Page 8 of N8
“Because I’m curious to know more about you. The real you, and not the stuff I was indoctrinated with. I want to learn things that make you more like a person and less like a specimen.”
“A specimen? Is that what you bigwig scientist types think of us as? Specimens?” His question was frank, without any emotion, although she wouldn’t have blamed him if he’d reacted with some anger or irritation.
“Theydo. I don’t. I mean… I guess I haven’t been here long enough to develop that kind of attitude…yet.”
She was shocked when he reached over to place his hand over hers.
“I hope you never do,” he gently said.
5Assimil8
He’d made contact.There was no going back now.
N8 continued to hold her gaze as hepushedout of his solid body and gradually eased into hers. It took no more than the length of one breath to another, but regardless he was careful to make it as seamlessly unobtrusive as possible, to prevent her from suspecting anything. When he was done, he could see himself staring back at his real self.
By now he was accustomed to it. It was not unlike holding hands with yourself, where each hand could feel the other. That would end once their connection was broken.
Those few times he’d asserted his ability, he’d learned how not to make mistakes. Thanks to T8 and P8, they’d allowed him to use them as test subjects, letting him know what to watch out for. What worked and what didn’t. And how best to initiate contact and absorption without the new host catching on. The longest he’d ever remained inside anyone was nearly three hours before he removed himself. This was the first time he’d slipped into an outsider, and a female, and it would be for a much longer time. He hoped that wouldn’t be an issue. More worrisome was the fact that he’d no longer have visible contact with the host.
Removing his hand broke their contact, and the vision of watching himself through her eyes vanished. He sat back and studied Cydney to see if there were any noticeable hiccups. So far, there was none that he could tell. She remained completely oblivious to the fact that he’d projected himself into her psyche. For the next several hours, everything she saw, and heard, and felt, he’d be subjected to as well. But there was a kicker. A drawback. Until his other self returned inside his own body, he’d have no knowledge of anything she encountered. He couldn’t read her thoughts, or have any control over her actions. In basic terms, he was just along for the ride.
N8 licked his lips, tasting the sweetness of ice cream in the corners of his mouth. Quickly, he wiped away the residue with a napkin. He remembered explaining the sensation to the others some months before. K8 understood what he meant.
“I’m the same way when I split into my two separate selves. I’m cognizant, I’m still me when I’m separated, but if I go separate ways, I have no knowledge of what I said or did when I was apart from myself,” she’d explained further. “Only when I become one person again do I know what I experienced.”
He glanced at the clock above the serving line. It was nearing nine p.m. Damn, already?
She noticed where his attention had shifted, and checked over her shoulder. “Geez. I didn’t know it was so late. I’m sorry, N8, but I have to be going.”
“No, no, don’t apologize. I’m glad we had this chance to talk, even for a short while.” He graced her with his warmest smile, glad to know it was equally sincere. “I hope you manage to break protocol again, and we can have another chance to talk. Maybe even have a real meal together.”
Her cheeks turned pink when she smiled back at him. “I’d like that. I mean, if I don’t get in trouble over this.” She lifted her eyes to indicate the camera on the wall not too far behind him.
N8 nodded. “I catch your drift. Let me know tomorrow if we’re a go for round two. When you bring me my assignment, hand it to me directly if we’re green. Drop it on my desk if we’re red.”
“What if we’re yellow?” she snickered.
“Then whack me on the shoulder with it.”
The comment made her giggle. It was infectious, and he snorted. That only amused her more, and she burst out laughing. Which, in turn, cracked him up. They continued to laugh, unable to stop, much less squelch the sound. It was almost soul-cleansing as it expelled their pent-up tension and anxiety. They were still chuckling when they got up from their table and took their bowls and spoons over to the chute and dropped them inside for the cafeteria help to sanitize.
This time he avoided taking her by the arm. He didn’t want that contact again and possibly disrupt the assimilation. Instead, he shoved his hands into his jeans’ pockets.
They spoke little as he walked her through the corridors, to the double doors that led to the decontamination chambers. The lone guard standing duty pretended not to pay any attention as Cydney swiped her card to gain entry.
“Bet it’s a bitch, having to go through decom before you come in and after you leave,” N8 remarked.
“Well, they say you can never be too cautious, with all the crap floating around on the surface,” she replied, but it didn’t sound like something she’d say off the cuff. It sounded more like something she’d been ordered or programed to say. Her next words, however, were pure Cydney. “Thank you for the ice cream. I’ll let you know tomorrow if we can maybe do something else.”
“Like?”
“Oh, maybe see a movie. Or play a board game. Anything, so long as we get to spend more time together.”
He nodded once. “All right. It’s a deal. If you give me a green, I’ll come up with a plan.”
She gave him a timid smile and quickly checked the guard. Even though the man’s attention appeared to be focused straight ahead, she made no move toward N8. He briefly wondered if she’d wanted to plant a kiss on his cheek or something.
“Goodnight, N8.”
