Starstruck

by S E Anderson

  The tour group laughed. I joined in, though it wasn't all that funny. There was a certain charm to the man, though, an energy that made you wanted to please him, even if that meant laughing at a stupid joke.

  Germaine led us through the lobby and through the parts of the plant I already knew: the office spaces, the administrative wing, the cafeteria, all that fun stuff. He pointed out the ergonomic shape of the cubicles and desks, the amount of natural lighting, and the recycling rooms on every floor.

  All the while, I stood by Matt, who stood by Grisham, and walked with them like I was running the place as well. Grisham sure did act like it. He was the head honcho, but the respect and drive he had for the two of us made it sound like we were right up there with him. It was incredibly weird.

  Then again, maybe he saw something in me that I couldn’t see myself. Maybe I did have a future. Was he going to groom me for great things, too? The way he was doing with Matt? With everyone here? The man knew every employee by name as well as most of their life plans and career goals.

  He had a cult of personality going here. Everybody loved him. They had pictures of him in every room—pictures of him building the plant or standing in front of sunsets, though the jury was still out on whether that last one was actually him. They were there because the employees wanted them there. If people waved and cheered when he passed their cubicles, it was because they were happy to see him. That, or they were alerting the others so they could tab out and wipe their browser history.

  He was our Obi-wan, our Yoda. Matt and I were his Padawans and proud of it.

  “And this,” he said as we reached the elevator, speaking before Germaine could open his mouth, “this is the only time this floor will be open to the public. On most days, it is very dangerous. I only allow a few people down there. But today, just today, we're going to the turbine room.”

  “We are?” Germaine asked. It seemed even he wasn't in the loop about this.

  “Yes.” Grisham pulled a key card from his pocket, inserting it into a slot in the elevator I had never noticed before. “Now, this elevator will get very crowded, so we'll be going down in small groups. Let's see how many can fit in here with me?”

  We were only about a dozen, but boy, we were crammed. The elevator wasn't industrial sized, and Grisham's scooter took up most of the space. Luckily, the ride underground was short. As soon as the little ding sounded, we rushed out as quickly as we could, peeling away from each other.

  We emerged into a small gray room with a tall ceiling and bare walls. A large metal archway sat in the middle, next to two guards at their desks, one with his feet up on an X-ray machine. I had never seen them before, let alone suspected them of working under the power plant.

  “Ah, welcome,” said one of the guards. The other took his feet off the machine. “Could you pass your bags through the X-ray and walk through the arch for us? Thank you.”

  We did as we were told, though Grisham rode around the side without a second glance from the men. Once we were all on the other side of the arch, he led us to another door, gesturing for Germaine to open it for us.

  We entered another gray room. This one had a screen, dials, and controls; it looked like an observation station. A stack of new hard hats with small cave lights sat by the door. They looked like mining equipment.

  But the main attraction was the huge board of controls. Two more men in security uniforms sat at the table, working the dials and buttons, men I had never seen before today.

  “This is where the magic happens,” Grisham explained, gesturing to the back wall, “Right outside this door, we have large turbines running 24-7. You can see them through this small window here. Unfortunately, that part of the tour is off-limits due to security concerns. The gas outside this room is highly volatile.”

  “Wouldn't that make the premises unsafe?” asked a reporter, the first question he had dared to ask all day. “Like working above a tinderbox?”

  “No, everything is strictly regulated by these competent young men, so please, don't sensationalize this for your report. It’s perfectly safe. This room is one of the safest in the building. It has reinforced walls and bulletproof glass, and it is the first line of defense if the worst were to happen—which it will not.”

  The employees clapped at this, and Matt and I cheered along with him. Grisham was good to us. He protected us. He kept us safe. And he was making the planet better, too.

  What was there to worry about?

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  A Toast to Making an Actual Effort

  “To new beginnings!”

  The light clink of glass gently rang through the restaurant. The wine was sweet and slightly fizzy, perfect for the evening.

  This was the first time the four of us had been together since Marcy’s birthday, the double date she had been so excited about. She sat next to Dany with a huge smile, the two of them glued at the shoulder with a shared flatbread pizza in front them. They looked as if they had been together for years.

  I happily ate my pasta, sharing some occasionally with Matt, who had gotten chicken I did not recognize.

  “So, what are you doing now?” Dany asked.

  “She's one of those fancy PAs,” Marcy answered for me.

  “A PA? What does that mean?”

  “It means I handle Mr. Grisham's schedule, make sure he has coffee, make his appointments, all that general riff.” I grinned. “Not fancy work, for sure, not career-making work either—but it's good work, and it pays well.”

  “She says that,” Matt added, “but she's pretty much running the show.”

  “Nah, I'm not,” I shook my head, blushing.

  “You do, though. You make sure the boss sticks to his schedule, keep him fueled … you're practically, um, what … his handler. That's it.”

  “If you say so.” I laughed. “It sounds more important than it is when you put it like that.”

  “It's super important,” Matt insisted. “All hail the mighty PA.”

  I laughed at this. Matt took me into a side hug. It was nice to laugh, effortless now. I was having dinner, surrounded by great friends, and I could not be happier. It was odd how a single hot-air balloon had changed my life. I had a boyfriend, a job, a roommate, and a best friend who was madly in love, though that last bit wasn't due to the balloon fiasco.

  I also knew the truth about the universe, or part of it. Which was pretty cool.

  And speaking of the truth about the universe, here he was in the flesh.

  “Ah, wow, fancy seeing you here.” Zander grinned, standing at the end of the table, smiling from ear to ear. He was dressed in what appeared to be suit pants, matched with a button-down shirt. “Mind if I join you?”

  “I, um …” I sputtered. What was he doing here?

  “Oh, wait, is this him?” Marcy asked. “Hey, hi, I'm Marcy.”

  But Zander wasn't looking at Marcy. No, his eyes were locked on Dany's. The way their eyes shot ice beams at each other, it was as if winter had come into the restaurant.

  “Do I—?” Dany asked.

  “No,” Zander snapped, “you don't.”

  “I do.”

  “You think you do, but you don't.”

  “Dany, sweetie,” Marcy said calmly. “Do you know him?”

  “Know him?” she scoffed. “Know him, I—”

  And she stopped. Zander shook his head, slowly.

  “No. I've never met him before,” Dany said and laughed. “But, wow, you look really familiar. Hi, I'm Dany.”

  “Zander,” he replied, shaking her hand. “So? May I join you?”

  “This is a double date,” Dany said coolly. “It may be a little awkward for you.”

  “Oh, I have a date.” He smiled, waving someone over. “Everyone, meet Luna.”

  “Hey,” she said, her voice sweet and melodious, like honey.

  Luna was tall.

  Luna was skinny.

  Luna was one of those women who could walk into a room and take your breath away. Sh
e was drop-dead gorgeous, wearing a tight, elegant dress that slipped over her frame like liquid gold. I felt my heart weaken. Zander grinned as she waved at the table.

  “Wassap?” the woman asked, sliding into the booth beside Marcy, pushing her out of the way. Zander joined her, still smiling.

  “Luna and I are on a date,” he persisted.

  “Oh, well, um …” Marcy looked uncomfortable, shooting me glances to try and get me to convince them to go away. I guess I was a little too shocked to act.

  “So, how did you two meet, Zander?” Dany said eagerly, avoiding the spun-silk hair as the woman spun her head.

  “It's the craziest thing,” he replied. “I was walking outside, and she asked me out.”

  Marcy nodded. “That is crazy.”

  She turned to me and lifted her eyebrows knowingly. I said nothing. Luna had a phone in her hand. She wasn't paying any attention to Zander, her so-called date.

  “Well, we were just about to leave,” Matt interjected. “We’ve finished our meals, haven't we?”

  “Yes, yes, all done,” Dany added, “Just about to pay. We were, um…”

  “Going clubbing next,” Marcy sputtered. “At, um, Scintillance. Would you care to join us?”

  “What do you think, Luna?” Zander asked pleasantly. “Would you like to go dancing?”

  “That'll be extra,” she said gruffly, and he laughed.

  “I'll go pay.” Matt, closest to the edge of the booth, rose to his feet and slipped his wallet out of his pocket. “We'll divvy it up later.”

  “Sounds good,” Dany replied, seeming none too eager to try and push past the goddess beside her. “So, how are you and Zander related again?”

  “Funny story, really. My aunt's husband's brother's cousin's son. On my mom's side,” I explained. “His sister is on a trip around the world, and she was worried he wouldn't be able to live on his own. You know how older sisters are, super protective and all. She tracked me down and asked if he could stay with me. Said it would be a good experience for him to live in the US for a while.”

  “He can't live on his own?” Confusion riddled Marcy's face. “You're kidding me, right?”

  “I am right here, you know.”

  “Sounds way weird.” Dany rolled her eyes. “I've never heard of a sister being that controlling.” It sounded like she knew this from experience.

  “Oh, I'm helpless,” Zander muttered in a silly falsetto, putting a hand up to pretend to faint. “No, really, I am.”

  Luna sighed and scratched her head, reached over to grab the bottle of wine on the table, and poured it into the glass next to her—probably Marcy's—and took a long swig from it. Zander, following her example, replicated her actions, grabbed my glass and filled it up for himself.

  “His sister is really controlling,” I explained, trying to ignore him. “I had a free room, so it was no trouble. I think she just wants someone to keep an eye on him.”

  “Yeah, great influence you are,” Marcy said jokingly, giving me a wink.

  “Believe what you want.” Zander took a long chug of wine, emptying the glass in one gulp. “Man, what is this, wine? It's incredible. Incredible,” he repeated, glancing over at me to emphasize the word. “What kind is it?”

  “The cheap stuff?” Marcy snorted. “I can see why his sister wants him safe. If he thinks this stuff is good—”

  “Hey, I think it's good,” I scoffed.

  “Yeah, it's real high end,” Luna added, rolling her eyes and taking another swig.

  “Bill's covered, let's go.” Matt extended his hand to me. I loved the feel of his hands, strong and soft and always smelling slightly of lilac. I squeezed it tightly. “Have we decided on the next stop?”

  “We’re hitting up Scintillance. It's right across the street,” Marcy replied. “Let's get going.”

  The six of us left the restaurant in good spirits, following Marcy across the street to the small, black door that led to her favorite place in town. The line was short, and we got in quickly and were soon bathing in music and light, losing ourselves in sound. Marcy rushed to the dance floor as Dany took care of her coat, leaving us to start dancing. The room was flushed in a deep shade of silver with whites and blues and purples flashing everywhere. The music was loud and all bass, almost unrecognizable with the extent of the DJ's remix.

  “Right, drinks?” Matt said and counted the hands. “I'll be right back.”

  “I need to light one,” Luna said suddenly. “Heading out. Z'mander, I'm not sure what—”

  “I do not smoke, no. Thank you,” he replied, unable to tear his eyes off the hypnotizing lights of the dance floor.

  Luna glared at him. “Okay, is this happening tonight or what?”

  “Is what happening?”

  “Look, man, usually people who come up to me on the street have an actual thing in mind,” she explained, “you’ve been ignoring me all night. Do you actually want me here?”

  “Yeah, I like your company,” he said sheepishly, “Sorry if I’m a little confused, I’m… foreign.”

  “Ok, well I don’t usually do dates,” she said, “but I guess we can go up to $60 an hour, if that works for you.”

  “Wait, hold on!” He shook his head like a cartoon character. “Is that how dating works here? You rent them by the hour?”

  “I’m not sure which part of this has you confused, man. Usually this sort of stuff costs extra.”

  “Extra?” he asked, “like, if I wanted to try this karaoke thing, it’s more expensive?”

  “Oh,” she said, her face falling, “this is a prank. I get it. You want to mess with me because of my job, how mature. Thanks for wasting my time.”

  “No! Wait!” Zander reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, a brand-new leather billfold stuffed full of small bills. Instead of cards, the pockets held thick stacks of coupons. “I’m sorry. As I said, I’m new here. I needed a date, and… well, here, I hope this makes up for the trouble I’ve caused.”

  He handed her a nice wad of cash, mostly ones and fives, along with a coupon for a free steak supper at some popular chain restaurant. The woman looked up, confused, but smiling.

  “Ok, so it’s not a prank. You’re just weird.”

  “Very.”

  And with that, she walked off, stuffing the bills into her purse.

  I raised an eyebrow. “You seriously took the offer of a date from the street?”

  “I needed a date, she was there, and it was working out.” He sighed heavily. “Wow. I really failed that one.”

  “Wait, why were you looking for a date?”

  “Because that’s what you people do on Friday nights, from what I can tell.” He shrugged. “I mean, that was your plan, and I learn by imitation.”

  “So, you grabbed a hooker and thought she wanted to date you.”

  “Why not? I am a suave, up-and-coming go-getter with nothing to lose, at least according to a BuzzFeed quiz.” Zander chuckled, leaning back on his legs as if suspended by strings from the ceiling. “I am also what one would refer to as a Charlotte.”

  In that moment, he really did look alien.

  Zander was not a man who fit in with the crowd. He looked uncomfortable, his hand clenched around his sleeve in an odd way as if ready to pull out a hidden knife in a split second. It was as if someone had plucked him out of a war zone and flung him into normalcy without any time for transition.

  “Zander,” I said slowly, taking a step closer to him. The man radiated danger, even when he was standing still and smiling. And yes, even while he was my friend, moments like these scared me.

  “Yup?”

  “You all right?”

  “Perfectly hunky-dory,” he said. “Why?”

  “You look tense. You can relax, you know; there's no reason to be anxious.”

  “I know.” Zander nodded. “But I haven't solved our Killian problem yet, and that means these people here will probably be dead within a few months. And here I am, trying to fit in, get
a job, lead a normal life—if you can call it that—when I should be out working.”

  “You’re not the only hope for planet Earth, you know. I'm sure that ship didn't go unnoticed by the planet's officials and stuff. They're probably finding ways to deal with it as we speak.”

  “Yeah, like that's comforting,” he snorted. “I'll be out of town this weekend anyway, chasing down a lead.”

  I smiled. “You need a hand?”

  “I have it covered.” Zander's grin seemed genuine. “Thanks, but it's not the place for you. A whole lot of running, sleeping in the dirt, and doing things that you wouldn't exactly call legal. And we're going to make sure to keep your record clean, got it?”

  “Have you seen Marcy?” Dany interrupted, popping up beside us.

  “Yeah, she's dancing,” I replied. “Look, Dany, I've got something you need to know. And trust me, I'm only telling you this because I like you, all right?”

  “Is something wrong?” she asked, taking a step back. “She's not dying, is she?”

  “No faster than the rest of us.”

  “Oh, maybe it’s you, then, who has the cancer?”

  “I don't have cancer, Dany,” I sputtered. “Though, I guess that is my star sign. No, Dany, it's just that I think you're a good match for her, so I'm going to tell you a huge secret. The thing that'll win her heart forever.”

  Dany grinned. “This conversation just went from grim to heart palpitating.”

  “This is going to sound odd,” I explained, “but Marcy thinks that if she can go to a club and find someone that will waltz with her, then and there, that she'll have found the perfect partner.”

  “Oh, lord.” Dany grinned. “I think I love this woman.”

  With that, she ran into the crowd of people. I watched as they engulfed her, wondering if she knew how to dance. I wouldn't have put it past her.

  “Is that true?” Zander asked.

  “Is what true?”

  “The thing about waltzing.” He nodded in the direction of the dance floor. “Or were you messing with her?”