V's POV
First thing in the morning, I'd convinced Sade to schedule a maintenance appointment with Love Machina Inc. She hadn't taken it well. Her shoulders slumped, her eyes avoiding mine, but I knew it was necessary. These nightmares had become too much, too frequent. Something had to be wrong with her programming.
Trips always lifted her spirits, so I thought of planning a new one for her. The oasis, the greenhouses, those were the moments when she seemed most alive, when the world felt most wonderful to her.
And that's when an idea struck me: a beach trip!
She had never seen the ocean. I could already picture her hair catching the light, her bright eyes wide with awe. My chest tightened at the thought. Could a machina get a tan? Maybe I should buy SPF 2000, just in case.
I spent the commute scrolling through the travel feeds on my glasses:
Beach Break! Say Hello to Sunshine!
Let the Waves Wash Your Worries Away...
Sandy Toes, Sun-Kissed Nose – Let's Go!
The timing was perfect, I realized as I walked to my office.
I had just submitted the conclusions of my research. Sade would get a check-up and repair whatever triggered these awful nightmares. Once that was out of the way, we could disappear for a week, just the two of us, far from the City.
And when the next project came, so would the next funds.
Enough to renew her lease.
Enough to keep her with me.
I was so absorbed in the scrolling feeds of my glasses that I didn't notice my office door was left ajar.
My office was unrecognizable.
All the shelves had been cleared, the drawers emptied. My equipment had been dismantled, stacked in crates stamped with the company seal.
"What... What's happening?" My voice cracked as I rushed forward, fumbling at one of the locks on the crate.
"Your research has been terminated."
I spun around. My manager stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable.
"No, that's impossible. I just submitted it last night. You can't—"
"Inconclusive results," he cut me off, his tone mechanical, as though reciting a prepared line.
"Inconclusive? There was a conclusion! This isn't just material, this is years of my work, my parents' work—"
"Not anymore. It belongs to the company now."
His words struck me like a physical blow. I could feel the walls closing in, my chest tightening, my stomach twisting. Behind him, people in grey uniforms appeared, moving swiftly, carrying the boxes out of my office.
"No!" I shouted, desperate, my hands trembling. "At least leave me the material! It's mine!"
"It's company property," my manager said firmly, one hand pressing against my shoulder to stop me from grabbing a box.
I staggered back, disbelief burning in my chest.
I froze, my mind spinning. Everything I had built was being ripped away from me.
And Sade too.
Her existence was now in the company's hands.
I couldn't let it happen. It was a mistake. I could fix it.
"No. No, the research isn't over. You can't take this. You can't—"
"If you want it back," he said, voice icy, "align yourself with the company's expectations."
"The company's... expectations?" My throat tightened, my voice hoarse. "What do they want from me? What do they want from the research?" I spoke louder.
Before he could answer, another voice slipped into the room.
"I'll explain."
Chandra stepped forward from behind him, calm but firm.
"Come with me."
🌳
"V?"
I raised my head from the desk, the side of a paper sticking to my cheek.
Sade stood in the doorway, scowling at the scene unfolding in front of her eyes.
I couldn't even remember how I managed to get back home. All I remembered was ordering a bottle of wine and throwing my tablet out the window when it started beeping.
Her gaze swept the room. The open bottle on my desk. The spilled glass on the floor. The notebooks scattered everywhere, their pages bent and scribbled through as I tried to look for solutions.
The mess I had made of myself.
"What's wrong?" she asked, stepping closer.
"Nothing," I muttered, peeling the paper away from my cheek. The taste of wine clung to my mouth.
Flustered, I started shoving the journals shut, stacking them together as though that could erase the chaos.
"Did something happen?"
"Nothing bad," I mumbled back, brushing my messy hair in the back.
Her brow lifted, skeptical.
"So... something happened."
She crouched down to gather the notebooks that had fallen on the floor.
I could feel her worried eyes on me as she handed them back to me.
I sighed.
"Just some issues at work. With my conclusions," I cleared my throat, rubbing my face between my still trembling hands. "They weren't... very happy with the results."
"Why not?"
I considered her for a moment. My mind was too confused now for me to even try to make up a lie.
"Turns out... They had an agenda. They asked me to study exobith and expected a very specific outcome. My conclusions weren't what they expected, so... They shut the whole project down."
Her lips parted, hesitation in her next words.
"What does that mean?" she spoke very slowly each word.
"It means... Everything tied to the research has to go back to them."
Her voice dropped. "So... me too, right?"
The words sliced me open. I forced a smile that felt more like a grimace. "Technically, yes. But don't worry. I won't let that happen."
She tilted her head, searching my face.
"What will you do?"
"I—" My throat tightened. "I spoke with Chandra. She said she might have another project for me. If I'm hired for it, I'll be able to keep some of the material with me... To keep you."
I sniffed and reached for her hand.
"I'll find a solution, Sade. Don't worry. We'll stay together. I promise."
The promise rang hollow, but I clung to it anyway.
I had no idea of the project Chandra spoke about. I didn't even know if I was skilled for it. All I knew was she would send me an invite the next day to participate in the launch. Then, we will see if I could be accepted in their team.
"Everything will be fine," Sade slowly nodded, her careful eyes studying me.
She helped me out of my chair, and just like that time after Stellar Slices, guided me through the hallway, onto our bed.
The remains of the wine made my head spin.
I had overindulged again.
I sighed as she drew the cover over me. These had quickly become my favorite moments. Lying here, with her.
Her scent lingered everywhere, and I let myself sink into the small paradise of our bed.
She must have found my tablet beeping in the atrium, because she placed it gently on the nightstand beside me, finally silent. She said she'd fetch some water and, right when she left, that's when a soft chime lit up the screen again.
A full wardrobe for a surprise beach trip!
Perfect. My algorithm had already predicted Sade would need new clothes for the trip. Without a second thought, I clicked "order all," and the next second, let myself drift away.
In the next chapter: we're going back on a mission to the oasis!! And having a loooooong conversation with Vincent 👀
🗓️ Next chapters: this Thursday, Octber 2nd 🗓️
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