Ex Vivo (#2 EX TRILOGY)

Chapter 12

Ender was waiting for Akoma at Pico Hotel when Akoma arrived almost an hour later. Akoma found her floating idly in the lit swimming pool with her back turned to her while showing off a rose tattoo over her right shoulder. Akoma stared at her for a while and sighed. Ender stroked the water with both hands to form ripples around her and looked up into the starry sky. Her silence was uncomfortable, and the fact that she had not turned around to face Akoma was making the tension grow stronger. Akoma looked around for any signs of people who could possibly deter Ender from any foul play but found only a barbecue grill guy packing his stuff to leave.

"Ender...", Akoma started to say. Ender scooped up some water in her hands and allowed it to pour through her fingers. "You asked me to come. I am here. Since you know everything from your Snitchers, I guess all I have to wait for is the punishment." She shrugged and walked closer to stand at the edge of the pool. After waiting for a few more seconds without hearing anything from Ender, she began to feel impatient. She glanced around and found the poolside now deserted. "Is there something you would like to say before you do what you want to do?" Ender kept silent and just scooped up more water idly. Akoma sighed deeply and shook her head. "At least look at me. Maybe there is something the Snitchers did not tell you. I am the one who got attacked - "

"The instruction was not to abort the mission," Ender interrupted as she poured water over her head. "It was as simple as you have always done - pay a simple university undergrad a simple ex gratia, and you made a very huge mess out of it - and you stand there to tell me you were the one who got attacked? What do you want me to do? Console you or retire you?"

Akoma blinked. "Look! That is not what I am trying to say. What I mean is that I faced off with something or - or - someone more than I could handle. I was resc -". She hesitated and once again decided to withhold the stalker-saviour character from the narrative. "I don't know how much you know about this Ex Vivo thing and superhuman stories, but I have been utterly freaked out today. I left because I was too scared to die."

Ender scoffed and pushed her drenched hair back. "You sound like I am obliged to show some sympathy or something. You sealed your allegiance to the syndicate with your blood. I still have the evidence, so you cannot stand there and say what you like as if you were forced into this. You wilfully signed up, whether in your attempt to fool the other Ex Agents or not. That's none of my business. It's your own cup of tea."

"So you think I deliberately aborted the mission and cooked up the lie that I was attacked by a superhuman?"

"I didn't say you lied. I have a problem with the fact that you left your post without clearance from me. That's a violation I cannot leave unpunished."

Akoma scoffed. "What do you take me for?"

"Nothing."

Akoma opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated upon catching the double offence in the resounding reply. "You think I am of no use to you?" Her voice sounded sore. Ender noticed it and giggled. "I was your best friend, Ender."

"Was - Akoma. Was. Not anymore. It's really stressful going over this whole friendship emotionalism again. There is no place in my heart for any mercy, all right? Advise yourself and end it." Ender turned to face Akoma finally and scowled at her for some seconds. "Take off your clothes and join me. I want to show you something." Akoma raised her eyebrows. Ender waded backwards to the deepest end of the pool and beckoned to her. "Come on. Let's talk down here."

Akoma sighed and slowly took off her clothes, leaving only her underclothing. She walked around the pool to the steps and slowly climbed down into the cold water. Ender smiled at her and beckoned to her to come closer. Akoma swam across the pool towards her, but when she got to the middle not far from Ender, Ender put up a hand to stop her. "That's enough," Ender said. "I know about Ex Vivo. I know how the dating app works. The only thing I don't know is the one who owns it. As long as it isn't a threat to us, we can just let it be. Unless you have an experience you would like to share with me that suggests that Ex Vivo is trouble for Ex Gratia."

Akoma cocked her head. "I thought you had Snitchers."

"Of course. But I have you."

"You have no use for me."

"As long as you do what I want, you are useful to me."

"I am not your toy."

"That's an oversimplification. I must be frank with you."

Akoma narrowed her eyes. "The guy who attacked me could punch through a wall and not get injured. I stabbed his arm with a screwdriver many times and it hardly scratched his skin. I think I crashed into him on my way out of the party and got my bike destroyed."

Ender stroked her chin. "I see."

"His eyes glowed green, and then amber, and then red. I think he is a robot."

Ender looked up quickly and blinked several times. "Are you sure?" Akoma nodded. Ender smirked at her. "What kind of story is that?"

"Believe me. It was real. Why do you think I got here in a taxi? He destroyed my bike."

"Are you very sure? Who else is your witness?"

Akoma bit her lip. "Aha! Suzy was there. She saw it happening in the washroom. I suspected her Boo, but I confirmed that he is human after all."

Ender frowned. "What informed you to think her Boo was not human?"

"Well, Suzy's boyfriend has green eyes. I thought he was the one."

"You thought he was superhuman?"

"Well - that's what I thought. It was weird. It definitely had to be something other than just witchcraft. I don't like the sarcasm I am sensing in your voice."

Ender grinned. "I am not being sarcastic. Honestly."

"Then tell me you believe me. I don't find this Ex Vivo thing legit. Who allowed it to operate in this country?"

"Who allowed Ex Gratia too?"

"But Ex Gratia is in the shadows. Nobody knows about it. Even the Snitchers are made to forget. But Ex Vivo is on our app stores. Perhaps thousands or millions of people are going for it." Akoma leaned over and stroked her legs underwater idly. "Do you know something about Ex Vivo that I don't?"

Ender pursed her lips and cocked her head. "What do you think you know about Ex Vivo?" The tone was a demeaning one, and Akoma felt it meant more than just a question. She attempted reading meaning into it and guessed it was probably an answer. She stared at Ender for a moment in silence and wished she had the ability to cast her under her spell and make her tell her things. As though she had read her mind, Ender's smile faded away and was replaced by a cold stare. Akoma sensed it was bad news for her. "Come closer." Akoma obeyed. "Closer." She did. "A little closer." Akoma was now with Ender at the deepest end of the pool. The two ladies stared at each other for about a minute, and Ender broke the silence by saying softly, "Drown yourself."

Akoma slowly bent over and was totally submerged underwater. She sank to the bottom and sat there cross-legged. After a minute and ten seconds, Akoma started losing air and puffed, and a jet of bubbles escaped from her nose and mouth. Without warning, she inhaled and water gushed into her windpipe, and suddenly she started to cling to her throat and kick helplessly underwater. She attempted to scream, but felt stupid for doing so because nobody would hear her. She thrashed violently in the water and felt her life fading away slowly, and her vision was blurry and clouded with bubbles everywhere.

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Meanwhile, Ender had climbed out of the pool and was quietly sipping a glass of coconut juice while stretching out on a lounger near the edge of the pool. She cleaned her ears with her towel, plugged earpieces into her ears and started to play 'Killing Me Softly With His Song' by Fugees on her iPod.