Chapter 13
“This should work, right?” I ask Fatimah as I click my rings together. Chris tightens the bolt on the new horizontal weapon. With our redesigned mounting point and newly made parts, it should be sturdier and safer.
“I think so,” she replies.
“Upgrading the metal to a higher shear strength material should help with the force of it,” Sonny says. As an engineer, I know this logically. My fear-addled brain welcomes the reassurance, though.
“And the reinforcements to the mount should make that more secure as well.” Travis looks as worried as I am for once. He’s even toned down the douchebag behavior today. “Even if Joel was mad about the price of titanium.”
“Is he coming?”
“No, he said that if we fail the test, he’ll email us our contract termination notices.”
Fatimah rolls her eyes over to me, sharing a look of mutual disdain. “How kind.”
“That should do it!” Chris says, stepping back with a grin. “She’s as good as she’s going to get. Which is great!”
The officials from the other day appear in our workstation to examine the bot before we’re allowed to take it to the test arena.
We wait anxiously on the outside of our space, watching as they murmur and point, noting things on their clipboards.
“You may proceed to the test arena,” Glasses says after several agonizing minutes. The entire team sighs in relief.
As the men get Zeta ready, the officials make their way to the test arena. My anxiety ratchets up with each step they take. It is not helped by the number of other teams following them. Including Jacob.
“I can take that,” I say as I swoop in to grab the dolly, desperate for anything to keep my mind occupied for even a second. It also works great as an alternative to my cane. I half-consider sending Ava a text to see if she can restock my fridge for when I almost certainly get sent home.
I breathe deep and focus on the task at hand, letting the sensations of it consume me before the anxiety does.
The way the handle pinches against my ring splints.
The way the rubber wheels glide smoothly over the polished concrete.
The strain to make the extra push over the threshold of the Bay.
When I lock the wheels of the dolly outside of the test arena, though, it all comes flooding back.
Fatimah waits next to a stool for me, and she hands me the controller as I sit down.
Glasses gives me a small, kind smile. “Ms. Williams, are you ready to proceed with your test?” Over his shoulder, I see Jacob watching us. He shoves his hands in his pockets and turns away, pretending I didn’t catch him staring. What an asshole.
“Yes, sir.”
“Alright, you may start your robot.”
I boot up Zeta and drive it around. “Powering up our weapon.” I hold my breath as I flip the switch, and it spins to life.
I drive the robot over to an official so they can verify its speed with a speed gun before I’m directed to hit things with the weapon.
“Moment of truth,” Sonny murmurs behind me.
The sound of our weapon cutting through metal obstacles is melodic. It holds steady. No shimmy, no rattle, no drama.
“Yeah!” Chris cheers beside me.
I power it up and down a couple of times for the officials before the test is complete.
Glasses gathers his team and, after a few moments of quiet conversation, returns to us with a mask of indifference.
“Team Jaxon. I’m pleased to report that you have indeed passed the situational safety test. You are free to compete tomorrow. ”
The team celebrates with various shouts and cheers. Travis calls Joel while the others gather up our bot.
“Plenty of time to prepare for tomorrow,” Sonny notes.
I grab my cane when we get back to the workstation and head outside to watch some of the other test drives. No one was at risk of going home like we were, but it’s good to get a chance to watch the competition in action, not solely on recorded replays.
Leaning one shoulder against a wall, I watch two bot tests before I’m joined by my least favorite person at Circuit Smack.
Jacob leans against the wall behind me as I watch the fights.
I know it’s him because my body lights up with a static shock that seems to hover above my skin, ready to strike if he touches me.
“Congratulations on your extended time at Circuit Smack.” His smooth, low voice runs through my veins like a current, making me shiver.
“I know it’s a hardship to you,” I say. I’m no longer seeing the test drive, though I’m still facing it. Nearly all my senses are tuned into Jacob.
I can smell his cologne on the slight breeze.
It’s warm and comforting, and I want to lean back and be enveloped in it.
I think there might be something seriously wrong with me.
I’m still so angry about last night. Every conversation with him is disorienting.
I want nothing more than to turn around and tell him to fuck off, but I am trapped under years of conflicting emotions and biological reactions.
“I don’t want you out of the competition,” he says. I can hear the rustle of a shoulder shrug. “I wanted Joel gone.”
“I’m on Joel’s team if you haven’t noticed,” I huff, frustrated.
A whisper of his sigh moves the hair by my ear. I shiver. “I haven’t noticed anything else.”
He doesn’t leave even when I try to ignore him, but it’s impossible. His shadow is cast on the ground, melding with mine. His warmth is closer than it should be. His paradoxically comforting scent won’t stop winding around me.
“I didn’t realize,” he murmurs. “Time doesn’t heal all wounds, does it?”
When I turn around, I’m met only with his back and the fading crunch of sneakers on pavement.