The Significant

by Kyra Anderson

  She stood and grabbed the small device, looking over the screen.

  “My apologies,” she said, her face creasing with concern. “An emergency. Please continue dinner without me.”

  Isa made her way into her office once more as Kailynn watched. When the Elite was out of sight, Kailynn turned back to Tarah, worried about the emergency. The younger woman shrugged.

  “It happens. She’s called away all the time to deal with emergencies.”

  The two ate their dinner. Tarah brought up conversation to dispel the tension between them. As they were doing dishes together, as they had done during Kailynn’s previous stay, Tarah finally brought up what she saw.

  “I don’t want you to be embarrassed,” she said, though it was clear that she was embarrassed herself.

  “Oh…” Kailynn dropped her gaze, running her cloth over the already-dry, washed dish. “Yeah…sorry about that.”

  “Don’t be,” Tarah assured. “It was just a surprise, that’s all.”

  “You seemed embarrassed about it, though,” Kailynn noted.

  “It’s…it’s just strange to see Isa like that, that’s all,” Tarah murmured. “I was not around when she was with Remus, but Rayal told me that he walked in on them a few times in different rooms.”

  Kailynn blinked, surprised.

  “They had sex that often?”

  “From what I heard,” Tarah affirmed. “Rayal said he used to call them his teenagers because they could hardly keep their hands to themselves when they were here together.”

  Kailynn was startled to hear that Isa and Remus had been so sexual with one another. She had always believed that Isa was restrained when it came to their sexual relations. There was another feeling pooling in her gut. She was irritated to hear that Isa and Remus had been so close. It made her feel like she was not as close to the Golden Elite as she believed herself to be.

  Tarah glanced at the silent Significant and saw the jealousy written on her face.

  “I wouldn’t let that get to you,” she said quickly. “Just promise me you won’t do that to me. I don’t know if I could handle finding you two doing it in every room of the house.”

  Kailynn chuckled.

  “Could give you some ideas with Rayal.”

  Tarah’s jaw dropped to her chest and she turned to Kailynn with horrified eyes.

  “What?”

  “Oh, come on, everyone here can see what a crush you have on the guy,” Kailynn teased.

  “He is fifteen years older than me!”

  “So? You like the guy, don’t you?”

  “That’s not the point!”

  “Why not?”

  Tarah’s cheeks burned hotly, and she turned back to unloading the dishes from the dishwasher, handing them to Kailynn, her eyes cast down.

  Kailynn leaned over and smiled devilishly.

  “Why are you pouting?”

  “I’m not.”

  “Yes, you are,” Kailynn laughed. “It’s not a big deal, you know.”

  “Yes, it is,” Tarah murmured. “I mean…I’ve never even been kissed before.”

  Kailynn smiled.

  “Not even when you were in school?”

  “No,” Tarah said quietly, still pouting. “I finished my schooling here in Anon Tower. The three years I went to public school, I never even spoke to my classmates outside of the NCB chairs.”

  Kailynn tried not to roll her eyes.

  “Right, I forgot. No one here talks to one another,” she mumbled. “Well, then ask Rayal to take you somewhere. You’ve been in this tower too long.”

  “I have been out of the tower. I’ve been to the Syndicate Building,” Tarah defended.

  “By highway, I’m sure, which means you were underground. That doesn’t count.”

  “Why not? It was—”

  A shrill alarm sounded, causing them both to jump. Kailynn looked around quickly, not sure of the meaning of the alarm.

  “Are we under attack?” she asked quickly.

  Tarah gasped and ran out of the kitchen, Kailynn following her.

  “Tarah? What’s wrong?!”

  “It’s Isa!” she called as she ran through the pool area.

  Kailynn did not ask for more explanation. Her heart stopped temporarily in fear before she forced herself to run even faster to the Elite’s office.

  Tarah opened the door and the loud alarm sounding through the house increased in volume. Kailynn stopped dead in the doorway, terrified at the sight.

  Isa was locked into the NCB chair, the ring around it illuminated red, though the color was flashing. The Elite was strapped into the chair, but her body was writhing in spasms against the restraints. There was a trickle of blood coming from her nose and her eyes were rolled back into her head.

  “Don’t touch her!” Tarah cried as she ran to the back of the chair and quickly put in the override code. An automated voice sounded through the room.

  “Emergency Shut Down Initiated. Shutting down in ten seconds.”

  As the voice counted down to zero, Kailynn waited anxiously by the chair, watching the Elite spasm, fear gripping every cell of her body.

  The whirring of the chair stopped as it moved back into the powered-off position and the alarm finally stopped piercing the air. The red color faded and Tarah darted forward. With Kailynn’s help, they pulled the still body of the Elite from the chair, putting her on the floor.

  “Isa! Isa! Can you hear me?!” Kailynn said, taking the Elite’s face. Isa’s eyes were half-open, rolled back, her mouth slightly open and a trail of blood from her nose staining her smooth skin.

  “The EMU should be here any moment,” Tarah said, her voice tight with tears. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, wadding it up and pushing it to the back of the Elite’s neck where the nodes from the NCB chair had been.

  “She’s not breathing!”

  “We can’t treat her!” Tarah snapped, the tears springing from her eyes.

  “She’s not breathing, Tarah!” Kailynn cried.

  “I know!”

  The door to the office opened and several automated robots came into the room. Tarah backed away, but Kailynn refused to move. She had never seen the EMU teams, and was surprised to see that they were all robots. There was not one human.

  Tarah grabbed Kailynn and pulled her away, which allowed the robots to grab Isa and put her on the gurney. One of the robots touched Isa’s arm as they all moved out of the office.

  “No pulse detected,” it read. “Heart stopped approximately four minutes, eighteen seconds ago.”

  “They can save her, can’t they?!” Kailynn gasped, turning to Tarah as they followed the team out of the house and to the vehicle elevator door that was open at the far end of the hall. Tarah looked at Kailynn, her eyes filled with fear and tears.

  The EMU team rolled Isa into the vehicle and Tarah and Kailynn climbed in, sitting on the two available seats in the back as the doors were closed and the elevator descended.

  “Code Red Emergency. Golden Elite Isa in critical condition,” the robot said, its hand still on Isa’s arm. “Initiating breath and pulse simulation.”

  One of the other robot’s hands went over Isa’s nose and mouth and Kailynn watched in shock as Isa’s chest began rising and falling.

  “Initiating Plug In,” another robot said, both hands going under Isa’s neck as the screen on the head of the robot lit up with lines that were splayed in jagged spikes.

  The first robot, the one with the engraving of Unit Leader on the chest, turned to Kailynn and Tarah.

  “Identify.”

  “Tarah Marxus,” Tarah whispered, her voice tight with tears.

  “Confirmed. Golden Elite Caretaker.” The robot turned the blank screen on its head to Kailynn. “Identify.”

  Kailynn was too stunned and scared to answer immediately. When Tarah elbowed her, she cleared her throat.

  “Kai—Uh, Jacyleen Lynden,” she corrected quickly.

  The robot took a m
oment to process the name.

  “Confirmed. Significant of Companion Corporation.”

  Kailynn and Tarah shared a terrified look. It was registered with the Emergency Medical Unit that the Golden Elite had a Significant in her home, and neither of them knew how far that information would travel.

  “Transmitting message from Dr. Michael Ren Busen,” the robot said. Before Kailynn could begin to wonder what that meant, the screen on the unit leader’s face lit up and the face of a frantic man was shown. He was very attractive, with dark brown hair and sharp hazel eyes, but his worried expression concerned the other two in the vehicle with the Elite.

  “Dr. Busen,” Tarah said.

  “Tarah,” he greeted. “The EMU is on Code Red Emergency. The roads are clear. You will be at the hospital in under a minute,” he explained. “My team is receiving all the needed information. We are prepared to take her.”

  “What happened?” she whispered, her voice choked.

  “It was an assassination attempt,” Dr. Busen said seriously. “Somehow, someone got the Pulse Virus into her personal NCB chair.”

  “Oh no…” Tarah moaned, her hands going up to her face.

  “We’re prepared to help her,” Dr. Busen said. “We’ve dealt with the Pulse Virus before. We know how to combat it.”

  “But Isa…” Tarah trailed off.

  “Remember everything that Isa has already survived,” Dr. Busen said. “She’s very strong. She’ll be alright.”

  The vehicle started to slow and one of the robots announced that they were pulling into Bay One of the hospital. Kailynn could only look at Isa, fear twisting her gut into a tense knot. She saw the sharp spikes on the screen of the robots and the way Isa’s chest rose and fell. But her body did not move, and Kailynn knew that Isa was in critical condition.

  She was legitimately afraid that Isa was dead.

  She was so focused on Isa that, when the doors to the vehicle opened, she almost jumped out of her skin.

  More robots and a few nurses were there to take Isa into the hospital, orders and codes being yelled around them as Isa was pulled from the car.

  In the commotion, one male nurse walked up to Tarah and Isa.

  “You’ll have to wait,” he said. “Dr. Busen’s team needs to work on her without interruption.”

  “Okay,” Tarah whispered. She turned to Kailynn and grabbed her arm. Kailynn looked around, becoming more nervous by the moment. Somehow, she understood that the information in the EMU had made it to the hospital and everyone wheeling Isa further into the halls of the hospital knew she was a Significant.

  “Perhaps it would be best if you returned to Companion,” the nurse said to Kailynn. She knew that the suggestion was actually a warning. Fear began tunneling her vision. If it got out to the public that Isa had a Significant in her home, then their relationship would be a public affair, and Isa said that could lead to one or both of them being executed.

  “No, wait!” Tarah said. She looked around frantically before turning to Kailynn, her eyes trying to communicate something. “I know that I only asked you to join me for dinner, but…this…” She shook her head. “I’ll pay, of course, but could you stay with me until I know for sure that she’s better?”

  The nurse looked between the two, suspicious.

  Kailynn felt relief, and even worse fear, course through her at the same time. She looked at the nurse, trying to keep her expression calm.

  “My client wants me to stay,” she said.

  The nurse did not seem to immediately believe them. He looked between the two, noting the way Tarah was clinging to the Significant’s arm.

  Finally, he nodded.

  “Very well. This way, please.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Seven agonizing hours passed in the upstairs private hospital waiting room. At first, only Tarah and Kailynn were present. However, within fifteen minutes of being brought into the hospital, Remus showed up.

  Remus approached them, his eyes hard and cold with realization.

  “Elite Remus,” Tarah greeted, standing and bowing. Noticing the nurses and orderlies in the room, Kailynn also stood and bowed her head. Remus’ expression caused panic to rattle Kailynn’s bones.

  “You…” he breathed.

  “My apologies, Elite Remus,” Tarah said quickly. “I know how bad this looks, but I called her for me. She’s here with me.”

  Remus looked between the two before casting a careful eye around the room. It was clear he understood that he needed to protect Isa, despite how much his rage was blinding him at realizing Kailynn’s visit to the Golden Elite.

  “I see,” he murmured. He turned to Kailynn. “And your name?”

  “…Jacyleen, sir,” she whispered, unable to keep the trembling out of her voice.

  “Jacyleen,” he repeated. “I’m sure you understand the delicate nature of this situation,” he started. “Therefore, your extreme discretion is requested.”

  “Of course, sir.”

  “Good.”

  Remus took a seat across from the two woman, crossing his arms over his chest and fixing them both with a purposeful look.

  Ten tense minutes passed before Rayal also entered the room. He immediately went to Tarah as she stood, relieved to see the former caretaker.

  Even as he hugged Tarah, he glanced at Kailynn, his eyes sharp.

  “Any word, yet?”

  “None,” Tarah said, backing out of the hug and shaking her head. She looked between Rayal and Kailynn, her eyes barely glancing at Remus as well. “Uh, this is the Significant I told you I was calling,” she said, motioning to Kailynn.

  “Right, of course,” Rayal said, his tone slightly clipped. “It was good of you to accompany Tarah here, but I will take care of her now. You may go.”

  Kailynn stared at Rayal in horror. While she knew it was very dangerous to have her there, everyone already knew she had come in with the Golden Elite and had been with her at the time of the assassination attempt. Since everyone already knew, Kailynn figured she might as well stay until there was news on Isa.

  “I am concerned about Elite Isa,” Kailynn said carefully.

  “I understand and I thank you for your concern,” Rayal said, trying to keep his tone even. “But this is not a matter in which Significants should be party,” he continued. “The other Elites will be here soon. She will be well cared for. You should leave.”

  Kailynn’s stomach flipped for the umpteenth time that evening. All of the Syndicate Elites were coming to the hospital.

  She felt like all eyes in the hospital were on her waiting to see her reaction, ready to jump on her and arrest her when they realized she had been with the Golden Elite.

  “I…”

  Kailynn could not bring herself to leave. She continued to think about Isa writhing in the chair, the way the blood trickled down her face, her still, dead countenance as she as wheeled away by the EMU. She did not know how she was expected to leave when they did not yet know Isa’s condition.

  Remus sighed heavily.

  “There’s no point in forcing her to leave,” he said. Rayal turned to the Silver Elite, surprised. Remus shared a knowing look with him. “It’s already too late. The damage is done.” Remus leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. “Let her stay.”

  Kailynn could only stare at the Silver Elite in shock. She had not expected the Silver Elite to come to her aid and allow her to stay.

  “Thank you, Elite Remus,” she whispered.

  The Silver Elite did not acknowledge that she had spoken.

  Rayal turned back to Tarah.

  “Are you alright?”

  She shook her head. “No, not really…”

  “Isa’s very strong,” Rayal assured. “This is not the first time she’s had an attempt on her life.”

  “It’s the first one I’ve ever seen…” Tarah choked.

  “This is the second time Isa has dealt with this sort of attack,” Remus reminded both of them. “She came out of a
Pulse within a week last time.”

  “But that was before…” Tarah trailed off, her eyes welling with tears. “She’s much weaker now. What if—”

  “She may not be as strong, but that does not mean she is weak,” Rayal interrupted. “She will be fine. She has the best Elite Specialist with her now. Dr. Busen has treated every injury Isa has ever had. He knows what to do.”

  Rayal wrapped his arms around Tarah once more and held her tightly.

  He stood for several long minutes, holding Tarah as she cried into his chest. She was terrified and tired. She had never been witness to an assassination attempt before, and the terror and stress of the situation was proving to be too much for the seventeen-year-old caretaker.

  When Tarah finally sat down, Rayal sat between her and Kailynn, one arm wrapped around Tarah’s shoulders.

  He turned to Kailynn.

  “How are you holding up?”

  “Not great,” she admitted truthfully.

  “Trust me, it will take much more than a basic Pulse Virus to take Isa down,” Rayal assured. “She’ll be alright.”

  “But…after she’s recovered…” Kailynn decided that the hospital waiting room was not the place to discuss her concerns. Isa was fighting for her life, and Kailynn was worried about what would happen to her after the leaked news that a Significant had been with the Golden Elite during the assassination attempt being leaked. She had to make sure that Isa was alright. After that, she could worry about her own situation.

  Rayal turned to Remus and the Silver Elite lowered his gaze.

  “This is not the first time,” he said. When Kailynn turned to him, he looked at her seriously. “For any of this. We’ve dealt with these situations before. And we will do so again,” he said. “We will do everything we can to protect Isa.”

  Kailynn stared at the Silver Elite. As he looked at Kailynn, she could see the depth of his worry. She did not know if the Silver Elite was worried about Isa’s health, or the repercussions and rumors that were sure to start, but there was concern in his eyes. Kailynn was about to ask if she could speak to the Silver Elite in private when another person was brought to the waiting room, capturing everyone’s attention.

  “Anders,” Remus greeted, walking to the other Elite.