Owen

I pulled my okulus off my head and stared at the message that had come in while I was at school. I had seen who it was while I was still in class, but I thought it must be a mistake. I didn't read it in class because my first thought had been that I had been found out. That I was now known as a murderer. But as I thought about it further, how could anyone besides our little group know and none of them would have told Spencer.

Except maybe Other Vai. I didn't know what to think about him. Vai said he wasn't complete whatever that meant. And I had thought he was a little weird before I even found out he wasn't our Vai. Still, I didn't think he would tell Spencer I killed his mother.

I gathered my courage and opened the message.

«Call me. Be discrete.

I sighed out loud - so loud I checked my closed bedroom door just to be sure my dad didn't hear me. The music coming from his viola didn't stop. I stood up and went into my bathroom just to be double sure. I tilted my head back and stared at the white ceiling. I swallowed.

"He doesn't know I killed his mother," I whispered.

I called.

Spencer immediately picked up. His image was projected through my volo.

"We need to remove all items with peaches or apples off our menu. We've completely run out," he said to someone off screen as he walked through a large kitchen. He didn't wait for an answer as he continued on his way - still not talking to me. I waited as my heart beat heavily against my chest.

Spencer went into a small office. He made sure the door slid shut behind him before he started talking. "Do you think you can get the chocolate back?"

Chocolate? That was what this was about? My heart eased its rapid beat, but the guilt in my stomach twisted.

"It was confiscated by security."

"I know that. Do you think you can get it back? Or some of it back? I'll pay you twenty percent more than my mom paid you on the Remembrance.

That was tempting. More tempting than I wanted to admit. I could recoup my losses with a fraction of the product. I actually had already looked through the public records of the security officers to see if there were any I could bribe. There was one I thought had a high possibility, but that had been forgotten with all the craziness of the Corruption and the light and the Awakened One and Vai's death.

"I don't think I can get all of it at once. I might be able to get a little bit at a time."

"I would appreciate any of it. I'm quickly running out of dessert items."

Appreciate it? The guilt rolled in my stomach and I felt queasy. I hoped it didn't show on my face.

"Just don't sell any on the side," Spencer said. "Please."

"I won't." And I meant it. I killed his mom. It was the least I could do. "I promise every piece of chocolate will go to you."

Spencer paused. "I'm not sure I can trust you, but what choice do I have at the moment. How long will it take? Can it be done by the dinner rush?"

"Today? I doubt it. Possibly tomorrow night. Let me see what I can do, but Spencer, can you put it on your menu? Doesn't everyone know you've already run out of chocolate?"

"You'd be surprised how many people approach me directly asking if I'm keeping any in the back. It's crazy how much they'll pay for it. But then I guess you know that. It's your business."

I couldn't tell from the way he said it if he admired me or hated me or something else completely.

"I'll get back to you when it's done," I said.

Spencer nodded and ended the call.

I looked through my okulus until I found my notes on Security Officer Pereira. She usually worked nights which meant she wasn't on duty yet. I thought about calling her, but decided to message her. If she worked nights she still might be asleep, or she might be up getting ready.

«If I can get you one of the last remaining Silva dolls that survived the battle on Sol II, can you get me my chocolate?

The reply came immediately. I didn't even have time to step out of the bathroom.

«I will do anything if you can get me a Silva doll.

«I don't need anything. Just the chocolate. A little at a time might be best so other security officers don't realize they are missing. I can even give you the empty wrappers to put fake algae chocolate in and replenish the missing supply so no one will realize the count is off. Just don't mix up the fake ones with the real ones. I'm not allowed to make fake algae chocolate so you'll have to do that yourself.

«Deal.

She made the deal without even knowing for sure that I could get the doll? I didn't think security officers were so gullible.

«Can you get me a portion of the chocolate by tomorrow night?

«I'll drop it off after work.

«No. We can't let my parents know. I'll go to your quarters.

«Deal.

I went back into my bedroom. The music still played from the living room. I sent another message to one of my contacts back on Earth.

«You still have the Silva doll from Sol II for sale? Is there something else you want in trade for it?

There wasn't an immediate reply, but I didn't expect there to be.

I stepped into the living quarters. My dad stopped playing.

"Hello, son. How was school today?"

"Fine. I'm going to Shel's."

"Again? Just kidding. I'm glad you have friends."

I did well not to roll my eyes. I never had a problem making friends. Keeping them - yes and I'd never had friends as close as these.

I stepped into the corridor. I took five steps away from my quarters before I realized someone walked behind me. I could feel Adi's fingers around my neck again. I spun as my hands went up to protect my neck. It wasn't Adi Pines back from the dead to get her revenge. It was El. She stood there calmly staring at - I assumed - my panicked expression.

"Hi," I said with a fake laugh in my voice. My hands dropped to my sides.

"Walk with me," she said. She stepped passed me.

I stood there a moment and closed my eyes. Adi was dead. She wasn't going to choke me in the corridor. It was my fault she was dead. My stomach twisted.

"Owen," El demanded.

My eyes shot open and I quickened my step until I walked beside her. I waited for her to explain, but she didn't. We got on to the elevator. She reached out to my okulus. I didn't protest as she turned on my camera distorter. We went to level 3. She nodded as we passed people - mostly engineers. They all nodded respectively back, but other than that, they didn't pay us much attention.

We walked until we reached a door. No one seemed to be in this area. The door was locked, but El connected her okulus to the door lock and the door opened.

"Wait inside," she told me with a low voice.

"A human male will come in about ten minutes. He has the Corruption. I confirmed it myself this morning. Kill him."

"But . . ."

She held up a blue hand. "You helped kill Adi Pines. I know. But you are the only one who has not killed. Not really."

"Why must this be a thing? Why can't I just help? Is it really necessary for each of us to kill to satisfy you?"

Her jaw tightened. Her eyes darkened. I swallowed.

"Friend," I started. Even I could hear the nerves in my voice.

Her eyes made me stop.

"It may not seem like it." She leaned in close and her voice lowered further. "But we are at war. Make no mistake about it. The Corruption will take over all of us or wipe us out. It will be worse than the K'thaktra war. Only a handful of us out of the entire Gathering have the light. Only a handful of us can fight. So we will fight. Even if you are young. Even if you are frightened. Even if you are small. You will fight."

I couldn't argue. I entered the room and turned back around to face her. "Aren't you coming?"

"No. The others did it on their own. So will you."

The door closed and I was left alone.

I took in a deep breath and turned away from the door. The lights had automatically turned on when I entered. It was a small break room. There were two small circular tables. Four chairs surrounded each table. There were two algae food dispensers. There were drawers that held a variety of utensils, plates, cups and bowls. A small bathroom was off to the side. I took a steak knife and a fork from the drawers for a weapon. I sat at the far left table with my back to the door and placed my arms over the utensils.

I waited. And waited.

The door opened.

"Man, what I day I've had," a male voice said from behind me.

I wasn't sure he spoke to me so I didn't say anything.

"Are you from the Armstar or Fallfrost? I don't remember seeing you before."

He sat next to me.

I maneuvered the utensils so they were hidden in my sleeve. I stood up. "Can I get you something, friend?" I said in my most friendly voice. "Steak and potatoes? Pad Thai? Spaghetti?" I walked behind him towards the algae dispensers.

"I wish I had time to eat all of that," the man said. "Just an algae bar. I only have a 15 minute break."

I got an algae bar from the dispenser.

"What about you?" the man asked. "Aren't you getting yourself something?"

"I just finished eating, friend." I placed the algae bar in front of him and moved behind him. I pulled out the steak knife. I aimed it for the back of his head, but hesitated. I didn't want to kill anyone.

He spun around, stood and grabbed my wrist. The chair he just sat in clattered as it fell on it's side. Pink was in his eyes as he towered over me. He took the knife from my hand. How had he known?

Only then did I remember Minmin's words that the Corruption now recognized us. I put a yellow light shield around me as he brought the knife down to my neck. It stopped inches away from my skin. I grabbed his wrist. Flames shot out and engulfed his arm. He twisted away from me and patted out the flames. It wasn't enough of a fire for the fire detectors to go off.

"Please," I said, "I don't want to kill you." I couldn't do it. Someone else would have to do it.

A weird smile touched his lips. "But I do want to kill you. They want me to kill you." He closed his eyes a moment and his smile widened. His eyes flashed open and he rushed me.

I stepped back, but I tripped over the chair. He came down over me. The knife hovered over my stomach. I shook my head, pleading. I pushed his arm away with both of mine, but his other hand curled around my head. My head lifted barely before it was bashed into the ground. I centered my shield around my head. The realization came too late that this was what he waited for. Sharp, red pain spread through my side as the knife sliced through me.

I looked towards the door. Surely, El would come in and save me now. The door remained closed. The man on top of me was heavy. My blood spilled out. My head was still dizzy from the blow to the ground even with my shield up.

This man had already slipped through my shield. I moved my shield so it encompassed him and me. I burned. My entire body became flames. My shield kept the flames in and the fire detectors unaware of the fire.

The man cried out. He tried to get away from me, but I wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug. Tears evaporated as soon as they touched my cheeks. I didn't want to do this. Pink Corruption came out of his ears, mouth and nose. My shield kept them in too. They didn't even try to attack me. They only wanted to get away from the flames. They were trapped. They burned.

I held The man until he stopped screaming - until his body was nothing but ash. There was nothing left of the pink Corruption.

I put away my shield and my flames. I wiped away at the tears on my cheeks that had already evaporated. I stood and held my side. I thought my flames would cauterize the wound, but they hadn't. Even though I had burned, my flames never really hurt me. I guess they didn't heal me either. I stared at the ashes on the ground that had mingled with my blood. I didn't have a handheld sweeper like Esther did. I wasn't sure how to get rid of the evidence.

The door opened.

"I didn't . . ." I had started to say it wasn't me, but it was El. She had that smile on her face that was a combination of proud warrior and proud mom.

"You did well," she said.

"You were here all along? Why didn't you help me?" Blood seeped through my fingers as I held my sliced side.

"You're hurt," she stated without emotion. "Lieutenant."

Lieutenant Tanpo entered the room. The door closed behind her. I didn't know why her appearance was the thing that caused my legs to give out, but they did. I fell to my knees on the man's ashes. Ashes floated up and I accidentally breathed some of them in. I didn't even know the man's name.

"Take him back to my quarters," El said. "I'll follow as soon as I clean this up. Here put my cloak over your wound." She unclasped her cloak and handed it towards me. I stared at it. Lieutenant Tanpo took it from her. She bent next to me and helped me to stand.

I wasn't sure if it was the blood loss or guilt, but my stomach roiled with nausea. My body shook. The dizziness hadn't ever completely gone away.

"Is this really necessary?" I asked the lieutenant. "Do we really have to kill them? Is there really no other way?"

"There is no other way," El said. But I hadn't asked her.

"There is no other way," Lieutenant Tanpo said more gently. She folded up the cloak and draped it over my arm to hide the blood and anyone watching would just think I was carrying a cloak. They wouldn't know I held it to hide the blood. I was truly a killer now.