Broken Bonds

by Jade Alters

  I grin. “Oh, don’t worry about me. This Dr. Pyrrhos sounds fascinating. I’ll be fine.”

  He arches an incredulous eyebrow. “You say that now, but a few weeks with that hermit, I guarantee you’ll be booking a flight home.”

  I laugh. “And I guarantee I’ll be good. Trust me, I’ve faced worse than a grumpy, anti-social scientist in my life.”

  An understatement, but no reason to have poor Charlie worrying for me any more than he already does.

  “Well, as long as you radio before winter, we’ll be able to come pick you up pretty much any time,” he tells me.

  “I’ll keep that in mind, thanks,” I reply with a polite nod.

  Charlie still looks somewhat distressed that he hasn’t managed to convince me to just turn back now, but I shrug his worry away. I’m too pumped up to let it weigh me down right now.

  I turn my attention back to the window. The trip down here was long and exhausting, and my whole-body aches in that way that lets me know I’m going to pass out really soon. However, my sheer excitement is keeping me awake at present. I can’t wait to see the outpost and set up my lab. I can’t wait to begin studying my birds to see if their regenerative properties can be duplicated in some way for human use.

  Suddenly, the pilot’s voice crackles through the headset I’m wearing.

  “We’re preparing for our descent,” he says matter-of-factly. “It should be about five minutes.”

  I nearly squeal with my giddiness but manage to contain myself so I don’t look like a complete idiot in front of these guys. Holding onto my composure by my fingertips, I gaze out the window and watch as the ground starts to grow closer and closer. From where I’m sitting I can’t really see the facility, but that doesn’t stop me from nearly pressing my face to the glass to try and get a look.

  We touch down smoothly and I pull off my headset. My leg is bouncing impatiently as I wait for the door to be opened, and once it is, I make my way out into the frozen landscape, being sure to keep my head ducked until I’m free of the propellers. With a grin, I gaze around once I can stand upright once more and my eyes land on the facility. I gape. It looks like something from the future. My mind actually wanders to Star Wars, and Luke’s aunt and uncle’s home. Except, instead of a desert, I’m surrounded by eternal winter.

  Charlie moves to stand next to me.

  “Well, what do you think?” he asks.

  “It’s gorgeous,” I sigh.

  Charlie chuckles. “We’ll see if you’re still saying that in a few months. Come on, let me show you to your new home.”

  Grinning ear-to-ear, I follow as Charlie leads me to the main door of the facility, all thoughts of the strange Dr. Pyrrhos temporarily pushed from my mind.

  Aleixo

  The sound of the helicopter approaching makes me groan out loud. Damn it. I’d nearly forgotten I’m supposed to get a new roommate today. It’s a shame, really. It’s been so nice having the place all to myself again.

  Well, I guess I can take comfort in the fact that I’ll very likely have it to myself once more soon. Other scientists don’t tend to last very long around here. Something that’s entirely intentional on my part. When the organization overseeing the facility informed me that they would start putting other people with me, I’d pushed back against the notion. However, I was basically told I can either put up with it, or get out myself. Not an option at this point in my research. So, I put up with it. I let them come here and disrupt my quiet existence.

  And then I do everything I can to make them go away.

  Pushing off of my stool, I leave my microscope with the Petri dish of phoenix cells I’d been observing for the past hour or so and trudge out of my lab. Might as well greet the newbie, I suppose. See what kind of fresh meat they’ve brought me this time.

  Making my way through the facility, I reach the front area and stand opposite the door, waiting. I can hear people outside, though their voices and movements are muffled, but I can tell they’re approaching the door when their racket grows louder and louder.

  When the door starts to open, I tense, a feeling of dread pooling in the pit of my stomach. All these years by myself in Antarctica have not helped me improve upon any of my social graces, and I’ve developed somewhat of an anxiety around people. Not something I had anticipated when I’d decided to relocate here, but a small price to pay for the breakthroughs I’ve managed to make so far.

  The door swings open, and with it comes a blast of cold that has me ducking into the passageway I’m standing next to in order to avoid the brunt of it. Two figures walk inside. One is Charlie – I’d recognized that bundled buffoon anywhere – and the other must be my housemate. The person is bundled up in so much fluffy looking winter gear, I can’t tell anything about them other then they’re about medium height.

  I lean against the doorway of the hall and cross my arms over my chest. I’m wearing a long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants, which isn’t much against the icy cold still seeping in as Charlie struggles to shut the door behind him. Sometimes I forget how much more delicate humans are than phoenixes. These two won’t even begin to shed their layers until that door is firmly closed.

  Once Charlie finally manages the deed, he turns and his eyes land on me. I can tell he’s grimacing beneath his high-collar and goggles, and I can’t stop the little smirk that curls my lips.

  “Ah, Dr. Pyrrhos, so nice of you to greet us,” he dryly says and he pushes his hood back and removes his eyewear.

  “Charles,” I reply, inclining my head. He scowls. The moment I realized he hates being called Charles, it became the only thing I called him.

  He releases an indignant huff and turns toward the newbie.

  “Dr. Pyrrhos, allow me to introduce Dr. Samantha Reyes.”

  My eyes widen slightly as I look toward my roommate – a woman. I’ve never had a woman living here before. Not that I don’t think women are perfectly capable of living out here, but they are often wary of living alone with a strange man. That makes me instantly curious about this one. She’s either brave, or crazy, and good money would bet on the latter.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Pyrrhos.” Her voice is sweet like honey. She pushes her hood back, revealing a mass of blonde hair that’s been pulled back into a messy bun. She removes her goggles next, and I’m caught off guard by just how stunning she is. Bright green eyes practically glow against her pale face. She has rose dusted cheeks, full lips, and a little pixie nose. How in the hell did this bombshell end up in the middle of this snowy wilderness?

  I realize I haven’t actually said anything to her in response when she starts to giggle.

  “I guess social skills really are the first to go in this kind of environment.”

  Her soft jab jerks me out of the daze I’ve fallen into, and I swallow the weird lump that’s formed in my throat.

  “Dr. Reyes. A pleasure.” I almost flinch at how gruff my voice sounds. I’m making a stellar first impression.

  Wait…why do I care what kind of impression I’m making? I don’t! I don’t want her here, anyway. Let her think I’m an asshole.

  Except, shockingly, my lack of manners doesn’t seem to faze her in the slightest.

  “I’m looking forward to spending the next few months together,” she tells me. “I know you’re the type that likes to work alone, which I totally respect. I hope we can be friendly in our free time, at least.”

  I furrow my brow at her. She’s confusing me, and I don’t think it’s just the lack of human interaction I’ve had lately.

  “Okay,” I say slowly.

  With a grin, she turns to Charlie. “Thank you for bringing me. I think I’ll be fine from here.”

  Charlie glances at me, his skepticism obvious, and I honestly can’t really blame him.

  “Are you sure?” he asks in a low voice, as if he’s trying to keep me from hearing him. Even if I didn’t have more sensitive hearing than a human, I still wouldn’t miss his stage-whisper.

  S
amantha nods. “Yes, absolutely. I’m sure Dr. Pyrrhos will be happy to show me around the facility. Won’t you, doctor?”

  “Uh…yeah, sure,” I sputter, caught off guard by her question and those soul-searing eyes swinging back my way.

  Charlie frowns, his gaze darting between me and Samantha. Then, for some annoying reason, his brows lift and his expression turns almost awestruck.

  “You know, Dr. Reyes…I think you will be all right after all.” He looks at me with a smirk and I bare my teeth at him. “Play nice, Dr. Pyrrhos.”

  “Bite me, Charles.”

  For reasons I can’t fathom, the man doesn’t seem bothered by my surliness anymore. In fact, he’s grinning as he dons his hood and goggles and bids Samantha a final farewell. Turning, he opens the door once more and steps outside, slamming it shut again behind him.

  Just like that, I’m all alone with the newbie.

  She looks at me with that bright smile. “Well, shall we start the tour?”

  I shrug. “I guess.”

  Before I can push away from the wall to lead her down the passageway to the kitchen, she begins to shed her protective winter layers. I can’t help but watch, curious as to what the rest of her looks like. She reveals a lean, athletic looking body, and that lump is back in my throat. I jerk my gaze away from her as she puts her outerwear to the side, somehow feeling like a voyeur.

  “All right, let’s do this,” she declares, forcing my attention back to her.

  “You’re awfully excited about a place that’s hardly better than a college dorm hall,” I tell her.

  That smile never wavers, but mischief flashes in her eyes. “Does that mean you’re going to show me the pot and beer stash? Or did the residential assistant already confiscate the good stuff?”

  I feel something bubbling in my chest and I don’t know what it is until a bark of laughter bursts from my mouth. It startles me, and I immediately try to remember the last time I laughed out loud, and…can’t.

  Samantha looks very pleased with herself. “Oh, good, you do have a sense of humor. Here I was afraid you were just a grump all the time.”

  I scowl at her. “You talk way too much.”

  She nods. “Not the first time I’ve heard that.”

  Rolling my eyes, I turn to lead her down the passage. “Well, I don’t like to talk, so don’t bother trying to have long-winded conversations with me. Find a mirror for that.”

  She giggles behind me, and the sound is musical. “Why do I get the feeling that that’s a load of bull?”

  “What do you mean?” I don’t look back at her and force myself to keep moving forward. I’m not supposed to be engaging with her at all, so why can’t I seem to keep my mouth shut?

  “I think you actually do really like to talk,” she says. “In fact, I think you love to hear the sound of your own voice. You just don’t have time for anything anyone else has to say because you feel like most of the time, the person doesn’t know what they’re talking about.”

  Bingo. She’s sharp, I’ll give her that.

  “It’s not my fault most people are boring,” I huff.

  I feel her move closer, and when I glance to the side, she’s mirroring my steps. She’s also gazing up at me, her smile so wide she’s showing off her perfectly straight, white teeth.

  “I hope I prove a little more interesting than everyone else,” she teases.

  She’s already more fascinating than she has any right to be. I don’t tell her that, though, and blessedly, we arrive in the kitchen at that moment. I proceed to show her around the facility, something I’ve never done for anyone before her. She seems fascinated by everything, even the most mundane things like the long-distance radio and water heater. She actually wants to know how the water is heated and how the system isn’t simply overwhelmed by the cold.

  It has to be one of the most boring pieces of information I possess in my mind, but the look on her face makes it seem like I’m relaying an epic tale of adventure and danger. The woman has an obvious thirst for knowledge, and gulps down everything I offer her.

  When we reach the greenhouse, she crosses the threshold of the door and lets out a soft gasp.

  “Wow,” she whispers, gazing around at all the greenery I’ve been carefully cultivating these past few years. “This is…this is incredible.”

  Actually, it’s pretty standard. Or rather, it would be if we weren’t in the middle of Antarctica. I could see how the sight of so many flourishing plants in the middle of this tundra would prove awing though.

  We wander the length of the space and she stops in front of a few of my research specimens. I’ve been using plants in several of my experiments to study how energy is converted, and to see how the bonds it forms can be broken. She tilts her head and gazes at them intently.

  “Are these part of your work?” she asks.

  “What makes you think that?”

  She glances at me with a little smile and points to the blossoming buds of my tiger lilies.

  “Not a plant people usually grow for food,” she says. “Deductive reasoning would lead me to believe you wouldn’t waste space on something just because pretty. So, it probably has something to do with your research. Am I wrong?”

  Damn, she’s quick. I hate how much I like that.

  “You’re not wrong,” I tell her, but that’s all I tell her.

  She turns to face me fully. “So, what are you researching all the way out here?”

  I’m not surprised by the question, just annoyed. This is why it’s so much better if I’m able to have the place to myself. No prying eyes or intruding questions to deal with.

  “Nothing all that groundbreaking,” I hedge. “Just energy distribution among living organisms. What about you?”

  Classic redirection. Turning the question back on the person and giving them permission to talk about themselves usually works like a charm.

  Samantha, though, gives me a suspicious look. She might be a little too sharp, I realize. I hold her gaze and wait to see how she responds. Will she push me for more info, or let it go?

  To my relief, she lets it go.

  “I’m actually here to study a unique type of hoatzin that was recently discovered. There’s a large nesting area near here where I can observe them.”

  She here to study birds. That’s a bit ironic. I get the strange feeling that there’s more that she’s not actually telling me. I can’t really put my finger on why I have that suspicion, but something about her has suddenly grown guarded. Almost defensive, as if she’s waiting to throw me off her scent as quickly as I threw her off mine.

  I won’t lie, that makes me incredibly curious about her work, but I’m not going to pry. It’d be rather hypocritical of me to insist she reveal more about her research when I want to keep information about mine secret from her. If I don’t dig into her stuff, it’s more likely she won’t dig into mine.

  “Well, sounds neat,” I sigh, turning for the door. “I’ll show you the dorms. You can choose whichever one you want.”

  There’s a split second where she doesn’t follow me, but I pretend not to notice. Soon enough, I hear her light footsteps behind me as I make my way out of the greenhouse.

  As much as I hate to admit it, I’m not completely annoyed by Samantha’s presence. She’s intelligent and inquisitive, and even her bubbly personality doesn’t irritate me. She has secrets, though, and that appeals to my scientifically inclined mind. When I know something is hidden away, just waiting for someone with the right tools and knowledge to find it, I can’t help but want to get in on the hunt.

  Samantha’s secrets are a far more tempting prize than I would’ve anticipated, but I know I can’t go digging for them. I have to resist the urge to know more. I have to resist her.

  There’s a tingling feeling of doubt in the back of my mind, however, that’s warning me resisting her might be quite a bit harder than I think.

  Samantha

  As I unpack my things and get settled in my room, I
can’t get Dr. Pyrrhos off my mind. Charlie was right, he’s a strange man. But he’s also fascinating, and, dare I say, very easy on the eyes. Tall, blonde, and with the most intensely blue gaze I’ve ever seen, Dr. Pyrrhos is a hunk. I don’t really know what I was expecting, but based on Charlie’s description of his character, I think a bridge troll would have surprised me less than a hot nerd.

  He’s definitely rough around the edges, I can’t deny that, but I probably would be too if I’d been living basically on my own in the middle of Antarctica for as long as he has. He probably just needs a friend. Someone who can see past his grumpy exterior to the lonely soul beneath crying out for some kind of connection.

  That settles it. I’m going to make him like me. I’m going to become friends with Dr. Pyrrhos, whether he likes it or not.

  I finish unpacking my stuff and consider laying down to take a nap. My body is wiped, but honestly, my mind is so wired I doubt I’d be able to actually fall asleep. I need a little more time to get used to everything, and then maybe I’ll calm down enough that I can rest. A little exploring might just do the trick.

  Decided, I cross the small room to the door and open it so I can step out into the common space. There are three other rooms nearly identical to mine, but of course, only one is currently occupied. And, of course, Dr. Pyrrhos isn’t there. It’s still the middle of the day for him. I wonder if he’s in his lab?

  It didn’t escape my notice how quickly he dodged my question about his research. What had he even said? Energy distribution among living organisms? It does explain the plants, but not Antarctica. He quickly turned the conversation back onto me – classic move – and I’d decided just to roll with it.

  After all, I don’t really want him to find out about my research quite yet, either. What I’m working on is highly classified and a little crazy, and I’ve got the government contract and funding to prove it. Who knows what might happen if I open my mouth and spill the beans? The CIA might come propelling down through the roof to cart my ass off to an undisclosed location for the rest of my life.