There was only one thing to do.
Lynx closed in, finishing off Tom with two quick slashes, slitting Tom’s throat wide open.
Tom gurgled as he sagged to his knees, a crimson geyser spuming from the cavity in his throat. “No!” he wheezed, blood spattering from his mouth and dripping over his chin. “No!” he cried again, but his voice was much weaker.
Lynx looked at Melody. She had her right hand pressed over her mouth.
He hurried to her side, taking her left hand in his.
Tom pitched onto his face, smacking onto the floor.
Melody glanced at Lynx, her green eyes pools of remorse. She removed her right hand from her mouth. “Was it necessary to do… that?”
Lynx nodded grimly.
Tom’s body was shaking uncontrollably. “No!” he said, the word barely audible.
Lynx stepped between Melody and Tom, blocking her line of sight. “If it upsets you so much,” he stated tenderly, “don’t look at him.”
“I’ve never seen anyone killed before,” Melody blurted out.
“If you come with me, if you leave Androxia, you’ll see more of it,” Lynx warned her. “I can guarantee it.”
“Really?” Melody responded.
“Really. The outside world ain’t nothin’ like what you’ve got here in Androxia. It ain’t this cushy,” Lynx stated. “There are some cities left out there, and outposts of civilization here and there, but mainly only one rule prevails. It’s called the survival of the fittest.”
Melody stared into his eyes. “Tell me the truth. You’ve killed before, haven’t you?”
“I’ll always tell you the truth,” Lynx promised. “And yes, I have. I’ve done more than my share of killin’. It’s in my blood.”
“How can you say that?” Melody demanded. “I’m a mutant too, the same type you are, and I don’t have any compulsion to kill.”
“Count your blessings,” Lynx advised her.
Melody gazed over Lynx’s left shoulder at the window in the south wall.
“I wonder if I really know what I’ve gotten myself into,” she commented softly, then locked her eyes on Lynx. “Don’t get me wrong. I can take care of myself, if push comes to shove. But I’ve never been outside of Androxia.
I can’t predict how I’ll cope.” She paused. “I could be a burden to you. Do you still want me to go with you?”
“Only if you want to come,” Lynx told her. “But I can promise you this.
I’ll do my best to protect you, to watch over you. But if you’re the kind of woman I think you are, you won’t need protectin’ for long. I suspect you’re a lot tougher than you give yourself credit for.”
“I hope you’re right,” Melody said.
Lynx glanced over his right shoulder.
Tom was deathly still, a large pool of blood encircling his head and shoulders like a red halo.
“How soon before they miss him?” Lynx asked.
“I don’t know,” Melody replied. “It depends on if anyone heard us. The walls are soundproofed, but if someone was walking by in the hallway—”
“Go check,” Lynx said, cutting her off.
Melody moved to the door, deliberately refraining from looking at Tom.
She cautiously opened the door and peered into the corridor. “I don’t see anyone,” she stated.
“Good,” Lynx said. “Close the door.”
Melody complied, returning to his side. “Now what?”
Lynx reflected for several seconds. “You said the testin’ floor is seven floors up?”
“That’s right,” Melody confirmed.
“I’ve got to get up there and see if my buddies are there,” Lynx declared. “Can you find me a white uniform like Tom’s?”
“No problem,” Melody answered. “We all have lockers in the break room, the Employees’ Lounge, for our personal effects. I can take one of his uniforms from his locker, and no one will be the wiser.”
“How will you get into his locker?” Lynx inquired. “Do you have a key?”
“Why would I need a key?” Melody responded, puzzled. “It won’t be locked. No one locks their lockers.”
“Okay,” Lynx said, pondering. “The uniform should fit, no problem. Do you need a pass of some kind to go from one floor to another?”
“No,” Melody said, reaching up and tapping the Orwell Disk in the middle of her forehead. “They monitor our location with these.”
Lynx nodded. “I know. I forgot. If you were to leave this floor and head up to forty-five, would they notice right away?”
“I don’t know,” Melody said.
“We’ll have to risk it,” Lynx stated.
“And what about you?” Melody asked.
“What about me?”
“You don’t have an O.D.,” Melody observed. “If we bump into a Superior, he might ask questions.”
“Then find me some glue when you go for the uniform,” Lynx said.
“Will do. Anything else?”
“Just this,” Lynx stated, and impetuously pecked her on the lips.
For a moment, her face registered only stunned surprise.
Lynx abruptly wished he could become invisible. What the hell had he done that for? Now was not the time or the place, he mentally chastised himself. What a dork!
Melody, incredibly, smiled. “What did you call that?”
“A kiss,” Lynx responded shamefully. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into me!”
“I know what got into you,” Melody said.
Lynx was astounded when she placed her hands on his shoulders and drew near to him.
“And you can’t call that nip a kiss,” Melody admonished him.
Lynx was too amazed to react when she touched her soft lips to his, disregarding the blood on his face and mouth. He felt her warm tongue flick his lips once, and then she stepped back.
“Ummmmmm,” Melody commented. “You taste good.”
Lynx didn’t know what to say.
“Not bad,” Melody added. “But you’ll have to do better next time.” She hastened to the door, opened it, winked and grinned, and departed, closing the door behind her.
Lynx slowly reached up and traced his left index finger along his lips.
She’d kissed him! Actually kissed him! He couldn’t believe it! She certainly wasn’t as shy as he’d supposed. He walked over to Tom’s corpse and nudged the body with his right toe. “You asshole! If she’s frigid, I’m Peter Rabbit!” he said, and laughed.
The minutes dragged by.
Lynx spent the time wisely. He took a washcloth from the sink and used it to soak up the blood from the floor. After cleaning up the food spilled during the fight, he lifted the cot to its proper position, then rolled the corpse underneath the cot. A careful adjustment of the blanket, and Tom was effectively hidden from view. He was dabbing up the last of the blood when the door opened.
“I’ve got everything you wanted,” Melody said, closing the door. She surveyed the room. “Where…?”
Lynx nodded at the cot.
“Oh,” Melody declared.
Lynx rinsed the washcloth, then draped it over the edge of the sink. He faced Melody. “Let’s have it.”
Melody walked over and handed him the white shirt and pants. She held up her left hand, a tube of glue in her palm. “Why did you want this?”
“You’ll see in a sec,” Lynx said. He quickly donned the clothing, pleased at the perfect fit.
“My! Don’t you look handsome!” Melody said appreciatively. “But we need to do something about your face.”
“Thanks a heap,” Lynx retorted.
“I mean those cuts and all that blood,” Melody remarked. She went to the sink and ran cold water over the washcloth, then came back. “Hold still,” she directed, and hastily wiped the blood from his fur. “Do you want me to bandage these cuts? They look deep.”