Chapter 10

Sith's eyes fluttered open, she found herself in a bed still in her wedding dress. She looked everywhere wildly, and felt a sharp pain at her side.

She saw a few people in surgeons uniforms wrapping up on their operation. When she went over, they gave way for her to find him unconcious, touching his face. Her eyes watered, breathing harshly.

"Wade, Wade please wake up...Wade"

When he did, his eyes shot open and he sat up, his eyes turned from grey to red, she blinked, he had a distant look on his face. She smiled a little

"Wade?... we're going to be okay"

"Sith Singh, age 21, optimal blood pressure..." He mentioned everything about her, it scared her that he knew so much. She nodded cupping his chin, he was flawless and had no injuries.

"Yes, it's me, Sith"

He stood up when he transformed into his bionic armour. She looked startled.

"What have you done to my fiance?" She asked.

One of the surgeons stepped out, he had brown skin and curly black hair.

"It was the only way we could save him" he remarked.

"You were very lucky to be alive" Sith pushed his hand away. He looked at her wedding dress, sympathizing with her

"I'm so sorry_"

She looked up at him "You turned him into a cyborg" Baffled, she hoped it was a nightmare.

"You were caught in a crossfire between the Umbra and Lumen and... if we detach those parts, he might die, instantly" He touched her shoulder

"Wade, it's me" She touched his face when he turned back "It's Sith, your one and only, remember? I love you" Her eyes watered. His expression was blank. She didn't see a hint of emotion in his eyes. His stare was soulless, she had lost the man she loved. Furious

"Maybe he was better off dead than alive!"

She blurted out at the Commander who sat across from her in his black and orange uniform with an owl on it. Lucas Wayne, his tag said.

"Who did this?" She asked infuriated, she had come to discuss something else but it seemed like a good time to bring it up.

He was silent for a moment

"It was me"

She covered her face "Oh god"

"When we were fighting, I set off a rocket launcher and it hit your car directly, you don't know how guilty I feel about what happened. I was aiming for the enemy and somehow you got in the way." He seemed sincere, she couldn't look him in the eye.

"Sith__"

"Don't" she held up her hand and left pulling up her wedding dress to walk faster.

...

I broke into tears and Sith was surprised holding me close. I didn't know she had it worse, it must have hurt her badly that it happened on her wedding day.

"I'm so sorry" I sobbed.

"It's okay..." Although some of her tears spilled.

...

"Wade..." She held out her hand and he caught it with fast reflex, she gasped, startled.

"Don't ever touch me, again"

That loving part of him was gone, it was like looking at a stranger.

She had to forget the company, her responsibilties. Her old life, there would never be anyone else like Wade.

"I could use someone of your skillset, you are brilliant Sith, you have great potential and with that, we can work together to put an end to the Lumen for good"

She passed the commander a hard stare. "Don't pretend like this isn't your fault"

"I'm not and I take full responsibility for mister Wilkins. He's our property now"

"I'm not leaving without Wade" She said firmly. She couldn't, she didn't know where they were and it looked like there was no chance of bringing him back.

...

"Why did you stay?" I asked, she sighed

"Your dad convinced me to"

I sat up "You mean he really worked here as an agent?__"

"How did you..."

Shadow Knight walked in and held out a package. Sith wiped her eyes and took it

"You look like crap" he said, I felt offended for her, although now I knew why he does what he does. Kind of.

"Didn't sleep much last night" She said and avoided my eyes going to drop it on a table.

"What're you doing here?" He asked me, I stepped back.

I wanted out anyway, Sith was starting to ask questions.

"I'll best be on my way now, bye!"

I ran out the door that slid open. Running to my quarters where Emma laid reading a book upside down.

"Why?" She asked, I was breathing like a dog.

"I was jogging" I said

"Okay... we're having a test tomorrow and sparring classes so you're coming with me"

"Already?" I squeaked.

The test was tough, my hands were sweaty, I wrote as best as I could and passed over the papers when we were done. I and Emma walked down the hall.

"So when are we expecting the grades?" I asked nervously

"Oh we never see the grades" She answered casually humming

"Never?" My eyes rounded

"Mmm mmm" she shook her head. They just took tests for no reason?!

"It's nothing like regular school"

I missed my old school, my home, I missed Jacqui.

 The next moment, I found myself in a house, it was late at night. I walked slowly into a strange living room looking around, the house was clean, organised. I was confused, how did I get here?

"Who's there?" I gasped when the lights came on and an old lady pointed a shot gun at me.

"Don't shoot!"

"Who the heck are you and what're you doing here?"

"I can explain!"

I must have teleported here, half shocked and excited that I could teleport. I raised my hands. My watch beeped and I was running out of time

"Uhhh_"

The watch beeped for the second time. I stepped back but she cocked her gun, I needed to teleport again. I thought about the academy and tried to teleport, it didn't work.

 Eventually after a few tries I was back in the hallway where no one was, running to class, my heart raced as I teleported again to the doorway. Everyone was seated, watching two people box.

 Surprised to see Emma who blocked blows and swiftly dodged another, then punched back swiftly, her opponent with the blue boxing gloves tottered to the corner of the ring, now cornered, Emma punched vigorously until her opponent tired and collapsed. The bell rang and the referee raised her arm and declared her winner of the second round.

My eyes rounded, startled at her, she was a sweet, good-natured girl but who I saw was a fierce warrior on the ring. The opponent was in no condition to fight so she was automatically declared the winner. Kristen pulled me inside and we crouched

"Where were you, you missed the fight!"

I saw enough to know that Emma was amazing. The audience cheered and clapped.

"I thought she said this was a sparring lesson"

Kristen shrugged "It's sparring for her"

Indifferently.

I marvelled at her when she came, she was angry with me

"Emma..."

"Don't talk to me, I was walking with you and then you just...disappeared!"

She waved her hand "This was really important"

I swallowed "I didn't mean to upset you, I_"

"You're really deserving of that name you know..." She said and walked past me dumping her headgear on the floor.

"What?" I said confused

"Maybe they should call you Shadowgirl instead. Nice necklace" she said, I looked down at the necklace Quinn gave to me.

I felt sad, there was so much going on, I didn't need a fight to start. Quinn waved and she walked right past him without giving him so much of a nod.

"What's her problem?"

"Nothing to worry about, she'll come around" Kristen waved her hand.

"Hmm. I was going to ask if you would like to join me for dinner at the mess hall?" He looked at me.

"D_dinner?" I stammered he nodded, so did I without hesitation.

"Can I join you?" Kristen asked playfully and was startled when he agreed.

"The more the merrier" he grinned.

Kristen ate her pudding, sitting between the both of us, I couldn't eat a forkful, I watched Mr. Wilkins walk by, looking on.

"Do you know anything about Shadow Knight?" I asked trying to see if they had any insight into his past.

"Why?" Quinn asked and quirked his eyebrow.

"Just curious, he doesn't seem so bad" I shrugged. They both laughed.

"He's a cyborg" He pointed out

"I know"

"You're not hungry?" Kristen asked.

"No, I'll take in early tonight" I took my tray and went to a corner, and teleported to the door of our room, I could get used to this. Walking in.

Emma sat on the floor, playing with a yo-yo.

"Hey, you must be exhausted after that fight"

"I feel very much alive" she said indifferently. I kept the tray close to her feet, she passed me a quizzical look.

"You dare bribe me with food?"

I shook my head in a fit not to laugh.

"Hmmm...I'm not hungry" her lips thinned

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to run off like that, I needed to go, bad"

"Oh..." Her eyes rounded

"It was so bad, I had to clean up the place and freshen up twice"

"Ok, you are ruining the food for me" She grimaced.

"Shame no one's here to eat it. I wonder if Kristen would take extra pudding"

"No!" She grabbed the cup and started to gobble up the pudding. I laughed. At that point, we made up, at least I thought we did.

"I saw you back there, you were...really fast"

"Mmm... I've had practice," she said casually with a full mouth.

"But Kristen...secretly takes ballet." she whispered, I figured from the way she walked.

"At first I was upset that she kept it from me, I mean what's there to be ashamed of, it's ballet" she shrugged

"That sounds perfect"

"She's always trying to please her 'other' friends" Kristen was a sociable person.

"Don't be ridiculous"

"I don't know, she spent an awful lot of time with them and I guess I got a little lonely. I was counting on you to come but Kristen showed up, woo" she rolled her spoon

I felt guilty "I said I was sorry"

"I know, I forgive you"

I jumped out of bed and snuck out with Kristen to the training station. Where she taught me how to have the correct stance and then some moves. This went on for weeks, we took breaks on Saturdays and Sundays. Kristen usually met up with classes still even though we spent most of our nights practicing. I couldn't, I hated to wake up by eleven to train but she pushed me.

I could say I was improving and my self-discipline improved. Quinn taught me a few lessons on how to regulate my emotions, I was failing at that exceedingly.

I punched a dummy tirelessly till my arms gave out. I knelt and yawned

"What?, ho, you are kneeling before your adversary!" Kristen said in an English accent, teasing me, I laughed

"I'm just tired"

"Yeah right_"

"What're you guys doing out here in the middle of the night!?"

We turned sharply at a voice, it was Emma, her curly hair was messy and she was wearing white pajamas and fluffy slippers.

"Shhh" we hissed simultaneously

"You're gonna get yourselves in trouble!" She whispered.

"Relax Coverton, we're just... training"

"We had a deal_" I added and Kristen jabbed me in the ribs.

"What deal?" She arched an eyebrow, suspicious of both of us. Kristen seemed unperturbed, she sighed shaking her head at me.

"Well, Darcy was having a hard time..."

She explained everything to her

"Then what do you hope to gain?"

She blushed "I get Quinn"

Emma looked perplexed "What!?"

"Hey, stop there!"

We froze when a bot got in the way, lights flashed on us.

I moved uneasily when we sat in the commander's office, it was spacious and filled with tech. There was a tag on the desk 'Lucas Wayne'

A man walked in, my eyes rounded at him, it was the man from the lounge who shared chips with me. I was in shock and couldn't speak.

He clasped his fingers and sighed

"I received word that you've been running around at night."

"Received?"

He tapped a button and a window opened, we watched Kristen and I laugh and spar. Kristen bit her lip when she said something funny about the commander.

"This is a HiTech facility and of course we have cameras and we're watching you"

I groaned within me when he looked directly at me

"You're guilty of violating the rules about curfew, all inhabitants are supposed to return to their quarters by 10 pm excluding security and patrol bots."

"I didn't do anything, I've been a good girl" Emma said turning red, holding her hands together.

Kristen rolled her eyes.

"You both lose 10 points" He concluded.

Kristen and Emma protested

"Be quiet!. You're lucky I'm not taking out a hundred"

"But we were just training"

"The ones you received at the academy are enough and I think our little recruit is adapting just fine" his eyes fell on me, I squirmed.

"Dismissed"

"I hope you're not taking my earrings away"

"And do what with it exactly?"

She laughed nervously, Emma stormed off. Kristen followed, hesitant to calm her down. I was about to move until he stopped me

"Sit down"