by Zara Zenia
As beautiful as he was, it seemed farfetched that he was rebuilt that well, just to be blown up. Also, were military robots programmed to be amazing in bed? I doubted it. That was all Elijah.
I got back to the hotel and started repacking my suitcase. I was starting to reconsider going back to Elijah’s. I needed a cheap place to stay, but I also couldn’t subject myself to the pain of living with a guy I could never have a future with. I plopped down on the freshly made bed and rested while I came to some sort of conclusion.
I woke up from my nap a few hours later. I was still uneasy about moving in to Elijah’s little apartment, but I figured if I were never going to see him again, I would make the next few days count.
I rolled my suitcase to my car and stuffed it in the trunk. I hadn’t eaten since our late breakfast, so I went to the grocery store. I tried to stay within my budget, but pregnancy was making it difficult. I bought some fresh produce and pasta, but also got a few packages of candies and cookies.
I hauled all of my possessions to Elijah’s apartment building and parked a block away. If he was right, and there was someone watching his place, I didn’t want them to have my license plate number.
This was the first time in years that I wasn’t working. I didn’t know how much of this I could take. It didn’t help that Elijah had nothing but a small TV in his apartment to entertain himself. I suppose it’s not wise to start a book collection when you plan on moving every two or three months.
Once I got settled into his apartment, and was sure to lock the door behind me, I watched hour after hour of television. He didn’t have a lot of channels, so my options were limited. I flipped between a soccer match, some gory horror film, and trashy reality television. Part of me wanted him to come back so we could snuggle or have sex. The other part of me wanted to be asleep when he came back so that we didn’t have to talk about our relationship. It made me sad.
I cooked myself some chicken and pesto linguine for supper with a side of green beans. I made extra to put in the fridge for Elijah to eat when he got home. Judging by the look of his refrigerator and pantry, he didn’t eat very well.
As I cooked, I daydreamed about cooking supper for Elijah and waiting for him to get home from work. Our child would be in their highchair, eating mushy vegetables from a little jar. I would smile as I watched them cover their little face in squash, then kiss Elijah when he walked through the door. He would volunteer to give the little one a bath, and I would demand that he sit down and eat the meal I prepared for him. I was never one who longed for domestic bliss, but having this tiny fetus inside of me changed everything.
Around ten o’clock, I grabbed my package of frosted oatmeal cookies and got underneath the covers. I switched the TV back on and ate my snack.
The news from a city you don’t live in is always especially boring. I had never heard of these places in the city. I figured I would watch anyway, because I might end up living here.
Apparently, not much was happening here. There were a few robberies and car accidents in the past few days, but nothing major. The weather was supposed to be cloudy this week, but the temperature would be mild. A local dog shelter was asking for volunteers and the sight of the little puppies made my hormonal self tear up.
Then, I saw something that made me gasp so hard that I choked on the cookie crumbs in my mouth.
Police need help looking for this man. His name is Elijah Hall, but he may be using an alias. He is wanted by the military for the murders of his platoon mates. Police say that he killed three soldiers, and went AWOL. He was last seen in Springfield, where he was working in construction. If you have any information on this man, please contact our hotline at—
I felt dizzy. The picture they showed was unmistakably Elijah. He looked a lot younger, like they took the picture when he first entered the military. He was wearing his uniform, had short hair, and bright green eyes. He looked stunning in his uniform, but that was beside the point.
Could this be true? I didn’t know which story was more unbelievable—killing fellow soldiers or being turned into a human-robot hybrid by a secret government organization.
I jumped as my phone rang beside me.
“Did you see the news?”
“Hi, Mom. Good to hear from you,” I said dryly.
“Well, did you see it?”
“See what?” I asked, feigning ignorance.
“The father of your child is a murderer. No wonder he disappeared from town. I bet he knew the cops were on his trail. Have you talked to him?”
“No. He didn’t have a phone. I have no way of knowing where he could possibly be.”
“You’re lucky he didn’t murder you. I hope he doesn’t find out that you’re having his child. I’m sure he wouldn’t be too pleased to hear that.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“If you hear from him, call the police. He’s dangerous.”
“Thanks for the concern.”
I hung up, my hands shaking. I felt sick. If he really did this, he probably had a good reason, right?
I felt like I knew him. Sure, everything he told me about The Organization was a huge shock, but I thought I knew his heart. He liked me. He said he wanted to protect our child and me. He couldn’t have possibly lied about that.
I felt sick. I seriously regretted eating all of those cookies.
If he were dangerous, would I be in danger if I waited around to confront him? He’d be home in a few short hours, so there was little time to decide if I would hang around or bolt.
I considered the other possibility—if this was an attempt by The Organization to find him, he would be in grave peril. I couldn’t leave him if he needed me.
Maybe I could call the police. I could explain his story. Maybe they could help him. If they looked at military records, they would know that he was reported dead. They could x-ray his body. Then they would know for sure that he was telling the truth.
I picked up the phone and dialed the hotline number.
Avalon Police Department, what is your emergency?
I froze.
Hello? Are you there?
“I’m sorry,” I stuttered. “My kid dialed by accident. Everything is fine.”
I hung up the phone. I would wait. I saved the hotline number in my phone and searched through the kitchen drawers until I found what I needed. I pulled out a paring knife and tucked it into the nightstand drawer. I hoped I wouldn’t need to use it.
I weighed the pros and cons of waiting in the apartment for Elijah or getting in my car and driving as far away as possible. Maybe I wouldn’t even have to decide, because if he heard the news, he wouldn’t be returning. Each side of my list was about equal when I heard the key turn in the lock.
I jumped up, and braced myself, as if someone was coming to attack me.
“What are you doing here?” I screamed as Elijah entered the room.
“I live here,” he laughed. “It was a slow night so I was sent home really early. I don’t mind, though. I thought we could spend some time together.”
“Have you seen the news?”
Chapter 20
Dana
He gave me a quizzical look. It was making me nervous.
“What are you talking about, Dana?”
“You haven’t seen the news?” I asked quietly. “Has anyone said anything weird to you?
“You’re freaking me out, Dana. What’s going on?”
“The ten o’clock news.” My heart was racing. “You were on it.”
He collapsed in a chair. “Dana,” he said calmly. “I need you to tell me everything you saw.”
“They showed your picture. You looked different, a lot younger, but I could easily recognize it. They said you killed three soldiers in your platoon and took off. They made a point to say that you were dangerous and even had a hotline set up for any information.”
“I can’t believe they’re doing this,” he muttered under his breath.
“Elijah, it lo
oks pretty bad. They said you were last seen in Springfield, and I think this report has gone out to all of the nearby stations. I’m guessing they have a general idea of where you are.”
He nodded, rubbing his face with both hands. I had never seen him like this before.
“My mom called me about it,” I added.
He leapt up from his chair. “What did you say?”
I flinched. “Nothing. I told her that I hadn’t heard from you since you left Springfield and that I have no way of contacting you.”
“Good, good,” he murmured.
“It looks really bad, though. They showed blurred out photos of the crime scene and had names and pictures for the victims.”
He frowned at me. “Is there something you want to say, Dana?”
“No, no, I—”
“Go on.” It was eerie how flat his voice sounded.
“Is there a shred of truth to this? I mean, if something happened, I won’t call the police. I just need to know.”
“Dana,” he said, extending his arms and walking briskly toward me.
I panicked. My brain had received too much conflicting information in such a short amount of time. I didn’t know what to think.
I quickly grabbed the knife from the drawer and plunged it into his stomach. His eyes opened wide and he let out a low groan.
“I was just coming to comfort you,” he whispered. “I’m sorry I put you through all of this.”
I yelped and hurriedly took several steps back to assess the damage.
He pulled out the knife and lifted his shirt. I could see a puncture wound, but there was no blood. In fact, in the seconds that had passed since he examined the wound, the skin had cinched back together, and healed without leaving a mark.
Elijah let out an exasperated sigh. “Well, I guess that’s one way to prove my point.”
“I’m so sorry,” I cried. “I was so scared when I saw the news. Then, you were coming toward me and I didn’t know what to think. I could have killed you.”
He gave a dry laugh. “You couldn’t have killed me if you tried. You’d need a lot more than a little kitchen knife.”
“So I guess it’s true, then. You aren’t as mortal as the average human.”
“Do you believe me now? I need you to give me a definite answer.”
I thought for a second. There was concrete evidence that supported his “medical experiments” story. I supposed that naturally poked holes in the news report. He couldn’t have possibly killed other soldiers and immediately showed up in Springfield. Not when he had clearly been altered by scientists.
“Yes,” I said strongly. “I believe you, entirely.”
He pulled me into his arms. “Thank you,” he said softly.
“I need you to promise me one more thing,” I said.
“Anything.”
“No more secrets. From now on, you give me the entire story. I can’t have anything break my trust.”
“Agreed.”
We swayed there for a moment, me wrapped up in his arms. I closed my eyes as we rocked back and forth like we were dancing. Despite the fact that we were surrounded by chaos, I felt safe.
“Does this mean you’re going to have to leave?” I asked.
He nodded. “You can stay here for a few more days if you want to. I’ve paid for the whole month already. You shouldn’t stay long, though. I don’t want anyone bothering you.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“I’m coming with you.”
I waited for him to protest, for him to stomp his foot and argue with me. I was ready to fight with him, to tell him all of the reasons why I should stay with him.
Imagine my surprise when he nodded in agreement.
“Okay,” he said reluctantly. “I don’t love the idea, but I understand. Besides, if I’m going to be captured anyway, I want the last few days of freedom to be with you.”
He leaned down and kissed me, holding my face in his hands. I pushed him back into the chair and pulled his shirt over his head, tracing a finger down his torso, over the spot where I had stabbed him just moments ago.
I pulled off his pants in one swift motion and he raised his eyebrows.
“Is all of this drama getting you going?” he asked, seductively.
“You have no idea.”
I pulled off my own clothes and switched off the lights. I still wasn’t used to showing off my new body.
“Turn them back on,” Elijah cooed.
I obliged, finishing up my little strip tease.
“I like this,” he said. “Do a little dance for me.”
I straddled his thighs and swiveled my hips. He caressed my thigh with the back of his hand. His erection was rock hard and throbbing. He couldn’t get enough of it.
His obvious arousal was a huge turn-on. I lined my sex up with his cock before lowering myself down onto him, all the way to the hilt. He put his mouth on one breast, gently flicking my nipple with his tongue. I rocked on top of him faster. He grabbed my ass and moved his hips in sync with mine. I moved faster, bouncing up and down on his lap and he wrapped me up in both arms and pulled our bodies closer together.
We came at the same time. We stayed within each other’s embrace for a moment, savoring the post-sex buzz.
I ran my fingers through his hair. “Never leave me.”
“I won’t,” he whispered. “I promise.”
I showered and got ready for bed as he ate the supper I prepared for him. Everything seemed so right. I could imagine living with him, spending my life with him. We would get into fights, but we’d always make up in the end with some sex. It would be impossible to be upset with him after that.
We could live our lives like any normal couple. It would be too easy.
The only problem was, we were both on the run.
Chapter 21
Dana
If I were ever in a situation where someone needed to coerce me to give out secret information or do someone’s bidding, they wouldn’t need to use torture. Give me a good spine-tingling orgasm, and I would do whatever they wanted me to do. Sex with Elijah melted me into a soft person who would do anything to be with him. Once the afterglow of sex started to wear off, I came to my senses.
I had just gotten Elijah to agree to me coming along with him on his adventure. I realized that it was incredibly dangerous and preposterous to think that this would end well. I was a sucker for him, though. I would follow him to the edge of the world if he asked me to.
There was also our little one to worry about. I couldn’t imagine that anyone, especially a government organization would dare to hurt a pregnant woman. Although, if they were fine slicing up their own soldiers, maybe their values didn’t cover the protection of women and children.
I felt safe with Elijah, though. He was strong and powerful, and he was practically built to be a fighting machine! If anyone could protect me, it would be him.
How long could I reasonably stay in hiding? Eventually, I’d have my baby. We would need good medical care and access to everything the baby needed. It was only a matter of time before my name was dragged into this. I wouldn’t be surprised if my father called the police hotline already.
“When should we go?” I asked, pulling on his sweatshirt.
“Probably first thing in the morning. I don’t want to take any chances.”
“You don’t think we should leave immediately? You were on the news.”
“What time did the story air?”
“Toward the end. Around eleven.”
“We should be fine, then. No one stays up for the end of the news. I keep a pretty low profile around here. No one who watches the news has seen my face in public. We need a good night of sleep so we’re prepared. There’s no telling what will happen.”
I was scared, but a little excited. There was something sexy about being outlaws.
“I was thinking,” he said. “We need to come up with a plan. That way, if something comes up, we kn
ow what to do.”
“Okay,” I said.
“We can wear sunglasses so we aren’t easily recognized. It will be daytime, so it will make more sense. I’ll put on some baggier clothing so my body type isn’t recognizable. That will make taking public transportation easier.”
“Why would we do that?” I asked. “I have a car.”
He kissed me. “I completely forgot. Okay, we can probably use the car safely for a few days before your license plate comes into question. We need to drive for long enough to get out of the radius of the local news broadcasts about me. We’ll probably have to drive for a few days. It’s not going to be fun.”
“We can pretend we’re going on a road trip like normal couples would do.”
He smiled. “Sure, we can do that. When we find a place that feels safe, we can rent a cheap hotel and wait it out.”
It sounded nice, but no amount of pretending could help me imagine our imminent capture as a vacation. I had a bad feeling we’d get caught, but I just wanted to prolong our time together for as long as possible.
“What does our money situation look like?” I asked. “Don’t even try to argue with me about this, but I decided that we’re going to pool our money together.”
He opened and closed his mouth like he was going to protest, but then changed his mind. Wise decision on his part.
“I have enough that I could pay for a hotel for a while, depending on how cheap it is. What about you?”
“Same. I don’t think we could go for more than a month or so without working. Not if we plan on seeing this through.”
I didn’t have to explain what I meant by that. There was this unspoken agreement that we would try to avoid explicitly talking about getting caught or splitting up. Like in any kind of relationship, there was no promise as to what would happen in the future.
When you’re in a new relationship, it can be too easy to get caught up in the honeymoon period. The sex is still enjoyable and exciting, and getting to know someone is fun. Every day is new and different. It’s too easy to start daydreaming about marriage and a family and a happily ever after.
