Fractured Innocence (#2 IFICS)

  “Wow.” He’d said, and stood staring at her with the same look of wonder that she knew was on her own face.

  Speak. She stood there like a tongue-tied fool. The memory still made her grin.

  “I’m supposed to drop this off to your mother.” She’d held the vase out with hands trembling.

  “Where are you from? Your accent. I’ve never heard it before.”

  “South Africa.”

  “Your eyes…”

  That was everyone’s reaction to her. She had unusual eyes compared to the rest of her. Her blue-green eyes were a stark contrast to her dark face, high cheekbones and full lips. Her mother’s face.

  “My grandfather was German and my father, well I’m not sure what he was.” Her voice trailed off. Talking about her father made her uncomfortable. Her mother never said much about him. All she knew was the relationship was short and she never got the chance to tell him she was pregnant. A photographer passing through town.

  She knew she was an anomaly. In the village, they looked at her like she was a witch child. She’d grown used to the stares and the whispers, but here in America, she sorta blended in. This was one of the many things she had grown to love about the States.

  Aaliyah realized she was still holding the vase and standing outside the doorway. The boy was still staring at her.

  He cleared his throat as he stepped back, letting her pass him and enter the enormous house. A large chandelier hung in the open living room off to the left. She’d been awed by the rainbow colors reflecting off the light. Even today she could recall the feeling of longing to run her hand on the grand piano and wondering if the boy played. She’d later learned he played the piano as if his fingers were made of magic.

  And then he uttered the words that changed her life forever.

  “Will you go to the movies with me tonight?”

  Thankfully, she didn’t drop the vase. The request came out of nowhere. It was hard to breathe let alone speak. “The movies? With you?”

  “I know it’s sudden, but I’m afraid if I don’t ask now, I’ll never see you again.”

  “Oh.” Aaliyah wasn’t sure what to say. This perfect boy wanted to see her again? She nodded her head. He was quite right. He probably never would see her again. “I would like that.”

  “Where can I pick you up?”

  “I don’t live in a nice neighborhood.” She wasn’t embarrassed by their apartment, but felt she should warn him. The crime rate was high and not the safest part of the city.

  “I don’t care. What’s your address?”

  Aaliyah rattled off the address, her heart racing a mile a minute. They had been inseparable since that day. She had never believed in love at first sight, but it was instant for both of them. His parents did not approved at first, but they had come to accept her. Even like her.

  “Where did you go? Daydreaming again?” Noah laughed, wrapping his arms around her.

  “I was thinking about the day we met.”

  “I think about that day often. One of the best days of my life.” Noah’s lips met hers. His lips were soft and he tasted like cola and mint. She was breathless when they finally pulled away. She always got lost in his kisses. It wasn’t natural to be this happy. Was it? She didn’t care. As long as it lasted she would enjoy it.

  “I should go,” Aaliyah said looking at the massive wooden clock on the wall. “I need to hurry to catch the bus.”

  “I wish you’d let me drive you home.”

  “It’s too far away. And like you said you have a test tomorrow. You can drop me off at the bus station.”

  A short while later, Aaliyah hopped off the bus and hustled to get home quickly. The sun was dipping below the horizon. If she hurried, she would have just enough time to drop off her bag, check on her mamma and be a few minutes early to pick up Darrius.

  More than anything, she hated to be late.

  It was freezing out. She rubbed her hands together, wishing for the third time that she’d worn gloves as she made her way into the shabby apartment building. One good thing about the cold was that it kept the bad seeds from hanging out in front of the building. She hated the way they teased her. They often grabbed her school bag or yelled out crude things. Disgusting.

  Ignoring the ratty elevator, she ran up the five flights of stairs and down the dingy hallway with the warped, drooping ceiling. An old woman passed her with a little white dog on a leash. Aaliyah said hello, but the lady didn’t bother to look up let alone reply. Most people in the building kept to themselves.

  Not exactly a friendly bunch.

  As she opened the door, Aaliyah was met with the smell of cigarette smoke and sandalwood incense. It really bothered her that Darrius’s father would not quit smoking.

  Inside wasn’t much warmer than outside, but at least inside there wasn’t the freezing wind that cut through the bones. Her mother sat on the floor, hunched over, working on a clay vase. She looked up and smiled when Aaliyah walked through the door. “Hoe was jou dag liewe?“

  “The usual. Pretty boring.” With a thud she dropped her bag on the floor. The books weighed a ton. It felt good to get the weight off her shoulders.

  Her mother refused to talk in English at home. Aaliyah loved her native tongue, Afrikaans, but really wished her mother would try harder to learn English. She wasn’t always around to help translate.

  “Hoekom is jy so laat? Het jy weer daai seun gesien?”

  Aaliyah looked down at the stained carpet that might have once been a pretty peach color. “I’m not late, and if by that boy you mean Noah then yes, mamma, I was with him.”

  Her mamma gave her a slight smile, before her focus went back to the clay in her hands.

  “I’m running to get Darrius.”

  “Moenie vergeet om melk en brood terug te bring nie,” her mamma said without looking up.

  “All right. I’ll stop at the store on the way back.” She wasn’t even sure she had enough money to buy milk and bread. Aaliyah shut the door and ran back down the stairs and out into the cold air. By now, the sun was fully set. She didn’t really like walking in the dark, but what could she do? It wasn’t as if they could afford to get a second car.

  The misty streetlights were almost useless. The pale yellow light did nothing to illuminate the sidewalk other than to cast creepy shadows on the ground. The tree branches looked like they wanted to reach out and grab her. Aaliyah picked up her pace. The school was only five blocks away.

  Occasionally, a car would drive by with loud music, startling her. Stop being such a baby.

  To get her mind of the fear of being alone in the dark, she thought about her and Noah, schoolwork, and wondered what they were having for dinner. Before she knew it, the school appeared ahead. She was early as usual. She never wanted Darrius to be the last kid waiting.

  As soon as she entered the gym, she went over to the little stand that always had coffee, tea and hot chocolate for the parents. She poured herself a styrofoam cup of black tea. The heat felt amazing after being out in the cold.

  Standing on the sidelines, she watched as the kids ran up and down the court, kicking the ball back and forth in a fast-paced game of soccer. It seemed like a senseless sport to her, but Darrius loved it. As long as he was happy, that was what mattered. Oh, how she loved that little boy!

  The coach blew his whistle, and the kids gathered around to receive their after practice pep talk. Aaliyah was glad to be inside; her toes were starting to thaw. She sure wasn’t in a rush to get back out in the cold evening air. Tipping back her head, she swallowed the last of tea and tossed the cup into the garbage can.

  Darrius ran over to her with a lopsided grin. “Did you see me get that goal?”

  “I saw! Now get changed so we can get out of here.”

  She watched while one of the boys fell in step beside him as they went into the locker room. It made her heart swell to see him so happy with friends.

  A few minutes later, he ran across the gym floor and stopped just
short of her. She almost gave him a hug, but she knew he would not be happy if she did. He was at the age where it was no longer cool to have his sister hug him in public.

  “Do you have any homework?” Aaliyah asked as she shouldered her brother’s backpack. They headed outside. The night seemed colder after the warmth of the gym.

  “Yeah, just some math. Nothing major.” Darrius pulled his hat down lower over his ears as the frigid air hit them, causing his teeth to chatter.

  “We’ll be home soon. I’ll make you some soup to warm you up.”

  “Tomato soup?”

  “Sure. We gotta stop and get bread. Maybe we can have grilled cheese sandwiches too.”

  “My favorite.”

  “Everything is your favorite.” Aaliyah chuckled.

  “Wanna race?” Darrius grinned.

  “If you dare,” Aaliyah replied. If they ran they would get home quicker. Not to mention it would help warm them up.

  Without waiting Darrius took off and Aaliyah let him stay a few steps ahead. He was fast, but she was faster. She’d let him think he was going to win.

  A horn blared and their steps faltered as they looked over their shoulders. A black sedan slowed and the window rolled down.

  “Excuse me. We’re lost. Could you tell us how to get out of the neighborhood?”

  Aaliyah slowed to a stop, looked at the older man and then back at Darrius. The man seemed harmless enough, and it was a confusing neighborhood.

  She hesitated, and then called Darrius to her. They walked towards the car. Aaliyah was careful to stay a safe distance, but close enough that they could still hear her. Something about the man’s gaze – cold, direct and unblinking – was creeping her out. Even in a neighborhood known for its crime, he was more sinister than anyone she’d run across.

  With her arm around her brother protectively, she started to give directions. The back door opened, and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Her instincts screamed at her to run, but she was rooted in place. Frozen in fear.

  A large man grabbed her from behind. She pushed Darrius forward.

  “Run,” she yelled.

  Her brother looked at her, his big brown eyes filled with fear before he took off in a sprint. He didn’t make it very far. Another large man stepped out of the car and chased him down. He threw him over his shoulder while her brother kicked and screamed.

  Something pricked her neck; it felt like a bee sting. The ground swam before her.

  Dear God, no! This can’t be hap—. Her body went limp and her world black.

  Chapter 4

  Lucas hit the recline button and stretched out his legs, settling in for the flight. There was plenty of room for his long frame. Nothing but the best for IFICS. As usual, Harrington hadn’t spared any expense. Everything the man did was top of the line. Even without the extra perks, Lucas would be forever grateful that Harrington had decided to take him under his wing, drastically changing the path of his life. If it weren’t for him, Lucas would be a researcher or intern desperately trying to claw his way to the top, along with every other wannabe scientist. Harrington claimed he saw himself in Lucas and wanted him to reach his full potential.

  Not only was Lucas a scientist, but he had a love and brilliant knack for computer programming. The combination was invaluable when it came to Harrington’s vision, which was basically to bring the world kicking and screaming into the next era of technology. Kaitlyn was just a small part of IFICS. Harrington continued to make medical advances left and right. Unfortunately, most had not seen the light of day, mainly due to all the red tape from the government. In order to side step some of the roadblocks, Harrington maintained facilities all over the world in countries where the rules were not so strict. But mainly Harrington just did whatever the hell he wanted and kept his findings to himself.

  Needless to say, Dr. Harrington had opened Lucas’s eyes to a wonderful world of possibilities that he’d only read about in science-fiction books or dreamed about with his wild imagination. To say IFICS was cutting edge was like saying the iPhone was just a phone. A gross understatement.

  Without a doubt, the greatest thing by far was meeting Kaitlyn.

  He reached over and grabbed her hand and absently traced a circle on her palm. She entwined her long, graceful fingers with his.

  He’d never been one to form attachments with women, so he’d been confused and surprised when Kaitlyn completely knocked the socks off him. From the moment her grey eyes met his, he felt himself spinning out of control with a longing so deep it consumed him. Until that moment, he had never needed anyone. Now he couldn’t imagine his life without her.

  The fact that she returned his feelings was inconceivable in more ways than one. Technically, it shouldn’t be possible. Her feelings for him defied science and logic. This was one instance where his scientific brain said the hell with logic. His feelings for Kaitlyn had only grown stronger over the last several months. It was not always easy; she still struggled with integrating with society, but when they were alone—being together was as natural as breathing.

  As if she could sense his thoughts, Kaitlyn leaned over and whispered in his ear. “I’m so glad you were able to come.”

  “I feel the same.” He squeezed her hand, and Kaitlyn gave him a private smile, one she reserved for only him. As usual, the gesture caused his heart to thud against his chest like a jackhammer.

  A shadow fell over him. Lucas looked up to see a slender blonde holding a tray with drinks. He smiled appreciatively at her.

  Obviously, someone had put in his or her request beforehand. He could tell by the unusual assortments on the tray. Yet another fringe benefit of flying on a private jet. Lucas snagged the root beer float and handed it to Kaitlyn. Ever since they had recoded the sense of taste back into Kaitlyn’s processor, she’d had an insatiable sweet tooth. Lucas thought it was adorable. Technically, she could live without food or sleep. Thankfully the extra calories didn’t seem to interfere with anything. Her body quickly burned them off. If the world became aware that a chip could be implanted and obesity could be wiped out forever, the demand would be staggering. The invention would cause a drastic reduction in diabetes, heart attacks, high blood pressure and many more life threatening diseases. The life expectancy would increase, which Lucas believed was the main fear held by people in power. If people lived longer, it would cost the government astronomically. And a drastic cut in illnesses meant a loss of funds for the medical field. Millions, probably billions, lost in pharmaceuticals.

  Without a doubt, their find would be the biggest medical miracle since penicillin, but unfortunately altering humans in such a way was a very gray area to say the least.

  It was frowned upon by the government and forbidden by religious sectors. However, Harrington truly believed it was only a matter of time before such things were no longer considered taboo. Dr. Harrington loved to bask in his own glory, so it surprised Lucas that he didn’t push the issue more. Go to the media. Something. But Harrington said he was content to use the knowledge behind the scenes in the meantime.

  Kaitlyn nudged Lucas’s arm, and he looked up startled. Lost in thought, he’d forgotten the stewardess was still there. “I’ll return with snacks in about an hour. If that’s ok?”

  Lucas nodded and watched as she made her way towards Erik and Harrington. Professor Adams’ head was flopped to the side and he was snoring loudly with his mouth agape, a prime example of the problems that faced the world. Adams could easily extend his life with the help of their advances; the nano-bots alone would make a world of difference, but Adams would rather age naturally. Fear for his eternal soul or something like that. Lucas found this hypocritical, since God was the one that blessed Adams with a mind that was able to come up with such wonders. It could be argued that by not using his talents to extend his own life, perhaps he was going against God’s wishes.

  He pinched his nose trying to banish the deep thoughts. If he let himself, he could get lost in the complexities of
such a conundrum.

  Curiously, his eyes drifted back towards the stewardess. Harrington flirted shamelessly and Erik barely acknowledged the woman when he reached for his large glass of orange juice. He rarely acknowledged anyone. The phrase cold as ice came to mind. Erik was by all counts a loner. And yet women seemed completely fascinated by him. Even Quess. The blonde attempted to make small talk with Erik, and he just gave her a look and went back to the folder he’d been leafing through since they took off. Probably trying to commit to memory the layout of the cargo ship. Kaitlyn already had the information uploaded.

  It amazed him that, even with Harrington, who was wealthy, handsome and powerful sitting there, it was Erik’s attention the woman was after. It boggled his logical mind. Sure, he had the aura of danger that some would find appealing, but appearance wise, it didn’t make sense. His face was not a handsome one. His nose was crooked from being broken too many times, his eyes were hard, and his mouth was always set with determination. His hair was cropped short and a dull brown. A large, jagged scar started at his temple and came close to his mouth. Lucas had tried to find out where he’d gotten the scar, but came up empty. When he asked Erik outright, he replied the information was classified, only making him all the more curious.

  Women turned into a flustered mess around the guy. Lucas glanced at Kate. She smiled back at him with the straw still in her mouth. His heart rate increased exponentially. It was him she looked at that way, not Erik. He had to constantly remind himself of that fact when jealously crept in. Kaitlyn and Erik spent so much time together it was hard for him to see their bond strengthen. He was fearful he was going to lose her.

  Even knowing it was a foolish, emotional thought, it had kept him up late at night more than once.

  Several hours later, the pilot came over the speakers, announcing they were about to make their descent and requested they fasten their seatbelts. Lucas checked his watch. The flight had taken almost four hours and he had no idea where they were landing. Obviously, Harrington was playing it really close to his vest. Knowing Harrington, it was for no other reason than the fact that he loved the cloak and dagger aspect of his latest project.