Mech

Chapter 13: Bad Luck

"Micah?"

Tap. Tap tap tap.

"Micah, are you awake?"

I batted the cold fingers away from my shoulder and groaned, "Well, I am now."

"That is good! I apologize for bothering you, but I could not sleep."

"Do you even really need to?"

The phrase escaped my tired lips and I realized how insensitive it actually came out as.

"I..I'm sorry, I didn't mean.."

"It is ok. Here, I am not human. But out there..somewhere..my body..my family.."

I rolled over onto my stomach and squinted at the clock ticking quietly on the wall by the bed. 4 AM?!

"We must find them."

I rolled back and faced her, "Yeah, I know."

"Ok! Come, get dressed then."

"Wait wait wait, ya' mean find 'em now?"

Aaliyah nodded, her robotic eyes glowing in the dark with excitement. I rubbed my eyes furiously and sat up, partially unwrapping myself from my cozy blanket burrito, "We can't go now. Not without the others, not without no plan! Plus, I'm pretty sure we couldn't even get t'the next door down without a gun to our faces."

The excitement faded and her face drooped, "Oh..yes, I suppose this is true." She left the side of my bed and sat on her own, discouraged.

"I'm sorry, but that's the facts. We'll help ya' out when the operpun'ty comes 'round, I promise."

"Yes. But..how long will that take?"

Just then, I heard a knocking on the window behind me. I launched myself at my bag, tumbled off the bed, drew my gun, and aimed for the curtains bleeding with moonlight. Inching forward on my knees, I used the barrel of the gun to ever so slightly move the curtains so I could see outside. Both confused and relieved, I yanked them out of the way and heaved the window open.

"Ian? What are you doin' here? If you get caught.."

"Relax, Mini-Mitzi, no one's gonna notice. My room is right next door, we share a fire escape so..hi." He smiled and waved.

I wasn't amused, "Get to the point, Conway."

"I heard talking. Something about finding her body?"

My eyes went wide, "You heard us talking?"

"Light sleeper," He reminded me with a shrug.

He motioned me away from the window and swung his legs inside, crawling in and sitting on the windowsill.

"The hell do you think you're doin'? Ya' can't be in here!" I placed my hands on his shoulders and tried to push him back out the window, but another face appeared behind him.

"Y'all partyin' without me?" Max asked.

Ian stood and Max placed his elbows on the windowsill, smiling like an idiot. I could hear Jason through the open window, but he clearly hadn't left his room.

"Max! What the hell are you doing? Where's my brother? You better not get me in trouble I swear to God.."

"Escape plan." Ian said, clasping his hands together, "I'm in. Journey to the center of the Mechanical Hell. Beats being babysat by soldiers. Plus, we got ourselves a crazy cyborg chick! We practically have the entirety of Mech in the palm of our hands, if we play our cards right."