Page 22 of A Cyborg for the Alien Mercenary

She blinked rapidly as she tied off the last knot as if coming out of a trance. Running her left hand over the fresh sutures, she felt the slight ridges beneath her fingertips. The skin around the wound was already less inflamed, and the bleeding had completely stopped.

“This is amazing,” she breathed, twisting her arm to examine her handiwork from different angles. The stitches looked professional, far better than anything she’d thought she was capable of. A chill ran down her spine as she realized how much she didn’t know or understand about herself.

But the voice didn’t give her a chance to admire her handiwork.

Locate home access terminal,it ordered, and a map of the house appeared in her mind. Using it, she made her way to the study and slipped inside. She took a deep breath, picking up the faint scent of cologne. A man’s office, then.

A fleece jacket hung over the back of the chair, and she slipped it on to cover her torn clothing and freshly stitched arm. Family photos on the desk caught her eye—a happy couple with three smiling children. Curiosity shot through her. Did she have a family? The Hargroves were obviously not her real family… and Amanda had called her a robot. Could robots have families?

“Am I a robot?” she asked aloud as she logged into the access terminal. She didn’t even need to hack it. The access code was written on a note stuck to the bottom of the screen. As she logged in, her fingers took over, flying across the keys as she searched for local maps and transport routes.

J10-10M3E physical composition: seventy percent cybernetic, thirty percent biological.

Her breath caught in her throat. “I’m a cyborg?”

Before she could process this information, a voice from the corridor outside the study made her freeze.

“Dad? Are you back already?”

Shit, someonewashome. She glanced at the family photos again. The children in the pictures were much younger than the voice she’d just heard.

With the silent grace of a predator, she slipped out from behind the desk and slid behind the door, holding her breath. A small giggle and the scrape of shoes against the floor said two people were in the corridor.

“I thought you said your dad was away until Monday.” The second voice was young and female, sounding about the same age as the boy.

“He should be. Come on, hurry up before he catches us.”

Jesh let out a silent sigh of relief as the pair moved past. She waited until she heard a door close further down the corridor along with music blaring and then slipped out of the study like a wraith. She padded on silent feet toward the bedrooms, her enhanced hearing picking up the sound of giggles and whispers from behind the closed door. The sounds coming from the other side said neither of the occupants was going to be emerging for a while. Good. She could make her escape.

She crept back into the kitchen, her footsteps barely audible on the cool tile floor. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the room in a harsh glare. Her eyes, squinting slightly against the brightness, scanned the space methodically.

A glint on the granite countertop caught her attention. She moved closer, her hand reaching out instinctively. Her fingers closed around a set of keys, the metal warm from the sunlight. The keychain clinked softly as she lifted them, and she froze, listening intently for any sign that the noise had alerted someone.

Silence.

Without hesitation, she slipped the keys into her pocket. She turned, her gaze finding the door that led to the garage. Three steps brought her to it, her hand hovering over the handle for a moment before she turned it slowly.

The door opened with a soft click, revealing a dimmer space beyond. The scent of oil and rubber wafted out, and she stepped within, her eyes already adjusting. She smiled as her gaze landed on a dangerous-looking road bike that made her heart skip a beat. The machine was all sleek lines and polished chrome gleaming under the garage’s lights.

NeuroPulse ZX-750, the voice told her.Hybrid plasma-electric engine. Zero to one hundred kilometers per hour in two point three seconds. Top speed: three hundred and eighty kilometers per hour, electronically limited for civilian use.

She nodded. It would do nicely. Very nicely.

Adaptive suspension with neural interface, the voice continued.Adjusts in real-time to road conditions and rider input. Carbon nanotube frame, fifty percent lighter than traditional materials with two hundred percent increased strength.

A smile spread across her face as she swung her leg over the machine. The seat molded to her body instantly. Her hands found the handlebars, and a jolt of recognition shot through her. It felt right, as if she’d ridden this bike or one like it a thousand times before.

Stealth mode available, the voice added.Reduces engine noise by ninety percent and masks heat signature. Active camouflage system can blend with surroundings at speeds up to eighty kilometers per hour.

As she settled onto the bike, more information flooded her mind. The heads-up display projected onto her retina showed fuel levels, speed, and a real-time map of the surrounding area.

Her smile widened, and with a gentle touch, she engaged the engine. The bike purred to life, a low, almost imperceptible rumble. The vibration beneath her was minimal, but she could feel the potential energy coiled and ready to explode into motion.

The garage door whirred to life, slowly rising. Jesh leaned forward, her muscles tensed, ready to bolt. Her eyes widened as a figure filled the opening, blocking her escape.

He was huge. Massive. Her eyes widened.

He wasn’t human. He couldn’t be. No human could be that big.

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