My Name is Z

Months later I am free of the infirmary, my vitals have stayed stable for a while and specimen X has so far been stopped in its early stages. Neese didn't feel the need to hold me captive to machines and a hospital bed any longer. I have since been moved to my own room. It's spacious and has two windows with a stunning view. From them I can easily watch the sunset over the horizon drawing lower and lower the orange fluorescent seeping away, being washed out as the sky turns to a dark blue and the stars revel, glistening high above. 

Sleep doesn't find me so easily here lately, I find it hard to relax long enough to enjoy a full night's rest. The new normal that accompanies me is laying here on my bed watching the sun fall and the moon rise. Followed by being locked inside my head going over the harsh reality of being the only survivor from 2020. 

Things have changed and I can most certainly call everyone my friend…. Well with the exception of that "asshole". I just don't understand how someone like her can be so emotionless..so distant from the people around her every day. She comes in, does her job, and leaves. It irks me so how she acts her face in a constant annoyed look. Never knowing her thoughts, what makes her tick. Let alone what her fucking name is. Two months and one would think I would know her name. And when I ask Natasha she tells me to ask her sister, then Nicole sends me to ask Roland and he-well he never really says anything unless it has something to do with specimen X.  The cycle alone is a frustrating mess. What is so secret about her that nobody will tell me her name. What is the difference between them and her?

All I have found out about her is that she is a Lycan, which back then the only lycan stuff you could find was in Underworld movies or anything that involved werewolves. But to hear that someone actually is, that was both awesome and shocking at the same time. There is one other thing that intrigued me as well. She said she was the only lycan type which made me think or want to believe that she was possibly alone like me. And in some way that is why she is as cold as ice. I suppose I would have a wall up myself if it meant never feeling that type of pain again. That kind of pain can be the hardest to deal with. 

Wrapped up in my silk sheets and the cotton filled grey comforter, I lay back and close my eyes. Exhaustion consumes me in one tsunami-like wave, sleep has finally found me. Neither dreams nor nightmares follow me into the sleep scape, everything is just how it normally is black. Nothing but darkness as a cold partner by my side. One would think it a cruel fate to have this feeling of loneliness and nothingness. However, it seems to bother me less and less as time drags on. 

I'm not sure how long I am asleep for when there's a hard banging on my door. Awakening me with a feeling of panic. I rush to pull over my robe opening my door, half expecting to see either Natasha or Nicole. But to my astonishment, it's the woman with no name, who has unwittingly made a connection to me drawing me close no matter how far away she tries to be. If only she knew of my feelings for her. Ok, Emily got a grip.  I punch the unlock button and she rushes in nearly knocking me over as she squeezes by. "What are you doing? " 

She doesn't look at me. 

"Hello, earth to asshole," I say a little more sternly. 

Still, she won't respond. Looking around my room and out the windows briefly,

everything about her body language shows that she's on alert as if waiting for some sort of imminent attack.  I let out a long sigh and walked over to her. "What is the deal, you barge into my room at who knows what time and now you ignore me, the least I can get is some kind of fucking explanation from you!"  My face is burning with the frustration and it is only growing. 

" Get what clothes you can packed, we have to move now," There's anxiousness in her voice and it makes me soon realize that something bad has happened. Feeling the beating of my heart quicken I looked at her, " what happened?" 

Silence, that's all I get in response. She doesn't look at me and never says a word. After grabbing a duffel bag of clothes and zip it I feel her hand on my arm. Leading me out of the room we stay close to the walls of the hallways, moving stealthily as possible. Slinking low in a crouched position I am led further and further towards the elevators. "Where are we going?" I whisper over her shoulder, leaning as close as I can too nervous to be louder.  Still no response other than a finger to her red lips. 

Nodding, we continue on, her hand still keeping hold of my forearm directing me. Just as we pass by a door the alarm blares the sound deafening to the ears. We run, as fast as our feet will take us straight for the elevators. 

"They are shut down, take the emergency stairs, and do not stop until you reach the bottom, the twins are waiting for you!" She shouts out to me. Spotting the emergency stairs I bolt down them skipping sometimes 2 to 3 stairs on my way down. I do as instructed and keep going till finally, I reach the bottom. Another door is open and Natasha is waiting there. Behind her outside is a large green ship. It has what appears to be a Luxious logo written in corporate-like lettering on the side. Enormous in size almost like an aircraft carrier in length about another two stories in height, the ship releases a massive jet-powered sound drowning out any voice that tries to call out. 

Upon boarding the ship everyone is already seated waiting for our departure. Well almost everyone that is. " Aren't we missing someone?" I turn to ask Natasha who has just closed the bay door behind her. The look on Natasha's face tells me that I don't like the answer to the question I ask. Drawing In a breath " we are, at this time, it will just be the rest of us until the situation stabilizes here" frustrated with the reply given, I let my dissatisfaction be known " why are we leaving even if it is just one meta being, shouldn't we stay and wait? And what is this dire situation anyway?" Glancing around the crew they each shake their heads purposely avoiding any eye contact with me. 

I don't know where he came from, because I didn't see him come up to me or here his movements. Neese is standing next to me, "truth is Emily, tonight there was an assault on the building, other meta beings are coming for you, and it's because of specimen X. When the attack first started we immediately got the ship powered up and sent for you. The best one out of all of us was sent to go get you and protect you, the plan was to escape and have one member stay behind to ensure we could leave safely" placing a hand on my shoulder, my jaw drops, my brow lowers and I am more than frustrated I AM PIST. 

Taking his hand off my shoulder, I step away looking around at the others. "I can't believe you, fucking leaving even just one person behind to save yourselves, how fucking cowardly!" My words escape from me before I even think clearly of what I am saying. Doesn't matter if it's wrong, what they're trying to do is wrong. "For my safety or not, no one gets left, we shouldn't leave until everyone is on board" I continue. " Emily, you don't understand-" stomping towards him I raise my voice again. "No, I do, you're a bunch of cowards who would rather save themselves and one lowly human who offers nothing more than a headache to you, and let one meta being die" All of the words I spit out quickly echoed out. 

Taking me by the shoulders, Neese looks me dead in my eyes, " you naive, girl. Have you not pieced anything together this past couple of months?" Angrily his grip tightens ' no, actually I have not' I don't say it, but my mind surely thinks it. "Specimen X runs through your body, you have a bioweapon from 1000 years ago inside you, that disease wipes out body cells and kills the body from the inside out, desegregating (breaking down) white blood cells, red blood cells, plasma, bone marrow, then muscle tissue the list goes on, you die by turning into nothing more than a pile of dust, you're the only survivor because that hasn't happened to you yet, while all the others died just a few short years from being left in that pod. You are probably the only living being with a possibility for a cure." 

"What the hell?"  'No way can this be true, that doesn't add up, it doesn't make any sense whatsoever, how can I be a walking cure?' " How long have you known?" 

With a huge exhale Neese replies with two words " whole time" 

Blaster fire interrupts conversations, shaking the ship with every blast that hits us. Neese goes to the pilot's seat and orders everyone to prepare for a TJS. (Time Jump through Space.)  Taking a seat, I strap myself in and hold on tight L,  the ship is shaking harder, maybe from heavier firepower I assume. Just as the portal opens, the back bay doors open and in swoops my "protector" along with a whole hail of blaster fire behind her. Flipping in with a roll the doors close behind her and we make the jump. 

As they don't move, I release my straps swatting them off of me and rush to their side. "Are you alright?" As I go to roll her over, I spot patches of blood on the floor. "She's been hit!" I shout. Roland and Nicole rush to the back to retrieve a medical kit. Natasha gets me to my feet and moves me aside so the others can look our fallen friend over. Tears well in my eyes. "Emily she'll be okay, we will get her to the infirmary, a doctor there will get to work on her, don't worry," she offers a comforting smile wiping some of my fallen tears away with her thumbs. 

Hugging me I let the rest fall and stream down my face and onto her shoulder. " If she hadn't been told to fetch me then she would have already been on the ship safe, not laying on the floor bleeding being carried to the medical wing because of me." Placing her hand on the back of my head I can feel Natasha's head shake 'no'.  " No one told Z to do anything, Z went to get you. She volunteered to go and protect you till you got on the ship, it's not your fault. Don't beat yourself up about it. Pulling back from her embrace I have confusion written all over my face. Why would Z volunteer to come for me when the past two months all I've ever gotten from her was ice coldness as if she hated me? And what in all the galaxies and stars is a name with just one letter in the alphabet, what the fuck is that about? 

"No way," I say shakily, trying to calm my nerves. 

Natasha nods back with a yes. 

" I know it does not seem like she cares, in her own weird way Z really does. Yes, Z can be harsh, without a care in the entire galaxy for anyone's feelings, Z has always been that way, always so careful to never get too close to anyone, and I can tell that even though Z has tried and built the wall of ice within even higher, you have started to melt them little by little."  Looking back at me she takes my hand in hers.

" Come, I will take you to the infirmary, you can go see Z" 

 Hesitantly I move one foot after another, allowing myself to be pulled along like some lost puppy. At this point, I don't even know how to feel. I knew for a while that we had some type of connection before. And now I believe Natasha just confirmed it without actually meaning to. 

Unlike the building we were in the Luxious ship actually has doors labeled. I've spent some time studying this 'alien' writing. So far I can read basics like restroom, kitchen, hospital, beds, bay, and I can make out names written in the odd language as well. 

" The surgeon's light is off, so you can go see Z now." She stands next to the door releasing my hand. 

A big red sign that says 'Do not enter'  isn't illuminated. All that stands between me and going to talk to Z is a big ass door and well me.

Inhaling deeply, I shake my hands out. In my lame attempt to calm my nerves. Natasha punches in a few numbers on the keypad. Revealing a large room with maybe five beds spread out from each other. And multiple tools for scans, x rays, and major surgeries. Z lays in one bed still unconscious. Her left shoulder and forearm are bandaged tightly. Her leg hangs up elevated in a cast.  And her head is wrapped around her forehead covering her brunette hair from view. Z's lips are gently pressed together. The machine beeps quietly off to the side monitoring her heart. 

Standing beside her bed, taking a mental note of every cut she has that go down her right arm, her cheeks, and busted bottom lip. Bruising is starting to shade her fair skin tone to a purplish color in some spots. She gave them one hell of a fight and paid the price for it in return. 

" I'm so…. Sorry Z… if you didn't have to come for me..you-" I can't keep my composure together. Guilt swells in my chest. It's my fault she's got the shit beat out of her. The stupid human girl, who is as good as dead anyway, got someone put in the infirmary. Just like any other supernatural movie you see the helpless human always has to be saved. 

Sniffling, I take her right hand in mine. " Z, thank you for protecting me, for risking your life for me. I am in your debt." Squeezing her hand, I start for the door. The doctor is in the hallway speaking with Nicole, Natasha, and Roland. He is a rather tall man, with a  cyborg right forearm and robotic eyes. Surgical masks cover his face from the nose down

"She is going to be out of it for about a week, maybe even more. If her Lycan sustained a lot of injuries as well then it might just be longer than that, right now she's not going to die, however, we won't know how long she will be in that coma for. 

The doctor shakes our hands leaving us to go about his way. " Hey guys, I am going to bed, if someone would be willing to show me where my room is please" without hesitation the twin sisters nod with their wide beautiful smiles. Walking in between the two of them, none of us say a word, it's still pretty late in the night. Exhaustion is well on its way to consuming all of us. Reaching the door a few minutes later they leave me to rest. 

After everything that has happened so far, I plop down and lay back. Stretching my arms out and laying them behind my head for support. Closing my eyes, the same as every night. Dreams elude me and nightmares don't welcome me. I am shrouded in darkness by my own inner emptiness.