A Paradox of Fates

by Rebecca Hefner

  His body had hardened as he’d held her, and he’d been unable to stop the visions of having her sprawled naked before him. Visions of her mouth held open in a silent wail as he kissed every inch of her skin… Judging by Cyrus’ words, she hadn’t had many lovers. Had any man truly taken the time to love her properly? If given the chance, he’d relish the opportunity to make her body burn with endless pleasure.

  Knowing he had to stop the maddening thoughts, the head attached to his neck gave a stern command for the head below his belt to calm the fuck down. There were things in play that were greater than any one of them individually, and he’d be damned if his libido screwed it up.

  After chugging his drink, Hunter was ready to call it a night. Dr. Elaine Randolph was off-limits, and he had plenty of important shit to focus on.

  “Your scientist is safe with me, Cyrus. I appreciate you looking out for her. I’m going to round up the men. We have early drills tomorrow.”

  Cyrus gave him a curt nod. Intending to honor his word to stay away from the prickly, stunning physicist, Hunter began the task of shutting down the party so his men could get some rest.

  Chapter 11

  The new week began, fraught with an urgency to test the different laser energy output parameters Zach and Lainey had calculated the previous week. Worried for Nelson and Lorna and unable to contact them, Lainey called her team to the bunker promptly at eight a.m.

  The first few settings they tried were a bust, the wormhole only generating for milliseconds before it collapsed. Glancing at her watch, Lainey realized they’d been at it for hours. Deciding to try one more setting from their equations, she adjusted the lasers.

  Zach set the metal arms of the Sphere whirling, glancing toward Lainey with his finger above the red button on the console. She gave a nod, and he pressed it firmly.

  The portal appeared, small at first, then growing slightly until it was the size of a basketball. Lainey stood transfixed, Claire’s mouth hanging open at her side, as the black orb floated in the center of the Sphere, above the stool where a red apple rested.

  Lainey’s heart surged into her throat as she realized the wormhole was stable. “Engage the fuel rod!” she screamed, head snapping to lock eyes with Zach. He flipped open the clear cover housing the large black button that controlled the nuclear fuel rod attached to the base of the Sphere. Releasing just a small speck of its energy would give the wormhole the jolt it needed to open the portal to 2035. Zach depressed the button as the room vibrated around them. Suddenly, the apple began to shake atop the stool. An intense sucking sound pervaded the room as the apple was drawn into the wormhole and disappeared.

  “Shut it down!” she yelled, eyes transfixed on the now barren stool.

  The arms of the Sphere slowed to a slight whirl, eventually coming to a standstill. With measured steps, Lainey walked toward the metal machine, the pounding in her ears so loud she wondered if it would render her deaf. Approaching the stool, she slowly extended her hand, rubbing her fingers atop the smooth wood.

  “We did it,” she whispered, barely able to breathe. “Holy shit. We sent the apple back in time.”

  “Boss?” Claire called softly, stunned disbelief in the uttered word. “Are you confirming what I’m seeing?”

  Rotating slowly, Lainey gazed toward Claire, then Zach, her eyes suddenly dry from the amount of air they were being exposed to due to her wide-eyed expression. Sparing a glance at her watch, she noted the time and cleared her throat.

  “Time of first completed time travel with an inanimate object, eleven forty-two a.m. on August 29, 2075.”

  An astonished Zach said, “Confirmed,” from behind the console.

  Claire thrust her arms above her head, hands in fists as she cheered, “Holy shit, Lainey! You did it! You just solved time travel.”

  The woman rushed her, and Lainey encircled her with limp arms, still in too much disbelief to clutch her firmly. Zach came over and enveloped them both in a massive hug. Feeling her eyes well, she cupped both of their cheeks.

  “We did it, guys. Oh, my god.”

  Claire began to jump up and down, clapping as she broke into a chant of a thousand unintelligible words, speaking mostly to herself. Lainey heard snippets of, “I knew we were close!” and, “We showed physics who’s boss around here!” inciting her to laugh with joy. As they celebrated and congratulated each other, Lainey expelled a large breath, reminding herself this was only their first step.

  “Okay, guys,” she said when they’d regained some composure. “The apple is great, but we need to test a living subject. Let’s break for lunch and meet back here at one o’clock. Zach, you’ve locked in the equation that worked, right?”

  “Locked and loaded, Lainey.”

  “Good. Go on and grab something—I think Marie made bread this morning. I’ll be in my office. Great job, guys!”

  “Hell yes, Lainey,” Claire said, squeezing her hand. “You’re a freaking genius.”

  They all but skipped from the hatch as Lainey headed to her office. As soon as her still-stunned body was seated in the weathered leather chair at her father’s desk, she grasped the picture encased in a metal frame atop the mahogany surface. The bright smiles of her parents stared back at her, Lainey in between them, as they stood in front of the hub. Running a reverent finger over both of their beloved faces, she whispered, “I did it, guys. I’m not sure I ever truly believed I could.” Something cold and wet slipped down her cheek, and she swiped at the tear.

  Her parents stared back at her, faces glowing with their love for her. For the first time in her life, Lainey finally felt she deserved it. Clutching the picture frame to her chest, she allowed herself to cry tears of joy.

  * * * *

  An hour later, the hub was abuzz with the news the apple had been successfully sent back in time. Marie was rushing around, gathering clothes from the soldiers staked outside the compound, cheerfully explaining that they couldn’t go back in time with worn and ripped clothing. Lainey didn’t have the heart to tell her she had no intention of sending Hunter’s twenty-two men back. She already had enough on her plate with her commitment to send her own people back. In a perfect world, she would transport everyone, but not only was it a daunting task, she feared it would cause too much imbalance in the space-time continuum. Sending her entire team was already a huge manipulation of universal consistency and order. Reminding herself that Hunter’s men had designated themselves to a life of service for the cause, she tried to tamp down the small bugs of remorse in her belly.

  Cyrus and Hunter returned from the daily scouting mission shortly before one p.m., and Lainey rushed outside to her dear friend.

  “We did it, Cyrus!” she exclaimed, excitement oozing from every pore. “The apple successfully traveled back through the wormhole.”

  His thick arms surrounded her, clutching her as he spoke softly into her ear. “I’m so proud of you, Lainey. You’ve worked so hard.”

  Pulling back, she smoothed her hand over his cheek. “Don’t congratulate me yet. We still need to send one of the cats back, and if that’s successful, test it on Luke.”

  “I’d urge you to get to it,” Cyrus said. “There were boot tracks in several spots a few miles away, where we’ve never seen them. We’re being surveilled.”

  Terror clenched her throat. “We can’t be overtaken by the New Establishment when we’re this close.”

  “Hunter and I will hold down the fort. We’re still clear for now. Let us worry about the regime. Focus on your work.”

  “Thanks,” she said, sparing a glance at Hunter. The man looked delicious in his tight and functional tactical gear, with an aura of strength emanating from his weapon-clad body. Hating that she’d acted like such an idiot the other night after their dance, she gave him what she hoped to be a detached smile. “Thank you as well, Captain Rhodes. We’re on the verge of us both getting what we want. I appreciate you keeping us safe.”

  Ivan called Cyrus’s name from behind the hub, and h
e strolled away to see what the soldier needed. The tick of Lainey’s heart grew more pronounced as Hunter approached. He sauntered so close, she swore she felt the heat emanating from his body.

  “Elaine,” he said, eyes drilling into hers. “I have a really important question for you.”

  Clearing her throat, she lifted her brows. “Yes?”

  Leaning down, his eyes narrowed. “Are you ever going to call me Hunter?”

  Torn between the need to laugh, scowl, and run away, she felt herself freeze. Damn it, what was wrong with her when she was in this man’s presence? It was as if her body lost all ability to function. It was extremely annoying.

  Lifting her chin, she responded, “I believe Captain Rhodes is just fine. Remember, we’re not friends. We’re two allies working toward a common goal.”

  Her answer must’ve amused him because he straightened a bit and pulled a toothpick from his pocket. Placing it between his teeth, he hit her with a grin so sexy she actually thought her knees might buckle.

  “I thought you’d committed to not mocking me anymore, Captain,” she said, feeling her nostrils flare.

  “Oh, I’m not mocking you,” he said. Wetness glistened on his tongue as he rolled the stick, and the vision of him sliding that tongue across her nipple flashed through her brain. “I’m just wondering why you’re fighting our friendship so vehemently. There must be a reason.”

  “I don’t have time for this,” she snapped, wanting to rush inside before she did something insane like beg him to kiss her. “I have to send a cat through the Sphere. Excuse me.”

  She stomped toward the hub entrance, making it a few feet before he said, “I’m going to win you over, Dr. Randolph, and that’s a promise.”

  Plodding down the stairs, she closed the hub door behind her, the action filled with irritation. Deep inside, in a place she wouldn’t acknowledge, she had a nagging fear that she wanted his declaration to come true.

  Chapter 12

  Lainey, Claire, and Zach reconvened in the Sphere room at one p.m. sharp. Claire had lured Garfield into the cat carrier with some cold chicken, and the lazy feline seemed unfazed that he was about to become an extremely important part of scientific history. Placing him on the stool inside the Sphere, he meowed from the carrier as he observed them.

  Zach stood behind the console, initiating the Sphere’s startup sequence. The circular arms began to rotate, and Lainey observed Claire tense out of the corner of her eye.

  “He’s going to be fine, Claire,” she murmured, wishing with all her might that it was true. Claire was a gentle soul and quite attached to both their garden cats. If something happened to Garfield, it would break her heart.

  The carrier had been lined with zirconium so the feline would survive the radiation blast from the fuel rod. All safety precautions were in place, and Lainey had the insane urge to pray even though she was a staunch atheist. Sometimes, even the biggest skeptic needed an extra jolt of faith.

  The Sphere slowly built up to its full speed, and a minute later, it was ready.

  “Begin sequence,” Lainey called to Zach.

  He pressed the red button, causing the lasers to ignite. Seconds later, a small wormhole appeared above the cat carrier. Claire clutched her hand, and Lainey squeezed back. The black orb grew, overtaking the cat carrier and the stool.

  “Engage,” she commanded, urging him to ignite the fuel rod and generate the nuclear energy needed to send the cat back in time.

  The next events seemed to happen in slow-motion. Garfield began to meow loudly, the sound discernable from the whirling of the sphere. The black carrier seemed to stretch, half of it sliding through the black hole, while the other half remained atop the stool. Lainey’s stomach fell to the floor as she realized what was happening.

  “The nuclear energy is too high. We’re creating a singularity instead of a portal. Shut it down, Zach!”

  With hurried movements, he depressed the black knob and then the red one, effectively shutting down the machine. Claire’s face was a mask of horror as she stared ahead.

  “Garfield!”

  “Wait,” Lainey said, halting her from running toward the Sphere. “It needs to shut down completely.”

  Claire tugged her arm free. “But he’s dying!” she screamed.

  I know, Lainey thought, feeling quashed and defeated. There was very little possibility the feline had survived.

  “Damn it, Lainey!” Claire said, pointing to the Sphere.

  “I’m sorry,” Lainey warbled, feeling her throat close as she fought back tears.

  Claire’s chin quivered as she glanced back and forth between the contraption and Lainey. Never had she seen such disappointment in her friend’s disconsolate expression. It was soul-crushing, and Lainey wanted nothing more than to soothe her.

  When the machine was still, Claire approached the center. Lainey let her go, understanding her friend needed to process the events in her own way. Emitting a soft wail, Claire unzipped the front of the carrier. Placing her hands around the feline’s limp body, she hugged it to her chest.

  “No,” she moaned, lowering to the floor and burying her face in the cat’s mane. “Oh, god. We murdered him.” Rocking back and forth, she sobbed into the animal’s fur.

  Lainey tentatively advanced, heartbroken at her friend’s pain. Sliding her hand over the soft fabric of her thin sweatshirt, she rubbed the woman’s shoulder.

  “I’m so sorry, Claire.”

  Claire’s head snapped up, anger and hurt swimming in her wet eyes. “You’re sorry? How can that be enough? We killed him in the name of what? Saving the world? A world that was never ours and that doesn’t give a crap about us? Sorry, Lainey, but your apology means jack shit. I’m so tired of all of it.”

  “Claire,” she said, feeling wetness cloud her own eyes. “I know this is hard—”

  “It’s always hard!” she screamed, causing Lainey to jump and stiffen. “What the hell are we doing? I can’t. I just can’t be okay right now. Let me up.” Struggling to hold the cat to her generous bosom, she stood and shot Lainey a glare. “I’ll be outside. Someone needs to bury him. He deserves that at least.” Wiping her nose with her forearm, she left the bunker, awkwardly clutching the animal.

  Sighing deeply, Lainey rested her face in her hands, struggling not to sob.

  “It’s okay, boss,” Zach’s calming voice said behind her. “She’s upset and took it out on you. She’s human, and so are you. Let her process this on her own terms.”

  Turning toward him, Lainey let the sweet man comfort her. Squeezing him tight, she nodded against his neck.

  “I’ll let her stew for a while. Thanks, Zach.”

  “Hey,” he said, leaning back and palming her cheeks, “this isn’t your fault. Science is a bitch. The settings on the fuel rod were perfect for an inanimate object, but we need to use less for something living. It’s the entire reason we use test subjects. Now we know.”

  “Now we know,” she said, nodding into his warm skin. “I’m so sorry, Zach. That cat’s been here for years. He deserved better.”

  “Hey, that’s enough,” he said, smiling compassionately. “He died valiantly, serving his purpose for science. If we could all be so lucky.”

  “Oh, Zach, you’re such a good man. I hate that you’re trapped here, forced to spend your time in this dark hole of a room all day. I know I’m adamant about the ‘no dating’ policy, but if you want to pursue Claire, I’d be okay with it.”

  Something flitted across his face, and his eyebrows drew together. “Where did that come from?” he asked after breathing a laugh. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, Claire is great. But I don’t have romantic feelings for her.”

  “You don’t?” she asked, puzzled. “I could’ve sworn you did. Man, I’m really terrible at reading people.”

  His lips curved as he shook his head. “I can see how you made the inference. She and I spend a lot of time together.”

  “Has there ever been anyone you wanted to pursu
e? You deserve to be loved, Zach. You have such a good heart.”

  Red splotches warmed his cheeks, and his sheepish gaze fell to the floor. “Thanks, Lainey. That means a lot. I, um…” He rubbed the back of his neck, the movement relaying his awkwardness as he struggled to speak. “There really hasn’t been anybody. We don’t meet a ton of eligible women around here. The times I’ve gone to the market on the main compounds have been few and far between. Sometimes, I daydream”—his gaze traveled north as he contemplated his words—“I’ll meet a woman who’ll fall desperately in love with me, but she probably wouldn’t want a full-blown nerd like me.”

  “Nerds are sexy, my friend,” Lainey said, giving his hand one last squeeze. “Don’t doubt yourself. Hopefully, once we’re back in 2035, you can find said woman of your dreams and live out your days together.”

  “That would be nice,” he said softly.

  “Okay, I need to check on Claire. Thanks for consoling me.”

  “I’m going to clean up around here and record the session notes.”

  Thanking him, Lainey retreated to her office for a moment, needing to digest Claire’s breakdown before she confronted her. Feeling defeated, she slumped in the chair and allowed herself to mourn the loss of the furry tabby cat who’d so often rubbed against her calves when she returned from her late-afternoon walks. To state the obvious, saving the world sucked most of the time.

  Chapter 13

  Lainey wracked her brain, struggling with something that would help comfort Claire. When the brilliant idea appeared, she approached her team, rounding them up one by one to soothe their beloved counterpart.

  With Sara, Luke, Marie, and Zach in tow, she found Claire in the back thicket near the garden, where Garfield liked to laze in the stray rays of sunlight. Puss in Boots nuzzled her side as she held Garfield to her chest, slowly stroking his fur.

  “We’ve come for the funeral,” Marie said beside Lainey, thumping the end of the shovel she held on the ground. “We all loved that little fleabag and we aim to give him a proper burial.”