Chapter 3
I would like to dedicate this chapter to all the victims of the recent terrorism and their families/friends. My heart goes out to you.
Fidget’s face crinkled. "What’re you talking about?"
"Well, look at you." Tempest gestured towards her body, and she looked down. Her skin had taken on an almost glowing quality, and she could still picture her hair in all its startling pale blonde-ness. Her clothes looked flat and dull against her oddly bright complexion. She swallowed.
"They won’t care," she said, but the determined sureness was considerably weakened. "They’ll blame you, you’ll get yours!"
The clacking of heels echoed in to the room, and Fidget and Tempest both turned. Asazi appeared in the doorway. She smiled at Fidget.
"So, you’ve spotted that facelift. Believe me, blonde is not your color."
"Obviously, it wasn’t yours either!" Fidget spat venomously. Asazi shrugged, a look of infuriating smugness defining her features. Fidget shook, appearing ready to leap on to Asazi and tear her to bits. Tempest, wanting his spotlight back, cleared his throat loudly. Both females turned to glare at him. He cringed slightly, but stood his ground.
"She still needs to lie down. We don’t know how severe the effects may be!" He yelled at Asazi over Fidget’s head, and Fidget turned to him looking as if these people were not hostile enemies to humanity, but only aggravating partners.
"I do not need to lie down!" she insisted, and her frown seemed set permanently into her face. Tempest glared back at her.
"What if there’s serious damage?! Do you want to be paralyzed for the rest of your life?!"
"If there were serious damage, wouldn’t I feel something?" she queried, crossing her arms and shifting her weight to one hip. Tempest growled slightly.
"Not if you were paralyzed. Paralysis makes you numb to whatever area is below the injury!"
Fidget blew a fuse. "If I were paralyzed, would I be moving?!"
Asazi stood back, watching the two of them face-off. It was odd; there was something about the two of them. It was as easy to picture them destroying each other as to picture them in a passionate embrace. She smiled. If things go according to plan, there may very well be a new source of entertainment around here, she thought, and walked unnoticed out of the room again.
*
Alex flew Little Air across the empty space for the fifth time, nearly skidding the belly of the plane over the dirt. The body was nowhere to be found. Not even a scrap of clothes or (heaven forbid) anything else that could hint its existence. He shook his head and steered the plane back into the dock in Big Air.
Inside, Rikki and Grinder waited for his return. Even Vinnie had turned up to pace across the table in his most agitated way. As Alex entered, Rikki practically tackled him.
"Did you find her?! Where is she?! Where was she?! Why aren’t you answering me?!"
Alex pushed Rikki away as gently as he could while still being effective. "Calm down, Rik. I couldn’t find her body…" He lowered his head and shaded his eyes with his hand. Rikki looked almost hopeful.
"If you couldn’t find it, maybe she’s still alive! Maybe something happened and she’s okay!" He looked from one companion to the next. "Right?"
"Come off it, Rik." said Grinder quietly. Rikki dropped his head, and all was silent once again.
*
Fidget still had the frown on into the day. She sat on the tabletop as Tempest explained his theories on her condition, painstakingly drawing out each detail into its own boring explanation. Fidget had long since ceased to listen to him, and instead only glared at his face. He had done this to her. She wasn’t sure what it was, but it was his fault. How dare he electrocute her in the first place? Even if that stupid rod had worked for her, she wouldn’t actually have shot either Tempest or Asazi.
Would she?
Her own thoughts made her eyes come open a little more. A few hours ago, she would have said a definite no, she wouldn’t kill another human being. Even a sub-standard one. But now, she felt an enhanced hostility towards them for doing this to her, then keeping her locked up in this sterile-smelling room all made of steel. She even felt mad at Alex for not doing anything to find her. Come on, Fidge, she told herself. He’s probably trying to find someway to sneak in and wisk you away while no one’s looking. She frowned again, wishing he’d hurry up whatever he was doing and get her away from this infuriatingly boring child.
She looked up at Tempest again, and was surprised to find he’d stopped talking and was staring back. It made her angry to think he could have been staring at her for any amount of time without her noticing, and she hopped off the table and over to him, swinging her fist into his side in a burst of fury.
"Hey, calm down!" He said, shoving her slight mass away with one arm. She growled and strained against the arm, swinging her fists at him over and over. Tempest laughed at her little show. Was she always this feisty? Or, was it something else?
"Come sit over here." he commanded, pointing to a chair. When she did not oblige, he shoved her into it and slapped her cheek to keep her still. This idea was worth investigating, and he went to get a few pieces of equipment.
The slap had served its purpose. Fidget sat in the cold metal chair, holding her cheek with a dumbfounded expression. He had slapped her. Right in the face. His hands had stung her cheek and a tear involuntarily welled up in the corner of the eye above the spot. She blinked it away hurriedly, and slammed both arms on to the sides of the chair. That had made her mad. Everything was making her mad. She glanced at the chair. Steel, of course. Steel made her angry, too. Jeez, it’s like the worst case of P.M.S. I ever heard of! she thought, and took a breath to calm herself down.