Endless War (Complete)

Chapter 8 "More Travel"

I wake with a start as I instantly feel an arm wrapped around my waist, I have to override my immediate compulsion to grab the hand and flip the attached body over. I feel something hard poking me in my lower back, I reach back to find that it is attached to the body behind me. I hear a slight moan as I quickly retrieve my hand. The chip reassigns itself and suddenly I feel flush as things tighten low in my abdomen. I quickly roll away from the grasp of my companion, I have to close my eyes and concentrate. Pain radiates from the area where my chip sends its' lies throughout my brain, it is a bright searing pain.

I hear a muffled scream escape my lips, as I rock my body with my head between my knees. Suddenly there are hands wrapped around my shoulders and a warm body pressed against my back. "Are you ok?" it whispers in my ear.

"I just learned two things." I mumble. "First I figured out you are a man the hard way. Second this chip in my head wants me to procreate and disobeying hurts like hell"

"Sorry, um I didn't think to tell you my sex as most people figure that out by looking at me or hearing my voice. I have never had to deal with someone who is chipped. I made it a point to never interact with Xander back at the village. I suppose the procreation programming is what makes him do what he does. His behavior though horrific makes more sense to me now." My now obviously male companion observes aloud.

I sigh, this chip is really screwing with my thoughts, I am glad my companion seems to understand it better now maybe he can enlighten me. I am still trying to calm the pain in my head so I figure distraction may help. "Tell me what you look like."

"Keep your eyes closed." He shuffles around to the front of me and takes my hands. He places them on his face. "Brown hair, blue eyes, tan skin and about six foot three."

I continue to feel his face, high cheek bones lead up to his eyes, I can picture what they would look like all blue glistening in the sunlight. The rest of his facial features seem to be normal male features. I walk my fingertips back up to his hair line, his hair is thick and flows down to his shoulders.

"Just so you know, in my head I have been referring to you as in it. You say that your name doesn't translate well into the language you have to speak so that I hear english. Just tell me something to call you." I open my eyes and gasp at his green sickly appearance. "Why can't I override your appearance or voice, but I can keep myself from killing you."

"Malfunction. That is why we need to get moving toward wherever your repair facility is near by. When these chips malfunction it pulls you toward a repair facility in your subconscious. You don't realize that is where you are going, you just go there. Call me Grim." He explains.

I won't argue malfunction versus override with him. If it was a malfunction it would send out a beacon, and I would be drawn to the camp. I would see a map in my mind. My mother told me that much, to reassure me when I was preparing to leave. I gather up all of my things and refill my canteens. "Well Grim, when we end up lost in the desert it is your fault." Maybe if I concentrate on trying to find help it will guide me. I throw my pack over one shoulder and the gun over my other shoulder.

"When we arrive at our destination, I will be sure to say I told you so." He chuckles, though it sounds like a growl.

I start leading away from the tree cover and into the rising sun. I slowly search through all of the data that is stored in my head and I am able to pull up maps with a simple thought. I find the nearest repair facility and slowly alter my course to intercept. Looking at the map in my mind I am sure that I would have led us to the next water source. I take a deep breath and look back at the man following me. I have to work on not thinking of him as one of the fallen, because he is not the enemy.

"So what do we do when we get there?" Bored, I have to strike up conversation.

"We find a way in and contact my group to meet us there." He replies.

Now that is a serious plan in action I mentally sneer and roll my eyes. I shake my head, "You know it is going to be guarded."

"Most of them are closed down, the chip in your head will walk you through the process of replacement. You will be out of your head for a moment and the chip takes over your activity." He sounds so sure of himself as if he has seen the process before.

He plans on me leading him there and when I go into repair mode he plans to kill me. My chip works out his plan. Well, I suppose that I need to knock him out as soon as we clear the place, and tie him up. I need to research what is going on with this place, I need to know more about this war. If I have to I will leave him tied up.

I can't figure anything else to talk to him about right now because I am to angry with him. We are nearing a rise that overlooks a gas station. It is not only a gas station but an underground bunker. I feel the two soldiers standing guard and I know they can feel me approaching. I stop and turn to Grim.

"It is guarded by two soldiers, they know I am here. They think that I am alone. I will go in and start flirting with them while you walk around back and attack the one on the right and I will take care of the other one." I explain to him.

"How?" he asks.

"Chip." I answer pointing to my head. "Looks like a gas station, but it is not just a gas station."

"Are you angry with me?" He notices my body language.

I shake my head, a lie. "Lets move."