Chapter 2
Slowly, Harrington slid his fingertips across the screen, flipping through the images. He paused at the most heartbreaking ones—the close-ups. Rows and rows of cages filled with naked, filthy girls, and a few young men. Some of them were very young, maybe only eight or nine, but the majority appeared to be teenagers. They were without a doubt terrified. Harrington pinched and expanded one of the faces of a pretty, dark-skinned girl with frightened brown eyes. He left it there and sat back in his seat to face them.
“Bastard,” Erik mumbled under his breath, his eyes locked on the screen.
Lucas’s jaw tightened as he looked at the images. “That sonofabitch!”
“This is outrageous,” Kaitlyn said, unable to believe what she was looking at. She knew the facts over two point four million people across the world were victims of human trafficking, eighty percent of them were exploited as sexual slaves. Somehow seeing the images blown up made the statistics more real.
“Remember, you’re not on a rescue mission. You are there to detain or remove Vance and get the hell out of there. Human traffickers like him are cunning, dangerous and hard to catch. We’ll send in a rescue team afterwards.”
Kaitlyn nodded once. In and out—as discreetly and expeditiously as possible. The mission should be quick and easy. She tore her eyes away from the images. Caged like animals.
Erik leaned forward, his gaze upon Harrington. “These things never go as planned, and there’s only the two of us. We’ll have no backup?”
Harrington sat back with his fingers forming a teepee, tapping his lips. “Second thoughts, Erik?”
“No. Of course not,” Kaitlyn said hurriedly, not waiting for Erik’s reply. There was no way they were backing out now.
Erik glanced at Kaitlyn and then relaxed in his chair. “No, sir. I just wanted to make sure I was clear on the particulars.”
“As you know, you will be in constant contact with Lucas and myself. If you get in a bind and need to be extracted, there will be a team on stand by.”
“Who sent you the photos?” Lucas asked.
“We have an inside man. And before you ask, no he will not be of help to you once you board the ship. His identity is to remain a secret. It took a very long time to get a man embedded in Dasvoik’s operation. He may come in handy later.”
“When are we leaving?” Kaitlyn asked. She was anxious to get started. With a quick glance back at the monitor, she thought about what Harrington said, about it not being a rescue mission. If there was any way possible she knew she would help them escape, regardless of Harrington’s orders.
“We’ll be flying on our private jet to the isolation facility. From there we will get more information.”
“And where exactly is that?” Erik asked with a slight tilt of his head.
“Undisclosed location,” Harrington said, firmly closing the conversation.
“Will Lucas be going?” Kaitlyn asked. This was the first she’d heard of an isolation facility. She had wrongly assumed they were going straight to Croatia.
“Yes. Myself, Lucas and Professor Adams will all be joining you.”
Kaitlyn kept her face neutral, but she was relieved to know he would be joining them. She wondered if Quess already knew and that’s why she offered to feed the cat.
“Olivia would like to see you before we depart,” Harrington said, glancing at Kaitlyn, before he picked up the papers spread out on his desk, and neatly placed them back in the folder.
“Fine.” Kaitlyn wasn’t sure what she thought of Dr. Chambers. She knew the woman wanted to help her, but she was still apprehensive when it came to their sessions. Why did she need to see her right before they left? It would only delay their departure. But Kaitlyn knew better than to argue with Harrington.
She stood up and slipped out the door, effortlessly making her way down the long hallway towards Dr. Chambers’ office. She could hear Lucas and Erik’s footsteps echo behind her on the marble floor. It occurred to her that she hadn’t said goodbye to Harrington.
Dr. Chambers’ office sat off to the left at the end of the long hallway. Kaitlyn actually enjoyed being in the main office building on the compound. It was full of color, a stark contrast to the laboratory where she spent most of her time, where everything was sterile and stark white.
It occurred to her that footsteps no longer echoed behind her. Lucas and Erik must have veered off at the main entrance.
Absently, her hand touched the mocha colored wall, and she paused to take in one of the unusual abstract paintings. The splatters of colors spoke to her for some reason. It was almost as if she could feel the despair of the artist.
She shook her head and wondered where that thought had come from. Perhaps the artist had been jubilant when he or she put the paint to paper. Kaitlyn couldn’t begin to know what was on someone else’s mind, let alone someone she had never met. She couldn’t evaluate their social cues or speak directly to the artist.
Why had her mind wandered down this path?
She dropped her hand and continued down the hallway. The silence enveloped her and sent a wave of calmness through her. Knowing that she was about to embark on a mission that would put an end to an evil man filled her with a sense of peace. A kind of peace she had not known since the day she woke up and noticed the teal plastic on her arms. Kaitlyn cringed, recalling the distressing day she realized she’d been turned into a cyborg. The day her life crashed down around her.
She didn’t like to think of the countless hours she’d spent in the hospital bed, and later in the lab, constantly hiding the fact that she was terrified, alone and full of despair. Lucas and Quess were the only people who treated her like she had at least once been a human being. Their kindness had meant the world to her, even though she could not acknowledge her feelings.
Of course, when the opportunity presented itself, Kaitlyn escaped the confines of the compound, only to find herself even more alone and frightened. Faced with her past, Kaitlyn realized her old life had ended and decided to embrace the second chance at life that a cruel twist of fate had presented to her. A chance to make a difference.
Harrington had crossed every moral line when taking advantage of Kaitlyn’s passing. No one understood why she still possessed certain feelings and emotions. Quess believed that they made the exchange so quickly after her death that her soul still lingered. A teenage girl was the only one to come up with anything even remotely plausible as an explanation.
Whatever the reason, Kaitlyn was grateful. Secretly, she relished the idea that her soul might still be intact.
The large wooden double doors loomed up ahead.
Hopefully, the session would go quickly. Her processors kicked up and quickly leveled out as the realization hit her that it was finally time.
Something good had to come out of her transformation. If she could help others, it was well worth the loss of her old life. It thrilled her beyond belief that she was inching closer to putting her skills to good use. All of the hours of training had not been in vain.
But, first she had to get through this meeting with Dr. Olivia Chambers.
Kaitlyn walked into the waiting area. A cursory glance told her the secretary was not at her desk, or anywhere in the immediate area, so she proceeded to enter the doctor’s office without knocking and closed the door behind her. She was immediately accosted by the floral sent of the doctor’s perfume, Shalini, nine hundred dollars a bottle. The doctor, like Harrington, had expensive taste.
Dr. Chambers looked up from behind her desk, her fingers pausing over the keyboard. Her dark brown hair was down today, in loose curls around her face. For some reason, the look made her appear less abrasive. Usually, she wore her hair up in a bun and out of her face. Kaitlyn briefly wondered if changing her hairstyle might make her less robotic. She pushed the thought aside, because she often wore her hair down.
“Good morning, Kaitlyn. It’s wonderful to see you, but what did you forget?”
Steps faltering, Kai
tlyn did a quick scan of her mind, trying to comprehend what she’d done wrong this time. She’d only been in the room two point two seconds. There was no secretary. Dr. Chambers had requested to see her. Whatever she had done wrong completely escaped her, which was quite frustrating.
It always bothered her when she didn’t live up to the doctor’s expectations. She looked forward to the praise Dr. Chambers gave her each time she learned a new nuance of human behavior. Kaitlyn found she pushed herself harder to try to impress Dr. Chambers, but there were consistently minuscule things she couldn’t seem to grasp. It was as if her mind rebelled by telling her they were not important enough to retain. Which was absurd, since her brain was filled with innumerable pieces of useless information. She could speak several languages fluently, and yet she continued to remain socially awkward. It hardly seemed fair.
“I’m not sure. What did I forget?”
“You have to knock before you enter the room. If you do not, it’s considered invading someone’s privacy.”
Kaitlyn filed the comment away and nodded her head in understanding. Often, it felt like she would never learn all the rules of society. She’d made the same mistake in Harrington’s office. Lucas tried to warn her, but she had not listened. Perhaps it was because privacy was new to her. Everything she’d previously done was monitored by cameras. Her data was always readily available for Lucas and Professor Adams to read. The only privacy she’d had was a small corner of her mind that she had managed to keep to herself even after all of the upgrades and operations.
“Sorry.” She didn’t feel sorry, but at least she knew that was the proper response. Keeping up human appearances was exhausting. It had been easier when she pretended to be robotic at all times. However, her ability to blend in as a human was one of the things that made her such a valuable asset, which meant she would have to keep trying to improve.
“Please, have a seat.” Dr. Chambers nodded her head towards the seat.
Kaitlyn lowered herself into the leather seat. She sat ramrod straight as her eyes scanned the room. Degrees hung on the wall displaying the doctor’s impressive academic accomplishments: Stanford, Columbia and a medical degree from Harvard.
Bookshelves lined the back wall, filled mostly with non-fiction titles.
A vase of tiger lilies sat on the edge of the desk, and for the first time Kaitlyn wondered if the doctor was married. She didn’t wear a wedding band, but that did not really confirm or deny her marital status.
“You can relax in here, Kaitlyn.”
That was the good doctor’s way of reminding Kaitlyn that she was being too stiff. Too robotic. Kaitlyn rolled her shoulders and relaxed her posture. She couldn’t help but wonder if any of this would one day be second nature to her. Probably not.
Dr. Chambers entwined her fingers together and set them on her desk. Her complete attention focused on Kaitlyn. It made her uncomfortable. Dr. Chambers spoke to her as a person, but deep down Kaitlyn still felt like a science experiment. As if she was always on display with everyone waiting for her to mess up.
“What would you like to talk about today?”
Kaitlyn frowned, looked at Dr. Chambers, and didn’t try to hide her frustration. Her hands clenched and she consciously relaxed them. “You asked to see me. If it were up to me, I would be on the plane right now.”
“I see. So you feel like I am delaying your mission?”
“Yes.” Clearly.
“Your flight will not be leaving for a few hours. I assure you, Kaitlyn. I would never waste your time. I know you are playing a vital role in this company. I’m only here to help you.”
Kaitlyn just stared at her. She wasn’t sure what her response was supposed to be. Thank you? I’m sorry? Neither of them seemed to fit the situation, so she said nothing. She was also annoyed Harrington didn’t mention the delay. They were supposed to be leaving at six in the morning.
After a short beat of silence, Dr. Chambers closed her laptop and pushed it aside. “How do you feel about the mission?”
“How do I feel about killing someone who sells children into slavery?”
“I notice you say kill and not detain?”
“I don’t plan on letting him live.” Kaitlyn crossed her leg over her knee. As the doctor’s eyes glanced down, a small smile tugged at her lips. She always approved when Kaitlyn adopted mannerisms she had drilled into her head over the last few months. Kaitlyn made a conscious effort, because she knew the doctor’s approval or disapproval could sideline the mission.
“I’m afraid that is not the correct answer. You are tasked to detain Mr. Dasvoik and only use deadly force if your or Erik’s life is in jeopardy.”
“I’m not programmed that way. Vance Dasvoik is my target and I am to destroy him.”
“I see. Perhaps Harrington will have to make some changes to your coding.” Dr. Chambers paused and leaned back in her chair. “After this mission, of course. I’ve seen the photos, and I happen to agree with you, Kate. But if you were ever detained, you cannot admit this.”
“If I were detained, Lucas would have to shut me down.”
“Yes, I guess he would. How does this make you feel?”
“I knew the risks when I agreed to come back to IFICS.” Her chest tightened at the thought, but she would not show nor tell the doctor.
“Of course, but it must bother you on some level?”
Kaitlyn looked away. “It will not happen. I am more than capable of completing this mission.”
“I hope you’re right for all of our sakes. It’s very risky sending you out.”
“Dasvoik needs to be stopped. I can stop him.”
“Yes, I believe you can. Thank you for stopping by to see me, Kaitlyn. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t have any second thoughts.”
“None.” Kaitlyn pushed her chair back and stood up. Just as she was about to open the door, she turned and said, “Goodbye, Dr. Chambers.”
The doctor smiled. “You’ve made great progress. I will see you when you return.”
Kaitlyn nodded and walked into the hallway.
What an odd exchange.
“Kaitlyn.”
Kaitlyn pivoted on her foot in the direction of Dr. Chambers, who was now standing in the doorway.
“You need to go to the laboratory for a final check up.”
“I know. I am heading in that direction now,” Kaitlyn said. She caught herself before she rolled her eyes. Obviously, she needed to go to the laboratory.
“Oh, okay.” Chambers paused and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Kaitlyn, please be careful.”
Startled by the obvious concern in the woman’s voice, Kaitlyn scanned her face to see if the feeling was legitimate. She noticed the crease between her brows and the slight frown on her lips. Like Lucas, she was honestly concerned for her wellbeing. The realization resonated somewhere deep within.
“Thank you for your concern,” Kaitlyn said before continuing down the hallway. Many thoughts raced through her head. But at the forefront of her mind was the stirring of acceptance. IFICS was starting to feel like her new family, even though images of her old life still haunted her dreams. The chance at a second life looked better every day.
CHAPTER 3
Aaliyah’s heart sped up when Noah pulled her close. She inhaled deeply. He smelled of soap and spice. How in the world she’d gotten lucky enough to catch his attention was beyond her, but she thanked her lucky stars every night. And every morning she prayed for one more day to be with him. Even if it really were just one more day, she’d still consider herself to be the luckiest girl on the planet. Scratch that, luckiest girl in the universe.
Only seventeen-years-old and already blessed with the kind of love people write books, movies and songs about. God was smiling down at her, that much was clear. As a thank you, she would be grateful and gracious to everyone she crossed paths with in her lifetime. It was the least she could do.
“You’re gorgeous,” Noah murmured into her mass of curly hair
.
Heat rushed to her face. Would she ever get used to his compliments? She hoped not. Vanity was a sin. But it felt so good to hear the words from his beautiful mouth.
His pale fingers trailed down her mocha arm. She loved seeing the contrast. It always sent a thrill through her body.
“I wish you didn’t have to pick your brother up tonight,” Noah said, tangling his hand in her hair while gliding his thumb on the nape of her neck. “We never get enough time together.”
Aaliyah sighed. She also wished she didn’t have to pick him up, but Darrius was her brother—her responsibility. Besides it wouldn’t take that long to get him.
“I could meet you afterwards?” Aaliyah said with a trace of hope in her voice.
Noah pulled away and stared sadly into her eyes. “I wish I could, but I have to study for a test tomorrow.”
Her shoulders slumped. Of course he had to study. He went to a prestigious private school where he was preparing to go off to some Ivy League school like his parents. At times like this, she was reminded of the vast difference between them. And it was much deeper than skin color. Aaliyah came from South Africa. They once had money and now had nothing, and Noah was born with a silver spoon. The saying wrong side of the tracks was an understatement in regards to her. Yet another reason Noah’s affection awed her. He was so sincere and wonderful.
It had been mere coincidence that they ever crossed paths. Her mother made and sold tribal pottery as a side business. One of the many wonders of America. The ability to make money doing something you loved to do. Noah’s mother had heard about the pottery from a friend and contacted her mom via the phone. Fate.
Since Aaliyah’s mother’s English was poor, she sent her daughter to deliver the requested piece. Her lips turned up at the memory of Noah opening the door. One glance had caused her heart to fall clear down to her toes. He was the most beautiful boy she had ever laid eyes on. Pale skin, freckles, green eyes and black shaggy hair that fell over his eyes. Perfection.