Suddenly Mac slumped against her. Olivia opened her eyes. Blood was running down from the officer onto the floor. She caught Tyler’s gaze as he stepped back, and the man fell to the floor. Mac was no longer breathing. Tyler had destroyed her plan. “What are you doing?” She hissed.

“I’m saving you,” He replied bewildered. “No time, let’s go.” He searched the body for the handcuff keys and unlocked them. Olivia could hear the sirens of Unified Axis. Tyler plucked her up and took off running. They headed down the back alley behind the warehouse when he suddenly stopped and kicked the wall. Before Olivia could ask, a portion of it opened, and Tyler ran through a series of corridors when finally he stopped.

Putting Olivia on her feet, he walked over to a refrigerator and pulled out a couple of beers. “Here.” Sitting down heavily on the only armchair in the room, he looked over at her. “Have a seat. We’re gonna be here for a while.”

Olivia sat on the bed and open the beer. “Why didn’t you just run? You don’t owe me anything.”

“Do you have a death wish?” Tyler asked as his face twisted in disbelief. Olivia took a sip of the beer and picked at the open tab without answering. “Wow, you do,” He realized, gulping his beer. “Why? I don’t understand. You’re young and whole.”

“I’ve watched my parents lose part after part trying to raise me,” Olivia said bitterly, “Between paying off Axis Officers to look the other way and trying to survive, they will eventually end up in the heap. I’d rather let them have what time they have left with each other, not worrying about me. Besides, I refuse to become some brood mother for the humies. I knew full well what I was doing and attacked knowing that I would be executed.”

“Whew,” Tyler whistled. “I’ve heard this mindset before, but I’ve never seen anyone who had the balls to go through with it. How old are you?”

“You know it’s never polite to ask a lady her age,” Olivia deadpanned. “I’m twenty-five.”

“Shit, The Alliance will be hunting you soon, if they aren’t already,” Tyler said in understanding. “You haven’t had any kids yet.”

“Exactly,” Olivia said, sighing. “I’ll have to find another opportunity.”

Tyler sat back, drinking his beer thoughtfully. He reached over and opened the fridge again. “We should eat something.” He handed her a deli sandwich and pulled out another for himself. They ate the food in silence as Olivia fumed about the lost opportunity. She could always go back and turn herself, she supposed, but she didn’t want Tyler implicated. He came back because of her. Why couldn’t he mind his own business?

“What if there was no way for you to have kids?” Tyler asked.

“That kind of surgical operation is illegal and expensive if you could find a surgeon who would do it,” Olivia said.

Tyler looked embarrassed. “What I mean is a married woman is expected to have children. Most chippies working the strips or bars have kids because of lack of birth control and the nature of their jobs. But what if you married a man who cannot have kids?”

“They would assume something is wrong with the woman, I suppose,” Olivia said, scrunching her face in thought. “How much do they care about fertility problems with chippies?”

“Strangely, they don’t give a rat’s ass if one chippie is barren out of millions,” Tyler said, “So long as you are married and you don’t bring attention to yourself.”

“I think it’s a little late for that,” She answered dryly. “And besides, where would I find a man willing to marry me who will forgo sex, or is impotent or infertile? He’s probably as imaginary as the land of Zion.”

Tyler looked even more uncomfortable. “I sold it,” He muttered. “I was well compensated for my sacrifice.”

Olivia couldn’t believe her ears. The selling of genitals was considered taboo. If you sold your arm, a kidney, eye, half your liver, and even your heart, they could program you a mechanical one. How did they even program that? She blushed at the thought. Even more shocking was that most humies balked at that idea, so whoever wanted a part like that had to pay a pretty penny to have it done and had to be desperate. No record would be kept of a transaction like that.

“Marry me, and you’ll never have to worry about it. I’ll protect you,” Tyler said, dropping his head.

Olivia thought it over. She would never see her parents again, but they would live longer. “OK, provided we can leave the city and get to the plains. We are wanted criminals now because of the officers that died tonight. What does marrying me do for you?” Olivia asked.

“I’ve got someone to take care of me before I go to the heap. You promise me that I won’t end up there before my mind is completely gone. I’ve seen too many bionics sent to the heap early because no one wanted to take care of them.” He replied.

Olivia looked at Tyler in understanding, “That’s fair. I accept your offer.”