New Age

Chapter 26 ~ The Sound Of Her Heels Echoing.

Mika’s POV

“Why?” It’s all I can manage. Seeing Juliette here has left me shocked to my very centre.

“Because I was tired of running for no reason, because I was sick of Lucas and because I couldn’t stand being treated like a little girl when in fact I was the most important out of all four of us.” She puts her weight onto her left hip and has her hand on the other hip. She’s in a smart black dress that hugs her curves and screams importance.

“How long have you been working with the Robo?” I ask her, still unbelieving.

“It was before I met you. Lucas was on one of his solo mission thingies and Spencer was sleeping. I couldn’t sleep so I went downstairs to grab a drink. As I was pulling the wine bottle out of the fridge and hand grabbed my waist. It wasn’t a tight grip; it was so soft it was almost a caress. I thought it could’ve been Lucas so I didn’t panic. But when I turned around I didn’t see Lucas. It was another man. I quickly grabbed knife out of my pants and he started laughing.

He tried to reason with me, but I wouldn’t put my knife down. So he sat back onto the kitchen bench and told me everything, he told me about his life and how he came to work with the Robo. He told me that I could join him, that I could have a better life. It sounded so tempting. To get away from having to look after Spencer, from running, waiting for Lucas, I could get away from it all. So I said yes, and he took me to a Robo building where he showed me everything and I was officially a Robo helper. I went there every night and he was always there to keep me company as I trained to become a part of the Robo life. It was the best thing that ever happened to me, he was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

I rolled my eyes at this last part.  

“We’ve been together for months now, as long as I’ve been with the Robo. And I haven’t regretted a thing.”

“So you didn’t like Lucas at all?”

“Honey, it was all part of a plan.” She laughs. I’m sick of this already.

“What do you want Juliette? Is capturing me your way of telling me that you really don’t like me? Because I already figured that out.” That makes her laugh again.

“As much as I would’ve liked it to be like that it’s not. You were bought in for reasons even I do not know.”

“Then why are you here now?” And before she has a chance to answer the door starts opening, signalling that Juliette needs to leave. She stares at me until the doors open and she walks out, the sound of her heels echoing throughout my room.

Lucas’s POV

“Can we rest now Lucas?” Spencer whines from behind me, I’m marching in front with both Magna’s packs and mine while Spencer and Magna walk behind.

“No. We keep going.”

“For gods sake Knight! Let the boy and I rest for five minutes!” Magna yells at me, I turn around and see the two of them, sweating and looking tired. I didn’t think we’d been on the road for that long!

“How long have we been on the road for?” I ask sharply, I don’t mean to be mean and rude but they need someone to push them if we’re going to survive.

“At least three hours, if not four.” Magna informs me in the same snappish tone that I used to address them. Three or four hours? Not possible. I shake my head and Magna sighs, annoyed and sits down on a wall. Spencer sits next to her and they both look at me. I sigh loudly and throw the packs on the ground.

“I’m going to check out the area.” I say as I walk further up. In front of me is just cracked concrete lined with dead trees. I was here on one of my missions once; I found out that the Robo Queen sometimes takes residence in the White House, or what’s left of it. Best stay away from there then.

Spencer’s POV

Magna and I watch Lucas storm off, apparently gone to check out the area but we all know he’s just gone off in a strop. It’s not like him, I’ve never seen him like this before, I think.

“Here love, have an oat bar.” Magna says while holding said oat bar in my face. I gratefully take it, rip open the packet and take a big bite into it.

“Now, if you eat like that it’ll be gone in a few seconds.” Magna scolds. When I go to take my next bite I act going slower and take a tiny bite. She rolls her eyes like she’s unimpressed but I see a ghost of a smile on her face. We eat our oat bars in silence, sitting on the wall that overlooks the streets of what used to be the most important state in America, and I can’t help but wonder, what would the world be like today if the Robo hadn’t taken over?

Where would I be? What would I be doing? Who would I be with? Would I have met Lucas and Mika and Juliette and Magna-Jean? Who would be President?

Magna picking up a pack breaks my train of thought.

“What are you doing?” I ask as she stands up.

“Lucas isn’t going to prove anything by walking off.” She says as she starts walking away. I quickly pick up the other pack and run to catch up to her. When I get to her she stops and I take the other pack off her. Once they’re both hoisted onto my shoulders she starts walking again and I have to jog to catch up, again.

“So what are we trying to prove by catching up to him?” I ask as we go in the direction Lucas went.

“That he’s not alone.” And with that, Magna and I fall into silence as we search on for Lucas.