The Beginning

by Alice I Lunsford

  When I reach the stoves, the smell was nearly the death of me and all I can think about. So much so that my eyes are fixated on the pan rather than the person, so I don't realize it's Alex presiding over the stove until his deep, rich laugh pulls my gaze from the pan and up to connect with his.

  “I'm feeling a little jealous of my food right now,” Alex says, a grin splashing across his face as I blush.

  “Oh God, I'm sorry. I just haven't eaten since lunch and this smells so glorious that I think I'll die if I don't eat it!” I realize I'm laying it on pretty thick, and I feel the blush deepen. Good God, I'm pathetic!

  “Well, that explains the desperate look of longing you had while eyeing the beef stir fry I'm making.” Alex says with a chuckle as he stirs the food in the pan. I eye the pan again and realize that unless he eats A LOT of food, there should be plenty for more than one.

  “Any chance you could spare some morsels for a damsel in distress? I'll cook something for you in return later.” I plaster what I hope is an irresistibly cute begging expression on my face when he meets my eyes again.

  For a moment he just stares at me and I realize maybe he was making a meal for two, and the second party was maybe his wife or girlfriend back in his room. The thought dims my expression slightly and I'm surprised by how sad his possibly being taken makes me feel. Before I have a chance to think on my reaction further, Alex breaks the silence.

  “There's plenty, I'm happy for you to have some.”

  “Are you sure? There's a lot in there, I won't be taking from someone else, will I?” I'm only slightly ashamed that I'm fishing for details.

  “Yes, I'm sure. You aren't taking from anyone. I was just cooking for me, and about halfway through I realized I went a little overboard on the portions. Frankly, I'm glad to share it with someone. Stir fry is always best fresh.”

  “Really? Is your girlfriend sleeping?” Ugh, that was too obvious. I quickly break eye contact and look around the kitchen, hoping he'll figure I'm looking for dishes or something.

  The silence drags on long enough to make me uncomfortable, so I look back at Alex and find him staring at me with an amused look. He wasn't buying it. Crap.

  “I don't have a girlfriend or a wife.” He says matter-of-factly as he turns back and takes the pan off the burner. “Foods done, let me grab something to drink and I'll get us set up. There's a table and some chairs over there for the kitchen staff. Go grab a seat and I'll bring it over.” He gestures with his head to an area behind him, so I head over that way.

  I don't wait long before he walks over and sets a plate and cup in front of me. It has at least twice what I normally eat, but with the loud grumble that comes from my stomach, I think my body is willing to try to eat it all.

  I'm taking my fourth, or maybe fifth, bite when he comes back with his own and sits down across from me.

  “Oh my God, this is so good. Thank you!” I'm proud of myself for waiting until my mouth is empty before speaking, but as soon as the words are out, I'm shoveling the food back in again.

  “I’m glad you appreciate it, though I don’t think its that good!” Alex says with a chuckle.

  “Maybe I’m delusional from starvation and my body will tell me anything is delicious just to keep me shoveling it in.”

  “You start starving that fast, huh?”

  “Of course! My body is the temple of a very demanding God, who requires offerings of foody deliciousness every hour!” Alex’s laugh sends an answering grin across my face as he eyes me up and down before replying.

  “Does this God grace it’s followers with an extremely efficient metabolism? Because you look pretty fit for someone who is required to eat that much food.”

  “You got me,” I reply with a laugh. “No, I don’t eat that often. More like four or five smaller meals a day. I basically cut out at least half my meals yesterday. I’m now topping that off with eating after midnight, which I never do. But hey, the stomach wants what the stomach wants.”

  “Oh no, and I gave you water to drink too. We might be okay as I didn’t splash any on you.” I stare blankly at Alex’s amused expression for a minute before I realize the joke and burst out laughing.

  “No, thankfully, I am not a Mogwai, so you can feed me or get me wet any time of the day.” I realize what I’ve said as the words leave my mouth and I can feel the blush coming back full force as I quickly turn my gaze back to my plate. Oh. My. God! I couldn't believe that had come out of me! If Alex is any sort of perv, he’ll be right in the gutter with me.

  I dare a glance up at Alex and his expression is hard to read, but deep inside I'm hoping he's in the gutter too.

  “Sooo, I forgot to ask before, why did you give me B6 clearance when everyone else coming in was only getting B2?” I figure a change in subject is in order before I say something embarrassing.

  “Oh, Andrea asked for that, so you could have a room near them. Any other clearance you'd be at least four levels away.”

  “But doesn't anyone else who came in have anyone on the same floor? I mean, it's nice and all getting to be close to them, but seems kind of unfair, don't you think?” I ask before taking the last bite of food and pushing my plate aside. I can already feel that I over ate, but I am not regretting one single delicious bite. Knowing Alex can cook makes him feel more on my level, like a normal attainable guy, rather than some untouchable rich guy. I like it.

  “Oh no, the only ones with a room on that floor are me, you, and Andrea and Mitch. All other security staff are roomed on five.” Alex replies after finishing his plate. I'm happy to see that I'm not the only one who cleared my plate.

  “That brings me to the question that's been eating at me since seeing the cafeteria. Are you some doomsday activist or something? Like one of those guys who builds bunkers and hordes food and crap?”

  “Oh, hell no,” Alex says with a laugh. I notice a dimple in his left cheek that I hadn't noticed before. Hot. “I'm just practical. Early on, when I was just a lowly science geek in high school, one of my hobbies was running scenarios for the current events. Potential outcomes, counter-steps to prevent the outcomes, things like that. I kept that practice going when I started my company, so with each contract I run scenarios. Some of them have a high probability of world-changing catastrophe, so I started designing my sites in preparation for worse case scenarios.”

  “Like the one we are living now?” I ask bluntly and Alex flinches before replying.

  “Yes, like this one.”

  I nod, deciding not to pry further as I glance at my phone to check the time. It's been an hour since I left the room. Crap.

  “I hate to rush out, but I just realized I left Chris sleeping in the room an hour ago and I really need to get back and check on him.” I say as I stand to take my leave.

  “Of course, your son takes priority. I should probably get some sleep too. Mind if I join you in the elevator since we are going the same way?” Alex asks as he stands and quickly gathers our dishes and drops them into a nearby sink.

  “Sure.” I try for nonchalant, but I'm pretty sure I failed because that was probably the most enthusiastic 'sure' I've ever uttered. I've only had a few interactions with Alex, but something about him calls to me and spending more time with him is definitely on my list of things to do.

  “So, Destiny, since you know my status, mind if I ask about your own?” Alex asks as we approach the elevator.

  “Status?” I ask blankly. Yep, I'm definitely showing my brilliant side tonight.

  “You know, boyfriend, husband? That status.” Alex replies as the elevator arrives and we step inside.

  “Oh.” Yep, still brilliant. And blushing again. “No, no husband or boyfriend.”

  “Good.” Alex says before pulling me against his chest and kissing me. Deeply.

  For a few seconds, I'm frozen as if I've never been kissed before. I mean, I have a kid so obviously I have, but it's been ages since anyone has touched me. My body remembers though, and before my brain even reg
isters it, my arms are clamped around his neck and I'm kissing him back, and damn is it good.

  The ding of the elevator faintly registers in my mind as Alex pulls away, ending the kiss. Disappointment and longing fill me, and I'm half tempted to lean in and kiss him again when Mitch's voice fills the elevator.

  “Destiny, Alex, glad to see you two enjoying yourselves.”

  Embarrassed, I practically leap away from Alex and turn towards the doors.

  “Um, hey Mitch.” I say as I nervously smooth down my clothes, even though they were all still in their proper places.

  “Having fun?” Mitch asks sarcastically.

  “More than you can guess, Mitch.” Alex replies as he steps off the elevator into the hall. I dart after him, avoiding making eye contact with Mitch but I can't help but grin at Alex's reply.

  “That's just great. So, Des, Chris is in our room with Drea and the kids.” Mitch states, his tone screaming his disapproval even though his words aren't. Yet.

  Oh CRAP.

  “Oh god, thanks, Mitch. I'll go get him.” I reply, even more ashamed of myself than I had been moments ago. “Has he been there long?”

  “No, only a few minutes.”

  “Okay, sorry Mitch. Thank you for keeping an eye on him!” I say before I jog down the hall to their room. I glance back as I lightly rap on the door and see Alex staring at me with a lopsided grin and catch Mitch glaring at Alex. Frankly, I'm glad I won't be present for that conversation!

  Chapter Five

  Peyton Industries, Site 1: Ortega Mountains

  Alex Peyton

  I can't help but watch Destiny as she heads down the hall. I could see she was embarrassed to be caught kissing me by her brother-in-law, but I had no regrets. I had wanted to kiss her since she first smiled at me after I brought her son back over to her. And her blushes were sexy as hell, each one pushing me closer and closer to acting on my impulse. As Destiny steps through the doorway Mitch clears his throat and I pull my gaze away from her to look at him.

  “Are you serious, man?” Mitch says as he glares at me, arms crossed over his chest.

  “Always.” I reply sarcastically. I know what he's trying to do, but I'll be damned if I feel bad for kissing Destiny. Even if the world might be burning down around us, I'm wont regret that I know what it's like to feel her pressed against me as I taste her lips.

  “Jesus, we have a major shit storm going on out there and you're in here making moves on my SISTER-IN-LAW!? Destiny has been through too much for someone to screw with her heart. Especially right now!” Mitch said in a low growl. I could tell he was trying hard to keep from yelling at me with Destiny and his wife just down the hall from us. “And you...you need to fucking get your head back in the game now because this is going to be our mess to clean up.”

  “Mitch, you're one of my closest friends and most trusted employees, and I respect you. So, I'm going to be completely honest with you on this. I don't know what will happen between Destiny and me. Yes, I'm very attracted to her. She draws me like no one ever has before. I don't intend to hurt her, and I hope I never do, but I can't make any promises. I really don't know what's going to happen between us, that kiss could be it. But I do know that with the state of things I don't know how much time I've got and that's made me realize what I'm missing in my life...Like what you and Andrea have. I've never had that fire with anyone that you two have. Frankly, it makes me a little jealous. Besides, Destiny may not be interested in anything more anyways.”

  Mitch sighed and stared down the hall. We stood in an awkward silence for a few moments before he met my eyes again. His look was resigned with a tinge of sadness.

  “Damn, not interested my ass. I've never seen Destiny look at anyone like that, not even her husband in the five years they were married...so trust me when I say she's interested. Look, I get it. Being alone right now...” Mitch paused, his expression tormented. “I don't know what the hell I'd do if I didn't have Andrea and the kids, and at the same time, I'm even more terrified because I do have them. If we were out there right now, I'd probably be losing my shit.”

  “I somehow doubt you'd become a wreck. You're one of the most level-headed people I know, that’s partly why I picked you to head security.”

  “What, it wasn't because I saved your ass multiple times in Iraq?” Mitch asks with a grin.

  “Please, you know who really did the saving. And I brought you on after we were discharged so I could keep protecting your lazy ass.” I can't help but grin when Mitch busts out with a hearty laugh at my reply.

  “Fine fine...look, I'm done with the topic after this, but I need to say it. I won't get in the way or give you shit about it again, but just really think about what you want before you do anything. Now is definitely not the time to be doing a one-night stand since we don't know how long we'll be in here, and if you break Destiny's heart Andrea will never forgive you.”

  “You have my word I'll do my best to not break her heart.” I reply seriously. “And I promise to think it over thoroughly. Now, let's get back to the 'shit storm' at hand. What's the latest news?” I asked as I start down the hall towards my office with Mitch falling into step beside me.

  “We've found reports in at least eight major cities in the US and a report just came in from Beijing, China where a plane crashed on the tarmac and 'people' were running out of the flames and attacking the rescue crews.”

  Fuck! How the hell did it get to China?

  “Do you have info on where the plane was coming out of?”

  “Seattle.”

  “Any reports from there?”

  “Yeah, Seattle was the first major city we had reports on. Shit's spreading like a wild-fire up there, Alex. Site three in Seattle's already gone into lockdown, should we lockdown the rest?” Mitch asks as we step in and close the door to my office.

  “Any word from our clients?” I'm pretty confident I'll be getting a negative response, but I feel the question needs to be asked anyway.

  “Not a peep.” Mitch replies as he plops down in a chair.

  “Of course,” I reply as I pace behind my desk, too annoyed to sit. “Fucking bureaucrats thought this shit out. I'll bet you they've already destroyed any records that tie them to us in case anything hits the news. I'm sure that's why they really 'needed' our lab space rather than the BS story they gave the Board. They needed to set up somewhere else so when shit hit the fan they had a scapegoat.” I say as I finally sit in my chair and slam my fist on the top of my desk.

  “We don't know that, Alex.” Mitch says in a placating tone.

  “The fuck we don't, Mitch. We're what, a little over 24 hours since we notified them that 7B escaped containment, and they haven't said a damn thing. We've been sending updates hourly, still nothing. They fucking dropped us like a hot coal and ran to the hills, so we get to take the fall.”

  Mitch stared at me, his expression screaming his desire to find some realistic argument for what I said, but we both know he won't find one.

  “Look, send a notice out to all the sites and tell them to lockdown ASAP. If they are in or near a city we've received a report from then they need to just lock down the site with the staff that's there. They don't want to risk anyone infected getting in.”

  “Got it. I'll send it out. What are we going to do about 7B? Should we terminate the project?”

  Fucking hell, not the conversation I want to have right now.

  “I don't really know, man. He's batshit crazy, but still a thinking, breathing human being. Just leave him in his cell for now, he's secure.”

  “We don't know who let him out before, they could still be here.”

  “True, but they'd have to be a highly skilled ninja to make it through undetected with the number of guards I have on that floor now.” I reply, dismissing Mitch's concern. “Go send the notice out, when you're done come back and we'll start lockdown here.”

  Mitch nodded and left the room. I sigh heavily as I rest my head in my cupped hands. I was so fucki
ng tired and over this day, but I knew it would be a while before I'd get some sleep. Resigning myself to being up for another couple of hours, I start up my Keurig coffee machine. As my cup fills up I swear, if the world doesn't go totally to shit, that this will be the LAST government contract my company ever takes. I don't care how lucrative they are.

  ~~*~~

  It was noon and I still hadn't slept. I could feel the exhaustion tugging at me, but the news was getting worse by the hour and I couldn't bring myself to sleep while people were dying by the thousands out there. No one had been successful on containment, and with the speed the infection spread whole cities were being overrun before most of the populace even had an inkling of what was going on. The news was bleak with no one knowing where it started or what it was.

  Guilt was growing within me, and I couldn't stop the dark thoughts storming through my mind. I knew someone had worked against my systems and security to get 7B out, but that knowledge did little to stem the tide. I couldn't help but feel that I was to blame for every lost loved one, every family fleeing their home in terror. My gut twists and I close my eyes as I take a deep breath to try and calm myself.

  “You should go sleep, Alex. I think we can cover everything for a few hours.”

  “Yes, I'll go soon.” I replied absently, not even glancing up at Mitch as I continued scrolling through the summaries from my team.

  “Alex, you can’t work yourself like this. What do you hope to find in those reports that can’t wait until you get some rest?” Mitch asks as he steps into the room.

  I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose. What do I want to find? I don’t have to think about it for long before it comes to me and I meet Mitch’s worried gaze.

  “Salvation.”

  “Are you seriously blaming yourself for this?” Mitch stares at me.