Salvage

Four - Part 1

November 9th, 2015

Something is definitely going on with W12. I have asked him to submit to a psych eval, but he insisted he is fine. He is extraordinarily observant - possibly a product of his early training - but I have assigned a two man security detail to trail him for a few days. For his own protection. The risk is that he'll see them and become angry, but he agreed at the start to follow orders when it came to their safety, so if I may use a colloquialism... He can suck it up.

W13 is still giving me resistance, but he actually told me he preferred his sandwich without mustard yesterday. It seems trivial, but I have to celebrate the small victories or I'll get discouraged. And after meeting Group W, I am determined to stick it out. Fascinating group of individuals, even though none of them are yet displaying any of the permanent effects of The Project. I believe even without augmentations, it has changed them forever. Especially the youngest. She still seems... Different. Never met a child so quiet and calm before. 

Aurora managed to escape the next day without running into her landlord, and was beginning to think maybe she was safe. However, the following morning as she was heading off to anthropology class, he was unavoidable. Guarded against the rainy day by a long sleeved plaid shirt and heavy jeans, she was tromping cheerily through a puddle when she caught sight of him in the front yard. He was talking to Mrs. Laurens. She loved to walk her cat around on a leash and watch the neighborhood, and she was looking at Aurora with an innocent smile that could only mean something nasty.

"Thank you Mrs. Laurens. It was good of you to let me know." Aurora's landlord, a man with a shaggy head of unwashed brown hair and a lean, long physique, turned to face her. "Aurora, may I have a moment?"

Oh god. Aurora watched as Mrs. Laurens continued scuttling along the sidewalk, likely pausing just out of sight to try and eavesdrop. "Yes, sure, of course Michael. What's up?"

Michael sauntered up to her with long strides and dragged one hand through his hair, eyes sizing her up. "I heard something interesting from Mrs. Laurens."

"Yeah? She sure is full of... interesting facts," Aurora responded lamely. She fought her instinctive urge to back up as he approached her. 

"She told me you had a dog here the other day."

Aurora opened her eyes wide, mind buzzing. She couldn't afford to get kicked out. But she was miserably bad at lying. He wouldn't kick her out if the dog was gone already, right? "I... um..."

"Don't bother denying it." His thin goatee twisted with his mouth as he smirked. "You know that's against my rules. And I'm very strict about my rules."

"Oh god, okay, I'm sorry," Aurora burst out, throwing up her hands. "I found him in the backyard. Your wires had hurt him, and I didn't want him to just bleed out. So I brought him in to bandage him. But his owner came and got him, so he's gone, and we're all good, right?"

Michael hesitated, crossing his arms. Aurora knew he probably got off on the power of this relationship, having her hopes depend on him in this moment. But if he kicked her out, he'd lose that, so she just waited him out, until finally he gave a reluctant nod.

"Fine. But I don't believe the dog is really gone. I'll need to do an inspection of your apartment."

"I um... That's totally fine, no problem. But I think... I get twenty-four hour's notice, right? It's just, I have to go to class right now."

"I'm busy tomorrow. I have a key. I'll just go in next time I have free time."

"What? I'm... really uncomfortable with that," Aurora said faintly.

"Well then, how's now?" He gave a sarcastic smile and gestured back to the house.

Aurora exhaled a faint sigh. Maybe if she was quick, he'd leave and she could still make it to class on time. It wouldn't be such a big deal, but today was anthropology, and the professor didn't tolerate tardiness. 

"Fine. Hurry up." Aurora turned back towards the house.

"Lock's a little rusty," he commented absently as he came in.

"It's always been rusty," Aurora said quietly, but firmly. She was not letting him pin any of this shithole's condition on her and risk losing her security deposit.

"Sassy today." He came in further, glancing around the small room. "Wow. I almost feel sorry for you."

Aurora gritted her teeth around the words she really wanted to say. "Do you see a dog in here, Michael? No? Then can I go?"

"Could be hiding it." He made his lazy way into the kitchen area, glancing around with open curiosity. When he reached up and popped open a cupboard, Aurora stiffened.

"Stop it." She wasn't exactly familiar with what the law was, but she was sure he wasn't allowed to poke through her private things. "Just look around and go, please."

"Fine. Touchy." Michael held up his hands, making his way back over to her bathroom. Aurora hid her blush as she realized she'd left yesterday's jeans and panties in a crumpled heap on the bathroom floor.

He peered in with interest, and Aurora made a mental note to get rid of those panties. Then he came back and turned towards her dresser, picking up the small scented candle on top.

"I don't allow candles."

"It was a gift from a friend," Aurora said, pointing to the waxy wick. "I haven't used it."

"Hmm. Make sure you don't."

After what seemed like an eternity of a "last look around," she ushered him back outside and locked the door again.

"I really have to run," she said, backing away from him towards the front gate. "I'm really really late for class."

He turned without even responding, and went up to the front steps to the upper part of the house. She didn't wait to watch him go, just took off sprinting towards her car. She slammed herself into the driver's seat, tossed her backpack aside, and took off, as quickly as she could without getting pulled over.

It was a ten minute drive to school. Class started in six minutes. Unless there was some miracle, Aurora knew deep down she just wouldn't make it. But the good student in her still wanted to try, to show her face in the window and hope he made an exception for her.

After finding a parking space, Aurora was even later. She thanked her daily jogs for the stamina as she grabbed her backpack and started a sprint through campus. A car stopped and honked at her as she dashed through the parking lot, leapt over the short gate to cut through the garden, and reach the science building. As she burst inside she kept her focus on avoiding the small clumps of slow moving students. When she finally reached the end of the corridor and down the narrow, empty hallway to the left, she saw with a sinking feeling that the double doors were already closed. Just in case, she came up to the little windows above the handles and peered through. Sure enough, there was Dr. Antner, bald spot gleaming in the overhead light as he drew a diagram on the whiteboard.

With a defeated sigh, Aurora turned away from the doorway and began making her way back to the main hallway. In penance, she decided she'd make herself go to the library and study only anthropology for the next two hours. She could at least read ahead to where she thought they might study next. Determined now, Aurora was caught up in her thoughts as she swiftly rounded the corner into the crowded hallway. She bit out a little startled sound as her face came colliding into someone's chest, and she straightened up, blinking into awareness of her surroundings.

"In a hurry?"

It was Adam. Unmistakable brief smile lighting up his features before vanishing, though it remained in his crinkled eyes as he stood before her, legs planted sturdily, and hands steadying her shoulders.