“Yeah, I’m nosebleeding,” Mack said in a droll voice. “Literally. Manliness noted.” He raised his eyebrows for Lynden to carry on.
“Nah. Daddy never gave me rules to this ‘Guide to Life’ shit.”
In a teasing, sing-song voice, Mack said, “You play so nasty.”
“Runs in the family apparently.”
Mack’s face fell when Lynden crossed her arms over her chest and raised her eyes to the ceiling, trying not to cry. “Lyn...” Mack’s quieted and he hung his head. “I didn’t mean it that way and you know it.”
“Yeah, I know.” She turned around.
Coal studied the bottle in Mack’s hands and gently tapped on it. Mack nodded his head in agreement, first taking a drink and then passing it over. Coal nearly spewed the liquid when a loud bell rung unexpectedly throughout the entire house. “Merde!”
“Doorbell. Relax. Must be the doctor.” Mack grabbed the sopping rag as he left the room.
Coal and Lynden remained silent. The scene with Hanley and Dr. Nichols had been gruesome, and he could not imagine the kind of pain and confusion Lynden was processing this moment. The click of her mother’s shoes sounded in crescendo as she passed the door, fading as she walked farther on.
“Lynden,” Coal said quietly. He patiently waited for her to face him. “I need to find your father’s office.”
“Through the kitchen. Take the stairs that lead to the dungeon. It ends at his door.” Her clipped response saddened him further.
“Thank you. I look forward to our adventure this evening.” He offered a kind smile, even though he was terrified. Her face softened a little, but within a blink of an eye she again appeared bored, hurt dissolving into a disinterested look. “Until then,” he said and bowed deeply.
“I am awesome,” he muttered under his breath as he skittered down the stairs. “I am awesome.” He passed through the foyer and peeked into the adjoining room. A physician touched Mack’s nose, who instantly hissed through his teeth and scrunched up his face.
Coal let out a heavy sigh and muttered again, “I am awesome,” as he continued through the kitchen and into the dark hallway, leading to the stairway Lynden had mentioned. The stone tile changed to a thin rug, and Coal realized he still was not wearing shoes. Upon reaching the door, he gave a light rap and stared at the ornate bronze handle as he waited.
“You’re late,” Hanley said as the door swung open. “We have minutes before we air live.”
“My apologies, sir. Shall not happen again.” He offered his hand, which Hanley shook and then Coal entered the large office, shutting the door behind him.
Three stools were set up against a large screen that reflected a city alive with motion. Cars crawled through the streets, like beetles dashing across a tree limb. Holographic advertisements flashed off of buildings as the sun set over the expansive water and dipped behind the mountains, coloring the water in a diamond dust of pinks and lavenders. Coal could stare at the man-made objects positioned neatly against nature’s backdrop for hours.
“Della?” Hanley’s tone was business-like. Dr. Nichols turned from a corner of the room and approached the stools. During the three visitations to the lab, she had presented herself with coyness. But in her own home, she seemed tense and unsure. Her gray eyes stared, unfocused, at the three stools. The heartache was evident in her movements, despite all efforts to exhibit elegance and poise. Her fingers absently played with a silver necklace—one she had not worn earlier—caressing the leaf pendant as her forehead wrinkled with emotion.
“Where shall I sit?” Coal asked, and Dr. Nichols touched the stool in the middle. “Thank you, My Lady.” She nervously inspected him and her eyes settled on his feet.
“Where are your shoes?”
“I believe I may have left them outside on the front lawn,” he said sheepishly. The rain pitter-pattered upon the roof.
“Doesn’t matter. The camera is angled for our waists on up,” Hanley said.
“I can’t do this.” Dr. Nichols released an anguished sigh, turning her head sharply to the side.
“Play a part.” Hanley took a seat on the third stool. “It’s what you do best.” Coal stiffened and felt his face flame with the shame of Hanley’s comment toward his wife. A smug smile curled the tips of Hanley’s mouth, and then he said in a light tone, as if nothing ever happened, “Don’t answer any questions other than bland, simple ones. Nothing that reveals too much. See the red light on the desk?” Coal nodded. “It will turn green in two minutes and a hologram will appear, revealing a split screen and two reporters from a major news circuit. It is a similar set-up to the conference you and I held through Messenger Pigeon last week.”
“I understand.”
A knock on the door plucked at the tension in the room and Dr. Nichols gracefully lifted from her stool and glided across the darkly stained wood floor. Lynden brisked past her mother without waiting for an invitation, settling at the desk.
“I want to watch. I know the drill.”
Coal forced an impassive expression on his face and stared directly at the light just as the red turned green. A hologram screen appeared in the air, hovering over the desk, and Coal’s stomach flipped as a woman and man looked up and met their expectant gazes. From his peripheral vision, Coal observed Dr. Nichols and Hanley shift into different postures and break into friendly smiles. The hologram woman with rich auburn hair, curled to her shoulders, and dark blue eyes spoke first.
“This hour, we are pleased to welcome to the Atoms to Adams Daily Show Dr. Della Jayne Nichols, lead psychologist over the Mars colonization project, New Eden Township, and author of several books, including the New York Times bestseller, Misery Loves Company, an exploration of how hope is sorrow’s companion throughout life. And, as always, we are delighted to have Hanley Nichols, CEO and owner of New Eden Enterprises and New Eden Biospherics & Research, and famed Nobel Peace Prize winner.”
“Thank you for the warm welcome, Jennifer.” Hanley flashed a charming smile. “It has been many years since we first graced your show to discuss New Eden Township, and we are delighted to be back.”
“Twenty-four years to be exact,” Jennifer answered in teasing tones.
“Who cares about numbers, right? We are dying to meet this young man.” The gentleman on the split screen, his hair unnaturally brown and his eyes the exact shade of his tie, chuckled with a fake sound that burned in Coal’s ears.
“Absolutely,” Hanley chuckled in reply. “Jennifer, Joe, fellow inhabitants of Earth, I present to you Lord Coal Hansen, Son of Fire, visiting from New Eden Township.”
“Hansen as in Connor Hansen, the Fire Element?” Jennifer asked.
Hanley nodded as he bestowed a proud smile toward Coal. “Yes, the very one.”
Joe regarded Coal and asked, “Should I refer to you as Coal or Lord Hansen?”
“Coal, preferably,” he offered with a shaky smile.
“Tell us a little about yourself.”
“Of course, sir,” Coal said as calmly as possible. But his mouth dried up instantly. “What would you have me share?”
“So polite, so quaint,” Jennifer said. “How old are you? For starters.”
“I am sixteen years of age, Madam.”
“Oh, I think I just shivered. Joe, from now on you must call me Madam.” Joe and Hanley laughed and Della responded with a cool smile, almost demure, her fingers still fondling the leaf pendant around her neck. Coal felt his face warm, especially when Lynden rolled her eyes from beside the desk.
The interview continued and Coal answered mundane questions about his family, home life, education, and occupation. Satisfied with those answers, Jennifer smiled and asked, “The Code states that the age of marriage begins at sixteen in New Eden Township. Do the youth often marry young?”
“Yes, Madam. It is tradition to marry by age twenty.”
In a teasing tone, Joe asked, “Are you married?”
“No, sir,” Coal smiled and shook his head. A strand
of blond hair came loose and fell across his face.
“Is there someone special, perhaps?” Jennifer asked.
“Perhaps,” Coal replied with a charming grin, tucking the loosened strand behind his ear.
“You just broke a lot of hearts,” Jennifer quipped, eliciting light laughter from Hanley and Joe once more. The woman turned toward Dr. Nichols. “You are quiet, Dr. Nichols. From a socio-psychological standpoint, our Martian visitor appears to function well. Wouldn’t you say?”
“Yes, indeed.” Dr. Nichols casually brushed her hair from her shoulder. “He has exceeded our expectations, most especially in the field of technology. A team of scientists worked closely with Coal over the past two weeks, and within that short time period, he was able to not only command Smart technology, but build it. I am confident that integration with modern Earth will not prove problematic as many have questioned. Additionally, Coal has shown a remarkable amount of empathy and has easily formed bonds with others since his arrival. The community has raised a generation that esteems virtues of honor, chivalry, intelligence, and strong social values.”
“These observations,” Hanley interjected, “have excited our team as we prepare for Project Phase Two. Role-playing,” Hanley said, as he cut a glance at his wife, “has once again proved to be a reliable method to leave behind the past and start fresh.”
The subtle bite in Hanley’s comment made Coal wince and heat flowed into his veins once more.
Dr. Nichols crossed her legs the other direction and tossed a coy smile at Hanley. “My husband is correct. Role-playing is an effective tool in psychology to condition the mind to new experiences, new thoughts, a different point of view, and to build skills and confidence in weak or troubled areas.”
Joe looked at Coal. “Were you aware of the role-playing aspect of your home before leaving?”
Coal opened his mouth, feeling every nerve burn with shame, and closing it when he struggled for words. Fingers wiggled for his attention and he looked at Lynden who mouthed, “You are awesome,” and he straightened his shoulders and forced indifference into his tone and face. “Yes, I was aware the first generation had left their life behind and forged a new one with elements of make-believe. After all, we are not truly on Mars.”
“Interesting,” Joe replied thoughtfully. “We’ll explore this topic more in a bit.” The man looked to Hanley. “First, have you heard from your son, Fillion, since he was enclosed?”
“He is scheduled to check in soon.”
“Dr. Nichols, do you worry about his safety?”
“It is only natural that mothers worry over their children, regardless of circumstances,” Dr. Nichols said. “I miss his presence at home and I know his sister does as well. However, I am not worried about his presence in New Eden. They are a kind people who embody a true community spirit.” She smiled warmly.
Jennifer smiled in return. “Fillion has a very large fan base. His generation seems to worship him.”
“My son is the Anime Generation,” Hanley said in a proud tone. “He reflects the culture and values of this present era and also embodies the future. And at present, he is becoming acquainted with the past. After all, the key to the future resides in the past. One day soon, he’ll make a fine leader when he takes over ownership of New Eden Biospherics & Research and New Eden Township. And I am confident he’ll find solutions to the unemployment crisis plaguing his generation. Who knows? Maybe there is a future on Mars for many his age wishing to restart civilization.” Hanley offered a charming smile and winked at the camera.
“Noble words from a very proud father,” Jennifer said. “Rumors speculate that due to global corporate laws, Fillion is stepping up so that you may step down to take full ownership of a secret company?”
Hanley laughed. “If you say so, then it is clearly not so secret.”
Jennifer and Joe both chuckled. When Hanley did not offer more information, Jennifer continued. “There have been several recent developments within New Eden in addition to the unprecedented exchange. We have learned that the mock-colony has experienced two very big losses in the past two weeks,” she said with an empathetic frown.
Coal knew of one loss, but could not fathom the other big loss, and his heart hammered erratically.
“We just received word that Norah Daniels, the late Water Element, passed away on Monday, October fifth, after a long battle with cancer.”
Norah died?
A pain tore through Coal’s chest and tears gather in response, but he remained stoic. He had missed Norah’s blessing, her last words, and his chance to say farewell. Hollowness seized him as he realized the rituals of death were now over. So much so, he barely paid attention when Jennifer began again.
“This comes in the wake of Joel Watson’s death on Sunday, September twenty-seventh, from cardiac arrest.”
Joe cleared his throat and said in a respectful tone, “Many might remember The Watson Trials of 2048. Coal, that must have been a traumatic experience to lose every member of The Watson family.”
“Yes,” he replied. Hanley visibly relaxed with Coal’s response and Dr. Nichols stiffened. She clenched and unclenched a fist below waist level as her other hand closed around the necklace.
“Documents are emerging, stating that the late Joel Watson was an investor and possessed a mind-boggling amount of money, which would have been bequeathed to his wife or eldest surviving heir. As there are no surviving family members, records show that the fortune will be entrusted to the estate, established as New Eden Biospherics & Research, mother property to New Eden Township.”
Coal gripped the stool as every muscle flexed, slowly moving his head to face Hanley, who waited for his reaction with a caring smile that did not reach his eyes.
“This is true,” Hanley said, casually glancing away from Coal’s accusing look. “The money, of course, will only go to benefit all the families of New Eden Township.” A warning flashed in Hanley’s eyes and Coal resisted the urge to destroy everything within sight.
The interview continued for several more minutes, although Coal had no idea how much time had passed, nor the questions that were asked. He snapped out of his trance when, in a poof, the hologram disappeared followed by Dr. Nichols springing from her seat and charging out of the room. Hanley walked to his desk, ignoring those who still lingered around in his office. Unable to stand it a moment longer, Coal marched from the office and sprinted through the house, up the stairs, and into the black bedchamber.
A sob rose from his gut and his body shook as hot tears streamed down his face. He curled up on the bed against the pain, unable to process that Norah was truly gone or that Joel may have been murdered for money. The tears turned to anger and he grabbed the pillow and began beating the bed as low screams emerged through tightly clenched, gritted teeth. A door click sounded from behind but he continued to hammer away, eventually dropping the pillow as his body slumped with fresh tears.
“Hey, Mr. Awesome,” Lynden said in a near whisper. A hand rested on his back and he angled his body to face her, not caring that he was crying or that she witnessed the complete loss of control over his senses. “The money part is shocking.” She let the statement hang between them. “You didn’t know about that woman’s death, did you? Norah?”
Coal turned his head away with a small shake. He wiped at the tears. “Norah always ensured I stood proud of the man I was and the man I would become. But I forgot her when I left. The only farewells I have ever experienced were deaths.”
She studied him for several heartbeats, her face unreadable, as usual. The black absorbed his thoughts until he saw nothing else, even when Lynden hooked her fingers into his belt loops and gently pulled him to her. The ache squeezed once more just as Lynden provocatively nibbled on his bottom lip. Air left him in a quivering rush. Small, quick breaths pulsed upon his skin in a seductive tempo, and his distress yearned to surrender to her entirely. Coal wrapped his soot-stained hands around her waist with every intention to kindly push her aw
ay. But her mouth claimed his and, with it, every weak protest he possessed.
Everything within him knew this was wrong. Women were to be cherished and protected; they were not vessels to dull a man’s pain. It did not matter that he was breaking from loneliness, or that he felt disembodied, or even that he longed for comfort. Coal craved to be touched, desperately wishing for a real connection to ground him with another. Perhaps Lynden desired comfort and wished to dull her pain as well, joining her sorrows and fears with his. As if in response to his thought, Lynden deepened her kiss.
He hesitated only a beat before responding, hungry for more, his body screaming to labor through his emotions. Her fingers burned trails across his body, unbuttoning his shirt. He tossed it across the room without breaking their kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist.
Nobody beyond the panes of his home knew him intimately. They had his biometric stats. They knew his interests and search patterns on the Net. They knew surface details pertaining to his family and occupation. But nobody on the Outside knew him. Until this moment, sharing himself completely with another soul, he had not realized it was a need that burned so bright within him. His muscles flexed and shuddered, his heartache fading, and a new pain emerged as the collision of both worlds merged inside of him.
She dipped her fingers below his pants line and gripped the flesh around his hips and pulled him tighter against her. Another heady intoxication galvanized him, and he moaned into her neck, undone. The sensations owned him, demanding more, needing more.
His name formed a sigh on her lips as she dug her fingers into his back. The sound unraveled him further and his mouth crashed against hers in reply. As they kissed, Lynden unbuckled his belt, followed by the button on his pants, and his body stilled.
What was he doing?
Coal looked around the room as if waking up from a vivid dream. Reality struck him in a painful flash and his stomach soured with how stupid and insensitive, yet again, he had been. He was a fool. A weak, impetuous, hot-blooded fool. Only one day in her presence and already he selfishly took liberties he had never known with any young woman.
Elements (The Biodome Chronicles series Book 2) Page 26
