Project Emergence

by Jamie Zakian

  “Come on, tough guy.”

  Reyes groaned, swatting Sabrina’s hand away. His head rolled to the side, his eyes straining to open. “What are you … ?”

  He propped on his elbows, looking around. “We’re alive!” A smirk lifted the corner of his lips, and he sat up. “You did it,” he said, their mouths inches apart.

  “We did it.” Soft breath breezed along her lips, drawing her closer to the source of its heat.

  A rush of steam burst from the pipe overhead, and they both jerked back.

  Her bright red cheeks reflected in the air lock door, and she turned away from the bashful expression that didn’t belong on her face. After hobbling to her feet, she looked down. Torn slacks? Blood-crusted hair? Now that was the Sabrina she knew.

  “You’re messed up.” Reyes climbed from the floor. His arm slipped around her waist, and she slumped into his hold. “Let’s get you to medical.”

  ***

  Joey sat on her bed, scribbling in a spiral-bound notebook. Beneath her finely curved script, she sketched an image of the bomb. The door slid open, and she peeked up from her drawing. Kami moseyed into their room, and Joey closed the notebook.

  “Paper and pen, huh,” Kami said. “Haven’t seen those in a while.”

  “My mom gave it to me. She said I should write my whole journey. That it’ll be history one day.”

  “That’s smart.”

  “I’m sorry, Kami. I’m such a brat.”

  “No! I was being a total snob. We really should stick together. We’re gonna be Mars neighbors for, like, the rest of our lives.”

  “That’s so cool. We could have little Mars houses right next to each other.”

  “And matching Mars pools.”

  “Yes!” Joey said through a giggle. “I wanna Mars hot tub.”

  “Now you’re talkin’, girl.”

  A crackle from the speakers interrupted their chuckles.

  “Lockdown has ended,” a feminine computer voice said. “Please feel free to enjoy the ship’s amenities. Breakfast will be served in the mess hall at nine o’clock, standard Earth time.”

  Joey tucked her notebook into her desk and strolled toward the door. “Looks like we’re free.”

  “As if a lock could keep us down.”

  “I’m gonna go check out the place. You wanna come?”

  “No. I’m just gonna sit here and sulk about my handheld.”

  “Don’t worry. My brother can fix anything, but, for real.”

  “I hope so.” Kami sunk onto her bed. “Go on. I’ll catch up with ya.”

  Joey tapped the keypad, then glanced back at Kami. If she had a backbone, she’d grab Kami by the hand and yank that girl’s butt out of bed. Obviously she didn’t since her mouth blabbered, “All right.”

  One step into the hall and her muscles locked tight. There were people everywhere. Rowdy, young, overexcited people. Just like her. A smile lifted her cheeks, and her frozen body thawed.

  She pranced down the corridor. There he was. Light brown skin, wide shoulders, and eyes you could dive into—Chuck.

  His smile turned her way, and a light bounce took control of her steps. She’d wave, but he had to be looking at someone else.

  “Hey, Joey!”

  “Hey, Chuck.” She batted her eyes as she gazed up at him. She didn’t want to; it just sort of happened.

  “I’m glad you’re … all right.”

  No way could Chuck know about the bomb unless he was a hacker too. Except he didn’t look like a hacker. He looked like the write-angsty-poetry-under-moonlight kind of guy.

  “What’d you mean?”

  “Well you know.” Chuck shrugged, his hand running along the side of his neck. “The turbulence and all. Some people got hurt.”

  “Oh, right! No, I’m okay. I’m pretty durable.” Joey rolled her eyes. A tiny grumble slipped out, complementing the stupidity that dribbled from her mouth quite well.

  Chuck slinked closer to her as the crowd closed in around them. “Yeah, so—”

  “Hey, Joey.”

  Her eyes narrowed at the rude interruption. She turned away from Chuck, catching Jesse’s irksome glare through the sea of faces. Her brother had the worst timing, unless he was trying to ruin her social life before it began. She lifted her hand to block Jesse’s sour face from sight, and returned her stare to Chuck’s dark eyes.

  “I’m taking Rai to medical,” Jesse called out over the flood of bubbly voices.

  “‘kay, have fun,” Joey said with a wave, her gaze locked on Chuck’s full lips. “So what were you saying Chuck?”

  “Do you need to go with them? Your friend looks pretty bad.”

  “Huh?” She looked at Jesse, practically cradling Rai as they walked across the landing. Her brother had a flare for dramatics. “Nah, they’re good. Hey!” She spun back to Chuck, softening her glare. “You wanna go get some breakfast?”

  A laugh skirted from Chuck’s mouth. “I was just gonna ask you that.” He bowed his arm and raised an eyebrow.

  “Ooh!” Joey took Chuck’s arm into her own, biting back a giggle explosion.

  ***

  “Scurry and scamper about,” he said in a growl “I can hear you through the pipes like the rats you are.”

  He wormed between the walls, walking along a cramped access way. His teeth clenched, and his fingers balled as he choked on a seething rage.

  “If only I could kill with sheer thought. Spread. Infect. Destroy. Don’t you just deserve the universe? All the planets, yours to squander. Arrogance!”

  He removed a handheld from his pocket. “Useless tech. It’s too risky to speak in person,” he said in a snide tone, voicing out the last text he received. “SMS only.” He let out a huff, which did nothing to vent his fury. “You didn’t help when I needed you,” he said to his handheld.

  With the flick of his finger, he sent a text, then clicked off the screen. “This is your show, so what’s next? Many, many, options. Little fishies in a barrel. I’d just open the door. Let space devour us.”

  His hand flew to his stubbly chin, and he eyed a narrow passage. “I could just do it. The air lock is at the end of this hall.”

  He moved toward the dark tunnel, and his handheld beeped. “Fate and destiny align!”

  Chipped teeth gleamed behind a sinister grin, his arm raising the device. “The will of God flows from your mouth. What you tell me now, I shall obey.”

  The power clicked on, and a short message brought out a deep chuckle. He veered in the opposite direction, tucking the handheld back into his pocket. “Yes, I can do that.”

  After a quick look around, he climbed into an access hatch.

  ***

  Winslow hurried around the bridge of the flight deck, a large medical kit in hand. His crew—his friends—were strewn around the small octagon room, each attempting to nurse their own terrible injuries.

  He grabbed the medical glue from the kit, sealed a deep gash on his crew chief’s forehead, then moved on to the next open wound in sight.

  “Natalia,” he yelled, glancing at the cockpit. She angled her head his way, which was probably the most she could do between flipping switches while typing on two float screens. “Have you double-checked the coordinates of the navigation unit? I’d like solid confirmation we’re still on trajectory. Also, run a full systems scan—”

  “I got this.” Natalia pulled a handheld from her pocket. “You take care of that.”

  Winslow hurried around the room, patching his crew. As he tied a sling around a woman’s shoulder, a beep rang out from the cockpit. Natalia didn’t flip the blinking red switch beside her. The woman didn’t even look up from the handheld in her grip.

  “Natalia,” he said. “Reset the coolant system.”

  The warning buzzer continued to screech, and Natalia never stopped typing on her handheld. Winslow passed the medical kit to his crew chief, then headed for the cockpit. He flipped the switch
, ending the steady beep, and Natalia flinched in her seat.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, her flustered eyes wide. “I’m trying to track down your son. Chuck’s not answering my calls, but I just located him on the camera feeds.” She turned her handheld’s display toward Winslow, showing an image of Chuck walking down a hallway with a brown-haired girl.

  “Thank God.” He dropped into his seat, sending her a little thank-you with his eyes. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t hide the regret in his stare. He should’ve thought to check on Chuck. It should’ve been his first instinct, not the well-being of his crew.

  The monitor in front of Winslow lit up, the statistics of a system’s wide check streaming along its display. He sank low in his chair. One quick scan of the shuttle’s data, then he’d call his son.

  ***

  Jesse helped Rai into a chair before glancing around medical. Gleaming equipment, rows of cots, white walls, and … He froze. That thing, where every object in the peripheral fades out and all that’s left is a woman in a tight white uniform, happened but in real life. Then she bent over. Her skirt rode up the back of her thighs, and his jaw dropped to the floor.

  As she pulled on a fresh lab coat, tossing a blood-smeared one in a biohazard bin, Jesse backed toward the row of chairs. His butt missed twice, but he found the empty seat beside Rai, then started nudging him. “It was totally worth the twenty-minute wait,” he whispered, gesturing to the curvy redhead across the room.

  Rai followed Jesse’s pointing finger. His expression switch from crabby to chirpy in seconds flat. They both stared up as the woman walked in front of them.

  “Well now. What do we have here?” Her gentle Southern voice lingered in the air as she bent before Rai.

  Jesse leaned against the chair’s arm, joining Rai in a dreamy gawk.

  “Did you bump your head, darlin’?” she asked. Her fingers glided along Rai’s forehead; the boy all smirks and grins.

  “Yeah,” Jesse said, since Rai was caught in a stupor. “He hit it on the corner of his desk, Dr. …” His gaze lowered to a nametag on the woman’s chest. He must’ve recited the name five times in his head, unable to tear his gaze from the bare skin beside the stitched label. “Boone,” he finally blurted out, sinking into his chair.

  With a slightly cross glare, she walked to a row of cabinets. “Ms. Boone was my mama’s name. I prefer Sally.” She returned with a tablet and tray of electrical equipment.

  “What, no stitches?” Jesse said, trying but failing to mask his flirty tone.

  Sally smirked as she settled into a rolling chair. “We’re a little more fancy up here.” She wheeled her chair in front of Rai and held out a small black pad. “Put your finger here.”

  The moment Rai touched the felt, a monitor beside him lit up with pictures and files.

  “Okay,” Sally began, slipping on a pair of glasses. “Rai Matsuda, you look pretty healthy by your file.” She scrolled down the screen, her eyes narrowed, and she flinched. “Oh,” she exclaimed, turning the monitor away. “I’ll get you patched up right away, darlin’.”

  As she hurried to a locked steel cabinet, Jesse turned toward Rai.

  Rai shrugged and quickly glanced away. It was clear the guy was hiding something, and Jesse planned on finding out what.

  He tapped Rai on the arm, the dude all but twisting in the opposite direction. His foot raised, heel preparing to stomp some toes, when Sally returned to her seat.

  “All right then. I just have to wash this medical glue off. That was good thinking, your idea?” Sally asked, glancing at Jesse.

  “Uh no, my sister.”

  “Your sister’s pretty quick on her feet.” She wiped the cut with a damp gauze pad, the adhesive dissolving away. “When we get to Mars, I’ll be looking for an apprentice.”

  Rai shifted in his chair with every breath that flowed from Sally’s mouth, his cheeks growing redder.

  “You should let your sister know,” Sally said, shooting a quick smile.

  “I will. Thanks!”

  The door slid open, and Sally jumped to her feet, her hand hovering over an emergency call button. “Mr. Reyes,” she said, a mixture of surprise and annoyance in her tone. Her shoulders loosened, and she returned to her seat. “I’m with a patient.”

  “This is Captain Stone, Dr. Boone.”

  “Oh,” Sally drawled in a raised pitch. Her eyes bounced from Rai to the battered woman who slumped into an empty chair. “I have a” —she looked at Mr. Reyes, dipping her head to Rai— “high-priority passenger.”

  “Fix the boy up,” the captain lady said, glaring at Rai. “We’ll wait.”

  Chapter Eight

  Before reaching the cafeteria, Chuck’s arm found its way around Joey’s shoulders, and she didn’t mind one bit. Jealousy lit the face of every girl they strolled past. Joey wasn’t surprised. Chuck was the hottest guy on the bus, hands down.

  Muffled chatter grew louder, and Joey fought to keep her body loose. There was no way she’d lose her cool in front of Chuck.

  At the far end of the hall, double doors swung open. A riotous clamor spilled into the hall before the doors flapped shut. She looked at Chuck. He held such a chilled stare, it whisked all her worries from thought. Chuck glanced down at her, and she looked away. Heat seared her cheeks. She could feel his gaze on her, and with his hand caressing her arm, it was a miracle her knees didn’t crumble.

  “You ready for this?” Chuck asked.

  He released his comforting grip, reaching for the thin black handle of the cafeteria door, and she paused. The quiet utility closet beside them suddenly looked so inviting. She considered grabbing Chuck by the hand and pulling him in there; then her stomach grumbled. “Yeah. I hope they have pancakes in space.”

  “They do.” Chuck opened the door for her, holding out his arm. “And waffles and French toast.”

  Joey crept inside the wide-open room. The gleam of silver tables, all packed with smiling faces, bombarded her view. She kept her lips straight, although her brain pushed for a smile. Once Chuck’s strong hand clutched hers, she lost a hint of resolve, and a grin burst forth.

  With fingers tightly laced, they walked toward a stack of metal trays. Just as Joey reached out, a tall blond girl stepped in front of her. Joey yanked her hand back, eyes drifting up to meet a fierce stare.

  The girl shot Joey a harsh leer before flashing her white teeth to Chuck. “Been waitin’ for you, Winslow.” She wormed between Joey and Chuck, separating their grasp. “I saved you a spot.”

  Chuck grinned. He slinked away from the girl, and draped his arm around Joey’s shoulders. “This is Lena,” he said to Joey, gesturing to but not looking at the chick with the stunned yet well-moisturized face. “She was my neighbor back home. Lena, this is Joey.”

  Lena crossed her arms, a bitter look hijacking her flawless skin. “Joey,” she sneered, her nose crinkling. “What kinda name is that?” Her palm raised, right in Joey’s face. “Ditch the G-rat and snatch up some grub. I’ll be over there.” She slid her fingers up Chuck’s chest, eyes locked on his, as if Joey weren’t tucked beneath his muscled arm.

  Lena’s amusement didn’t transfer to Chuck. His face tightened, and he softly pushed her hand away. “We’ll talk later, Lee.”

  Chuck squeezed Joey’s shoulder, and she snatched a tray before he ushered her away. She glanced back. The look of shock on Lena’s face deepened, and Joey couldn’t help but smirk.

  ***

  Sabrina followed Rai’s every move. Every shift in his chair, every fidget of his limbs, her eyes caught. She should’ve known he’d be here. Where there was trouble, there was “Rai Matsuda.”

  “Yeah, huh?” Rai said, peeking up for half a second.

  “What’s your room number?” Sabrina hardened her stare, and the boy gulped.

  “A-1,” Rai mumbled into his chest.

  Sabrina held out her hand, eyes locked on Rai’s nervous face. “Can I borrow your han
dheld, Reyes?”

  Sally lifted a thin rod, and Rai jumped from his seat. “You know what. We’ll just come back later.” He tapped the kid next to him on the chest and motioned to the door. “That way, Captain. You can get all patched up and back to your work.”

  She stopped mid-type, glower lifting. “Sit down,” she rumbled.

  “I’m almost finished.” Sally took Rai’s hand, guiding him back toward the chair.

  The boys returned to their seats, and Sabrina glanced at the handheld. “Looks like Kami’s here too.” She looked up from the device’s screen as Sally glided a blue laser along Rai’s cut. “You didn’t sneak your sister into your room earlier, did you?”

  Rai stared her right in the face, holding a blank gaze. “That would be impossible. We were on lockdown.”

  Sabrina curved her glare from Rai to the next pair of nervous eyes. “And you must be the roommate, Jesse Westen.” She glanced at the screen again, scrolling down. “Another twin.” She lifted her gaze to Reyes. “How many sets of twins do you have on this bus?”

  “Fourteen sets. At least one set to represent each of the surviving countries in the Unified Nations.”

  “Jeez.” Sabrina shook her head. “It’s the flippin’ Noah’s ark in here.”

  “All finished,” Sally said. She ran a thin layer of ointment over the freshly grown skin on Rai’s forehead, then turned to Sabrina. “Do y’all need a moment alone?”

  “No.” Sabrina rose to her feet and opened the door. As the boys dashed for the exit, she lifted her arm. “I want you two to go fetch your twins and meet me in my quarters. Room D-38. You’ve got ten minutes.”

  Jesse shoved Rai past Sabrina’s outstretched arm and into the hallway. “Yes, ma’am,” he said before scurrying from sight.

  “Ma’am,” Sabrina grumbled, slamming her thumb on the keypad to shut the door.