Since his high rank gives 13 more liberties at the stadium, he tends to stay behind and watch the small community. However, I have to make sure that I return to my room every night as my absence would be quite obvious. I also visit Paz every few days to get some more vials or an encouraging pep talk. As the number of drones we've turned has increased, so has the paranoia that Lucie will discover me. That still hasn't stopped me from taking detours through the city on most nights to steal some time with KJ.
I run around the walled-off part of the city that encloses the Cabras and meet KJ at the entrance to a building on the wall's furthest corner. Each time we meet, our first kiss lasts longer than the previous. It’s a pattern I am not willing to break any time soon.
The last few nights, we've been picking the tallest building we haven't explored and climb to the highest floor possible. If it's not the roof, we find a spot by one of the windows and look out at the sky as we lay and hold each other. We talk about everything from the compound and the Genesys to her father and her past.
Tonight, we find a building about a mile away from where we met and begin our climb to the top. Subtle noises keep me looking back and give me a suspicious feeling that someone is following us. A sense that started when we left the meeting place.
After climbing nine floors up, we reach a gap in the staircase that is too far and too dangerous to continue. The buildings in this city are in worse shape than those outside of the compound in Egypt.
We explore this floor's hallways until we find an unlocked door to a room with a big window in it. The dust coating in this room isn't as bad as some of the others we have been in, but it still causes KJ to sneeze. It's a small, high-pitched sound that makes me laugh every time. Sometimes she does it on purpose to make me laugh.
I take a seat next to the window, leaning my back against the wall behind me. KJ cozies up into my shoulder. She grabs my left hand and holds it tight while my other hand runs through her silk hair.
Our conversation teeters between topics and settles on plans to escape the city together. We talk about where we would run off to and how we could survive.
“Don't leave me,” a soft voice whispers from the dark hallway.
KJ and I startle to our feet. I stand in front of KJ to keep myself between her and the threat.
“Who is there?” I assert with dominance.
From the shadows, a small girl appears, her hair as light as KJ's, and a mix of tears and fear in her eyes.
“Pocket!” KJ runs over to her. “What are you doing here?”
“I followed you. I'm sorry.” She bursts into tears. My instincts were right about someone following us. I'm happy that it was her and that she didn't hurt herself.
“Does Mom know you're here? We need to get you back. It's so late.” KJ rattles off.
“Can I stay with you guys for five minutes, please?” Pocket pleads. The softness in her eyes makes me want to say yes to any request she makes.
“I think that's okay,” I speak up, though the look KJ gives me tells me that I shouldn't have.
KJ grabs Pocket by the hand and walks over to me. “Five minutes.”
I take a seat back on the floor, and KJ sits right back in the same spot she was before. Wisps of her hair tickle my arm. Pocket takes a cue from KJ and curls herself under my other arm. She looks up at me and smiles. I smile back.
We sit in silence as the five minutes turn to twenty, and the slight hum coming from Pocket tells me she's fallen asleep.
KJ looks up at me. “I should get her back.”
She stands, and I follow with Pocket cradled in my arms. “Let me help.”
KJ doesn't respond. She makes the long journey down the stairs as I follow behind, carrying her younger copy. We walk to within a hundred feet from her house, and stop.
“I can carry her from here.” KJ puts her arms under Pocket and kisses me before taking her away. “I can't risk my mom seeing you.”
“I know,” I respond, making sure that she has a firm grip on her sister.
“I love you.” She turns and walks to her house.
“What?” I'm dumbfounded. Confused by what she said, why she said it, and what it means. What I do know is that every inch of my skin has flushed red and is covered with bumps. I overheat, and my palms start to sweat. My body shivers with excitement. I want to scream it back at her, but she's too far away now to hear it.
I watch her disappear into her house, and then I set off, processing the words she said to me. For the next few hours, I weave through the city, exploring areas I have not yet seen. I see few outsiders along my trek, and those I do, pay me no mind. When my eyes stay closed longer than I can keep them open, I head back to the stadium.
The early morning sun stings my eyes as it rises behind the stadium. The few rays that hit my skin warm my otherwise cool body. The large structure before me only amplifies the desire to be back in KJ's arms. I should take her and run off, away from all this. She and I could be together with no responsibility to anyone but ourselves.
“80!” a familiar voice screams, standing me to attention. I turn and recognize the large silhouette as Farouk. His size and shape are unmistakable. The second silhouette is much smaller and just as recognizable.
“Get him to my office,” Lucie demands
