Hummingbird

Three - History Lesson

I barley remember how I made it to Jackie's. It was all a blur, but I do remember entering through the window, so I didn't have to go through the front door. The side of the building has a few dumpsters that let me hop on through the window, allowing me to creep in quietly. However, I'm pretty sure I was louder than blind man stumbling around an antique's shop due to how disoriented I was.

I remember waking up with the sun in my eyes and Jackie at my side. I was facing the wall, with the same shirt from last night on. Immediately realizing that he must've seen whatever was on my back, I jump up and put my back to the wall. Jackie was standing, arms crossed, looking at me with Melissa behind him. He had a contemptuous look on his face and reminded me so much of my dad when I would stay up really late working on the bike.

"You was gone for all night, Julia." He stated.

I looked at my watch, it was around eleven in the morning. Way later then when work started. And when I began to explain what happened, I noticed all of the cuts and bruises from last night. A few drops of blood were on my bed, making it a disgusting version of connect-the-dots. Jackie must've patched me up, due to the shards of glass being gone and I had bandages wrapped on my ankle.

"J-Jackie, I was at the place, I made the delivery but this guy pulled me in and-and he put this thing on me." I stammered, pointing to the thing on my back.

"Jules," he sighed. "People are getting Augs all the time now. It's alright, but you just gotta tell me. And just don't do it on the job next time, alright? I'll let this one slide cause you're new, but it's coming outta your paycheck next time."

Jackie was talking about augmentations. Cybernetic augmentations, or "Augs" for short, popped up around twenty years ago and are as commonplace now as cellphones. People get them like tattoos, and if you want a new one, you'd better shell out some serious cash for the latest models. The first generations were very clunky and mostly for military use, but as time went on, they got better. And faster, too. The newer models are almost human-like, giving the person wearing it every sensation a regular body part would. The more common augmentations are limbs -being arms, legs, and the like- but organs are an option, but I didn't really think about this thing on my back as an augmentation until Jackie said it.

"Jackie," I took a breath to calm down. "I didn't want to get this."

"Whatcha mean?"

"The guy that made the order, he forced this thing onto me. He paralyzed me, then put this on me against my will."

"Why the hell would he do that?" Jackie asked.

"He said he wanted to 'test it.'"

"Well, whatzit do?"

"Jackie...I can fly."

"Bull." He dismissed. "Straight bull, ain't no one even seen an aug that can make people fly since the Iron Wars. And even then, they was battlefield myths."

"Jackie, I'm not joking. Just take a look-"

"Jules, I just need you downstairs. Okay?" He ordered. His voice was firm, but it never left the realm of friendly.

"Alright." I sighed.

"And get yourself cleaned up. You look like trash." He bluntly stated.

Jackie tossed me a replacement work shirt. I put it on and noticed that the augmentation pulled on the shirt and created a slight bump, turning me into the hunchback from that kids movie. The rest of the day was just like any other day, but I couldn't stop thinking about that psycho who put this augmentation on me, or that robot-devil guy. And why did that guy throw himself off the roof? Why waste such valuable tech on me?