Fragments of Light

by Beth Hodgson

The thought of magical machines sent a warm fuzzy feeling through her spine, then into her lowers. Ikaria’s eyes shone as she gazed upon the bodies of the men infused with dark metals, all while daydreaming of their weaponized machinery. A wicked look came over her, and lust for the machines burned inside.

  Derek noticed her expression, shooting her a look. “Please keep your fantasies to yourself,” he said in a low voice, making sure no one heard them. The head director and technicians were walking in a group with them, guiding them through the lab to show off his newly acquired cyborgs.

  “Dear sweet Derek, don’t be shy,” Ikaria whispered, revealing a half-crooked smile. “I had to endure many days of your fantasies. You can at least allow me the pleasure for a quick moment, can’t you?” she said, breathing in at the sights of the cyborgs. “Besides, it’s not like you get to see mine. I think you would be rather shocked if you did.”

  Derek turned red, then lowered his eyes.

  “Your Majesty, I was told by the Inner Council that you would be continuing Damaris’s orders, that you would like to ready the army,” Director Santiago called out.

  “Correct,” Derek answered. “However, the cyborgs being deployed will not be returning.”

  “Not be returning?” the head director parroted.

  “Yes. My advisor here will be deploying them to York. Don’t expect them to return.”

  Everyone in the group held their breath while Director Santiago’s face stilled.

  “Your Majesty? Are you sure about this? To put it bluntly, York is far less advanced than these machines. They do not have the technology to maintain them.”

  It’s a good thing they won’t be going to York. Won’t the High Court be surprised? Ikaria laughed to herself, keeping a straight face to the director.

  Ikaria interrupted. “I am sorry Director Santiago, but it is not your place to understand His Majesty’s plans.”

  Derek flashed her an annoyed look.

  The director bowed deeply, apologizing. “Your Majesty, I did not mean to be so… forward.”

  Derek nodded in a silent acceptance, trying to make peace of the situation. “You are fine, Director. Sometimes, my advisor is the one being a bit forward. Please excuse her. One might think she comes off a tad rude, but she means well,” Derek said smoothly while giving Ikaria warning glances.

  Santiago bowed, leading them further into the lab, to the heart of cyborg operations. Computers glowed, and the capsules emitted a bright blue; it was so beautiful to Ikaria. So many technicians running between capsules while others typed furiously on their keyboards.

  “How did Drew work out for you? I had anticipated him being returned to the lab earlier, before the wedding. I know that Ms. Hearly is very interested in getting back to working on him,” Santiago called out to Derek. “Hopefully, we can develop more of his kind now that he will be back in the lab.”

  “Really?” Ikaria raised an eyebrow, staring directly at Derek.

  “Yes, really.” Derek turned away, ignoring her. “The cyborg was a great help. I needed him as extra protection during the wedding, but he is no longer needed. I think he will be in good hands back here in the corporation with Ms. Hearly. As much as I would love to continue to use him in my service, I believe he will be of much more value here, where his gift can be put to better use. And thank you, Director, regarding Ms. Hearly.”

  “We were more than pleased to transfer Telly back to the cybernetic division. She is one of the best scientists we have. It was just a misunderstanding, that’s all.”

  “Glad to hear that, Director.”

  “Ms. Hearly!” Santiago called out, looking around.

  “Yes, Head Director?” a woman with mousy blonde cropped hair appeared.

  “Assist Andrew back into his capsule. Get him fully hooked up and start a diagnostic scan.”

  “Yes, Head Director.”

  Returning the gifted cyborg back to the lab? What was Derek thinking? Obviously he wasn’t, because that cyborg was going with Ikaria to the future. She had thought that the cyborg was just accompanying them for an adjustment. At least that was what Derek had made it sound like.

  This is what happens when I leave his mind for just a few hours. He goes and screws everything up.

  “Well, this is the first I have heard of this, Your Majesty,” Ikaria said. “I believe that cyborg was coming with me to York.”

  Telly paused midstep, her eyes shooting from Ikaria to Derek, casting him a nervous glance. Drew’s cybernetic eye made a shifting mechanical sound. This woman… she had the gift. But her gift was defective, just like Cyrus’s. Not a true orange.

  I see. This woman has an attachment to the cyborg. Well, not for long.

  “That is not necessary, Ikaria. This one must continue to stay in Arcadia. You can choose any of the other cyborgs you please, but this one stays,” Derek said strongly, flashing his icy-blue eyes at her.

  “Your Majesty, he must come with us to York. If you want your plans to succeed, I beg you to reconsider,” Ikaria said in a snide tone, choking on the word “beg.” She’d never had to beg anyone in her life, even if she was faking it. It was so beneath her.

  Derek shook his head. “No. That cyborg is not going with you to York.”

  Ikaria noticed that the female scientist breathed a small sigh of relief.

  Over my dead body. There was no way that woman was going to keep that cyborg. Drew was coming with her.

  Ikaria delved into Derek’s mind, her force crashing in violently.

  Don’t make me make you give the cyborg to me! I have been far too generous and accommodating to you, Ikaria told Derek in his mind while glaring at him. Besides, you have grown on me. I feel like we have gone through so much, you and I. Don’t make me out to be the villain.

  Derek snorted in disbelief. He answered her back venomously. Is this some kind of game to you? A joke? The reason why you are here in the first place, the only reason you obtained the green magic, was because of a promise I made to Ms. Hearly. She risked much to give me the princess’s blood. You should be thanking Telly for her generosity!

  It’s not my problem how you got the blood. You could have just cut the princess for all I care. But yet you chose to be difficult. I gave you more than enough to make this a trade in your favor. I am not leaving this time without that cyborg! Now, are you going to comply?

  Derek’s piercing blue eyes grew dark, filled with contempt, and his thick black eyelashes lowered. Even the curls on his head told Ikaria that he was angry at being backed into a corner.

  Fine. Have it your way, he fiercely told her in his mind. I just want you out of here as soon as you get your army, and leave me alone!

  Don’t worry, I will be gone before you know it. Then you can return to having sex with your little queen doll. Do you have to tell her to moan for you?

  Derek whipped around furiously, clenching his hands, turning to the directors. “I think my advisor has a point. Drew will be included with the cyborgs leaving Arcadia,” he said.

  The woman scientist’s mouth dropped open, and her eyes began to well up with tears, but she held them back, standing still in front of the entourage.

  Life isn’t fair, my dear, Ikaria thought, smirking.

  “I want the army readied as soon as possible!” Derek barked furiously. “I want this army on its way to York by this evening.”

  He stormed out of the lab, his guards hurrying behind him.

  CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE

  ORANGE

  After Derek’s entourage left the building, Telly ran to her lab, slamming the door behind her, making the walls shudder.

  I can’t believe him!

  Tears flowed down her face, as she began to weep uncontrollably, leaning against the door. She threw back one of her hands and punched the door hard.

  He promised me!

  Telly replayed the situation in her head over and over again. It had sounded like Derek was going to honor his end of the bargain, but something made him change
his mind. After several attempts by his new advisor, he’d caved in, then left in a hurry.

  The new advisor was odd. She had unique colorings. Violet hair and strange black eyes. Telly would have normally thought that the advisor’s hair would have been dyed, as it was pretty customary for the fashions of Arcadia. And anyone could be born with dark eyes. But there was an overall eeriness to this advisor, and somehow Telly got a feeling that the sorceress’s violet hair was far more than natural.

  What if this advisor had the same type of powers as Drew, but a different color? Nobody had heard of this woman Ikaria before, even before the wedding. Telly would have thought that if Derek took on a new advisor, it would be all over the news and tabloids. Especially one as pretty as her.

  The more Telly thought about Ikaria, the worse she felt.

  She would never see Drew again.

  Wiping her face, Telly got ahold of herself, fanning herself with her hands, hoping the soft air would evaporate her tears.

  A clinking sound came from Drew’s old capsule room, the sound of metal scraping metal, along with a heavy thud. Telly slowly walked to the observation window, suddenly a bit frightened, thinking again of the strange advisor. The thought of her in the lab made Telly anxious.

  Peering into the glass, Telly saw flickering of orange light, with Drew inside the capsule.

  Running as fast as she could, Telly scanned her keycard. The door slid up, and Telly burst through the entrance.

  “Drew!” Telly shouted. Realizing she was being too loud, she lowered her voice. “What are you doing here?” she asked, not expecting him to answer. Her eyes glanced at the security camera in the corner. Drew’s cybernetic eye glowed orange, then lasered the security camera with magic. Somehow, Telly got the hint that no one could see them on the camera anymore. “You heard the King. You are going with them to York.”

  “Neg… Negative,” he stuttered, twitching.

  Telly gasped, breathless at what she had just heard. He had talked!

  “My God, Drew, how are you able to talk? Did someone else work on you while you were in the palace?”

  “N… n… no. Queen Em… Emerald used h… her power in the f… frequency of 550. Slowly h-h-h-h… healing over time.” His body shook as he talked. It was clearly an effort to simply say words. As he spoke, he flashed orange intermittently. “Ob… objective not York.”

  “Not going to York?” Telly asked breathlessly, then furrowed her eyebrows. “Then where are you going to?”

  “F… future. No choice b… but to follow orders.”

  “Orders? Whose orders? Hers?” Telly asked, referring to the advisor.

  “Affirmative. The master… m-m-m… must not travel.” His body jolted mechanically again.

  “Master?”

  “Master of the gauntlet.”

  Telly’s heart sunk into her stomach. The gauntlet. So they had made it without her knowing about it. Years ago, when it was first brought up within the corporation, they had asked her to be a part of the team behind it, since the cyborg creation was the combination of their work. But Telly didn’t like the idea of one person being able to completely control of all the cyborgs at once, only those with a certain blood that passed down within the family.

  But by the sound of it, the corporation had made it for Damaris anyway. It would only work for him and any offspring that he had, which meant Queen Emerald. After all, if the corporation made it how they originally intended, the gauntlet was most likely infused with the original donor’s magical blood. Queen Emerald’s blood. Given that her genetic makeup came from Damaris, it should only work for him and the Queen. But how was it that the advisor was able to use the gauntlet now?

  “Drew, are you sure that the master is the King’s advisor? It is impossible, unless they made some modifications to the project.”

  Drew shook, the mechanics in his arm twitching while his cybernetic eye adjusted. “The master has all frequencies of the sp-sp-sp-sp… spectrum. Absorbed… Queen Emerald’s blood.”

  “But that shouldn’t change the advisor’s blood structure… should it?” Telly hesitated, doubting her knowledge. The Queen’s blood was magical, after all. And the magic had a way of changing the body if it took to the person. She was living proof of that.

  “Her b-b-blood is acceptable to the machines,” he said.

  His statement made her scared. If the advisor had more magic types than her and Drew, she was not a woman that Telly wanted to mess with. Even King Derek had given in to her.

  Telly shook Drew’s bicep anxiously. “Drew, what are we going to do? If they find out you are missing from the deployment of cyborgs, that woman will come after us.” Telly paced around the capsuled room, formulating plans on how to get them out of the lab. They could use their magic and go invisible, but it wouldn’t be long until Ikaria noticed. The way she’d looked at the directors sent chills down Telly’s spine.

  “Power. In the wavelength of 590 nanometers. P… projected image with group get-t-ting on transport t… to palace. F-f-f… final destination, future. C-c-c… cannot leave Gwen.” His mechanical eye focused on Telly’s. “Cannot leave you.”

  “You remember,” she whispered. Her eyes locked on to his, and they both stared at each other for a minute. The way he was looking at her… It was like the old Drew was back for just that moment in time.

  A single tear fell from her eyes, then she broke their gaze, hugging him tightly. She felt his cold mechanical hand lightly scrape her back, trying to awkwardly hold her, as he’d forgotten how.

  But it gave her hope. More and more, he was coming back to her. His memories were being restored.

  Drew let her go sharply as he jolted, having no control over his mechanical movements for a few seconds.

  “Not much t… time until the master regains control of me. Must get Queen’s blood. Now.”

  “Her blood?” Telly asked, confused. Why would he need her blood? “Drew, you know those samples are on lockdown.”

  “Need one hundred of them.”

  Telly’s jaw dropped. “One hundred of them? Are you crazy? Do you want to get caught? Even with our magic, security will still detect our bodies. We won’t make it out of here alive!”

  Drew shook his head. “N… Negative. Not that blood.” His cybernetic eye glowed orange, then he gave her a small hint of a smile. Did he really just smile at her?

  “Then what blood?”

  “The b-b-b… blood you stole.”

  Telly laughed in disbelief, shaking her head. “I only have two samples left! How is that going to equate to one hundred? You haven’t even told me why you need it!”

  “W… with my power.”

  “Your power?” she asked. “How is that possible? You can only make illusions.”

  “Negative. I c-c-c… c-c-c-aaaannnn…” He started to seize, causing Telly to immediately snatch the tablet from her bag and quickly connect a wire to establish a secure connection.

  Drew jolted when the plug made contact, but then his body became calm. Telly tapped in some code, ensuring that their conversation was blocked.

  “Drew, what were you saying?”

  “I can make transmutations.”

  Transmutations? The very thought would have been exciting to Telly if it weren’t for the dilemma at hand.

  “Provide me the location of the samples, and I will do the rest,” the words on the tablet appeared. “I will also need supplies.”

  “Then what? You can’t bring them back here.”

  “No, I will go to the palace.”

  “And do what? You still haven’t told me why you need it!”

  “The future. They are depending on me.”

  The future. The whole thing sounded crazy. Could he possibly be seeing other cyborgs’ memories and images? Why was he acting out like this? He looked serious. Was that possible, considering he always looked serious as a cyborg?

  Deep within her heart, Telly believed him. It defied all reason, but she believed.

&
nbsp; Turning to Drew, she whispered, “Do you remember our apartment?”

  He nodded.

  “The samples are in the refrigerator,” she said quietly, hugging him one last time. “Please hurry. I don’t want them to notice that you aren’t with the others. I would hate to think what would happen if that woman found out.”

  “I will.”

  His frozen face cracked a smile, making her heart leap at the sight of his face appearing more human, a human with emotions. A warm orange glow surrounded him, his body disappearing.

  “Please, be careful,” she whispered under her breath.

  Words appeared on her tablet.

  “I will. For you.”

  ***

  He paused in front of the door to their old apartment. No one had seen him, as he was shielded by his power of invisibility. Why was he hesitating?

  Malfunction.

  He was acting of his own will, not on the master’s orders. This was not a part of the program. But the master had said for him to protect Derek and Emerald until the wedding. He had no new direct orders now that they were married, and somehow the master felt detached from him, leaving his circuits to his own devices.

  The dream troubled him, and it would continue to haunt him until he completed his assigned task. The one that the future people were depending on.

  Gently guiding one of his mechanical metal fingers to the keyhole, he pressed his fingertip, calling upon the surging power that beat through his veins. Not the power that came from his circuitry but the one that came from deep within.

  He faded into view while his fingertip glowed with orange magic. Releasing the coursing magic within, his finger morphed, turning into the shape of a key. Turning the lock with his fingertip, Drew opened the door, stepping inside.

  The apartment looked very similar to what was stored in his memories. Same color walls, same furniture, same pictures that decorated the mantle. Even the air felt… familiar.

  Familiar?

  Malfunction.

  He jolted.

  Drew set down the backpack that he was carrying, filled with vials and syringes that he had snatched from the corporation. It was needed.