The Five Evolution

『"Sweet Dreams are definitely not made of these."』

Amara stepped into the Institute garage, the scent of oil and metal thick in the air. She found Ethan lying on a mechanic’s creeper under the van, his black singlet clinging to his torso.

"Amara, is that you?" he called from beneath the van.

"Yeah," she replied, moving closer.

Ethan continued tightening something. "Could you hand me the 10mm socket wrench?"

Amara scanned the scattered tools, grabbed what looked like the right socket and stepped over him, planting her feet on either side of the creeper. "This one?"

Ethan rolled the creeper out from under the van. He looked up at the tool in her hand and grinned. "Yeah, that’s the one."

He sat up, took the wrench, and slid back underneath. "I added a new feature to Caroline," he said as he worked. "I call it the Sweet Dreams system."

"Yeah?" Amara’s voice came out huskier than usual.

"Yeah." Ethan stretched to reach a tight spot, his singlet riding up and revealing his abs.

Amara’s cheeks warmed. She bit her lower lip, looking away for a second, then immediately found herself looking back.

"I just need to up the dose somehow," Ethan continued, focused on his work. "Then it should maybe... perhaps... be strong enough to work on even a Tyrant."

Before he could finish whatever he was doing under there, Amara leaned down, grabbed the creeper, and yanked him back out.

"Babe—" Ethan started, but Amara was already on him.

She straddled his waist, running her hands over his grease-streaked biceps. Leaning down, she brushed her lips against his ear and whispered, "Let’s do it..."

She didn’t wait for an answer. Her mouth crashed into his, tongue slipping past his lips in a hungry kiss, silencing whatever he had been about to say.

Ethan kissed her back, but kept his hands firmly at his sides, not wanting to smear grease all over her.

He made a muffled sound against her lips and gently leaned back, asking for a moment to breathe.

After a moment, Amara pulled back, breathing heavily, chest rising and falling.

"Not that I’m complaining," Ethan said, looking up at her with dark eyes. "Because I’m definitely not." His gaze dropped to her lips. "You just... surprised me is all."

Amara leaned down and kissed him again, softer this time. "I’m full of surprises," she murmured against his lips.

She slid her hands under his singlet, palms roaming over his abs and chest. She bit his lower lip, sucked on it gently, then deepened the kiss once more.

Eventually, she pulled back and stood, offering him a heated look. "You wanna continue this in the van?"

Ethan rose to his feet and peeled off his singlet in one smooth motion. "Caroline can wait." He pulled her close, kissing her as they moved toward the van’s side door without breaking contact.

Amara kissed along his neck and chest, then returned to his lips. "I don’t think I’ve ever done it in a van..." she whispered, her lips inches away from his.

Ethan climbed into the back seat and Amara followed, immediately straddling him again the instant she got in.

Her body was stained in grease now, but neither of them seemed to mind.

"Protection?" Ethan asked. Whatever had gotten into Amara, he knew the real her would never forget something that important on a whim.

Amara held his face with both hands and pressed a deep kiss to his mouth. "...We don’t need it." She reached down for his zipper without looking.

"Don’t need it?" Those words snapped Ethan back to his senses. "Amara, what’s gotten into you?" He held her by her shoulders and shifted her to the side as he got out of the van.

Amara had a confused look on her face. She ran her fingers through her hair and followed him out. "What is it?" She stepped forward, reaching for the hem of her blouse. "Don’t you want to?"

"Amara, stop." Ethan grabbed her arms, stopping her from undressing. "As much as I want to. And God do I want to." He sighed. "You’re not acting like your usual self."

Amara tried to kiss him again but he backed away.

Her breathing grew heavier. "I’m more myself than I’ve ever been." She placed a hand over her chest. "And if you can’t give me what I want, then I’ll—" She turned away. "I’ll find someone who will."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ethan asked, eyebrow raised.

"Exactly what it sounded like," Amara said over her shoulder and kept walking toward the garage’s exit.

She was about to step through the door when she ran into a blue wall.

She pressed her palm against it, then turned back to Ethan with a heated smile. "Does this mean you’ve changed your mind?" Her chest continued to heave. "...Or do I have to force my way out?"

The garage fell quiet for a beat.

Then Ethan grinned. "Get over here."

Amara’s face lit up. "Oh, baby..." She rushed forward and leaped into his arms.

He caught her by the thighs, supporting her weight easily as she wrapped her legs around his torso and kissed his neck.

"I didn’t mean it..." She kissed his jaw, murmuring between kisses. "... you’re the only one for me..." She kissed his neck again.

Ethan carried her toward the back of the van, one arm holding her securely while the other fished for his key inside his pocket.

"Remember the new system I installed?" he asked as soon as he found them.

"Huh?" Amara pulled back to look at his eyes. She had been so dazed that she ignored the red aura that was coming off him when he told her to ’get over here’. "What—"

A soft thwip sounded as a dart fired from a hidden compartment that opened up behind his van, striking her on the back of her arm.

"Sweet dreams," Ethan whispered, kissing her forehead as her body went limp against him, head lolling onto his shoulder.

He took his thumb off a button attached to his key, then carried her gently toward the Director’s office.

***

Meanwhile, Hiro was working up the courage to go into Sophia’s room, pacing back and forth at her door as he muttered to himself.

"I can sense your anxiety, Hiro," Sophia called from inside the room. "It’s very distracting."

Hiro took a deep breath and opened the door. Sophia was sitting at her desk, reading a medical diagnostics textbook. Two pizza boxes sat beside her and one of them was already empty.

"You can do that." He pointed casually. "Even with the dampeners in this place running?"

She grabbed another slice before answering. "Yeah." She took a bite and swallowed. "Just basic emotions though. Like your freak-out for example." She looked at him. "Need anything?"

"Right..." He sat down on the edge of her bed, fingers drumming on his thighs. "Right!" His eyes widened as he remembered the whole reason for coming here. "The jar."

She turned to the next page of her book. "What jar?"

Before Hiro could answer, a pink glint of light flashed across his dark eyes, turning them pink for a second.

"...Hiro..." A disembodied whisper echoed in his mind and ears.

Suddenly, Hiro stood up. He walked to her desk, placed both palms on the surface, and leaned in until his face was level with hers.

He was very close.