He looked up and patted the spot beside him to motion Hadley to come sit there. She took a moment to consider then reluctantly walked forward and sat down facing him crossing her own legs.
“I just don’t understand.” She stated plainly. The tears welled in her eyes. The warm drops blurred her vision and she tried to blink them back. One slowly trickled down her cheek and dropped like a raindrop onto the grey comforter.
“I was angry, at myself, and I took it out on you. You did nothing. But Saul and the way he looked at you— It made me so angry, because— because—” He looked absolutely devastated with himself. Hadley grabbed his hand and pulled it to her chest. She held it in both hands.
“I don’t know Saul— I know you. It’s all a little ridiculous.”
“I love you Hadley. I think I have since the moment I met you. The moment I pulled you out of that rubble, and honestly before that, because we knew each other then.” He looked her straight in the eyes and she struggled to find words to say.
At that moment Saul and Kane’s faces flashed across her mind. Both of them held some part of her heart. She looked away as though he could see the guilty images crossing her mind.
Finally, she said with only slight hesitation, “I love you too.”
He put both hands on her cheeks and kissed her passionately. She felt his tongue and teeth against hers. The only thing between them was pure passion and need. In that moment they needed and wanted each other more than they ever had before.
Pax reached down and grabbed her waist pulling her forward on top of him. Hadley wrapped her legs around his waist where he sat and in one swift motion her top was laying on the ground. She grabbed for his waist and lifted his shirt over his head. He pressed himself into her and brought his lips to her neck, nipping slightly along the crease of her throat.
Chapter Forty-One
Hadley was spread out in bed awake, staring at the ticking clock that read 4:30 am. The room was chilly from the fact the complex was preserving energy and not heating at night. She heard the pitter-patter of the rain on the windowsill and knew she should turn off the window controls but Pax’s arm was draped over her and she was too deeply invested in her thoughts to get up.
She desperately wanted to show Pax what Saul had given her. But instead she had kept it a secret, locked away in the deepest part of her soul. She saw Pax every day but she knew if her dreams had any grasp in reality her feelings might change. She couldn’t fathom hurting him more.
Hadley turned her thoughts to the contents of the flash drive Saul had given both of them, the drive that he had used as a ploy to give her the real one. This fact made her nervous. She grabbed it off the bedside table; she was just able to reach it without disturbing Pax.
They had looked at it together when they had gotten back from the RFE complex. But it was regular propaganda anyone could find with a simple Internet search. Hadley rolled onto her side and opened it again, ensuring the brightness was turned down and it was on handheld size. She flipped through the pictures, wondering if she had missed something. If she typed in RFE she would have gotten a copy of the flash drive.
Maybe that was the point, she thought. Maybe Saul needed to talk to her alone.
Hadley pictured the drive that Saul had given just her and pulled out the piece of message tablet he had put in her hand. She held them close and thought about what was on them. She hadn’t opened the message tablet yet, afraid of what it might say.
She couldn’t lie there anymore and moved Pax’s arm so she could get up, then she went to Pax’s washroom and closed the door behind her. She turned on the shower and let the steam engulf the room. She held her closed fist up, digging her nails into her palm around the drive and looked down. Slowly she opened her fist and pressed the message.
Hadley, you know we need to talk. Will be in touch.
Hadley hadn’t attempted to get out of the complex by herself and she didn’t even know if it was possible anymore. Not without some higher power. Hemmer was watching her like a hawk. They knew they had gotten out before and they weren’t going to let Hadley get out as easily as before.
As she stared into the depths of the mirror it came to her. Kane!
She had to find a way to use him to get what she needed. He had all the power, and it wasn’t long ago they were on good terms— but could she even bear to look at him?
She jumped in the shower, to collect her thoughts and to warm herself from the frigid temperatures. She dried off slowly and wrapped her hair up. Then she wandered back to the bed and curled up.
Pax rolled over onto his other side giving Hadley room to squirm in with him. He flung his arm over and pulled her in close. She stared at the dark wall continuing to think. Kane didn’t particularly like her the last time she saw him, but if she could just get his key card— she could go and do whatever she wanted.
However, she shuttered, thinking again about the last encounter she had with Kane. They had purposely avoided most contact since the incident. She shut her eyes, though her mind was reeling and tried to fall back asleep.
Chapter Forty-Two
2072
Amy Burken was a brilliant scientist and researcher, even if Hemmer had drug her name through the mud after the Family First act of 2066. That had been a terrible year for her, except for her daughter’s birth.
That day was the last time Amy ever looked at her research, and on the day her Hadley was born the virus was released by the UN. Though no one would say that, the official press release said there was a new strain of bacteria that was highly volatile and released when there was a malfunction in containment at a South American lab.
No one got sick, no one died, but slowly it dawned on people that no one was having kids. The internet started to go crazy with conspiracy theories as couples continued trying to get pregnant and fertility treatment rates grew. It was all futile. The bacterium was too powerful; more than Amy had ever imagined.
Hadley was the last baby born before the worldwide release, which was perfectly timed in 82 separate cities of mass population from London to Tokyo to Melbourne to Buenos Aires.
Now in her lab, Amy studied her computer, trying hard to figure out what was wrong with her cure for the disease she had invented. After years of work she thought she had finally figured out a way to undo, at least for a few, what she had done to them.
Kody, Amy’s sister, was running her fingers through her perfect hair nervously and staring out the window at a dead man hanging out of his van. Then she saw them, the van approaching the building. A mass of men cascaded out and ran towards their building. Followed by a frustrated Hemmer.
“They’re here Amy.”
Amy started working harder, pouring all her samples in various combinations, over and over. Nothing was working.
They heard the footsteps outside the door.
“Dr. Burken, open the door please,” It was Hemmer’s voice.
Amy worked faster than she ever had. She didn’t even know what she was combining. She heard the door start to creak open just as she saw one combination work. She threw it in for testing in the computer, which was almost instantaneous. SUCCESS.
She pulled it out and drew enough for two doses into a syringe. She ran to Kody and shoved the needle into her arm. She distributed half.
Then she ran to Hadley who was still sleeping in the armchair and gave her the second dose. She grabbed the marker on her notebook and wrote the words Hadley, honey, it’s in you.
Then she stood back from everyone and put her hands up.
The forces pushed in and twenty red dots lit up her abdomen.
“Amy, Amy, Amy. We’ve been looking everywhere your flight is about to leave.” Hemmer said sadistically.
“I know I just needed a few more things from the lab.”
“Whose lab is this? It’s not yours, yours is at the CDC.”
“It’s a friend’s,” Amy said quietly.
Hadley slowly woke up and looked at the men with guns. She was imm
ediately frightened and started to cry.
“Mommy, what’s going on?”
“Come here Hadley, honey. I have to take you to grandpa’s now. Let’s go.”
Hemmer stood in her way. “Sorry Amy, one of my men will take her to her grandfather who is waiting outside. We have to go.”
A man grabbed Hadley as she struggled towards her mom. But she was gone.
“Hemmer, you didn’t even let me say goodbye.”
“You had so much time Amy. I gave you every chance, now you’re holding up pre-departure.”
That was the last time Hadley ever saw her mom. She was carried, kicking and screaming down the elevator until she was placed gently into her grandfather’s open arms. He hugged her close and bought her an ice cream as they drove.
Hadley’s grandfather continued to drive until they got to the airport. Then they boarded a plane and were off to the furthest place they could get. A place of isolation and red sand.
Chapter Forty-Three
Hadley didn’t know if she ever did go to sleep completely after her middle of the night shower. She spent the next hours somewhere in a dream like state. When their quiet alarm went off at 6am, she shut it off immediately and slowly sat up in the bed.
Pax opened his eyes groggily. “Is it time for you to leave me already?”
“I’m afraid so—” Hadley slowly lifted the blankets off her legs and turned putting her feet on the cold hard ground. She shivered and Pax saw that. He sat up and grabbed her waist pulling her backwards. He locked Hadley in a bear hug as he leaned down and kissed the back of her neck. He pulled her back under the covers. She would stay there forever if she could and she really wished she could. Life would be so much easier in the little bubble that was that bedroom.
“If I—” He kissed Hadley, “don’t go—” they kissed again, “soon, we—” he kissed her neck causing her to groan loudly as a warmth spread through her body, “will get caught!” Hadley said finally, spending the most time she ever had to finish a sentence.
She wiggled free of his grasp and hopped onto her feet. She grabbed her sweater off the floor and put it on. Then Hadley skipped to the door and with one look back she said, “Love you!”
He clasped his hands to his chest as if Hadley had shot him, “You’re killing me!” he exclaimed, falling dramatically backwards.
“Sorry,” she winked and was out the door.
Hadley walked down the hallway and turned towards her room. She got to the kitchen and went to the fridge where she opened it and felt the cool air rush over her. Thankfully it got rid of the warmth that had spread through her body and she gave her legs a shake.
She looked at the offerings and grabbed a vitamin iced tea and protein drink and an apple. She bit into the apple with a crunch and closed the fridge with her elbow. She walked into the living room as she continued her journey to her bedroom. She caught her reflection in the mirror, put her drink under the arm holding the apple, and smoothed down her hair, which was standing straight up.
“Hey—” someone quietly murmured a voice from the couch.
Hadley jumped so high she dropped her iced tea on the ground and stubbed her toe on a coffee table. The ice tea rolled across the floor and down the two steps into the living room. It was a biodegradable organic substance and it wiggled like jelly as it went.
“Ouch!” Hadley cried turning around. She saw Vanya crying on the couch. Her eyes were bloodshot and she had a bruise across her cheekbone.
Hadley knelt to pick up her ice tea, “Vanya, what’s going on?”
“Jeremiah—”
“What about him? He didn’t do that to you did he?! We didn’t have combat training today—” Hadley exclaimed, mumbling as she tried to find the words. She didn’t understand what Vanya meant.
“We’re together— well we were together,” she said simply, looking embarrassed at the ground. She rang her hands together.
“Oh,” Hadley said as though surprised even though she had seen them together just weeks earlier. “Why did he do this?”
“He’s got a bad temper,” she mumbled, “Sometimes when he gets angry he gets physical, it’s usually lamps, chairs, you know, but this time, well—”
“Did you end things?” Hadley asked slowly.
“Of course,” she exclaimed, completely offended Hadley might have believed otherwise.
“Ok,” Hadley sat down beside her and put an arm around her shoulders.
“I thought he loved me,” she burst into hysterical tears
Hadley hugged Vanya gently, “He does, he just didn’t show it—”
“Is Pax ever like that?”
“What?!” She played coy, but Vanya didn’t buy it.
“We’re all the smartest people in the world and you two aren’t very subtle— and everyone knows smart people need more sex,” she giggled through her tears.
“Well then—” Hadley shrugged no longer hiding anything.
They heard footsteps through the halls and Vanya hurried to wipe her tears. It was Stephen. He saw the look on Hadley’s face and didn’t ask questions. He just nodded at the two girls sitting on the couch and walked through.
“Let’s go to the lab,” Hadley suggested rising to her feet.
“Ok,” was all Vanya could manage. She reluctantly got to her feet but her legs and body trembled like jelly. Slowly they walked to the door and to the lab.
Hadley scanned her wrist and they walked in. The Earth simulator was already going and half the computers were going through more data than she could read. The entire lab was in frenzy. Everything was beeping, scanning, and pinging. Kane ran out of his office in a panic carrying a full arm of old dusty textbooks. His hair was a mess and there was a long coffee stain down his offset buttoned shirt. His tie hung loosely. He didn’t even notice the two women walk in as he spread two-hundred or so holographic pages across a desk. Hadley gave a little cough to announce their presence. He stopped what he was doing abruptly and turned his head slowly.
“I didn’t expect to see you two here this early.”
“We didn’t expect you here either,” Hadley sneered while raising her eyebrows. Vanya stepped behind her to shield her crying eyes. Hadley could hear her faint stifling and stood taller to block Kane’s view, but he was distracted by what was in front of him.
“Since you are here you might as well help me!” he said frantically ignoring Hadley’s comment.
“With?” She rolled her eyes. She had no motivation to do anything for him today.
“There has been a string of extreme weather patterns overnight; I fear we may be going into the ice age faster than previously thought. This could be bad, worse than we could have ever expected! I’ve been at this all night!” He was frantic. Hadley had never seen him lose his cool before this moment and she was almost frightened.
“What do you need?” Vanya whispered.
Vanya was thankful to have something to take her mind off Jeremiah and Hadley didn’t blame her. Vanya’s eye was swelling larger and was almost completely closed.
Kane grabbed a holographic memory disk and did a sweep over half the files. They absorbed into it and he threw the small drive at Vanya.
“Start with these!”
Vanya looked at the disk in her hand and immediately went to her desk and started to work. Hadley watched her shoulders relax as she settled back into a comfortable routine doing something that wouldn’t hurt her. Hadley could only smile meekly at her.
“And me?” Hadley stated more sternly than she’d intended. Kane took a step towards her trying to put a hand on her elbow. She took a step back and forcefully hit his hand away.
“Don’t you fucking touch me, you no good—” She couldn’t control her anger. She looked at Vanya, but she was lost in her work.
“Hadley please—” They stood locking eyes for what seemed like a lifetime.
Hadley had to break their eye contact and shuttered as she looked away. She watched the clouds billow and grow in the earth simu
lator, “You have no right to ask me for anything”
“At least let me explain—”
“2 minutes”
Hadley walked past him hitting his shoulder with hers with all the force she could muster. She walked into his office and sat on the desk dramatically crossing one leg over the other. He slowly followed her and closed the door behind him. He stood with his back to her, facing the closed door.
Hadley picked up his paperweight. It was a glass blob with lines of turquoise running through it. She turned it over in her hand as she swung her legs up and down, every time hitting her heels on the desk.
“Are you going to just stand with your back to me and hope I don’t throw this paper weight against the back of your thick skull?” Hadley kicked over the chair sitting beside the table. Kane turned around slowly, tears in his eyes.
This was not what she expected and she was completely taken aback. For a moment, she wanted to get up and rush to him, hold him in her arms.
“I don’t know what to say—” he whispered to his shoes. Without thinking, Hadley accidently dropped the paperweight. They both watched as it fell as though in slow motion towards the floor where it shattered into a thousand tiny glass shards.
Kane didn’t even flinch. He hung his head lower in shame.
“You are the worst person I have ever met!” Hadley yelled standing up. Her voice was rising, the tears were boiling, and her whole body was shaking.
“More than you know,” Kane’s utter defeat made this all even worst. He knew what he’d done and that he couldn’t do anything to undo it. Hadley wanted him to tell her that she’d deserved it. In some way that would have made it better. Seeing the shell of the man who had made a mistake. It made it hard for her to swallow.
“You are a pathetic excuse for a man,” Hadley whispered, she walked towards him to get to the door, “Please let me leave.”
Insolation Page 19