“What are you doing here?” someone asked and Toa ignored the belligerent tone as he carried the large and awkward sheets into the building.
The space had an interesting feel. The house was designed so the very small breezes that were in the weather shield swept through the open corridors. With the door closed the breeze stopped. In the heat it was nice to have a bit of a breeze, especially in what was essentially an artificial environment.
The man who had called out to him, followed him into the house and caught his arm after he had put the sheets down. “Hey, I’m talking to you.”
When Toa turned the man swore. “What happened to your eyes, man?”
Toa shrugged. He didn’t think this man really wanted to know what had happened to his eyes.
The man didn’t dwell on it for long in any case. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Toa realised he would have to say something to get rid of the man. “Megan said I could work here.”
“That trumped up…” He didn’t finish that sentence as Toa was in motion.
Toa threw the man up on the wall. He gritted out through his teeth. “You will speak with respect when you speak about a lady. Do you understand?”
The man went still. “Yeah, man.”
Toa dropped the man and only realised then how easy it had been to pick up the man. The action had been effortless. Two days ago, he had barely been able to walk and now he was better than he had been at his peak.
Toa walked away and went outside to pick up some more things. He ran a hand over one of the atramento. He had heard of Bioware, but this was very different to anything he had seen before. There was no mechanical component.
He had been impressed with the sense atramento, but he had forgotten Natasha had put others on him as well. She had explained, but he had forgotten already what she had said. He would need to ask her more when he got back to the house.
Ironically, the man’s words and attitude calmed him. How Megan treated him made him nervous. Normal people were not that kind. Toa had started to worry there was something wrong with this place. But it was normal. Megan just wasn’t. She was special.
___
Megan had his arm through hers as they wandered through the streets of Edge. She leaned against him and took in his warmth. She was a demonstrative kind of person but found most people didn’t like it when she touched them too much. Normally it was her family that allowed her this close. She said, “Well, that is pretty all there is to Edge.”
His voice held a little awe as Toa said, “And you said you made most of it.”
Megan nodded. She knew he could tell she had nodded. The sense atramento was working well. Maybe it wasn’t exactly sight, but it was better than nothing. She asked, “What was your home like?”
Toa said, “Do you mean the islands?”
She got excited. She had never met anyone that had come from the islands recently. “Sure and anywhere else you have lived. I’ve only ever lived in the city and Edge. Dad was all funny when I wanted to live out here. I couldn’t even convince him that a trip to Freedom was a good idea. My sister lives there with her husband and kids. She is the one who likes plants and makes my perfume. I suppose I can go now as I’m now legally an adult but the family still see me as the baby. I don’t think it’s very fair as both my parents travelled all around the world.”
There was a short pause, then Toa said, “The islands used to be beautiful, but when I was born most of the plants had died either because they had been poisoned by brackish water or by violent storms. My parents used to tell me stories, but the islands I knew were crowded. When I was a teenager, my father died and the money he used to send home stopped. Everything was getting tight and the islands had to make a difficult decision. If a family had no external way to support themselves, then they had to leave. For the people who stayed, it was the only way they could survive, but it meant we had to leave. I was sixteen at the time.”
Her heart ached at his succinct story that hid most of his pain, but not from her. Megan said softly, “I lost my mother when I was young. It’s always hard to lose a parent. So what did you do after that?”
“The refugee camps.”
She whistled. Everyone had heard about the camps. They were brutal and inhumane. She had seen how the city dealt with visitors and immigrants and thought that was better. They had a section in the city dedicated to refugees and they had a year to get work and move out. Afterwards they were sent to another city.
Toa continued, “I made a deal with the government and I got my family out of there.”
She wanted to ask about his eyes and how he went from working for the government to being blind and wandering in the Wildlands.
Megan knew it would have been something traumatic and she didn’t want to be callous and just ask.
Instead, that meant small talk. She smiled. She didn’t mind small talk and everyone knew she could talk for a dozen people.
Besides, there weren’t many people in Edge she could talk to comfortably in any case. Most still remembered her as the precocious engineer who had blown through here a few years ago. She had gone through six construction managers before she had found Josh because they hadn’t wanted to listen to her or respected her knowledge.
Now she was older and people still avoided her. She blamed her father. She had managed to keep her connection to the Shield Builder a secret for a while. Everyone had thought she was Warren’s little sister. That had been enough for most people. But her dad had come to visit and it had gotten out she was the Shield Builders’ daughter.
Warren hadn’t cared his secret was out as well. He was a recluse as it was and the only people he really spoke to was Natasha and other academics. And they had always known he was the Shield Builders’ son. Warren was blind to the Edger’s aversion to him.
But after her identity was revealed, people had avoided her. She sighed. If only it had been everyone who avoided her. She might have been better off without knowing a few certain people. A few had decided that she was a princess and resented her for what they perceived was her entitlement.
She had designed a modest home for herself but in anger she had designed the palace instead. If the Edgers thought she was some kind of princess, then she would act like one, but it hadn’t brought her any pleasure.
Megan asked Toa, “What do you think of the Shield Builders?”
He said, “I have lived outside of the shields my whole life. I heard about them and I’m glad they could help so many people. They are celebrities around the world. I never thought I would ever be inside a shield let alone staying.”
She smiled. “But what about the actual people?”
Toa frowned as he thought about it. “They must be clever.”
Megan chuckled at his succinct comment. “They are.”
Toa continued after a minute. “And kind, I mean they gave the technology to anyone who was able to accept it.”
She agreed. “They are that as well.”
He frowned as he thought. “I suppose. I’ve never thought of them much. Why do you ask?”
Megan shifted her feet uncomfortably. She really should tell him her parents were the Shield Builders but she didn’t want him to treat her any different. So instead, she said, “I don’t know. Just with Warren’s symposium there will be lots of scholars coming and one of the Shield Builders might visit.”
His voice was a little too casual as he said, “Oh that might be interesting.”
She wrinkled her nose. It certainly would be interesting. But she should at least have until the symposium before Toa realised who she truly was. That would be enough, she told herself. He would have seen for himself what she truly was like and maybe he could care about her as a person instead of the daughter of the Shield Builders.
___
Josh saw them as they walked back from their tour and called out to them. “Hey, Megan I’ve got something for you to check over.”
She moved towards him and said to Toa,
“Have a wander. We’ll be heading back to Natasha’s in a moment.”
Megan followed after the Construction manager. Toa didn’t really want to take another tour of the Palace. He was only here because of Megan and building really didn’t interest him. He went to lean against a pile of construction material to wait for her to finish.
Toa heard the group approach him. And considering he had been hassled already that day he wasn’t surprised when he felt they had hostile intentions. That tattoo certainly added to his senses. Sometimes it freaked him out sometimes by how good it was. As he couldn’t see them but he could read the edgy energy coming off them. The shuffled feet and the clenching fists.
The men surrounded him in a classic intimidation technique. They were about six of them. He wasn’t worried.
One of them said, “I heard you are hanging out with Megan.”
It wasn’t a question, but Toa answered anyway. “Yeah, and what is it to you?”
The man growled, “That is my girl.”
Toa raised an eyebrow. He already knew Megan wasn’t seeing anyone from what Natasha had told him. So this was one of those possessive types that struggled with delusions.
Toa asked, “Really?” Though he wasn’t expecting an answer.
There was a snicker from someone.
Toa tilted his head as he thought and gave a guess. “I take it you are the ex-boyfriend.”
There was a snort and then a man was shoved to silence him. Toa had it right. Knowing he was dealing with a misogynist he went up to him.
Toa wasn’t a small man and he wasn’t afraid to use his build to intimidate and said to the man. “Megan can see anyone she likes. If she wants to spend time with me, she can. It’s entirely up to her.”
The man grumbled, “Not if I can help it.”
Was this man serious? Toa thought this kind of thinking was only limited to the Wildlands and the war-torn areas where civilisation had been completely discarded.
Knowing how these conversations were supposed to go, Toa pushed a little. “Oh, and what do you intend to do?”
The man bristled. “I don’t care if you are blind. There are ten of us and only one of you.”
Toa smiled, amused by the man’s posturing. “Six,” he corrected him.
The man went still as he said a little confused, “What?”
Toa shifted, getting ready to defend himself as he said, “There are six of you. Not ten.”
One of the others muttered. “I thought you said he was blind.” He was shushed very quickly.
The Ex said, “Six can still beat you so you learn to mind your own bloody business.”
Remembering how easy it was to throw that other man against the wall earlier Toa was ready to check his strength as he didn’t want to kill any of these morons.
Toa said almost conversationally, “Not really. But neither could ten. You all think because you lug around heavy gear every day you can take on someone like me. Think again. I have been trained to kill. Snapping bones are my trade. As fast as you can put up drywall is how fast I can dismantle you. Remember that whenever you start to think with your brain.”
Obviously, that was enough to instigate the violence as the Ex hissed, “Get him.”
They weren’t trained to fight together so it wasn’t really six against one, but at the most two against one. Toa disabled one by kneeing him in the stomach but left the Ex alone. Just pushing him back, but not actually doing any damage.
Knowing these men used their bodies for their work he treated it more like a training exercise. He didn’t want them to lose their livelihood because they followed an idiot.
Toa blocked a blow struck at him with a metal pipe on his arm and turned to the man. The man stumbled back. His blind eyes were as much of an intimidation, with his increased senses, as his build.
Toa grabbed the pipe out of the man’s hands and with that quickly took out the others. Short fierce blows to muscles meant the men were soon groaning in pain. The injuries would leave bruises, but he made sure to pull back so he didn’t break any bones. It made short work to have them all on the ground groaning with pain. He turned his back on them and turned to the Ex who had tried to sneak up on him from behind.
Toa left the Ex for last for a reason. He used a low kick to swipe his legs out from under him and the Ex went down hard.
Toa stalked him as the man scrambled on the ground to get away from him. He swung the metal pipe slowly so it swooshed through the air.
He said in a low voice, “You are to leave Megan alone. If I hear you are causing her any trouble, I will finish this permanently.”
Toa swung the pipe hard but stopped an inch from the man’s head. He could hear him breathing heavily.
Toa threw away the pipe and walked off. He didn’t want Megan to find the men as that would just embarrass her. So he would find her first.
___
Megan hissed at Josh, “What the hell is Noah doing here?”
Josh sighed and appeared a little defeated. “He needed the work.”
She snorted. Noah always needed work. “That is because he is an ass and no one wants to hire him. Give him a ticket to the city with his next pay check. He should be able to alienate only a small percentage of the city’s population before he dies.”
Josh huffed. “You’re probably right, but this is the last job and most of our men have already moved to the city. It won’t take long and he really does know his trade.”
Megan shook her head and asked, “What did you want to see me about?”
Josh motioned to one of the rooms on the plans. “I wanted to know what furniture you wanted in here.”
She had thought to furnish the place but she really didn’t want to anymore. She was tempted to make a cabin and disappear from sight for a very long time. Well, she would furnish it and sell it all together if she didn’t like it.
He took her into one of the completed rooms. It was large and spacious with plenty of light. The room was rather stunning.
Josh leaned against the doorjamb. “It would make a lovely playroom. I mean for kids and things.”
She turned slowly around the room so she could get a feel for the room. She turned to Josh when he said, “Have you thought about having kids?”
He wasn’t the type to really get involved in her life, but he was one of her friends.
Megan said, “I haven’t really thought about it. When I do, I want what my parents had and that does include kids. But be honest, Josh, who would want me?”
Josh winced. “Sorry, I forgot things with Noah are still a bit raw with you. But it was years ago. You are smart and lovely.”
She waved it off and approached him. “It doesn’t matter. There wasn’t anyone else since then either and he only wanted me because I was the Shield Builder’s daughter and he thought I was rich.”
Josh snorted at the idea of her being rich. He had seen the financing for these projects. The only building she owned herself was this one. The others, she had been paid a salary to build and though the pay had been good it wasn’t rolling in riches good.
Josh asked, “What do you intend to do then?”
Megan smiled. “Pick up strangers from the Wildlands and marry them.”
He huffed. “Don’t joke with me, Megan. I still don’t trust that man.”
She walked past him and patted him on the shoulder. “What would you do, Josh, if it wasn’t a joke?”
Josh shook his head to indicate it better not be anything but a joke. She had to laugh and glanced over her shoulder into the room. “This is going to be a sitting room but nothing so casual for kids. I’ll organize the furniture. The light is good for reading.”
He nodded, taking down her instructions. Josh followed her out and asked, “Going after your blind soldier?”
Megan smiled, warmed by the idea. “Yes, definitely yes.”
Josh just huffed. She might be joking with Josh but she really did like Toa. He was a balm to her soul with his quiet nature. People us
ually treated her as if she were a strange creature. She was clever as she had taken after her parents but people looked at her youth and could never get her abilities matched up with her looks.
Toa didn’t have that issue as he had no idea what she looked like and it was easy to be around him. With him she didn’t have to play the princess, the genius or the shield builder’s daughter she could be just Megan and nothing else.
Chapter Five
Edge June 2097
Warren waited for her to finish her call with her contacts in the city. He frowned a little as he took her in. She sighed. Though there was a big age gap between her and Warren he was the closest of all her siblings.
Warren asked, “Was that Misha?”
She nodded. “He is organising some furniture for me. He asked after Natasha and the kids.”
Natasha and Warren had two little ones. They had their own maid who looked after them during the day. Though the oldest was almost ready for school. Warren was too scattered to be trusted to care with children when he was working so the arrangement worked out the best for everyone.
Warren shrugged. He knew Megan could answer any questions about family as well as he could. He seemed a little distracted so she waited for him to get his thoughts in a row. If she tried to avoid him, he would just find her later. And probably at a time inconvenient to her.
Warren rubbed the side of his head. “Not sure how to say this or even if it’s my place but what are your intentions with the man?”
Megan chuckled at his awkwardness and asked, “Man?”
He said, “Yes, Toa. The man you brought back from the Wildlands.”
She couldn’t help teasing him. “You mean your wife and me. You know the tall one that likes to drive trucks. We were both out there. We both brought the man in.”
Warren said, “No, it’s clear Toa is definitely yours.”
Megan was amused by his words. She came up to him and patted his cheek. “Are you worried all of a sudden that I am going to turn into some kind of hussy because I’m hanging out with Toa?”
Blind Hero Page 4
