Dog Days

Chapter 6

He clears his throat after a few seconds of silence "Apparently not high enough."

I furrow my brow and ask "What do you mean?"

He stretches out his back and sighs "My back hurts." He stands up and steps over to his dresser. As he grabs his stuff, he glances towards me and asks "Is that why you smoke pot? Are you my big bad hippie?"

I smile, before declaring "Believe it or not, I actually had long hair before I joined. Long blonde hair."

He nods, before declaring "That would be nice to see."

I smirk, before he asks "How often do you see your people, out here?"

I furrow my brow and declare "I call them once a week, over satellite phone. Usually only lasts about two minutes, but it lets them know I'm still alive. They don't know about anything that actually happens over here. I come home, they ask me what happened, and I just say it's just routine, but they know that it's not safe. I think they knew when I kill those guys that I had done it before, and they know I'd never done it before I enlisted." I furrow my brow as a wave of fear comes over me "I think it makes them feel safe, knowing I'm home safe, because they're safe, and they don't want to bum me out."

He furrows his brow and asks "And how are you doing, over here?"

I furrow my brow and state "Before yesterday, I was not doing well." I look down and state "Some nights, the only thing that could make me smile was the thought of getting out. Being home, in my own bed. Returning to the me that was happy."

He gives me a sad smile "Before yesterday?"

I smile at him "You've made me feel like a slice of back home, and all I've really wanted is to bring you home. Show you how to be free, and have you, when I do."

He furrows his brow with a smile "When you do?"

I give him a bright smile "Either three days out of the month, or indefinitely if you find a way to get out."

He smirks "We meet yesterday and we're already planning major shit."

I press my lips into a fine line, before asking "Too far?"

He smirks "Just far enough. I'm probably getting too happy for my reality." He gives a sad smile, before sighing "But, for the record, I'd like that."

I give him a weak smile, before declaring "If anyone could find a way to get you out, it would be you."

He gives me a weak smile, before looking down for a moment. He seems to contemplate something, as I watch him scan his brain. He sits there for a long moment, before clearing his throat "Well, if I find something that peaks their interests enough, I might be able to bargain a way out, but I don't know when, or if, that will happen anytime soon."

I furrow my brow and ask "Something like what?"

He gives a tired smile "Someone as good as me." He chuckles "A newer model."

I furrow my brow and ask "You could do that?"

He shrugs "If all my cards were played right, plus a huge win, and getting someone better than me, and willing to play along with it, possibly. Or they could keep me as their property and employ the other."

I furrow my brow and ask "What's tying you to them, anyway?"

He looks at me sweetly, before declaring "I have no identity, Thor." He shakes his head "No social security number, no birth certificate, nothing." He looks down and states "They implanted a device, in my neck, that they can power on at anytime, and kill me." He takes in a shakey breath "The moment they expect I may be committing treason, they detonate it and my spinal cord and brain stem is severed. Immediate death, or a surgery with a 90% mortality rate."

He takes a moment, before clearing his throat "They told me the surgery to remove the device isn't dangerous, if done by the same people, but I think they just said that to persuade me to be optimistic."

I sigh, before declaring "So, what do you want?"

He leans back with a sad smile "I want to live off the land without a chip in my neck that can kill me without a moments notice."

I give him a tired smile "We'll get there."

He rolls his eyes and begins to pack a bowl "I need to smoke, so I'm not depressed and killing a perfectly good night."

I smile at him "You're not killing it."

He chuckles as he packs a bowl "I'm still smoking."