Disclaimer: I still don't own TMRS.
18 months ago.
"Wake up. You've got a visitor."
Hans' eyes didn't flutter open until his wife Rita shook him awake. He yawned and stretched on instinct.
"What did you say?" he asked in the middle of a second, bigger yawn.
"Visitor dear. God bless those ears of yours." She shook her head and handed him his glasses. When the spectacles settled in their place the image of a woman came into view. She stood in front of him looking the same way she did the last time he saw her, a lifetime ago it seemed. The white ensemble she had on and the way her hair was pulled up in a perfect bun added to her aura of mysterious elegance. Despite the age showing through the lines on her face, Hans still thought she looked beautiful.
"Well I'll be damned," he sighed, unable to stop the fond smile from spreading across his lips.
"Good afternoon Hans," she greeted him with a voice as clear as crystal. "So good to finally see you again."
"Please, take a seat." He grunted as he struggled to get up from his La-Z Boy and pushed one of the armchairs adjacent to it nearer to the coffee table. After she settled down, he allowed a long pause before he asked her the dreaded question.
"So what brings you here?"
In the time it took for Rita to brew them coffee, Ava had given him two years' worth of update on the progress happening in WICKED. In a few succinct words she recited the casualties they had obtained and had given him a report on each of the key subjects of the Trials. Thomas was by far the most promising, just as they had predicted. Everything came out as planned and everyone reacted as he had expected them to. The only surprise had been the female subject that they had sent up the first Maze prior to Subject A1. And if that wasn't random enough, the subject had been a non-candidate. She wasn't supposed to be there.
"You lot must have been really desperate to pull that kind of trick," he scoffed before nibbling on a piece of biscuit.
"We were," she admitted, eyeing her coffee with a pensive look. "But I'm glad we did. The data we gathered was interesting, to say the least."
"Just be happy that boy doesn't remember a thing about you or he'll sock you on the jaw the first chance he gets."
Ava didn't doubt him. She could only imagine the girl's reaction if the situation had been changed. She'd be going home with a bald spot and a piece of her ear bitten off. She shuddered at the thought.
"Knowing what you know now, if you were given the chance to make up for all the pain you have caused to those children, would you do it?" she asked. Her blue eyes locked on to his tired ones at the last word of the question. Hans took his time answering.
"Honestly," he started, "Most of the time I'd say screw 'em. They weren't the only ones whose lives had been ruined by the darn sun flares. My hands are tied. But..." He took a long sip of his drink. His mind reeled back to the times when they were on the early stages of developing the Swipe. He remembered the faces of all those test subjects who had been rendered insane by its then imperfect mechanism.
"If I feel like it, I think I could do it in a heartbeat."
Ava gave him a genuine smile.
"I know you Aves," he eyed her suspiciously. "You never think about what ifs unless you're thinking of doing something that could get us killed. What is it?"
"Well," she replied, setting her cup on the coffee table before leaning forward towards him. She continued in a low voice, aware that his wife was on the next room. "If my memory serves me well, you did say you'd be more than happy to make up for what I did for you and Rita. I'm giving you the chance to do so now. I hope you agree to do this massive favor I'm asking from you."
Hans downed the last dregs of his coffee and settled his cup on the table as well.
"Let's hear it."
Author's Note: Hi! So...I'm back earlier than expected. Way too early. But I've had this chapter festering at my notebook, begging to be posted. Okay fine.
Not promising speedy updates though. I know I spoiled you lot with a bunch of chapters per week in the past and believe me I still want to. But during the time I started "The Variable" I had quit my old job and was merely waiting for time to pass before I could hop on a plane to start on my new one. Things are a wee bit different now and I do intend to make some extra money with extra shifts so...maybe a chapter a week or so?
I STILL LOVE REVIEWS GUYS! LOVE YOU!