[2073] Birthday/reunion/recall

Sinsamudr’s birthday, 2073.

Butterfly forgot about her son’s birthday. She returned when the party was already over, and saw a slice of cake on the table. Only then did she remember.

“Oh well. Nothing I can do about it now.”

Sin did not mention it when he saw her in the morning, but Apaimanee did.

“You promised to be back by nine.”

“Papa…” The little boy tried to stop the conversation from heading in that direction.

Butterfly was about to leave, but she turned around, hands on her hips.

“You know what kind of job we have. I can’t sit around being a househusband like you. I can’t control these things, and the last thing I want to think about while trying to dodge bullets is whether I’ll get home by nine.”

“You could at least try?”

“Why are we even talking about this? I thought you, of all people, would understand.” She left without giving him a chance to say anything else. Apaimanee heaved a sigh.

“Sorry you had to see that.”

“It’s okay, papa. Hey, I want to show you something. I can shoot really well now! Let’s go out to the range!”

The shooting range was part of the complex. Apaimanee never supervised his son during shooting lessons, and it was strange to see an eight-year-old holding a gun. His son could shoot well, maybe better than him.

“That was amazing. What else did your mom teach you?”

“She’s going to teach me how to turn off the alarm. She was annoyed when I interrupted her sleep the other day…”

“I see.” Apaimanee’s heart pounded heavily in his chest, but he did his best to avoid letting it show. “Pay really good attention to her. If you do well, we could sneak out to play with the big sis that sells flowers.”

“Really?! Okay papa.”

“Keep it a secret between me and you, alright? Mama will never allow us to go out if you let it slip. Promise?”

“Pinky promise.”

Sin learned how to turn off the whole alarm system before it could sound. Apaimanee was wary of the cameras, and so he still kept Sin within the confines of the apartment complex.

The champak girl came by the next day, and they chatted about going outside.

“My hometown is on a faraway island. People say not even satellite signals could reach there. When I came here, I was really confused by all of this technology. I did not even know what a phone was.” She laughed. “When I hear Sinsamudr’s name, I think of the emerald sea of my hometown…”

While they were talking, Butterfly returned.

“Why’re you still coming here, kid?” She shot a glance at the girl, who ducked her head and hurried away.

“We…” Sin’s words were caught in his throat. Butterfly ignored him.

“Apai, we have a mission.”

Crystal’s headquarter was hidden in an office tower. Butterfly and Apaimanee rode the elevator up to the second to top floor. When the elevator doors opened, they were greeted with a familiar face.

“You’re supposed to be dead.”

“As you can see, ma’am, I am alive and well.”

It was Chan. Eight years ago; he was the collar boy that managed to severe one of Butterfly’s arms.

He should be about twenty or twenty-two by now, but he was still the same teenager they fought years ago, wearing the same collar, having the same cord that looked like a tail when he walked.

“You became a full cyborg.”

“Does it matter? Your mission isn’t about me. I’m here to take both of you inside.” He fiddled with his collar’s cord absentmindedly. “Khun Silrach is about to meet your boss, Madame, and you and I will make sure everything is in order.”

“I was told.”

“Alright, then we’re off.”

Apaimanee checked the surroundings. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Butterfly returned fifteen minutes later, Chan following closely behind.

“Apai, wait inside with Chan.”

“Alright.”

Chan led Apaimanee to a room next to the meeting room, then sat down with legs crossed. The boy bobbed his head to some music only he could hear. Apaimanee thought of Butterfly’s favorite folk song that she often played when she was home.

There was silence between them, which made Apaimanee feel awkward. Chan spoke up first.

“Are you not going to ask how I survived?”

“Am I allowed to?”

“Yeah.” He stuck out his mouth and tried to balance a stylus on it, then he let it fall. “I almost died when you torched me. At least my brain was alive, so they were able to revive me and patch up my dead neurons. I’m still salty about not being able to grow tall, though.”

“Why don’t you just get a taller frame?”

“They told me growing taller would make me a bigger target for bullets.”

Apaimanee laughed.

“My son is going to overtake you.”

“What, you have a son now? Congrats. I hope he doesn’t go through the same shit both of us went through.”

“Yeah…” Apaimanee thought of the airport attack. It was like a faraway dream.

“How old is he? Is he a natural born or adopted or a custom?”

“Eight.” The man dodged the other question.

“Whoa, so you had that kid the same year you killed me?” Chan laughed. “I have some personal questions to ask you, while we’re on the topic. Why are you working for Madame?”

“She saved my life.”

“Good.” Chan spun the stylus with his fingers. “Huh. I think your boss is here.”

The meeting went on and ended without a hitch. Apaimanee and Butterfly accompanied their boss back to the car.

The boss was the same tall man that went to the rendezvous point all those years ago. It was only Apaimanee’s second time seeing him. He did not speak much and went to the car quietly.

Butterfly went to another car. She spun around and saw that besides Apaimanee, Chan was also with them.

“What do you want?”

“I want a rematch.”

“I don’t have time for that nonsense. Apai, let’s go.”

“Wait, wait!” Chan grabbed Apaimanee’s arm. “Okay, if you don’t have time for that nonsense, then at least let me borrow your partner. Consider it practice or something.”

“I’m in the middle of escorting the boss.”

“Please?”

Butterfly sighed.

“If you try anything funny, the alliance between our clans will be terminated. I’ll see to that. And I’ll kill you again.”

“Thanks, Madame.”

Butterfly went inside the car, and it sped away. Apaimanee heaved a sigh.

“Chan, I hope you give me a ride home.”

“Of course!”

They were at the building’s fitness center. There was a gym that could be used for sparring. Apaimanee changed from suit and tie into something easier to move in. Chan seemed more than ready to go.

“We’ll go hand on hand, to avoid any accidents.” He said, cracking his knuckles.

“Whatever you say.”

They bowed, and Chan started his stream of attacks. His petite size was actually an advantage, making it difficult to land any blows on him, and his fists were heavy and packed with power. Apaimanee could feel the force as those fists grazed his body. They were enhanced with some heavy material. The cord hanging from his neck probably served as some kind of balance, and it hurt when the cord slapped into his skin.

Apaimanee turned off his pain receptors. He managed to land a punch on Chan’s chin, then followed with another hook, but the smaller boy dodged, stepping behind Apaimanee and jumped onto his back.

“What…?!” The young man did not have time to retract his attack, giving an opportunity for the boy to counter.

“Heave!”

Chan’s palms slammed into the sides of Apaimanee’s head, and his vision went black. He collapsed onto the ground, knocked out.

When he came to, he was greeted with a head-splitting pain. The smell of camphor oil grazed his nostrils, and he opened his eyes to see Chan waving an inhaler stick near his nose.

“I tried my anti-cyborg attack on you. Didn’t know it was this bad to people with normal pink matter.”

“Anybody would be knocked out by a blow like that, cyborg or not. Ouch…”

“Do you still remember me?”

“Yeah, you’re Chan.”

“And who’re you?”

“Apaimanee.”

“Your son’s name?”

“Sinsamudr. We…” Apaimanee froze.

“Are you alright? I should get you to the hospital. Hey, guys, call emergency!”

“No, no… don’t call anyone. I…” The young man brought a hand to his head. “I just feel like something’s not in place…”

“Shit, is anything inside your brain rolling around in your CSF right now?”

Apaimanee did not answer. His headache would not go away. He could remember something. No, many things.

Eight years ago… He had to find someone. There was someone he had to reach, no matter what. Who? The airport attack. The Rattanawohan family. The only survivor, the teenage son. His head hurt. How did he get his enhancements? His limbs were medical waste. His eyes were replaced. Huh? Why?

“Agh…”

Then, he remembered.

The apartment complex was a prison. Madame Butterfly locked him up in there.

He realized that and tried to get out. Then, he forgot all about it.

There was some place he had to be, someone he had to see, and Madame Butterfly made him forget all about them.

He felt chills run throughout his body. This was it. Something was not right, and this was it.

Madame Butterfly brainwashed him. He had a son with her to fulfill her dreams of being family. He was not needed as a witness. Why him? Would she get rid of him?

Apaimanee tried to keep a straight face. No use panicking over it, Apaimanee. You just have to run away, find that person, find your home, find your past.

“Do you really not need the doctor? You should at least do some checkup in our infirmary.”

“No… I’m good. I’m feeling better than before.”

“Really? I’m so sorry this happened. I’ll send you home.”

“Yeah… That would be good.”

Apaimanee walked into the apartment complex and watched the gates closed behind him. He could not run now. He had to get his son. Where would he run to? Right, that girl. Her hometown. No satellite signals. He had to get there.