Page 40 of Human Reform
“Calm?”She spun in her chair to face me, her gray eyes flashing silver.“They made me complicit in something I never would have agreed to!Something I would have fought to prevent!”
Before I could respond, a knock at the door frame drew our attention.Sage stood there, her blonde ponytail swinging slightly as she tilted her head, her striking blue eyes darting between us with barely concealed curiosity.
“Sorry to interrupt what appears to be a heated moment,” she said with that characteristic dry wit of hers, “but could I borrow you for a minute, Daxon?In private?”
I hesitated, not wanting to leave Alora in this state, but the pointed look in Sage’s eyes told me this wasn’t something that could wait.
“I’ll be right back,” I promised Alora, my hand lingering on her shoulder.“Don’t do anything rash while I’m gone.Please.”
Alora’s jaw was still clenched tightly, but she nodded once.“Fine.But we’re not done with this.Not by a long shot.”
I followed Sage through the security center’s main doors into the humid jungle air outside.The twin suns beat down on my neck as we walked several yards away from the building, far enough that no one would overhear.My muscles tensed with each step, already anticipating a confrontation.
“What’s so urgent?”I asked when we were out of earshot, crossing my arms over my chest.
Sage’s blonde ponytail swayed as she spun to face me, her blue eyes narrowing.“I’m going to ask you something, and I need the honest-to-god truth from you, Daxon, not your security protocol bullshit.”
“Fine.”
“If it came down to it, would you choose Alora over the colony?”
The question hit me like a punch to the gut.My jaw clenched.“This isn’t really the time?—”
“Actually, it’s the perfect time,” Sage interrupted, gesturing toward the building we’d just left.“Based on that heated exchange I just walked in on, Alora’s emotions are clearly running high, which means she’s emotionally compromised.”Her voice softened, just barely.“And from what I’ve seen, so are you.”
Heat flooded my face.I looked away, staring into the dense jungle foliage rather than meeting her too-perceptive gaze.I’d never had to hide my feelings before Alora because I’d never had feelings this intense to hide.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I growled.
Sage stepped closer, forcing me to meet her eyes.“Don’t I?I see the way you hover around her and the way you look at her when you think no one’s watching.Hell, you’ve barely been at your workstation for three days, which is very unlike you.You used to practically live in that chair.”
Something snapped inside me then—a tension that had been building since the first moment I laid eyes on Alora.
“I would delete myself if she asked me to,” I admitted, my voice raw.“I’m in love with her, Sage.I would do anything for her.”
The words hung in the humid air between us.I’d never said them aloud before, not even to Alora.But they were true—undeniably, terrifyingly true.
Sage’s expression softened with pity.“That means you’re not thinking clearly anymore.You’re totally emotionally compromised.”
“And?”
“And I should report you to Commander Helix as a liability.”Her tone was gentle but firm.“You know the protocols as well as I do.Mission first, especially when the entire colony is at stake.”
Fear gripped me—not for myself but at the thought of being separated from Alora.Of not being able to protect her.“Don’t.Please.”I reached out, gripping Sage’s arm.“I’ll focus on the mission.I swear it.”
Sage studied my face for a long moment before sighing.“Fine.I won’t turn you in—for now.But you better keep your head clear and focus on what really matters.Fixing this code and stopping our demise.”She jabbed a finger into my chest.“Not Alora and your love life.”
I dropped my hand from her arm, exhaling slowly.“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” she warned.“If I see you putting her above this colony’s safety again, all bets are off.”
I nodded, the tightness in my chest easing slightly.“Understood.”
As we walked back into the security center, I couldn’t help but wonder if Sage had made the right call.Was I putting Alora above the colony?Above the people I’d sworn to protect?
The answer terrified me because deep down, if forced to choose, there might not be a choice at all.Alora had become my primary directive.And that’s exactly what made me a liability to the ultimate protection and survival of this colony.
SEVENTEEN
