Nikki tugged on my other arm. "Tell me! Tell me!"
Stella rolled her eyes and walked away. Julie stopped in front of me. "Yeah, give us something."
Mia and Kayla didn't say anything but stopped to watch.
"I can't talk about it," I mumbled. "It's something about me and Zoe."
"Zoe?" Claire's bird flew over to land on Zoe's head. Zoe sat still for a second, then shook her head vigorously. The bird flew back to Claire's shoulder.
"Yeah, Zoe," I said. "She's the special one." I had probably said too much already. "I can't say anymore." I pulled my arms free and headed off by myself.
Zoe didn't follow immediately. Nikki's rabbit was bounding around Zoe. Kayla's snake was flicking its tongue at her.
Zoe, come on. You can play with them some other time.
So could you. Zoe jogged slowly after me.
I headed towards my room, then changed my mind and went directly to Dr. Hill's office. Might as well get the injection over with.
She had just arrived as well when I got there. Dr. Hill waved me into her office. "Hunter."
I rolled up the sleeve of my right arm, and Dr. Hill retrieved a briefcase from a shelf. She selected one of the syringes.
"What's going to happen with you and Dr. Preston?" I asked.
Dr. Hill's eyes were focused on the syringe as she tapped it to remove bubbles. "You leave that to me," she said. "Have you made up your mind? About what we discussed the other day?"
She brought the syringe over and slid the needle into my arm smoothly. I barely noticed. Within moments, she finished the mini-transfusion and discarded the equipment.
"Wow. That was a lot better than when I did it."
Dr. Hill raised an eyebrow. "I am a professional. So, have you decided?"
"No…" That reminded. "By the way, did you make Mia spar with me? And then have Drake run that session just now?"
"I told you. People are getting desperate. You saw what Preston tried to pull." She bent to address Zoe. "I hope you tried to talk some sense into him."
Zoe flicked her ears. I tried, didn't I?
Dr. Hill sighed. "Hunter, we're running out of time. Here, swallow this." She handed me a large silver pill the size of a big cherry. I wasn't sure if I could swallow it without choking.
"What is it?"
"A tracker."
"Don't you already have trackers in our suits? Like how we found Kayla and Cody?"
"Those trackers have limited range. This one is a long-distance tracker."
"Like how long?"
"At least the edge of our solar system."
"What?"
Dr. Hill sat down on the edge of her desk. "The implications of your choice aren't confined to our planet, you know. But we shouldn't count our chickens before they've hatched." She gestured towards the tracker.
"It's kind of big. What if I choke?"
"Well, I'm a doctor, so you'll be in good hands. You can take as many tries as you like." She reached behind her desk and pulled out a bottle of water. "If you need it."
I stared at the oval pill. It was shiny, metallic even.
"Hunter? Alternatively, we can install it in your rectum. I can help you with that as well." She reached behind her desk again and pulled out a pair of gloves. "What will it be?"
"I'm good with the swallowing." I tossed the metallic pill into my mouth and forced myself to swallow. It stuck in my throat, and I gagged. Zoe leaped up and smacked my face with her paw. The pill went down my throat. I couldn't feel it anymore.
Thanks for the assist.
Any time.
Someone knocked on the door and came inside. It was Stella, presumably here for her injection as well.
"I'll be going now," I said, exchanging a slight nod with Stella as I left Dr. Hill's office.
"Hunter," Dr. Hill called after me. "You know what's at stake."
I returned to my room with Zoe. I stood in the middle of the room for a while, thinking about what I should pack. I realized that I didn't have much to bring with me. My combat uniforms?
Unlike the others, I had arrived at the Academy with literally nothing. No mementos from home. No personal items. Nothing.
My room was pretty simple. I didn't have any complaints, but I wouldn't miss anything. I glanced towards the showers. I hoped we would have running water. Shit, I had no idea what exactly it would be like. I should pack a toothbrush.
I fetched a few items from the bathroom, when Zoe made a startled sound.
Dustin. It's back.
I instantly knew what she meant. Where? I asked. I didn't have a computer anymore so…my eyes fell on the command console by my door. Large letters scrolled across the screen.
HI HUNTER. LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN?
CHAPTER 11
I rushed to the command console. I had been hoping for this, but I wasn't sure what to say, now that the visitor was back.
Zoe was crouched at my feet, making a low hissing sound.
Please, Zoe. We need answers. There's too much happening.
You know I don't approve.
I couldn't think of any other way to move forward, though, in a way that only put myself at risk.
What about me? Zoe whipped her tail at my side.
That's why I need you to agree. Please? I can't do this without you.
I was asking Zoe for a lot. They were her mortal enemies, after all.
Zoe stopped hissing. Fine. We need to be ready in case anything happens.
You're the best, Zoe.
I turned to the console. "Who are you?" I asked. "Are you a Mekanic?"
I waited for a reply. The command console's screen cleared. A single word appeared.
YES.
A Mekanic. Speaking to me. My heart thumped harder, a mixture of fear and excitement growing in my chest. I couldn't tell if it was all from me, or if part of it was from Zoe. I wasn't sure where to go from here. There was so much we didn't know…
Ask her what—
"What's your name?"
Zoe smacked her forehead with one of her paws.
What? It's a valid question.
VIK649.
"Uh, nice to meet you, Vik649. Can I call you Vikki?"
YES.
Zoe's head fell face forward, thumping against the floor.
Look, I don't have your interrogation training.
Ask her why she's contacting you. Get more information.
"Vikki, what do you want from me?"
TO MEET YOU.
"Why?"
TO END THE WAR.
"But how? How would I help end the War?"
I'LL TELL YOU IN PERSON.
That made me nervous. I glanced around the room. Nope, no killer robots in sight. "How do I meet you?"
Dustin, that's too risky.
I'm just finding out more information, like you suggested. In case.
I'LL COME TO YOU.
"Um, okay." I wiped the sweat from my palms on my legs, but the slick fabric didn't help. I wiped them on Zoe's back. She didn't stir. "When can I expect you?"
FIFTEEN MINUTES.
Fuck! Zoe, Zoe. Uh, what do I do?
We have to tell the others!
Right.
I tapped furiously on the command console, trying to contact Dr. Hill, but it wouldn't respond to my touch.
SEE YOU SOON.
Shit, shit, shit. What had I done?
I ran out of my room to Dr. Hill's office, sprinting as fast as my Predator Reflexes would carry me. It wasn't fast enough. I melded, bounding even faster down the narrow hallways.
"Move it!" I shouted with my gravelly voice at a group of soldiers in the way. I Phase Shifted through them when they didn't get out of the way fast enough.
I reached Dr. Hill's office and skidded to a stop, unmelding. I pounded on the door. "Dr. Hill! Dr. Hill!"
The door slid open. It looked like Dr. Hill was finishing up an injection with Kayla. "Hunter?" she asked.