Page 12 of Cyborg's Tether
“We’ll figure that out.” He mulled it over while he looked through the encrypted data. Beside him, she tapped the holographic interface, frowning in concentration.
“I’ve isolated another cluster of encrypted files,” she said. “It looks like personnel records, but there’s something off about them.”
He leaned closer. “Can you decrypt them?”
She nodded, already tapping on the interface. “It’ll take some time, but I think I can crack it.”
As the days passed, Xavier found himself increasingly impressed by Amaya’s skills. Her mind seemed to work at speeds that rivaled his own cybernetic enhancements. She approachedeach new challenge with a fierce determination that he found oddly...captivating.
“Got it.” Amaya exclaimed on the third day, letting out a sound of triumph. “Look at this, Xavier.”
He moved closer, peering over her shoulder at the decrypted files. What he saw made his circuits hum with alarm. “These aren’t just personnel records. They’re detailed psych profiles, complete with potential weaknesses and leverage points.”
She nodded grimly. “Whoever’s behind this isn’t just planning an attack. They’re looking to manipulate key individuals within the facility.”
As they pored over the data, he became acutely aware of her beside him. The ability to appreciate the scent of her hair and the warmth of her body were sensations he thought had been lost to him after his conversion. It was...distracting.
“Xavier?” Amaya’s voice snapped him back to focus. “Are you all right?”
He nodded stiffly. “Yes. Continue.”
As he bent over to retrieve a data chip that had fallen, Xavier’s gaze was drawn to the curve of her back. To his shock, he had a stirring in his lower regions—an unmistakable physical response he hadn’t experienced since his conversion. His cock was rapidly stiffening.
Flustered, he quickly turned away, confused. How was this possible? He’d assumed that ability was gone, replaced by cold circuitry, but the evidence suggested otherwise.
“I think I’ve found something,” she said, oblivious to his inner turmoil. “There’s a pattern in the data access logs. Someone’s been systematically gathering this information over months.”
He forced himself to focus on the task at hand and try to suppress his erection. “Can you trace the access points?”
She shook her head. “Not directly, but I can narrow down the potential sources. It has to be someone with high-level clearance.”
As they worked, he couldn’t stop staring at her, cataloging each detail with a thoroughness that surprised him. It made him think of his previous life, but the memories were still lost to him. Since he was past the full window for integration, it was unlikely he’d ever regain them, which frustrated him. Had there once been another woman in his past who made his heart race the same way Amaya did?
“We should take a break,” said Amaya suddenly, stretching her arms above her head. “We’ve been at this for hours.”
He nodded, grateful for the chance to collect himself. As she stood to leave, he spoke without intending to. “You’ve done excellent work. Your skills are impressive.”
She turned, a look of surprise on her face. “Thank you, Xavier.”
As she left the room, he remained seated, his mind a whirl of conflicting thoughts and unfamiliar emotions. He’d expected his cyborg to be a way to rise above the messy, unpredictable nature of human emotions, but now, as he grappled with his growing attraction to Amaya, he wondered why he’d ever thought not feeling something for someone would be a strength.
THE NEXT DAY, XAVIERstood beside Amaya in the lab, his focus meant to be on the flickering data streams before him. The code was intricate, and the solution to the mystery seemed within reach, but his attention kept drifting.
Her presence was a constant pull, with his awareness of her every movement and the faint scent that lingered in the airaround her stirring something he had been trying to suppress. It was distracting—dangerous even—but he couldn’t expel it.
“We’re closing in,” she said, her voice steady, though the excitement beneath the surface was unmistakable. She pointed to a cluster of highlighted code, her body leaning in close to the screen. “Look at these patterns. The data access points are all converging here.”
He forced his gaze back to the display while his processors ran through the information with precision. He absorbed the data quickly, isolating the key points Amaya had indicated. The conclusion was undeniable, yet his focus wavered, caught by the way her hair brushed against her neck as she worked. His cybernetic eye zoomed in on the code, but his mind remained elsewhere.
“Yes...” His voice was quieter than usual, and he cleared his throat, shifting to refocus. “The origin point—it’s within the facility’s main research lab.”
Amaya tensed beside him, shoulders stiffening. She wasn’t just piecing together the information but bracing for the implications. “But that means...”
He dragged his attention back to the critical matter at hand. He knew what she was thinking, the conclusion they were both reluctant to face that seemed unavoidable.
“It’s someone on Dr. Vex’s team,” he said, his voice returning to its usual steady tone. “This isn’t random. Whoever planted this knows our systems intimately.”
Her eyes widened in response, and she gasped softly. For a moment, the air between them thickened, filled with the unspoken realization of what this meant. Betrayal from within was far worse than any external threat.