She stepped out and was greeted, “Good morning.”
“Oh, hi,” she said startled by her treatment.
Xavier walked around and took her by the hand, “Come with me dear.”
Feeling like she was living another person’s life, she just went with it, fearful that saying no could lead to something worse.
He led her through the front doors and into a large lobby. She was amazed by the beauty of the space. The marble floors glowed and stretched out from the entrance to a far wall with towering windows that overlooked the valley below. They moved to a bank of elevators located on the left and walked on the first one available.
“Do you live here?”
“Not all the time, I use it as a home away from home when I want to escape the day to day bullshit of The Collective.”
The words he was using were unlike anything she’d ever heard him use.
The doors opened and he led her down the hall, stopping in front of a set of double door. He turned the lever handle and opened the door. “After you.”
She stepped inside. Like the lobby, the room was gorgeous with marble floors, plush carpeting, wallpapered walls with hard wood trim accenting it all.
He pointed to a couch and said, “Take a seat, please.”
She did as he said.
He briskly walked towards a pair of closed doors inside and asked, “Do you like surprises?”
“Ah, sure.”
He opened and pushed the door open. There sitting on the bed was Melissa. He gave her a wink and said, “Come here.”
Melissa jumped up and cautiously walked to him.
“Melissa!” she exclaimed jumping up and running towards her.
“Teacher Seven!” Melissa cried out.
The two embraced.
“You’re here, I can’t believe it. You’re here and safe. You’re not hurt are you?” Portia said looking her over.
“I’m fine. I’ve been here the entire time.”
“What do you mean you’ve been here the entire time?” Portia asked giving Xavier an odd look.
He shrugged his shoulders and smiled.
“I’m so happy to see you,” Portia said.
“Have you seen my daddy?” Melissa asked.
“No, I haven’t. So he hasn’t come and visited you here?” Portia asked.
“No.”
“Let’s talk,” Xavier said motioning for Portia to go back to the couch. He looked at Melissa and said, “Do you mind going back into the bedroom while us adults talk?”
Melissa shook her head and walked back into the bedroom.
After closing the door, Xavier took a seat across from her. “It’s been said, I give the best surprises.”
She smiled awkwardly. While it was wonderful to see Melissa and know she was safe, she didn’t know why she was there or why he saved Melissa.
“This must seem out of sorts. So instead of keeping you in suspense any longer I’ll ask you this. How would you like to live here, with Melissa of course?”
“I don’t understand.”
“It’s simple, if you like this place, you can have it. And if you want Melissa to live with you she can.”
She shook her head and raised her hand to massage her temple. “This is confusing. I thought Melissa had an incurable virus? And why would you offer me and Kyle this place. I broke the law and now you’re giving us this place and allowing us to raise Melissa. What about her father?”
He leaned forward, put his elbows on his knees and rested his face in his hands. “Let me explain,” he said pausing to think. “About Kyle.”
“What about him?”
“I didn’t know how to tell you, but I received a call this morning. I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but he was killed by a pack of Generates.”
“What? When? I spoke to him too. He seemed fine. Was it after that?”
He raised an eyebrow not expecting to hear her say she’d spoken to him. “Ah, yes, right after.”
“When did you hear?”
“This morning. When did you hear from him?” he countered.
“Right before you picked me up.”
“It was right after that. My driver told me just before you got in the vehicle. It’s such a tragedy. I’ll throw a memorial and parade The Collective hasn’t ever seen in his honor. He was an incredible resident, a true hero of our collective.”
Emotions overwhelmed her. She burst into tears and began sobbing.
He raced to her side to comfort her. With his arm draped over her shoulder he softly said, “I know this must be difficult. He was such a good man, a good husband, I even considered him a friend of sorts.”
“How is it possible? I had just spoken to him. Like I hung up and the next second the phone rang and I was being summoned.”
Number One hated surprises and clearly he hadn’t expected this, but he considered himself a smooth talker who could deceive most.
“Why don’t you rest here? I’ll send for some food and water. How about some tea? I can have it brought up.”
“Nothing,” she answered, her face buried in her hands.
“I’ll leave you. Get comfortable. I’ll have your things brought over.”
Hearing that she looked up. “I don’t know if I can do this. It doesn’t seem right. What about my job?”
“We’ll think about that later. You need to mourn and there’s a little girl needing a mother. Let me take care of everything else.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Remember the story I told you the other day, the one about the first time we met? I instantly knew you were going to be something great, I just knew that you and I didn’t meet like that by accident. I’ve paid close attention to your life ever since. I know I’m not supposed to do that. A leader can’t have a favorite but I’ll admit I did, and you were it. I want to see you happy, so if you’ll permit me, I’d like to give that to you.”
She was confused. Is this really happening? Is Kyle really dead? What will happen to me? She thought.
He got up and said, “I’ll leave you be. If you need anything at all, just pick up the phone and call. I’ll be back later tonight.”
Wiping tears from her face she nodded. “I think I’ll check on Melissa.”
“Good idea. Again, my condolences,” he said before leaving her alone.
When the door closed she started to sob heavily. This can’t be happening. She thought. Lost in her misery she didn’t hear the bedroom door open. When Melissa’s hand touched her back she snapped her head up to see her standing there. “Why are you crying?”
“Come here,” Portia said pulling Melissa close.
“Did someone get hurt?” Melissa asked.
“Yes they did, sweetie, yes they did.”
Barry pulled the truck up to the towering forty foot high gate and honked his horn.
Two guard towers stood equals distance apart on either side of the gate. One called down, “One second.” A guard emerged from a guard station on the outside of the gate and approached the truck. “Is that you Driver Eight?”
Barry opened the door and got out. “It’s Number Two, open the gate.”
The guard recognized the truck as Kyle’s so asked, “Where’s Driver Eight?”
Lowering his head to feign sorrow, Barry answered, “The Generates got him.”
“Oh shit, no way.”
“You need to keep this quiet. What’s your name?”
“Guard Forty-Two.”
“Guard Forty-Two, you must not say a word about Driver Eight. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good. We can’t let this get out until we can notify his wife and others. I know you’ll be discreet,” Barry said.
“Of course.”
“Good, open the gate.”