Virginia’s eyes danced along the fast-scrolling lines of code on the screen. Tabs opened and closed faster than she could track. At first, she had been sceptical when Anton suggested they try to observe the Control AI’s functions on the nearest console. Initially, there was nothing much to see. The mainframe’s systems were running within the usual parameters. If she hadn’t seen it with her eyes, Virginia would’ve never suspected that there was a sentient artificial intelligence housed within. But the moment her tormentor plugged himself into the mainframe, all of that changed. She could hardly believe that she was opposed to the idea. Although she couldn’t understand what it was trying to achieve, the few lines of code that she did manage to read were enough to change her understanding of ancient programming. Cache files and data-stores, centuries old, that were thought to have been bricked or scrambled suddenly made sense. A vast field of possibilities had opened for her, and that was only the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
“Amazing. Simply amazing.” Professor Kruger uttered next to her, talking mostly to himself than anyone else. “That line! It invalidates the Oswald Principle. Was that…? Did you see it? It was a Letum Correlation, right? Jorgensen was right!”
“We will not run when Aestival erupts. We will look and celebrate its beauty.” She heard Dr Saiko speak from behind them.
“What?” Virginia turned to look at the stoic physician, who was shaking his head.
“A popular saying from home. Usually, it is used in the context of youths doing foolish things because of a pretty face.”
“I see,” she responded automatically instead of admitting that she had no clue what Hiroshi was trying to say.
“Aestival is a super volcano chain on my homeworld, which, according to legend, was so beautiful that people admired its unmatched beauty for a full year from orbit.” The physician explained in his usual dry tone as if he was informing her of the side effects of a drug he just prescribed.
“Right,” Virginia returned her attention to the screen, erasing the pointless information from her mind. A moment later, the implication of Dr Saiko’s words registered, and she turned her head towards him again, speaking to him in a voice sharper than she intended to use. “Are you suggesting we’re fools?”
“Are you not?” The flat, matter-of-fact delivery of the rhetorical question dumbfounded her. “You are ready to accept this abomination as your new overlord. Do not pretend otherwise, Dr Werner. I can see it written on your face.”
Hiroshi’s honesty caught Virginia on the wrong foot. She wanted to tell him he was mistaken or that he’d lost his mind. However, there wasn’t a single valid argument she could come up with. He was correct; along with Anton, she was ready to do anything the AI might ask of her. It wasn’t something as trivial as loyalty; rather, her choice was driven by the uncontrollable urge to gain access to the construct’s knowledge of Lost Technology. Once her curiosity was satisfied, Virginia could confidently say that she wouldn’t have a problem turning her back on the machine. The only thing stopping her from explaining this to Dr Saiko was the uncertainty of who exactly her new overlord was going to be. The AI or the charming monster sitting on the edge of the control half-pod? She stole a glance at him and bit the inside of her lip. Damn him, but there was something about Helix that made her thoughts become irrational gibberish of impossible scenarios.
“Virginia!” Hiroshi’s insistent voice brought her out of the prison of her imagination. “Are you feeling all right? I detect higher-than-normal body temperature, irregularities with your heart rate and shortness of breath. Symptoms are consistent with early warning signs of an incoming cerebrovascular accident or myocardial infarction. Further examination will be required to be sure.”
“Yes… What? Yes, I’m fine.” She blinked several times, realising that the medical specialist was helping her sit down. Apparently, she had blacked out for a second. “Just tired,” Virginia added sheepishly before remembering what the monster had done to her back in her quarters. “He injected me with something. A drug to make me, ugh, relaxed.”
“That is… worrying,” Hiroshi spoke softly as he undid the top of her uniform.
Pulling up her undershirt, the doctor extended several dermal probes from his cybernetic arm and perforated the area just under her chest. The sensation of the sensory tendrils expanding inside her was uncomfortable, but it was easy to ignore as it was no different from a routine physical examination. The same couldn’t be said about how Anton stared at her exposed breasts.
“Professor Kruger!” Virginia snapped at her former mentor and teacher, causing him to turn his head to the side and mutter an incoherent apology.
If they were back at the Institute of Science and twenty years younger, she might have pushed him to see how far he was willing to take it. After all, a brief romance between a mature lecturer and a naïve student was among the top five sexual fantasies of her early life. However, Virginia had outgrown that part of her life despite her body remaining exactly the same. Vanity or pride? Either was as good an excuse as any for why she refused to age normally. Still, she had to admit that she felt somewhat flattered that an old academic like Anton found her attractive. Maybe she should allow him another glance or two. He wasn’t bad looking for a man in his mid-eighties, especially since he hadn’t undergone the same extensive gene treatments as her, preferring to stop the clock at what she assumed was the start of his sixties. Just enough to give Professor Kruger an aura of maturity…
Virginia inhaled sharply. This wasn’t her. It wasn’t who she was. If anything, Anton Kruger was more like a father figure to her on the rare occasions they weren’t competing against each other. She respected his intellect as much as she scoffed at his theories. But most importantly, Virginia wouldn’t allow the effects of some drug to ruin her reputation.
“Your hormonal levels are spiking. Blood pressure is rising,” Dr Saiko continued to list what was happening to her while Virginia focused on calming herself.
“Can you help me?” She managed to ask after a moment when her voice was sufficiently steady.
“The narcotic, poison and or toxin used as the basis of the drug you were given is unknown. Without doing a full analysis in the lab, any treatment I attempt is likely to do more harm or potentially kill you,” Hiroshi shook his head as he spoke. “However, assuming that you were given the same drug as Second Officer Kurtz, there is likely sufficient time before life-threatening side effects occur. I would advise that you try to remain calm and avoid strenuous physical activities.”
“I doubt that’s an option,” Virginia chuckled mirthlessly. Her mortality wasn’t a topic she enjoyed, so she tried to change the subject. “The tech, the one that got shot. Will he survive?”
“I have done all I can. He is sedated at the moment; however, the amount I had on me is not going to keep him unconscious for a long time. Like yourself, he needs to be taken to a proper medical facility. I doubt that is an option.” Dr Saiko finished with a dry smile.
Virginia wanted to say something that would elevate the sombre mood without sounding like a psychopath. But no matter how hard she tried, nothing came to mind. Now that she had time to think about it, she knew very little about Last Hope’s only physician and surgeon. Normally, that wouldn’t bother her since, as an archaeologist, there was fairly little for her to discuss with a medical doctor. Apart from the two mandatory exams she had to undergo, this was Virginia’s longest conversation with Dr Saiko. So, she decided to suffer through the uncomfortable silence while the physician finished his examination.
After what felt like an eternity, but in reality, it was no more than ten minutes, he detached the probes and the few other observation devices he had used from her chest. The half a dozen beads of antiseptic gel he applied over the punctures in her skin made Virginia shiver, mostly because of the sudden cold stinging sensation and partially because of his touch. Once she was done putting her clothing back in order, Hiroshi helped her to the nearest chair, which Professor Kruger quickly vacated with a face that screamed remorse. Feeling sorry for her colleague, Virginia offered him a warm smile and a slight nod, along with a wordless thank you. That would hopefully settle the matter of him ogling her like a horny teenager.
“What’s the verdict, doctor? Will I have time to swear loyalty to our new AI overlord?” Virginia regretted the joke as soon as it left her mouth.
“That would depend on how inclined our jailor is to save your life, Dr Werner. My examination has confirmed that the same drug was used on you as was used on Second Officer Kurtz.” He crossed his arms over his chest, and although talking to her, he was staring at Helix. “Your implants are not working properly. In two hours, the damage they will cause to your internals will be irreversible. And although both mechanical and organic parts are of higher quality than the norm, they are still civilian builds. Dr Werner, you will most likely die of a heart attack before the drug can trigger total organ failure.”
“Hiroshi! Bloody hell, man! Can’t you be more tactless?” Anton exclaimed quietly, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Virginia, you’ll be all right, do you hear me?”
“Professor Kruger, I am sorry, but this is not a matter of willpower or pretty thoughts.”
Virginia drifted away while the two men continued to argue. She knew or rather suspected, that things weren’t as okay as she had kept telling herself. For some unfathomable reason, she convinced herself that Helix needed her alive and wouldn’t actually harm her. Where that confidence came from, Dr Werner couldn’t say. Perhaps it was because she saw the youth as a relic that she had to examine, refusing to accept that he was little more than a cold-blooded murderer. By all accounts, this man or mechanical construct was her enemy. And if what he said was true and he did come from the time of the Second Terran Empire, then his way of thinking would be removed from what anyone might consider common sense in the current day and age. Of course, somewhere deep inside, a part of her always knew this; it was just that she failed to comprehend it. Now, she had to trust that Helix would keep his word and give her the antidote. It was almost enough to make Virginia laugh.
Instead of marvelling at what was going to happen to her career, she should have used her time to beg for her life. Without thinking, she looked at that idiot of a girl, Kurtz. It was almost like looking at a mirror with how the female guard was slumped in one of the chairs. Although there were plenty of similarities, there was also one major difference between them. Virginia was yet to receive her so-called reward. However, that might be because, unlike the security girl, her loyalty was yet to be determined.
That was just it. Until now, Virginia didn’t give the question any actual consideration. She could joke all she wanted that it was easy for her to switch sides; however, the reality was far different. The United Republics was Dr Werner’s home, and as much as she hated the bureaucratic nightmare that was the administration, it had made her into the person she was today. At the same time, she wasn’t an idiot who believed everything the propaganda machine shoved at her face. She was intelligent enough to realise that in the last couple of decades, the UR had become increasingly more totalitarian while the people at the top prepared for an inevitable war with its neighbours. And yet, despite all that, siding with Helix didn’t offer any real escape from the coming storm. Then again, his actions were enough to significantly change the balance of power. In a matter of hours, the charming monster had stripped the Union from its greatest source of raw resources. On top of that, there was the Control AI, which appeared to be subservient to him—a bloody self-aware artificial intelligence with theoretically limitless potential. Combined with modern vessels’ reliance on standard AI, it would be years before any force could liberate Last Hope.
A wave of calm spread through her as Virginia reached a decision. Sure, it was one driven by self-interest, but she couldn’t wait years. At best, she had an hour to live and was willing to do anything to change that. And Chief Rex chose exactly that moment to spit at her anguish and invalidate her choice by branding everyone in the room as a traitor. Like the small group of techs, she wished to yell in protest, but before she could give voice to her outrage, Dr Saiko spoke in a quiet, emotionless tone.
“Tell me. What do you see when you look at him?”
“A rat showing his true colours,” Virginia didn’t bother to hide the disdain she felt. Not too surprised to hear Professor Kruger mimic her response, albeit using more explicit language.
“Although your assessment of the character of our Chief of Security is correct, it is Helix I am asking about.” Hiroshi moved closer so that he could keep his voice just above a whisper once the deadly weapons hanging from the ceiling stopped cycling.
“I have a theory that requires your input. But perhaps having this conversation in a more private setting will be more prudent.” Taking a deep breath and straightening himself, the physician stepped away from their little group. “If you would excuse me, I am going to petition our new overlord to grant me access to the complex’s medical facilities.”
----------------------------------------
Zoë was shocked by what she had witnessed. The Chief had just sold himself without too much protest. Branding her as a traitor, that much she understood. Accepting Helix’s poisoned offer wasn’t that far from possible. After all, Donovan didn’t have too much choice, to begin with, and she had scrutinised all options while the madman with the gun was linked to the connection half-pod. But the way her superior acted after returning to the HQ left a bitter taste in her mouth. And to top what was technically committing treason, Chief Rex went further by demanding that Helix kill Commodore Neverok. Sure, if there was one person universally hated on Lost Hope, it was Neverok. However, that was no excuse; all it did was further prove the moral bankruptcy of the Security staff serving on the mining complex. More than that, Zoë had come to the realisation that the Council and the Academy were intentionally turning a blind eye to what was happening in what was supposed to be a vital UR facility.
In a way, Last Hope was a reflection of what was going on in the United Republics on a smaller scale, of course. Rampart corruption amongst those who were supposed to enforce the rules encouraged and facilitated by a populace too busy to protect the few comforts it had remaining. All the while, a handful of select old assholes lorded over everyone from their luxurious offices, far too incompetent or detached from reality to do anything about it. Yes, the United Republics was a shithole pretending to be a utopia. All it took for her to realise it was meeting Helix. Either that or Zoë had gone completely insane in the last few hours. Still, it didn’t change the fact that everything the girl had come to accept as normal was coming undone. Chief Rex’s actions were the main proof. No matter how she looked at it, change in who had control over the mining complex was inevitable. Zoë was very glad she chose to change sides.
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“More like abandoning a void-breached ship,” she chuckled under her nose, too afraid to fully commit to the new path awaiting her.
The question was, what was she supposed to do now? It wasn’t that she minded getting some rest, but sitting in the tech’s chair she crawled into wasn’t all that comfortable. Besides, she had to do something to keep herself from going insane. However, there wasn’t anything to do and no one to talk to. She thought about joining Felix again, but the large comms operator was too busy with his console, speaking in techno babel mixed with a few inventive insults. The eggheads were out of the question. Even under normal circumstances, they preferred to mock her before walking away. That left only Helix; however, the man responsible for this entire mess was too busy talking with the AI in that strange language they shared.
“The chair it is,” Zoë whispered to no one in particular, coming to terms with the fact that for the foreseeable future, she would be counting the threads of her jacket or the number of screws used for the casings of each console.
“So much fun, isn’t it?” She thought while examining the Gauss pistol in her hands. It was a standard-issue pistol without a hint of personal modification to indicate that it belonged to Kodiak. “Used to belong,” she corrected herself.
Guilt began to make its way into her thoughts, but she managed to push it back this time. She was done blaming herself and taking responsibility for everyone’s mistakes and failures. Instead, she focused her attention on the weapon. There was something odd about it. Everyone made modifications to their assigned gun, even Zoë. Be it a change of the grip, or adding some custom signs, or a paint job. Everyone did something. No exceptions. Yet, Kodiak’s pistol was clean, standard issue from end to end. She was about to take the piece apart when a sudden movement caught her eyes. Lifting her head up, the girl saw it was Dr Saiko. Her respect for the physician rose even further as she observed him cross the room in a steady stride and stand in front of Helix.
The conversation between the two was made in a hushed tone, and sadly, from where she was sitting, Zoë couldn’t hear a word. Curious and bored, the Security Officer attached the weapon to the mag-lock on her right hip. It was a dumb idea, but she just had to know what they were discussing. Trying to be as nonchalant as possible, the girl moved closer to the pair. A few steps away, she could hear what they were talking about, and her admiration of the good doctor rose even further.
“I appeal to you as a colleague. He is a non-combatant and requires urgent medical attention.” Dr Saiko’s voice was level, and although seemingly emotionless, there was a hint of desperation to it.
“I admire your dedication, honoured physician. I really do. But we’re not colleagues.” In comparison, Helix’s tone was friendly, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. However, even Zoë could tell that Hiroshi had touched a nerve.
“Then as one field medic to another. As a soldier.” The doctor pressed on, heedless of the danger of angering an unstable murderer. “I have to do anything within my power….”
“You have a sharp mind, honoured physician. But do try to remember that curiosity is as much of a virtue as it is a sin.” Despite the warning, the girl saw the smile that formed on Helix’s face. It was obvious that he had achieved what he wanted from the interaction. “However, you strike me as a man of your word. But that’s simply not enough.”
Producing a small green vial, Helix loaded half of its contents into an auto-injector. After returning the vial to one of the pouches on his waist, he offered the medical tool to Dr Saiko.
“Half now or when you get to Medical. It’s up to you. Consider it a show of faith.”
“I understand.” Dr Saiko nodded but didn’t reach for the device. “I assume you want something in return for the other half.”
“Perceptive and to the point. Channel RL1Z-2. I’ll send you a list of what I need. You and the ordain… And the scientists over there are to connect to it and keep the channel open.” Helix spoke softly, his eyes never leaving the doctor’s challenging gaze. “Dr Werner will get the second dose of the counter agent when you’re finished.”
“How long before the effect of the first dose is nullified?”
“She’s a civilian, so six to eight hours. But to be sure, assume six.” With that, Dr Saiko took the auto-injector and walked away.
“Miss Kurtz, why don’t you and I go for a walk?” The man spoke softly next to her.
It wasn’t as if he was giving her any actual choice. The girl had to give her tormentor some credit; Helix knew how to give commands while disguising them as requests. Zoë was yet to determine which was more worrying, being ordered around or the nagging sensation that she was obeying because she wanted to.
“You wish to see the local sights?” The Second Officer made the sarcastic comment without thinking and bit her tongue the moment the words rolled out.
“Something like that,” Helix smiled at her, examining his helmet. “Looks like I’ll be staying here for a while, and I believe I might be too overdressed for this place. I take it there are barracks near here?”
“Yes, it’s…”
“Then lead the way,” he took Zoë by the shoulder and gently pushed her towards the door. “Felix, my man, did the Chief send you the details?”
“Yes, boss… I mean, sir… That is, yes, sir.” King froze between a dismissive wave and a salute while he stumbled on his words.
“Good, push it through the feed. Use channel RL1Z-2, and keep me updated.”
< CHANNEL_ID RL1Z-2: KING, F. 775_T.C.O. CONNECTED >
< KING, F.: USE TASK FORCE 36, HELIX, D. AS ID >
< KING, F.: A PERSONAL FRIEND FROM THE ACADEMY >
< KING, F.: PASSING THROUGH AFTER AN ASSIGNMENT >
< KING, F.: WAITING FOR NEXT SCHEDULED TRANSPORT >
< KING, F.: IF ANYONE ASKS QUESTIONS. IT’S CLASSIFIED >
Zoë’s eyes widened as she read the couple of lines of text which popped at the corner of her cornea implant. But before she could say anything, Helix addressed the AI in that foreign language of his.
“Ekzamenu la dosieron kaj kreu la taŭgan identigan maskon. Kuru ĝin tra la tekniko tie por certigi, ke ĝi estas irebla.”
“Komprenu, Helikso.”
And like that, they left Security HQ as if nothing worth noting had happened. Impersonating special ops personnel was high treason and grounds for immediate execution. No board of judges, no trial needed. The more she thought about it while they walked, the less worried she became. What was another death sentence? Technically, Zoë was screwed from the moment the Chief called her a traitor.
It took her and her new friend a little over fifteen minutes to reach the chamber where the day and night shifts stored their gear. It was big enough to cater to thirty people, with lockers and secured storage units lined on the walls and benches in the middle. A thin plastic curtain separated the back of the room, obscuring the trio of shower stalls behind it. Not that the girl would ever use them with how almost all her comrades eyed her when she changed. She did that in the privacy of her quarters, which, thanks to her being a Second Officer, came with their own shower.
“You cannot be serious…” She heard Helix exclaim from behind her.
“Why?” Zoë shrugged, unsure what had shocked him. “It’s as good as any changing room.”
“I just don’t know if bravery or stupidity gave you the courage to use a bio-hazard quarantine room as a changing room. You, people, have even tapped into the chem-waste pipes.” He chuckled, not stepping inside.
“That’s a stupid place to put such a thing, to begin with.” Zoë glared at him, challenging him to say something more.
“Please come with me,” Helix stepped inside after doing a scan based on the way he stared into every corner of the chamber.
The two of them entered the rightmost shower stall, and the man stopped by the wall. With what looked like a negligible amount of force from his fist, a panel opened, exposing a set of thin wires. Black mould covered almost everything inside, and the smell of damp air assaulted her nostrils. Helix gave the thing a look of utter disappointment and shook his head before short-circuiting two of the wires. Without a sound, the wall on which all three shower stalls stood slid open.
“What the…!” Zoë jumped back, startled, staring into the darkness of a ruined and decrepit hallway.
“That used to be a blast wall,” Helix pointed at the entrance from which they had come. “This was the door. This entire chamber was part of Biotics Lab 2. No wonder your people are showing signs of implant degradation.” He shook his head and made his way back to the rows of lockers.
“Bathing yourselves in what, by now, has become an extremely toxic sludge.” The statement was made with unmistakable disgust. “Which one will fit me?” Helix motioned for her to come next to him, changing the conversation.
“I don’t know…” Zoë had no way of knowing what size he wore, not to mention all their gear was custom fit from what they had in stock.
“Is there anyone amongst your people who is one hundred and eighty-five centimetres high and, let’s say, about eighty-three kilograms in weight?” Zoë hated that look of his; it made her feel as if she was stupid.
“Jackson is about that size,” she snorted and pointed at the locker behind him, still trying to figure out why Helix was looking for a set of security armour when the one he had on was superior.
“Good.” The man rammed his fist into the locker door and bent it with a single strike. He then wrapped his hands at the crack and tore the entire thing from its hinges. Zoë was sure of it now; this man was far stronger than he appeared. She noted never to piss him off, not without getting into a battle frame beforehand. Helix examined the chest plate for a bit before placing it on the bench. He did the same with the leg and arm plates and turned to her.
“Is that all?” There was confusion in his voice.
“Standard issue security gear,” Zoë unzipped her jacket to show hers, too late remembering it was in tatters.
She zipped the damned thing so fast that she pinched the skin on her throat. The monster’s half-smile made her blush, and she cursed herself for a fool. He was the enemy, well, sort of. It was hard for her to think of him as a friend. Either way, she didn’t need to expose herself like that. It had to be drugs. That was it; Zoë was sure of it. Before she could come up with some sarcastic comment to excuse her behaviour, Helix had stripped the top of his armour and was looking at her intently.
“Well?” He asked and arched an eyebrow.
“Well, what?” There was a good chance Zoë was misinterpreting the question and stopped her hands from going to the zipper of her jacket.
“I don’t see an arming drone, so I assume you help each other with the gear.”
“Right… I mean, no!” Damn her mouth speaking before thinking. “You just need to…”
Without thinking, the girl made to grab his armour, only to find herself pinned against one of the lockers. Helix’s forearm pressed against her throat while his other hand had both her wrists grabbed above her head.
“Do try to remember, I am faster and stronger than you. So, please, Zoë, do not get any stupid ideas,” Helix let go of her and smiled as he offered her a hand to get back up.
“Now, be a good girl and help me remove the back panel.” He turned around to show that the back portion of his armour was fastened to his shoulder guards.
Following his instructions, she released all the seals holding the item in place and placed it on the bench. The bloody thing had to be at least thirty kilos. Next, Zoë placed her fingers on the hidden seam of the smart fabric and slid them up along his spine, revealing his skin underneath. The security officer bit her lip, seeing the well-defined and hard muscles. As her eyes took in the pleasant sight, her expression turned to one of shock. The area between his shoulders was a painting of pain.
Scars, made from bullets and blades and burned flesh, warred for control. A second look revealed even more, albeit faded, on his lower back and the side of his ribs. He turned around, letting the jumpsuit dangle from his waist. On the right shoulder, he had a tattoo of the same mark that decorated his armour but a horned skull without a lower jaw in place of the cross. Underneath was the word Heliks written in a baroque script.
There were three entry wounds in a neat line on his right peck and a large scar, most likely caused by a plasma round, on the left one. But the mark just underneath his ribs caught her attention. It was two fingers wide and, by the look of it, fifteen centimetres long. That was a killing blow; there was no doubt about it in her mind.
“How?” It was the only word Zoë could form as she traced the scar with the tip of her finger.
“Xith ion lance.” Helix’s voice was emotionless and level. “Caught me off guard on Maroose Yo.”
That was amazing. All she knew of Xith weapons was what they had told her in the Academy. You get hit by one, and you die. It was the biggest fear of every cadet to come face to face with a pirate group made of the damned arachnids.
“And this one?” Zoë placed her hand on the burned scar, her eyes fixed on it.
“A heretic auto-spitter emplacement during the exorcism of the St.Harida.” The only word she recognised in his response was the word heretic. Instead, the girl gently slid her palm to the three scars on the right.
“Those are too big to be from a standard kinetic weapon.”
“A D’zer burrower. The damned thing ran feral when its psi-lock was shattered when Carthage shot an awakened psi-witch on Jara III.” Helix did a good job hiding it, but she heard the note of pain in his voice at the mention of his comrade.
“I’m sorry…” Zoë wanted to embrace him. In her eyes, he was just a misfortunate boy who had led an unfortunate and bleak life to this point.
“Miss Kurtz,” she lifted her head and looked at that charming smile and captivating amber eyes. “I wouldn’t mind you groping me under normal circumstances, but as it is, time is short.”
Zoë felt the blood rushing to her face, turning it scarlet, and hoped it would reach her head and pop a vessel there. That way, she would no longer have to live through this moment. However, her wish was too much for her abysmal luck. Quickly, she retracted her hands from his chest, which was so hard and well defined and… “Focus, girl!” She screamed in her mind.
“Oh! Don’t use Jackson’s jumpsuit!” She took hold of Helix’s arm as he reached into the locker. “That was what I wanted to tell you! Our armour uses a mechanical lock; you could keep yours off… I mean on… Please shoot me.” Zoë buried her face in her hands while the man opposite her chuckled and got dressed.
“I don’t get it?” The girl mused while she helped Helix lock the jumpsuit into place, earning herself another raised eyebrow. “What I mean is, since you’re posing as a member of 36, there’s no need to change your armour. All you have to do is hide the emblem on the chest and keep the helmet off.”
“That sounds very fortunate.” The suspicion in his voice was as plain as day.
“Well, not really. You can just say it’s experimental gear because it resembles what the military uses in combat.”
“And no one will question this?”
“Oh, they’ll question it all right. But special forces work under different regulations, so you can ignore them. Not even the Commodore can interrogate you without your consent. Of course, that doesn’t matter if you’re caught using a false identification signature. Then it’s goodbye, cruel world.” She ran her finger across her throat to emphasise the statement.
“That’s very valuable information. Thank you, Zoë.” She trembled at the way Helix spoke her name.
Her body was burning, and she was ready to do something stupid again. That wouldn’t be hard because of those eyes of his…
“Focus, damn you! It’s not like he is the first guy you’ve seen with his shirt off.” Zoë couldn’t understand what about him had her so riled up. Reluctantly, she stepped away and walked to her locker.
“I’ll just change my spare jumpsuit while you finish. Feel free to watch… in case you fear I’ll do something foolish.” The girl slammed her head against the locker’s door as soon as the words left her mouth.
“Right,” Helix shook his head, doing his best not to laugh before returning his attention to his armour.
In all honesty, she was glad the two of them walked in silence back to HQ once she was done changing. It spared her from saying something idiotic, though she noticed her hips swayed slightly more than normal since he walked a step behind her. Still, having replaced the torn clothing with a clean one felt nice. However, what she found less pleasant was stumbling across a bloody pair of the Commodore’s agents when the door separating Security HQ from Section 01 opened.
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