The Third Chapter

Rhoa stared at the ceiling, the crevices where the metal sheets came together barely visible in the dark. Kay silently moved her head up his left shoulder, her chin lightly brushing, and nestling at his neck. They were together all night, his alarm blaring only a second before Rhoa turned it off, and morning had come and gone. A light red ting shown upon the far wall, his clock ticking away at the passage of time. Kay sighed deeply, its soothing rhythm the only sound in the room.

“Hey, Kay.” Rhoa softly mumbled.

“Hmm?” Kay hummed in response. Her left eye slightly opened, a soft violet glow upon his neck.

“Don’t you have to work?”

“Zako lets me work whenever. Remember?”

“Oh, right, sorry.” Rhoa paused. “Does it get lonely?”

“Sometimes,” She lightly smiled, “But I have you to recharge.”

“Oh.” Rhoa said flatly, but a smirk formed on his lips.

“Are you thinking of trying it out?” Kay whispered, her words lingering near his ear. Her legs moved around his. “I don’t think it would be good for you.”

“Oh.” Rhoa’s smile disappeared, however, not into a frown. His lips scrunched slightly, perplexed.

 Kay did not give a reason for her objection, but she did not have to, the glint of her violet eye cresting his own. Her soft hand brushed against his chest, stopping right in the center. He did not say anything for a while, just their breathing echoing in the room.

“What do I do then?” Rhoa asked.

“I don’t know.” Kay whispered.

Again, they lay in silence, no humming or rattling of mechanical loaders – just blankness.

“You know, you can ask me to quit.” Kay said.

“Your job? But then you won’t be able to make any Zux. And what about Zako? He wouldn’t be happy.” Rhoa said.

“Zako will say it’s okay, especially if you ask me.” Kay said.

“Me? Why?”

“He likes you. He told me that he had a dream about you after you met. Said that you gave him ideas. In exchange, he had to fulfill some conditions.”

“Condition?”

“He had to treat us right. Not that he’s really been that bad of a guy to begin with, but he did get more careful watching after us. He hired that Zealot gang to always be around.”

“Maybe, he’s just nice?”

“Maybe, he did help you get off that implant.”

Rhoa gave a slight grunt. “Yeah.”

Rhoa felt Kay’s breath on his neck, edging ever closer to him.

“I want you to ask me.” Each word brushing against his skin.

“Will you quit your job, for me, please?” Rhoa asked and he felt her smile.

“Okay, only because you asked.” Kay said. “We should move, go somewhere else. I heard there’s a level further down that’s entirely made of fields and trees.”

“We can’t leave without a ride down, and I don’t have a lot of Zux.” Rhoa said.

“I do, that’s what I’ve been saving for. I know someone who could give us a ride.”

“What about Pap?” Rhoa asked.

“He can come, of course, I like Pap.”

“It would be nice to get away from this. I’m sure he’d like it too.” Rhoa said.

“There’s just one condition.”

“Oh?”

“You have to shave.” Kay smiled.

“Oh, come on. I like it. I’ll have to rethink this deal then.” Rhoa jokingly said. They both laughed.

Kay brought herself up, her breasts barely hidden beneath the sliding cover. She slipped over him, her naked feet pressing against the floor.

“I’m using your toilet and shower.”

Rhoa slightly nodded, watching her, then turning his attention to the ceiling again. Her warmth resonated against him, like she had never moved. He thought about what she had said earlier. He’s never been very good at anything, never talented. He is, however, okay at most things. He can pick up things easy, but he never excelled. He just isn’t motivated, Rhoa thought. He closed his eyes, hearing the rushing water, and focused on drowning the sound out.

Rhoa could use that implant right now, it helped him get motivated, but it had side effects.

“You know.” Kay stood by him, a towel draped over her shoulders, with a holo-frame in her hands; water dripping from her shoulders and hair. The drawer was open on the metal stand, his alarm still blaringly red.

“You can’t repress this forever.”

“I don’t. That’s why I keep them close.” Rhoa said, opening his eyes.

“In your drawer, with your underwear?”

Kay placed the holo-frame on the stand. Like the one in Pap’s room, but it had everyone – Pap, Rhoa’s parents, a younger Kay, and a younger Rhoa. “I still remember your parents, more than mine. I hardly remember them.”

“I don’t think I ever met yours, or I just can’t remember.” Rhoa said.

“I wish I had a photo to show you.” Kay said quietly.

Kay examined the photo closely, smiling as memories drifted closely, then her smile faded.

“How long has it been?” Kay asked.

“Ten years.” Rhoa replied.

They said nothing to each other, and Kay placed the photo on the stand.

Kay bent over by the stand, picking up her clothing and dressing. Rhoa brought himself up, her back against his right leg as she slipped on her shoes. He placed a hand on her back, the dress between his fingers, then moving to her naked neck and rubbed.

“You’ll have to find something else to wear if we’re going to a forest.” Rhoa said, his eyes straying to her shoes.

Kay smiled and stood, a bit of excitement brightening her already vibrant violet eyes.

“I’m going to talk to Zako. Don’t leave without me.” Kay said and slipped through the door.

 Rhoa pushed himself over the bed, his feet resting on the cold floor; the light from the kitchen radiated through the doorway.

“Oh, good morning, Kay!” Rhoa heard Pap say.

“Good morning, Pap.”

“Off to work, are we? How about breakfast first?”

“No, thanks. Actually, I’m going to talk to Zako about quitting.”

“Oh? Good luck, be careful!” Pap said as she left.

Rhoa stood up and got dressed, then walked out into the kitchen.

“Good morning, Rhoa!” Pap said almost howling.

“You’re awake and making breakfast?” Rhoa said surprised.

“Actually, it’s mid-day, and it’s not hard. Just throw the plate with the bag in the food-waver and instant scrambled eggs.” Pap said, and then asked: “Why is she quitting?”

“Uh, I’ll tell you. Why don’t we eat, and then talk? I’m starving.”

“Okay, whatever works for you.” Pap said then slid the next instant-egg bag into the food-waver, and it cooked a little longer than an instant.

They sat down in the living room, a lamp sitting beside the couch on a stand lightly illuminating the room. They watched Outlaw, and the news about nothing important, their instant scrambled egg bags steaming as they ate.

“She said,” Rhoa started saying, taking one last bite of his scrambled eggs, “She wants me to go with her. Said, we should find someplace else other than here. Someplace with woods and fields. You’re coming with.”

“Oh? You can’t go anywhere without a ride down.”

“She said she knows someone.”

“What about Zux?”

“She said she’s been saving for this.”

“Oh, and you want me to come with you?”

“She said of course.”

Pap finished his scrambled eggs and he sat back in the couch, seeming to mule over something, and then smiling: “She always has a plan. But she didn’t account for something.”

“What’s that?” Rhoa asked.

“I’m not going.”

“What? Why not?”

“I’ve been here too long, Rhoa. My roots have been buried here. Forget about me, go with her. You two can find someplace, if it’s not here, maybe it’s at one of the colonies.”

“What about you? You don’t have the Zux to support yourself here.”

 “I have some, enough to last awhile. You know the collectors don’t come here, they’ll just hit a button and the power will be off.” Pap said giving a hearty chuckle.

“If the power does go out, I’ll just borrow some from the neighbors.” Pap nudged Rhoa in the ribs with his elbow.

Pap smelled faintly of alcohol, but it was not as intense as it usually was.

“Your mind is made up?” Rhoa looked at Pap, his green eyes clear and glinting in the light.

Pap nodded.

“I think that would be for the best. You two need to get away from a place like this. Away from people like me.” Pap said solemnly, his words cutting through any noise the TV produced.

Rhoa started to speak, but Pap is stubborn. Rhoa rested his chin in his left hand, and his elbow on his left leg, his beard creasing through his fingers.

Pap rested a hand on his left shoulder.

“You should go see about packing your things. I’m sure Kay will be back soon and knowing her she’ll be ready.”

Rhoa hesitantly took away his hand from his face before standing and walking to his room. He felt relieved, but guilty. He wanted Pap to go with them, but Pap always refused to move. Maybe he’s right, perhaps this is for the best, Rhoa thought.

Rhoa entered his room and went to his closet, finding his only traveling bag - old and crummy as he had not touched it since he was younger. He packed the essentials and glanced at the holo-frame. The blue lines stretched across the black frame, buzzing at a low frequency. He picked it up and turned the image off, then placed the frame inside the bag. He looked at his sink mirror, remembering what Kay asked him to do, and took a laser razor to his managed beard. His shaven face scared him, like he aged backwards. Rhoa grit his teeth and thought to himself: it’ll grow back.

Rhoa finished packing and opened his door. Making his way through the hallway he could hear Pap talking, but not who he was speaking to. He thought perhaps Kay, however, nearing the living room the voice became clearer, and even more unfamiliar. He turned the living room corner and looked at the doorway. Pap stood in front of a man in a clean white suit. A pair of light blue eyes set upon Rhoa, the man’s black hair cut close to his head. A scar clutched its way up from the left side of the man’s neck and towards the back of his head, just barely going over the end of the left jaw.

“Rhoa Feldmar?” The man asked rhetorically, his voice clear of any emotion and just as cold. “I’m Agent Bruller with the HDA. I have information regarding your parents.”