To Be A Killer

Chapter 68: Aquarius

"You've been so helpful, Runner Five," Moonchild says as the tones ring into my ears. I've grown so used to that sound over the past two weeks. I love it. I love hearing her praise me. It just makes me so happy.

"It is okay if I call you Five, isn't it?" She asks. "With my process, it's usually best to use someone's real name, but that seems to be the name you've bonded with on like, a spiritual level. It's a real drag you couldn't bring me the zombie repelling device when you left Abel. That girl Jody really got under our feet, huh? Ripping your backpack and snatching it away like that. But I know you'll bring it to me one day. I know you will."

"I will. I promise," I say, my blood humming, the words tasting like honey on my lips because I know they'll make her happy. They make me happy.

"Yes, I know. Isabel played her part. New Canton has taken her prisoner; We'll try to get her out. She's done good work. Never would have been able to complete the mind control process on you without that hypnotism she did. But we have some important business to deal with first."

I nod, standing up shakily in my small boat. It was hard to remain undetectable with Comansys being so much more secure now, but I found a way. I remembered the blind spots, the places the guards wouldn't search as thoroughly, the places in which they got lazy. And that's how I snuck in-that's how I am sneaking in.

I climb up the ladder onto the ship, every inch of my body buzzing in best way possible. I hear Moonchild chuckle to herself.

"I was just going to tell you to climb that ladder onto that ship. That's what's great about us, Five. I feel like we just get each other. We're karmically linked. The hand of fate, the circle of time, leading you back to the same place, but this time for the right reason."

Yes. The right reason. I'm doing the right thing. Everyone else is just too blind to see it. That's why I have to do this.

"You broke into this ship, the Laetitia Greenwald, before. And now you're doing it again." She pauses when I reach the deck. "Last time, you were here to rescue Maxine and Caleb, but now you know better."

"Yes. Now we can save everyone."

"Yes... I'm so glad you told me about their serum. We're going to take it away, so no one ever has to be cut off from my love again." She gasps softly, and I see why. There's a guard coming-no, two. I quickly dart under the awning. I can't be seen, not now. I have to do this. It's the only way I can fix everything.

"It's okay. I've got you on satellite cameras. You're safe," She says as the guards pass by, stopping for only a second. "You'll always be safe with me."

"Did you see that?" One guard asks.

"All I saw was a seagull takin' a dump. Watch out, it's going to do it again."

I keep quiet, like I always do. My body hums in pleasure, but I don't move, because she doesn't want me to, not just yet.

"Okay, Five, you know where the first cover is."

I nod, eyes narrowing in determination at the tarpaulin over the lifeboat. I watch as the guards keep moving, and I tense. I hear the tones ring in my head, and I can hear them telling me to run. I hear them singing the same tune as Moonchild's voice-her beautiful voice.

"Time to run."

And I do. I run as fast as I can, keeping my steps quiet and my breathing steady. I have to do this. I have to succeed for her.

It's not as easy as before to stay unseen. There are more guards, more lookouts. And with the fact that people will recognize me if they see my face makes this even more stressful on my part.