Automatons ✔

Chapter XX

                                                                      Her stares, a sacrilegious attack on his holy love to Éloa burned his eyes as he glared back at her from the rearview mirror. The awkward silence reigned in his car as he drove, but when he tried to make small talk Nerezza's scowls ripped the words out of his tongue. Éloa seemed to have noticed the tension between them and it saddened her.

A universe of doubts started expanding within her, and she questioned his loyalty. Did Nerezza manage to wrap him in the silky blanket of seduction, and did he roll with her on the bed of voluptuous sexual excitement? Did their wild bodies share an uncivilized act of betrayal behind her back? Or are they still in the first stage of attraction; where their hearts secretly share a risqué prose, while their fingertips are still too shy to touch one another?

"Where are we going?" At last, Nerezza broke the silence.

"Hyde Park, I heard in the news that there are many pro Automaton humans who live there. Maybe we can convince them to join our group." He replied in a cold tone.

"No, we need to find Mega first and save her from Cloyd!" Éloa protested in a strained voice.

"Do you think two humans and one Automaton can stand against a governmental Anti Automaton squad? Babe, we need to build a team of fighters first!" He snapped.

"Portia, turn off the car." Éloa ordered his car voice assistant and the car stopped.

"What the hell?!" His voice rose in anger.

"I have already waited days in your father's mansion, hoping that he will find some fighters for us. But I am not going to waste another second waiting for you to gather a team to help me save my sister."

"We don't even know where Cloyd is! At least when we gather a team, we will be prepared for when we find him."

"Uh, who is Mega?" Nerezza interrupted their fight.

"Another conscious Automaton that your father has created. How do you not know of her?" Éloa stared suspiciously at her.

"Because he has never created a conscious Automaton called Mega. There's only you, Demetrius, Lilith, Niklaus, Frigg, and Franz."

Éloa and Yoel shared a confused look.

"Was Mega already named when your family bought her?" Éloa asked Yoel.

"We didn't buy her, my father found her near the synagogue and she seemed lost so he decided to bring her home as a gift for my mom."

"So her real name is Frigg... Named after the goddess of foresight and wisdom."

"My father named each one of you after a historical or mythological figure of the past. It's sad that Mega doesn't know her real name."

"My love," Éloa held Yoel's hands and kissed them, "you promised that you will make it up for me. I am begging you to just help me find Mega, we can create a crew to fight the regime after we save her."

"We can't fight Cloyd and his squad alone." He ran his hand gently down her face from temple to cheek.

"I can call upon Demetrius and my other siblings, they'll help us." She sounded desperate.

Yoel shook his head, "Demetrius is probably already looking for us to kill me. He will never forgive me for tricking you."

"He won't," Nerezza sighed, "Demetrius and I used to be close before my father was shot. I can convince him to spare you."

"You really think you can convince him?" Éloa's face and eyes lit up with hope.

Nerezza nodded, "just send him our location and ask him to come."