OGENUS EARTH 🌎 🌊 {Dystopian Sci-Fi Adventure}

How to Disappear Completely

"She's deaf." Arturo's words hung in the air, smothering Olivia's anger just enough to get her to close her gaping mouth.

The founder of the Arc Cities and a man Meg never thought she would meet, let alone possibly speak to, shuffled closer with a knowing smile. His crinkled eyes sparkled with a fascination that reignited the heat on her cheeks.

"Excuse me?" Olivia spurted, trying to recover herself.

"Looks to be catching," Arturo chuckled, his shrewd gaze taking in the first real surprise he'd had in years.

Despite being a Tinker, the girl's inoperative hearing should not have been overlooked. All Scientists were required to fix genetic irregularities and physical disabilities for the good of the population. He also noticed that Tinker's raven hair framed a pair of watchful eyes that didn't miss any of their microexpressions.

"You must be the Tinker who taught MAX to sign," He greeted Meg, whose cheeks had blossomed into a fiery pink. 

Meg nodded, but couldn't move her mouth muscles enough to speak. Quite frankly, she didn't know what was customary behavior in the presence of the savior of the human race.

"What's your name?" Arturo inquired gently.

"Meg." She answered as she signed the letter 'M.'

"Thank you, Meg," Arturo smiled, mimicking her movement when he got to her name. "I'm Arturo, and this red-faced woman is Olivia. It was good of you to come up here and brave the wrath of my team to return MAX personally. Do you like what you see?"

Meg's mind snapped like a rubber band and she realized that Arturo also wanted to know why she was staring at the monitors.

"No," Meg answered.

"No?" Arturo probed, a chortle bubbling up his windpipe. "What troubles you?"

"I've..." The words died on Meg's tongue as Olivia geared up to yell at the mewing Tinker. 

She could see it in the haughty woman's body language. The Architect was resolved to chastise Meg no matter what.

"I saw something," Meg finished before Olivia could unleash. "I think something is wrong on Arc City Two."

Arturo noticed the unrest behind the girl's auric eyes just as an invisible finger reached out to tickle the base of his spine. The shiver ran its course, skittering all the way to the top of his skull, rattling his usually calm demeanor. 

"What have you seen, Meg?" Arturo's ancient brows inched up into his forehead as he studied the shy Tinker.

"Nothing we don't see every day," Olivia scoffed dismissively. "I'm sure the monitors and colors just overwhelmed her. I'll call a Legionnaire to escort her downstairs."

"I don't think that will be necessary," Arturo waved to his protégé, his eyes firmly on Meg. The girl's lower lashes flinched at Olivia's mention of a Legionnaire, and that troubled him. "Can you tell me what you saw?"

"I can show you what I mean," Meg explained around her swollen tongue. "Watch."

She pointed to the monitor, inviting Arturo and Olivia in closer. They studied the happy moments of a family enjoying a beautiful day at their local park, but nothing appeared amiss.

Arturo turned so Meg could see his mouth. "What are we looking for?"

"In a few seconds, a green disc is going to fly into the screen and bounce off the child's leg," Meg pronounced each word as best she could, for once, wishing she could hear the inflection so as to speak with more authority.