N.I.C. (The Almost Series Book 3) Read online

  Sometimes I would get feelings of optimism, especially right at this very moment with so much promise all about me. Like how my fingers felt as the breeze cut through them and how my toes sunk deeper and deeper into the sand. I felt as if I could run away from Darla just as I did Dr. Cole. I’d find a place where no one could ever find me.

  Amie would still be there. She would pull sirens in my head and force me to save her baby.

  Once this was all over, what would she do to me?

  Why couldn't I just be free to be whomever I wanted to be? Why couldn't the world just leave me alone and let me be me?

  “Are you finished with your sob fest?” Amie asked. She floated above me. “No one is truly free. You will understand this soon enough.”

  I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms.

  “Are you being a sullen teenager, dismissing me?” Amie’s electronic laugh filled my ears. She pointed at Darla, who sat in the sand alone. “Maybe you should go speak to your Optional Human Parent.”

  I trudged through the sand, back to where Darla was. She still sat with her hands covering her face. I sat down next to my mother and wrapped my arms around her shoulders. “It’s okay, Mom,” I said. “Things will get better, I promise. We're free now.”

  Darla shook her head; tears ran down her face. She cradled my cheeks in her hands. “No, my Shay,” she said. “You will never get better. I failed you. We’ve all failed you.”

  “You didn’t fail me! You were a great mom.”

  She shook her head, caressing my face. “Now that you're free, you can never, ever, go back to that place. Promise me you'll stay here for as long as you live.”

  “I can’t do that,” I said.

  “You don't have to worry about what others want from you, just do what you want.”

  I smiled. “You see, Mom,” I said, my voice barely audible, “I want to save the next S.H.A.Y. If I don't, who will? I can't knowingly let someone die or suffer the way I have.”

  Darla’s eyes widened. “Shay!”

  “What quality of life would I have if I didn't first save this child? And what about my Pop and what about N.I.C. and the keeper? They're great programs that don't deserve to be destroyed because others just want to make money.”

  Darla let out a nervous laugh. “You're a better person than anyone could have ever hoped for. But, you will learn a valuable lesson about human nature soon enough.”

  “What kind of lesson?”

  “Humans are very selfish.”

  “I know that,” I said.

  She shook her head. “You’ve been raised around robotic creatures that put humans first. Your whole life you've never seen reality. S.H.A.Y.s are human; Eric, even though he's a machine, is still human. Why else do you think they can control him so much? He was born inside me. That selfishness that the Scientists log into is a human trait.”

  “Not all machines are selfless,” I argued. “Look at Dr. Cole’s Amie. Why does she want to become real so bad? Why does my mom want to become real so bad?”

  Darla shook her head. “I can't answer that,” she said. “I can only tell you that in general, humans are the selfish ones. They programmed the A.M.I.E.s to want to be real because that's what they wanted.”

  “Why did my Amie sacrifice everything to create me the way I am? She made me optional, capable of survival without being connected to her. Why is she trying to save her little fetus?”

  “Honey, I don't know, but instead of moping over this pointless stuff, let's go see what Miami has to offer us, huh? Let's get our life situated and enjoy whatever time we have left together.”

  I nodded, helping my mom stand. She stared into the distracting lights of Miami Beach. I’d never seen anything as glorious and I’d never seen anything so transient either. People were drinking, partying, laughing, touching shoulders, bumping chests together, hugging, some were vomiting, and some looking for their first victim of the night. What these people didn't realize was how free they were to do whatever it was they were doing. They got to make that choice.

  As I walked the streets, Amie's look became solemn. She pointed to a group of teenagers shouting as they raced down the street. “I don't want my fetus to grow up here. This is not the greatest environment for my S.H.A.Y.”

  I laughed. “Oh Mom, she's going to be just fine. She's going to play, learn to keep away from the bad, stay around the good, and she's going to live and be free.”

  Chapter Five

  Stalker

  S.H.A.Y. 318

  Darla and I stood outside a small two-story building along the water. A flashing sign read ‘Vacancy’. Inside a glass booth surrounded by bars sat a rotund man with a receding hairline. His eyes bulged and his arms were greasy, resting on his paperwork. Stains covered the documents and when he tried to turn on the intercom, pages stuck to his forearms.

  Static rang in our ears. “How may I help you?” he said.

  “We would like to take advantage of your vacancy, sir.” Darla pointed to his sign.

  “The television doesn’t work and the water isn’t very hot. I’ll cut you a deal. You can have the room for the week for what I’d normally charge for one night.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked. “What sort of deal?”

  Darla frowned. “We do not have any money right now. I’ll get some tomorrow. If you could allow us one night here, in the morning, I’ll contact my family and borrow some from them to pay you back.”

  “I’m sorry, ma’am,” the manager said. “You need money to stay here.”

  “But we don’t have any money,” I said. “We’re from the Keyes. I’ve never needed money before, sir, you must help us.”

  Amie protested. Her red hair stuck straight up and she pounded her fist on the counter. Only I noticed. “Do they not see the predicament we are in?” Amie groaned, her hands flailed in the manager’s face. “Are you this inhumane, to leave the helpless in the street?”

  The man covered his fat face in his grisly paws. “I’m too old for this crap,” he whispered. “Look, if you girls really have nowhere to go then you can sleep in the lobby for tonight but that’s it. You need to be out of here before five. My manager will be in at six and I don’t want no trouble, you hear?”

  Darla nodded. “Yes, sir,” she said. “Thank you for your kindness.”

  “No blankets and don’t lay on the sofas. I don’t want no complaints. You can just rest there so you’re safe. You can find a shelter tomorrow.”

  I couldn’t swallow. This was freedom?

  The couch was small and the cushions stained. We sat, with Amie in between us. Our feet rested on cracked linoleum and I could’ve sworn I heard a rodent scurry beneath us.

  I took a deep breath and glanced at Darla. “Have you ever been homeless before?”

  She nodded. “Before I came to the research center, I was addicted to drugs. The hospital that found me placed me in a rehab center, where I was doomed to remain forever.”

  “How did you get out of there?”

  “I followed their program and at graduation, the scientists offered me a position with their company. They said I would be able to become a mother.”

  “Why did you want to become a mother so bad?”

  Tears welled in Darla’s eyes. “My late husband wanted a child desperately. I was unable to give us a baby.”

  “How come? You were able to give birth to Eric.”

  “I have a tilted uterus. It’s hard to become pregnant.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Mom.” I inched closer.

  Amie nodded her head, floating behind us. She rested her chin on the back of the couch. “That is just awful. I love to create life. I now comprehend your O.H.P.’s bitterness.”

  Darla wiped tears from her eyes. “My husband died one night while we were on vacation. It was right after we were arguing about being childless. He said I was unreasonable to not want to adopt. I wanted my own child. He told me that he froze his semen and wanted me to go to this fertility hospital.
I told him he was crazy. He went to the restroom, and while on the toilet, had a heart attack, and died.”

  I hugged Darla. She sobbed into my damp shirt. We both shook, freezing from the air conditioning. The manager peeked over at us, shaking his head in disapproval.

  “Hey girl, get your mother a towel from the maid’s station,” He shouted from his desk. “Don’t steal them.”

  I stood, walking over to the tiny closet. I took four towels and covered Darla and myself in them. It was still freezing but at least now it was bearable. I glanced at my human mother. “Was Eric made from your husband?”

  She nodded. “I never would’ve agreed to something like this if I hadn’t lost him. I’d never used drugs or been a drinker before, but I just didn’t want to feel anything anymore. He was my life.”

  Amie floated above us, enveloped in her own towels. She wore one draped around her head like a turban. “The O.H.P. will be an understanding parent to my fetus.”

  I rested my head against Darla, and she leaned hers on mine. “I loved raising you,” she said. “I’m sorry I’ve been so difficult. It was just even more traumatic being hunted by my own son.”

  “I get it.” I rubbed my eyes. “Can I tell you something?”

  “Yes, what?”

  “I’m afraid to die,” I whispered.

  Amie stood before me, her nose touching mine. Chills ran down my spine from the coolness of her connection to me. “I will not allow your termination. Do not fear, my Shay.”

  Darla caressed my hair. Her touches warmed me. “We all die eventually. It’s not a consoling fact, but just remember to enjoy the moments you have and remember to be good always. I know most people, including myself, would tell you that you have one life so make the best of it. What they mean is to follow after your own desires forgetting that others can become hurt by your actions.”

  “Why are humans so thoughtless?”

  She shrugged. “We’re selfish beings with a little humanity mixed in sometimes. I wanted a child so bad that I didn’t think of the long-term consequences. I took drugs to remove my pain, not considering the devastation it would cause my mother. Do you know how terrible it is to watch your mother give up on you?”

  “No.” I trembled, squeezing her hand. “Don’t ever give up on me, please.”

  “Never!”

  “I miss Pop,” I said. “I need his advice right now.”

  Amie touched my arm, freezing my insides. “I am here to give you direction.” She glanced at the glass doors. They were covered in bars, but we could still see through them. “We’ve got company,” Amie whispered. “We may need to evacuate.”

  A tall woman with blond hair and dark eyes sniffed the air as if she were a sultry beast. She clenched her fists and her eyes widened when she spotted the manager at his desk. She stepped forward, ringing his bell.

  He glanced up. “May I help you?”

  Her lips curved into a slight smile. She leaned over the counter, exposing her breasts. “Hello there.” Her voice was like honey. “Have you seen a hybrid girl with a completely normal human?”

  “A what? Lady, you alright?”

  “That’s right, you’re ignorant creatures, aren’t you?”

  “Listen, lady, we got no vacancies for your kind here.”

  Darla leaned over, covering our faces with a towel. She pointed to the back door. I nodded.

  “This way,” Amie said. She held glowing sticks in her hands and wore an orange vest. “Follow me to the nearest exit. Do not speak or run. This is a hunter we’re dealing with. She will follow our scent no matter where we go. Her senses are heightened.”

  We could hear the manager arguing with the wolf girl. She let out a growl and we raced for the fire exit.

  “No!” Amie shouted. “Do not run!”

  Our hearts pounded against our chests and our hands trembled as we grabbed at the door handle.

  “The hunter will capture you. Stop making unnecessary noise.” Amie stood before us with a whistle to her lips. “Stop this at once!” She blew; a shrill noise filled my brain, forcing me to my knees. Darla grabbed me by the waist and hoisted me up.

  “Stop playing around. We need to get out of here,” Darla whispered. “That’s a hybrid. I remember Dr. Cole speaking of those sorts of hunters. We cannot let her capture us. She’s like you, only dangerous.”

  I glanced back. The manager stood, his belly swaying. “Get away from my hotel or I will call the police!” he warned the wolf girl. Her eyes glowed yellow and set upon me. “I mean it,” he said. “Leave this facility immediately.” He grabbed the phone and began to punch the numbers with his fat fingers.

  “I’ve located the missing Shay,” the hunter spoke into her wrist. She had one of my inventions. Why, if they sucked so terribly, was everyone using them? Her fingers wrapped around the door handles and as she pulled, the doors flew from their hinges. Glass shattered and the manager fell back in his chair.

  “This is why I don’t help people,” he said. “I let those girls in and now I’ve got a monster woman attacking the building.”

  The hunter advanced, inching closer. She did not move quickly and her eyes never left mine. Amie stood before us with her arms outstretched.

  “Open the door already,” I said. Darla struggled, her fingers slipping over the locking mechanism.

  “I’m trying, it won’t work. Something’s jammed it.”

  I tried, kicking my foot against the bottom panel. The door jerked open and we dashed into the parking lot. Two cars flashed their high beams at us as we raced out in front of them. They came to a complete stop, their tires screeching. I glanced back. Horns honked. The hunter stood, her blond hair flying behind her, on top of one of the cars. She held something long in her hand. Was it a club or a machete? It was too dark. I couldn’t make out what it was.

  “Go, Mom, go.” I shoved her. “We gotta run.”

  “I’m trying,” Darla said. “I can’t seem to make myself move any faster.”

  The hunter jumped down from the car. She was barefoot but did not seem to notice as she ran towards us. I could hear her feet pound into the concrete. The sound echoed in my ears.

  “Run across the traffic,” Amie said. She motioned for us to follow her. There were cars waiting for the lights to turn green. We ran forward, just as the lights changed.

  The wolf girl leapt onto the hoods of moving vehicles. Brakes squealed. Cars piled up, slamming into each other, one hitting a fire hydrant. Water poured into the streets. The monstrous woman splashed through without a second thought.

  I gasped for air, racing into a hotel lobby. Men with bowties smiled at us. We nodded, heading towards the elevators. Amie pointed to the buttons. Darla pressed the “up” arrow and we watched the floors light as the elevator made its way down to us.

  Floor Six.

  The hunter stood in the lobby. She pointed her finger at me. “S.H.A.Y. 318, I am to detain you.”

  Floor Five.

  “Let’s go to the stairs,” Darla said.

  “No!” Amie shouted in my face. “Wait for the elevator. It’s safer.”

  “My Amie says we wait for the elevator.”

  Darla grabbed me and tugged. “The hunter is going to catch us. We need to run.”

  “Yes, I am going to catch you,” the hunter said. She pointed her club at me. “I am to kill the Optional Human Parent and return with the product, S.H.A.Y. 318.”

  I held Darla tight.

  Floor Four.

  Amie shook her head. “Explain the laws of this jurisdiction. Murder will force the local law to place her in containment. Hunters hate being confined.”

  “You can’t murder in Miami!” I shouted. “The law will put you in containment.”

  Floor Three.

  The wolf girl froze. Her eyes narrowed. “Your heart rate has sped up. You are telling a falsehood.”

  “No, I’m not,” I stammered.

  Floor Two.

  She stepped forward, now only a few feet a
way. “The O.H.P. will inform authorities of our research and have us shut down. We must annihilate her.” She raised her club over her head.

  Floor One.

  Ding.

  The doors opened and we entered, pushing an elderly couple inside with us. They slammed into the back wall.

  “I’m sorry,” Darla said. “There’s a crazy person after us.”

  I pressed the “door close” buttons. The hunter stood before us, her eyes sparkling. She held her club above her head.

  Ding.

  The doors slammed, her club smashing them. A dent in the shape and size of a baseball formed inches from my mother’s head. She screamed, falling into the elderly couple.

  Floor Two.

  “Why is that woman attacking you?” the older man asked. He adjusted his hearing aid. “What did you say, honey? I didn’t have my ears turned on high enough.”

  Ringing came from his eardrums. I closed my eyes as we climbed upwards. How fast was this hybrid creature? Was the elevator the wisest choice?

  Floor Three.

  Amie nodded her head. “This will give the hunter ample time to think about what you’ve said to her. You can reason with her by speaking loudly. Her senses are heightened, just as your memory is.”

  “Darla will not report us! She is going to secretly raise the last S.H.A.Y. and I am going to save the memories for all the programs at the facility. We have a plan. Please don’t attack us. I’ll go back with you, I promise. If you help me save the programs and the next S.H.A.Y.”

  Floor Four.

  The lights flickered and the older woman clutched her husband. “Earl, we’re going to die. I didn’t send in my will. Who will take my good china?”

  “What?” Earl shouted. “What’s that, dear?”

  She raised her voice. “Who is going to get my good china?”

  Floor Five.

  I stood in front of the elevator doors. “You’re scaring innocent bystanders. The locals will question the research facility if any casualties befall their population.”