Page 13 of Tyton: The Spider and the Dragonfly (Tyton #1)

“Absolutely not,” Sesi reassured her. “I’m just curious. How much do you care? Let's say someone said that you had to have a kid right now to continue the human race.”

“Are you a Natalist?”Callie squinted.

“No. Just answer the question.”

“I’m too old to have kids.”

Sesi’s voice grew an edge “That’s not an answer.” Callie’s heart palpitated. It ate at her that she liked the feeling.

Callie huffed, trying to turn attraction into annoyance. “No.”

“So, you don’t care enough to sacrifice your body.” It was a statement, not a question.

“I guess not. I mean, what do I get in return? More bills and no life? No thanks.”She remembered that Sparx had said something nearly identical only hours previous.

In the dark Callie could hear Sesi snicker. “No joys of motherhood for you? No legacy? No continuation of your bloodline?”

Callie could feel guilt creeping at the edges of her consciousness. “That’s fine, if that’s what you want. I love my mom, but I don’t care about any of that.”

The faint glow of the emergency lighting ahead relieved some of the darkness. Callie tried to read Sesi’s expression, but failed.

“What does this have to do with Lumijute?” Tension rose in her neck.

“If you don’t care about legacies or genes or carrying on the human race. How much do you care what happens once we’re extinct?”

Callie screwed up her eyes.

“I told you it was a long story.”

Callie remained silent, waiting for the rest. Now that they had reached the part of the tunnels that had some light, she could make out piles of discarded tech, along with torn open trash bags and some sort of makeshift grill. Almost like someone lived down here.

Just as Callie pondered this, she caught the outline of a man in her periphery, or rather, half a man.

She turned to see the lower part of his jaw made from old prosthetic tech.

Then she noticed the prosthetic arm and leg.

Rubber that normally hid the cogs and pistons underneath lifted and flaked off, like some sort of mechanical zombie.

Callie jumped back in shock, heart pounding.

The man opened his mouth and produced the clicking and screeching sounds of unoiled gears. Panic took over and Callie bolted.

Careening blindly through the tunnels, she rounded a corner, tripping on a pile of more prosthetic limbs.

Hands, feet – some more realistic than others clawed at her as though they were alive.

Callie screamed and then felt herself being lifted up.

They surrounded her. Callie struggled, flailing impotently.

Her brain failed. She only knew that she didn’t want them on her.

Like a swarm, they carried her off, further down the tunnel, further away from the light. Callie’s shrieks echoed off the walls, finally comprehending her helplessness and spiralling into the possible outcomes.

Would they remove her limbs? Use them as feedstock for a DocPod? Eat her? Rape? Callie struggled harder, her muscles cramping with effort. The skin of her ankle tore against the bare metal of the prosthetic fingers worn by the man who held her.

And then his skull caved in.

Callie screamed again, now covered in a spray of blood.

They dropped her and she scrambled backward, ignoring the sharp pain in her hip.

Sesi’s silhouette stood over the fresh corpse, holding a metal pipe.

“She’s with me,” she yelled into the darkness.

A chittering from the tunnels came in response and then silence, save the low hum of the air intake fans.

The pipe hit the ground with a heavy clang and Sesi rushed forward to wrap her arms around Callie.

“It’s okay. They won’t touch you again. I’m sorry.

It’s my fault for not telling you about them.

” Sesi spoke low and hurriedly, even though the threat had passed.

Callie found herself being rocked in those thick arms that had just gone from menacing to saviour .

She held on tight, sobbing against the corded muscles of Sesi’s neck.

Several minutes passed before her breathing returned to normal. Sesi helped Callie to her feet and led her away.

“Let’s get you back home before the shock sets in.” Sesi scanned the corners checking for danger. Probably just to reassure me, Callie thought.

Callie nodded anyway, limping while Sesi helped her along.

“Who were those people?” Callie whispered, as though they might still be listening.

“Chargers. The homeless who can’t make it up there, come down here. It’s warm enough and they can tap into the power conduits to keep their implants functioning.”

“And the corporations know about them?” Callie asked, incredulous.

Sesi nodded. “They have kind of an unspoken arrangement. They look the other way when they steal electricity, the Chargers make sure no terrorists try to take out the grid.”

Callie’s eyes widened and the low Hexaline lights made the flecks of cerulean dance underneath the grey. Sesi had to stop herself from staring. “They thought I was a terrorist?”

“Probably.” Sesi snuck another look anyway. She allowed herself to imagine the possibility before looking away.

“They don’t post guards? Or sensors?”

“The Chargers are cheaper. And more effective,” she said, warily.

Sesi helped Callie into her flat. She was about to tuck her into her bed, but Callie protested.

“I want to take a shower first. I’m pretty gross.”

“Oh! Yeah, of course.” Obviously, she wouldn’t want to get her bed covered in filth from the access tunnels. And Charger blood. Sesi wasn’t usually this dense.

“Thanks for bringing me home.” Callie stood near the bathroom door awkwardly. Even though you kidnapped me, she thought.

Sesi realised a second too late that Callie was waiting for her to leave. What the fuck was wrong with her today? She inhaled sharply to clear her head. “I’ll send someone over tomorrow to take care of that ankle so you don’t have to pay for a DocPod.”

“Thanks.” Callie was about to bite her fingernails but they were covered in a variety of unknown and unpleasant substances. She picked at them instead.

“And I’ll be able to answer more of your questions once you get the info on Lumijute.”

Callie nodded. Her eyes never left Sesi. Fear? Or something else? Sesi had the urge to kiss her goodbye, but she was coated in filth and also, the whole kidnapping thing. This was getting weird.

Sesi turned to leave, but had the gnawing feeling that she had left something incomplete.