She nodded, sending more tears cascading down her face.
I hated the sight of them. I longed to see her smile instead, so I said, “I guess you can’t ever claim that you haven’t seen what’s inside my head.”
Nara groaned. “Really? How can you joke about this?”
“I learned early in life it was either laughter or tears. I choose the laughter.” The mood darkened again as Nara understood what I hadn’t said. I couldn’t bear to see more of her tears so I added, “And I researched multiple sources that said females find a male sexy if they can make them laugh.”
“Multiple sources, huh? I will neither confirm nor deny.” Her lips tipped up into a grin.
My own lips curved up to match hers. I looked towards the Luxury Models. With a wave of my free hand, I beckoned them closer. I had to remember this was all new to them. They huddled around the exam table, Core peeking around my frame to inspect my head, his golden lips twisting down into a frown.
I immediately felt the need to reassure him. “Don’t worry. They are making me a replacement. I wanted them to work on my hand first. I had worried that the whole thing would need to be removed, but Dax and Dex worked hard to save it.” I pointed to my skull. “This looks bad, but once the new piece is crafted, they will simply fuse it in place. It doesn’t hurt right now if you are worried.” I refrained from telling them that the fusion process itself was excruciating. Especially since I wouldn’t be given anything for the pain due to the fact that they needed to make sure they didn’t cause damage to my core CPU. And I must be fully aware during every step of the process to ensure that didn’t happen.
I hadn’t even known that cyborgs could be given something to block out the pain. Dex had created it. He had informed Dax that he had hated working on cyborgs and being forced to watch them feel everything.
I have never seen so many emotions flash across Dax’s face at the same time. Our Science Model was jealous, offended, impressed, and giddy within seconds of each other.
Core had received it when they had done repairs to his back plate. He had been leery at first, but I reassured him that he should take it. Having experienced the fusion process a time or two myself, I hadn’t wanted him to know that kind of pain.
I had felt a spark of happiness flare inside my chest when he trusted me, agreeing to take it. All of them would have to be gone before it was my turn.
Chaos put his hand on Core’s shoulder. “Thank you for taking care of our brother.”
“Yes,” Caliber confirmed, “we greatly appreciate it.”
“Anytime,” I replied honestly, surprising myself. I knew my feelings about them were changing, but my chest tightened with the knowledge that I would gladly take care of any of them if they needed me.
Maybe it had been hard wired in my core to care and protect, but I couldn’t believe that was the only reason. It also wasn’t just because Nara and the three of them were a package deal.
In their eyes I saw a spark that the Global Allegiance had worked to destroy in me. I wanted to be a part of keeping it lit.
I guess underneath it all I truly was a marshmallow…a massive marshmallow, yet a marshmallow all the same.
Shh. Don’t tell anyone.
Nara
The walk to the lodge’s main dining area wasn’t far. Last night, all of us had been given rooms and told that breakfast was served at 9 am sharp. Cyborgs don’t need to eat, but they enjoyed it.I sure hoped Lennox had pancakes in bulk.It had taken all of a day to learn of the rebellion’s love of pancakes…and waffles. Lennox should be prepared. Theo very well could introduce her people to the sacred love of those two breakfast foods as well.
“How can they have breakfast withoutpancakes?” Theo’s dismayed voice filtered out to the hall.
Walking into the dining room with my three cyborgs, I saw Theo’s sullen face. He stood in front of a large table filled with all types of breakfast foods, his arms crossed over his chest as his eyes roamed from one end to the other as if he couldn’t believe anyone could ever forget to include pancakes.
There were going to be a lot of cyborgs that were going to be disappointed this morning.
Aria wrapped an arm around Theo. “There are lots of other delicious things for you to eat, Theo. I’m sure they make pancakes sometimes, but for now this is what we must choose from.” Her voice softened as she added, “This isn’t the rebellion.”
Theo’s shoulders slumped. “I want to gohome.”
Those five words broke my heart. Theo had taken yesterday like a trooper. He hadn’t complained or gotten angry. Hadn’t lashed out at the fact his whole life as he knew it had been irrevocably altered.
It had taken the lack of pancakes-something that he loved and had given him the comfort of home-for it to finally sink in. Dark drops of fluid slipped from the corners of his eyes as Aria tightened her hold.
My heart ached at the sight.This is all your fault, an insidious voice inside my head whispered.If you hadn’t made the Luxury Models, the rebellion would have never come to rescue them. They’d still be safe inside their home instead of it being nothing more than a pile of rubble.
Acer, Marley, and Ever entered the dining room and Ever’s eyes locked on Theo. Her mouth tipped down into a frown.Could she sense his distress?The two were almost as close as my three cyborgs.
“Want Theo!” Her face screwed up tight, her hands curling into fists to shake her duck back and forth in a small fit of rage.