"Dont shoot, Edward" she said, her voice soft yet commanding.
Edward was the bastard name
The man in the cyber suit the one who had been ready to shoot me named Edward, turned his glare on her.
"Amber, what are you doing, stay out of this?"
Amber.
That was her name.
She stood between us, her posture relaxed yet firm.
"There's no proof he's infected," she said calmly, her gaze meeting his without flinching. "You can't just kill him based on suspicion."
"He came in contact with an infected," Edward snapped. "That's proof enough, you should know that anyone can get infected. You also know that if he transforms he would be a very big problem for all of us. Infected are dangerous!"
Amber shook her head.
"It's not. He's lucid, coherent, and hasn't shown any signs of transformation. If he's clean, killing him would be murder, and you know that!."
Edward grip on his weapon tightened, frustration evident in his posture.
"And what if he's not clean? If you're wrong, you're putting the entire unit at risk including yourself."
Amber's eyes narrowed, and she took a step closer to me.
"Then we test him. You have infection testers on hand, don't you?"
A murmur rippled through the group.
The soldiers exchanged glances, clearly uncomfortable with her suggestion.
"We can't use it on him." Edward said staring at me briefly.
So you bastards have infection testers with you, and you wasted my breath.
"And why not." she said glaring at Edward.
"We can't waste the limited testers we have with us on him." Edward said glaring back at her
"Waste!. You kidding me, is this some kind of joke or just pure discrimination." Amber spat.
"It is nothing of such!." Edward denied.
"Then why use the word 'waste'?." She said angrily.
"It is because we only have two left." he said.
"Then use one on him!." Amber said in a loud tone.
"No!" Edward said loudly.
"Why!." Amber sounded confused by his answer.
"Because even if we use it on him, and he is tested positive or nagative, he won't be of any use to us, i am keeping the testers for useful people." Edward said coldly while glaring daggers at me.
That word hurt me like a bullet, but I kept chill...
Because I am a chill guy.
"Now i see what this is about then, this is out of hatred, you just hate him because his is weak, that is why you are practically calling him useless, huh?." Amber said, her expression showed she was pissed.
"That is not what I am saying, stop misinterpreting my words." Edward said denying what she said.
"Either you give him the tester, or you refuse and decide to shoot him, don't think I will let you get away like that, I will make sure to report you to the base directly. Now make a choice?" Amber said coldly.
"Is that a threat?." Edward said glaring at her.
"A very clear one." She answered emotionless .
They both glared at each other for a long moment, then Edward sneered breaking the silence.
"And what if he's positive? You've gotten close to him. If he's infected, you are too." Edward said.
"Then I'll take responsibility," Amber said simply, her voice steady. "But until we know for sure, I won't let you kill him."
The man scowled, his finger hovering over the trigger.
For a moment, I thought he might actually shoot her just to make a point.
Then, with a sharp growl of frustration, he gestured to one of the soldiers.
"Fine," he spat. "Get the tester. But if he's positive, you'll face the consequences."
Amber didn't flinch.
"I know."
A soldier retrieved something from a nearby pack and tossed it toward me.
I barely caught it.
It was a sleek, metallic device, shaped like a syringe but with glowing lines etched into its surface.
"Inject yourself," Edward ordered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Let's see if you're clean as she thinks."
I hesitated, staring at the device.
My heartbeat thundered in my ears.
What if this thing detected the infection in me...
"Do it, Sky" Amber said softly, her voice cutting through my panic.
Her golden eyes met mine, steady and reassuring, with a calm smile.
"It'll be okay. I trust you, you are not infected"
Come on stop smiling, we both know you are more afraid than I am.
If I am infected, both of us are going to get killed on the spot.
Swallowing hard, I nodded.
Gripping the tester, I pressed the tip against my palm and took a deep breath.
Then I pushed.
The needle pierced my skin with a sharp sting, and the device hummed to life.
A faint blue light pulsed along its surface as it began processing.
Time seemed to slow as everyone watched, the tension in the air almost suffocating.
I clenched my fists, my mind racing.
What if it was positive?
What would happen to me or to Amber?
Whatever it shows, my life and her too depends on it.
Finally, the device beeped, its light changing...