A crease appeared on Dax’s forehead. “Your head? You are speaking nonsense.” He reached into the pocket of his white lab coat and I tensed, relaxing when I saw it was only a scanner. “Be easy. I only want to check to make sure you are okay.” He ran the scanner up and down my body, his face a mask of concentration. “Everything appears to be in order.” His features relaxed. “Still, the words you said don’t make any sense. Why would you want your head on my wall? Why would your head be removed in the first place?” His eyes softened. “That would be a shame,” he whispered softly.
“Dax, step away from the female.” A voice commanded.
I watched in a mix of horror and awe as a massive Military Model stepped out from the woods. It was the leader of the cyborg rebellion himself.825 897.“Reaper,” I whispered, my voice shaking. Reaper would be the one who would put my head on Dax’s wall.
I swallowed hard. I had wanted more time. “Your wall. I want it to beyourwall. Remember that.” My chin trembled.
A low growl emanated through the trees. “I gave you a direct order, Science Model.”
Dax’s face slid into a mask of rage. He spun around, his frame expanding effectively hiding me from view. “No.”
The crunching sound Reaper’s boots made on the forest floor came to an abrupt halt. “No?”
“That is correct. Do you need your auditory systems checked Military Model?” Dax challenged. “You are scaring her! I refuse to move until you alter your approach!”
I stared at the back of Dax’s lab coat in shock.He was protecting me? Don’t go all girly and swoony and faint,I ordered my wayward brain as thoughts about how sexy he looked trying to be menacing in a lab coat flashed in my head.
A wicked sounding growl rolled through the forest. “I amsupposedtoscare her! That’s my job! She snuck onto our grounds and we have no idea about her intentions. Don’t be blinded by the fact she is a female. She could be working for the Global Allegiance. She could be a spy sent here to destroy us. Now move!”
Panic seized my body and my throat grew tight. I wanted to defend myself, but I couldn’t force any words past my frozen vocal cords. My chest tightened, my breathing escaping my lips in fast pants. Me? A spy? I glanced down at myself. Did I really look like a spy? It didn’t matter what I looked like. It only mattered what the Military Model believed.
Dax quickly whipped his head around to look at me. “Are you a spy?”
I shook my head frantically hoping that would be good enough. The words to defend myself remained lodged in my throat.
“Okay.” His eyes flashed bright green, the blast so bright it would have rendered me speechless if hadn’t already lost the ability to speak. “Be ready.” He mouthed the words instead of speaking them and I knew he didn’t want to risk the Military Model hearing them. I gave a quick nod.
I had no clue what Dax was about to do but I realized I trusted him to do it. He hadn’t hurt me, instead was protecting me from the Military Model. I was ready to see what the amazing Dax could do.
Chapter Two
*Dax*
What was I doing?My processors informed me I was two seconds away from temporarily deactivating Reaper.
Treason! You would betray the cyborg rebellion for a female you just met in the woods?
Yes, my circuits confirmed. I didn’t believe she was here to harm us. She knew our names. It would be logical to assume that she knew them because she had studied us in an attempt to make her chances of spying more successful. But it was how she said them that led me to believe the opposite. She said Reaper’s with a mix of fear and awe. The fear I understood. Reaper had made me terrified for my life on many occasions.
But awe? And a awe that boarded on reverence? If he hadn’t been stalking toward us with such deadly intent, I think she might have ran up to him excitedly to introduce herself. My name she had said with a hint of something more.
Joy.
Joy had entwined itself on the letters of my name as they fell from her parted lips. Her soft hand had cupped my cheek. Deep down in my circuits I knew. This female would be mine. I only needed the chance to prove to her I was the right cyborg for the job.