Emily P.O.V.
It has been one hell of a month. After the shocking betrayal by Roland, we have become even more frantic putting a rush in caring on with our mission of finding a cure. The warnings have been sent out and the F.O.G. has agreed for a full war council in the next coming days on how to prepare for the worst-case scenario that the reptilians manage to develop and evolve specimen X once again. We board our ship the Luxious again leaving the lab behind only taking our research and belongings with us.
My emotions have been on a constant roller coaster, one minute I will feel hopeful and confident the next I am back down to the bottom of a deep dark pit with nothing but one tiny glint of light at the top ever lost to me. However, just when I feel depression taking hold of me I am pulled back out of it by the reminder that my father had faith in me to be able to be what the world needs and that is to be the cure. I can't backtrack now not when there is so much at stake.
Z hasn't fared any better with the whole situation she has returned to her more closed offside. Not so much as cold-hearted and utterly rude, she has just withdrawn a good bit of her emotion and has now allowed her hatred to rule her. That emotion is starting to eat away at her core and I fear there may not be much left of the Z that had opened up to me, the Z that had protected and sacrificed for me not out of duty but out of….friendship or I don't know maybe even love?
The others have just stayed quiet only speaking when it is of importance no one has really carried on casual conversation since Roland left us. I suppose everyone is feeling some sort of guilt or level of stupidity for not seeing what Roland had planned coming. But at the same time how could we? He hid his intentions so well behind those caring eyes of his and kind-hearted smiles.
Z P.O.V.
Roland's treachery hit me pretty hard, the fact that I wasn't even able to see any of this coming bothers me the most. I have now since been reminded of why I never allowed anyone to get close and while I kept emotion at bay. You can't seem to trust anyone no matter the years you have known them. I suppose eventually everyone will end up causing some kind of pain, some kind of decision that you won't ever see till it is too late.
Emily's eyes have been on me lately and I have completely shut her out. I don't have time for talking, friends, or even love. All that petty nonsense can wait right now the only important things are the cure and stopping Solarious and his reptilian army. Maybe even revenge on Roland for what he has done. All I know for certain is I can't lose focus again, losing focus will jeopardize our mission even more than it already has.
Another week passes without further incidence and we are only a few hours away from Yuriz
"Z, it's time" Natasha pokes her head around the corner of the doorway.
I simply nod.
Taking her to leave Natasha doesn't offer any more words. This meeting with the F.O.G. has had me tense for weeks and now the day has finally come for us to join together to stop this madness.
I approach the bridge everyone has already arrived well before me. Avoiding eye contact with Emily I watch as we approach Yuriz. The planet is a mixture of different greens and blues. The color is so extraordinary, so vibrant, and utterly beautiful.
"Approaching Yuriz docking bay in two minutes" Nicole informs us.
We head down to the unloading bay and leave the ship. I am ready for war. I hope everyone else is just the same.
Emily P.O.V.
Our journey to Yuriz has finally come to an end after weeks of traveling and waiting. We are only a few hours away from them. Z has still maintained her whole isolated cold-natured attitude. She refuses to look or acknowledge me unless I speak to her first. This whole thing has been a complete mess and the more it wages on the worse things seem to become.
Nothing seems to break Z now her resolve is absolute and prefers to keep to herself alone unless we are working on research. I try to keep my focus on our main goal as much as possible but there are times when I find myself yearning for a look or even a few words from her that don't pertain to work.
Stretching I urge myself to slide out of my bed. We aren't too far out from Yuriz and so I will myself to get ready for the meeting.
Pulling on my black pants and a black tank top, I pull my hair back into a tight ponytail. Black seems to be the color to set the tone for the level of seriousness that this potential threat could pose. One last look in the mirror and I leave my room and head for the bridge.
I half expected Z to already be there but she wasn't, everyone else has already gathered by the pilot chair where Nicole sits controlling the ship for landing.
"Where is Z?" I ask looking around.
"She is still in her room, I'll go get her" Natasha responds walking past me.
A few minutes later Natasha returns back to the bridge and stands next to Neese.
"She is on her way" she smiles reassuringly
Z finally graces us with her presence but as usual, she ignores the fact I am in the room and stands there watching the same beautiful sight that we all see. Yuriz is such a vibrant, illuminating planet the different hues of the green and blue mixing together has created such a wonderful view.
Making our descent we all head towards the bottom level where the bay doors are, ready to leave the ship once we dock. All of us are even more on edge. This meeting has to go perfectly. The council will hopefully see how dangerous this is and agree to set up a defense and fight the Reptilian army to stop them.
When we step foot off of the Luxious we are met by a group of guards about ten or so. They're all carrying large-sized blasters in hand and at the ready. Tall and stocky they form a circle around us while one of them approaches us placing his blaster behind his back. The group of guards look identical to one another, same hair, face, color, eye color all of it every detail. It is only when he speaks that I realize their all cyborgs.
"State your business, " he commands, his voice coming out almost even-toned and computer-like kind of reminds me of Siri.
" We have come to meet with the council, we have a meeting with them today. Our crew sent out the warnings of an imminent threat a few weeks ago" Neese responds looking around at them.
I feel uneasy just the same. Be on your guard Leona, I warn. It might just be me being paranoid but I still feel that something is off, who sends ten guards if you are expecting us?
Also since when did the council use cyborgs? Normally they would rely on something more heavy-duty and stronger.
"Very well this way" he swings his blaster back into his hands and strolls ahead.
They have made the cyborgs look human-like, they have blonde hair, dark green eyes, tall, clean-shaven and have a well-designed muscle tone on them.
As we walk towards the outer gates of the city gates of Yuriz, I slow down so that I can fall beside Emily.
" Stay close to me, and whatever you do if something should happen, I want you to run, run back to the Luxious and get yourself out of here." I stare her straight in the eyes.
"Z nothing is going to happen, even if it did I wouldn't leave anyone behind" she places her hands on my shoulders.
"This is not a debate, we don't have the luxury of worrying about one another, right now you're the important one, you must not be caught by anyone, Galaxy force or not, just because they may agree to help us, doesn't mean that they won't try to hurt you either."
I can tell she wants to say something to protest what I had just told her. She doesn't say a word, we fall quiet between us. J had to say the truth, no one wants to be left behind and of course, being the caring human she is doesn't want to have to make that decision. However we have a lot more to think about than ourselves, if she is caught by either side it will only get worse. War will break out and instead of one side having the bioweapon, two will, and that will be devastating.
Before we arrive at the headquarters of the council. I stop Emily one last time and pull her off to the side. The cyborgs eye me until I wave them on.
" Don't tell them who you are, if they ask you what species you are, say banshee. Leave it at that, don't give details."
"Why?" Emily questions looking confused.
" I don't trust them if they know you are the human that has specimen X running in your veins and hold the key for the cure I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to take you from me...I mean us, " The moment I say that the last sentence I feel the heat rise up in my face, and I hope she didn't catch what I had said.
Way to go Z, good job keeping it casual, Leona pops in the forefront of my mind and laughs. Quiet you, it's your fault anyway I scowl. No, it's not my fault, the heart calls for the one it wants and cannot be stopped Z. Leona snaps back. You're too serious about this lighten up a bit, everything will be okay. Leona adds before returning back to her space.
Emily P.O.V.
As we follow the Cyborgs to the gates of council headquarters Z surprisingly comes and walks next to me. She hasn't bothered to be close to me since everything that had happened with Roland.
"Stay close to me, and whatever you do if something should happen, I want you to run, run back to the Luxious and get yourself out of here." Z looks at me, right in my eyes almost as if she is staring into my soul.
She might mean well but I can't help but feel some bitterness towards her. I mean weeks go by and she doesn't even acknowledge me until now. Like who do you think you are? If she thinks I am leaving my friends behind she is crazy.
"Z nothing is going to happen, even if it did I wouldn't leave anyone behind." I try to be as reassuring and confident as possible, but Z is too stubborn for that.
"This is not a debate, we don't have the luxury of worrying about one another, right now you're the important one, you must not be caught by anyone, Galaxy force or not, just because they may agree to help us, doesn't mean that they won't try to hurt you either." Z is clearly not going to let this go.
I want to protest and argue with her right back and tell her I'm not helpless like I once was. Months ago I would be frightened and would jump on the first chance of running away, I am not that person anymore. I let it go though. There isn't any point in going back and forth with Z. We walk along falling quiet amongst ourselves. There really isn't anything else to say at the moment. That is until Z stops me again.
" Don't tell them who you are, if they ask you what species you are, say banshee. Leave it at that, don't give details." Z speaks quickly.
"Why?" I reply annoyed and slightly confused.
" I don't trust them if they know you are the human that has specimen X running in your veins and hold the key for the cure I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to take you from me...I mean us, " Z's face turns a flush red and I can clearly tell that she regretted saying that last part.
She is now full of embarrassment. And I know I just heard what I did. And I couldn't help but feel relief in confirmation that she feels the same way about me as I do about her. Finally after months of wondering, months of believing, and knowing that I love her and doubting how she feels, the moment of truth came in just one sentence 'I wouldn't be surprised if they tried taking you away from me...I mean us'.
I crack a wide smile after a few minutes, I am very amused at just the pure facial expression on Z's face. I won't say anything for now. I'll just have to wait till later to tease her about it.
Finally, we approach the entrance to the headquarters of the council. The building is just as tall as all the others I have been in. Nice sleek design but there are no elevators in sight. There are just four sets of staircases, two to the left and two to the right of me. Down the middle of the lobby are rows of antique statues from old earth. Most of the Presidents. One is of the famous thinking David statue where he sits with his hand flat and his chin rests on the backside of his hand. After thousands of years, these statues look beautiful and well preserved.
"Don't be too amazed, they are just replicated" Z points to them.
"Replicated or not they are stunning" I whisper as we keep walking.
The two giant brown oak colored doors we come to swing open with a loud creak at first, revealing in the room what I could best describe as a college lecture typesetting with rows of different beings sitting at these connecting desks. In a horseshoe-like pattern.
"Welcome to Yuriz" a tall serpent figure stands from the desk.
His skin is blood-red and his eyes are a deep solid black. He wears one gold color gauntlet on each wrist. A medallion around his neck on a long chain resting in the center of his chest. He has on a white tunic and black trousers.
I look at Z and the others. They're calm and collected so maybe they know who this guy is. We walk in just enough for the doors to close around us.
" Who might you be?" Neese beckons the question.
"Ah yes, how rude of me, I am Solarious, who might I have the pleasure of speaking with today?" He bows his head slightly and then back up.
Oh shit….Solarious is part of the F.O.G.? And just when I thought things couldn't get any worse. The main villain in this whole world domination is the head of the F.O.G. just some fucking rotten luck.