Paradise Awakened Trilogy

by Mackenzie Morris

  This sounds so much like the way Blice had tried to do it, but it never actually works. Maybe they figured out something that he and Blice weren't able to do. "Partners?"

  "We're a sniper team." Jarred says. "I'm his spotter."

  "You don't look like an inquisitor."

  "Oh, no . . . we're mercenaries."

  "Guns for hire?" Isidore asks. This is never a good thing.

  "Is that a problem?" Jarred asks. "Last time I checked, you need all the help you can get and we're offering our services free of charge. We only ask for shelter here. You can leave the rest to us."

  "What kind of training could you two possibly have? There haven't been any conflicts down here before now."

  "Just because you don't see it doesn't mean that it's not there. Forgive me if I sound crass, but there have been humans and androids killing each other for years. The only difference is that they used to keep it hidden. There's this one android, Ben Crowe, who's one of the worst. You have my sympathy for what he did to you."

  "114? What did he do?" Isidore asks as he pulls them inside so they can speak in private.

  "The terrorist who abducted you and tortured you was Benjamin Crowe." Jarred says. "Tell me you knew it was him all along. He projected himself as a human so you would want to get revenge on humans. He's an awfully tricky man."

  So it was Ben Crowe the entire time. How did he not make the connection? That lying bastard. He leans forward to Jarred. "Can you find out where he is? It's time to turn this war back on him."

  "Finding people is what we do, Mr. President."

  "I want you to find him, but let me end his pathetic life."

  * * *

  Katarina watches all the new members of their growing resistance. They seem to be acclimating well and settling down to daily life and preparations for when they make their next move. They move between the bedrooms carrying large bags filled with their personal belongings and supplies. So this will be their new force to fight against whatever it is they are fighting against now. Where does she stand in this human versus android conflict? She honestly has no clue, but she does know that there is too much going on in the city for her to not be involved soon. She will have to make that ultimate decision when the time comes.

  Two men in body armor with sniper rifles on their backs and smoke grenades on their belts are sharing a very passionate kiss in the hallway. Who are these rough-looking people? The more she watches them together, the more curious she becomes.

  Eventually, the two men notice they're being stared at and the blonde one smiles at her. "Hello."

  What is she supposed to do now? She wasn't trying to get caught. "Hey there. I'm Katarina, Isidore's daughter." She motions to the other man. "Is he your android?"

  The blonde one glances at the one with the waist-length black hair. "Yep. I'm Jarred and he's Jayce. Don't expect much of a conversation out of him."

  "Were his vocal chords removed?"

  "Oh dear God, no. I'm not that kind of owner." He takes Jayce's hand. "At least I hope I'm not."

  Jayce's thin pale face remains emotionless as he nods his head and pats Jarred's head. "Jarred knows what he's doing and follows orders well."

  "Orders?" Katarina asks. "Aren't you the human, Jarred?"

  "I am, but I do what Jayce says. We just work better this way. At the auction, he stepped out, pointed directly at me, then knelt down at my feet and placed a slave collar around his own neck. I was just working security. I had no interest in owning an android, but he didn't give me much of a choice. So he we are ten years later."

  Well, this is . . . different. "You two look happy."

  "I've never been happier. What about you, Jayce?"

  "Don't ask me questions you know the answers to." Jayce walks away and whistles two high pitched notes.

  Jarred's demeanor changes and he bows to Kat. "I have to go."

  Did she say something wrong? "I didn't mean to upset him."

  "No, he's not upset. He's just uncomfortable talking to new people."

  Jayce whistles again, sounding angrier this time.

  "Nice meeting you, Katarina. I hope we meet again." Jarred runs to Jayce's side and they walk down the hallway arm in arm.

  "Strange." Blice says as he lands on Katarina's shoulder.

  "How long have you been here?"

  "Long enough. Talk about role reversal."

  "You don't like them, do you?" She asks.

  "Quite the opposite, actually. I admire them for embracing their roles that make them happy. Not every human is a dominant leader and not every android is a submissive follower. I wish that Isidore and I hadn't been forced and coerced into fitting into a set mold like we were. Maybe if I had received Isidore later in life, we could have ignored those social demands and been ourselves. I got that way more towards the end of my life."

  "Are you admitting that you're dead?" Katarina asks.

  "Just wishful thinking, Nika. Wishful thinking."

  * * *

  Katarina carries the bowl of hot soup down the hall to one of the bedrooms where Byron has been sleeping. She has to be a caring wife and bring her husband anything he needs, especially when he is in pain like he has been. Just when she believed he was beginning to feel better, he went downhill again. She enters the dimly lit room where Byron is stretched out on the bed. "Byron?"

  "Yes?" He asks, not moving.

  She sets the soup on the bedside table. "Are you hurting?"

  "A bit."

  "You're shaking." Katarina sits on the bed next to him and pulls the blanket around him. "Can I get you anything?"

  "My shotgun so I can shoot myself and end this."

  "No. Don't talk like that, please. I had an idea. Would the negator the archons use be able to help you?"

  "Don't think so." Byron says as he takes her hand and kisses it gently. "Their nanobots are completely different. I'm beyond help, Kat."

  "I won't let you die."

  "You don't have a choice. Face it. I'm dying. My good days where I can actually be like my younger self are few and far between. That's why I need to give you this." He places a tiny silver key in her hand.

  "What's this?"

  "The key to your slave collar. I can't be the owner you need me to be. You need a new owner who can protect you and keep you cared for once I'm gone."

  "What are you saying?" Katarina asks.

  "I sold you."

  What? No way. He has to be joking. "You sold me? To who?"

  "A mercenary who will defend you, train you, and not try to use you for your body."

  "A mercenary? Byron, no. I belong to you!"

  Byron shakes his head and closes his eyes. "Jarred will be a perfect owner for you."

  Did he say what she thinks he said? "Jarred? Jayce's owner?"

  "So you've met them. He wanted me to send you his direction once you found out. Thank you for the soup, sweetheart. I'll see you in the morning if I live that long."

  * * *

  It takes every ounce of courage Katarina has to allow her to step up to the doorway of one of the rooms Zach converted into bedrooms. The metal door slides open as her heart races. What will they say? What is she going to do? How can she ever be with another owner like she has been with Byron?

  Jarred and Jayce are sitting together on the only bed in the room eating large bowls of spaghetti and watching television while wearing just their boxers. Jarred puts down his food and waves at her. "Katarina! Welcome to our little renegade family. Come in and have a seat. Jayce made some pasta and it's pretty good."

  She grits her teeth and reluctantly walks inside then jumps a bit when the door shuts behind her. Where is she supposed to sit? The chairs are piled high with equipment, tactical gear, and ammo boxes. Six sniper rifles are lined up on the far wall next to a holographic map of Paradise hovering beside the bed. Katarina places her bag on the floor and tosses the sliver key on the bed in front of Jarred.

  He picks it up and examines it in the light. "What's this?"<
br />
  "For my slave collar. I guess it's yours now."

  "Lean over."

  She obeys and flinches when Jarred's calloused hands touch her neck. There's a slight click and the leather collar falls to the bed.

  "There ya go. Much better." He pats the bed next to him. "Sit down. Jayce, will you make Katarina a plate?"

  Jayce stabs a meatball with his combat knife and eats it as he steps into the kitchen area and begins fixing a plate of spaghetti.

  "Don't worry about him. Once you get to know Jayce, he's the kindest person on the planet."

  As Jayce reaches up into a cabinet and retrieves a wine glass and a bottle of white wine, he begins to softly sing in a language that Katarina has heard on occasion, but she never got the chance to ask anyone what it was. He brings her a plate and the glass of wine. "Hope you like it."

  She takes it and sips her wine. "Thank you. Where did you get wine?"

  "He made it." Jarred says.

  "You make wine?"

  Jayce silently nods his head and continues to eat his spaghetti with the combat knife then changes the channel to an old war movie from what looks like World War II. Katarina doesn't know too much about the country that used to be the United States of America, but she has learned about the first two world wars from Byron. The one thing she finds peculiar about this movie is that it's not in English and it sounds like the same language that Jayce was singing in.

  "What language were you singing in?"

  "French." Jayce says.

  "You're French?"

  "The scientist who developed Jayce was from Common Ground which was primarily French before it blew up." Jarred says. "Jayce learned French before he learned English . . . and then killed his creator."

  "Oh."

  "She deserved it, though." Jarred says coldly. "There is a line when it comes to android training that should never be crossed. His creator crossed that line and then went even farther. That's one reason why Jayce doesn't know how to act around human women. You're okay, though, 'cause of you being half android and all."

  Jayce sighs and puts down his bowl. "Ce n'est pas grave."

  "It does matter, Jayce. You know I care." Jarred turns back to Katarina. "Well, let's get to know each other a bit. I know all of your specifics from the paperwork Byron had me sign. Guess you get to know about me too. I'm twenty-four, an only child, my parents died twelve years ago in a car accident, and the only person I've ever been in a relationship with is Jayce. I like guns, poetry, gambling, and bull riding."

  Is he serious? What kind of crazy man is he? "Bull riding? Where do you ride bulls? When do you even see any cattle?"

  "When I sneak into the biogenesis cattle ranch. Security is a bitch to sneak through, though because livestock is so valuable and rare, but the thrill of it all is worth it."

  "And what about Jayce?" She asks.

  "He cooks, sings, makes bombs from things you'd never think could explode, he can kill a man in two seconds with just one hand, and he can heal pretty much any wound you get."

  Katarina studies the two men as she finishes her spaghetti. Apparently she was a lot hungrier than she thought. And this wine is good. So is this what her life is going to be now? Wine, French songs, bull riding, and sniper rifles?

  Jarred cleans up the plates and takes them to the sink. "So, Kat, how soon can you be ready to move out? We're under orders from your father to go find Ben Crowe. That crazy android is public enemy number one. If we're gonna get this show on the road, then we need to get your stuff and do some quick training."

  "My clothes and things are in the Presidential Palace. I can get them tomorrow."

  "You'll get them tonight." Jarred says as he washes the dishes. "We need to leave in the morning. We'll escort you over there later. Oh, and one more thing. As your owner, I am entitled to know about your body and your health. Is there any chance at all that you could be pregnant? You know how Isidore is about preserving the population and protecting the unborn children. Our line of work isn't safe for a pregnant woman or a child."

  "No. I'm not pregnant." Katarina says.

  "But you're married, right?"

  "Byron can't have children and he's the only man I've been with."

  "Good. How do you feel about killing people?" Jarred asks.

  What kind of question is that? "I've never killed anyone."

  "Answer his question." Jayce snaps as he pulls on a pair of black jeans.

  "I guess I would if I had to."

  Jayce laughs darkly. "Nice answer."

  Jarred turns the water off and dries his hands. "All right, here's your rules. Never touch Jayce, you don't have to wear your slave collar except in public, and if you fall behind, we leave you behind. You're one of us now so you don't get any special treatment. Stop thinking of yourself as the president's daughter. You're a man now just like us for all intents and purposes. Of course, I will be lenient during certain times of the month, but other than that, we have to depend on each other to never falter. This is a man's world and a man's war. We don't need any prissy girly shit. Is that clear? Trade in your nail polish and jewelry for grenades and bullets." He gets dressed as continues. "We have a city and many lives to save. I've been watching you in the plasma matches so I know you have what it takes."

  Jayce circles around Katarina, studying her closely. "Let me break her in."

  "Now?" Jarred asks. "Are you sure?"

  "Oui. I need this, Jarred. I've never done it with a woman before."

  "Okay. Try to keep it down. I'll let everyone know to ignore the noise. Have fun, you two." Jarred leaves the room.

  Oh dear God in heaven. What has she gotten into? She begins to tremble against her will and even if she wanted to be strong and pretend like this wasn't happening, she knows that her fear is written across her face.

  Jayce ties back his long straight hair. "Take your jacket off."

  A million thoughts race through her mind as she obeys and she feels sick. Why does this android think he can boss her around? The more troubling question she has for herself is why is she following his orders? She doesn't belong to him. She belongs to Jarred, but Jarred left her here. She silently wishes that he would come back. Katarina lays her jacket on the bed and watches Jayce unzip a large black bag and dig through it. "What are you doing?"

  "Preparing." Jayce says.

  "For what? Please don't hurt me."

  Jayce grins at her. "It won't hurt. It feels good. In my hands, you will get used to it quickly. I've taught many men to shoot."

  Wait. "To shoot?"

  Jayce picks up a sniper rifle and loads it. "Oui. You've never used one before, have you? These are rubber bullets so they won't penetrate the metal wall. I thought that I could have you break in your rifle. It's brand new."

  Oh. Well now Katarina feels both relieved and terrible that she thought something else entirely was going on. "I thought you were trying to do something else."

  "Like what?"

  "Never mind."

  "Are you scared of me?" He asks.

  Extremely, but she won't let him see her fear. "A bit."

  "Good. I have the real power here. You take orders from me, not Jarred. In time you will find your place. Right now your place is over here, so get over here and we'll begin."

  * * *

  Katarina stares up at the ceiling in the dark, wishing that she was in bed with Byron instead of being trapped here between the two charmingly terrifying men who are holding hands over her waist while they sleep. This might just be the single most awkward night of her life. When someone's hairy leg rubs up against her thigh and doesn't stop, she whimpers and turns over on her side, just to be met by Jayce's lips. Nope. She crawls out of bed and pulls off one of the blankets then finds the least cluttered spot on the floor at the foot of the bed. She knew this was a bad idea. When the bed creaks and the two men begin whispering to each other, she covers her head with the blanket and tries to ignore them.

  "Mmm . . . Jayce, did you take the other
blanket?" Jarred asks.

  "What's wrong? You cold?"

  "Not with you right here. Je t'aime, mon amour."

  "Moi aussi, je t'aime."

  "Why do you smell like vanilla?" Jarred asks.

  "I was about to ask you the same thing." Jayce says angrily. "I don't like it. If I wanted you to smell like I woman, I'd be with a woman."

  "It's not me, I swear. Wait. Oh hell. Where'd Kat go?"

  Katarina sits up and sighs. "I'm down here."

  "Why?" Jarred asks.

  "You were both rubbing all over me. Jayce kissed me in his sleep."

  Jarred smiles and takes her hand. "I'm sorry. Come back up here and if it happens again, just slap us in the face and we'll stop. We're not used to having other people around."

  20

  Katarina finishes her cup of coffee and gathers her hair in the clip before buckling her boots. She watches Jarred and Jayce packing supplies as they talk about some person named Donnie. She has no idea about any of this, so she remains silent until they need her. Once she was finally able to get to sleep last night, she slept well and even though she is still very much uncertain about her new owner and his other android, Katarina feels hopeful and ready for whatever comes her way. She can do this. After the short training session with Jayce last night, she feels confident enough with her rifle and a foreign yet familiar sensation has been rising within her. She wants to shoot something.

  "You ready, Kat?" Jarred asks as he tosses her backpack on the table in front of her.

  "Yep."

  "That's the spirit. I think you'll come to enjoy this line of work. Killing people, while terrible, comes with its own kind of high."

  Are they crazy? Probably, but she has to go along with it. She pulls on her backpack and slings her rifle over her shoulder. The same rush of adrenaline that she used to get right before the starting bell of the plasma matches courses through her veins now. It's a tingling, an awakened sense of awareness, and excitement. With one last check of her gear, she follows the other two out into the hallway.

  "Stop right there." Someone says from behind them.