The Cyborg's Rebel

by Maya Carnage

  At the sound of her name, she shoves Pax to the side and steps around him, into the room. "Why am I here? I was in the middle of a game, and I was winning. This better be good."

  He gestures for Pax to leave. Once they are alone, he tells her to take a seat on the bed. She arches a brow at him but sits. He strides over to stand in front of her. He looks down at her. "My crew has taken a liking to you, in a very short amount of time."

  "What can I say I'm a very likable person." She throws her hands up in a what can I do gesture. "Well, not everyone. Gregor doesn't like me, not even at all. He saw that I was hanging out in the rec room and refused to be in there at the same time I was. I thought it was rude."

  Looking at her, he notices that her hair is lighter than it was yesterday. "You've washed your hair since yesterday. Where did you take a shower? The cells don't have any." His fists curl at the idea of her being naked in some other man's room.

  "I washed it in the sink. No one has let me shower, though it would be awesome if they did," she said.

  "You can use mine." He goes over to the door on the right side of the room. Inside sits a toilet, sink, and a small shower. He holds the door open for her and then shows her where the towels are. "You have fifteen minutes. I'll be waiting in my room."

  Axe sits on his bed and hears the shower turn on. The image of her wet flesh appears in his head, but he quickly diverts his mind to something else. He wouldn't want her to come out while he jerks himself off at the thought of her naked in his shower, and that would be what happens if he didn't stop thinking about her.

  The water shuts off.

  After a moment of waiting for her to come out, Axe gets up from the bed and walks over to the door. He can hear her heart beating and the sound of her breath. He taps his knuckles on the door. "Did you need something?"

  The door swings open.

  Dawn stands in the doorway with nothing but a towel wrapped around her. "No, unless you have something for me to wear. I wasn't putting on those dirty clothes back. I would rather walk around naked."

  He steps back. "I can give you one of my shirts for now. I'll make sure to grab you some clothes to wear until we get to The Gregory." He walks over to the set of drawers, pulls one out, and grabs a black tee shirt. He hands it to her.

  He assumed she would go into the bathroom to change, but he is surprised when she drops her towel and stands in front of him naked. Axe rakes his eyes up and down her bare body, lingering on her breasts and the notch between her legs.

  She clears her throat.

  He jerks his gaze away from her cunt and meets her eyes. They shine with amusement. She slips the tee shirt on, blocking his view.

  "Well, what did you want?" She reclines on his bed and links her fingers behind her head.

  "I wanted to let you know that I won't allow you to use any member of my crew in whatever it is you have planned."

  "I don't have anything planned, Axe. So, you don't have anything to worry about," she said, smiling innocently at him.

  He does not believe her for a second.

  "Regardless, you are still going to be watched at all times. Also, I don't want you bothering the crew when they are busy. Their work is more important than entertaining you." Axe figures she will slip up eventually and when she does, he'll make sure he sees it. "You can go."

  She sits up, getting to her feet. She stops in front of him and tilts her head. "Why did you choose to continue working for them?"

  He is startled by her question. He didn't think she would be interested in him, especially his work. More than that though, he doesn't know how to answer her. When the time came to leave behind the Malviks and what they did, Axe felt unsure. In a way, he understood the idea of wanting to begin anew, but it felt strange leaving behind the thing they were made to do. Axe decided that it would be easier to continue working in the military than it would to create a life on Teraz. "It's all I knew."

  "You're a cyborg. I thought you all were highly intelligent. Doesn't that mean you can learn anything? You didn't have to stay." She leaves him in the room by himself with the door open. He listens to her bare feet hitting the floor as she strides down the hall. When she is far enough away that he must exert energy to hear her, he moves from the bed and leaves the room.

  He looks down the hall in the direction she went. He considers going after her. She doesn't understand what it's like to live as a cyborg. Humans hate them for what the Malviks made them do all those years ago. They don't understand that the cyborgs had no say over their actions, that they were just puppets the Malviks could use however they wanted. It took them years to learn how to disobey their creators and think for themselves. Even at the beginning of their life on Teraz, they were still struggling with their minds.

  It's not worth it. He turns away from her and goes to the helm.

  At the helm, he checks his inbox. Rodrick has not sent him anything else since Dawn's file. He thinks about sending him a message, explaining her behavior. Perhaps Rodrick will have another perspective on it, and maybe he can dig more into her history back on earth. If he were to tell him about his suspicions, it could put Dawn in danger. If the Malviks were to think she is a threat against them, they would be likely to change her sentence from life to death, probably immediately. Axe wants answers, but he won't put her at risk to receive them. He shuts the computer down and leans back in his chair.

  From the time he spent watching her on the security cameras, he can tell she is getting close to Enzo. It isn't surprising. Enzo has always been intrigued by humans, and sometimes he has even expressed admiration for the rebels unrelenting vigor. Enzo would be the one person on the ship that Dawn would let her guard down with. He will have to tell him to approach the topic of the rebellion. Maybe he can get information out of her that Axe can't.

  He gets up from the chair. At the same time, Pax strolls into the helm. "Hey, how'd it go with her?"

  "She wants to go to The Gregory for a reason, and with the group, she is in, it can't be good. I was just on my way to talk to Enzo. She might feel more at ease with him. We need to know if she is a threat before dropping her off," said Axe.

  Pax nods. He takes a seat in front of the screens, turning them on.

  Axe walks away from him. Enzo spends most of his downtime in the rec room. He likes talking to the crew and is rarely found by himself.

  Axe tries to be alone as much as possible. He can't stand being in a crowded space for too long.

  The rec room is reasonably quiet. It's only Enzo and another crew member in there.

  Axe goes over to the billiards table. Dawn said she was playing this game earlier. Axe has never tried it before. The rec room can get packed in the evenings when the crew gets off work. It would be uncomfortable trying to learn how to play the game in front of everyone. His days are busy for the most part, so the evenings or early nights are when he has free time. Maybe he should have Dawn show him how. He could use it as an excuse to question her about the rebels, and they could do it in the morning when the rec room would be empty.

  "What's wrong?" Enzo comes over to him after the other crew member leaves.

  "I had a favor to ask you. You probably won't like it, but it's important."

  "It's about the human, isn't it?" His face falls. He sits on one of the stools lining the bar behind him. "What do you need?"

  Axe explains to him his suspicions.

  "She hasn't said much about the rebels, at least nothing recent. We mainly talk about Teraz and her family," said Enzo.

  "What about her family?"

  "She has a sister she isn't that close to, but they've been spending a lot of time together the last few years. She hasn't said why, but I think it's something to do with the rebels."

  "Did she give you a name?" Axe asked.

  He shakes his head.

  Axe claps him on the back. Enzo stays behind in the room when he leaves. Axe pauses outside the door and shuts his eyes. He searches the ship for the sound of her heartbeat. It onl
y takes him a second. Turning right, he goes to find his rebel.

  Chapter Five

  Dawn

  After the shower, the first time since being imprisoned, she walks through the halls. The plan was that she would be deposited off at The Gregory. Everything was supposed to be fine. Yet, none of them calculated in Axe. Her nosey cyborg might ruin her hard work. If the Malviks even get one small whiff of what the rebels have planned, that's it. The last five years would have been for nothing. There's no way they would put her in the same prison as her father.

  She and her sister are lucky. No one knows that their father was the leader of the eighth ward rebels, they don't even know he has kids. Dad always believed that it was for the best that no one knew. It gave his daughters an advantage. He's done a lot of terrible things, and if the Malviks knew Dawn was his child, she would have gotten a more severe sentence.

  Axe has only known her for a little over a day, and yet he's getting under her skin. At times when she is talking to him, she has almost slipped up, revealing information about her and the rebels. Information that their enemies can't have. She was about to give it up, though. Axe doesn't seem like the cyborg from the stories she's heard her whole life.

  Axe is easy to talk to. She doesn't feel the need to keep her guard up. Even more so with Enzo. She can tell he is a human sympathizer. It would be great if the rebels were to have him as an ally. From listening to him, she's beginning to see the cyborgs in a new light.

  They aren't the monsters we've made them out to be.

  They were used by the Malviks the same as the humans. It pisses her off that they won't fight against them! It would be so easy for them to win. The Malviks wouldn't stand a chance, and the humans would have their freedom again. Even the cyborgs wouldn't have to keep watching over their shoulders, waiting for their creators to call their names.

  Dawn slows down her pace. Footsteps come up from behind her. She doesn't bother turning around. She knows who they belong to. "Axe."

  "How did you know it was me?"

  She continues walking, and he steps up beside her. He slows down his pace, matching hers. It is slower than how he usually walks. She doesn't say anything for a moment. She catches him staring at her. He doesn't try to hide it from her. "You're the only one on this ship who keeps chasing me. That's how I knew. "

  She looks over at him as she says the words. His brows furrow. He wants to know why she is okay with being placed on The Gregory. There is another reason, too. He has searched her out several times since she arrived yesterday. Dawn is beginning to think that maybe Axe doesn't dislike humans as much as she originally thought. That or he's attracted to her. She's caught him staring at her more than once. It's not an innocent or inspecting stare either. No, it's the type of look a man gives a woman when he's thinking about doing dirty things to her. Dawn knows that stare quite well.

  She isn't shy when it comes to sex. It's something she likes to do, and she really doesn't mind who her partner is if he's clean.

  So, when Axe rakes his gaze up and down her body, she knows what she has to do. Axe is sexy with his thick black hair muscular body, what woman wouldn't find herself getting turned on at the sight of him? She's going to enjoy taking his mind off their destination.

  "What is it you want this time?"

  "Did you want to play a round of billiards?"

  That wasn't what she expected. She figured he was here for another round of twenty questions. Maybe he gave up on his idea of her having ulterior motives. "Sure, I'm always up for a game, but will there be money involved? If so, I have to warn you that you're going to be broke by the end of the round."

  ◆◆◆

  He's shit at this game. Dawn watches Axe line up another shot. It's like he doesn't know how to aim. She's explained to him twice already what the goal is, get your balls into the pockets. Yet, every single time he hits the cue ball, he either causes his balls to hit the sides, sending one of hers in, or he accidentally connects with hers. It's a simple game. She doesn't know how else to explain it to him.

  He pulls his arm back before releasing it. His pool stick connects with the cue ball. She is shocked when one of his actually lands in the pockets. "Hey, would you look at that? You did it!"

  A shiver crawls up her spine when Axe turns toward her. He smiles at her. She doesn't think she has ever seen him wear a grin before. He should do it more often. Dawn smiles back at him.

  He places his pool cue in the rack. When he reaches for the one in her hand, she steps around him, brushing up against his hard chest. She puts the pool cue up.

  When she moves to go around him, he stops her by placing his hands against the walk behind her. Stuck between his hardness and the firm wall behind her, Dawn has nowhere to go. He steps in closer to her. The breath in her lungs become stuck. She swallows around the lump in her throat. She licks her lips nervously.

  His eyes catch the small movement of her tongue. He leans down. His mouth hovers above hers.

  Dawn holds her breath. Waiting.

  It's never felt like this before. She knows that this was what she was hoping for. She wanted to switch his attention to something else, but at this moment, she can't remember why she wanted that. All she sees and think about is the warm breath hitting her face as Axe presses himself closer to her. She closes her eyes.

  His lips brush hers. But he doesn't linger. He trails his lips across her jaw and then down her throat.

  She clenches her legs tighter together.

  His tongue reaches out and licks the saltiness of her skin. With a moan, she grips his sides, anchoring herself to him. He jerks back out of her hold.

  Her eyes spring open. She glares at the abrupt space between them. "What's wrong?"

  "I'm sorry. That wasn't appropriate." He scrubs a hand down his face. "It won't happen again."

  With an annoyed huff, she walks away from him. He catches her arm. She yanks it out of his grasp. "Don't touch me!"

  He looks taken aback at her harsh tone.

  "You started that." She points toward the rec room. "If you believed it wasn't right, then you shouldn't have started it in the first place. You're a cyborg. You should have control over yourself." She strides away from him. He hesitates behind her but promptly catches up with her.

  "I don't understand why you are mad? I lost my sense for a second, and I apologized for it. I don't think there is anything else I can do."

  She comes to a sudden stop. Pulling back her fist, she punches him on the shoulder. He looks down at her like she has gone mad. "You're not familiar with humans, so I'm going to let you off easy on this one, okay? But for future reference, don't get a girl worked up and decide it's not for you right in the middle. It's not cool!"

  She storms off to her cell. She never thought she would willingly lock herself up, but right now, she needs some space.

  She doesn't even know why she's so worked up. It isn't like she likes him. Hell, she was going to use him! So, it shouldn't matter that he doesn't want her. But it does.

  Dawn lies down on her bed. Her back faces the door. After a few minutes, the door creaks open. It's pointless to flip over. She knows it's Axe. Why can't he leave her alone! Is it really that hard for him to give her space?

  He takes a seat by her feet.

  "Look, if you're here to apologize again, don't bother. I'm fine. It's just been a few rough weeks. Back at camp, I have regular bouts of sex. So, I'm tense from all the built-up frustration. Don't worry about it."

  "I didn't realize humans were such sex-crazed fiends. I should warn Enzo."

  She laughs at his sarcasm. She turns onto her back.

  "Why do you care?" she whispered.

  Axe stands there looking at her. He opens his mouth to say something but quickly closes it. She shakes her head. "Whatever." She turns away from him.

  "I don't know why. I've tried figuring it out because this isn't normal for me. I can't get you out of my head, and no matter how many times I tell myself you're not my concern,
I still worry about you. It doesn't make sense," he said.

  She stops mid-stride. She doesn't turn around. "You don't need to worry about me. I'm going to be fine." She resumes walking. He doesn't stop her.

  Chapter Six

  Axe

  The next few days go by quickly. Axe continues to spend time with Dawn, though he does avoid being too close to her. He doesn't want another incident like the one from a few days ago. When he isn't with her, he assigns Enzo or Pax to keep an eye on her. He knows she is planning something. He wants to find out what before they make it to where they are going.

  The Pursuer is fast approaching its destination. They should be there in two days. It makes Axe's throat clench at how quick this week has gone. While he feels apprehensive, Dawn has been jittery with nerves. She is anxious to arrive.

  It doesn't make any sense to him. No matter how many times he has brought it up, she hasn't revealed anything telling. He knows the rebels are involved. But he fights with himself about what to do. If the rebels are involved, then he has to let his superiors know. Though, that would mean putting Dawn in danger. That doesn't sit well with him. The thought of her being in harm's way, it feels like a punch to the gut.

  "Sir?" He's jarred out of his thoughts by Pax knocking on his door. "Yes?"

  "Rodrick has been trying to reach you. He said you're not picking up your comm."

  Axe heaves himself up, off his bed, and walks over to his comm. "All right, thanks for letting me know."

  "No, problem." Pax strides away from the door.

  He waits a minute before calling Rodrick back. It gives him enough time to decide whether he should mention what has been on his mind.

  "Where have you been? I've tried calling several times in the last hour." Rodrick's stern face appears on the screen. His blond hair is shorter than the last time Axe talked to him. It is usually a couple inches long, but he's shaved it close to his scalp. There's a fading bruise on his left cheek. "How's it going with Perkins?"

  "Fine. Everything is set for when we arrive at The Gregory," said Axe.