The Storm

"Set down." Azure suddenly mutters, as if suddenly timid. "I said, set down. Now!" She yells. I hit the console to trigger a landing, and we set down on top of a nearby building. Azure gets out, beginning to pace back and forth. Her eyes flash from red to yellow to pale grey.

I exit the vehicle as well, incapable of saying anything but unable to leave her alone. "You're so... So stupid!" Azure shouts at me. I have no retort, I was stupid for letting it get this far. "What, you think you're that special? You think you're the only one with trauma? You think you're the only one afraid of being hurt? No. You just think you can have all the benefits of emotion without ever taking the risks." She screeches at me, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks.

She wipes her face, preparing for her next words. "I think you're blaming me because you're scared. You think it's my fault that you let me in. I told you it doesn't make you weak, I told you that I would die if you wanted me to. I would do anything for you. Except this. Except let you cut your own heart out to protect it from ever having to feel." She screams, pushing me against the hood of the AV. New tears replace her old ones as she finishes. "Because the truth is, I love you. I love you so much it hurts. Even if you weren't my master. Even if we were just two people. I'd still feel this way. I'm empty without you. You make MY world better by being in it."

Hearing my words repeated back to me is like a dagger in my gut. I know what I want to say back. I feel the three little words in my throat. I try to let them out, but they catch in my throat. How can I not make a sound? I try and try and try. It doesn't come. I just stare at her, the pain in my throat unbearable. I want to say something, but it won't come. It hurts. It hurts so badly. Something else comes. Not words. Something else. Something wet. Something covering my face. Tears.

I let out the first tears of my adult life.

I try to bat them away, but they just keep coming. I hear my voice sniffling and my breaths getting erratic. I don't cry. How am I crying? I don't have time to question it. I'm drawn into warmth, arms wrapping around me like a guardian angel. I lean into it. I lean into her. Somehow... This makes it better.

"Oh, you've been holding this in for so long, haven't you?" Azure sighs, stroking my hair. "You can bury your feelings, but it doesn't mean they're gone. I know how hard it must be for you to let them out like this. It's okay, you don't have to say the words. I know how you feel."

I lean into her and press my lips to hers. My tears subside and leave only one thing. Her. After everything today, after all the self-hatred and how badly I've treated her, she's still her. She still loves me.

Maybe... Maybe I'm not sick.

*

Our AV drops us off at my loft, I offer a genuine smile to Azure, who takes my hand and leaves a kiss on my cheek. I don't know how long we stood on that rooftop, just holding each other. Sure, I couldn't bring myself to say it back... But I feel it. I know I do. And I'm not afraid of that anymore. We walk hand in hand into our loft, likely an intense evening ahead in the best way possible.

The unmistakable sound of guns clicking rings out as we enter. I look around at the numerous figures in the apartment, but I don't see the black masks and tactical gear signifying the Purifiers. Instead, I see the navy blue of the police. "We've temporarily disabled your security." The Chief explains, stepping forward from the centre of the formation, hands in the air to show he's unarmed. "Tera, step away from her." He orders.

I look at the chief, then back to Azure, who I realise I've stepped in front of protectively, then back to the Chief again. "How about you tell me the reason I should do that first, sir?" I request diplomatically. There's gotta be some explanation for this. I've got a lot of enemies at the precinct, but not enough for this.

"We got the scan data back from national." The chief explains calmly, I guess, not wanting to cause a friendly fire situation. "Tera... That woman. She's not an AI. She's human." He reveals.

What? That's insane, I've seen the things Azure can do, no human is capable of them. I turn back to her, her face contorted into a confused frown. "I never said I was an AI. I'm the Assistance Zone Utility and Resource Entity. That doesn't mean I'm an AI." She states it as if this means nothing.

My repaired heart shatters once again.

"We have reason to believe she was brainwashed by a group called the Purifiers, and programmed to kill Professor Methus and everyone else in the lab. They used a classified chemical called HEP and overdosed her, causing her to lose her memory. Looks like she was genetically modified too, giving her subdermal refraction so we couldn't scan her, and an internal bangle." The chief continues. My eyes shoot to him, my entire body numb. "Get away from her, they could activate her again at any point."

Azure snorts derisively at the Chief's explanation. "I think I'd remember killing people. Master, you don't believe this, right?" She asks, but her eyes go wide when she sees me turn around. It all makes sense. I was the perfect cover. The top detective as a protector – I'd have brought down the whole world for her. I step away from her. "Master?"

The Chief walks past me, slapping mag-cuffs on each of her wrists. Azure looks back at him, then to me. "Master, you know me, you know this isn't true. I love you." She pleads, her eyes going a pale grey again. "Please, just tell me you believe me. That's all I need, please. Tell me you believe me."

I look at the Chief, who looks back sympathetically. "Azure..." I murmur, forcing the tears back where they belong. In a hole so deep they'll never return. I turn my gaze to Azure, feeling all the betrayal and anger. I wear it on my face and let it all show in my white-hot gaze. "You have the right to remain silent."

Azure's eyes flash from yellow to red to grey to blue until finally... They go black. No light reflects in them. There's no fight in her as she's passed to another officer and escorted out of the room through the front door. The Chief looks at me after she leaves. "Tera... You know I don't want to do this... But until we know you weren't compromised, I can't have you on duty. I need your gun and badge." He informs me. I don't have the energy to fight him. I pull my Snapper from its holster and my badge from my pocket before placing them both in his hand. He hands them off to another officer before placing his hand on my shoulder. "We're going to get to the bottom of this, Tera. I promise, justice will be served." He assures me.

I don't know how long it takes for them to leave. I don't know how long after they do that I just stand in the loft, completely alone.

As alone as I'm meant to be.