Alaysians

Chapter 2

I stand in front of a glass door, as it slides open, and walk through into The Book Mark. No one lines the glass bookshelves; except dust that covers the holographic tables. I run my hand over the bookshelf, as the blue light peaks its way through the silhouette of my hand as I run it along. I hear the static sound of the hologram coming alive, and the whirring sound of the bookstore robot ask " may I help you in choosing your book today."

Suddenly, I am grabbed by my hood and whirled to face a boy, 5'9 with deep amber eyes and light brown hair around 19 the same age as me. Before he can react, dust clouds the air as I clap the remaining into his face, and bring my elbow to his head, swinging my fist to make contact with his temple.

He falls to the tiled ground, and I bring my gun out,  holding it to his head. Before I have the time to pull the trigger, I hear a familiar voice yell " Stop, Rowen he is not going to hurt you!"

I look up to see her piercing brown eyes widen. I pull away from the boy to realize it was Sam and place my gun in the back of my pants again.

Yvette rushes to her brother on the ground and sees he is unconscious. She tilts her head to look at me and asks " did you have to do that to Sam." I look at her in almost disbelief as I reply " are you kidding me he was the one who came at me, I was defending myself."

She gets up nevertheless and grabs me into a hug, " Why haven't you come for your pills, you ran out a week ago, I have been worried sick." I only give her a shrug as a response.

We walk over Sams body as she takes me to the back. Automatically, the door opens once we reach the motion sensor. We walk into the lab; she brings me to the cabinet and takes out a bottle filled with pills. "Now what did I say about not coming to me for your next supply, I can see that you have got no sleep so don't even argue with me." I take the pills from her with a resentful smile. Before leaving she pulls me to sit down on an examination table. Yvette is from Uranus and uses her power for helping people. Yvette and I have known each other since I was seventeen. It feels like yesterday that I heard of her and she helped with the nightmares. I don't know anything about what they mean or if they are even my memories, but they keep me moving.

Yvette does use her powers for good, but in return for the pills, I help her get some supplies. Yvette has helped countless people who could not afford medical payments and has one of the kindest hearts. So for her to have supplies, she needs someone to get them, and by getting them, I mean to steal them. I get up off the table and start to walk out when I sense an object flying at the back of my head. I spin around and catch it in one hand and give her a smug smile. "Just seeing if you are awake enough to do the job, and its a new knife Sam made just in case it gets a little serious."

Yvette and I make our way out of the lab when we see Sam start to gain consciousness. I laugh as I see him stumble and knock into Yvette and slam her into a shelf. Sam looks up with his piercing amber eyes, and I almost have a feeling to take a step away.

Yvette walks us over to a holographic table, where a dim light appears under the layer of dust. Yvette places her hand on the screen, and it brings up a map and blueprints of a building. " The supplies that I need are in the Alaysian medical compound located off the Alaysian training arena; it will be an in and out job, given that Rowen's tracking situation you will need to be fast. However, I have thought best that Sam should come too." I ask in disbelief " I don't think I heard you right, did you just say Sam is going to be coming too." She gives me a does it look like I'm kidding look when I see Sam fiddle with a silver ring around his finger. Sam has wanted to help with the supplies for a while now, but I don't want things to go wrong, and he ends up caught and dead. Stealing is a serious offense to the government, and quality medical supplies are hard to get.

I release a breath and agree to let Sam come by nodding my head. Yvette gives me an earpiece and a camera contact so she will be able to monitor our location through the medical compound.

Yvette gives me a questioning glance as I pull Sam aside to a private part of the library. "When did I agree that you could come, you could get hurt and I might not be able to protect you." Sam gives me a shrug, with his only reply being " you have nothing to worry about, I can protect myself." Sam walks past me and back to Yvette but I decide to linger. I touch a bookshelf and hear the robot wire to life. " How may I help you." " Bring up the medical compound blueprints for the Alaysian sector ." I watch the blueprints appear and solidify as if they were never holographic. I walk to a vacant holographic table and bring up plans for the exterior.

I memorize the plans and thank the robot for its help. The Book Mark is silent except for the laughs of Yvette and Sam. I walk out of the store and onto the crowded sidewalk. I am instantly hit in the shoulder by a young boy running by. He turns around and yells "sorry" as he continues speeding down the sidewalk.

I walk back to my apartment and collapse on the bed. Sounds stir me awake as I hear heavy boots stomp on staircases. I walk to my door and open it to reveal a security sweep. Security makes their way up each flight, and in about 5 minutes they will be on the fifteenth flight. This apartment was initially owned by a lieutenant around 24 years old with green eyes, and dark brown hair. I found his name tag Declan; I had a feeling that this was not a regular security sweep as I know when they are and plan to be out whenever they occur and because they are only making their way up to the fifteenth flight and announcing that everyone is to stay calm and remain in their apartments. I think I know why they are here.

Jupiter is the human embassy of a sort and migrants can only come here on a visa, or if work has been approved, they can live here. I don't know how I came to live on Jupiter I only can remember the past two and a half years, with no recollection of my past years or if I even had a  family.

I lock the door as I hear them approach. I feel the cold metal of my gun as I slowly grip it. The door breaks in and slams to the ground. " Search the place; I want to know who's been living here" a loud voice booms.

I scramble away into the bathroom; I hear a man walk in and look over the space. He announces " nothing, lieutenant!" I pull my hand over his mouth and hit the hilt on my gun in his temple. The man loses consciousness and falls with a loud thud. I hear someone call for an officer named " Ethan " I quickly pick up the body and place him in the shower. I look for his ID but stare at an electronic band attached to his forearm. I hear someone approach the door when a husky, masculine voice asks " Officer Ethan, what is your report".

I am torn between shapeshifting or to just kill these people. I chose to shapeshift into Ethan's form and report " Nothing Lieutenant" hoping the husky voice belongs to the lieutenant. Relief floods me when he responds " keep searching officer."

I walk out of the bathroom to see the sweep progress throughout the apartment. Declan huffs in anger, as his head officer, reports no evidence. Declan storms out of the door and shouts at his officers to follow. I hesitate and quickly make my way into the bathroom and stare at the officer occupying my shower floor. I shapeshift out of his form and grab the collar of his uniform and throw his body out. 

Ethan begins to regain consciousness but before he could I carry him outside and down the back ally's to The Book Mark. I walk inside and witness the distress in the eyes of Sam. " Rowen please tell me you did not kill him." I dignify him with no response and make my way to the back to find Yvette working on a tablet before she senses my presence. I lay Ethan on the table and tell Yvette to wipe his memory of the last hour. Yvette can only erase the mind of someone for a short period but complies with my request.

I leave Yvette to erase Ethan's memory and tell her to transport him back to an Alaysian training area while I get ready for the job with Sam.