Chapter 6

"You know one another?" Cid asks

I look at my friend shocked and confused. Silk wasn't the same person that I knew from before. He is different. He is more machine now. His good eye has a face of recognition but the other eye is opens and causes me to jump back in shock. The other eye is metallic seeming to zoom in on me and adjust. I don't understand the technology but it scares the hell out of me.

I don't realize that I am reacting the way that I am. Cid is looking at me confused trying to understand it but I can't tell him anything specifically.

"May I have a moment?" I ask Cid.

Cid looked over at me, "You don't have much time. Your interview is set up shortly. But, sure. I'll give you a moment."

He looks suspicious as though trying to find out what my relationship with Silk is. Truth is I don't know what my relationship with Silk is now.

We are alone for a second and Silk looks at me and smiles.

"You're ok," he says.

After all this time being apart the first thing that he can say is that I'm ok. It's very much so like Silk to be worried. That was always his personality. He was a worrier. Roman was never like that and neither was I honestly. Silk always worried about both of us.

"What did you do to yourself?" I ask.

I regret saying it almost immediately. He seems self-conscious almost immediately. He looks at his arm. The metal arm seems to be engaged with all types of technology and gadgets far more advanced than anything I could imagine. He doesn't look like the dirty "breeder" anymore though. He's clean and polished. However it almost seems like he's lost his humanity in the process.

"I had to find a way to make sure you were safe. Rumor had it that you were taken to New Jerusalem. I did the only thing that I could do to come up here. I signed up to be a cyborg."

"I didn't ask you to do that..."

"You didn't have to."

His voice is strong and protective. The same Silk that I knew all my life. This was different though. He was enhanced. Even his human muscle seemed bigger and muscular.

"Silk. I'm not in danger. I'm fine..." I tell him.

"So why was I hired to be your security...if you are so fine."

I have no doubt that he did all of this to find me and save me. The scary question that he asked definitely made sense though. Did I need saving? Was I truly in danger here? And how did I feel about the fact that a friend of mines did this to himself because he believes that I am.

I have to change the subject. It's the only thing that I can do at that moment.

"Does it hurt?" I ask him.

I look at him. The cyborg.

"It's not as bad as it looks. The Gays recruit breeders to be cyborgs to use for public and private security. They enhance them. You know...make them stronger. The nerves are still there but some of the flesh is replaced by metal. Some of the bone too. I'm strong now. You know?"

I smile at him. He flexes his muscle and I attempt to look excited. Truth is though I'm freaked out. He's not the same boy I knew.

"What's the eye for?" I ask him.

"Helps me see in darkness. And zoom in if I need to. I can see like a hawk. It's amazing. And that's not even the best part. Check out the arm. Go ahead...Marxis, touch it..."

I feel on Silk's metal arm.

It's warm to the touch and not cold like I imagined it. As I touch on parts it lights up. Sensors monitors. It feels like steel. As much as I want to be happy for him that he has been `enhanced', I can't be. He's not the same Silk that I knew.

"You didn't have to do this," I tell him again.

I notice Silk's other hand moving around me. He touches the smalls of my back and pulls me closer.

"I'm still human. You know," he says.

He squeezes with his regular hand almost assuring me how human he really is. He pulls me close. Truthfully I want to cry but I put on my façade to be strong for him. Our friendship is so strong that I can feel his pain even if he can't see it yet.

The fact that the Gays did this to people disgusted me.

Silk smiles instead, "We can leave soon..."

"What?"

"We can get out of here." He says, "I'll find a way. I promise."

He looks worried. I'm confused but I don't answer. Luckily we are interrupted. I think its luck at first at least. Soon I realize who is interrupting me.

It's Marcel.

His face eyes Silk and Silk standing with his hands at the smalls of my back with his lips pressed up against my ear.

"Who are you?" He asks in only the way that Marcel can.

Silk gives him a hard stare. Even with all these enhancements he is never good at hiding his reactions. He's the same overprotective hothead that I knew from the Breeding Grounds. Silk's stare is as cold as ice and Marcel isn't backing down either. I need to step in so that's what I do.

I respond for Silk, "He's our new security."

"Kind of touchy for security isn't he?" Marcel asks, "We need to get going. Your security can stand with the rest of the staff..."

Marcel grabs my hand and grabs me away from Silk. Silk follows behind a couple feet but I can still feel his eyes on me. I wonder what he means by taking me away. I don't have time to think about it. Marcel and I are paraded into a nearby building.

The building stands pretty tall and at every turn there is a photo opportunity. I do my thing and play my role smiling when I have to smile but letting Marcel do most of his politicking. He can snap from being annoyed one moment to being the smoothest talker the next.

Before I know it though we are backstage somewhere and the lesbians are doing my makeup. It doesn't take long for Marcel to walk over though.

"Can you not play these games?" he asked.

"Games?"

"Whatever you're doing trying to make me jealous..."

I am confused at what Marcel is saying. The aggressive way he walks over there however clearly makes the lesbians stylists a little uneasy. They are all rainbows and butterflies so the slightest bit of tension puts them on edge. Natasha is batting my face with powder a little harder than usual and Latosha is polishing my shoes carelessly. Marcel is making them nervous but for some reason he isn't making me nervous. For some reason I'm entertained at the fact that he's so mad.

"You're jealous?" I ask.

"I didn't say that, now did I? I said you're trying to make me jealous. Clearly you know him... who is he to you?"

I am sure now that Marcel had been thinking about this since he saw me interacting with Silk.

"I don't have to tell you anything," I reply.

I know I'm being petty but I want to see Marcel squirm especially after knowing that he still has a relationship with Florian. I shouldn't care about his relationship with Florian. Our marriage isn't even legit but for some reason I do. For some reason that pisses me off so I turn to Natasha and give her my attention instead.

This seems to really piss Marcel off.

"Fine. I'll have him fired."

"What...wait!"

Marcel had already turned around but I can tell he is trying to outsmart me. Just like a goddam politican. I sigh a little bit annoyed.

"Tell me who he is to you or I'll have him fired."

"Just a friend. He' straight, shit. Just a straight guy from the ghetto of the breeding grounds."

"What number?"

"Huh?"

"What number is he?"

I think about it for a minute. Silk always had girlfriends but he never tested like Roman. He refused to be measured. He thought it belittled him. He always had this resentment towards the Gays anyway. He never told me how that started but I knew Silk refused to take a test.

But here Marcel is clearly bothered. Probably jealous.

"He's a 0..." I lie.

A 0 on the Kingsley scale was very straight. Exclusively Straight. As straight as someone could be. They were known as the bottom of the barrel even in the Breeding Grounds. Marcel seemed subdued by it. If it was jealousy I knew he wasn't going to admit it or anything like that. So instead of admitting anything like that Marcel just smiles instead.

"Fine. Get ready for your interview," Marcel states but then stops before he leaves the room, "I apologize for...if I...you know..."

He awkwardly leaves the room unable to finish his thought or explain why he barged into the back area with such an attitude.

I'm confused by it until I notice Natasha and Latosha giggling a little bit.

"That boy is into you..." Latosha replies.

They continue to giggle as Natasha compares their relationship to my relationship with Marcel. Truth is, I don't get Marcel and everyday I'm getting more confused. Is he into me legitimately or is he not? I don't get it.

The stage we walk onto is hot. The heat is even more unbearable with what I'm wearing. I'm wearing a matching suit to Marcel. Our suits are always matching for one reason or another. Hot cameras and lights beam down on us. I can feel the eyes of an audience as I walk onto the stage.

I'm nervous.

All these eyes are on me. No one is clapping. They are just watching, judging and whispering amongst themselves. Marcel waits for me. Politically correct as always. He smiles. Just the way he's supposed to. He waves to the crowd. He isn't like me. He isn't a nervous wreck. After I catch up to him on the stage he grabs my hand. I wish I had enough time to wipe it before he does because it's sweaty. But Marcel is always for public appearance and if he notices how sweaty my hands are he doesn't react. If anything he just holds my hand longer so everyone can notice we are that happy couple.

We walk towards the front of the room.

"Welcome, welcome. Marcel and Marxis Anthony. Even their names sound good together..."

As we sit, Marcel sits on my right. On the other side of the table is an interviewer. The crowd finally claps when they announce our names but I can tell they are being queued to do so. Their eyes are curious and judgmental. The interviewer is the only one who seems to have a warm and kind smile but I can tell he is probably this way because he has to be. I have no doubt this interview will be broadcasted in every home in New Jerusalem and probably across the Breeding Grounds as well.

"Happy to be here Colon," Marcel smiles.

"Nice to have you back. And this time you are not only running for president but you also have some eye candy on your arm."

Marcel smiles, "Yes Colon, it was a whirlwind romance, but how can you not fall in love with a face like this."

Marcel looks at me. He is so convincing that for a moment I actually believe him myself. I stare blankly at him now sure if I should do or say something charming too. Instead I just feel like a wet rag, out of place.

"He seems...uncomfortable..." the interviewer, Colon called me out, "Marx...are you uncomfortable here..."

Just like a gay. He wasn't going to let anything past him. His eyes looked at me studying my facial expressions. I don't know how to fake this in front of all these people. I'm getting more and more nervous by the moment. I feel like I'm failing Cid. I'm failing Marcel.

Luckily Marcel is smart enough to cover me, "We are newly weds after all. So blame me. I can't keep my hands off of him. I mean look at him Colon. He's beautiful. Marx hasn't had much sleep if you know what I mean."

Laughter sprang out in the room. Not just from the interviewer but from the crowd as well. They were charmed by Marcel. They were intrigued. I assumed that his kind of humor might be offensive to the crowd but when I look into the audience the opposite occurs. They love it. The gays are eating this up. They seem to be warming up to us; or warming up to Marcel at least.

I stared at the warm brown colored politician with his pearly white teeth. Marcel could charm anyone. He could have anyone he wanted.

Colon stared over at me, "Well I think the people are curious about him. The tall, dark and handsome boy who was not too long ago a breeder but is now actually a 6. The latest news was his recent explosion on Nazarius Marxis VI. What was that about?"

The interviewer looked over at me.

My tongue was down my throat though. I didn't know how to respond. I just stared at him blankly hoping the words would come but not wanting to embarrass myself.

"Hello...anyone home?" the interviewer asked again.

Things were getting awkward again. The stares were coming again. The whispers. The Gays were gathering around and judging me. I could see their eyes. They were eating this shit up. They loved it. They loved the drama. Politics had become something of a soap opera ever since the Gays took over. The Gay Agenda had made a mockery of it and I was nothing more then a pawn.

I struggled to speak.

Nothing.

Fuck.

"I can answer," Marcel stated coming to my rescue once again, "The thing is my opponent Nazarious is my husband's father..."

There was a pause. It seemed like they still didn't understand. They were looking at Marcel with this confused look as though it still didn't make sense why I sent off on him.

"Actually I can explain," I butt in at that moment.

Marcel looked nervous when I opened my mouth. He looked like he was about to just tell me to be quiet or something. I knew he was nervous that I was going to say something stupid but this was my story to tell. My relationship with my dad was something personal to me. It wasn't something that I could explain to him.

"Go on," the interviewer stated.

I stumbled on my words and finally opened my mouth to speak, "I was abandoned by him. I'm not sure if anyone can really understand it here in New Jerusalem. This world is something different from what I'm used to. Your fancy technology and culture. I measured as gay late in life. So my values...were different. Family was important to me. Family and friends. And try to understand that when you are young and you've been abandoned. Well. When you've been abandoned..."

I realized I had more attention then I expected. You couldn't hear anything. You couldn't hear anyone even breathing. You couldn't hear a pin drop. Everyone was hanging off my every word.

I got self-conscious all of a sudden.

"Take your time," Marcel stated.

He squeezed my hand. For a moment I knew it wasn't Marcel the politician that was squeezing my hand. It was actually Marcel. He wasn't just doing this for the cameras. He was helping me through this talk because he wanted to. I saw something in him at that moment and it gave me strength to go on with what I was saying.

I didn't know why tears were coming out of my eyes at that point just thinking about my dad. I turned to the crowd. The tears wouldn't stop.

"My father Nazarious Marxis VI left me behind. And I have a feeling that Marcel found me. He found a lost little boy that was left behind and he gave me a chance to be accepted. And if you people out there vote for Marcel, know that no one will be left behind."

There was silence for a moment. More of that dreadful fucking silence.

Then all of a sudden it wasn't.

Cheers. Cheers drowning out even the interviewer's follow up question. The people were clapping for me. They were standing up! They were getting out of their feet and they began to chant. The chant came over the crowd like a wave.

Marcel! Marcel! Marcel!

It was an unbelievable feeling seeing people react to that off of something I said. I saw Marcel's smile spread again. This time it wasn't his wide charming smile. He was shocked. He was confused. He was almost amused by the fact that the people were acting like this. He looked over at me for a few seconds and he leaned in and kissed me on the lips.

His lips pressed up against mine and the crowd went crazy again! More cheers. Marcel's taste lingered on after he stopped kissing me. His lips were so perfect. So soft. I struggled not to look at his eyes again.

"Amazing! Fucking amazing!" Cid stated, "Cheers to Mr. and Mr. Anthony!"

The interview was over in the next 30 minutes and most of the other questions were for Marcel and his policies but I could tell the interviewer was being a lot kinder now that we won over the crowd.

Marcel and I were met with champagne when we walked back into the dressing room. I could see everyone was happy. Natasha and Latosha ran over to me with tears in their eyes as dramatic as usual. I wasn't surprised when my cheeks were covered in minutes with their neon bright lipstick while they hugged me as though I was newborn baby. The rest of Marcel's campaign staff were talking as well. I looked in the corner of my eye and saw Silk. He was the only one on the staff not drinking or celebrating. He just stared me down silently and watched like a hawk.

I knew how he felt about the Gays and the fact that they were embracing me like this couldn't be easy on him.

"You should read the blogs. Almost immediately people are raving...RAVING!" Natasha stated in her usual overly loud voice.

She basically screamed it in my ear and luckily Cid managed to pull her away.

"She's right," he said in a lot calmer way but still as excited, "People are ripping into Nazarious. His popularity is definitely taking a hit. And I've just figured out our campaign slogan."

I looked at him confused, "What?"

"No one is left behind!" Cid smiled, "How's that?"

I nodded, "Dope..."

"Yeah that's excellent," Marcel added in.

Marcel was smiling but he wasn't overly excited like everyone else. I could tell he had something on his mind. I watched as someone on the campaign staff walked over to Cid and whispered something into his ear. I had no doubt it was one of Cid's spies or something like that. He always disappeared for some reason or another so I didn't think anything of it when he left again.

Everyone celebrated for a few minutes. I turned over to Silk. Silk looked like he was about to walk over to me but he stopped. I didn't know why until I turned to see Marcel behind me.

"Hey you..."

Marcel was close behind me, trying to surprise me. His minty breath was against my neck. His warm body pressed up against me for a short second sending warm shivers down my spine. Why did he have this effect on me every time he was close?

"You surprised me," I replied.

"You surprised me," he replied, "Where'd that come from? Did Cid write that speech for you..."

"No. It's from the heart," I told him crossing my arms, "I don't know much about New Jerusalem or politics or anything like that. I just know even though we don't always get along you are a good person. And you would be a great president..."

"You believe in me..."

He seemed even more surprised when he said it.

Marcel was close now. Too close. I knew Silk was watching me. I knew it would make Silk sick to see me kissing a gay but I couldn't help it. I knew what Marcel wanted. I could tell by how close he had gotten. No cameras were around. No one was there to impress. Marcel's lips perked up and then landed on mine. The soft kiss exploded almost immediately as Marcel pulled me in. His tongue massaged mine. He held me close into the room.

And I kissed him back. Our tongues combatting in the middle of that back room. Everyone disappeared. And that's when I knew I had to admit it.

I was really into Marcel...

And from that kiss he had to feel something. Something...

"We have an issue," Cid walked into the room almost immediately.

I noticed the look on Cid's face.

"Not now..." Marcel stated, "I'm actually starting to like my husband..."

Marcel was about to lean in and kiss me again. He didn't seem to notice how upset and worried Cid was. I couldn't help it though. I knew Cid and I knew that him walking in like this meant something bad. Marcel seemed to be so caught up in the moment that he was pulling me back into him ready to make out with me some more.

"That snake Lexus Lucius is being interviewed and he's throwing dirt on you," Cid replied.

I watched as Cid went over to a robot and issued a command. In the back room hologram prompters lit up everywhere. They spread across the room illuminating it.

Sure enough Lexus was being interviewed. He was handsome, brown skin with slanted sharp eyes. His smile wasn't as warm as Marcel's. Hell...his smile was more conniving and shady looking than anything. He was still attractive though. I didn't know what was up with these Gays and getting male models to run for president. My father was the only male on the ballot that looked a day over 30.

Lexus crossed his legs.

"Marcel is coming out here pretending like he's so in love with his 6...but I don't buy it and neither should the people of New Jerusalem," Lexus was saying.

I turned to Marcel. He looked shaken. He was breathing heavy.

"What the fuck is this?" Marcel asked Cid.

Cid just watched the broadcast like everyone else completely ignoring Marcel. There was nothing we could do at this point. Lexus was on stage just throwing dirt on him.

"Do you have any proof to support these claims?" the interviewer asked Lexus.

Lexus smiled. Something sinister.

"Of course I do. Role the tape..."

Just at that moment a third screen popped up. What I saw blew my mind. Marcel was butt naked. His brown, muscular skin that turned me on so much was turning someone else on. It was a sex tape. It was a fucking sex tape!

A time stamp of the sex tape was there. It was from a week ago.

Marcel was having sex. He had someone bent over the side of a bed and he was fucking THE SHIT out of the person! My mouth dropped in shock to see it.

Then I noticed who it was. The entire world was seeing my husband---fake as he may be---having sex with someone else a week ago.

Cid shook his head and turned over to Marcel. He must have been thinking what we were all thinking. This nomination was over.

Cid stared at Marcel, "You're still fucking Florian..."

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