The Significant (29 page)

      
“I don’t understand.”

      
“Remus and I were used in a plot against
Isa’s life. Rather than abduct us and show the immediate threat to our lives,
the ambassador from Gihron tried slowly killing us and using us to control
Isa’s actions. Had we had these chips, it would have been clear to others what
was going on, and we could have avoided that hell entirely.”

      
Kailyn blinked at Rayal, confused.

      
“No one is going to give me a straight
answer about what happened five years ago, are they?” she asked sharply.

      
“We will tell you what you need to know,
when you need to know it. Isa doesn’t like to talk about it, so we do our best
not to bring it up,” Rayal explained. He extended the box to her. “That is what
this is. If you want it, we will got to Dr. Busen today and get it implanted.”

      
Kailynn stared at the box worriedly.

      
“If I agree, that means that I am
permitted to be close to her?”

      
“By those who know of your relationship,
but not by Venus. Therefore, you still have to be discreet.”

      
Kailynn continued to stare at the box.

      
“Then my life is still in danger.”

      
“Yes,” Rayal said. “But less so than
before,” he continued. “You will be a citizen. The fact that you are a born
Trid will no longer put you in danger of arrest.”

      
Kailynn nodded slowly, her eyes distant.

      
“What does Isa think about all this?”

      
“She does not know that we are discussing
this,” Rayal admitted. “When asked, she, once again, put the situation entirely
in your hands. You need to make the decision based on if you want to stay close
to her or not, and if you do want to stay close, how serious you believe the
risks to be.”

      
Kailynn stared at the box in Rayal’s
hands, her mind racing.

      
“Take it from a veteran,” Rayal
whispered, extending the box further, “be proactive about your own protection
so that Isa does not have yet another thing to worry about.”

      
Kailynn glanced up at Rayal, letting the
words sink into her skull.

      
She reached forward and took the box from
Rayal’s hand.
 

      
Kailynn did not understand why, but she
felt different after having the chip implanted behind her ear. She would spend
extended periods of time staring at her reflection, feeling over the small bump
covered in a bandage until the incision healed completely. There was a new
weight on her shoulders and a strange feeling of elation.

      
She was a citizen.

      
Rayal helped her take care of her
paperwork and discarded the forged information to hide the discrepancies. He
also told her how to use her phone entirely and gave her special programs to
use to learn how to read and write. He then told her to call him if she ever
needed anything.

      
Kailynn remained quiet for several days,
listening to the news and waiting to hear about Isa. She tried to call Tarah,
but the caretaker did not answer her phone.

      
Two weeks after the assassination
attempt, when most of the rumors had blown over, Kailynn received a call from
Rayal.

      
“Come downstairs,” he told her. “Isa is
out of the hospital.”

      
Kailynn practically ran to the elevator
and then impatiently bounced as the car descended. She gained enough sense when
she reached the ground floor to slow down and act like she was not in a hurry.
She ignored the calls and jests of the other Significants, as well as their
suspicious glances, as she walked calmly out of the greeting salon to the car
waiting for her outside.

      
She got in and turned to Rayal quickly.

      
“Is she alright? The doctors said everything
was alright?”

      
“They released her,” Rayal said with a
shrug. “I thought she was fine to leave a few days ago, but Dr. Busen held her
just in case. She still needs about a week of downtime and then she’ll be back
at work.”

      
“Have you told her about the chip?”

      
“No,” Rayal said, shaking his head. “The
hospital does strange things to people. They tend to forget everything they’re
told. I did not want to confuse or frighten her further. You should tell her
yourself, anyway.”

      
Kailynn nodded slowly, her stomach
fluttering with butterflies at the thought of seeing Isa again. She was worried
that Isa would look as she had at the hospital, pale and sick. She had been so
concerned over the Elite’s health that she had not gone back to Trid to check
in with her brother or Raphael, worried she would miss the moment Isa was
released from the hospital. She had spent her time worrying over the Elite’s
condition and fussing over the new implanted chip.

      
Now that she was on her way to see Isa,
her anxiety was even higher.

      
Her impatience in the elevator to the top
of Anon Tower made Rayal smile.

      
When the front door opened, Remus and Dr.
Busen were talking to Tarah, explaining the final stage of Isa’s recovery. Isa
was sitting on the couch, clad in her heavy robe, looking tired, but not ill.
Kailynn stopped in her tracks when she saw Isa, a wave of relief washing over
her.

      
“Kailynn,” Isa greeted, standing.

      
“No, no, sit down,” Kailynn said, rushing
over. “You just got out of the hospital.”

      
She took the Elite’s shoulders and sat
her back down as Isa chuckled.

      
“I assure you, I am alright.”

      
“She will be fine,” Dr. Busen assured.
“Just one more week of remaining quiet. I’m going to count on all of you to be
sure she does so.”

      
“She can’t work from here anyway. Her
chair has been dismantled,” Remus teased.

      
“And I’m sure that the
delay
you are all talking about on my
new chair will no longer be an issue as soon as this week is over.”

      
“Wouldn’t that be a coincidence?” Remus
chuckled.

      
Isa took Kailynn’s hand and gently
pulled, bringing the Significant to sit beside her on the couch.

      
“I think they’re conspiring against me,”
she said with a playful smile.

      
“There, you see?” Rayal said. “She’s
fine.”

      
“Well, in that case, I am no longer
needed here,” Dr. Busen chuckled, turning to Isa. “Please, stay quiet for a
week. It’s just a week, the planet will survive in that time.”

      
“I promise.”

      
“Thank you.”

      
Dr. Busen shook hands with Remus and
nodded to Tarah and Rayal, leaving the house. Remus turned to Isa.

      
“I should go as well.”

      
“Please keep me informed on what is going
on,” Isa said gently.

      
Remus narrowed his eyes playfully.

      
“You made a promise to your doctor.”

      
“I just want to know what is going on,”
Isa said with a smile. “You know how I am. I’ll assume the worst.”

      
Remus walked over to Isa and put a hand
on her shoulder.

      
“Alright,” he agreed. “But only if you
promise to stay quiet.”

      
“I promise.”

      
Remus squeezed her shoulder and turned
his eyes to Kailynn. He was still for only one second before he turned to
leave.

      
“Elite Remus,” Kailynn called, standing
quickly. He turned to her. “Um…I…about…about what I said at the hospital—”

      
Remus lifted his hand to stop her,
shaking his head silently. He turned and left as Kailynn stared after him.

      
Isa’s hand taking hers caused her to turn
back to the Golden Elite.

      
“Do not let him get to you,” Isa said,
guiding Kailynn to sit next to her once more. “What did you say to him?”

      
Kailynn sighed heavily and turned to Isa,
hearing the kitchen door close as Rayal and Tarah left the room.

      
“Nothing, it’s just…” She shook her head.
“They were telling me to leave the hospital…and I said some things to Remus I
probably shouldn’t have…”

      
Isa placed a hand gently on Kailynn’s
cheek, her thumb moving over the skin slowly. Kailynn’s eyes met Isa’s.

      
“Are you alright?”

      
“Yes, I’m fine,” Isa assured. “It’s not
the first time this has happened.”

      
“Rayal said that you’ve had someone try
to kill you eighteen times.”

      
“He would know,” she agreed. “I’ve
stopped keeping track.”

      
Kailynn could only stare at the Elite.

      
“Does that not scare you?”

      
Isa shook her head. “No.”

      
Kailynn was still for several long
moments before she leaned forward and kissed Isa, wrapping her arms around the
Elite and resting her head on Isa’s shoulder.

      
Isa wrapped an arm around Kailynn’s
shoulders as her other hand went to Kailynn’s cheek, holding her tightly, her
head resting on Kailynn’s.

      
“You scared me,” Kailynn breathed.

      
“I know,” Isa whispered. “I’m sorry.”

      
Kailynn’s arms tightened around Isa and
she closed her eyes, listening to Isa’s quiet, even breathing.

Chapter
Nineteen

      
Kailynn took care of Isa, which allowed
Rayal time to spend with Tarah. Kailynn would smile whenever she saw the starry
look in the younger woman’s eyes as she looked at Rayal. Isa appeared not to notice.

      
Isa was good on her promise and remained
quiet for the week. Kailynn spent all day with her, talking lightly about
everything they could think of without bringing up the assassination attempt.
Isa took frequent naps, and Kailynn often slept at her side. When she finally
told Isa that she had the emitter chip implanted, a very serious discussion
ensued, and it took a lot of convincing for Isa to believe that Kailynn was not
coerced into the decision.

      
Even though Isa seemed worried about the
implant, she was, in fact, relieved.

      
Kailynn also kept the Elite from any
sexual activity. Isa teased that sex would not hurt her, and that it was
exercise to help her get stronger. However, she did not push Kailynn. She would
touch and kiss the Significant, but when Kailynn told her to stop, she did.

      
On the fifth day of Isa’s rest, when she
appeared to be completely recovered, the two went swimming in the pool. They
raced and waded around, enjoying the time together. When Kailynn saw the
mischievous light in the Elite’s eyes, she smiled and backed away slowly. Isa
followed, grabbing her hips and pinning her to the side of the pool.

      
Kailynn closed the gap between them,
kissing the Elite passionately, their tongues dancing against each other. The
feeling of the Elite’s body against hers caused her hair to stand on end and
her muscles to quiver. It had been difficult to deny Isa the previous days, but
there were new facets of their relationship that made Kailynn nervous. She was
no longer a Trid. Those who were close to Isa—aside from Venus—knew of their
relationship and were doing their best to protect them.

      
There was something about the changes
that make Kailynn nervous.

      
However, with her body flush against
Isa’s, all negative thoughts left her about their situation. It simply did not
matter.

      
Isa was worth the danger.

      
“Miss,” Rayal said, walking into the pool
area. He was not in the least bit surprised or embarrassed by what he stumbled
upon.

      
“Yes?” Isa asked, her mouth parting from
Kailynn’s.

      
“Elite Maki is here. Shall I show him
in?”

      
“Please do.”

      
As Rayal turned to leave, Kailynn wiggled
out of Isa’s grasp and clamored out of the pool.

      
“Are you
insane
?” Kailynn gasped, staring at Isa incredulously.

      
“What?” Isa chuckled. “The entire
Syndicate knows.”

      
“
So
?”
Kailynn hissed, snatching her clothes from the bench. “That doesn’t mean that
he needs to come in here and
see
us.”

      
“I did not think it would be a problem,”
Isa said, unable to keep herself from smiling at the frantic look on Kailynn’s
face as she grabbed a towel.

      
“Not a problem?” Kailynn snapped. “I’m
naked
.”

      
“As am I.”

      
“Put some clothes on before—”

      
The door opened and Kailynn darted into
the opening in the wall for the spa, nervous about being seen naked. It was true
that the entire Syndicate knew about the relationship, and she was sure that
Maki had been the first to notice, but she did not want to meet him naked after
what had been turning into a very intimate moment.

      
However, as she stood in the spa area,
barely hearing Isa’s quiet chuckle, she felt like an idiot for hiding like a
child.

      
Maki smiled as he approached the pool.

      
“What are you laughing about?”

      
“Nothing,” Isa said, swimming to the
other side of the pool and folding her arms over the edge next to Maki’s feet.
The Bronze Elite sat down to the pool and took off his boots and socks, pulling
up his uniform and sticking his feet in the water.

      
“How are you feeling?”

      
“Well,” Isa assured. “Much stronger.”

      
“I can see that. You’re swimming,” Maki
said. “Too bad your life was predetermined. You could have continued
competing.”

      
“Ah, well,” Isa said, shaking her head,
“Elites can’t compete against humans. We have an unfair advantage.”

      
“I’m still trying to determine that
advantage,” Maki chuckled. “It’s not like the Elites are better than humans.
We’re all made from the same mold.” His smile widened. “Except, of course, you
and Remus.”

      
Isa laughed lightly, shaking her head.

      
“It was never a blessing to be labeled a
degenerate,” she said. She fell silent for several long moments. “How is he?”

      
“Remus?” Maki hesitated, thinking about
how to answer. “…he’s trying to process everything.”

      
Isa sighed and closed her eyes.

      
“I was afraid of that.”

      
“Can you blame him?” Maki asked. “You two
were together for, basically, your entire lives. It’s going to be difficult for
him to accept that you’re involved with someone else.”

      
Isa remained silent, her eyes going
distant.

      
“Will you please keep an eye on him?”

      
“Of course.” Maki was quiet for a few
moments before turning to her once again. “Has he told you about the rumors?”
      

      
“Yes.”

      
“It’s not like we haven’t dealt with
rumors before,” Maki reminded her. “It was always speculated that you and Remus
were together. But everyone was set on keeping it secret. And we will do so
again.”

      
“Even with the threat of war looming?”

      
“There is always threat of war,” Maki
said. “If there was no war, humans would die of boredom.”

      
Isa laughed. “Sadly, you are not wrong.”

      
“However, as far as the rumors are
concerned, they do know her name and have released her picture. We’ve done
everything we can to remove her picture and keep her safe, but enough people
have seen it. If she is spotted anywhere near you, the rumors will spread like
wildfire. And you know the damage of gossip.”

      
“I know,” Isa assured. “We will have to
take extreme precaution. If she quits Companion, it will raise more suspicion.
If she quits and then is never seen again, people will think that she was
responsible and that we’ve silently killed her, which will show more weakness
than we can afford right now.”

      
“I can hold a press conference and show
the proof of where the virus came from.”

      
“No,” Isa said. “It was a domestic
attack. I cannot have the people worried.”

      
“It was a domestic attack, but it was
probably just routed from another chair on Tiao. The virus itself was encrypted
in Gihoric,” Maki told her.

      
Isa sighed heavily.

      
“Regardless, until we have an actual
culprit, let’s not give away information.”

      
“Understood.”

      
“I will try to think of ways to keep
Kailynn out of the spotlight until people find something else of interest.”

      
“Very well,” Maki said. He glanced around
the pool. “Where is she, anyway? Remus said she was staying with you.”

      
“She’s taking a nap,” Isa said with a
smile.

      
Kailynn continued to think over Maki’s
conversation with Isa about the rumors of her involvement in the plot on Isa’s
life. Even though Isa assured her over and over again that there was no
immediate danger and that she would handle the rumors, Kailynn’s worry could
not be quelled.

      
Therefore, on the day that Isa was to
return to the Syndicate, Kailynn told her she was going to go back to Companion
before people became more suspicious. The Golden Elite smiled gently and told
her to come back whenever she wanted and to call her if she needed anything.
Rayal also returned to work, leaving Tarah alone in the house. Kailynn promised
to be back more often and Tarah just smiled and told her that she looked
forward to having her around more.

      
Then, Kailynn returned to Companion.

      
So many things had happened so quickly,
Kailynn felt disoriented.

      
Only two days after returning to
Companion, Kailynn was thinking about returning to Trid once more when Jak sent
her on another job. He told her to be careful and to keep Nyx close. He had
seen that her picture was circulating and he was worried, but she had been
booked for an appointment and he said she still had to earn her keep.

      
Kailynn was thrilled to have the
appointment. She was close to getting the money she needed for the release of
the final members of the Heart of Trid gang. Once she had the money, she had
planned to stay at Companion only for a month or two before returning to Trid.
However, now, she was not sure that her plans were the same. As a citizen, she
did not have to live in fear of being arrested being in Anon. She was able to
leave and go wherever she wanted. The thought used to excite her, but now that
it was possible, it frightened her.

      
What scared her more was a thought that
had become increasingly prominent—she could stay with Isa.

      
There were several things about the
notion that made her uneasy. She had never been one to be tied down, and she
knew that, if she lived with Isa, she would be confined. She would have to be
sure it was okay to be seen and when it was important to stay hidden. She would
have to know the safety measures of being around the Golden Elite—she knew that
there was more to it than just the emitter chip.

      
Perhaps she could find another job in Anon,
and then find a place to live, and then see Isa on occasion.

      
There were many options open to her now,
but so many of her decisions relied on knowing what Isa wanted.

      
She thought about the possibilities over
and over again as Nyx drove her to the home of her client. When Nyx told her
that they were close, she finally asked him what the client wanted that night.
She hated to hear that he wanted a Significant Other experience, meaning he
wanted her to pretend to be his long-time girlfriend. However, Nyx said that he
did not book sex. That did not ease Kailynn’s mind. She had been in a few
appointments where sex was discussed during the appointment and the client
agreed to pay more.

      
The thought of that unsettled her this
time.

      
However, she walked to the door of her client
all the same. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly, reminding
herself that she did not need to take many more clients. She was close to
getting everyone from the Heart of Trid gang out of Uren and being done with
work as a Significant.

      
She rang the alarm bell and waited. A
caretaker opened the door. He was an older man with grey hair and wrinkles
etched deep into his skin. He nodded once, motioning for her to follow him. She
stepped in as Nyx took his position outside the door.

      
Kailynn followed the silent caretaker
into the house, studying the design of the home. The space was gloomy, with
dark painted walls and windows covered with heavy drapes. The atmosphere made
the area seem smaller and the ceiling lower, making Kailynn claustrophobic.

      
The caretaker led her into the living
room on the other side of the foyer, where her client, a man with black hair
and dark eyes, sat on the sofa, waiting. His eyes turned to her and, for the
first time in a long time, Kailynn was nervous about being left alone with her
client.

      
The caretaker stood by the door and
waited, showing that he planned to be there for the entirety of the
appointment.

      
“Ah, there you are,” her client, Rek,
said, motioning for her to sit next to him. She forced a smile and walked
forward, sitting next to him.