Gene. Sys. by Aaron Denius (best ereader for comics txt) 📕

me to make sure you go and see Dr. Kivuli. He says that you need it more than the rest of us.” Ev’s voice is soft against my ear. She definitely has a nurturing instinct.

I pull away and wipe my face. “I know, and I will. There’s just something about her that I don’t like.”

“You haven’t sat down with her yet. She’s really nice and accommodating.” Ev smiles at me.

“You’ve already met with her?” I’m surprised.

“Yeah. I’ve actually been meeting with Dr. Kivuli since before you and I met. Rene thought that with all the information he had shared with me, I needed someone to talk to.” She looks away, ashamed that she just admitted having kept a secret from me.

I feel my breath grow deep as rage I haven’t felt in a while circles my throat. “I thought we promised that we wouldn’t keep anything from each other.”

“Atom, relax. Rene asked me to keep my sessions with Dr. Kivuli to myself. I don’t see how you knowing about that would have even mattered.” Ev’s voice has gotten shaky.

“I just met her for the first time today, and you’ve known her for months. Of course it matters!” I almost blurt out that some scientists are plotting to sabotage the plan, but I hold back. As hypocritical as it may be, I know that it’s best to keep that information to myself since I don’t know what Ev talks to Dr. Kivuli about.

Ev just looks at me. She starts to say something a couple of times but stops herself. After a silent moment, she walks to the elevator. Just as the doors close, she shouts out, “Just go talk to her. You need it.”

The second the doors close, I grab the rifle closest to me off the ground, and with a loud scream, I throw it as hard as I can across the room. It slams against the far wall and falls to the ground. I know that I need to calm myself down, so I kick a couple of rifles out of the way and lie on the floor.

Taking deep, slow breaths, I close my eyes and try to focus on my breathing. The anger that flows through me clouds my mind and, without realizing it, I fall asleep.

I dream that I am walking alone through the streets of a city in ruins. It’s similar to the one outside the walls and to the one in the simulation. Concrete and glass litter the roads from the surrounding buildings. The air stings my nose and causes my throat to become dry.

Behind one of the lower buildings ahead of me, I see dark gray smoke rising into the air. Instinctively, I walk toward the origin of the smoke. I cover my mouth and nose with my shirt, hoping it will ease my breathing.

Just as I’m about to turn the corner, I feel the air around me grow hotter. I pause and wait. Suddenly, a wall of flames floods around the corner and charges at me. I turn to run back the way I came but see a second wall of fire blocking me in. My only escape is into the building right next to me.

I slam my body into the door and burst through. The second I enter, I scream. Lying on the floor before me are the dead bodies of all the Genesys, their faces stuck in a state of shock, and their eyes blaming me for not saving them. My screams carry me out of the dream and jolt me awake. I sit up, breathing harder than I did before I fell asleep.

“What did you dream about?” The voice throws me to my feet. I put my fists up and look around. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot the distinct black and white hair. I feel my teeth grinding against each other as I turn to face Dr. Kivuli. She’s sitting at Grant’s desk, which is making me despise her more.

“What do you want?” I force through my teeth.

“Well, after everyone else came to see me, and I hadn’t seen you, I figured you were avoiding me.” She smiles as she walks toward me.

Everyone else has already seen her? How long have I been asleep? “What time is it?”

“Nearly five,” she says. That means I was asleep for nearly three hours. I must have desperately needed the rest. I don’t feel any better, but the throbbing in my head is gone.

“What do you want me to talk about?” I ask, knowing that I’m not going to be able to avoid it. I might as well get right to the point.

“Let’s sit.” She takes a seat on the ground, and I oblige. “Just tell me how you are feeling.”

“About what? I feel fine.” I really don’t feel comfortable with her, and I’m not sure that I can trust her enough to give her complete answers.

She smirks, and I can tell she’s frustrated. “Tell me your thoughts on having to lead the Genetic Systems after the Ragnarok?”

My heart begins to beat a little faster, and my stomach feels tighter. I have been carrying a lot of weight around, and this has been the bulk of it. I take a deep breath and decide that there isn’t any harm in shedding some of the weight.

“I don’t like it.” I examine her for a response, but she just sits, listening. I continue. “I’m scared that I’m going to fail, and I can’t handle the pressure of what failing means. I don’t know why Rene wants me to be the leader. At this point, I don’t know much more than the other Genesys. Besides, Ev is better suited to lead the group. She is just as physically capable as I am, and she is certainly smarter than me.”

“You are right, Atom,” she chimes in. I’m surprised by her response. “Ev would be a fantastic leader, and all the others would follow her. Rene wanted you to lead because Ev will follow you.”

I