Torque extended his hand and Poe took it. “It’s nice to meet you, Poe. Welcome to the cyborg rebellion.” He let go of her hand but didn’t move back. He looked at her, curiousity flashing in his eyes. “Would you mind if I asked you something?”
She nodded, “Go ahead, but if it’s about the rumor that I stole Dax, I can tell you that whatever you heard has probably been grossly exaggerated.”
He shook his head. “No, not that, I just...” he hesitated and then glanced behind him to look at the other cyborgs before turning his attention back to Poe, hope shining in his eyes. “Are there more likeyou?”
That adorable crease I loved so much appeared between her eyes. “Likeme?”
Torque nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, like you. Females who like cyborgs more than human males, who might consider coming here and giving us a chance to show them we are good and worthy companions?”
Poe looked around the room to see that she had the full attention of the whole common room. Word had gotten out about how Poe had risked the wrath of Reaper to meet me. With every new female, cyborgs had been getting their hopes up. Poe had been the first female to actively seek out us out, showing up with the desire to meet me and the others. Shewantedto knowus.
Poe blinked rapidly, a flush rising up her neck. Her mouth opened then slammed shut. My female enjoyed making conversation. Torque’s simple question had rendered her speechless. Did she seriously doubt that other cyborgs wouldn’t want a female like her?
Could she not see what theydid?
WhatIdid?
I tugged her against my frame and she immediately pressed herself close to me. She trusted me to be there, relying on me to help her when she needed it. Emotion swelled in my chest.
I was her cyborg.
And the others wanted a female like mine.
They should,my circuits quipped. Who wouldn’t?
I had been used to the other cyborgs being jealous over my relationship with Dr. Shaw, with the fact I had gotten to stay by her side and avoided the harsher treatment the rest experienced. While part of me understood it, I also wondered why they couldn’t see how lonely my life had been. I had been theonlyScience Model. I had no fellow batch brothers or sisters to bond with. Every cyborg I had taken from the vat had been forced to forget me.
Poe hadneverforgotten me. She liked the other cyborgs, but sheloved me. The other cyborgs were envious I had a female like her by my side. They wanted what I had. This jealousy I could understand, and part of my processors even enjoyed it. Not that I didn’t want my brothers and sisters to find love, but if being the freak of the cyborg rebellion had gotten me Poe, then I would happily be called a freak for the rest of my days.
I kissed the top of her head. “They want what we have, my lovely Poe.”
She took a breath then met Torque’s hopeful gaze. “In my heart, I believe there have to be others like me. A few months ago, you didn’t have any human females and now you have four. So I think,” she glanced around the room, taking in all the other cyborgs whose attention was riveted on her every word, “that other females have started to figure out what I knew all along.”
Torque’s eyes blazed as he leaned closer. “What’s that?”
“That cyborgs do it better.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
*Poe*
Had I just said that? In a room full of cyborgs?I felt my cheeks heat but ignored it. I had been surprised at Torque’s question. I probably shouldn’t have been. Cyborgs wanted to be loved like the rest of us. I simply didn’t think they would want someone like me. I had caused quite a mess when I showed up here. Iris, Aria, Marley. They had proven themselves. Dax had told me what they had gone through to end up here. I hadn’t been forced to watch my cyborg be cut apart. I hadn’t led a group to rescue my cyborg and my son, taking on Dr. Rosenfield and ending her reign of terror. I hadn’t survived years of torture at the hands of that same doctor.
What had I done? The only thing I could come up with was searching out the cyborg I loved and introducing him to waffles and whipped cream. Okay, I might have stood up to Reaper, too. But I had been terrified the whole damn time.