Star Crossed: On the Line - 1. A New Beginning

Tony

Six months later

“Come on people, this need to be perfect or this could all go to waste.” A voice calls out.

I just sigh and sit back to watch from the side. Tons of people were running back and forth setting things in place.

We are in the construction building in front of the old safe house. It hasn’t really been worked on since the day I brought the little Alentian in.

I say that as if he’s a small thing that means nothing. I know what he is capable of. Doesn’t mean I think he is in any way better than me.

“Tony! You ready to have an alien on your team?” Alicia, my sister, teases. I just roll my eyes.

She giggles a little and pulls up her phone.

I never thought that working for Firelight, a group of humans that hate aliens, would land me on a team that happens to have an alien joining it; let alone forcing me to let it be on my team as some weird form of punishment for punching an officer.

Sure he kind of looks like us, but he still isn’t human like us.

I’ve had a rough time with aliens in the past. One killed my parents after they offered to care for him. He was on the streets on Earth, clearly about to die from starvation. As soon as he took the food, he killed them and took their money.

Ever since then, I have had a silent hate for other aliens. Alicia doesn’t exactly match my hatred towards them. She was a baby after all.

If anything, I’d say she doesn’t mind them at all. I’m pretty sure she is only here because of me.

That is the case for most in Firelight. Dragged in by their family members.

This alien has killed multiple people.

I’ve seen the videos.

One on the planet named Utrio, another time at one of our bases on the planet Achilles, and of course I saw everything at the safe house just next door.

He has killed so many of our people and our leader wants him on our team? What kind of bullshit was this? Not to mention I have to play as its fucking friend of all things.

We were down a member due to a bad raid by us last month, but still!

I don’t want an alien to be considered part of my team.

“I believe we are ready, sir,” a woman in a lab coat calls in.

“Good!” The Captain says. “Let’s begin then. On the count of ten, we shall begin.”

“10!”

Maybe it won’t be terribly bad.

“9!”

I mean he is kind of cute.

“8!”

In a weird almost human kind of way.

“7!”

I haven’t exactly been with anyone in a long time.

“6!”

Could always use him.

“5!”

He was a sex slave after all right?

“4!”

And a stripper.

“3!”

Eh, but what if he’s all full of himself?

“2!”

Can’t have anyone else questioning my abilities.

“1!”

~~
~~

Mekaias

I groan from falling.

I’m not sure what I fell from but it was something.

I slowly lift my head and squint from the bright lights around me.

Where am I?

I blink a few times, the bright lights dimming each time.

Finally I can see that I am still in the construction building.

I look around and massage my head with both hands.

My head is killing me right now! Was it from the fall? What am I doing here right now?

Voices come from behind me.

A large metal box with a door open stands.

Where did that come from? Did I come out of it?

No, no I didn’t.

I was doing something and I jumped over it and then...maybe lost my footing?

So many questions!

I try and search through my memories, trying to remember what I was doing.

Voices behind the box are louder now.

Oh, right. I was running from U.U.P.P. androids!

I turn to face in front of me and start running.

I run up some stairs and hide behind a big wooden crate.

I look out the building. It doesn’t have any walls on my side.

Perhaps I can swing out onto the floor above me? That will probably be the best choice.

I hear the footsteps of an android nearby.

I peek over and see it’s black metal body with blue glowing lines between different ridges and spaces in its arms and legs. It’s walking slowly in my direction.

I summon three thin but long blades and they float in the air above me. With a wave of my hand, the blades start flying towards the android.

They pierce through its chest and as they tear out its back, I flick my arm towards me and the blades turn to enter its back again and come out his stomach.

Blue fluids splash out and it falls to the ground!

The blades disappear and I stand to look out the side of the window.

I just need to get back to Tony and then everything will be okay.

I turn to the open wall and move into a sprint.

I throw a rope onto a pipe that surrounds the edge of the ceiling. I kick my legs forward and swing out and upwards. I let go of the rope and find myself on the next floor.

Perfect!

I smile and turn to the stairway to the roof.

My smile goes away as I turn and find about six androids turning to look at me.

Well...not so perfect.

Quickly, I run for the edge of the roof and jump!

I land safely inside the floor of another building under construction.

The androids begin shooting in my direction. I duck down and run deeper into the building.

I can hear androids running up from the floors below.

I quickly run across the floor to find the stairway.

I only meet a dead end.

I run around to all the different rooms and still nothing.

Where the hell is it?

I start opening all the doors in the floor until I finally find it.

Who puts a stairway behind a red door in the bathroom?

I start running up the stairs two at a time. Unfortunately I hear the androids even louder now. I look down and see glints of light shining off black metal.

It is about two floors under me right now.

When I look up I see the stairs have ended.

Apparently they decided to stop here for some reason.

I turn to closest door and run onto the floor. This one has a lot of pillars and crates. Again it has open walls.

I run around close to the edge and see a metal bar hanging over the edge.

I take a few steps back before leaping high to grab onto it. It doesn’t move from my weight. I pull myself to stand on it and quickly walk my way across it into the building.

This floor is far too open. Again it has pillars but that’s about it.

I’m pretty sure I’m fine for now. I just need to tell Tony to pick me up.

I stand against a pillar close to the edge.

A drone is watching over me right now. Stupid things. They are more annoying than anything.

As I’m about to call Tony, a bang goes off behind me. I jump a little and peek behind me.

It looks like the androids can jump through the floors now!

That’s good to know I guess.

I cringe and duck back into cover when one glances in my direction.

~~
~~

Remelia

I lurch forward as beeping from my monitor wakes me.

What the hell could possibly be happening at this hour?

I groan and see that it is three in the morning. Remy doesn’t even budge from his bed.

Lucky him.

I stand and walk over to my monitor. A notification says that one of my drones has found some activity.

I sigh and boot up my computer. Waiting for it to load up will take a moment so I go to the kitchen and get some coffee.

I’m waiting for it to pour into my cup when a snore from the living room startles me.

I tiptoe over to the living room and find Norian sleeping on the couch. On the ground by his hand are about six bottles of beer and a picture. It’s the picture Remy took of Mekaias for his first mission. The corner where George was is ripped off.

I frown and cover him with a blanket.

Mekaias’ disappearance has really left Norian in bad shape. He stays in the training room working out all day and drinks all night. He doesn’t talk as much and I know he cries if he ever stays in his room.

He thinks Mekaias is dead. He says that he was shot in the head.

I refuse to believe he is dead! The main thing that makes me believe so is because Norian should be dead too, right? At least I think that’s how it happens. It’s what I tell myself.

I don’t really like to think of Mekaias being dead.

We still aren’t sure why Mekaias killed George. Norian knows though. I can tell. Whatever it was, it had to have been bad to make him go so far as to kill George.

He was a little weird. I’m not entirely surprised he could’ve done something bad. I just want to know what it was that he did.

I leave Norian and go to pick up my coffee.

I walk back to my room and almost drop my coffee onto the floor.

Remy is up as well. His eyes in shock as he sits on my chair.

When I see what's on the screen, I place my cup on the table and immediately run to wake up Norian.

“Norian! Wake up now!” I push at him.

He just groans and turns to hide his face.

“Leave me alone, Remelia.” He says.

I hate seeing my friend suffer but I know this will be just the thing he needs to see!

“It’s important, Norian. You really need to see this. It’s him! It’s Mekaias!”

I can’t help the smile on my face. I fucking knew he was alive!

He sits up immediately but regrets it and grabs onto his head. “You wouldn’t play with me, right?”

“Of course not,” I frown and pull at his hand to follow me.

He practically pushes past me and runs for my room.

I grin and follow.

Norian is standing behind Remy and has his eyes glued to the screen.

“I-It’s him.” He whispers to himself and clutches at his chest. “I-I thought he was gone.” His eyes begin to water. I just come up beside him and rub his back.

“Where is that? Let's go get him!” He glaces at me but turns back to stare at his soulmate.

“We need to watch a little bit first," I say and turn to watch the screen as well. "It’s about an hour behind so we need to figure out where he could have gone.”

Mekaias has his back against a pillar.

Something that weirds all of us out is that he is wearing a suit.

It’s not at all the one I designed for him! It’s similar but definitely not mine. It doesn’t have the purple accents like mine. Instead its red. There isn’t a helmet with this one either. The top only has one sleeve leaving his arm in the open.

He’s in some building that hasn’t even finished being built.

What is he doing there? He looks straight at us for a second with a frown before jumping a bit from something coming out behind him.

The lighting isn’t too great sadly so we can’t see what it is.

He summons five blades in front of him. He turns away from the pillar and moves his arm to point at what is inside the dark building. He seems to dance his arms around.

He makes a shield with the other hand to block any gunfire shot in his direction.

Finally the figures start coming out the dark and into the light of the city.

“What? Why are our androids attacking him?” Norian exclaims.

I furrow my brow in confusion. They should know not to attack him. He should be classified as one of us or at least as a civilian.

The blades Mekaias had summoned are slicing into and out of the androids. They even cut off the arms and legs. He dances with the blades and they do his bidding.

“That’s new.” Remy whispers.

Yeah I don’t think I’ve ever seen him fight like that. He usually gets up close to fight.

This is all very confusing and strange. Why are they attacking him and why is he in a new suit? Why is he there and where has he been all this time?

When the last of the androids are on the ground in pieces, Mekaias raises his hand to the floor above him and cuts out a perfect circle with violet energy. The slab of stone falls to the ground and Mekaias jumps through the circle.

He does that over and over until he is on the top of the building.

~~
~~

Mekaias

“Tony? I need your help, please! I’m by the old safe house.” I wait for his response.

There is a long pause before his voice comes in.

“Yeah. I’m on my way. I see you. I’ll meet you there in a moment.”

I get a strange feeling at hearing his voice. It's as if I am hearing a stranger’s voice.

Tony isn’t a stranger! He’s my friend! My leader!

I frown at whatever wave of feelings have hit me and just sit on the edge of the roof.

The drone from before has followed me up here as well. I just stare at it a moment before I hear an elevator turning on behind me.

I immediately run over and stand on top of the metal box.

The gears inside are turning and lifting whoever or whatever onto the roof.

When the gears stop, the doors finally open.

I honestly expected it to be Tony but it’s not. It’s three sets of androids. They walk out onto the roof.

I’m about to summon my blades when three shots go off and their heads explode!

I smile and turn my head the the building next to mine.

Tony stands there with his rifle in his hand. He keeps it there trained on me for a second before setting it down.

I get a running start and then leap off the roof in his direction. I use my abilities to violet rope to latch onto the balcony he is standing on.

I pull myself up and smile before sitting on the edge.

“Did you get it?” I ask.

He sort of stares at me for a second before nodding. “Yeah I did. Sent it to Alicia already.”

I nod and turn towards the city.

“How...are you feeling?” He asks.

“There were a few androids that followed me but I’m fine.” I look over at him and smile.

I turn back to the pretty orange lights being reflecting off the buildings around the city.

“Thank you for asking.” I swing my legs and keep my eyes on the cars and lights running around below.

It’s all so pretty and bright. I wish I could explore it!

“Ready to head back?” He asks behind me.

He sounds hesitant. Not exactly sure why.

I just nod and we both turn to go onto the roof. There we find Alicia ready in the small aircraft.

She stares at me as we walk by her.

I look at her in confusion before turning to jump into my seat in the back.

Tony hops into his next to her.

“Off to home we go!” Alicia smiles at me before we are lifted up off the roof and begin flying off the planet.

I frown at hearing her voice. It sounds new to me as well.

I’m confused. I’ve known these people for about six months yet it feels as if I’m hearing them for the first time.

I rub on the pouch connected to my necklace. The familiar bulge inside calms my nerves. Why it does, I don’t know.

Something doesn’t feel right though.

I try and remember how I got it but memories just start to blur together until I can’t tell what I am seeing.

I just remember the feeling of smooth light grey skin.

I feel...lost.

~~
~~

Norian

Mekaias is last seen leaving the world in a Firelight aircraft.

There is long silence as the camera stays focused on where the aircraft was last seen in the sky before the drone turns to continue looking around the city.

“W-what?” Remelia whispers in disbelief.

I just close my eyes but silently give my thanks that my soulmate is alive. He looked safe too. Even if he is with Firelight. The enemy.

What is he doing over there? He should have recognized Remelia’s drone but he didn’t. Maybe he is but he is playing it off?

Oh god.

He isn’t trying to get to their leader himself is he?

Mekaias, what are you doing?