Page 45 of Treasure of the Abyss

“Yes, why?” Macy glanced over hershoulder.

Jax was staring at the hologram with a scowl. “It seemsunnatural.”

“This is how technology used to be. Most of the holos in your home are probably recordings of realpeople.”

“So,thiswas once a livinghuman?”

“Sam? I don’t know.Maybe.”

Jax’s frowndeepened.

Sam didn’t move save for the occasional blink of his eyes, suit dutifully extended beforehim.

“Should I put the suit on now?” Macyasked.

“If you are ready to venture out of thisplace.”

She was more than ready to see something other than stone walls, but she was also terrified of what awaited beyond them. Fear must’ve shown on her face, because Jax eased himself down to her eye level, placing a hand on herbicep.

“I will not allow anything to happen to you,Macy.”

She searched his eyes — his strange, beautiful eyes — and nodded. She believed him. Trustedhim.

“Sam, I would like to followalong.”

“Great! Please remove all clothing before weproceed.”

Jax’s grip on her armtightened.

“What?” Macy asked, eyes wide as the hologram’s underpantsvanished.

“Is that always…extruding like that?” Jaxasked.

Macy stared at the hologram’s genitals. “Um…” Her brows lowered as Jax’s words registered. “Extruding?”

“Why are you staring like that,Macy?”

Her face warmed, and she quickly looked away. “I…wasn’t expecting that. And if you mean,um…”

“Does it always hangout?”

Macy covered her eyes with a hand. She was supposed to be figuring out how to use the suit, not explaining human anatomy to Jax. “Yes.” She removed her hand and looked at him. “Where else would itbe?”

Without meaning to, she skimmed her gaze down Jax’s body. Why wouldn’t he be curious? Whatever his upper body looked like, his lower half was anything but human. Macy cleared her throat and stoodup.

Jax’s hand fell from herarm.

She clenched the suit’s fabric. “Jax…could you turn around,please?”

“Why? Is there something behindus?”

Laughing, she shook her head. “No, I just need toundress.”

“Why does that require me to turnaround?”

“Because…because I’ll beundressing.”

“That means you will remove your clothing, does itnot?”

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