I scanned the room, taking in the sight of all the familiar faces. Reaper, Aria, Theo, Iris, and Dash sat together at one table. Another held Acer, Marley, Ever, Hester, and Caia. Brone, Torque, Axios, Rust, and Dr. Shaw made up a third table. The rest of the tables held various models of cyborgs, creating a kaleidoscope of different colors. Joy bloomed in my chest at the beautiful sight before my eyes.
I gave Dax a nudge. “Quite a turnout ,huh?”
“I never thought...so many,” he looked down at me, awe sparking in his eyes. “They are all here for me?” It came out as a question, and I wondered when it was going to finally catch up to his processors that he wasn’t the odd cyborg out anymore.
“Well, I don’t think they are here for me, handsome.” I pointed to sign that hung above the door. “That’s not my name up there.”
His head whipped around so fast I thought he would get whiplash as he stared at the sign, his mouth falling open. At the same time, everyone noticed our arrival and cheers broke out.
Dax’s cheeks turned a dark shade of green. “Thank...thank you,” he managed to get out, but we still hadn’t moved from the doorway.
Acer came to the rescue, jumping up from his seat to come and grab Dax by the arm. He gave Dax’s lab coat a firm tug. “Come on, Science Model. Stand here any longer and people will start to worry you are malfunctioning.” Acer pulled us towards his table, his frame sliding into a spot next to Marley and Ever.
I sat down, Dax taking the space beside me, his arm wrapping around my waist. Boy, whoever said Military Models were the most possessive had never met Dax. My Science Model had been giving the Military Models a run for their money. Not that I was complaining. A possessive Dax was hot. And he wasn’t the only one feeling possessive. I’d stamp property of Poe all over his lab coats if he would let me. Don’t judge me. You would too if you if he was yours. I might love all cyborgs, but there had always only been one that I had wanted to call mine. I looked over to stare at the gorgeous green jawline of my cyborg, a small happy sigh slipping free.
Bright emerald eyes turned to gaze down at me. “What was that sound for?”
I grinned. “Have I told you today how much I love you?”
His eyes flashed. “You have told me you love me 2.5 times today.”
Acer must have been listening in because he scratched at his smooth metallic head. “What’s the .5, Science Model?”
It was Dax’s turn to grin. “During Poe’s third attempt, I cut her off by kissing my female senseless.” He smiled down at me, his gaze blazing with heat as his eyes dropped to focus on my lips.
Acer threw his head back and laughed, sending Ever into a fit of giggles. Marley bounced Ever on her lap as she looked at me. “Boys,” she said as she rolled her eyes.
I nodded and offered her a smile. It wasn’t only Dax that had made me feel like I belonged here. Acer, Marley, and Ever were constant guests, swinging by our quarters to hang out and spend time with us. Out of all of them, I had been surprised it had been Acer’s little family that had spent so much time with us. That cyborg hadn’t seemed like the hanging out type, but it just shows to never judge a book by his cover. They hadn’t been the only visitors. It had felt like the whole cyborg rebellion had made their way to our quarters at some point in the past few weeks. I had loved getting to know them.
Reaper was not as scary as I had originally thought. He acted tough, but get that Military Model around his female and son and he practically melted. Iris and Dash were a complete hoot. Iris had a bit of a habit collecting things, and Dash, bless his Service Model heart, indulged her in gathering her hoards of stuff. And that girl has a serious obsession with cat pajamas.
Brone, Axios, Rust, and Torque were a hilarious foursome of cyborgs. The first time they had arrived at our door wanting to hang out, Dax almost slammed the door in their faces. Mostly because I think he was so overwhelmed by having them all show up together, but they quickly changed his mind. Watching them go at it was like free entertainment. It was all done in fun and they worked hard to include Dax in their good-natured teasing. I had loved seeing Dax’s face when he realized they had made him part of their group.
That they had madeuspart of their group. A rasp of metal against a table pulled me from my thoughts.
Reaper stood up at his table. “I know I’m not the best with words. Military Models weren’t designed to make speeches,” he cleared his throat, hesitating for a moment before continuing, “but I’ve learned the lesson recently that we can always be more than our programming. I have also learned that strength doesn’t always come from yje designation of your model, nor the axe you carry.” He strode towards our table, his blue eyes shining. “Strength can come from being kind when others are cruel. It comes from being willing to help others even if they hadn’t been willing to help you.” He reached us, looking down at an apparently stunned Science Model.
Reaper put his hand on Dax’s shoulder. “Dax, you have always treated us with respect even when it wasn’t returned. You have worked tirelessly to make sure we were never malfunctioning, and when the universe blessed some of us with females, you cared for them like they were your own. Iris was correct the day she met you. You are indeedspecial.I am sorry it took the rest us so long to see it.” He leaned down to clasp Dax’s arm with his free hand. “We won’t forget again, brother.”
That did it. My eyes filled as the room erupted in cheers. I swiped at my eyes and elbowed my cyborg gently. “Say something, handsome.”
Dax placed a quick kiss to my cheek before standing, turning to face everybody that had gathered, then turning to Reaper. “Thank you, Reaper. Your words mean more to me than you can ever know.” His emerald eyes turned to scan all the faces around the room. “Since the day I arrived here, all I’ve wanted was to belong, but I knew I had a long way to go before you accepted me. I know what a lot of you thought of me. That I was the one who had been given everything. That I had never had to endure what the rest of you did. I would be a liar if said that wasn’t true. There are horrors you’ve experienced I can’t ever understand, but none of you knew that my horror was experienced when the Global Allegiance came and tore you away from me. I had a hand in designing every model type after me. I watched you grow, and in most cases, I became your first friend after I helped lift you from the vat.”
Stunned gasps sounded in the room and I leapt up from the table to stand beside the cyborg I had claimed, taking his hand in mine and giving it a squeeze. This wasn’t what I had expected when I said he should say something, but I knew this was something he needed to say. “Go on and tell them, Dax.” I encouraged softly.
“Those I helped no longer remember me or our first days together. The Global Allegiance ordered Dr. Shaw and I to wipe your processors of those memories. Looking back, I now can see why they did it. They didn’t want you to remember any kindness that would make you believe you were people not property. Dr. Shaw and I didn’t know what they intended, and when we found out, we broke free and took as many of you as we could with us.” He took a breath, the sound echoing in the now silent room. No one moved, everyone’s attention trained on Dax, listening to every word. He gave my hand a return squeeze. “From that day, I vowed I would do everything to help you, that I would work tirelessly to take care of you no matter how you treated me. I could never make up for you lived through in your pasts, but I could try and change your future. I had hoped some day some of you would call me friend again. Today is that day. Reaper once called me the heart of the cyborg rebellion and maybe that’s true, but all of you here are itssoul,and I am honored not only to call you my friends once again, but to call you my family.”
The room erupted in a chorus of cheers and I felt the tension drain from Dax’s frame. Cyborgs rushed him, clapping him on the back and taking turns to grasp his arm. He struggled to fight the fluid that wanted to escape, trying to maintain his composure.
“Move! I need to hug my best friend!” Like magic, the throngs of cyborgs parted to reveal Theo rushing Dax at top speed. Theo caught Dax around the waist, hugging him hard. “I always knew the others would realize how great you are!” He leaned back so he could see Dax’s face. “Just remember that I was yourbest friend first.If others try to take my place, I will kick them...hard.” He shot a glare at Acer. Acer reached down to absently rub his shin.
I really wanted to ask, but first, I needed a hug, too. Theo was the best at hugs. I had learned that when he had come over for a visit. He had apologized for how he had treated me and declared we were now best friends, too. When a cute mini Military Model declares you best friends you know what you do? You accept without hesitation.
I opened my arms. “Hey, what about me?”
Theo’s eyes sparkled. “Catch!”
“Theo, no!” Reaper and Aria shouted at the same time.