CHAPTER 7
Celise followed Jade with a thundering heart.
Wind and Diane held hands as they also headed toward the room.
The sight hit her in the chest. She had to remind herself he wasn’t hers yet. Besides, they deserved last moments together, because after today, everything would change.
With trembling hands and weak knees, she sat on one of the couches inside the big bright living room. A round table stood in the middle.
Diane and Wind sat on the other couch while Jade sat next to Celise and took a tablet out of her bag.
Celise tried to stay calm. She avoided looking at Wind and Diane but felt their eyes on her. It made her feel like she stood on a huge stage. She didn’t like that. She’d never liked that.
Jade glanced over all of them. “Before we begin, I want to make sure everyone has agreed to this, and that there’s no doubt whatsoever. I don’t want to waste your time, and I don’t want to waste mine.”
“I’m sure,” Diane said. “There’s no one better suited to take my place than Celise.”
Emotions washed over Celise, a huge mix of everything from pure joy to insecurity. Her life had taken an unexpected turn, and handling it seemed almost impossible. What if she was dreaming? Would she wake up soon?
Celise clenched her fists. No, this was all real.
Frightening real, and yet, exciting.
“I’m sure, too,” Wind said.
Jade turned to her. “Are you, Celise?”
She swallowed and nodded. She couldn’t help but glimpse at Wind. “Yes.”
The doctor studied her. “You don’t look sure.”
She winced. “I’m just nervous.”
Jade took a breath. “Yes, I guess you should be.” She tapped on the tablet’s screen, and silence filled the room.
Celise remembered a few years back when she’d told Wind about her feelings for him, but only after he’d figured it out and asked. It’d been the most embarrassing day of her life. He’d been kind and understanding, and despite him telling he’d always be her friend, she’d stayed away from him for weeks after that.
It had been him, who’d finally taken contact. They’d gone for a walk and talked about anything on their minds, but after that day, being close to Wind had become too difficult.
She’d always smiled, always been kind, doing everything to maintain their friendship, but on the inside, she’d been slowly dying. That had been her reality for so long.
Now, here she was, making a life changing decision she’d never seen coming.
“I assume you all know about the responsibilities,” Jade said, “but I have to go through it, anyway. I need to know you understand what you’re getting yourselves into.” She placed the tablet on the table. The screen glowed in different shades of blue. “Everything we say from now will be recorded. It will be your contract with MedAct.”
They all nodded.
“Very well. Let’s begin.” She turned to Celise. “Please place your hand on the tablet.”
A gentle light came from the screen as she touched it. She pulled away a few seconds later, when the light disappeared. She gazed at Wind. Sadness lingered in his beautiful aluminum, shiny eyes. It made her hold her breath. She couldn’t get away from the feeling that she was forcing him into this. He didn’t want her. She understood why, but it didn’t lessen the ache in her chest.
Jade took a deep breath. “I, Doctor Jade Silva, hereby open the contract between Diane Wright and Celise Campbell regarding the cyborg Wind, who was created and awakened by MedAct fifteen years ago. Wind is bound to Diane Wright, but Diane is dying, and therefore, Wind needs a new bound one. Both Diane Wright and Wind agrees to that Celise Campbell takes Diane’s place.” The doctor looked at Celise. “There’s no way out of this contract. Only death can release you from it. Mistreating Wind in any way is punishable, and you’ll be supervised the first two years during your time with him. Do you understand?”
Celise took an unsteady breath. “I understand.”
“Good. Now confirm you desire this.”
She touched the tablet again, this time with a shaky hand. “I, Celise Campbell confirm that I want to become Wind’s new bound one. I’ll take care of him and cherish him the way a bound one should.” She gazed at Wind again.
His face was tense, his eyes set on her as he held Diane’s hand in his with a grim expression. He was about to lose the most important person in his life, and she could barely imagine what he was going through.
“Diane, your turn.” Jade handed her the tablet.
There were tears in Diane’s eyes as she placed her hand on the tablet. Her voice shook when she spoke. “I, Diane Wright, agree to—” She remained silent for a while. Her reluctance was written all over her face. “I, Diane Wright, agree to that Celise Campbell becomes Wind’s new—” She looked at Celise with a horror-filled gaze.
There was nothing Celise could say or do to make Diane feel better, but she could give her a smile filled with promises. She’d already promised Wind would be safe, that he’d be taken care of, and that he’d always be loved. It was a promise stronger than any contract MedAct could ever write.
“I’m sorry.” Diane relaxed and dried her tears. She straightened her back. “I accept Celise Campbell as Wind’s new bound one.” She pulled her hand from the tablet.
“You too, Wind,” Jade said.
He nodded and took a deep breath before he let go of Diane’s hand and reached for the tablet. He froze with his hand on it, just staring at it for a while.
Celise didn’t miss the confusion that suddenly radiated from his eyes, but when he leaned forward and groaned as if in pain, she tensed. Worry filled every part of her body.
Something wasn’t right.
“I know it hurts,” Jade said, “but the pain you feel now will subside as soon as you confirm the contract. Don’t prolong it.”
Celise wanted to tell him to stop, that he didn’t have to do this, that he could stay with Diane. She didn’t want to see him like this. She didn’t want to be the cause of his pain.
“I, Wind ... bound to Diane Wright—” He groaned again, unable to go on. He shook his head as if he was trying to get rid of the pain.
Diane looked terrified. She held her hands over her mouth as tears ran down her cheeks. “Wind ...” She reached for him.
The doctor raised her hand. “Don't.”
Diane froze, and with resignation in her eyes, pulled back.
“Finish, Wind,” Jade ordered.
His voice quivered. “I accept ... I ... accept Celise ... as my new ... bound one.”
Before Celise could relax, Wind let out a gut-wrenching cry. He threw himself off the sofa, writhing on the floor. He curled in a fetal position with his hands against his chest. His body trembled, his throat and face turned bright red as a thin coat of sweat broke out on his skin.
Celise and Diane both flew from their seats. “Wind!” they yelled at the same time.
Jade raised her hand again, commanding attention. “Don’t go near him! He’ll accidently hurt you if you do. He’s not able to control his reactions right now.”
Seeing Wind like this made it difficult for Celise to stand by and do nothing. The way he twisted on the floor told her he could break bones with his strength. When he grabbed the table leg and squeezed, the wood cracked. It sent chills down her spine. Cyborgs were strong, a lot stronger than humans, and he’d just proven that.
“You said his pain would go away once he agreed to the contract!” Diane yelled at Jade.
“I lied.”
Disbelief shone in her eyes. “What? Why?”
“Because it would’ve made him hesitate. He would’ve chosen to die with you. His bond is fighting against his decision. It’s trying to stop him, but if he gets through this, one huge obstacle will be behind you all.”
“What do you mean if?” Anger surged through Celise. She couldn’t believe Jade hadn’t been honest.
“There’s a slight chance his bond won’t accept his decision, that it’s unable to make the transfer.”
She gasped. “What will happen then?”
Jade remained silent, but her chest heaved as if she’d taken a breath.
The sound of cracking wood filled the room again when Wind squeezed the poor table leg even more. Celise winced, unable to escape the feeling as if something had cracked inside her, too.
“He’ll die,” Jade said.
Diane burst into hysterical sobs.
Celise reacted instantly. She ran up to Diane and wrapped her arms around Wind’s bound one as she cried against her shoulder.
Celise wanted nothing more but run up to Wind too, hold him, and tell him everything would be all right. He just had to hang on for a little bit longer, and it’d be over soon, but when she looked at him, she saw no improvement. Fear skittered down her spine.
He screamed and tremored, and finally snapped the table leg off. The table swayed but didn’t fall over. The other three held it up.
“You should’ve told us,” Celise snapped.
“Then you would’ve never gone through with this, and Wind would’ve died anyway when Diane—” Jade paused. “You don’t have to worry, Diane. Neither do you, Celise. It’s rare that a cyborg dies at this stage. During all the years I’ve been working at MedAct, it has only happened twice.”
Diane didn’t say anything. She tried to dry her eyes, but the tears kept coming.
“How often do you do this?” Celise asked. “How often does a cyborg change his bound one?”
“It happens more often than you think. Humans don’t live as long as cyborgs do, as you know, so at least a few times each year. None of them want to become a Fighter, so they agree to switch their bound one before it’s too late. But sometimes, the bound ones dies unexpectedly, and those who survive, join the Fighters.”
Eventually, Wind stopped screaming, but his pain was still obvious. He kept shaking and groaning with ragged breaths. His eyes were closed, and he seemed swept away in his own mind.
“It’s over soon.” Jade’s voice was gentle, comforting.
No one spoke as the minutes passed, and after what felt like an eternity, Wind finally exhaled and relaxed. Sweat covered his body, exhaustion radiated from him, but his breathing slowly calmed.
Diane was instantly at his side. She wrapped her arms around him as more tears ran down her cheeks. Equal parts joy and worry shone on her face.
Celise remained where she stood. Wind wasn’t hers yet, even if she officially was his bound one now. She tried to convince herself it was the right thing to do, taking over the bond. Without her, Wind would, one way or another, die but when she saw the pain it caused them, she couldn’t help but think twice. Trying to tell herself she was saving him became more and more difficult to believe.
Wind lay still in Diane’s arms. His eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open, and he seemed completely drained. He remained like that for a while as he regained his strength.
Then he opened his eyes and met her gaze.
Celise held her breath.
His eyes were bright and intense. There was a determination she’d never seen before, and there was also something new. Something she’d never expected to see in his eyes.
Interest.
And it was directed at her ...