cuffs were gone and where Silver had gotten his hands on the gun was a mystery, but Shade noticed the two cyborg soldiers lying still on the ground. Had he taken them down?
He heard the chaos around him. The screaming and running still went on. People fled for their lives, most aimed for the damaged entrance to get away. What was going on? It had all happened so suddenly.
Shade pulled out the dart from his stomach. It didn't take long for his body to weaken from whatever the dart had been dipped in. His knees shook, almost unable to hold him up.
“What are you doing?” he asked with a shaky voice.
“What has to be done.”
Shade turned his head to the entrance as he noticed movement coming from there. Despair filled him as he watched cyborgs dressed in black, carrying heavy guns storm the reception area. He recognized one of them. The sight of the cyborg sent chills down his spine.
Nightmare.
The leader of the Fighters.
He was a tall, muscular, dark cyborg with nasty looking shining eyes. The scar on his throat didn't ease the frightening and maddening impression of him. Anger rose within Shade as Nightmare locked gazes with him. No one was going to hurt his Phoebe. He would fight to defend her, to protect her.
Dizziness filled his head, his sight became blurry, and his knees finally gave in beneath him. He fell to the floor, hurting his injured arm in the process. He groaned with pain but didn't let it stop him from crawling closer to Phoebe, shielding her with his big body.
Nightmare stopped in front of him with a pleased smile. “Don't worry, Shade. Everything will be all right.”
Shade glared at the cyborg as confusion sang inside him. “What do you want? How do you know my name?”
“I know everything.”
He was unable to hold his eyes open. His eyelids felt heavy, so heavy ... His body felt even heavier as each muscle relaxed. He wanted to sleep ... needed to sleep ... No. He had to protect Phoebe. He looked at her, placed his hand on her in a desperate attempt to keep her away from Nightmare.
“Sleep now, Shade,” Nightmare said.
Shade's head slumped to the side. Darkness took him.
CHAPTER 17
Shade opened his eyes and jerked up to a sitting position. His heart pounded like crazy inside of his chest as he frantically looked around for Phoebe, but all he saw was a big bedroom. He sat on a king size bed with white linens. The walls were painted in bright yellow and right in front of him was a big window, going from the bottom to the roof, letting through gentle sunlight. Thin, white curtains decorated the window.
To his left was an open door, and next to it, stood a wide wardrobe with glass doors. Next to the bed sat a beautiful but unfamiliar woman on a chair reading a book. When she noticed that he was awake, she gave him a surprised look, flew up from the chair, and headed for the door. She stopped in the doorway, leaning her head out.
“He is awake!” she yelled out to someone before she turned around and approached him.
“Who are you?” he asked and glared at her. “Where is Phoebe?”
If Phoebe was hurt, someone was going to regret it.
“Relax, Shade. You are among friends.”
The woman was tall with a slim figure. Her hair was light blonde and put up into a ponytail. She reminded him of a doll with her cute and innocent-looking facial features. Her green eyes radiated kindness and love, but also shyness and insecurity. And yet, something also told him that this woman was highly intellectual. He looked down at the book she had been reading. The title said: “Cyborgs and Science”.
“Who are you?” he asked again and gave her a look that said that he demanded an answer.
The woman swallowed loudly. “I am Celise. I am a friend of Phoebe's.”
When he heard Phoebe's name, his mood darkened eve
n more. He pushed the cover aside and stood up. An image of Phoebe, lying hurt somewhere, crossed his mind. The image triggered his anger, making him tense his muscles to the point of pain. Celise's eyes went big as he approached her like a hunter approaches its prey. She gasped and took a step back. He would make the woman talk. He wouldn't hurt her, but he could use fear to make her tell him everything she knew.
“What have you done to Phoebe?” he growled.
“I haven't done anything. I'm her friend. Didn't you hear me when I said that?”
He had heard, but his rage was too great for him to care. He had no idea where he was, but he remembered what had happened before he had passed out. Nightmare, the leader of the Fighters, had leaned over him. That could only mean one thing. They had taken him. This place had to belong to the leader, and this Celise was a part of his gang. That fact that she was human didn't stop Shade from coming at her.
Running steps came from outside of the room. It made him turn his focus to the half-closed door. He clenched his knuckles. He would fight anyone who came through that door. They would regret ever taking him away from Phoebe. He felt ready. He would be the first one to strike. He would take them by surprise.
The door opened wide.
Shade lunged. His body tensed, prepared for a fight.
Wind, Diane, and Faye came in.
Shade jerked to a halt. “Wind?”
Wind smiled and approached him. “I'm glad to see you are finally awake. You have been out for hours.”
Shade looked around at the people in the room. He blinked with surprise at seeing them instead of Nightmare, but he didn't see Phoebe. “Where am I?” His gaze returned to Wind.
“This is Phoebe's home ... your home.”
Shade winced. Phoebe's home? His home? He took a quick glance around again and found the room's interior delicate but appealing. On the other side of the room was a white bookshelf. On it stood plenty of colorful books. There was also a framed photo of her. Phoebe.
His Phoebe.
His anger returned. “Where is Phoebe?”
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