Page 2 of Rok's Captive
“Of course, I did the checks,” I almost growl. To think she’d actually question if I did the checks! “I verified the number on the job post, Jaqs. It matched. It’s the same one on the EXA website. And I researched the organization. EXA. Earth-Xyma Alliance. I mean, we see them on TV all the time. I even looked up their headquarters. It’s that iconic white building in Washington. Not some tent in a sketchy back alley. The website said they’ve partnered with the government to keep humans productive.”
“Productive.” Jacqui says the word like it tastes like dirt as she dodges some man who is walking like he owns the entire sidewalk. She sighs again as we reach the next block and cross the street.
I know why she’s questioning this so much. It’s the Xyma. And even though they’ve turned out to be a peaceful race, it’s still hard to trust them completely. They’re aliens after all. Far more advanced than us. They could have crushed us like bugs when they arrived, but they didn’t. Regardless of that they’re still, well,aliens.
“They’re paying how much again?” she asks after a few moments.
“Ten thousand.Ifwe’re accepted. Then a grand a day after that until the research ends.” Jacqui’s head snaps in my direction, eyebrows shooting above her shades. I hurry on. “I’m not too sure about that part. Maybe I didn’t read it right. But even if it’s a tenth of that it’ll be more than enough for rent and food…if I can get them to give us an advance, that is.” I bite my lower lip, thinking. “And if we make a good impression, maybe they’ll keep us on. We could save until we find more stable jobs. Maybe in one of those new Xyma factories.”
“Landing one of those jobs is rarer than a bitch with three clits.”
I snort. “So two isn’t rare enough?”
Jacqui releases a chuckle before shaking her head. “The Xyma have thousands of robots. Their factories don’t need us. Heck,theydon’t need us. I’m surprised they’re helping us at all.”
I bite my lip. She’s right, of course. But that’s why we need this job. We need the money. Things are only going to get harder out here.
Jacqui groans, head tilting forward, and I know she’s looking at her outfit again. No more questions come from her lips though; she’s resigned to putting her best foot forward just like I am. Neither of us has been able to land a job despite constantly applying for over eight months. We have no savings. We’ve sold and pawned every single possession we could part with.
There’s nothing left. Nothing apart from Mom’s butterfly earrings attached to my ears and neither of us is selling those.
“I guess it won’t be so bad, right?” Jacqui murmurs. “Who doesn’t want to work with aliens and get paid to do it?”
I swallow down my emotions, knowing she’s thinking about the same thing I am. That this is our last shot before our landlord demands payment in ‘alternative means’. We’d rather die.
Shit. We really are fucked. In the ass. Zero lube.
My pace slows down as I scan the street. By my side, Jacqui sobers up and a heavy sigh weighs down her shoulders. Those mothering hormones kick in even though she’s only a year younger than I am. I guess we’ve both learned to mother each other since Mom passed over a decade ago. “Cheer up, Jaqs. I’ll buy you ice cream later.”
She snorts and punches me in the side with her elbow. “I’m not a fucking child.”
“Ah, so youdon’twant ice cream then? Strawberry with chocolate syrup? Hmm…guess I’ll just have to eat it all on my lonesome.”
“Hey, I never said Ididn’twant it!”
“Thought so.” I chuckle as I frown, scanning the street ahead.
“What are you looking for, anyway? I thought you said we’re going to the EXA.”
I shake my head. “No, we’re not going to the headquarters. There’s supposed to be a shuttle taking us to the research facility.”
Her eyebrows rise again. “Really…I guess that doesn’t sound too bad for a ride to Washington.”
“Not Washington. We’re going to Arizona. They said we’d be transported there.”
“Arizona?!”
I give Jacqui a tight-lipped grin. Arizona’s like a death sentence in this heat but, well—again—we have no choice. It’s either this or joining the growing number of people setting up tents along the curb.
“There it is!” I spot the white bus just as it pulls into the bus stop and I’m kind of glad when Jacqui turns her focus to the bus instead of me. “EXA” is emblazoned on the side in big dark letters over an alien script. I don’t know, but it dispels some of my nerves seeing the text there.
“Damn, you’re actually right. They really sent transportation,” Jacqui mutters as I tug her along with me. We hurry together, my eyes widening when I realize all the people at the bus stop seem to be waiting for the same ride. Glancing back at Jacqui, her lifted brows tell me everything I need to know. We’re thinking the same thing. This is a lot of people. But more than that, this is a nice, new, classy-ass bus. The exterior looks brand new, but what I can see of the interior looks even more impressive. Like some futuristic luxury limo or something.
I remind myself this is the Xyma we’re dealing with, not our shitty government who would have made us take public transport and pay for it ourselves, too.
We’re right in front of the wide double doors when they open with a swoosh. I push down the lump in my throat as we step on, but almost stumble at what I see before me. Glancing back at Jacqui, I squeeze her hand hard. Her sister-sister telepathy is fucking on because she gets the gist immediately. Her eyes open wide enough that I see them over the rim of her shades. Before us is the hottest guy I’ve ever seen. The bus driver is all sculpted cheekbones and piercing green eyes. He looks almost too perfect to be human, though I can’t place exactly why. Maybe it’s the way his skin seems to shimmer slightly under the fluorescent lights, or the unnaturally still way he holds himself. Almost inhuman if not for the expensive dark suit he’s wearing. Even in the scorching heat, he’s not sweating.
Xyma? No. He doesn’t look anything like the ones I’ve seen on TV.
