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Chapter Forty-Four
*Dax*
My processors got moreanxious the further away from Poe I got. My fear and anxiety were completely illogical. She was in the lab with my mother. Nothing bad would happen to her there. I needed to focus all my attention on the task at hand. Helping Ever.
I matched Acer’s fast pace and we reached his quarters within moments. As soon as the door opened, I stepped inside, scanning the room for the tiny yellow cyborg.
“Where is she?” I asked, concern in my voice. I started down the hallway, looking for any signs of Ever or her mother, but each room I checked was empty. I spun around and marched back to the living room, dread pooling in my circuits.
Acer still stood by the door, the corners of his lips twitching as he ran a hand over his smooth metallic head. His gold eyes met mine, flashing brightly. “Now, don’t be mad at me,” he threw his hands up, “but I might have lied a bit about Ever being in trouble.”
My heart fell out of rhythm, pounding a frantic beat inside my chest. The fluid coating mouth dried up as my nostrils flared. “You lied? ”My fists curled by my sides as thoughts of smacking his hands away from his face so I could punch it flashed in my processors. “Why?” I snarled.
“I don’t know why everyone assumes you aren’t that scary. This?” He waved a hand over my frame, “thisis fucking scary. Look at you! Holy shit, Science Model, you look ready to tear me apart!”
My lips pulled back to bare my teeth, and I raised my fists before taking another step closer to the clearly malfunctioning Prototype Model. Clearly, he wasn’t taking this seriously.A few direct hits to his skull should help with that,my circuits chimed.
If Acer would have had eyebrows they would have risen. “Wait? Do you want topunchme?” He clapped his hands together. “I knew there was hope for you! Still, you don’t want tofightme, Dax. You could get hurt and I can’t give you back to your female with dents littering your frame.” He released a sigh. “And I would have to endure one of Reaper’s never-ending lectures where he drones on and I think about shutting myself off just so I don’t have to listen to him. So, just lower your fists there, big boy. Let’s both play nice, okay?”
“Your idea of playingniceis to trick me? To make me think that something is wrong with Ever, the little cyborg I love and helped bring into the world? Nothing you are doing isnice!” My frame vibrated with tension. “Now tell me why you lied to me!” I roared.
He leaned against the door and let out another sigh. “We had no other choice, Dax. Trust me, I didn’t want to do it, but Dr. Shaw told me what would happen to Poe without another dose.”
My vision blurred as I clutched at a sudden pain in my chest. “Dose of what?” My voice cracked. I asked, but in my heart I already knew.
Acer shot me a sympathetic look. “You already know.”
“Why?” The room spun as my frame grew hot, my temperature regulation system failing, and I struggled to remain upright. “Move!” I ordered as I raced for the door, determined to fight my way through him if I had to.
He stepped to the side at the last second and I slammed against the door with a sickening crack. Pain tore through my frame and I had to suck in a breath. My processors whirled, informing me that I had sustained no major damage. Unfortunately, I still felt every ounce of pain you would experience at running full speed into a metal door.
“Ouch,” Acer winced.
“Fuck...you,” I wheezed, as I smacked my palm against the reader that worked the door. The indicator light remained red, the locking mechanism refusing to release. My eyes flashed, seeing red.
He merely shrugged. “I might have asked Torque to make a few upgrades to my quarter’s security system. You really shouldn’t run full speed at doors, Science Model.”
I ignored his very unhelpful piece of advice in favor of plowing a fist into his half-finished face, enjoying his moan of pain. My hand throbbed, but I barley registered it, too consumed with my need to get to my female. “Open it!” I hissed.
Acer cradled his jaw, a grin teasing the corners his mouth. “First one is free.” He squared his shoulders, raising his fists. “Wanna go again?”
I wanted to. Ireallywanted to, but fighting with Acer was only wasting precious time. I shook my head as worry for Poe overtook the anger. I fought back the fluid that attempted to fill my eyes. “Please, Acer. I have to get to her.” All the things that could go wrong filled my head and panic sized my circuits. My breaths started coming too quickly and I whimpered. “Let me out.” Warning lights went off in my processors, informing me that my heart rate was nearing critical levels.
A metal hand landed on my arm. “Shit, what the hell is wrong with you?”
“Panic...attack,” I panted.
