All We See or Seem (12 page)

****

When Dr. Spurius checked on her for the third time that day, Gem knew something must be wrong. It was his common practice to see her only when necessary, and surely three times in one day was unnecessary, especially with Ms. Birger hovering over her like one of the hens did with her chicks down in the poultry yard.

“Gemini,” he oozed. “You gave us quite a scare this morning. We must be certain of the stability of your health.” The timbre of his voice invoked nausea, and Gem cringed at every word.

“Doctor,” Ms. Birger interrupted. “Her vitals have been stable for several hours. I will alert you if anything changes.” She stood by the open door as if to show him the way out.

His steely glare drew a chill up Gem's spine. She wished he would leave.

Finally, he nodded and stepped toward the door.

“I see you have the matter well in hand, Ms. Birger.” He glanced at the nurse as he continued into the hall. Gem caught the hint of a whisper as he passed the woman.

The door slid closed behind him.

“Sorry about that, Gemini.” Ms. Birger's eyes held a deep sadness, more than just sympathy or understanding. Something deeper was troubling her. The anguished look mirrored the pain Gem had felt when Gryff left. But she knew she couldn't ask. “Do you want to get some fresh air? I can grab a wheelchair. Dr. Spurius doesn't want too much physical activity for a few days, but I can take you around the garden if you want to get out for a bit.”

A little fresh air sounded good. Gem nodded.

Ms. Birger stepped out briefly and returned a moment later with a wheelchair. She helped Gem maneuver into the chair, and then the two of them exited to the garden.

Once outside, Gem relaxed. There was no one listening to their conversation out there. No one watching their every move, analyzing their behaviors. She took a deep breath and expelled it slowly through pursed lips. The hot summer breeze caught the loose strands of her hair and whipped them around her face. Gem closed her eyes as the sun filtered through the lattice-work overhead, warming her to the core. Some days the August heat could be unbearable, but here in this shaded alcove with the light wind carrying the scent of lavender across the community, Gem felt more peaceful than she had in months.

“Are you going to tell me about it?” Ms. Birger interrupted Gem's serenity.

“I don't know what happened.”

“Nothing happened in the garden?”

“I fell asleep… on the bench.”

“Nothing upset you? The attendant said you seemed upset about something.”

Gem kept silent and glanced up at the fence as they rounded the path near the bench. Ms. Birger followed her gaze and stopped pushing the wheelchair. “Tell me, Gem.” It was a whisper. When Gem glanced at Ms. Birger, she noticed the vacant sadness in her eyes.

“It was a dream. Like the others. I was on the bench. I heard footsteps and went to the fence.” A lump rose in her throat, choking the words. “Gryff was there.” She lifted a finger toward the iron bars.

“Gryffon? Are you certain?”

“It was a dream. But it seemed real.” She brought her hand to her lips. “He — he put his hands through the bars and held me. And then…” Her voice trailed off. “It was a dream… wasn't it?”

 

Aaron hadn't slept. For hours he lay staring at the numbers on his bedside clock. At three o'clock, he rose from his bunk and pulled on a pair of sweats, slipped on his shoes, and marched out into the quiet compound. Silently, he made his way to the recreational path, stretching his legs as he went. A good run.

****

“Ms. Birger, prep the stem for the procedure. It'd like to have this resolved in time for the meeting this afternoon.”

“Termination then?”

“Yes.”

“Are you certain? I think she's able to sustain the pregnancy.”

“Both Izanagi and Admatha agree with me on this, Ms. Birger. She's too much of a risk, and her replacement is almost complete. We're ready to move on.”

“I see…”

“You seem
attached
. You did know the plan from the beginning.”

“Yes, of course.”

“Then what is the problem?”

“I'm just sorry to abandon the case so soon.”

“I see. So it's just your sense of perseverance that is offended.”

“That must be it.”

“What a relief. I was starting to wonder where your loyalties might lie…”

“They're stems, Doctor Spurius. My loyalty is to the company, not the product.”

“Good. I'll be ready to begin the termination procedure in twenty minutes. That should give you enough time.”

“Will she have time to recover before the transfer to research? They'll want her to be strong enough for their tests.”

“A few days should be sufficient. Schedule the transport for me, would you?”

“Yes, doctor. The stem will be ready in twenty minutes.”

****

After three nights of the same routine, Aaron should have known just to stay in bed. Get some much needed rest. But there was that compulsion again. Something that just kept telling him,
Tonight she
'
ll be there
.

As he rounded the bend, his eyes fell on the wrought iron bars. No lights shined from the garden tonight either. Aaron's heart sank into his shoes, and he slowed to a walk, sucking in a deep breath and forcing it out in a rush through pursed lips.

He left the path and meandered toward the fence. When he reached it, he turned around and leaned hard against it, sinking to the ground with a sigh. Propping his head on his fists, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to slip into a silent mourning.

“Gem,” he whispered, just wanting to hear her name again. “Where are you?”

“She's sleeping, major.” A cold female voice startled him from his lamentation.

Aaron glanced in the direction of the sound. A shadowed outline stood on his left a few feet away. Had the shadow been there all along?

“Aria?”

“Shhh. You'll draw attention,” she warned, stepping closer to him.

“What are you doing out here?” he whispered. It's not like security was going to come after him. He was security. And right now, it was Aria who was breaking curfew.

“I've come to talk to you.”

“You shouldn't be here.”

“
You
shouldn't be here.”

“What do you mean? I'm checking the perimeter. It's part of my job.” The irritation was evident in his voice, but the defensive tone sounded like he was hiding something, so he chose to temper it with a better excuse. “I couldn't sleep, so I decided to go for a run.”

Aria observed him in silence. Her eyes had a way of boring into him until he felt like she was reading his mind, decoding his transparent lies. She would have made a good interrogator in his old division.

“What
are
you doing out here at this hour anyway?”

“I have to talk to you,” she insisted again.

“Couldn't it wait until tomorrow? You could get into trouble.”

“Listen, major. There are a few things you need to know. A few things they neglected to tell you during orientation. And your staff training classes are nothing more than carefully designed EROMI propaganda. You're not going to hear the truth from anyone else, and if you ask me in broad daylight, I will deny I ever said any of this.”

“Okay,” Aaron said. “You have my attention.”

Aria hesitated. He could see she didn't want to tell him. Maybe she thought he wouldn't believe her.

“Aria. Tell me. What do I need to know? What are they hiding?”

Another long silence. Her gaze burned into him, like she was assessing his readiness for the information. Aaron held his breath and waited for her to decide, staring right back at her.

She sighed in resignation.

“This is very dangerous for both of us. It's dangerous for Gem,” she whispered.

Aaron's heart leaped into his throat.
Gem
? What did Aria know about her?

“Now,” she drew out slowly. “Now, I have your attention.”

He nodded, stepping closer to her. “What about her?” he whispered through his teeth. “What do you know?”

“I've told you before. Things aren't as they appear. I know everything. I know Gem… and I know who you really are. Gryffon — Stem 6392C.”

Her words shot through him like a hot knife. That wasn't his name. Why did the deepest part of him respond like it was?

“You're one of them, major. You're a stem. That's why you recognize her. That's why
I
seem familiar to you.”

“What? Wait — what? No. I don't believe you. I'm Aaron Jennings. My father is General Robert Jennings. My mother is Cary Jennings. If what you're saying is true, why would I have a lifetime of memories?” He snorted in disbelief. But somewhere in the pit of his stomach, an icy realization began to filter through his veins.

Her version would explain a lot of things. He used to be left-handed. Now he was right-handed. And the dreams… Gem's face and voice so deeply imbedded in his memory, even though he had never met her.

Never met her.

His very being screamed that it wasn't true. He did know her. He had always known her.

But Aria's story was impossible.

Aaron had his memories.
Childhood
memories.

“I know this is a lot to take at once.” Aria put a hand on his arm.

Aaron could only stare at her hand and tell himself over and over,
It isn
'
t true. It
'
s impossible.

“Why are you telling me this?” He studied her face again. Everything about Aria's composure said she was telling him the truth.

“Gem has been selected for termination.” She hesitated as if she was waiting for the information to sink in.

“Termination? No,” he scoffed. “I don't believe you. Why? Why would they do that?”

“Gem is a stem. She's a product to them. Nothing more. When they become more trouble than they're worth, Dr. Admatha sends them to research. A kind of… recycling.”

“They can't do that.”

“I assure you, major, they can do anything they want.”

A light flickered to life in the garden, and the sound of a door sliding startled both of them. Aria took a step back into the shadows and motioned for Aaron to follow. Holding his breath, he stepped into the darkness beside her, but he kept an eye on the light streaming through the foliage.

Aria held a finger to her lips to remind him to keep quiet. They listened to the rustling coming from the other side of the fence. A low murmuring of conversation seemed to draw closer.

“Another dream?” one voice asked.

“Yes,” another voice replied.

“Do you want to tell me about it?”

“It was the same. Only not as clear as last time. And we were somewhere else. Not in the garden. Not even in the community. Somewhere — different. I don't know how to explain it.”

“Gemini—”

Aaron's breath caught in his throat. When he jolted forward, Aria grabbed his arm and held him, shaking her head in warning.

It was Gem. He wanted to see her. To see for himself if what Aria said was true. But Aria had a death grip on his arm and held him fast.

“Gemini,” the voice came again. “I have to tell you something. About your dreams. Specifically about the dream you had the other night. The night you were in the garden.”

A heavy silence followed, broken only by the soft crunch of feet on the path inside the garden. “Here. Let's sit down a moment. Are you feeling okay?”

“What is it you want to say?” Gem's voice broke through.

“That wasn't a dream, Gem.”

A gasp.

Aaron couldn't wait any more; he tore his arm from Aria's vice grip and stepped to the fence. The light from the garden illuminated him as he grasped the bars with both hands.

“Gem,” he whispered.

Both figures on the bench jerked to attention, and one of them stood to her feet but didn't make a move toward him. The other figure stood slowly beside Gem and rested a hand on her forearm.

“Gem?” Aaron whispered again. He had to see her, to talk to her.

“Major Jennings?” Gem's companion stepped toward him, protectively holding Gem behind her. “What are you doing here? It's almost four o'clock in the morning.”

“I want to talk to her,” he answered and peered around the woman standing in his way. “Gem?”

“This is so dangerous.” The woman's eyes burned into him, then her gaze went past him, searching the darkness for something. “What if you were followed? You could get all of us killed, you idiot.” Her whisper hissed through the bars at him.

“I wasn't followed.” Beside him he felt Aria move in near his elbow.

“Aria?” The woman seemed surprised at Aria's presence. Gem stepped out from behind her and was suddenly at the fence directly in front of Aaron.

“Gryff?” Uncertainty shook her voice and she lifted a tentative hand to his face. “Are you real?” she whispered, her eyes wide with disbelief. Then her gaze shifted to Aria beside him.

“Aria? Am I dreaming?”

“No, honey. No dream. He's here. He's back.”

And then she seemed to melt in front of his very eyes. He reached to catch her, but she slumped to the ground before he could react. Instantly, her companion was on her knees beside Gem, trying to rouse her back to consciousness. “Gem! Gem!” She patted her face and rubbed her back vigorously. “Gem!”

A groan escaped Gem's lips, and the woman glowered furiously at Aaron.

“You shouldn't have come here,” she spat at him then turned to Aria. “I thought you were going to deal with this.”

Aria pushed past him to address the woman. “Don't give me that self-righteous routine, Tanja. You knew he would be out here at this time. You could have kept her inside.”

Aaron stepped back. The bad blood between the two was evident in their steady icy glares as they stared each other down through the iron bars.

Gem moaned again, interrupting their silent feud.

“I'm going to take her inside.” She turned back toward Gem to help her up.

“Wait,” Aaron said, desperate for a few more minutes with Gem. “Just wait a minute. I can help you with her. How do I get in?”

“No! Aria, get him out of here. Someone's going to hear and come out. You can't be seen here. Go!”

“Major…” Aria began. “Gryffon—”

He snapped around to glare at her. “Stop! Stop it! I'm not that person… that
stem
. And if I am, I don't remember. The only thing I remember is Gem. You have to let me help her. Aria — please.”

The garden lights reflected in the moisture now welling in her eyes. They stared at each other for a moment.

“Tanja, the gate,” Aria finally whispered, stopping the other woman mid-motion.

Aaron could hear her breath catch in her throat, then she set her chin and paced to the hidden gate. She palmed the lockpad to release the latch, and it slid open silently.

“Hurry. And keep quiet. I'll do the talking. Got it?”

He stepped through the narrow opening and rushed to Gem. Aria remained on the other side of the fence.

“Are you coming in?”

“No. I'm going back to the dormitory.” Aria glanced around her nervously. “Major, we still have more to talk about.”

He nodded as he slid one arm under Gem's head and his other beneath her knees, scooping her into his arms.

“Meet me at noon. The clock tower,” she whispered then disappeared into the darkness.

There was no time to contemplate all she had revealed to him. Gem needed his help. He glanced at Tanja. “Lead the way.”