Dawn Is Coming

Chapter 14

Grant

Wait... what? Am I dreaming?

I stand in my doorway, my eyes lingering on the corner of the building behind which Akira had disappeared. After...

Confessing her love? To me?

My feet are telling me to run, to run as fast as I can, to catch her and hold on to her and keep her safe forever.

With me.

My heart races a mile a minute, my mind struggling to process what had just happened. Akira loves me. Akira said she loves me. And then she ran away. Why would she run away? Doesn't she know that I love her, too? That I'd die for her? That I'd sacrifice the entire country – hell, the whole world for her without a second thought?

How silly of her.

My grip tightens on the doorknob, the metal denting under my wrath. Why would she just say that all of a sudden? There must be a reason. Akira never does anything without a reason. Like wanting to travel to Neorexa, something which had not left my mind ever since she mentioned it. She must have had a reason for it, and probably a damn good one since it would likely be lethal. Speaking of which...

Oh.

If Akira leaves to Neorexa, she knows she might never see me again. So...

Oh.

I might never see her again.

My jacket is on in a moment, my legs dashing down the street with wild abandon. She's going to Neorexa, isn't she? She is. I had thought my refusal would've deterred her, that she'd decide not to go. But here she shows up at my doorstep, confessing her love to me, thinking that it's the last time she'll see me.

I won't let that happen.

I arrive at the corner, my head darting left and right as I examine the surroundings, not seeing her anywhere. My heart clenches in fear at the thought of her going all alone. I don't even know how she plans on getting there, but she's definitely smart enough to find a way. She doesn't leave me much choice.

. . .

"Good evening, 22D." The cold, metallic voice of The Senator sends chills down my spine. His metal limbs make no sound as he takes a seat in the chair in front of me, clasping his hands together on the table. It's been a very long time since I last saw a Centrex of such high class. His whole body is made of metal aside from his head, but the skin is so pale and sickly it almost looks made of dull metal as well. "You... told my guards that you have important intel on 72A?"

Ah, yes. That. I may have roughed up the guards outside the Centrum, since they had denied me entry. Even after I told them that I'm in the military and that I have very important information that the Robotum must know about. I am a Thrift, after all. I have little importance to them.

Bastards.

"That is correct, sir." Swallowing my unease, I watch him slide a metal hand over his cleanly shaved head, blue veins protruding, as if trying to escape from the concentrated evil that is his mind.

"Speak, I am listening." He drawls, amused charcoal eyes fixed on mine.

And so, I talk. Omitting all the personal aspects and emotional ties, I explain how Akira had asked me to come to Neorexa with her for a reason she hadn't mentioned. His eyes sparkle with a ferocious intensity as he listens to my story, subtly widening when I tell him that she had already ran away, and that I was unable to locate her. Nodding his head, his eyes remain locked on me even once I finished talking, his hand smoothing the dull skin of his head.