The Six: Genesis | A Reverse Harem Novel

One

“In the end, if they ask if it was worth it, do you want to answer yes or I don’t know?” He throws a rock out into the canyon and it bounces off the side, echoing a dull tone back and forth. “It’ll haunt you for the rest of your life if you can’t answer. We both know it, Blue.”

We sit on the second shelf of a vast vein in a canyon. We’re close to the top, only about a handful of meters from the crest. The midday sun beats directly down on us, but I bask in its warmth and lean my head back with my eyes closed. It’s been weeks since they’d allowed me to be outside of the compound and I want to enjoy every second.

Tufts of brush and grass litter the ground, breaking up the monotony of greyed dirt and rocks. Trees rise around us and in the distance, fanning a canopy of shadow over pockets of the canyon. Water rushes somewhere to my right, further down, hidden by a corner. It’s fresh here, but the heady scent of heat snakes around the natural lift of desert flowers.

“You make it sound so black and white — so easy, Ryker. As if there’s no risk to my health or my life by doing this.”

“I never said this was easy or wasn’t a risk, Blue. I asked if you could handle dealing with the unknown.”

“I suppose I’ll have to if I don’t do this.” I say, rolling my lips together. “Some things shouldn’t be done.”

“What things? And who decides what should and what shouldn’t be done? You’ve dreamed of making people safe everywhere, helping to stop the spread of violence, since you were as tall as my hip.” His hand settles on my shoulder and he shakes me gently. “When did that change? And since when did you let other people decide for you?”

“I don’t know — since I learned I can die? The other trials haven’t exactly been successful.”

“Those other trials were with programs and materials not designed by you. Forget about those people and remember who you are.”

“Again—making it sound easy.”

Sitting to my side is the man who adopted me right after I turned eight years old and my parents were brutally murdered. He saved me, took me under his wing and has raised me by himself for almost a decade. Though, his confident facade is crumbling as I study him, fading away under the glaring truth of what we’re about to do — the risk I’m about to take.

I wish I had better guarantees for him. But the others in my industry who’ve tried to do what we’re undertaking have killed hundreds, maybe thousands, of people simply attempting to replace a single part of the human body. My ideas stretched far deeper than theirs.

“You know how much I love you, Blue. If I didn’t think you could do this, and I didn’t think you would or could survive, I’d advise you against it.” He said, but then chuckled under his breath. “But we both know you wouldn’t have listened, nor would you let anything take you from this planet before you’re ready.”

“I would have listened.” I argue, lighting hitting him on the arm. “I still would have done it, but I would have given you the respect of listening to what you had to say first.”

“Yeah,” he turned to grab my ears with his hands and squeezed lightly. “I’m wondering why you even have these installed if all my words go in one ear and out the other? Or maybe there’s a blockage somewhere?” Angling my head, he glares down into my left ear canal and pokes his finger into it. “Yep, there’s something blocking anything from getting in.”

Laughing, I squirm in his hold. “Let me go, dad!”

The man who took me in is older now. But his features are still the same. Hair as black as pitch is slicked back, curling at the edges and brushing against the starched collar of a black button up dress shirt. Round brown eyes twinkled beneath thick eyebrows and a narrow forehead. With a straight nose, thin pink lips and a sharp jaw, Ryker Daniels is the man I now call father.