Without Hesitation, Talia Jager [warren buffett book recommendations txt] 📗
- Author: Talia Jager
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“A failed one. Too many of the new leaders stayed with the Alliance. I’m sure they’ll try again,” Briar explained. “Tell us what happened on Terronda? What was it like?”
“Horrible,” I answered at the same time Kaci said, “Wonderful.”
Laughing, she questioned, “Which was it?”
Our eyes locked and I answered, “Both.”
We told them about our time on Terronda. I loved watching Kaci tell the stories. She was so animated. I fell a little more in love with her. Soon, I was wrapped up in listening to one of them.
I began to dream a little, thinking of how we could take care of Caspar and find my people. We could cruise around the universe together and have those adventures she always wanted to go on. We would learn everything there was to know about one another. Maybe there could be a happy ending.
Then I thought about the Authority. Even if Caspar was out of the way, we were still fugitives. I couldn’t bring Kaci into a life of living on the run. I wouldn’t. She deserved normal. She deserved happiness. I couldn’t give that to her. I wiped away a tear before anyone had a chance to see it.
“I see the way you two look at each other,” Briar confronted me when I walked onto the bridge.
We were alone, but I still looked around the room to make sure. I was sure she could see the blood rush to my face. “She’s pretty.”
“She’s beautiful. So are you. But it’s more than that.”
“I’m attracted to her. That’s all.”
She huffed and rolled her eyes. “It’s so much more than that, Ever. You need to tell her how you feel.”
“I can’t. She deserves more than a life on the run from Caspar and the Authority.”
“You could have other options. You won’t know unless you talk to her.”
Crossing the room, I went to my control pad. I tapped it a few times and my profile popped up on the screen. It had a picture of me and then a list of things I was wanted for by the Authority. “Theft, destruction of property, assault, murder. This is who I am. Who we all are.”
“Not because we want to be.”
“Do you think that matters to the Authority? Will they wipe away the charges because we didn’t want to be like this?”
“Of course not, but we’re not cold-blooded killers. That means something to her. She understands.”
“Maybe, but the Authority will always be after us and I can’t drag her into a life like that. I have to bring her home and forget about her.”
“Just like that? No matter how either of you feels?”
“It’s what she deserves.”
“I know you think that, but do something for me. Talk to her. Tell her how you feel. See where she stands with all this.”
“Fine,” I agreed, more to get her to shut up than anything. A small part of me hoped that maybe there was a way and maybe by talking to her we could figure it out.
Chapter Nineteen
Akacia
Briar spread out the maps in front of us. “Obviously I can’t map out the whole universe. The most I can tell from the pictures I’ve seen are that the planet can sustain life, but not well. The land looks barren most of the time. I’ve never seen any indications of water on the planet, but I’ve only seen so many pictures.”
I studied the maps. There were a lot of red Xs on planets. “You’ve ruled these out?”
“Yes. Ones that are gas planets, unlivable, or we can verify don’t look like the pictures.”
There were still so many planets without an X. How would they find their people?
“You like Ever,” she said.
Startled, I looked up. “I do.”
“Have you forgiven her?”
I looked out the window and chewed on my lower lip. “Yes. I understand why she did it, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less. I still have nightmares. So, yes, I forgive her, but I still have a lot to work through.”
“She’s been through a lot with Caspar. He didn’t torture her the same way he did you. She feels responsible for all of us and all the people we left behind. After she turned you over to Caspar, she spent days held up in her room crying and having her own nightmares. She doesn’t think we know. She never faltered when we found a way to get to you. I’ve never known her to have feelings for anyone. Not the kind she has for you.”
I wanted to say that I had the same crazy feelings. That I had fallen for Ever the moment I laid eyes on her for the first time back on Valinor. That even though she turned me over, I couldn’t hate her, not really. I tried, but deep down…I couldn’t. I stayed quiet, unsure if I could trust Briar with my feelings yet. I didn’t really trust myself.
“I’d love to see Ever happy. She deserves it.”
Looking back down at the maps, I asked, “How many of your people does Caspar have?”
“Originally about a hundred. Not sure how many are left,” she answered. “My DNA was spliced with a white tiger.”
I looked at her.
“My hair is normally white. I dye it different colors. White is so colorless, ya know?” The corners of her mouth turned up and her blue eyes sparkled.
“I like the pink.”
“Thanks.”
“Were you all born on a planet?”
“I believe so.”
“So suffice to say your families could be on the planet you were born on?”
“It’s entirely possible.”
“Do you remember anything about living there?”
“No.”
“So quick to answer,” I said.
“I was young.”
“Have you tried hypnosis?”
“No. You think something like that would work if we were so young?”
“I think it’s worth trying. One of the space stations might have a hypnotist,” I suggested.
“I’ll look into it. So it doesn’t freak you out that we’re part animal?”
“Does it bother you that I’m part robot?”
Briar laughed out loud. “You’re not part robot. You just have nanites. Not nearly the same thing.”
“And you just have a little animal DNA in you. No biggie.”
The rest of the crew came into the room. “So, Zabe says he has almost everything ready,” Ever informed us.
Zabe confirmed with a slight nod. “I only need one thing.”
“Where do we get it?” Huxley asked.
“The Ignix Station. There’s a guy there. I can make a trade.”
Concern passed over Ever’s face, but she didn’t say anything. She just nodded.
Briar’s fingers were gliding over the control pad. “We can be there tomorrow.” Meeting my eyes, she said, “There’s a hypnotist there.” Briar filled them in on the rest of my idea and they seemed interested.
“Which one of us will go under hypnosis?” Huxley asked.
“I will,” Briar said. “Ever, there’s something I want to buy.”
Ever’s eyebrows arched. “Must be big for you to be asking beforehand.”
“I want to buy an AI.” Briar bit on her lower lip waiting for Ever’s answer.
“You mean a robot?” I asked.
“Essentially, yes. As you know, our computer is very personable. I’d like to download her into a body. She’d be able to assist us better.”
“Very well. If you think you can do that, I’m okay with it.”
“Really?” Briar’s eyes sparkled.
“Sure,” Ever said with a shrug.
Briar threw her arms around Ever and squeezed. “Thank you!”
She sprinted over to the computer and her fingers started flying. Something dinged and she stopped and looked at a different screen. “The results are back on the nanites.”
This got everybody’s attention.
“Akacia’s nanites are specifically healing ones. They are fascinating things. Programmed only to do that one thing.”
“Can they heal anything?” Ever asked.
“Not everything. She can still die. Let’s say your head gets chopped off—”
“Briar!” Ever barked.
“Sorry. I just wanted you to understand that she can die, and this is only speculation because I have nothing to test my theories on, but if something doesn’t kill her instantly, she should heal.”
“Can they be reprogrammed?” Huxley questioned.
It seemed like everyone in the room was holding their breath. Briar continued, “Akacia’s father was brilliant. I tried to reprogram them, but they can’t accept new instructions.”
“Could somebody hack them?” Zabe asked.
“They seem to be hack proof, but it’s possible something could disrupt them.”
“What does that mean?” I inquired.
“I’m still running tests,” she answered. “I would have loved to have known your father.”
Me too, I thought. I had so many questions and hated that I would never get the answers to them. I sat at the table staring at my veins, running my fingers over them, picturing what the nanites looked like and what they were doing.
“Do you want to come to my room tonight?” Ever asked with her eyes on the ground.
Hooking my finger under her chin, I tipped her head up until our eyes met. I smiled and nodded. Words weren’t needed. She took my hand and led me to her room. Nero slipped in before the door closed and made himself comfortable at the bottom of the bed.
Ever handed me a pair of shorts and a tank top, which I took and changed right then and there. Her breath hitched when I dropped my pants. I enjoyed watching her blush as her eyes traveled over my almost naked body. Slowly, I put the top on, but I left the shorts on the bed.
After a long moment, she took off her clothes. I bit down on my lip so hard I almost drew blood. She was absolutely gorgeous. I licked my lips. My mouth had suddenly become dry as I gazed at her body. She was everything that I dreamed of. She was my soul mate.
Ever crawled into bed after me wearing only underwear and a camisole, pressing her body to mine. My heart jumped into my throat with her so close to me. Her hand rested on my hip and after a moment, her fingers trailed up my side. A gasp escaped my mouth when she kissed the nape of my neck, my shoulder, and my back. I melted from the inside out.
I turned toward her and our eyes locked. I cupped her face and ran my thumb back and forth across her lips. Quiet moments like these made me happy.
Chapter Twenty
Everleigh
Being in bed next to her was all I ever needed. If I died right now, I’d die happy. Kaci ran her fingers over my back, making shapes, and designs. Suddenly I realized what she was doodling. She was tracing ‘I’ then a heart then ‘U’ over and over. My breath caught and my eyes pricked. I swallowed against the ball of emotions in my throat.
I woke up the next morning with her arms around me and her breath on my neck. Our legs were tangled under the sheet. I smiled and closed my eyes again, not wanting to move. She stirred and let out a soft moan. Her lips brushed against my neck and trailed from my ear down my shoulder and up again, kissing, sucking, nibbling on my ear. I remembered what she was tracing on my back before falling asleep.
“Oh, Kaci…” I mumbled, trying to turn around, but she stopped me.
“Morning breath,” she giggled, covering her mouth.
I used the bathroom first. Something caught my attention in the mirror. Getting closer, I ran my finger over the small, purple bruise on my neck. With a smirk on my face, I turned around and looked at her. She
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