Appearance wise, he looked around ten or eleven. But his blue eyes revealed his keen intelligence and the gleam of a Military Model. He had been prepared to fight when the Global Allegiance attacked, his programming informing him that he needed to defend his home and protect his loved ones.
I had been surprised that he had been able to be talked out of it. Military Models were notoriously stubborn. But after watching Theo for a few days, I realized he wasn’t your typical Military Model. He was insanely curious like Dax, had a sharp tongue like Acer, and was friendly like Dash. My scientist brain told me that it was most likely due to him being raised by all the different model types instead of being sent off with just Military Models to do nothing but fight.
That idea gave me hope. Hope that my cyborgs would learn from the others and, although they couldn’t change their core programming, they could grow to be more than what they had been designed for.
Lennox eyed Acer, her gaze drifting to Ever. She hadn’t said anything about Theo and Ever yet, but I knew it had to be coming. Cyborg children weren’t supposed to be possible. I was sure she had questions and probably more than a few concerns.
Lennox scrubbed a hand over her face then sighed. “I asked them to remain either in their cabins or rooms. I thought it would be better to get all of you settled before you were bombarded by tons of people who would be curious and ask a lot of questions.”
Acer looked over at Lillian, his eyebrows lifting.
Lennox smiled. “Lily is an exception. There is no stopping that girl when she wants something. And everyone here loves her and indulges her.”
Acer snorted. “Sounds like you guys are wrapped around her finger.” He looked down at Ever, his features softening. “I get that.” He reached for Marley’s hand and all three of them found a couch and sat down.
That seemed to be a cue for the rest of us, and we all looked for a place to sit. Within a few moments, every chair and couch was taken, with a few of us sitting on the plush rug in front of the fireplace.
Theo had taken a seat next to Aria and Lily took that as an invitation to crawl into his lap. Uncertainty flashed across his features. “Mom,” he whispered, “what do I do? She’s human and breakable. I don’t want to hurt her.”
The little girl twisted on his lap and grabbed his cheeks. “I’m tougher than I look! And I play with cyborgs much bigger than you!”
Ever let out a growl. Lillian’s eyes shot to Ever as Marley shushed her. “Theo is allowed more friends than just you, sweetie.”
Hopping off Theo’s lap, Lillian walked to Ever to kneel down in front of her. “I can be your friend, too. Who’s this?” She pointed at the toy duck.
Ever tilted her head, inspecting the little girl, a calculating gleam in her eyes. Then she smiled and waved the duck at Lillian. “Quackers.”
Lillian looked at Marley. “Can I hold her? Don’t worry, I never drop my dollies.”
“She’s a little heavier than a doll.”
Lillian pouted and Marley laughed, patting the couch. “Have a seat and we’ll see if she wants you to take her. Ever is very particular, like her daddy.” Marley side-eyed Acer.
The little girl climbed up onto the couch and opened her arms. Ever hesitated for a second before crawling over and sitting on Lillian’s lap. The little girl let out an oomph.
Marley chuckled. “Told you.”
Everybody in the room had been glued to the exchange, including Chaos and Caliber. I breathed a sigh of relief. Lillian and Ever were the distraction they had needed.
That we all had needed. It felt like a big gust of wind had rolled through the room, blowing away all the tension.
I finally let myself relax a fraction. As the exhaustion of the day settled into my bones, I slumped against the back of the couch.
Caliber took my hand. “Miss Nara, are you feeling okay?”
“Just tired. It’s been quite a day, hasn’t it?”
Caliber nodded.
Chaos’s brow furrowed. “What happens now?” The three of them relied on me to have the answers. This time I was fresh out. This wasn’t as easy as running an experiment or doing research. I couldn’t solve an equation and get us out of this.
“I don’t know, but no matter what, we are in this together, okay?”
Chaos reached for my other hand and nodded.
Brone
The walk to Medical was uneventful. Reaper and Fuse grumbled the whole way there, muttering under their breaths that they were fine.