Love

by Douglas R.

  There's a sharp buzz and the people around me start to run away from the robot as he pounds his chest. A dog flashes in my mind doing the same thing. And a name that starts with Scooby. But it's only a flash of déja vu. It won't come back.

  Instinct tells me I have bigger problems to deal with. The robot beams at me and a gun propped on its shoulder aims downwards. A red target-circle ascends up my feet and dances on my crown.

  The Kronite wraps into my clothes, taking me by surprise. I think I've done this before. But when? Three things come to mind, repeating themselves on my lips:

  1. I have temporary selective amnesia. Focus on the subjects present now.

  2. I instinctively already know my powers. Use them for the urgent cause.

  3. Meet Rhiannon after completing the mission. My memory will then be restored.

  39

  The translucent walls appear space grey from the outside. Inside the room they double as screens, displaying multiple 3D videos of Myla's previous training sessions. Cinder stares through the glass, ignoring the soundless videos, watching the clouds of dust ignite the stone path far ahead as she thrusts orbs at the robot.

  The watch room facility imitates the shape of the dome and rests within the miniature city. It's close enough to the Artemis statue that Cinder doesn't need the screen displays to see Myla fight.

  I can see her with my own two eyes... what am I missing?

  Fountains of dust spurt into the air, punctuated by the robot's red lasers, chasing Myla as she dives behind a staircase. She cowers her head. The lasers ricochet off the railings while the clones run frantically around the scene.

  The robot flies above and she zigzags through the statue park of past Lebras.

  What is she really thinking? If I knew!

  The door behind flings open. Two clone soldiers usher in a girl in a yellow body suit.

  "Here she is. As you asked," says one of the soldiers.

  "Thank you, boys," says Cinder, still gazing out at the action. "Put her in the chair."

  "I'd rather stand, thanks," she snaps.

  "Sir?"

  Cinder raises his hand, "It's okay. Let her stand."

  He turns around and Xena is glaring at him, her arms caught between the soldiers. "Let her go."

  "You didn't have to bring me in like this!" says Xena, "I'm not a criminal."

  "It wouldn't be this way if you didn't try to run."

  "I wasn't running. I was—"

  "Trying to warn Myla before she had her Trial?"

  "Warn her? What do I know about today's trial?"

  Cinder smirks, "It's not about the trial. It's about her."

  Xena breathes in deep pockets of air but doesn't faze out. She keeps her gaze steady. "What's the real reason why I'm here?"

  "I need you."

  "What?"

  "Must I repeat myself?"

  Xena cocks her head, "Why do you need me?"

  Cinder sighs, "Look around this room, Xena. It's one giant puzzle." He begins to pace around. Gesturing at the walls where Myla falls through the sky, failing to save Artemis. Where she conquers a powerful laser beam and draws the others into her palm. Xena's gaze follows Cinder to the snapshots and video archives on display. Her unusual session with the Oracle and her quick orb reflexes.

  Through the claustrophobic glass walls she looks outside into the real action. Her best friend is up in the air, charging at the robot as far as her orb can take her.

  When Cinder grabs her attention again she's forced to see what happens next from her peripheral: a red flash accompanied by a stone head that rolls off the statue's shoulders in a cloud of dust. When it shatters on the ground there is no sound.

  The walls are soundproof.

  "... one giant puzzle," Cinder turns back to Xena. "And I need you to solve it for me."

  "You're outta your mind! I don't even know what you want."

  "Myla has been behaving different. Or worse, thinking different. And she's become more stronger in a few days. More confident. And daring."

  "I have nothing to do with that."

  "I think the same. You arrived too recently to cause this. But you know her best. Only you can tell me why this is happening."

  "What makes you so sure? You're the one who was assigned to study her while I got deported back to Arius. You should know her better."

  "I wish I could. But she sees me every day. Myla doesn't miss me, let alone hate me. She misses you. And when the two of you met, you talked."

  "So what do you want to know?"

  "Just a few clues to my puzzle. You think you can share any?"

  Xena purses her lips, "You've really changed. You've become something else. You're not the Cinder we used to know."

  "And you know that's not the Myla we used to know either."

  That's it!

  "NONE OF THIS IS FAIR!" Xena flares, pointing at the videos of Myla. "SHE DESERVES BETTER! We deserve better! And you're siding with the Elders!" she lunges at Cinder but the soldiers are quick to tackle her down.

  "Easy, easy!" Cinder gestures. "It's just her hormones. She's okay."

  "No, I'm not okay!" Xena shouts, her face pressed to the cold floor.

  Cinder crouches low, "You incinerated both of your body suits yesterday. The records are gone. Do you know how curious that makes me?"

  "I won't tell you shit!"

  "Not the answer I was hoping for, old friend," Cinder draws a syringe and waves it in front of her eyes.

  Xena gasps. "What's that?"

  "Something sour to help you tell the truth. Don't worry, you won't even know what you'll be talking about."

  "You can't do this!" Xena struggles but doesn't budge under the force of the soldiers. "It's for Pandor and you know it. Now you have one last chance to help me and to help your best friend."

  "Why don't you use the truth serum on Myla?"

  Xena waits for the pause. There is no reply. You don't have an answer!" Do the Elders know you're doing this to me? You can't kill me. I could report you!"

  "They'll understand why I'm doing this. But you... you're just like Myla. Stubborn. Arrogant."

  "You'll lose your job," Xena pushes. "I'm not an enemy. You can't do this."

  "You're forgetting that I can make you forget I did," Cinder sneers, scrubbing the needle along her neck. "Now smile!"

  "Cinder!" Rhiannon barges in. One of the soldiers charges for him but Rhiannon quickly wraps his hand around the clone's wrist, twisting him around before kicking him into the second clone.

  Xena gets to her feet as the soldiers come down. She swiftly backs away towards Rhiannon.

  "What's going on?"

  "It's not of your business," says Cinder.

  "She's just an intern."

  "And you're all fools!" Cinder blares. His soldiers are up but he raises a hand to stop them. "Get out."

  "Go!" Rhiannon tells Xena.

  "I'm not going to leave you with him."

  "I need a word," says Rhiannon.

  "There will be no words," says Cinder. "I don't expect any of you to understand the sacrifices that must be met. You don't realize the true meaning behind the Laws of Capricorn. And neither does she!" he spins around, pointing out the screen for Myla but all he sees is the robot, sitting quietly on a damaged head of Artemis.

  His lips part in confusion. "Where is she?"

  "Home," says Rhiannon. "She succeeded."

  "But she didn't destroy the robot."

  Rhiannon smirks, "She turned it off."

  "Now that's badass!" says Xena.

  "Not possible—"

  "Cinder!" an alarming worker rushes into the room.

  "What!" he looks up, agitated.

  "There's an emergency! There is a breach in the Shield. We're doing all we can but the spark isn't working."

  "Fix it!" Cinder yells.

  "We have every technician in the Tower working on the spark. Mechanics, Macro-computer engineers. Everybody!"

  Cinder exchanges worried l
ooks with Rhiannon and Xena. Motionlessly, they all understand what they must do.

  "I'll get Myla!" Rhiannon heads out.

  "You!" Cinder points at Xena, "You're coming with me."

  "I didn't kill the spark!"

  Cinder grabs her arm and the soldiers follow behind as they leave the building. "We'll see about that!"

  "It wasn't her," says the worker, stopping Cinder dead in his tracks. His eyes meet with his but he's not prepared for the truth as it comes.

  "One of our soldiers shot down the culprit. It was an enemy soldier. I'm sorry, sir. I believe they're here."

  40

  I don't think I would do this if it wasn't for the s ong Sticky Behavior. There's a line that goes something like: a viewpoint is not a religion. So I guess just because they say I can't do something doesn't mean I have to comply. What's wrong to me is right to them. So wrong and right are not pillars. They are clay. They change.

  But maybe I'm doing all this thinking only to justify the fact that I'm standing in a public Teleport chamber, waiting for my parents to accept my visit.

  The overhead voice says:Resending Request.

  They're probably contemplating whether they should let me in. I won't be upset if they reject me. I've been quite a bit of trouble lately. And the Elders can be fierce against law breakers.

  Request approved.

  Really?

  I stare into empty space, shocked that they're letting me in. When I snap back to my senses I hit the red button and zap out of thin air, reappearing behind a curtain in my parents’ home.

  "Myla!" dad calls.

  I jump out of the Teleport and he envelopes me in his arms.

  "Dad!"

  "Darling. I wondered when you'd pull the guts to pay a visit."

  "Momo!" my mom snaps, coming to us from the kitchen.

  Dad pulls away, "Mimi, it's just a visit."

  Mom's face cringes, "You know we can't do this," she hisses, "The Elders will know."

  "Well, we've already done it. Might as well flow with it. Ain't that right, Myla?" he rubs my shoulder and I grin, too happy to explain.

  "Right!"

  "How about some lunch?" he shows me to the table. A beautiful mouth-watering recipe of fish, greens, carrots and cheese rests on a large oval plate. The steam rises from it. It's still fresh! I love the way my mom cooks fish. My household was probably the only family that still enjoyed cooking. Though most of the ingredients she used was cubed into Metros, it's still way better than a completely cubed meal.

  "I'd love lunch. But just a little—"

  Mimi doesn't let me decide how much food is on my plate and she goes out of her way to make sure I have a premium size meal in front of me.

  "Little my foot! The Metros they give you must leave you starved all day!"

  "And here's some orange juice. Remember the big O?"

  I giggle, "Yeah, I remember that. That was way, way back before I was chosen."

  "You were just a kid," says mom.

  "Yeah. Wish I could've grown up with you guys."

  The moment I say that mom's gaze lands on my dad's and they all pause until dad sets down the jug of juice.

  "We wish for that too," says mom. "But that can't happen. There's some tough stuff to do in the world and we have to toughen up to get them done."

  "What about Mylo?"

  I know my parents will hate this topic but they couldn't think I wouldn't ask. It would be insane to pretend to act as if nothing is wrong and carry on.

  "He's doing well," says dad.

  "That's not what I meant," I snap, hating how naive that sounded. "There's no reason why he can't be with you. He's not Lebra. How does that make you feel to have—"

  My dad quickly rests his hand over mine. "It makes us feel terrible." His eyes lock with mine and I can see the honesty. And the hurt.

  "You guys have two kids and you can't even watch them grow up."

  "Myla," Mom beams at me. "What can we do? No one in our family asked for this. I'm very happy you're here but I'm sorry," she beams away and heads back to the kitchen. "This isn't the conversation I want to have with you right now."

  I speak up, halting her under the threshold, "Can I at least know where he lives?"

  Mimi turns around and dad presses my hand. "It's okay dear," he turns to Mimi. "Bring it."

  She dives deep into the kitchen and returns with a Nanotop, small as a biscuit and sets it on the table. Dad pulls it his way and grabs two corners, nodding to me to grab the other two. And we begin to pull. The Nanotop expands across the table, housing a bigger screen. We let go of the chamfers and dad spins it around, merely for fun since there is no power button like on the iPod.

  "Location search: Mylo's place."

  Instantly, the screen lights up, showing a bird's-eye view of our city. Then it zooms along the beach, speeding its way north. It stops at a lonely bungalow. The tides crash on the beach. As the angle shifts into a more oblique viewpoint, I realize how tall the trees are.

  "It's a beautiful house," I don't take my eyes off it. It's a live image and I know my little brother is in there. I stare for a long moment, hoping that he pops his head out the window or appears on the balcony.

  "You're just like your mom," says dad.

  I turn to Mimi and notice the films in her eyes. "I stare at that every day and sometimes I catch him running outside. Sometimes he plays on the beach and sometimes he's running across the balcony. He doesn't go into the forest much."

  "We asked Elia to tell him scary stories about wild animals so he doesn't run off," says dad.

  I snort, "Does he go to Engagement?"

  "Soon he will."

  I slip back in my seat, shuffling through my emotions. Dad and mom pull back too and it's only a matter of time before the Nanotop switches off. But I'm not done yet. I need to know exactly how to get there. The idea sinks into my heart and this may be my only chance.

  "Map to Mylo's from Major Tower."

  "Myla!" Mom shrieks but it's too late. The image zooms out and a red line zigzags its way from the Tower to his place. Before she snatches the Nanotop away I've already estimated the distance and examined the map in my mind, in every way I need to, relating different locations I already know to my brother's home.

  "Thank you," I rise from the table.

  "You weren't supposed to do that!" she holds the Nanotop to her chest as if it was her son she was protecting.

  "And I'm not supposed to be here."

  "Dear," dad takes my hand. "Would you like to see the view outside?"

  "You know that's a long shot."

  "And you know how much I miss you."

  I rub my nose. Calm down. I let him lead me out to the balcony. A fence of glass stands waist-high. The waves crash against the windows and the ocean is endless. The other floating homes ahead do make a great view.

  Dad sighs, "Was that your plan?"

  "Not initially."

  "I won't lie. I'm quite impressed that you came here and mapped out Mylo's location."

  "Why?"

  He chuckles, "The rules aren't so tough on you. They just hope you comply and do as they say. You're the one they need. But us? One foot out of line and we could pay big. They don't need us, Myla. We don't have immunity. We can't throw caution to the wind like you and receive a lecture from one of the Elders to put us back in line."

  "I get what you're saying. I'm sorry...that's why mom is scared, right?"

  "She doesn't want this family to fall apart more than it already has."

  It feels good that he is finally admitting that. It's not as pretty as it used to be.

  "So what's it like without us?"

  "You're all we talk about," he turns to me. "What's it like for you?"

  "I don't know. It's... it’s..." I look around but all I see falls short of inspiration. No words come. "I'm tired of it. I just want it to stop." I slam my fist on the fence and I love how it hurts. "I want Stretaka to come right now so we can finish this! So I won'
t have to keep living like this anymore. I don't want to be perfection. All my life I've been chasing that horrible, ugly disease. I just wanna be me and do what I wanna do. That's perfect enough. I don't wanna be in a cage anymore."

  My frustration comes out in ragged breaths. My chest heaves. I want to be water. To take any shape I like and just go crashing through the air. Like the waves that rise high and roll majestically in white foam, toward the beach.

  Grey clouds build up in the horizon, extending over the waters. A few flocks of birds fly over our houses.

  "We should get inside," says dad. "Looks like a mean storm is coming our way."

  The Kronite bursts out of my Warrior belt and interlocks with the fabric in my clothes, shooting up all the way to my collarbone. It happens so fast I can barely gasp. What's going on!

  I frantically spin around for any sign of an enemy.

  There is nothing.

  I turn my gaze back to the grey clouds. My guts stir up and my legs lose their strength. A nervous reaction travels down my spine and I know what I'm seeing is not the weather. Something else is coming.

  "Myla, I know you're upset—"

  "Dad, it's not the weather!"

  The entire house suddenly flashes red and a warning message blares from the living-room.

  Attention: Everybody please report to the Emergency Bunks immediately. Pandor is under attack. I repeat, report to the Emergency Bunks immediately via the Teleports. Pandor is under attack...

  My feet are planted. I can't move. I exchange blood-drained faces with my dad and watch as every floating house on the water is beeping with the same warning, the same red light flashing inside.

  It's happening.

  "Momo!" mom rushes to my dad and none of us know what to do next.

  "Myla!" The way he says my name unfreezes me. My heart jumps. Rhiannon is dashing to me and I run into his arms. But he's quick to push me out.

  "We've been searching for you. Why weren't you home?"

  "I—" I stammer. I can't go further than that. But under the red flashing light there's no need for a reply. This is an emergency.