Reaper and I were safe. My frame trembled, Acer’s hand rattled against my shoulder. I didn’t even care the mean one stood behind me. All of them were the best thing I had ever seen.
“You!” The doctor hissed pointing at the red cyborg. “You dare betray me!” She grabbed for something hanging from her neck. “You’re nothing but a useless piece of scrap metal!” Her finger hovered over a small round button before pressing it. Nothing happened. A look of pure horror crossed her features.
“It is finished.” The red cyborg said with a sigh. “No one is coming to help you. The guards are dead. The Global Allegiance has abandoned you. Your reign of terror is over.”
With a scream, the doctor grabbed for the hammer and lunged for the red cyborg raising her arm, but suddenly Acer and Viper were there. Catching her within his arms, Acer locked himself around her, preventing her attack. Viper went for her arm, slamming it against the exam table with brutal force. There was a loud crack followed by a shriek. The hammer clattered to the floor. Acer he kicked the hammer away with his boot. The doctor struggled against Acer’s hold, her arm dangling, useless. I turned away, not wanting to see anymore.
My mom held out her hand. “Theo, sweets, come here.”
I didn’t hesitate. Running, I threw myself at her, wrapping my arms around her waist, careful with how tight I held her.
“This isn’t over,” the doctor cried. I heard her feet scrape against the floor as she continued to fight while Acer and Viper dragged her to the door and out of the room.
The sound of a gurgle behind me caused me to look back towards Reaper. He lifted his head slightly, his blue eyes meeting mine. They flashed brightly. I let go of my mom and raced past the other cyborgs to stand by Reapers side. I leaned down, cupped his cheeks and grinned. “I told you she would come! They all came!” I rested my forehead against his. “Now Dax can fix you up,” I whispered. “And you’ll be good as new.” Happiness filled my chest.
“Everything will be okay, now.” I reassured him. “I’ll introduce you to pancakes and you can make goo-goo eyes at our human, and you can teach me how to be the best Military Model eve—” A bright light flashed. I didn’t finish my sentence. Reaper let out a gurgle then fell silent. I watched his blue eyes turn black.
“No! Wake up!” I screamed banging my hands against his chest. “Wake up right now!” He didn’t move. His chest was still beneath my fists. “You can’t die,” I gripped his shoulders. “I chose you to be my dad. I pick you, Reaper! I pick you.” I clung to him. I hurt, from the top of my head to my toes. I hurt so bad and I didn’t know how to stop it.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Aria
I stared at the cyborg I loved while my son begged him to wake up.
“Everyone out. Give them a moment,” Iris ordered softly but the words barely registered.
“Theo,” my voice came out hollow. His hands had moved to Reapers shoulders, shaking him back and forth like he was simply asleep, and he could wake him up.
I choked back a sob. “Baby, come here. Reaper is...” I couldn’t finish the sentence.
Theo shook his head. “It’s not true.” He looked past me. “Where is Dax? I need Dax!”
Dax heard his cry and ran back to the doorway. Theo rushed him, grabbing his hand, tugging him towards Reaper. “Dax...Dax,” Theo gulped. “Reaper...he won’t wake up. I need you to fix him,” Theo pleaded.
Everything moved in slow motion. Dax stood by the table, his eyes growing wet as he stared down at Reaper. The emerald-green cyborg blinked, trying desperately to hold back the fluid that had gathered. “I’m sorry, Theo.” Dax lost the battle. Fluid dripped down his cheeks. “I can’t fix him.”
Dax’s words were a physical blow. Somewhere in the back of mind, I wanted to think like Theo. I wanted to believe Dax could put the cyborg I loved back together, and my family would be whole again. Cruel reality took over, I felt my soul crack in that moment. It shattered like glass, spilling fragments into my bloodstream, tearing me apart at the seams.
Theo dropped Dax’s hand. I watched the moment my son realized Reaper wasn’t coming back. His shoulders curled around his chest, his jaw clenched, and his body rocked back and forth. Wrapping his arms around himself, his shoulders shook as great big sobs racked his frame.
My heart wasn’t the only one breaking.
“Baby,” I whispered. “Come here.”
His body twisted as he flung himself into my arms, his head burrowed into my chest as he clung to me. Stroking his back, I rocked him, my tears matching his. I held back the sobs threatening to surface. I couldn’t fall apart. Not completely. Theo needed me.
Collapsing to the ground, I took Theo with me, holding him in my lap. Gently, I pulled his face free from where he had buried it in my chest. My thumbs brushed the fluid from his cheeks.
“He may not have said it out loud, but Reaper loved you.” I took his face in my hands. “He asked me for a chance to show you how much he cared about you.” My voice cracked, grief filtering through my words. “We were a package deal.” I smiled despite my tears. “He wanted us both.”
Theo trembled in my arms. “He told me that I was the fiercest and bravest cyborg he had ever met.” He sniffled. “He had met a lot of cyborgs.” A ghost of smile touched his lips.
I nodded, pulling him into another hug. “We will keep him alive.” I pulled back tapping softly on Theo’s forehead, “In here and,” I tapped on his chest, right over his heart. “In here.”
Dax knelt on the ground besides us. “I will keep him alive as well. Cyborgs never forget.” He wrapped a green arm around us.
“Me, too.” Brone walked over, dropping beside us.
“As will I.” Acer echoed, taking up the space to Dax’s right.
“I will too.” Viper declared, joining our circle on the floor.
Voice after voice rang—cyborg, human and upgraded human. They crowded back into the room, surrounding us with love, honoring Reaper as they vowed to never forget to the leader of the cyborg rebellion but more importantly, they vowed to never forget their friend.
I basked in their comfort for a moment, trying to catch my breath. I had unfinished business. The woman that had murdered Reaper was still drawing breath. I had come here to finish this. When it was done, I would grieve the cyborg I loved but first I would seek his vengeance in a way he would approve of-with violence.
“Dax, I need you to take care of Theo for me, okay?”
Shock passed over Theo’s face but then he narrowed his eyes. “You’re going to make sure she doesn’t hurt anyone ever again, aren’t you?” He watched me, his circuits spinning.
“Yes.” I answered.
“Good.” He rose from my lap, looking far older than he should be. His blue eyes lingered on Reaper before he held his hand out to Dax. Dax led him out as everybody else followed. I was the last one to exit. I almost made it through the door when a flash of something caught my eye. I jerked my head towards to Reaper, a bit of foolish hope flared inside my chest. I held my breath, waiting, but nothing happened. Reaper remained lifeless on the exam table.
“I’ll be back for you,” I said softly as I forced myself to walk through the door. I had a job to do first.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Aria
Rust stood guard, his body blocking the doctor from my view. I heard the rattle of chains behind him.
“You chained her up?” Seeking confirmation of what I had heard.
“She’s still breathing. Still breathing means she’s still a threat.” Rust glanced over his shoulder as a string of vile things were hurled at him. The doctors voice rose in pitch as she called him every foul thing she could think of. When she started shouting about how she was going to tear him apart, I had heard enough. Blood boiled in my veins, rushing past my ears as my temperature spiked. I growled, the sound on the verge of being inhuman.
My fists clenched. “Move.” Rust complied obediently, his large red frame shifted to make room for me to
enter.
The doctor’s gaze shot straight to me. She wore a look of pure madness, the chains shook as she tried lunging for me, only to jerk back when the chains caught.
“You,” she spit out, her jaw hardening with so much force I heard her teeth grind. She shoved a finger in my direction. “You ruined everything! You took my creation! Turned it against me!” Spittle flew from her mouth to splash against the floor.
I stepped closer. She no longer resembled my nightmare. She was simply a pathetic creature trying to hold on to the madness in her mind. She didn’t have anything else left.
“Theo was never yours.” My voice remained calm despite the rage simmering under the surface. “He is mine. My child! My heart! Mine!” I hissed, advancing.
“He’s not a child! He’s an it!” She sneered. “And when I get free I’ll kill it. I’ll rip it apart just like I did to your Military Model!”
You know how they always say you see red? I didn’t just see it, I became it. I drove my elbow into her jaw, the force sending her head flying.. . Her body bowed in the chains as a wail split the air. I bounced back on my heels ready to strike again but I stopped when I saw her jaw hanging limply from her face. Garbled bits of speech fell from her open mouth. One blow had shattered her jaw completely.
The haze disappeared, leaving me stunned. I stumbled backward. My body felt as if fireworks had gone off inside. Adrenaline mixed with Dax’s formula created a heady mix of power. The rage burned through me leaving me hollow. I didn’t want to spend another second with this monster. I wanted to be with Reaper. He might not need me anymore, but I still needed him. I needed to say my goodbyes. Tell him I loved him.
I locked eyes with the doctor. “I should kill you slowly. Make you suffer. Pay you back for all the horror you caused.” Drool dripped down her chin as more garbled sounds passed her lips. “You’re not worth it.” I pulled Reaper’s dagger from my pocket, turning the handle over in my hands. “This belonged to the best man I have ever known.”
With all my might, I plunged the blade in deep, ramming it through her chest and into the wall behind her. The tip pinned her to the concrete, the silver handle jutted out from her chest. “Something to remember him by.” Rust came up beside me, putting his hands around her neck. “Double tap,” I silently whispered to myself. Grim but necessary. Besides, if anyone had the right to kill her, it was him. How many years had she tortured him? How many years was he forced to endure her hate when he had once been loved? Shit like that fucked with your head...and your heart.
“Reaper will be remembered forever. You will be forgotten after today.” I nodded, and Rust gave a twist. It was over.
I walked out, making my way back to Reaper. I saw that Theo was surrounded by everyone. They all turned their heads to look at me.
“It’s done,” I confirmed. Iris held onto Dash’s hand and a bolt of jealousy swept through me. I didn’t get to spend forever with Reaper. A few short months was what we had been given. Envy was a cruel mistress. It made me hate my best friend because she got to keep her cyborg. Mine lay scattered around a room like nothing more than scrap waiting to be disposed of.
Suddenly, Theo grabbed me around the waist, his tight hug soothed some of the ache in my chest. I remembered the nights spent locked in our room. Afraid and lost, we keep each other sane those first few weeks. The instinct to protect him and his to protect me became our reason to keep fighting. I wish I could say that I did the right thing starting on day one, but my own hurt caused me to make mistakes. I kept him away from everyone because I couldn’t share. Being needed kept me focused on him, not my demons. I couldn’t slip into that dark place again. We were stronger. We have a family to help us.
This time, I’d speak up. I would let others in. I couldn’t face this pain alone. I wouldn’t be good for Theo if I allowed myself to become bitter and broken. I hugged him back, squeezing him tight. He tilted his head back to look at me. Exhaustion darkened his features.
“Theo, why don’t you let Brone take you to the truck and the rest of us–wait! Where’s Acer?” I was missing one yellow cyborg.
“He stormed off, claiming he needed to look for something.” Theo supplied.
I opened my mouth to ask what the hell he could possibly being looking for in this awful place, but I smacked my lips shut. Acer...well, Acer was Acer. I really didn’t want to know what he was looking for. Besides, I doubted he’d tell any of us anyway.
Viper sighed. “I’ll go find the yellow bastard.” His tone suggested he was annoyed but not mad.
Rust rejoined the group. “The doctor has been taken care of. I left no trace.”
“Thank you.” I wasn’t going to ask about that, either. I took in the sight of our group. Everyone appeared ready to leave this hell-hole behind. I was more than ready to go, myself. “Let’s bring Reaper home.”
Chapter Forty-Nine
Aria
The drive back to headquarters was the longest I had ever taken. After talking to Rust, we determined headquarters was still safe. Only the doctor had learned the location. She had never shared it with the Global Allegiance. Probably because they had cut off communication with her in the last months, no longer believing she was doing anything to help in their pursuit to create new, fully controllable cyborgs. At least we now didn’t have to mourn Reaper and worry about our home being under attack.
If made me feel better about leaving Viper and Acer behind. They planned to follow us once whatever Acer had been looking for had been recovered or was confirmed not to be there. The remaining cyborgs had gathered Reaper up with care and carried him to the truck. No one said a word the whole way home. I heard Iris and Caia cry softly and it made a new batch of tears spring to my eyes. I fought them. There were too many people watching. I didn’t want my private goodbyes to be heard by everyone. They were for Reaper alone.
We made it to headquarters and Brone carried a sleeping Theo inside while the rest of us followed. Brone had offered to stay with him and all I could do was nod. They planned to bring Reaper to medical once we arrived. Bitterness rose in my throat. What use was medical now? No one could fix Reaper or bring him back to me.
Walking into the lab, I saw Reaper laid out on two separate exam tables. Reality slammed into me and I staggered. Dax appeared from the back room.
“I was just about to move him to one exam table.” Dax’s eyes shifted from the pieces of Reaper and then back to me.
“I’ll do it.”
“I don’t think...I mean it’s not necessary for you,” I put up my hand, cutting him off.
“I need to do this, Dax.”
“Okay. I’ll be just outside the lab if you need me.” He moved past me, squeezing my hand on the way out. Finally, it was just me and my cyborg.
With trembling fingers, I traced his brow, brushed the outline of his lips, and stroked the hard line of his jaw. My heart withered in my chest. There would never be another for me.
One at a time, and with careful hands, I carried his hands and legs to his body, placing them where they belonged. I gently tucked the wires that spilled from his throat back in before finding a sheet and covering him from the neck down.
Gazing at him, Reaper now resembled my cyborg once again. The sheet gave the illusion he was whole. I cupped his cold cheeks in my palms. “I will never regret a single second, Reaper.” I put one hand to my chest, feeling the erratic beat of my heart against my palm. “I love you, Military Model. You have my heart. Now and forever.” I dropped my other hand, flattening my fingers over his chest, sobs shaking my shoulders. “I only wish I could have saved yours.”
Something thumped against my fingers. I froze. Hysterical laughter bubbled up in my chest, dying on my lips. Thump, pause, thump, thump. I dropped my ear to his chest. A slow but steady beat pounded beneath my ear. I gripped his face. “Come back to me, Reaper.” I brushed a kiss over his lips. “Light up those brilliant eyes of yours and come back to me.” His eyes flashed just as his head twitched. “Reaper?” M
y voice shook as I pressed my forehead to his, choking back a sob. “Reaper?” I asked again, still unsure if I was simply going crazy or if the man I loved was coming back from the dead.
Slowly, his eyes turned from black back into his beautiful shade of blue. He blinked. His mouth opened and warm breath ghosted my lips. Shock battled through my system as pure joy squeezed the battered heart inside my chest.
A miracle.
Somehow, I had been granted a miracle. I moved back, desperate to see him awake and alive. His eyes darted around, confusion tugging on his features. “It’s okay. You’re home.” I ran my fingers over jaw and he leaned into my touch. My knees felt weak. I locked them in place. I couldn’t stop touching him, running my hands over his face, head and chest. Part of me was terrified. What if I’m hallucinating? My fractured mind and heart conjuring up an alive Reaper because I couldn’t face living without him. I needed someone else to see him, to reassure me that I wasn’t simply seeing what my broken heart wanted me to.
“Dax!” I screamed for the green cyborg and he came running through the lab doors, concern blanketing his features.
“Aria? What is it?” He skidded to a halt beside me. “Are you o-” the words died on his lips as his eyes focused on Reaper. “How?”
I shook my head, tears flowing freely. “I don’t know, and I don’t care. All that matters is he’s alive. He is, right? I’m not just seeing things?”
“If you are then I am as well.” Dax’s eyes looked suspiciously wet when he drew his gaze away from Reaper and looked back at me. “We need Dr. Shaw. Don’t move.” Dax hurried to the door, bolting out of it like his boots had caught fire.
My fingers immediately sought out Reaper once again. Moving over every gray inch of him, I continued to reassure myself this was real. More tears fell. Reaper narrowed his eyes, concern flashing across his face.
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