Protected Slaves

12. Preparations

I attended Emily's funeral with Miles by my side. It wasn't a very big funeral but that was okay with me. A couple of orphans that had been friends with Emily and her brother were the only other people that turned up. For the second time in my life I allowed myself to cry like I did when Miles kicked me out. I allowed the tears to flow freely down my cheeks and I allowed Miles to comfort me.

The Officials were looking into Tom's death and I kept dreading the day they came hunting me down, after all my prints were on the chair I tossed at the screens. Miles vowed that he would keep an eye on me but I doubt that he would be able to protect me from the Officials.

After the funeral a month passed and I trained with the Innovates with Miles. My ability to slow time down was getting stronger which caused excitement to shoot through the Innovates. Even Michael was impressed with my improvements which counted for something. I kept re-taking the simulation to see if my fear had changed but every night I faced the same thing. Miles being killed by me and the gun I had stolen from the Official.

When I wasn't training in the simulation I was out using the gym equipment the Innovates had. I preferred to train with Andrew because he didn't beg to know every detail about my life and he didn't want to know more about my power. He already did know everything because he could read my mind. If I wasn't training with Andrew I was with Alex because she was another person that did not pry. She exchanged small talk and she would answer my questions if I had any.

I spent a lot of my days training. I used Gym class to my advantage to help with my cardio and with increasing my stamina. At night I would be with the Innovates and in-between all of that I was at school or with Miles, I preferred the latter.

After moving out with Miles I discovered that he didn't intend me to stay in the old room he had given me. He made me curl up next to him in his bed and I would have to stay there all night, I didn't mind honestly. Things seemed to be going alright for me and that was strange considering that several months ago things seemed to be spiralling out of control. I had felt as if I was slipping into a dark abyss but Miles had shown me the way out. He had dragged me out and taught me to fight and he showed me how great things could be, truly.

I felt a tap on my head and I looked up to see Miles grinning down at me. I put my English textbook down and turned my body so that I was facing Miles. He reached out and pulled my face closer to his so that he could kiss me gently.

"You looked as if you were lost in thought," Miles stated.

I laughed. "Yeah I was."

"I know English is boring but you've got to pretend that you are interested," Miles teased. He reached over me and grabbed my textbook then handed it to me with his trademark grin. "Don't get distracted."

"Yes sir!" I said then I saluted Miles.

Miles laughed then rolled onto his back, grabbing his History textbook in the process. I returned back to the English textbook but the words jumbled together on the page and I found myself slamming the book shut in irritation. Miles looked up from his book with a raised eyebrow.

"Ray, you've got a text next week," Miles pointed out.

"I don't care! I can't take it anymore," I said. "I don't want sit around here anymore. I want go to see the Innovates. I want to bring the Officials down. They need to pay for what they did to Emily!"

Miles placed his book beside him and pulled me into his arms. I didn't realize I was crying until my face was pressed up against the chest.

"I know you miss Emily and I agree that we need to bring them down but we still have to live our lives," Miles replied.