The Exchange Part 1 by N. Isabelle Blanco Page B

first.”
    “Don’t even have to tell me.” And he flicks the card key toward Sapphire. She catches
     it, her arm moving in a blur. He nods at me, spins around, and is out the door.
    The sound of him closing it seems too loud.
    Sapphire starts moving immediately. “Okay, stay like that. Don’t move. Lower your
     defenses. Don’t try to fight me like you did last time.”
    The corners of my lips twitch despite how close to passing out I am. “Yes, ma’a—”
    She flips one leg over me.
    My heart almost jacks right out of my chest. The force is so strong I cough with surprise.
     Black temporarily overcomes my vision. Then, my heart sputters inside me, stuck between
     pounding at full-speed and not having enough energy to do so.
    I’m going to pass out. Right there. And it isn’t just one thing. It’s the blood loss and her. She’s making my damned heart race while my body struggles to maintain my blood
     pressure.
    Sitting on my abs, she fists my hair and yanks my head back.
    Holy motherfuck. What’s happening?
    “No. No. No. You stay with me, Deimos. Don’t go under. I need you awake to integrate
     the bots.”
    I hear what she’s saying, but her voice is far, far away. The feel of her isn’t. Pure
     heat, wrapped around my abs and sides. She tugs my head back again and I’m forced
     to meet her eyes.
    “Please. Tell me you’re going to stay awake.”
    Her plea computes. Enough for me to give her a nod. I open my mouth to tell her that
     she has to get off me so I can focus—
    BP at 50/30. Internal organ failure imminent.
    A prick to my neck makes my head jerk to the side.
    “Sorry. Another round of nanobots. Don’t want to take any chances. I’m sorry. You’ll
     excrete any extra, I swear.” Her words are a rapid blur and she’s shaking so hard
     on top of me. She shoves her fingers back into my hair to keep me still. “Now look
     at me. Lower your defenses. Deimos, please, I can see your blood pressure reading.
     It’s bad.”
    I place my hands on her thighs and nod at her. “I’m with you. Let’s do this. Not going
     anywhere. Won’t leave you, okay?”
    She nods, her lips turning up in small smile. “Okay.”
    My defenses are already lowered. I’m using all my leftover strength just to stay awake
     for her. I nod one more time.
    She stares into my eyes. For a few seconds, nothing happens, and the darkness is calling
     to me from the back of my head.
    Then I hear it.
    Son of a bitch, I hear it!
    Her voice. Monotone. Robotic, even.
    Inside my head.
    System reboot commence.
    The red of the medical scan collapses. Blue fizzles to life in its place. White letters
     and binary code rush past.
    Downloading software package. Applying update.

 
     

    “TALK TO ME.” Sapphire’s just finished helping me out of my jacket and wiping the
     blood off my face. I won’t even get into what her tending to me like that did to me.
     Sitting next to me, she’s now preparing to remove my gloves. “Deimos—”
    “I’m awake,” I mumble, trying to focus on her passed the white letters I still see.
    Integration at 9 %. Repair initiated. Platelet reproduction doubled.
    Damn, it’s slow. But it seems to be enough. I’m no longer fighting with every breath
     to stay awake.
    “Good. But your eyes being open isn’t enough. I need you to talk to me and tell me
     what’s going on there.”
    I move my hand and grab hers, squeezing down lightly . “You’re shaking. Too much.” Worried about you .
    She looks like she’s lost as much blood as I have. Which isn’t true. It’s her emotional
     processors on the fritz.
    “I’m fine. Please. We can’t work on sealing the wounds ‘till I get these gloves off.”
    She isn’t going to let this go. I can tell. Get back on your own feet then you can take care of her. With a sigh, I give in. “I’m awake. Talking. Do your thing.”
    Her grimace is apologetic. “These are probably stuck to your wounds.”
    “I have no doubt,” I tell her.
    “ Gonna