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Chapter Thirty-Four
*Dax*
The weight of the needlefelt heavy in my palm. My hand threatened to start shaking, but I forced calm through my circuits. Then I remembered how bad the upgrade hurt Iris and Aria and it evaporated. My frame shuddered.
Poe’s frame was stretched out on one of the exam tables. The image of Aria collapsing to the ground had been burned into my processors. The exam table seemed to be a good solution to that problem.
A warm hand gripped my wrist. “Dax?”
I searched her eyes. “Do you remember my warning?”
“That this is going to hurt like hell and to expect nothing but agony until it’s over? Yep. Kind of hard to forget something that. Still want to do it.”
I scrubbed my free hand over my face. “Why? I’m not sure I want to do it!” I sucked in a calming breath, trying to find the courage to do what Poe had asked of me.
Her hand tightened on my wrist. “Because this is the only way I get to have forever with you. Do I want to experience agony? Wasn’t on my to do list, but forever with you is, and this is the only way. I trust you, Dax. I trust what you created. You’re not called brilliant for no reason. One tiny stick and it will be done. Finished. We get to ride off into the sunset and I’ll be yours until,” she paused as she gave me a smile that short circuited my programming. “Well, after this there will be no until.”
Faith and love shone in her eyes. Poe had braved the wrath of the cyborg rebellion to find me. She was willing to brave the pain of the upgrade to spend forever with me. I had no choice but to do this. Iris, Aria, and Marley were fine. The initial pain had been worth it they had told me. They had even thanked me for giving them forever with their cyborgs.
I felt my mood lighten. It still drove my circuits crazy to know I would be causing Poe pain, but my desire to spend forever with her outweighed it. Iris, Aria, and Marley were examples that my formula worked.
“It would be better if you didn’t watch. I have found most humans don’t like watching big needles come for them.”
Poe laughed as she closed her eyes.
I brushed the hair away from the side of her neck. “Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be. Do it, Dax.”
Poe gave the order and as quick as I could, I injected the contents of the vial, watching the silver liquid swirl and disappear into her skin. Even knowing what was coming next didn’t prepare me for the sight of her body seizing on the table as a scream was torn from her throat.
One minute and thirty seconds.Fifteen more seconds to go.My internal clock had timed Iris and Aria’s transition from beginning to end.Time’s up, my processors informed me. Her body continued to arch and contort, the ragged screams coming from her refusing to cease. My processors froze. Time stopped as I did the only thing my terrified circuits could manage. I flung my frame over hers, caging her in, trying to prevent the harsh, jerky movements of her body from doing her permanent damage.
I grabbed her cheeks. Her once bright hazel eyes were now dull and burned with pure torment. “Poe, can you hear me?” I choked on the words, the taste of fear eating its way through my wires. Her body thrashed under my frame. “Poe?” I screamed, watching in horror as her eyes rolled back in her head.
Over and over I screamed her name, not hearing the frantic sound of heavy footsteps as others came to help. An arm wrapped around my waist, dragging me off the table and away from Poe.
Someone clasped my shoulders, shaking me hard. “Dax focus! You need to help her! Think!”
I tried, a thousand ideas pinging around my CPU like lightning, but still I had nothing. “I don’t...I can’t.” My eyes locked onto Poe’s flailing frame, my heart stuttering inside my chest, and I could only watch as Dr. Shaw rushed in the room and plunged a needle into Poe’s arm. Poe gave one last gasp then fell silent, her body dropping with a thud onto the exam table.
I stood frozen, every system flashing critical, my processors ravaged by the fear I had just killed the female I loved.
“Dax, look at me,” Dr. Shaw ordered, and I dragged my eyes away from the sight of Poe’s too still frame lying on the table.
Dr. Shaw’s eyes met mine. “She’s alive, Dax. Poe is alive.”
“I didn’t kill her?” I whispered, my eyes filling with fluid, needing reassurance that what I had heard was correct.
“Come see for yourself,” Dr. Shaw gently commanded. I ordered my frozen frame to start moving, stumbling towards the table with fragile hope twisting in my wires. I placed my hand on her chest, the steady thump of her heartbeat under my palm giving me the reassurance Dr. Shaw’s words were true.
Fluid streamed down my cheeks as I cradled her head in my hands, pressing my forehead to hers. “I’m so sorry,” I sobbed, “please forgive me.” I begged. Nothing but silence met my words. Poe’s eyes remained closed, her body so still my processors almost refused to believe she wasn’t dead. It didn’t matter that I could hear her heartbeat or detect tiny puffs of warm air coming from her lips.
I cupped her cheeks, “Poe, please?” Nothing. I grasped her shoulders and shook her gently. “Come on, I need you to wake up now.” My artificial heart started to beat wildly beneath my metal frame. Something was wrong. “Poe? Wake up!” I ordered, shaking her frame a bit harder.
A hand landed on my shoulder. “Dax, sweetheart.”
