by Eric Vall
“You are mistaken if you think that spineless meatsack will do anything against me,” I whispered as I stared into her eyes.
“Get back to work, Hannah,” Renee growled.
Anger flared up from the deepest pit of my stomach. Who was this human to tell me what to do? If I wanted to, I could snap her neck in half like a twig before she could even get off another word. But that would definitely blow my cover as well as any chance I had of finding the mother of Alexander Amin.
One thing was for sure, now. My target wasn’t Renee. She did like him, of course, but she was too spineless to ever make a move.
“Fine.” I nodded as I tried to hold back the disgust I felt for the creature in front of me.
“That’s what I thought,” she hissed.
“I doubt you think much at all,” I said, and then I turned around and marched over toward the side of the store where Kevin was working.
What just happened? Despite my best efforts to isolate myself from my emotions, I was legitimately angry when she started to say unkind words about Tony. Renee had no idea Tony was destined to go on and create the savior of all humanity and then train him to lead a full-on resistance to The Hive.
What a fool.
She obviously has feelings for him, but she only saw what he was now and not what he was destined to become.
At least, what he was destined to become if I didn’t complete my mission.
This whole situation with Renee put me back to square one, which was exactly where I did not want to be. If I didn’t find out who the mother was soon, then I had no choice but to kill Tony and hope The Hive would forgive me for my failure. Then one of my binary brethren could worry about finding and killing the mother.
If I even got another chance. With the way last night ended, I feared Tony might not ever want to see me again. If that were the case, I would have to try a new method.
As I approached the gaming section of the store, I blinked a few times and realized I’d been thinking about the feeling of his lips pressed against mine.
Stupid. Human. Emotions.
I forced myself back into reality. This should have been a simple mission. It should have been easy to figure out who Tony’s lover was and kill them both, but now I had no leads, and I was beginning to wonder if his child might be the result of a random night of sex with a random woman.
The thought angered me.
I didn’t want to think about how he would make love to her passionately, rhythmically thrusting his penis in and out of her until he filled her with his sacred seed. I didn’t want to think about how much she would enjoy the process of accepting his DNA into her fertile womb. I didn’t want to think about her belly swelling with his child or how they would live on happily as a family until The Day of Destruction was upon them.
This woman needed to die, and I needed to kill her.
Slowly.
“Hey there, Hannah!” Kevin called out in an obnoxiously loud tone. “How’d it go last night? Tony’s really the best, isn’t he?”
“Renee tells me you’re supposed to teach me how to do the systems?” I avoided his question.
“Alright, so you’re not one to kiss and tell,” Kevin said as he stuck out his hands in defeat. “I can appreciate that. Anywho, it’s really easy. Just go around and click the little power button on each of these bad boys, then pick out a game from the shelves you want to use as a tester. Just make sure it’s family friendly, okay? And be sure to double check to make sure it is. There was one time I tossed in a copy of a game called Shōjo no tatakai no shōjo, one that had a bunch of innocent-looking cartoon girls on the front, and it turned out to be, wellll, not so family-friendly. The kids in the store that day got to learn all sorts of new things, much to the horror of their parents.”
“I will be sure to double check,” I promised with a nod of my head.
“Alright!” Kevin exclaimed as he clapped his hands together. “I’ll go mess with booting up the Powerstations over there, and you focus on the Nikento systems and the Gigabit 7s.”
“Got it,” I reassured him.
I walked over to the small, orb-shaped Nikento system, tapped it lightly on the top, and it sprang to life. As I scanned the shelf for a testing game, I wondered what Tony would pick. Would he want a strategy game or another fighting game? I thought about getting his attention from across the store so he could walk over and assist me, but then I realized I would have to deal with my heart beating strangely again, and I’d have to look at his handsome face and listen to his voice. He would probably say something clever, or try to get me to laugh, or maybe he would run his fingers through his thick dark hair, and I would find myself staring into his eyes when he spoke.
I shook my head and focused on the task at hand.
Grindhouse Chronicles sounded like a family-friendly game. It had a man with an axe on the cover standing in the forest, so I assumed he would be chopping down the trees to make homes for his family. I snatched it off the shelf, tossed it into the machine, and then moved onto the next set of systems.
Then I thought about Tony again. Should I call him over to help me pick a game for this system? I knew he would assist me, but I sighed when I realized I’d already thought through a similar scenario a mere ten seconds ago. Why was I repeating the same thought patterns about him over and over in my mind? It didn’t make any sense, and I silently cursed the human DNA Mother had used to make me.
We’d left things in a strange place last night, but I needed to get Tony alone again so I could ask him about anyone else who might be his lover. Perhaps this time, with a bit more coercion, he would finally give me what I needed.
And then, I could fulfill my duty and end my existence.
Chapter 7- Tony
Oh, God, there she was.
I watched as Hannah walked through the doors of Carmichael’s, and her creamy, yet tan, skin shimmered as if it had been kissed by the morning dew.
I watched as her and Renee walked over to the cash registers and began to chit-chat, and my heart slammed in my chest with every step the blonde angel took.
Then I sighed and looked down at my feet.
I’d been a total idiot the night before, thinking she wanted to kiss me. I should have known better than to expect that sort of affection on the first date, even if she seemed like she was having a great time. I had rushed things, and it might have cost me my one and only chance with the golden-haired goddess.
From across the store, I saw Hannah glance in my direction and then quickly look away.
Yep, she definitely still felt awkward about last night.
I sighed again as I pulled out a container of canned air from the small desk in my section, and then I set to work spraying down the machines. Tiny particles shot out from the crevices of the laptops as I assaulted them with a blast of cold air, and I nearly gagged just thinking about what they could possibly be. Customers were filthy beasts, and lord knows how many of them had their grubby hands on these things yesterday.
Once the debris was cleared, I snatched up a microfiber cloth and some foaming electronics cleaner, and then I wiped down the screen of each device. Soon, they all looked like they were as good as new.
At least I could try to take some pride in my work, even if things weren’t going so hot for me on the romantic front.
Suddenly, I heard Renee raise her voice. I couldn’t make out everything she was saying, but I distinctly recognized the words “write-up.” Mostly because I was always getting those from Darren, usually over petty shit like forgetting to sweep one corner of the store or not putting every single Blu-Ray back in alphabetical order.
I glanced over and saw Hannah stomp away from the scene and walk over to where Kevin was working on the systems. Then my heart fluttered in my chest as realization swept over me.
Renee.
Did Hannah just spill the beans about what I’d said last night? The blonde manager wore an intense scowl on her face, and her body language told me she was angr
y beyond belief. Then she tossed down her notebook and stormed off toward the back of the store in a huff.
Damn. Whatever Hannah had said to her must have really gotten under her skin, because Renee almost never talked to Darren willingly.
I continued with my morning routine, powering on all the machines in my section and then organizing the shelves so they looked completely unscathed.
What the hell did closers even do the night before?
A few minutes later, the first few customers ambled through the door. They were a sweet-looking elderly couple who walked arm-in-arm, and they wore clothes that looked like they belonged on a tropical cruise.
Hannah was on them almost instantly, before Kevin or I even got the chance to react. The platinum blonde woman gave the couple a half-smile as she listened to their questions thoughtfully.
All the while, I just stood there and marveled at her beauty.
“You, uh, have a stroke or something?” Kevin’s high-pitched voice interrupted my thoughts. “You’re looking pretty statue-like, bud.”
I shook my head as I broke out of my trance and then turned around to face my friend.
“I’m good, man,” I reassured him. “I was just thinking about last night with Hannah.”
Kevin’s face contorted into a cringe as he patted me comfortingly on the shoulder.
“I heard about it from Hannah,” he admitted. “My condolences, Tony.”
“What did she tell you?” I groaned.
“She didn’t tell me anything, really,” he shrugged, “that’s how I know it didn’t go well.”
“But it did go well!” I protested. “At least, it was going well up until the last few minutes.”
“Welllllll?” Kevin prompted as he folded his arms on the shelf in front of him and leaned in. “Don’t leave me hanging, give me the deets.”
“Hannah came over around eight, and we sat around and talked for a little bit,” I explained. “She was staying really reserved and quiet until she caught a glimpse of my computer.”
“‘The Beast,’” Kevin grinned ear-to-ear, “I knew that thing was gonna get you laid sooner or later. You may as well call it ‘the sexy beast.’”
“Unfortunately, that didn’t happen,” I sighed. “But could you imagine? A girl like that sleeping with a dude like me?”
“Awww, don’t be so hard on yourself,” Kevin muttered. “You know damn well you’d be a catch for any babe out there.”
“Anyway,” I continued as I tried to ignore his words, “we ended up playing Fatal Fire and Blood Alley, and she was actually pretty damn good. Like really good. I only beat her by the skin of my teeth after I pulled out all the stops.”
“Platinum blonde hair and good at video games?” Kevin whistled.
“Not just good,” I clarified. “She said she’d never played Fatal Fire and Blood Alley, and I believed her because she didn’t even know how to hold a controller, but within a few minutes she was almost like a pro. It was crazy.”
“Dude, you found a keeper. Continue.”
“After the games, I had some Thai food brought to my place, and she seemed to really like that,” I resumed, “but then she wouldn’t stop pressing me about my love life. And who I may or may not be into.”
Kevin turned his head to the side, puzzled. Then his eyes went wide, and he covered his mouth in shock.
“Nooooo,” he groaned. “Tell me you didn’t let her know you have the hots for Renee.”
I let out a deep sigh and nodded.
“And, to make things worse,” I mumbled, “I think Hannah may have just told her.”
“Duuuuuuuddddddeeee,” Kevin whistled. “If that’s the case, you might be in some deep shit.”
“I know,” I agreed, “but then I kinda fucked up.”
“Oh?” my friend asked as he preemptively began to cringe.
“I kissed her,” I stated.
“How is that bad? That’s awesome!” he exclaimed. “First base on the first date! I love it. You got balls, bro.”
“Yeah,” I admitted, “but she pulled back and stared at me like she’d just seen a ghost. Then she mumbled about needing to get going and took off out of my place like a bat out of hell. I’m wondering if I took things too fast?”
“No way, my man,” Kevin scoffed. “In fact, what you had there was a classic case of what I like to call ‘the revelation.’”
“Sounds biblical,” I laughed.
“When it comes to relationships, it is,” he shot back. “When you two kissed, Hannah must have realized she was way more into you than she originally thought. That made her embarrassed to even be around you, so she skedaddled. Usually, they’ll come around in a day or two and call you back, but, uh, well … the two of you kinda got to deal with things right now. Since you work together and all.”
“You really think that’s what happened?” I asked curiously.
“No doubt, no doubt,” my friend promised as he nodded his head.
“So, you think I have another shot?” I questioned. “I felt like we had a really good connection, even after I told her about Renee, so I went for it, but--”
“Bro.” Kevin let out a small laugh as he walked over and put his arm around me. Then he nodded coyly over to where Hannah was working on the video game systems.
Today, her blonde hair was less done-up and appeared to be somewhat frizzy, but she made it work. It was almost like a spotlight shone down upon her, but then I realized her beautiful hair was catching every particle of fluorescent light and bouncing it back like a polished mirror.
Damn, I really, really, really liked her.
“My friend, listen here,” Kevin finally explained as he gestured calmly with his hand. “Even if you thought you didn’t have a second chance with that gorgeous creature over there, wouldn’t you give it a shot anyway? What’s there to lose?”
“Well,” I chuckled awkwardly, “if her interaction with that customer from the other day is any indication, I could literally lose my life.”
“Naw,” Kevin reassured me. “Hannah was probably just having a bad day when that old dude pissed her off. She’d never hurt you. That’s like, the total opposite of what she wants to do, if ya get my drift.”
“I dunno,” I sighed, “do I really want to jump right into one of those ‘will-they-or-won’t-they’ relationships? Those seem like waaay too much work.”
“Tony, Tony, Tony,” Kevin said as he shook his head, “my man, you’re reading way too much into this whole situation. There is no ‘will they or won’t they.’ You aren’t freaking Ross and Rachael.”
“Yeah,” I joked, “Ross makes me look like Keanu Reeves by comparison.”
“There ya go!” my friend exclaimed in a voice way too loud for my liking. “That’s the kinda self-confidence you need if you wanna be with a woman like that. Now, as I was saying, this isn’t a ‘will they or won’t they’ sorta thing. No, nooo. This is a ‘when are they gonna bang’ sorta thing.”
I felt my face grow red at the thought.
“Please,” I guffawed. “Me and Hannah? ‘Banging?’”
“I mean, you kissed on the first date.” Kevin shrugged. “Who knows what’ll happen on the second? Hell, by the fifth one y’all might have children!”
“Very funny,” I shot back with a dirty look.
“Just saying,” he chuckled. “You’ll never know if you don’t go ask her out again.”
“I’ve discovered she’s into Thai food … ” I pondered aloud. “And she likes talking about computers and playing video games … ”
“Man,” my friend shook his head, “you hit the jackpot.”
“Yeah,” I sighed.
“A woman who looks like that and likes to do nerdy shit like we do? There are a million guys out there who would kill to be in your position.”
“That’s kinda why I don’t think she’s into me,” I said with a nervous chuckle. “I mean, why me? I’m pretty normal.”
“Naw bro,” my buddy whispered. “Lo
ok, I thought I was good at video games until I played you. There is something in you that makes you a savant at them. But also, you are super nice and down to Earth. Why wouldn’t a woman like that want to be with you?”
“She actually seemed really mad when I won,” I explained. “I really don’t want every single date we go on to be me beating her at video games. That’s not exactly a good relationship builder.”
“I think you may just need a change of venue,” Kevin suggested as he rubbed at the stubble on his face thoughtfully. “I got it! Take her to the movies.”
“I don’t even know what genre she likes,” I sighed. “Like, I don’t want to take her to a horror movie if she’s into chick flicks, or vice versa.”
“Tony, it doesn’t matter what you take her to,” my friend reassured me. “That’s not the point of the movie date. The point is that it’s dark and cramped in there, so she’ll be forced to snuggle up with you. And if things go realllly well … let’s just say you might want to come prepared. But, like the journey of a thousand miles, it all begins with a single step. And that step is walking over there and asking Hannah out again!”
“What about Renee?” I pondered aloud. “She seemed pretty pissed off after talking to Hannah, and I really don’t want things to be weird with her, either.”
“Well, here’s your chance to clear all that up,” Kevin gulped. “She’s walking this way right now.”
My friend was right. As I turned, I saw the blonde manager stomping toward me with haste.
“Awww shit,” I groaned and whipped my head back around. “I’m really not ready to--”
Kevin must have sensed the awkwardness that was about to happen, because he was already halfway across the store and headed toward a customer on the other side. If this had been a cartoon, he probably would have left a freaking human-shaped cloud in his wake.
“Tony,” Renee said matter-of-factly behind me, “I need to talk to you about something.”
My insides began to tense up. I had a few guesses about what she wanted to talk about, and none of them were good news.
“Heyyyyy, Rene,” I answered in a ridiculously suspicious tone as I turned around to face her. “What’s up?”
