Seth sat on the back of his car, shirtless, gray jogging sweats on despite the heat. Couldn’t let Andrew see the augment, could he? Seth looked back at the house. How bad would it really be? He could say it was part of the MRI deal, some experimental prosthetic. Right. Because that would explain how the metal was woven into his skin at the knee like a quilt on a micro-scale. That would explain why it looked like metal, but sounded like flesh when it knocked against something. That would totally explain why Seth had sensation on it just like his own skin.

Seth twisted his lips. He wanted to tell Andrew everything, but those non-disclosures had been unmistakably clear. Talk about what Hunter-33 declared classified and he would face a fine that far exceeded the check from the MRI and time in prison on top of it. Never mind the fact that one of those things was literally attached to his own body as organically as a natural limb.

The sun began to touch the tops of the trees in the neighborhood just as Andrew pulled up in the red and black 2014 BMW 2 Series he’d rescued from Craigslist for the concerning price of fifteen-hundred and been turning into a speed hazard for the past two years. He and Seth shared their tastes in music and the aftermarket stereo system thumped with the double-bass drums and distorted guitars of a black metal track. Andrew parked his car on the curb and got out, also shirtless like Seth, though a fair bit more tan, but clothed in running shorts rather than jogging sweats.

“Bit hot, isn’t it?” Andrew scratched his head and looked up at the sun. “It was like 80 today.”

“Doing laundry,” lied Seth.

“Oof, okay, man. Where we running to?”

“Just out into the country and back. 10k.”

“Weak.”

“You want ten miles? Afraid to go at my fast pace?”

“10k isn’t a fast pace.”

“You’re just trying to get us to only do 5k.” Seth raised an eyebrow, grinning.

“We squatted in weightlifting today, dude.”

“Not my problem,” said Seth, grinning. It felt good to banter with his best friend again.

Andrew scowled. “Yeah, yeah. We can do 10k.”

Seth hopped down from his car and popped one wireless earbud in, then started his watch. “Alright, to the old barn. Let’s go.”

The two took off down the street at an easy warm-up pace, gradually increasing their cadence and stride until they settled into their distance pace. Their strides were almost identical as they rolled out of the suburb and hit the gentle sloped country roads. Seth kept his breathing even, in and out of his nose as they began to chew through miles. On the horizon, he could see the old abandoned barn that marked just past five kilometers from his house.

Andrew spoke between breaths. “You seem pretty fast.” He breathed in. “For having been shot five weeks ago.”

Seth shrugged. “You know my cardio’s always been good.”

“No, it hasn’t,” said Andrew. “You and I both know.” He sucked air. “That you got your shit from hard work.” Another breath. “Not genetics.”

Seth shrugged and didn’t respond. About ten minutes later they got to the barn.

“Hold up,” said Andrew, coming to a stop on the shoulder of the road and holding his hands behind his head as his chest heaved. “You’re fucking faster than you were five weeks ago, man. What the fuck.”

“You just haven’t been doing your cardio,” said Seth.

“Yeah, bullshit, wrestling season starts next month. Do you know how many hours of drilling and cardio I’ve been doing?” Andrew took a few more seconds. “More than you, dude. What. The. Hell.” He put his hands on his knees. “Okay. Fucking spill, man, where the fuck did you go?”

Seth looked around. Not a soul in sight. Of all the things churning inside him, he couldn’t let lying to his best friend be one of them. He trusted Andrew with his life. He could trust him with this. Seth took out his phone and set it on the ground, then started walking to the barn, about fifty yards away. “Put your phone there if you have it.”

“I… don’t…” Andrew jogged after Seth and they stopped once they had reached the shade of the front overhang of the barn. The smell of neglect and mildew emanated from within the chained doors.

Seth looked up and down the road again, crossing his arms. Though his heart had slowed by now, it was picking up again despite them only walking. “Listen.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. “Fuck. Here. This.” He looked up, made sure he was under the overhang from sheer paranoia of the idea of government satellites, and pulled his left pant leg up.

Andrew’s eyes widened. “What the hell is that…” He reached out. “Can I?”

“Yeah.”

Andrew brushed it. “Is that fucking steel?”

Seth shook his head. “It’s called Morganium. Apparently, it’s commonly called mithril. You know, like in Lord of the Rings?”

Andrew shook his head. “Stop fucking with me.”

“Andrew, I swear I’m not.”

“How is it woven into you like that? Does it come off?”

“Not that I know. Andrew, it’s a part of me. I can feel it.”

“Wait. What?”

Seth closed his eyes and held out his leg. “Touch it somewhere.”

Andrew poked his ankle.

“Ankle, left side.”

Andrew almost jumped. “What the fuck?”

Seth set it down and opened his eyes. “Yeah.”

“Where did you get that?”

Seth laughed. “You’re really not going to believe me.”

“I don’t know, I just saw metal feel. I think I’m open to more possibilities than I was before.”

“A fucking wizard.”

“Go fuck your-” Andrew blinked. “Oh, you’re serious.”

Seth nodded.

“What the hell, bro.”

Seth leaned against the barn door. “Alright, listen. What I’m about to tell you is classified. I’m going to go to prison if they find out I told you any of this.”

Andrew’s eyebrows furrowed. “You know I’d never spill anything you told me.”

“I know.” Seth sighed. “You remember that new girl?”

“The cute short one with the pixie cut?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, I wanted to hit her up.”

“Not after this.” Seth drummed his fingers behind him against the wood. “The short explanation? She was on the run from the government, I thought she was in trouble so I helped. I got shot, she took me to a wizard, and then tried to sacrifice me, but the government showed up and then…” Seth hesitated. “They killed her and saved me.”

“You swear it’s all true?”

“Every bit.”

“And you get in trouble for telling people?”

“Yes.”

“Fuck, man. That’s wild. But that-” he pointed at Seth’s augment. “Makes me believe you.”

Seth shrugged. “There’s so much more I don’t know. Like I don’t know why Nicole was trying to sacrifice me. And, apparently. God, this sounds insane.” Seth let out slow breath. “Okay. Here we go.” He looked Andrew in his eyes. “I’m not human.”

“Wait, what do you mean?”

“She made it sound like someone way back in my family made a baby with…” Seth threw up his hands in a vague gesture. “I don’t fucking know. Ow!” Seth grabbed his left temple. It felt like a wasp-sting, but there were no insects buzzing around, and when he felt it, there was no growing welt. Seth surveyed the area, turned left and right.

“What?” Andrew mirrored him. “You see someone out there?”

The road remained empty, and the tall grass along it continued to blow in the gentle breeze of the early fall. But goosebumps rippled down the back of Seth’s neck; he felt that all-too-familiar feeling of being watched. The one he felt almost every morning when he looked out into the woods behind his suburb. “We can’t talk about this anymore. Maybe later, I don’t know. But not now.”

Andrew nodded. “Yeah. I got you.”

“Run back?”

“Little bit slower, please. You’re not human.”

Seth shot him a dangerous look.

“First and final joke, I promise,” said Andrew. “You know I would never turn on you.”

“I’m just scared, man. None of this shit still makes any sense.”

Andrew slapped him on the shoulder. “Yeah, but I’m here for you. I’m not going anywhere. I’m your best friend.”

Then why couldn’t he tell him he’d been the one to put the bullet in Nicole’s head?

They jogged back to the road, Seth picking up his phone, and ran back toward Seth’s house. The feeling of being watched never left.