Extinction (15 page)

“I can take you any time!” I shoved him back.

“Bring it on, baby!” he challenged and I didn’t wait
for an invitation. For the next couple of minutes we wrestled and giggled like
two small children. It made me realize how much I missed out on growing up and
how it felt to have someone to call family.

A knock interrupted us and I opened the door
slightly out of breath. My stomach did a flip as Chai stood in the door looking
less than pleased. His gaze went over my flushed face and pj’s and wandered to
Erich. He clenched his fists at his side. His face was like a piece of granite.

“I wanted to talk to you, but I can see you’re
busy.” He gave Erich a death-stare, whirled on his heels and stalked off, not
giving me a chance to speak.

“What’s his problem?” Erich asked lazily as he
watched me through his eyelashes.

“I don’t care what he does or think.” I said feeling
annoyed. What right did Chai have making assumptions when only last night he
was sucking face with Emily? He made his choice.

“Tell me more about Bill.” I changed the subject, I
didn’t want to talk or think about Chai anymore.

We spent the afternoon together and I listened to
stories of his childhood and I envied him for the close relationship he had
with Bill. I never had that kind of relationship with Robert. I was close to my
mom, but even that was always strained by Robert and his vicious nature. Nothing
could erase what I endured as a child, but knowing that I had a family after
all these years, soothed some of the pain away. We had dinner with Bill and for
the first time in years I had a real family dinner, if you counted the strained
dinners with Mom and Robert. This was a lot different. There was a lot of
laughing and joking. I loved spending time with them. 

      Arianna had taken
her shoes off and she bounced on my bed as if it was a trampoline. I wondered
if I needed to remind her it could break in two if she continued jumping. I took
off the dress she brought me this morning and shoved on a pair of jeans. It was
my birthday in a weeks’ time and of course Erich told her. The dress was for my
birthday party she insisted I have. It’s not every day you turn eighteen.
Arianna was super excited. On Epsilon turning eighteen, meant you were coming
of age - you were an adult. She and Gaios turned eighteen the year before. Chai
was the oldest. He was turning twenty this year, which made him nearly two
years older than me. A part of me felt excited. I never had a birthday party
before. We hadn’t celebrated my birthday in five years. The two years after the
Vandelrizi invaded, Mom still tried to make my day special, but since she was
gone, Robert didn’t even acknowledge that I did have a birthday. There was also
a part of me that didn’t want a party. Chai would be there with Emily. I didn’t
know if I could bear seeing them together. Arianna stopped jumping and flopped
down on the bed.

“Well, do you like it?” she said.

“It’s beautiful.” I bent down and hugged her. “I
love it.” The dress was beautiful, made from exquisite flowing silk in pale
blue, the same color as my eyes. It was one of her dresses she altered to fit
me. 

She didn’t get the chance to say anything – Gaios
hammered on the door, his eyes wide and he was puffing.

“You’d better come quickly. Chai and Erich are in
the gym. They’re going to kill each other,” he said breathlessly. I sprinted
after Arianna and Gaios to the gym. My heart thundered in my chest. Erich was
only a human boy and Chai could tear him apart. I had seen what he could do
when he was angry. With his strength he could kill Erich.

I rushed inside the gym and froze. Chai and Erich
were circling each other. Chai had a split lip and a red mark spread underneath
his left eye. Erich didn’t look any better. Blood was streaming from his nose
and he angrily wiped it away with his hand. A crowd had formed cheering them
one. Everyone else was enjoying the sparring session that got out of hand. I
grabbed Gaios by the arm.

“Get everyone out of here,” I pleaded with him. These
two didn’t need a mob making things worse. Gaios ushered the crowd of rebels
outside and closed the doors. Everyone complained loudly, but weren’t as stupid
to challenge the largest of the aliens. I turned to Chai and Erich and took a
deep breath. I determinedly took a stance in the middle of the two. They were
acting like testosterone filled schoolboys and I had to stop them before
somebody seriously got hurt.

“That’s enough! Both of you stop it now!” Chai kept glaring
at Erich, not taking his eyes of him for a second. I wasn’t sure he even heard
me.

“He started it!” Erich said and wiped a curl from
his eyes.

“I don’t care who started it! Look at both of you –
acting like little boys.” I gave Chai an annoyed glance. “What would Bill say
if he saw you now?” That got through to Erich and he relaxed his tense body,
dropping his hands to his side. He knew Bill would be disappointed if he saw
them fighting.

“Lexie, get out of the way,” Chai growled. He was
far from finished and he didn’t care about Bill finding out.

“Erich, please,” I pleaded with him when it looked
like he was about to jump Chai again. “Let’s go get you cleaned up.” He looked
at me and his face softened. He placed an arm around my shoulder and gave me a
squeeze.

“Okay,” he agreed and I sighed in relief. At least
one of them listened to me.

“Get your hands off her,” Chai snapped and Erich
stiffened. He dropped his arm from my shoulder and stalked toward Chai.

“What’s your problem?” he snarled at him.

“You’re my problem. Stop trying to get into her
pants,” Chai replied and I choked.

“That’s it, pretty boy! You and I are going to
finish it right now!” growled Erich and I threw my hands up in exasperation. I
had heard enough and my temper flared.

“Nobody is trying to get in my pants!” I shoved
Erich out of the way. “Least of all Erich. He’s my brother!”

“Holy cow! I didn’t see that one coming!” Arianna
said and gave a low whistle. Gaios rammed his elbow in her ribs and she yelped.
Chai’s jaw went slack and he stared at me as if I had just dropped an atomic
bomb.

“Erich is Bill’s son,” Gaios said. He scrutinized me
and Erich and then he grinned. “Why didn’t I see it before?” I shrugged at him.

“Apparently my mother had an affair. Bill’s my
father.” Chai still hadn’t said a word; he kept staring at us dumbfounded.

“Well, I’m happy. I was beginning to think you two
were…you know.” Arianna rolled her eyes to demonstrate whatever she thought we
were doing.

“She’s my sister,” Erich interrupted disgustedly. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Chai asked, finally coming
out of his stupor. 

“I only found out yesterday and it’s not like we’re
speaking to each other,” I answered and Chai’s shoulders slumped. He looked
tired and for once he wasn’t wearing a mask.

“I know what this means for you. I’m happy for you.”
He picked up his towel and stalked stiffly from the room.

“What’s going on with him?” I asked Gaios. “Why is
he acting like this?”

“Don’t judge him too harshly. Not everything is as
it seems,” Gaios answered. 

     
I
strolled down the corridor
to the mess hall. I was meeting
Erich for breakfast. I felt lighter and freer than ever before. I wasn’t alone
anymore. I never realized how lonely I was in Palasium. 

 A man and a woman rushed by my and shoved me out of
the way. I could hear agitated voices around the corner. Something was wrong
and I stopped a girl with wide panicked eyes in the corridor, running past me.

“What’s going on?” I asked, scanning her terrified
face.

“The patrol was ambushed! Everyone’s dead,” she gasped
between tears and pushed past me. Dread filled me. What if…I couldn’t even dare
to think of something so terrible. There were a lot of people I cared about on
this ship and I didn’t want to lose anyone of them. I rushed to Bill’s office. He
was the one person who could tell me who was out on patrol this morning and I
said a little prayer that everyone I knew was safe.

The door to his office was open and from the passage
I could hear a heated discussion going on. Relieve flooded me as my eyes quickly
scanned the room and I saw Chai, Arianna and Gaios standing in the corner. They
were safe!  Gaios had an arm around Arianna’s shoulder and tears ran down her
cheeks. She knew the rebels that were killed – she was the one that trained
them and now they were dead. Erich was next to his father and he looked unusually
grim. Bill’s face was flushed as he faced off with a dark haired woman. I
remembered seeing her before. Mrs. Richards if I remembered correctly, she’s
been one of the people who openly didn’t hide their hostility towards me since
I arrived.

“I’m telling you she had nothing to do with this,”
Bill said heatedly and slammed the palm of his hand on the desk.

“We have an informant on the base. You can’t argue
with the fact that the soldiers knew exactly where to strike. You can’t keep
protecting her.” She saw me standing in the door and pure hatred filled her
eyes. “She’s Miller’s daughter! She’s working with him.” She pointed an
accusing finger at me.

I shook my head in shock. My feet were glued to the floor.
She accused me of betraying the people on this ship. She thought I was to blame
for those people dying. I would never betray any of them. Every eye in the room
turned to me. 

“You can’t be serious!” Erich slammed the tip of his
boot enraged into a steel cabinet next to him. I was aware that Chai moved
toward me as if he wanted to shield me from the anger in the room, but I pushed
past him. I was not hiding, not while they accused me of something I didn’t do.

“Let her take the test. If she has nothing to hide,
she won’t object,” Mrs. Richards said undeterred by Erich’s anger. 

“What test?” I asked and my voice trembled.

“The test of Targon,” Bill answered. “It’s a mind
meld that the Epsilon can do.”  I remembered Chai mentioning it to me. They
used it to access memories. He also said it was invasive and painful.

“It’s not an option,” Chai said, his face stony
cold. He looked menacingly at Mrs. Richards and for the first time she looked
scared. He could be terrifying if he wanted to be and not even she was brave
enough to go against him.

My gaze flicked across the people in the room – my
family and friends and the boy I loved. What if they also thought I was to
blame? I lifted my chin and stepped forward.

“Can I say something?” Silence descended on the room,
so sudden and potent that I wanted to choke. I ignored the warning look Chai
gave me. I wasn’t going to let this base be torn apart because of me.

I held Mrs. Richards gaze as I talked. “I’m not
working with Robert Miller. I’m not like him and I will never be like him.” My
gaze shifted to Bill. “I have nothing to hide and I will take the test.” Pride
filled his eyes as he looked at me. 

“No, you won’t!” Chai snapped. “You don’t know what
you’re saying.” 

I ignored Chai and turned to Arianna. “Will you do
it?” She shifted uncomfortably and her eyes kept darting between me and Chai’s
angry face.

“You know I will do a lot of things you ask me…but
this?” She pressed her lips together.

“Lexie is my daughter and she doesn’t have to do
anything,” Bill interrupted and Mrs. Richards gaped at him. “I’m her biological
father and I won’t have her treated like a criminal. Not while I’m in charge.” She
was quiet for a couple of seconds, mulling over the news. My heart swelled
until I thought it would burst. It was the first time I had a father that stood
up for me and tried to protect me.

“That doesn’t change a thing. She was still raised
by Minister Miller. Who knows what he filled her head with?”

“He didn’t raise me. My mother did. He only provided
a roof over my head,” I spoke coldly to Mrs. Richards. “I want to take the
test. I’m sick and tired of people looking at me like I’m a traitor, always
treating me like I’m different. If I don’t take the test everybody will think
I’m the informer and the real traitor will get away with it. I need to do
this.”

“I will do it,” Gaios offered and my heart swelled a
bit more. He was always there when I needed him.

“No,” Chai interceded. “If it has to be done, I’ll
do it myself.” A muscle popped in his jaw and I was sure he wanted to strangle
me with his bare hands.

      I sat on a chair
in the middle of the floor of the infirmary. Bill had made the arrangements
with Sylvain in a record time. In less than twenty minutes we were all gathered
in the infirmary to perform the test. Mrs. Richards were one of the first to
arrive. Bill was the leader of this facility, but she was the head of a council
representing the rebels on the base. A few other council members had joined
her, but not all was happy about the proceedings. Apparently Chai had done the
procedure before on soldiers of the Guard they had captured and they knew how
painful it was. They also knew by now that I was Bill’s biological daughter and
they didn’t like going against his will. He was still their leader and a lot of
them owed him their lives.

Eric sat on a chair beside me. In the past twenty
minutes he had protested very loudly against me doing this and had finally
given up and now sat sulking next to me.

“You just say the word and I’ll get you out of this,”
he said determinedly. I impulsively hugged him.

“I’m sorry for telling them I’m your father,” Bill said
and gave my arm a squeeze. “I know you wanted to keep it quiet.”

“I’m glad you did. I’m proud to say you’re my
father. I’m not hiding it anymore.” It was the truth. I was lucky to have a man
as honest and strong as him as my father. Bill’s eyes misted over and he rubbed
a hand over his face.  

Sylvain connected the electrodes of a heart monitor
to my chest. She was just as pretty as the last time I saw her and I noticed
the glances she and Bill exchanged. Something was definitely up between the two
of them. It made me glad – he needed someone in his life as compassionate as
she was. Nobody should be alone in this world.

Two big screens were rolled into the room and I eyed
them suspiciously.

“They will be connected to the microchip in my head.
Everyone will be able to see the memories that I access,” Chai explained. He
hadn’t left my side since we left Bill’s office. I shifted uncomfortably on the
chair. I didn’t know everybody else would get to see my private memories.

“You will see all of it?” I asked warily. 

“Yes. But they will only see what I show them. I’ll
have full access to all your memories and the feelings associated with them,
but I’ll be in control. I will show them only the memories I feel is necessary
for them to see.”  

Sylvain placed a hand on my shoulder and gave it a
reassuring squeeze. “I do not agree with this and the moment I feel you cannot
handle it, I’ll stop the procedure.” 

“You’ll know what I felt?” My voice cracked and I
clung to the chair as if I was drowning.

Chai nodded. A wave of nausea hit me. He would be
able to know exactly what I felt at that moment of the memory. He would sense
how I felt when he kissed me and held me in his arms. He would know how it hurt
to see him and Emily together; how jealous I was. He would know how my heart
fluttered every time I saw him. He would know I was in love with him. I felt
like running, but it was too late now to back out. 

Chai took a seat on the chair opposite of mine. Sylvain
took a scalpel and made a small incision in his neck and he winced. She wiped
away the blood and attached the thin electrodes to the microchip in his head
and connected it to a laptop on a table. Immediately the screen came to life
and letters in a strange language whirred across the screen. The computer
beeped.

“It’s ready,” Chai said. “It’s not too late to back
out.” My hands trembled. 

“Do it,” I whispered. I was terrified, but if I
backed out now, Mrs. Richards will take it as an admonishment of guilt.

Chai shifted his chair closer to mine so that his
thighs flanked my legs. I swallowed hard. I was nervous with him being so close
to me. He placed the palms of his hands on both sides of my face. My eyes
traced the curve of his lips.

“Don’t fight me when I’m in your head. The more you
fight the more painful it will be.”  I closed my eyes and waited. “You are so
brave,” I heard him whisper.

At first I felt nothing and then a coldness spread
through me and a faint throbbing started inside my head. The throbbing
intensified into a slicing pain. Pressure built in my head until it was
unbearable. It was as if my brain was too large for my skull and would explode
at any second. A scream tore from my lips and I tried to pull my head away from
his hands. Chai readjusted his hands on my face.

I’m sorry, little one.
His voice was inside my head, but it was not only his voice. I could feel him
inside my head. All of him. There wasn’t enough room for both of us. I could
feel him tear through my brain and I wanted to fight him, to push him out of my
head. The billowing smoke emerged inside me and I was aware of the effort it
cost Chai to release it into me while also trying to access my memories. It
drifted through my body, touching me, caressing me, healing me and the pain
lessened.

White daisies stood proudly in the rich brown soil. Mom
was on her knees in the grass pulling at weeds in the flower bed. She hummed
and turned to me smiling. She was so close to me I could touch her. I wanted to
yell at her, to touch her but in an instant she was gone and another memory
took her place. I tried to claw my way back to her, but the memory was gone.  

Chai sifted through my memories, accessing the ones
of Robert in my head - painful memories of him losing his temper, yelling at me,
shoving me, hitting me...I listened to him telling me what a worthless,
pathetic creature I was. I felt him push me down the stairs, breaking my arm
when he found out I stole blankets to give to the slaves. I relived every
terrifying moment he slapped me and pushed me around the past five years. I
felt my own fear choking me from inside. It was memories I had done my best to
forget. I was helpless, incapable of escaping them.

Chai moved on to more recent memories. I felt the
moment Benson slammed the butt of his rifle into my head. I had to relive the
hours I was chained to the lamp post on the square, feeling the pain ebbing in
my body, listening to the vile remarks the soldiers made as they laughed at me
and how humiliated I felt. The memories were so real; it was as if I was there
all over again.

There were other memories too. Memories of Chai, but
he moved them to the side and I knew he didn’t want anyone to see them, but I
sensed him looking at them and he could feel every emotion inside me. He could
sense how I felt when he touched me or when I looked at him. He could feel the
love I carried inside me for him. He could feel the hurt inside me when he told
me I threw myself at him and he felt sorry for me. It was even worse than
reliving every hateful moment with Robert.

Finally he lifted his hands from my face and I felt
him leaving my body, taking the smoke with him and leaving me empty. I trembled
all over. I slowly opened my eyes. Chai looked at me with pain and guilt and
some emotion I didn’t understand. Tears streamed down my cheeks and I felt
drained. I rubbed my face with the palms of my hands. This was worse than
anything I had to do in my life before. The room was deadly quiet. I didn’t
want to face anyone of them, but I had no choice. I sluggishly stood pushing
the chair back. I swayed on my feet and grabbed for the back of the chair to
steady myself.

“Don’t get up,” Chai said and reached for me but I
ignored his outstretched hand and turned to Mrs. Richards. Her face was
contorted with shock and shame.

“I hope you’re satisfied now,” I said with a
trembling voice. “Never accuse me of being a traitor again.”  

I walked to the door with my head held high. I
wanted to run, but I forced myself to keep it together. I was angry and
embarrassed I had to go through this to prove my innocence and that everyone
could see what Robert did to me. I had never admitted to anyone how bad it
really was. They now knew how weak and pathetic I was and I hated it. I glanced
at Bill and saw he was wiping away tears. Sylvain was openly sobbing at his
side.

“Lexie, I’m sorry,” Bill mumbled. “I didn’t know.” I
looked at their faces and it felt as if the room was moving in on me. I had to
get out of there. Chai intercepted me at the door and grabbed my arm. I jerked
away. 

“Lexie wait! Don’t go.” His voice was full of
concern.

“Get out of my way!” I snapped, directing all my
anger and shame at him. 

“You must rest,” he replied softly and I felt annoyed.

“Why do you pretend to care?” My voice broke and a
sob racked my body. I felt even angrier that I was crying. “Why don’t you just
leave me alone? Isn’t it enough for you to see everything inside my head?”

I turned and I ran. Chai moved with lightning speed
and appeared in front of me.

“Stop running from me.” 

I shoved him as hard as I could. “Do you want me to
admit that I care for you? Will that make you happy?” It was as if I shoved a
brick wall and he didn’t move an inch.

“You have every right to be angry at me,” he said
quietly.

“Angry? I’m …I’m...You saw everything. Do you have
any idea how that makes me feel?” Tears kept streaming down my face.

Chai reached for me and the next moment I was slung
over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“Put me down,” I yelled at him, but he stalked off
with me. I screamed and kicked, but he didn’t let go of me. In the gym he
dropped me on the training mat. 

“I hurt you over and over,” he said and spread his
legs. “Hit me. Do anything you want. I deserve it. Get the anger out of your
system. I won’t stop you.” I looked at him as if he went insane. He wanted me
to hit him.

“I’m leaving,” I declared and headed for the door.

“You are running again,” he said and I stopped in my
tracks. 

“What do you want from me?”

“I want you to listen.” He moved in front of me. “You
think I enjoyed watching your memories?  Do you think I don’t want to go to
Palasium and tear those Guards heads of their worthless bodies?  The things
they said to you…I want to kill Robert Miller with my bare hands.” He took a
step forward and touched my face. “And I hate myself for what I did to you. I
am the biggest jerk in the universe. I’ve hurt you so much. I don’t deserve you.
You are brave and unselfish. I’ve never met anyone like you – you have the
biggest heart in that small body of yours. I swear you can fit the whole world
into it.”

I sunk to the floor and covered my face with my
hands.

“I can’t do this,” I sobbed. “You can’t talk like
that and the next moment you treat me as if I’m nothing.” 

“I know.” He sat down on the floor next to me. “I
care about you and this stops now.”

“I don’t understand,” I whispered and bit my lower
lip. 

“Emily…it’s complicated. I know you don’t understand
and I promise I’ll explain it to you. Soon, I promise. I need time to wrap things
up.”

 “Why can’t you tell me now?

“I know it’s a lot I ask of you, but trust me. As
soon as this is over I’ll tell you everything.” He cradled my face in his
hands.

“I can’t.” I couldn’t look into his eyes. “I can’t
let you keep hurting me. I can’t do this anymore.”  I pulled away from him and
stood. “If you care about me, you’ll leave me alone.”

This time he didn’t stop me as I left.