Hamilton Chapter One: The Past, Present and Future
-August 2069-
Yawning your eyes fluttered open, the sun was creeping through your window, it was morning already. Sitting up you carefully pulled the paper off of your face and sighed, when did you fall asleep? There was so much work to be done, stretching you got up ignoring the protest of your bones, you went into the bathroom to wash up, checking the clock you had two hours before your shift at the office. A shower, some breakfast and work to go sounded like a plan.
Glancing in the mirror your features were conflicted; Puffy bruises under your eyes, fluffy black hair that wanted to be free, pulled back into a ponytail which flared out in the back, skin very pale was blemish free but taut against the bones in your face. When was the last time you ate a full meal? You couldn't honestly remember, not that it mattered. Paling slightly, the muscles on your abdomen were still quite defined, but so were your bones… Which made the scars along your body more evident, never pleasant. Shrugging on a deep blue button up shirt you made haste to cover the wounds, pulling gray pants on and tucking in your shirt you grabbed a bagel and turned on a pot of coffee on your small counter. As you nibbled on the plain bagel you sat back at your desk and began writing again. The document you were working on was only half completed, and the deadline for submissions was coming up fast and furious. After all, any protests against laws needed to be presented quickly and most of New York was in chaos, the last president of the states was no better than a figure head, then again it'd been like that for nearly a century now. If leaders do not know how to lead the hands that aim to help get lost. Sighing you muttered aloud "For a country to stand divided it will fall, if we were to unite again we would be able to advance so easily…"
The beep of your coffee pot drew a smile to your face, taking the last bite of your bagel and signing the document you pushed back getting to your feet. Done. It only took a few hours to think up the concept for that draft. Unfortunately as you got up a pile of untidy papers toppled to the floor. Cursing you bent down scooping them up and reorganizing them placing them on your chair to remind yourself to handle them with more care when you returned. You crossed to the counter, the benefit of your studio was everything was plain, simple, and easy to access; not to mention cheap. Which couldn't be said for most of the places near by, this apartment was cheap because it was so poorly kept no one would buy it so desperately they let it go for about six hundred all inclusive. Part of that was your negotiating nature, you learned that utilities were tied into the main building so you would be paying others bills as well, so you haggled the cost. Some months they charge an extra hundred, but that wasn't impossible to handle. After all, saving was one of your biggest goals, considering the arse at Princeton, you changed tact for a bit. If you had the money to 'bribe' the financials department they'd agree, it was a clear mockery, but you'd risen to the challenge. If you brought back six thousand dollars in three months they'd give you a 'trial run' if you had the ability to do so then you'd be allowed into a test accelerated course.
What they meant by that was if you could bring the funds, they would give you the materials for the major you selected. You would have one instructor, and a month or two to power through all the materials. They were insinuating you would be unable to do it, and treated you like a fool. You came close to punching the guy, but settled for breaking his chair, and after getting that in writing with a witness you left and headed straight to New York. The train ticket was manageable, you'd saved enough to travel here. As soon as you got off the train you started your hunt for an apartment, one suitcase and a backpack was all you had with you. It had taken about five hours to search utilizing the library's computers, and after finding the list of shabby apartments you made a call to the owners and found this apartment after negotiating you agreed to meet him at the Quilzen Coffee shop that was about a block from the apartment building in an hour. It was about a half hour walk, now normally that would be fine. However despite the suitcase having wheels and your backpack containing only paper, notebooks and writing supplies it was over ninety degrees in the middle of the afternoon. Even the stubble of a beard you were trying to grow was filled with sweat. Sighing you went back to the computer, you had about five minutes until the monitor came and kicked you off. Quickly typing you pulled up the bus schedules and subway routes. Finding your route you quickly jotted it down, barely finishing when you heard the telltale jingle of the keys behind you. Shutting the tabs and locking the computer you handed the slip with the password to the monitor and collected your things. After jumping from train to bus and another bus you arrived, tattered and tired there wasn't this much transportation on the islands. It was still exhausting, it felt far too warm for a day in June.
Pouring your coffee you sighed in happiness, the smell of fresh french bean coffee was glorious as ever. Sipping the brew you felt the lingering heaviness leaving your body. You downed the cup of coffee, then pulled out a thromas, filling it to the top with the fresh coffee and poured the remainder into your glass. Pulling out a container of vitamins you dumped two into your hand and popped them in your mouth swallowing them with the last of the coffee. Unplugging the coffee pot and setting the cup in the sink you made for the door. Grabbing your keys and your bag you pushed the thermos into the pouch and headed out, locking your six locks behind you.
He headed into Crox, the mainland version of the office he'd helped out in back in the Virgin Islands. Clocking in exactly at Seven he sat at his desk and began working through all the documents left for him, the others weren't in yet, but he could hear noise from Hugh's office assuming Mister Mulligan was in you booted up the computer quickly entering the password and launching the software to input the data and record the digital data on the physical copies. You had introduced the system to them, as you don't solely want to rely on such an easily compromised form of storage like a computer. Having physical copies is always reassuring especially in a power out or emergency. You tensed up hearing an unfamiliar voice behind you "Oh… You must be Alexander. My brother mentioned you, and said you probably didn't know he wasn't coming in today, he said you can work like normal if you wanted or take the day off, paid of course. I'm Hercules Mulligan by the way." It was a deep voice, sounded very different from Hugh who was more authoritative and less playful sounding you turned in your seat "Good morning sir, no I didn't realize that, normally no one else is here when I arrive so I didn't think a thing of it. And yes sir, I am Alexander Hamilton."
Your eyes widened in surprise, this isn't exactly what you expected, his brother looks quite different although you can see the family resemblance in their face. Hercules was toned, and very well built to the point you might think him heavyset if you didn't realize it was muscle. It was very rare for someone to render you speechless, but the cat stole your tongue. Hercules probably thinking you were flustered over a different reason chuckled in a deep way, dang even his laugh was unexpectedly appealing very gruff. He smiled "Your choice Hamilton, will you stay here at work or take the day off?" Blinking you came back to your senses, rubbing the back of your neck that was a fair question, he didn't exactly want to tell the younger brother he wanted to get as much work done as he could as he might be visiting Jersey for a few months… Frowning his silence was noticed and met with another chuckle "Ya know my brother said you're usually flying off the handle and usually need to get wound back or you'll talk for hours. Seems you're not in your best condition. Hang tight I'll call my brother, see what he says" Before you had the chance to answer he disappeared into the back room, you sighed and ran a hand through your hair lightly tugging on the ponytail using the tinge of pain to ground you. "Really this was not how I saw today going…" For now you turned to the computer working as fast as your hands could go before hunk- Hercules got back from the other room. Idle thoughts wondered how old he was it was hard to say if it would be legal to take interest in him. Shaking the thought away you realized your face was likely flushed by this point in embarrassment at the train of thoughts plaguing you.
The muffled conversation from the back was rather short, you heard laughter, aggravation and defeat. You got through a quarter of the pile before he came back which clearly had Hercules by surprise because he watched for a minute seeing how quickly you worked. When you put the finished document in the tray a strong hand rested on your shoulder making you jump slightly. Leaning back your dark eyes met his and your face warmed again swallowing you smiled somewhat sheepishly "Yes sir?"
"Hugh has invited you to our place, with you not feeling well it's a poor idea to leave you alone. Once you're ready we can pick up anything you need, and I'll give you a lift." Blinking more "Sir…? I'm alright really... " Shaking his head Hercules shook his head "Bro said you might say that and said that we were going to offer you a room at our place anyway, so you can see how you feel about it. It'll be bigger than your studio. Anyway I'll be waiting for you so let me know."