Insolation

by Bradlyn Wilson

  Her feet lifted off the ground. She kicked as hard as she could but couldn’t break loose. She made herself dead weight but he didn’t falter. He pulled her into a small room and threw her against a cold concrete wall.

  Hadley glanced down and watched him pull out a knife. He brought it up slowly until she felt the cold sharp metal against her neck.

  “What the hell?!” Hadley hissed at him.

  “This operation is mine to lead.” He pushed the knife into her throat. She held her breath, too scared to breathe.

  “Ok, I never said anything against you leading,” Hadley didn’t understand where he was coming from.

  “You will not do anything to compromise our mission. We are saving the world! Do you hear me? Everything we have worked for starts tomorrow. You try anything, anything at all. I will kill you and— it will not be quick. Don’t think I won’t, you have no idea what I’ve done.”

  Jeremiah stepped away and slid the knife into his pocket. He laughed and started to walk out.

  Hadley regained her breath and with the last bit of confidence she had she screamed, “Go to hell Jeremiah.”

  “You first,” he called back.

  Hadley watched him go, starring at the empty doorway, utterly confused.

  After a moment she followed him out. No one had noticed him drag her into the room, no one bothered to care. Everyone in the atrium was still going about his or her business. Jeremiah walked towards Hemmer’s office and so Hadley did the exact opposite. She walked back towards the dorm. Furious she slammed the door behind her once she got into her room.

  She ruffled through her socks and found the pair in which she had hidden Saul’s secret thumb drive. She pulled the small metal tube out of a thick pair of grey wool socks and held it in her hand wondering if she really wanted to see what was on it. Maybe it was better to stay in the dark, she thought. Sometimes knowing less is easier— she contemplated for a moment. Then before she could think it through anymore she untwisted the drive and pressed the green ‘on’ button. The drive immediately came alive. She watched as the flash drive loaded into thin air. The green bar on the side filled quickly; there wasn’t much on it— Download complete. She watched as it opened around her, creating a screen in thin air as thumb drives did and she gasped.

  There was only one thing on the drive, a slideshow and when it popped up she felt something get caught in her throat. It was a picture of Saul, sitting on a cliff. The same cliff she had dreamed about when she had almost died in the tunnel.

  The picture changed to another, of them at a formal event. A picture of them sitting together at a picnic. Then finally a picture of her in a long dress.

  This couldn’t be real— she thought as she watched as if from a distance planet as the drive fell out of her hand. It fell in slow motion towards the ground, spinning as it went. It went slowly because it was so light it was like a feather.

  She watched as the corner hit the cold concrete. The picture shattered into a million pieces all over the ground before disappearing completely. Hadley’s hands were unmoving where they had lost grasp on the drive just above her hips, bent at a ninety-degree angle.

  What is going on? Her brain screamed.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  2228

  The last moments of light fell over the city. Hadley watched as cars drove by. The snow was falling softly from above. The city was alive and buzzing. She stood on the white marble steps in front of her apartment building waiting for her car and driver to arrive.

  She pulled her shawl closer around her shoulders over her dress. It was a red and floor length strapless ball gown. The crystals were hand sewn throughout the bodice that wrapped her hips lightly and the tulle skirt made her feel like Cinderella. Anna and Hadley had spent their whole afternoon getting ready and they both looked amazing by the time they were done. Hadley caught a glimpse of her reflection in the window of a car as it drove by. She smiled, for the first time in years she felt oddly pretty.

  She looked around for anyone she knew but most people had made their way to the gala earlier and she was going to be right on time, not a second earlier than she needed to be there. A black town car stopped in front of her and a man in a suit got out. He wore a black hat and had a witty smile.

  “Good evening miss, are you Miss Evans?” he said giving a small bow.

  “Yes,” she smiled trying not to laugh at his presentation. He rushed around the car as she walked down the last few steps. He opened the door and motioned Hadley into the backseat. He closed the door and hurried to the driver’s seat. The car smelt of tobacco and leather.

  The driver adjusted his mirror in order to talk to Hadley through it. Her thoughts were elsewhere and she jumped when he spoke.

  “Where are we off to?”

  “The Universal Science Awards Gala,” Hadley said meekly. She opened her clutch to ensure she had everything. Her lipstick, her speech card that was formatted with multiple speeches, and an extra few bobby pins—

  “So no date tonight?” the driver said making casual conversation.

  “No, it’s just me tonight,” Hadley thought about that fact. She had had options. She really had. Pax and Kane had both asked her to accompany them, and she had politely turned both of them down. Though she knew she would still end up at Kane’s table as he was on the board of executives for the Universal Science Society. He first hand approved the seating chart. Hadley rolled her eyes just thinking about it.

  “Let me take you,” he’d almost demanded.

  “No,” Hadley had replied.

  “We could have an amazing time,” Kane was grasping at straws.

  Hadley gave him a stern look. “What about Alice?”

  “We’re separated.”

  “For now. You hurt me enough when you married her Kane. I don’t want to do the same to her. It wasn’t her fault she fell for you too.”

  Her last comment during that conversation had hurt him. She knew that saying it would stop his pestering and end it there. That didn’t mean it hadn’t felt terrible saying it. Hadley didn’t want to purposely hurt him, the facts remained that she had loved him at one point.

  Hadley had tried not to think about it. Stephen and Anna had left half an hour ago, they wanted to mingle at the cocktail hour. Hadley remembered Anna’s pained expression when Stephen had gotten to their apartment to leave, “Hadley, this is your night, you should come with us.” She was the sweetest person Hadley knew and Hadley knew the large role Anna had played in getting where she was.

  Hadley had just shaken her head. Anna didn’t press it further. Hadley took cute photos of them and shooed them out of the apartment. She had purposely gotten her car to come so she would arrive just on time and avoid mingling. She was happy, even if no one else could see it.

  They drove through the snowy festive streets. It was just weeks before Christmas and everyone could feel the holidays in the air. Garlands and wreathes hung on the lamp poles. Twinkling lights glimmered through the streets, creating a sparkling glow in the snow. The car drove up to the museum and there was a red carpet down the steps. The Christmas lights twinkled around and there was still a small amount of people on the stone steps. A huge banner hung over the entrance with the Universal Science Society’s logo and the event listed.

  Hadley looked at the banner and the people standing on the stairs. They were photographers and reporters who had spent their night interviewing arrivals. However, they were all in private conversations when Hadley arrived, only small groups left that barely made a crowd. It was nearing event time and they probably weren’t expecting anyone else worthy of a photo. Hadley took a breath just as her driver opened the door. He held out his hand and she took it. She stepped out and stared up the stairs.

  “Thank you,” Hadley said to him and he nodded before heading to the driver’s seat. Hadley opened her coinet and tipped him generously.

  “Thanks Miss,” the driver said as he walked back to the driver’s side.

  Hadley wai
ted until he drove away to start her ascent. She hadn’t even made it two steps before she was stampeded by reporters. And here she had thought she would have avoided the commotion.

  “HADLEY—HADLEY!” She heard all around. She smiled and kept walking.

  “Hadley, how does it feel to be nominated for five awards tonight?” One reporter asked holding a microphone ridiculously close to her face.

  “Amazing,” Hadley smiled, a sad smile, and kept walking.

  ‘You are the youngest person ever to be nominated? Is that true?”

  “Yes, thank you,” she said with a nod. She was so close to the top she could taste it. Their questions kept flying at her and she kept giving them short and sweet answers. She didn’t feel like talking tonight. She felt the top of her dress start to slide a bit and tugged it up. The snow was coming down harder now and she pulled her shawl as close as she could. She didn’t expect to win anything but the whole evening was still exciting. Her research and inventions were good. Brilliant maybe, but these awards were for the best on the planet. She felt she was far from that.

  “You are here alone Hadley? No man in your life?” A voice said somewhere in the crowd. The high-pitched sound caught her off guard.

  “Yes,” Hadley looked around for the person who had spoken. “I have no one in my life presently. What would that matter anyways? I thought we dealt with the inequality issue over a hundred years ago.” Hadley bit her lip at her outburst, embarrassed.

  “It’s rumoured that you were involved with your colleague Paxton Avery?”

  “It is also rumoured that you are involved with your Professor. Neil Kane. He’s on the board awarding the awards tonight.” A man yelled; Hadley didn’t know which one. He was lost in the crowd.

  “Just rumours. All are just rumours. Kane has given me great guidance in the last few years. Paxton is solely a childhood friend, if anything a high school sweetheart.” Hadley laughed before turning on her heel in terror.

  How did anyone know about that? How did they know about Kane? Hadley thought as she hurried through the enormously decadent glass and stone doors.

  She was greeted by a woman in a black dress and a man in a suit. Both were extremely preoccupied and kept speaking into their earpieces.

  “Hi Miss—?” She waited for Hadley’s answer as she scrolled a holographic screen not even looking at her. The woman was annoyed at how late Hadley was and that she had missed all of the cocktail party. Hadley could see that people were already starting to sit inside the ballroom.

  The woman tapped her foot as she rolled her eyes in disgust. “We are just about to start. Miss—?”

  “Hadley, Hadley Evans,” Hadley whispered meekly, so nervous she almost bolted back out the door. She didn’t like making a scene.

  “Miss Evans. My apologies for not recognizing you! So preoccupied, please forgive me.” The colour drained from the woman’s face and she tried to laugh off her mistake.

  Hadley smiled at her genuinely. Really who should know me? She thought, the said, “no worries.”

  “You are at table three. Jackson here will take your shawl.”

  Hadley took off the shawl and handed it to Jackson. She shivered and smiled at them. They motioned her through a large archway. The arch sparkled with gold and white lights. There were hundreds of sparkling Christmas balls, wreathes and bows. She stood in awe for a second. Then she walked through the arch and was sprinkled with glitter that fell like snow. She twirled in place smiling.

  Suddenly, she stopped spinning, absolutely joyful. She looked forward into the room and saw Pax smiling as he leaned against a wall. He was wearing all black, including his shirt and tie. His hair was combed back and he raised his eyebrow.

  “Can I walk you to your table?” He smiled, his typical Pax smile. He looked brilliant. His suit fit just right and he was rocking the skinny tie look.

  “That would be nice,” Hadley said sheepishly. He held out his arm and she took it. They walked through the crowd and she felt so many eyes on her.

  “What are they all looking at?” she whispered.

  “You,” Pax said as they got to her table. She saw her name card beside Kane’s.

  “Of course,” Hadley said below her breath.

  Pax grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him. He kissed her forehead. “Good luck Hadley.”

  She watched him walk away, looking amazing as ever. All eyes were on her for the first time in her life, and she wasn’t sure she liked it.

  The evening seemed to drag on. All through dinner Kane kept making small talk. For a few moments they had fallen into regular patterns but Hadley noticed the awkwardness that her rejection had caused between their normally easy banter. He kept making crude comments and demeaning her.

  Just as they were finishing dessert she couldn’t stand it anymore. She couldn’t stand the way he was talking down to her. “This night is about me. Not you. That’s why I wanted to come alone.”

  “And you couldn’t choose—” Kane shrugged taking another bite of his chocolate cake.

  “That’s not fair,” Hadley whispered.

  “No it’s not.” Kane smirked condescendingly. Hadley rolled her eyes at him. She focused on her dessert and the conversation going on around them at the table. Across the table she made eye contact with a man, his hair was tied up and the edge of a tattoo peeked out through his starched white collar.

  Finally, the plates were cleared and the speeches started amidst a twinkling background. The head of the committee got up. “The world used to celebrate each year with huge awards for entertainment and film and television. But now on the 36th year of this event we know better.” Hadley didn’t pay attention as the speeches dragged on and on, she was too nervous and excited. Then, finally, the awards started.

  Hadley immediately sat up in her seat. It was so abrupt that the man across the table raised his eyebrows at her. Hadley immediately went red and lowered her eyes to her lap.

  The man who won the award for engineer of the year spoke for over twenty minutes about his influences. The wait staff came back to get drink orders and they weren’t quiet about it; he was going on for so long. People kept trying to cut him off, but being quite old he kept going on and on and on.

  “Champagne.” Hadley whispered to one of the staff, and as she left Hadley called after her, “you know what bring the whole bottle.”

  Finally, Hemmer went on stage and politely put an end to his speech. After the man left the stage Hemmer took over the microphone.

  “So I am here to present the award for New Scientist of the Year. Please turn your attention to the video behind me for the nominees.”

  Hadley watched as four faces went across the screen. Then she saw her own smiling face. The four other nominees were at least 10 years older and had been working in their fields for a lot longer it seemed. No one under 30 had ever won an award at the gala, not even new scientist, because the committees idea of new was actually experienced.

  The first was a woman from China who had invented a miniature rocket that had made it to Mars with supplies for the colony there; it was noticeably smaller than the previous rockets and was a fraction of the cost. The second was an Englishman whose work with deep-sea fish was eradicating all sorts of diseases. The third was a professor from Harvard. She had invented a DNA tracking system that was far superior to anything that had been done before. The fourth was a man from Brazil who had revolutionized living in the space stations. Then there was Hadley with her research in biology and climate change.

  She had reinvented evolution. It wasn’t that impressive, she thought. She had just made natural selection a less natural process.

  “And the winner is—” Hemmer opened the envelope. Hadley held her breath. “I am pleased to award this to a young woman who is tremendously smart and talented. She has made leaps and bounds over the last year in the biologic community. Congratulations Miss Hadley Evans.”

  Hadley stared at him shocked. Applause erupted around her. It took her
a second to stand up. Kane stood as well and kissed her cheek as he moved her chair aside.

  Hadley walked up to the microphone, holding her skirt to not trip. Hemmer grabbed her hand. A woman behind him handed him a gold figurine. He handed it to Hadley and stepped aside.

  “Wow.” she said looking over the hundreds of people in the audience. She pulled out her coinet and tried to open it. She was shaking from head to toe. “I never thought I would ever be receiving one of these. When I started at Harvard I never dreamed of where my life would lead. When Professor Kane asked me to work on this project I was oblivious to the huge contribution we would be making. I can’t thank you enough Professor.” Kane grimaced at being called professor and Hadley laughed in the back of her mind. “I would not be here without Anna or Paxton. Thank you both. And thank you to the society who thought I deserved this. The four other people nominated have done so much for the scientific community. Without them we would be nowhere. I hope to continue making advances in genetics and biology, this is just the beginning of my work on evolutionary genetics and the effects the planet has on human biology. Thank you!” Hadley blurted it all out.

  It seemed too short. It was too short.

  Hadley nodded and walked backstage. Anna was waiting for her. Anna ran over and hugged Hadley. Anna was crying, sobbing really, but her smile was spread over the entirety of her face.

  “You did it!” she exclaimed. They didn’t let go of each other for a while.

  “I just can’t believe it,” Hadley barely got out through her grinning teeth.

  Anna was overjoyed. “You deserve it Had. All of it!”

  In the end, Hadley won three out of five awards she was nominated for. It was close to midnight when the awards ended and the wait staff quickly opened the doors to another ballroom. This one was decorated in green and silver. Three bars and multiple tables were set up. Hadley felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to see Kane who was beaming.