Status: Completed
When Fates Collide
07.
The scar running down Melina wrist was pink, but no longer red and puffy. It had been a month since her last run. They kept her on probation; without her device they didn’t have a read on her, they couldn’t keep track of her. She was no longer a dot on the screen, she was free body.
Melina was dressed in her Runner’s gear. Long stretchy pants with a thigh holster holding her new gun. On her belt she wore clips and a curved dagger. She was still ashamed by her loss of the device, but she wore a short sleeve shirt, hoping to prove to others that she no longer cared about her difference. Her braided hair swooshed behind her as she mounted the stairs to the Outer Building.
When Marktin was out on the job Runner’s had to go to the Outer Building to receive missions. The place empty except for the Mission giver. Melina strode over to her, committed on finally doing a mission.
“Miss Styain! Miss Styain! Melina!” Melina was jerked to a stop as someone gripped her arm. “Melina stop.” She turned around to see William smiling at her.
“Oh hey William.” Melina crinkled her forehead. “What are you doing here?”
Light came to his eyes as he smiled. “I saw you and thought I would say hello and see if you wanted to get something to eat.” He caressed her hands and gently tugged her towards him.
Over her month off, William had been more or less courting her. There was only a few other people in Curo that were Nocie, so the pickings were slim. Even though people had devices they still dated but would never commit
Melina smiled, “Thanks William, but I’m going to pass.”
“Why?” He frowned. It was like a light bulb going off in his head as he looked around finally realizing where they were. “Melina you’re still on probation and Marktin is out, you can’t take a mission.” He squeezed her hand reassuringly.
Melina squeezed back then pulled her hand away. “It’s been a month. This is my job. I need to stretch my legs.”
“So you wait until Marktin is gone to go behind his orders. The reason he doesn’t want you out there is because we can’t keep track of you, we can’t keep you safe. I can’t keep you safe.” He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead.
“I appreciate your concern, but I can do this. I need to do this,” Melina pleaded for him to understand. She liked William. He was there for her when everyone else made her seem like she was a pebble in their shoe.
“Melina-”
“William! Dude what you doing here?” Brian, Williams’s best friend came out of nowhere and lightly punched him. William released Melina and greeted his friend with a high five handshake. “Melina how’s it going?” He put his fist out for a bump, which she returned and smiled. Brian was a cool dude. Nice to the core, and sweet beyond reason, but that could be partly because his device was close to the end; he was going to meet his other half.
William pulled Melina into him, after Brian settled down. “Why you here?”
“Getting myself a Mission, problem is for this one I need a partner. I’m working with some Mosdan. I need someone to watch my back.” A huge smile covered Melina’s face.
“No. Don’t even think about. Melina…”
“I’ll go with you.” Brian smiled and pulled her into a nuggy.
“No!” William yelled, but they were ignoring him.
“Great! I was wondering when you were going to leave retirement and get back out there.” He pulled out the Mission sheet and handed it to Melina.
“No!” William yelled trailing after them.
“So looks like you’re ready to Run.” Brian gave her a once over and opened the door for her. “The Mosdan are waiting for us let’s go!”
Suddenly William was in front of them. “Are you not listening to me? You’re not going, Melina…” He was cut when Melina kissed him.
“William I’m going. I will be back, promise. Plus Brian’s got my back. Everything will be fine.” She lightly slapped his cheek, ignoring the rest of his excuses and left with Brian.
Melina was dressed in her Runner’s gear. Long stretchy pants with a thigh holster holding her new gun. On her belt she wore clips and a curved dagger. She was still ashamed by her loss of the device, but she wore a short sleeve shirt, hoping to prove to others that she no longer cared about her difference. Her braided hair swooshed behind her as she mounted the stairs to the Outer Building.
When Marktin was out on the job Runner’s had to go to the Outer Building to receive missions. The place empty except for the Mission giver. Melina strode over to her, committed on finally doing a mission.
“Miss Styain! Miss Styain! Melina!” Melina was jerked to a stop as someone gripped her arm. “Melina stop.” She turned around to see William smiling at her.
“Oh hey William.” Melina crinkled her forehead. “What are you doing here?”
Light came to his eyes as he smiled. “I saw you and thought I would say hello and see if you wanted to get something to eat.” He caressed her hands and gently tugged her towards him.
Over her month off, William had been more or less courting her. There was only a few other people in Curo that were Nocie, so the pickings were slim. Even though people had devices they still dated but would never commit
Melina smiled, “Thanks William, but I’m going to pass.”
“Why?” He frowned. It was like a light bulb going off in his head as he looked around finally realizing where they were. “Melina you’re still on probation and Marktin is out, you can’t take a mission.” He squeezed her hand reassuringly.
Melina squeezed back then pulled her hand away. “It’s been a month. This is my job. I need to stretch my legs.”
“So you wait until Marktin is gone to go behind his orders. The reason he doesn’t want you out there is because we can’t keep track of you, we can’t keep you safe. I can’t keep you safe.” He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead.
“I appreciate your concern, but I can do this. I need to do this,” Melina pleaded for him to understand. She liked William. He was there for her when everyone else made her seem like she was a pebble in their shoe.
“Melina-”
“William! Dude what you doing here?” Brian, Williams’s best friend came out of nowhere and lightly punched him. William released Melina and greeted his friend with a high five handshake. “Melina how’s it going?” He put his fist out for a bump, which she returned and smiled. Brian was a cool dude. Nice to the core, and sweet beyond reason, but that could be partly because his device was close to the end; he was going to meet his other half.
William pulled Melina into him, after Brian settled down. “Why you here?”
“Getting myself a Mission, problem is for this one I need a partner. I’m working with some Mosdan. I need someone to watch my back.” A huge smile covered Melina’s face.
“No. Don’t even think about. Melina…”
“I’ll go with you.” Brian smiled and pulled her into a nuggy.
“No!” William yelled, but they were ignoring him.
“Great! I was wondering when you were going to leave retirement and get back out there.” He pulled out the Mission sheet and handed it to Melina.
“No!” William yelled trailing after them.
“So looks like you’re ready to Run.” Brian gave her a once over and opened the door for her. “The Mosdan are waiting for us let’s go!”
Suddenly William was in front of them. “Are you not listening to me? You’re not going, Melina…” He was cut when Melina kissed him.
“William I’m going. I will be back, promise. Plus Brian’s got my back. Everything will be fine.” She lightly slapped his cheek, ignoring the rest of his excuses and left with Brian.