SILVER EYES (GXG)

Chapter 66: Beacon Of Light

A message from Heather arrived with the first rays of sunlight.

Still on the move. Hope to see you there.

I nearly jumped with excitement. She was okay. Now it was my turn to stay discreet and meet at Erik's house to continue our plan.

I quickly replied: So glad to hear from you. I'll be there. Stay safe.

That message sent me racing out of Nexus Court as if hurrying to Erik's place would somehow make Heather arrive faster too.

The sun was barely up and I could already hear the shouts of the protesters heading to Foundation Square as I darted between the streets. They were getting an early start, which meant we'd probably face early trouble. I just hoped I had enough time to find Heather and figure out how to reach the Orb before Brooke missed me.

When I arrived at Erik's apartment, I froze at the door, suddenly aware of how nervous I was. My body tensed, and my chest tightened as if it were folding in on itself. Erik's disappointed gaze from the press conference weighed on me like a backpack full of stones. No matter how much I wanted to drop it, I couldn't shake the fear crawling through my veins. What if he hated me now? What if he didn't trust me anymore? What if he refused to help us?

My heart hammered as the questions twisted tighter inside me, knotting around my lungs like fishing lines. Breathe, Grace, breathe. Not the time for a panic attack. With whatever courage I had left, I knocked on the door.

Tear-streaked eyes met mine as Erik opened the door, frozen in place, less than happy to see me.

"What are you doing here?" He said, wiping away his tears as if feeling embarrassed.

"Hey," I leaned in. "What's wrong?" I said pulling him into my arms.

"Stop." He said moving away. "I don't want your fake kindness"

"Come on Erik." I said. "You know it's not fake."

"What do you want?" He crossed his arms over his chest as if trying to hide his obvious fragility behind a defensive stance.

"Is this about the press conference?" I asked. "Because if it is, please, let me explain."

Erik's lips twisted into a sarcastic grimace. "Explain what? How the implants are supposed to bring freedom and happiness like they did for me? Or maybe you want to explain why, after disappearing, you came back as a hero of the Reg Society and didn't even bother to reach out to me before stepping onto the Nexus Court stage?"

Whoa. There was a lot I needed to explain. Erik's hands were trembling, just like mine. His voice cracked, and his eyes were rimmed with a bloody red.

"Erik. Let me in, and we'll talk." I said, steadying my voice.

"Why would I do that?" His tone was ice cold.

"Because deep down, you know there's an explanation and you want to hear it." I locked eyes with him, hoping he'd see past the anger. But the silence between us only grew heavier. "I haven't let you down. You know that. Not once. Just... let me explain."

Erik hesitated and then his voice cracked: "Okay... come in."

I sighed with relief. "Thank you, mate, thank you."

His apartment had changed again. The sofas were now arranged in a way that made no sense, facing the wall and far from the window where they'd always been. The walls had gone from that familiar light green to a deep, dark blue, that felt almost oppressive. Every time his implant got a new update, Erik paid the price. His personality, his tastes, and of course, his memories, all scrambled.