“Benjamin would have a field day with this.” I choked on the words, memories of my best friend flooding back. Benjamin had insisted just before he died that cyborgs were more than weapons. That underneath their programming, something human remained.
I didn’t believe him. Not after watching what they did during the war.
“So what now?” I paced the length of the room, anger building with each step. “You kidnap a doctor and expect what exactly? Compliance? A fucking thank you note?”
My voice echoed off the walls, unanswered.
I stopped at what appeared to be a window, though it revealed no recognizable landscape. Just trees—countless trees resembling a rainforest.
“This is insane. I deliver babies. I don’t... I’m not...” I pressed my forehead against the cool surface. “I’m not equipped for this.”
But beneath the fear and anger, a small voice whispered inside me—the same voice that had gotten me through medical school, through the war, through losing Benjamin.
“Figure it out, Liv.”
I moved away from the window, my heart racing as I took in the medical bay around me. The equipment was sleek, almost alien in its design—a far cry from the cluttered, chaotic hospitals I was used to. Everything had its place, minimalist and efficient. Despite my fear, I couldn’t help but be impressed.
“Okay, Liv, think,” I muttered to myself, resting my hand on my hip. “You’re clearly on some distant planet, surrounded by a rainforest, and you’ve been kidnapped by... cyborgs?”
The word felt ridiculous on my tongue. Cyborgs were weapons of war, not kidnappers. What could they possibly want with an obstetrician?
My mind raced through possibilities, each more terrifying than the last. Were they planning to experiment on me? Use me as bait in some twisted game? The uncertainty made my skin crawl.
I paced the room again, my steps echoing off the metallic floor in the quiet space. “Come on. You survived the attack during the war. You can survive this.”
But even as I tried to rally my courage, fear crept in. I was alone, unarmed, in an alien world. I had never felt so vulnerable in my life.
“Okay, new plan,” I whispered to myself. “Play along. Figure out what they want. Look for weaknesses. Then, when the moment’s right?—”
The door hissed open, cutting off my impromptu escape planning. I whirled around, my heart leaping into my throat.
A man stood in the doorway. No, not a man—a cyborg. The same one from the van. My kidnapper. But seeing him now, in the bright light of the medical bay, I was struck by how... human he looked. Tall, muscular, with a face that could’ve graced the cover of a fitness magazine. If it wasn’t for the subtle rigidness in his demeanor, I might’ve mistaken him for just another incredibly attractive man.
Fury boiled up inside me, momentarily eclipsing my fear. “You!” I snarled, jabbing a finger at him. “What the hell is going on? Where am I? What do you want with me?”
He regarded me calmly, his expression maddeningly neutral. “Dr. Parker, I understand you’re confused and angry?—”
“Confused and angry?” I laughed, the sound sharp. “That doesn’t even begin to cover it! You kidnapped me! Drugged me! Brought me to god knows where!”
“I assure you, we mean you no harm,” he said, his voice infuriatingly reasonable. “Your skills are needed here. We?—”
“My skills?” I interrupted, my voice rising. “I’m an obstetrician, not a soldier! What could you possibly need me for?”
He opened his mouth to respond, but I was too worked up to let him get a word in. “And don’t give me that ‘we mean you no harm’ bullshit. You’re cyborgs. Weapons. I’ve seen what you can do.”
A flicker of something—hurt? Regret?—passed across his face so quickly I thought I must’ve imagined it. “Dr. Parker, I know this situation is far from ideal. But I promise you, everything will be explained in due time. For now, I think it’s best if we focus on making you comfortable. You must be hungry and thirsty after your ordeal.”
I stared at him, momentarily thrown by his considerate tone and carefully thought-out words. This wasn’t how cyborgs were supposed to act or talk. They were thoughtless machines. Not... whatever this was.
“I’m going to get you some food and water,” he continued, seemingly unperturbed by my silence. “Is there anything specific you’d prefer?”
I laughed again, the sound bordering on hysterical. “Prefer? As if this is some kind of room service situation?”
He tilted his head, looking genuinely confused. “I... I’m not familiar with that term. But if there’s a particular type of sustenance you require?—”
“Just... just go,” I said, suddenly exhausted. “Get whatever. I don’t care.”
He nodded, turning to leave. Just before he reached the door, I called out, “Wait.”
