A Cog In The Machine | ONC 2021

Chapter Ten

The Hions circle the building hiding the clockwork machine. With their Kaligas in hand, they walk past each other without a glance at one another. Despite the heavy rain, they are focused, ready for me to appear.

But Luz and I are hiding behind a set of parked cars. I lift my head just enough to see them. Yet, I'm unsure of how to plan my next move. I had thought none farther than getting to the building.

Luz glances at them, too. "We need a distraction," she says. "If we don't have one, they won't leave and give you room to get inside."

"Good idea," I say, nodding. "But where? How can I create a distraction?"

"Hm..." Luz turns, her back against the car's hood. She opens her hands to look at her palms. I look, too, but unsure as to why. Are we looking at the lines? Do humans really rely on the details of their skin as if it gives them a path? Now isn't the time, Luz.

"What about the watch?" Luz's head snaps up as she closes her hands. Her eyes are wide. "Do you have it with you?"

Of course, I had it with me. It may have been broken, but it was still my father's watch. To leave it behind at her apartment meant the possibility of never getting it again. I have a feeling the moment I repair the clock, the Hions will come and take me away. If that's the case, and the watch isn't in my possession, it may be gone forever.

Pressing my hand into my pocket, I close my hand around it and pull it out. "I do."

"Okay." Luz looks at the watch, then back at me. "Can you fix it?"

I blink, confused. "Fix it?" I glance at the watch's broken face and flickering light. "If I fix it, they'll know where we are."

"Okay." Luz isn't bothered by what I say.

But I am. "Our position will be exposed," I say to her. "They'll come and arrest me. Us." I hold the watch to my chest. "Luz, think of yourself here, if they catch you—"

"So, you can't fix it?" She blinks at me. "Isn't that your job?"

I push my brows together. "What? Fix it?"

"Right." She points at the watch in my hands. "You're a Cog, right? You fix clocks that control worlds?"

"I..." I do. It's my job. My one job. Opening my hand, I glance down at my father's broken watch. "I do."

"Then?" Luz scoots closer. Puddle water splashes against my pants as she moves. Thunder roars overhead. "Fixing a watch ain't an issue, right?"

"No," I say, shaking my head. "It isn't. It's—"

"Easy, right?" Luz blinks at me, grinning.

I'm still confused. Luz, what are you doing?

"So, this is the plan." She turns, still crouched, and faces me. "You're going to fix the watch, make it tick, then I'm going to wear it."

"What?" Thank goodness for thunder because I say that louder than I should have. "Luz, you—"

"I am going to be your distraction," she says without an ounce of fear. "I'm going to wear it and run. They'll follow the signal." She grabs my face and makes me look towards the building. "Then you'll go inside and fix the clock before the world ends."

Thunder roars again. Wind slaps rain against our sides. I can't help but think, though completely insane, Luz's plan makes sense. With them gone, I can easily get inside and fix the machine. By the time they come back to get me, my job will be done, and Luz's planet will be safe.

But... "What about you?" Concerned, I look into her eyes. "What if they catch you? The Hions are dangerous, if they catch you—"

"They won't," she says, shaking her head. "I've never been caught before."

What she says makes me clamp my mouth shut. What does she mean? "Caught... before?" I narrow my gaze. "Luz, what do you mean?"

"I don't think my past of a concern right now, Frank." Luz pats my shoulder and glances over the car's hood. "Just fix the watch, and I've got you covered."

When I say nothing, she smiles. "Cover. It's the one thing I'm good at." She touches my cheek. "I got you, Frank. Believe in me."

There are a lot of questions circulating my head about Luz, but as I look at her, I tell myself I don't need the answers. Perhaps it was her internal mystery that really attracted me to her that morning when we first met, just like I'm sure it was my own mystery that continued to pull her in to me, too.

I may be a Cog and my job is to fix machines controlling the worlds within this universe, but I was never a perfect Brigon. Clearly, I can make mistakes. Big mistakes. But Luz... she feels as if she's the missing gear I needed within my own system. I can't help but think that together we're an enigma, misunderstood by the galaxy governing us as living creatures.

Looking down at the watch in my hand, I sit back against the car and push my thumb against the watch's side. What's left of the face lifts, revealing the gear inside. They struggle to move, the path of galaxy power blocked by a severed wire. I laugh as I look at it. Is that all that's wrong with it?

I push the wire down with one finger. With another, I force the other to press against it. Cog watches were designed to repair themselves if the situation arises. If the Cog themselves are caught in danger, lost in dimension-travel, the watch will make it through, regardless of the situation. Its job is to ensure the time continues to run, just like the Cog's job is to make sure time never stopped.

My father's watch was supposed to come to me. I watch the wires reconnect. Electricity pulses through the band, vibrating against my fingers. A light emits from it, brightening Luz's face as she watches it with me. This watch was prepared for this moment, right?

The watch beeps in my hand. I should've known it wouldn't break so easily. It's face shuts on its own.

And the Hions' stop their loud, marching steps.

Luz's head snaps up in their direction. "I think they got it," she whispers, looking at me. "Give me the watch."

She tries to take it, but I can't seem to let it go. I look into her eyes. "I need to know you'll be okay."

Before I can blink, Luz comes closer to me, mouth hovering over mine. She gives my face a quick glance over before pressing her lips to mine. A taste of cherry Chapstick hits me and I lean back against the car, shocked, yet enamored. Her kiss is warm, sweet. But when I inch in to deepen the kiss, she pulls the watch out of my hand and leans back.

She kissed me...

She smiles. "I'll be okay," she says as she puts the watch on her wrist. "Just be here when I get back, okay? Fix the clock."

I blink. Though my temperature has spiked, I'm frozen in place. "I'll be here," I whisper as she stands, drawing the Hions attention. "I'll fix the clock."

"Good." Quickly hopping back, Luz lifts her head to look at the direction of the Hions. The watch reacts to them, beeping with alarm. She lifts her wrist to show it to them and she laughs. "Hey, ugly mother fuckers, this what you want?" She waves her hand. "You want that Cog, right?"

"It's the human girl!" one Hion shouts.

"Damn right, it is," she laughs as she looks back at me. She gives me one wink before she turns, breaking out in a run down the street. As the Hions chase after her, I hear her shout at them, "If you want him, you gotta get me!"

They don't turn back, not once. Luz is their focus. And as I stand, watching them disappear around the corner, I take in a deep breath before rushing through the rain and into the building across the street.

If I fix this clock, you have to come back to me.

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A/N: I'm so close to 20k, I can taste it! <3 If you're still reading here, thank you for following along! <3