by Aurelia Skye
“Hello, Ms. Sanchez.” MX409’s voice sounded thick. “I wasn’t expecting to be working with you.”
She nodded, looking a little angry. “Likewise, but I have the knowledge to complement your needs, and we’re working together for a common good, so I think we can do this.” She sounded slightly unconvinced, as though her words were meant to brace herself as much as anyone else.
Raven was somewhat unaware of the subtext, but the name Sanchez was familiar. Heather must be related in some fashion to the human woman MX had killed when the cyborgs and humans first met weeks before.
“Do you mind showing MX to his quarters please, Heather? I’ll escort RVN99 to where she’ll be staying.”
Leith’s voice was husky, with a hint of roughness, and it sent shivers down her spine. With a word of parting to MX, Raven stepped up to Leith, standing beside him in his chair. “I prefer Raven.”
The leader cleared his throat. “I thought cyborgs went by designations?”
“Technically, but Carrie likes to humanize our names. She chose Raven for me, and I like it. It sounds better than letters and numbers to me.”
He nodded as his chair started to move. “I’ll try to remember that. I’m Leith Campbell, and I guess I’m the leader now that Gwen has moved to the cyborg base to be with her mate.”
“I was briefed,” said Raven, feeling awkward. She wasn’t certain what to say to him. She couldn’t just blurt out the thoughts in her head, or tell him she was certain he was fated to be her mate. As they moved along the corridor, he kept a careful distance between them, and his interaction at a minimum, making her compulsion to tell him start to wane anyway.
She was still feeling the pull, and he drew her in, but it seemed clear that the feeling wasn’t mutual. In fact, he looked uncomfortable, and she was the most obvious reason for his discomfort. Either he didn’t like her personally, or he didn’t like having another cyborg liaison in the enclave. Whatever his reasons, it was obvious to her that he didn’t want her there, and that hurt more than it should have, considering she didn’t really know him at all.
Leith finally let his face relax after the door closed behind Raven. He’d kept his expression deliberately neutral, maintaining an aloof distance between them as he tried to process what was happening. One look at her had been enough to send his pulse rate skyrocketing, which was a disconcerting experience.
Of course he’d found women attractive over the years, but he had never made any effort to act on it. The accident that had put him in the wheelchair had rendered him insensate from the waist down, so while he had some physical reaction to attractive women, it was more cerebral for him. The little blue cyborg was the first woman who had made him react so strongly, and he was still reeling.
He couldn’t identify exactly what it was about her that left him in this state. She had the typical light blue skin that all the cyborgs had, along with a network of luminescent veins and circuitry that faintly glowed underneath her skin. It was a strangely beautiful sight, but he hadn’t had the same kind of reaction when he had met the general’s mate.
Perhaps that was because she was only half cyborg, but he didn’t think it was that. Possibly it was Raven’s sparkling brown eyes rimmed with dark blonde lashes several shades darker than the golden-blonde strands she had worn confined in a ponytail. His fingers had twitched at the instinctive urge to run his fingers through them after freeing her hair from the band holding it.
He couldn’t explain his reaction to Raven, but he was desperate to avoid it. It would simply complicate working together with her and the other cyborgs, especially when nothing could come from it.
If he maintained a distance between them, it was sure to cause the spark of attraction to fizzle quickly. As lovely as she was, she would likely have no problem finding potential partners either among the cyborgs or the humans, and she wouldn’t look twice at him anyway. He’d accepted long ago that he would likely never find a partner, especially since he couldn’t give her children or satisfy the usual physical needs of a woman.
Leith had been certain he was reconciled to that, and instead had devoted himself to helping the enclave in whatever capacity he could. Much of his existence was in this intellectual realm, and he turned his talents toward invention, improvement, and designs that would help the humans survive for at least another generation. He was content, and it was bewildering to have Raven arrive and throw his carefully ordered existence into immediate chaos.
As he made his way toward his quarters, after having arranged a rendezvous with Raven in the morning to begin their investigation, he was tempted to contact Gwen and request DVS send a different cyborg instead. Only the humiliation of explaining why held him back—that, and a strange reluctance to see Raven leave and never return. He couldn’t have her, but he wasn’t ready to see her leave just yet.
2
Raven met Leith at the designated spot the next morning, her stomach fluttering with nerves. She was concerned about the reaction the humans would have to her, along with successfully concluding their investigation, and she was also anxious about seeing Leith again. Would he be as cold and distant today as he had been yesterday?
She joined him in the antechamber, where MX and Heather also stood, and her heart sank as she realized he probably would. He barely glanced at her and only nodded his head once, never breaking off conversation with Heather.
Raven stood there awkwardly, shifting from foot to foot as she wondered what her purpose or role was. MX looked equally mystified, and the two humans continued speaking in hushed tones. They didn’t appear to be excluding the two cyborgs from the conversation, despite speaking in a lowered voice. They just seemed to be acting discreet.
Finally, Leith moved his chair away from Heather and took up a position beside Raven. “I thought we could interview people today, RVN…Raven. I wanted to start with Heather, because she and MX have their own work to do.”
“Is Heather under suspicion?” asked Raven.
Leith shrugged a shoulder. “Patrick Sanchez was her grandfather, and Elena Sanchez was her great-grandmother. Do you know who Elena Sanchez was?”
Before Raven could answer, MX squared her shoulders and said, “She was the human I killed, Raven.”
Raven nodded, having already remembered that for herself after reading the debriefing. “Do you believe Heather had anything to do with this?” She was addressing Leith.
“I don’t believe so,” said MX. “I was here when the explosion took place, and Patrick tried to get her to leave, but she refused. He told her she would be a victim of her own decisions before he stormed off. He knew she was in the vicinity when he overloaded the environmental controls, and he had no regard for his granddaughter’s safety.”
Leith looked impressed. “Exactly, but I think we should rule out everyone who might be a possible liability. Heather, were you aware that your grandfather was opposed to the cyborg and human treaty?”
Heather didn’t hesitate. “Of course. He never really made it a secret, did he?”
Leith shook his head. “And did you know he was actively plotting to sabotage the truce?” When Heather shook her head, he asked, “Are you aware of anyone who might be conspiring with him? Before your grandfather killed himself, he intimated to Gwen that there were other humans in the enclave who felt the same way. The question is, are there others who are willing to act as Patrick did?”
Heather shrugged. “I’m afraid I can’t answer the last question, because I don’t know. I don’t know who else might’ve been involved either, but I can tell you some of my grandfather’s closest friends. You know Boris?”
Leith nodded. “I had planned to interview him. Anyone else?”
“He often played cards with Michael and Loretta, along with Boris.” Heather lowered her voice lightly. “And Grandpa didn’t know I knew, but he was casually seeing Elle. I guess he thought I’d disapprove or something, since she’s fifteen years younger than he was, but it didn’t matter to me. Grandma’
s been dead for years, and I liked seeing him happy. You have to believe that if I had any idea what he was thinking or doing, I would’ve told you or Gwen earlier.”
Leith nodded. “I do believe you.”
Raven gulped when Leith suddenly turned his piercing gaze to her. She waited for him to speak as she curled her hands against her sides and struggled with a feeling of guilt she had no reason to feel.
“Are you satisfied of Heather’s innocence, or are there questions you would like to ask her?”
Raven quickly shook her head. “I think you covered everything.” Truth be told, she was feeling overwhelmed by the rapid-fire interrogation, which left her wondering what possible use she could be to find other humans who were opposed enough to the treaty to actively do something to sabotage it.
Looking content, Leith turned back to Heather. “Why don’t you and MX start on your assignments then? Thank you for your time, Heather.”
Heather nodded, and then she nodded again at MX before leading him away.
She stood there awkwardly for a moment, finally crossing her arms over her chest. “What do we do now?”
“I thought we could start by interviewing Boris, since he was Patrick’s closest friend. After him, we’ll talk to Michael and Elle, and anyone else who might offer a lead. Does that sound like a plan?”
Raven nodded, wondering if he was just asking her to be polite, or if he would defer to her if she had a better suggestion. It was a moot question, since she didn’t have a better idea, never having conducted such an investigation before. She was there to find a mate, and she was confident she could do that, assuming Leith had even a hint of reciprocal interest. However, she wasn’t confident in her skills when it came to solving the mystery of who was working against the cyborg/human alliance.
3
“Boris and Patrick spent a lot of time together, so I hope he’ll have some insight into his friend’s point-of-view,” said Leith as they moved deeper into the enclave.
“Where are we?” asked Raven.
“A lot of the maintenance systems are located here. Boris oversees the oxygen scrubbers, so we should find him there.”
They arrived apparently at the appropriate location a few moments later, and Raven looked around with wide eyes at the huge and complex system the enclave used to ensure oxygen circulation. It was somewhat primitive, and she could see why it needed its own devoted maintenance person.
The aforementioned maintenance person, who was probably Boris, was currently asleep in a chair tipped back, his head resting on the rock wall behind him and feet propped on his desk. He was an older man, with bushy brows and an impressive beard that hung halfway down his chest. He was also snoring, and Raven swallowed a giggle at the sight. The way the old man looked at that moment, he didn’t appear like he could ever be a threat to anyone, especially the cyborgs.
Leith moved closer, looking annoyed, and cleared his throat loudly. That had no effect, so he apparently decided to try again with a louder cough. The man Raven assumed was Boris twitched slightly, but continued snoring.
With an exasperated sigh, Leith said, “Boris, wake up.”
The man jumped so hard that his chair rocked backward, and Raven was certain he would fall. If it hadn’t been braced by the wall behind him, it probably would have. He sat upright, looking perplexed for a moment. There was a gentle set to his face, and he appeared just as harmless awake as he had while sleeping in his precarious position.
“Are you awake now, Boris?” asked Leith.
Boris coughed and blinked a couple of times before finally standing upright to stretch. “Sorry. Must’ve dozed off a bit.”
Leith ignored the excuse. “We’re here to talk to you about Patrick. This is Raven, and she’s the liaison from the cyborgs.”
Raven moved a little closer, studying Boris as intently as he studied her. There was curiosity in his face, but no overt hostility. When she offered a tentative smile, he reciprocated.
Boris tipped his head. “How do you do, miss?” His attention turned to Leith. “I’ve been expecting you, because I know you want answers. You might as well know right now I ain’t got none. I had no idea Patrick was going to do what he done.”
“Did you know how he felt about cyborgs?” asked Raven.
“Well, sure. He never made no secret of it. Like most of us, he never had much use for ‘em—my apologies for the honesty, Miss Raven.”
She shrugged. “We’ve had no use for the humans either, so I can understand that. I don’t know why he hated us so much though. Do you have any insight on that?”
Boris cleared his throat again, coughing so voraciously that Raven was alarmed for his health as he started to turn slightly purple in the face. Finally, he caught a good breath, and his color returned to normal.
“Shoot, that’s easy enough to explain. His son was out scouting and stumbled across a cyborg and synth battle. He had enough time to radio and tell us what was happening, but then we didn’t hear from him again. He never came back, and he must’ve gotten caught in the crossfire. His granddaughter, Heather…well, her mother was pregnant with her at the time, and she was just about paralyzed with grief. Guess it weren’t no surprise that she died having Heather. So I’d say Patrick had his reasons for his hatred, but I didn’t know he’d go to such lengths, including endangering Heather herself.” He shook his head, his disapproval clear.
“Patrick intimated there were other humans in the enclave who felt the same way,” said Leith. “Do you know anything about that?”
For the first time, Boris’s gaze moved from theirs, and he looked uncomfortable. “I don’t know nothing about that.”
Raven was certain he was being untruthful, but couldn’t guess his motivations. Either he was protecting someone, or he was afraid to reveal names. She wasn’t sure which, and without knowing for certain, she couldn’t press him on it.
Apparently, Leith had reached the same conclusion, because he nodded. “Thanks for your help, Boris. Try to get some work done today, okay?”
Boris just shrugged and leaned back in his rickety chair. “Sure thing, Leith.”
They left a moment later. Leith went first, and she walked behind his chair. They held their silence until they were well away from the oxygen scrubbing room. “What did you think?” he asked.
Heather licked her lips as she searched for a diplomatic answer. “I don’t think he’s involved, but I think maybe he knows more than he’s telling us.”
Leith nodded. “We’re on the same page. I guess we should talk to Elle now. Maybe she can tell us more.”
It took a few minutes to reach the medical center, and they were lucky enough to find Elle in attendance. She looked bored and seemed happy to have company. She gave them both a wide smile as they entered. “Which one of you is hurt?”
“Neither,” said Leith. “We need to talk to you about Patrick.”
Elle’s enthusiasm didn’t dim, but a sadness crept over her expression. “I guess I expected that.” She turned piercing black eyes to Raven, seeming to be evaluating her intently. “You’re Raven, right?”
Raven nodded. “I’m sorry to bother you, because it’s obvious you’re still mourning Patrick.” She didn’t think she was wrong with that guess by the sadness in Elle’s face.
Elle let out a long sigh. “We were together quite a long time, at least for the last few years. I loved Patrick, but there was a part of him I couldn’t reach, and I couldn’t relate to that part either. It was just pure hatred.”
“For cyborgs?” asked Raven gently.
Elle shrugged. “Cyborgs, synthetics, and even some of the humans in the enclave who didn’t share his way of thinking. Patrick used to be a different person back when his wife was still alive, and before his son died.
“After that, he changed. He became closed-off and angry, and though he and I were involved, I’m not sure how deeply I ever reached him. Even now, I can’t guarantee that he loved me, or that he didn’t view me as just an accep
table substitute after Camilla’s death.”
The sorrow in her tone moved Raven to step forward and place a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I can’t imagine how you must be feeling right now, and I know our questions don’t help.”
“It’s all right. I understand you have to do this too.” Elle’s expression changed, becoming more businesslike.
“I had no idea he was planning anything, and if he was involved in a group, I didn’t know anything about it. The only thing I know for sure is that some nights he slipped away from our quarters for what he called meetings. I don’t know who he was meeting, or what they were doing. I know I saw him walking with Boris a few times to those meetings, but that’s all the information I have. He kept that part closed off, like so many other things, and I learned not to ask if I wanted to be with him.”
Leith nodded his head, and Raven squeezed her shoulder one more time before stepping back.
“Thank you for your help and openness, Elle,” said Leith. “I know it was difficult.”
Elle gave him a sad smile. “Sometimes it was difficult to love Patrick, but it’s not that difficult to talk about him. I accepted the status quo long ago. It was either that, or give him up completely, and I had no intention of doing so.”
The sadness slowly drained from her face, leaving her expression almost empty. “Anyway, I hope I helped you some, and you find out if there really is anyone else trying to stop the peace treaty. That would be a foolish move on anyone’s part.”
In the corridor, they paused to talk to each other, and Leith was clearly looking defeated. “I guess Michael’s our last lead at the moment, but I’m not sure if we’ll get anything out of him. He’s pretty withdrawn.”
“That’s not entirely true. There’s still Boris and his meetings. Maybe we could ask him about that.”
Leith lifted his head, sitting straighter. “Or we could just follow him to one.”