Alt+Control Chapter 37

“What do you want with Kaya?” asks Marc, and pulls me in closer. “Whatever you want with her, I’m not letting you have her.” He lets takes his hand off my mouth, so I’m able to talk.

“Marc, what’s going on?” The confusion and fear must’ve been evident in my voice, as he looks down at me with concerned eyes.

“I see you’ve kept this part of your life secret,” chortles Lukas. “Ah, savour that feeling Kaya. The feeling of being betrayed by someone you trusted.”

“Marc, tell me what’s going on right now. Seriously.” What’s happening? How could Marc and Lukas designed Chronos? And what the hell is wrong with Lukas?

Marc glances at me, then at Lukas, then at me again. “It’s…a long story.”

“That’s right. And I suppose we don’t have much time,” says Lukas. He snaps his fingers, and several androids step out all around us. I count 10 of them, and those are only the ones I can actually see. Shit.

“I’m sorry to ruin your moment, Marc, but I’m afraid I’ll have to separate you two right now,” sighs Lukas. The androids start advancing on us, step by step. “Kaya, you and I need to talk.”

Marc releases me, and shoves me towards an opening. “Run!” he shouts.

“But—“ I protest. He’s going to get hurt. Or even die!

“Don’t! Just run!”

I obey him this time, and run. I pull open the door and fly into the hallway. My footsteps bounce off the walls, and it’s all I can hear. I reach the steel door, and slow my pace. I fumble around in my pockets for the keycard, when all of a sudden, an icy grip seizes my mind. I can’t move a single limb, or even bat my eye. What’s happening?

Suddenly, my body creaks into motion, turns around, and starts moving back towards the room.

No! Why is my body rebelling?! My mind screams to try to regain control, but it’s not working. I try breaking out of this strange grip, but I feel an icy, and rather non-existent hand slide around my throat. Slowly but surely, I reenter the room.

Lukas is still there, sitting smugly in his wheelchair and typing furiously into Chronos. Three androids back him up in a protective semi-circle. Marc and Gerad are nowhere in sight.

My body seats me in a chair, which I quickly learn, has restraints on them. The androids strap my arms and legs in, rendering me immobile. The icy grip on my mind disappears. My body is under my control again. Lukas waves his hand, and the androids disappear, leaving just the two of us.

“What do you want from me?” I ask coolly. At least I hope my voice was like that. I’m trying so hard to keep the anger and fear out of my voice.

“Why should I answer you?” he questions back.

I glare at him, and try wrenching myself out of the chair. Unfortunately, I seem to be completely stuck. As I struggle more, the more the cold, hard metal bites into my skin. I decide to stop for now and address Lukas.

“Because I deserve to know.” I look up at Lukas, and find him quietly studying me, as if I was some inanimate object.

“I do wonder,” he ponders, stroking his chin, “what in the world does Marc ever see in you? He never was one of the emotional types, and particularly not one to fall in love.”

“What do you mean?” I knew he wasn’t the ‘emotional type,’ but falling in love? What does that have anything to do with Marc? Marc in love with someone… that’s too weird to even fathom! I try picturing him with someone like Natalie, or any of my other friends, but I really can’t picture it.

Lukas starts chuckling softly. “Ah, you’re really quite dense, aren’t you? Once again, I wonder what he sees in you.”

“Don’t call me dense! Just tell me what the hell is going on!”

“Wasn’t this entire experience enough explanation to you? Marc is in love with you, Kaya.”

For a moment, I don’t know how long it was, I just thought back to all those times saved me, got mad on my behalf, acted ‘weird’… Was that all because he loved me? I feel my face getting hot as blood rushes up to my cheeks. How was  I so blind? This happened with Drew, and now with Marc? I really am dense.

“How…how did you know?” I ask Lukas cautiously. “I mean, it isn’t that obvious, is it?”

“Oh, no, not at all. I’ve known him for a long time, and I could tell.” He falls silent for a minute or so.

“How did you know him? I didn’t think you two knew each other at all.”

“Humph. He was always good at hiding the stuff he wants to forget.” Lukas stares off into the distance above my head. “Very well, I suppose I should tell you.”