by Maya Carnage
Spending time with the crew of The Pursuer has made her think differently. Her time on this ship challenged her opinions and beliefs. She doesn't think she could ever go back to the person she once was. Too much has happened for that to be possible. Even if she wanted to, Dawn wouldn't want to be the woman she was a week ago.
The rebels are her family, but she never felt like she had a spot there that she could have called her own. The cyborgs, even though she has only known them a short time, have made her feel included. If she were to be with them for a longer period of time, she knows that she could have a home with them. Another family. One where she felt like she was wanted.
Dawn sits down on the cot. She waits for the sound of the approaching footsteps that will signal to her that her time on The Pursuer has come to an end. She doesn't have to wait long.
Pax raps on her door before unlocking it and entering. "The guards are here."
Standing up, she looks around at the room. Taking a small breath in, she lifts her head, and on the exhale follows Pax out.
Chapter Eight
Axe
Chaos fills the ship, as Axe and his crew prepare to help Dawn and the rebels. Some of the crew were reluctant at first. The idea of helping a human, putting themselves at risk, was not appealing. Pax and Enzo managed to convince them that what they were fighting for was the best thing for the cyborgs. The Malviks would no longer have any sway over them. They wouldn't have to fight their battles anymore. They could be free to work outside this government.
Once everyone was on board, things began to move faster. Axe wanted to make sure everything was ready by the time Dawn needed him. From the little that she revealed to him and Enzo, he knows that her plan involves her being at the prison for a couple weeks before she makes her move. They have to have everything in place before then.
Axe won't risk something happening to her.
Years ago, a cyborg rebelled against the Malviks. She was helping field workers escape to other planets where they would be free. She was doing it for several years before they caught her. They gave her the option to work as an agent for the government for a hundred years or serve two hundred years in prison. She chose the prison. Axe didn't know her. They didn't fight in the same regent during the war, but Axe met an officer years ago who did, and he told him that she's on The Gregory. For Axe's plan to work, he needs to have her involvement. He sent a message to the officers, and now he's waiting to hear back from him. He hopes that she agrees to help him. He doesn't know what he'll do if she doesn't.
"I've got everything ready. When it's time, I'll just have to hit the button." Pax has been working on the ship's computer feed. When they go in to save Dawn, the ship will have to go dark, but they don't want to alert the Malviks to what they are doing. Pax mentioned that he might be able to create a false feed the Malviks will see. They won't realize what is happening until it is too late.
"How long will it last?"
"About twenty-four hours. Is that enough time?"
Axe looks down at his hands. Dawn refused to tell him her plan, and that means that he has to make sure his plan doesn't clash with hers. If everything goes well, then twenty-four hours should be enough. Axe nods.
"Now we're waiting on the cyborg at Gregory's." Pax takes a seat in front of one of the computers. He logs onto the machine. The screens all around them come to life. Axe looks at the one depicting the stars outside the ship. He sighs.
"There's a message from Rodrick." Pax doesn't take his eyes from the screen. "The subject says it's important."
"I'll check it from my room's comm." Axe strides away from the helm. The comm inside his room flashes with an alert. It must be serious if Rodrick sent his message as an emergency notice. He opens the message. It is abrupt and to the point.
Call me as soon as you get this.
The call goes to voicemail when no one answers. He hangs up. He'll try reaching him later. Axe goes to help the crew with preparing the ship to invade The Gregory.
He falls back on his bed. Tired from all of the hard work he had to do today, and he groans out loud because there's more to do tomorrow. At least most of the work is done. Tomorrow they have to finish everything that was left.
Axe still hasn't heard back from Rodrick or the cyborg at the correctional facility. He's not worried about the cyborg. Getting a message into the prison isn't easy, and it will probably take some time before he gets a reply. But he is concerned about Rodrick. It isn't like him to be silent this long. He said that he needed to talk to him, that it was important. Now, Axe can't get a hold of him. Worry gnaws at his gut.
He laces his fingers together and moves them behind his head. He rests there with his eyes closed. As his mind begins to shut down, the comm in his room begins to beep, alerting him of a new message. He jumps out of bed. Axe takes long strides over to the comm. Turning it on, he sees a new message from Rodrick.
I don't have the time to talk to you, but I need you to know something. I'm aware that you're going to help Perkins. As your commanding officer, I should stop you, but I won't. As your friend, I'm going to tell you to be careful of the rebel's leader. He isn't to be trusted. I will be going offline for a while. Don't worry. I'll be back soon.
Axe logs off the comm. One of the crew had to tell Rodrick about the plan. It was most likely Gregor. He still isn't a hundred percent okay with what they are doing. Axe scratches his head. It's shocking that Rodrick is fine with what they are doing. He's a serious person, and it doesn't seem like him to be all right with what Axe has planned. He doesn't have the time to think about it though. There's still too much to do.
He walks back over to the bed, hoping to get some rest before morning. He's barely beneath the covers before his comm alerts him to another message. Groan, he lifts himself off the bed. This time his shoulders drop in relief at the contents of the message.
The officer he knew has finally gotten back to him about the cyborg on The Gregory.
She's agreed to help them with the plan. It's a relief for Axe to know that he now has someone on the inside. She might be able to find out more about what Dawn has planned. She could warn Axe if something goes wrong.
Another alert pings. He exits out of the message and sees that he has a message from an unknown person. He taps on it.
My name is Kris. I've been a prisoner of The Gregory for thirty-three years. You probably know my story by now, so I won't rehash it and bore you in the process. Linkin has filled me in on what you are doing. I applaud your heroism. There are not many out there who would do what you and your crew are about to. I wanted to let you know that Dawn Perkins is my new cellmate. She is a fiery person to be with, which you probably know quite well. If she reveals any part of her plan to me, I will inform you of it. For now, rest easy, my friend.
He slumps down on the bed. Now he only has to make sure the crew and the ship are ready for what he has planned. If he's lucky, Kris will manage to get information out of Dawn. Maybe she could even find out something about the revel's leader. Rodrick said not to trust him. He looks at the comm one last time, making sure there are no other alerts lighting the screen up before he lies down on the bed.
Chapter Nine
Dawn
Her roommate creeps the hell out of her. She knows that she is a cyborg, but at least the guys on the ship behaved like they had a soul. This chick doesn't. She sends chills up her spine. Kris is shorter than Dawn by several inches. She's close to five feet and four inches compared to Dawn's five feet and ten inches. Her hair is a bright red. It looks like someone took a razor blade to the thing, she probably did it herself. It falls unevenly to her shoulders.
Dawn sits on her bunk. Her back pressed against them as she stares out her cell doors. This place has bars in place of the solid metal doors with the windows. Kris says it is because the guards don't want them to have privacy.
Dawn agrees with her.
The guards are assholes. They have been a pain in her ass since she arrived three days ago.
She tries to avoid them when she's not cooped up in here with Kris. But it isn't easy. They seem to be targeting her. She would like to say it's because they are obsessed with her but that's not the case. Dawn didn't make it easy on them from the beginning. Dawn walks off The Pursuer and away from Axe easier than she thought she would have, but once she made it on board The Gregory, all bets were off. She fought them tooth and nail until they threw her in her cell. She managed to land a few punches and kicks to the guards' stomachs. They doubled over from the pain. It was for the best that they learned she wasn't one to be messed with. If they were going to try something with her, then they needed to know she would fight back.
"When do you think they're going to let us out?" Dawn looks over at Kris. The female cyborg sits cross-ways on her bed, her feet hanging over the edge, barely touching the ground.
Earlier today, when it was time for them to get out of their cell, someone beat their cellmate to death. Their block was shut down. They didn't know for how long, she guessed until they cleaned the mess up.
"Not much longer. They've taken the body away, and it's almost all cleaned up. Are you in a hurry to get out in the yard?" Kris tilts her head.
The yard isn't like the ones on earth. The yard on this ship is a large room with workout equipment, tables, and benches. It's adjacent to the men's yard. A set of doors connect the two rooms. A guard on each side holds the key that unlocks it, and Dawn has been trying to sweet talk him into letting her borrow it. She needs to talk to her father. He has to know about her plan, and Axe's before it's too late.
"You're nervous."
"What?" She jerks her head toward Kris. Her eyes penetrate her calm facade. "No, I'm not.
"Yes, you are. I can tell because you're trying to control your breaths, forcing them in and out. You do that whenever you're nervous." Kris mimics her breathing. "That's what you do."
Dawn shakes her head. "I really can't stand cyborgs. Why do you have to pick up on everything I do?"
She shrugs.
"Even if I am nervous, it isn't any of your business."
"You might need a friend why you are on The Gregory. It would be a bonus if that friend happened to be a cyborg. I'm the strongest person on this ship. If I wanted to, I could leave this place. It isn't like any of the guards could stop me," said Kris.
She's never seen a cyborg use their strength. On The Pursuer, nothing happened that required any of the crew to do so, but she's been waiting for Kris to do something. But no one has tried to start anything with her. They are all too afraid. "Why are you taking an interest in me? From what I've heard, you don't like people."
"That's not true," she says as she gets up to form the bed. "I like people. It's just that the ones on this ship are very annoying. I can't stand them." She looks out the through the bars.
Dawn nods her head slowly. The years in captivity must have made the cyborg a little bit crazy. She doesn't always seem like she is always present when she is talking to Dawn.
"We'll be let out soon." As soon as the words leave her mouth, the door buzzes and slides open. Kris looks back at her. She smiles, showing all of her teeth before she walks out of their cell. Dawn waits a moment before she gets up and walks out after her.
All of the cells on their block are open. The other prisoners take their time coming out of the rooms. They're not in any rush. Most of them have been here for some time. It is no longer a luxury to have time in the yard. The ones who don't leave their cells will spend the time reading in privacy if they're not using the alone time to their advantage. Yesterday, when Dawn and Kris left their cell, she glanced into one of the open cells and saw something she wished she hadn't. A woman was touching herself. Moaning and writhing on top of her blankets with her hand in her pants. Dawn sped by the scene, but her hurry caused Kris to stop walking.
She chuckled at the woman in the cell and laughed at Dawn's embarrassment. "You should get used to that because it happens very often."
Kris skips ahead of her. She takes a seat at one of the empty tables. Dawn goes over to where the guard stands. His feet braced apart, and his hands folded in front of his belt. He rolls his eyes when he sees her strolling toward him. She grins. "How's it going, Jet? Has anything interesting happened since we last saw each other?"
"No, ma'am." He doesn't look her in the eyes but stares at a point above her head behind her.
She steps closer to him. Leaning in, "Have you changed your mind about those keys?" she whispered.
He shakes his head.
Her shoulders slump. Knowing she isn't going to get anything out of him at the moment, she walks away. She joins Kris at the table.
Kris winks at her.
"What?"
"Let's play a game!" She jumps in her seat, bangs her fists on the table causing the guards to look our way. She waves them off. "The rules are, you answer my questions honestly, and I'll give you something you want. What do you say?"
Since she doesn't have anything better to do, Dawn shrugs. "All right, shoot."
"Do you have any siblings and if so, what are their names?"
"I have a sister, her name is Makayla, but everyone calls her Kayla."
Kris nods with a serious expression on her face. "Could I call her Mac when I meet her?"
Dawn arches a brow. "No, and why would you meet her?" Kayla hasn't gotten in touch with her since she has been in prison. She's beginning to think that Kayla won't be on the rescue ship. She hopes that her sister is safe wherever she is, but knowing her, she's kicking someone's ass.
Give them hell, sis.
"Why wouldn't I, that's the real question." She points her finger at Dawn. "Do you like being a rebel?"
"Yes."
Kris sighs and moves to leave the table.
"What are you doing? Is that all the questions?" asked Dawn.
"I have many more questions, but you weren't honest with me, Perkins. So, I won't be asking you anything else."
"Bullshit!" Dawn glares at her. She told the truth. There's nothing wrong with being a rebel. It is in her blood.
She settles back into her seat and places her elbows on the table. Creating a steeple with her fingers, she studies Dawn's face. When she begins to twitch from the intense scrutiny of the cyborg's gaze, Kris looks away.
"You did lie. Why don't you tell me the truth? I won't judge," said Kris.
For a second, she felt a heavy weight press down on her. Words she knew she would end up regretting were about to spew out of her mouth, but she forced herself to gulp it down. As of late, certain doubts and fears have arisen in regards toward the rebels. Dawn couldn't help it, but she would never betray them by saying anything bad about them to someone. "Ask another question, Kris."
She smirks at her but does as Dawn says. "Do you like Axe?"
"Yeah, who wouldn't."
"That doesn't answer my question. I think you're playing fair," she pouted.
"I like him, okay. It's just that I don't know what to think about those feelings. I'm not used to it." Dawn turns around in her seat. She looks for the guards with the keys but doesn't find him. He must have gone to the bathroom. When she turns around, Kris is holding up the keys she has been begging for. "How'd you get those?"
She presses a finger to her lips. "I have one more question for you, and then you can have the keys."
Dawn nods.
"Why do you want them?"
She hesitates, deciding whether she should tell her the truth. Kris could be a weakness if she were to know Dawn's plan, but she needs those keys. If she lies, the cyborg might know it, and she'll never get what she wants.
"I need to talk to my father," said Dawn.
Kris drops the keys on the table. She gets up and walks away. Dawn stares after her. She is perplexed by her behavior. She had assumed that she would have said something. She doesn't think too much over it and picks up the keys. She hurries over to the door while the guard is still gone. Putting the key into the locks, she steps into the men's yard.
&n
bsp; Chapter Ten
Dawn
The room quiets. All of the men turn to stare at her. She scans the group of men looking for her father. He sees her first. Standing, he waves her over to where he sits with three other men. When she nears them the three men get up, leaving her alone with her father.
"It's been a while." She sits down across from him. The last five years haven't been kind to him. He looks ten years older than his fifty-five years. Hair sheared to his scalp makes him look harsh and unforgiving.
"I thought your sister was supposed to be here? What happened?" he asked.
Dawn tells him everything that has transpired in the last five years. He doesn't say anything about his daughter missing. He only nods his head looking pensive.
"Is everything set for the rescue?" he asks after a beat of silence.
"Yeah, but that's what I wanted to talk to you about. I need to get a message to Kayla, but I don't know how to contact her. Do you think her contact here at the prison will know of another way to reach her?" If she can't get in contact with her sister her only option is to trust Axe. He said that he wants to help the rebels, but he might have changed his mind by now.
"The guard in the women's yard, the one that had those keys. That's the person she would send messages to, and he would make sure they got to me," he said. "Why do you want to reach her? Everything should be ready to go by the end of the month, isn't it?"
"It is, but I think we might need a backup team. It's better to be safe than sorry."
He grunts his agreement.
"Is everything read on your end?"
He fills dawn in on what the plan is and lets her know that everything is ready. All they have to do now is wait, which she isn't good at.
Dawn gets up from the table. Her father takes her hand giving it a squeeze before dropping it. He strides away from her. Taking a deep breath, she turns around and leaves the men's yard before the guards get back.
When she is on the other side, she looks around for Kris. Spotting her over by the benches, Dawn hastens over to her. She hands her back the keys.
