Broken

.40.

A week later

I stared at the white wall of my cell. I had been stuck in there for a week. A week of white walls, a hard cot and a scratchy blanket. I felt like I was losing my mind, there was nothing I could do except stare at the blank walls with eyes that weren't really seeing. The aching loneliness in my chest was nearly crushing and the first few days in the cell I had spent crying. Many times to the point where I would throw up.

The peace keepers had repeatedly told me to keep my stress levels down and when I became to inconsolable they had hooked me up to an IV with a mild sedative and started giving me pills and vitamins to help with the nausea so I could eat. Apparently that was their idea of lawful force. I was grateful for them, despite the fact they were my jailers. They made sure I had appropriate meals and vitamins as well as the fact they kept the peace officers away.

They had been trying to get to me since the moment I had been placed in the cell. Thankfully the peace keepers kept them out. They had also locked up numerous ones for obstructing their duty. Apparently the peace keepers locked the officers up much faster than Khos could get them out. It would have been amusing to witness had I not been locked in a cell with my soulmate going to one of the most dangerous places in the universe where he would probably die. No one came back from the section he was going into. The thought had a lump growing in my throat so I pushed it away.

I curled up on my bed, pressing my face to the pillow. I could hear Rhex's battalion speaking, their voices echoing down the hallway. They had tried to see me but the peace keepers kept everyone away. When I had attempted to count them I had managed to see twelve robotic bodies before I lost track of which ones I had already counted. The boys had still tried and when they couldn't get close they would speak to me, shouting down the hall, telling me that it would be okay, that they would help me out.

Several times I had heard Ani's voice but I hadn't been able to see her or the others. Without their voices I would have felt isolated and even more terrified than I currently was. Waiting in the cell had been nerve wracking and I knew Khos had done it on purpose, forcing me to wait, to agonize over what he was doing. Numerous rules would be written specifically so I would break them with my mere presence. Each one furthering his case for me to be recycled. I was an oddity, a mutation, a freak, something to be disposed of.

I pulled the covers over my head as I heard the mechanical clanking of a peace keeper coming to my cell. I didn't mind the robots, I truly didn't, but my head was hurting from the tears and the stress and I didn't want to have to deal with anyone.

"Citizen, you have been granted access to a visitor." At the robotic words I threw the covers off and jumped out of the bed. I grasped the cell bars tightly, looking for the visitor. Kodlak moved down the hall and I reached through the bars, my eyes blurring as I gave a small sob. He hurried over and grasped my hand in his before reaching through the bars and giving me a much needed hug.

"I am sorry we could not get to you sooner. It took us awhile to realize that we had to request visitation from the peace keepers themselves before we were allowed to see you." He held me gently, ever conscientious of his strength. I was just relieved to see a face, any face, that was friendly. I would have loved to see Ani but I knew I would have to take what I was given.

"Thank you, thank you so much for being here!" I had needed someone, anyone friendly to see and talk to.

Kodlak let me go slowly, still holding my hand. His face was lined with stress and I could only imagine how I looked. "It is okay, Liviya. It is okay." He squeezed my hand gently, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"Rhex?" His name had to be forced out around a lump in my throat. I needed to know how he was doing.

"He is in hyper sleep still." Kodlak let my hand go and rubbed at his face. He looked so tired but I felt like that look right down to my bones.