Acheron Chapter 4 – Stalker
A/n- Just so everyone is aware this story takes place in the year 2179, Hadley's Hope has been up and running for almost 20 years with no issues thus far.
The day started as planned, Kevin was up and out the door to start his work day by five in the morning, meeting up with Nat and Big Ed for an early breakfast at the bar and grill so Edd could have the extra sleep. Edd woke up an hour later after his husband had left, to get ready and be off to work by seven so he could make his meeting with Major Hadley that morning. It was all very technical, filled with scientific lingo that the Major had trouble following at some points and at one moment almost put the man to sleep, blaming the hour more than the presentation he trudged through it and put his stamp of approval upon the project. Not like Major Hadley could scrap his project anyways, the company had already given it the green light not to mention the amount of money they had already put into it, this meeting was more of a formality than anything else, allowing the man to feel important and in control of his little corner of the universe.
Leaving the meeting with further reassurances that he would have the full support of the Major and all the resources that was at his disposal. Edd enters his lab across the hall from the operations center to direct his team as they organized the space they would be occupying for the foreseeable future. The day was mainly spent unpacking equipment, arranging it neatly within the cramped space so there was freedom of movement along with accessibility. Sending his people to lunch around one, he stayed in his office to review the inventory manifest while he ate his meal, occasionally looking out the window only to see the usual wind storm blowing up dust and debris into the air. Half way through his plate of food he hears the outer door to the lab open and close and someone walk into his personal office and stop at the door. "Charlotte, I'm going to need you and Mitchell to go down to Module B and visually check our inventory," Edd calls out to the individual at the door.
Turning in his chair he looks the direction of the door since the person there had not moved yet or acknowledged what he had said, but Charlotte was not standing in the doorway. Instead of his assistant stood another woman, roughly around five foot nine to six feet in height with wavy brown hair and dirt of her face, her uniform was that of the maintenance crew which would explain her disheveled appearance. Placing his tablet upon his desk his expression turns to one of curiosity, "Is there something I can help you with Ms.?"
"Reeves," She leans against the doorframe and looks at Edd intently as though she was taking his measure.
"Did Kevin send you here for something?" Maybe his husband needed some information on the resources he would need to commit to the project, so he could plan accordingly, but if that was the case why didn't he just call, Edd could have easily sent him a digital copy.
"No, Kev didn't send me," she casually takes a step into the room and Edd could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, "Just came down to welcome you to town."
Standing Edd motions toward the door, "That's nice Ms. Reeves but if we could possibly do this some…."
She cuts him off and steps between him and the door, "Kev's a really good guy, don't you think?"
Something about her set him on edge, it wasn't her stance or posture they both seemed casual enough to him, he could even over look her rude nature. If he had to explain it he would say it was the aura that surrounded her, it seemed to breathe ill intent aimed in his direction, "Yes my husband…"
She cut him off again, "You know we are all like family out here, looking after one another," she walks over to his desk and runs her finger along the edge of its glass top. "For if we don't, who will right, the people on earth? It would take them almost a year to get out here, so how can they, I mean by the time they get here a lot could have changed." She begins to play with a snow globe that Kevin had gotten him, "A child could be born in that time, a marriage ruined, lives altered permanently, love lost and gained, with just a simple tip of the scales." She places the globe back down on the edge of the desk and it falls to the floor and shatters, "Ops."
Edd flinched as the globe made impact with the ground, she didn't scare him just unnerved him as though his primal side was telling him to be careful of her. "Well, Ms. Reeves it has been a pleasure making your acquaintance, but I am very busy here as you can imagine and must be getting back to work," the door in the outer room opens and Charlotte returns from her lunch, "Maybe we can do this some other time."
She walks out of the office slowly and toward the exit, "Yeah, let's do that."
Once the door closes behind her Edd walks over to the edge of his desk and begins to clean up the mess that had been his birthday present, "Charlotte."
The short middle aged lady walks into the office stopping at the door, "Yes Mr. Vincent-Barr?" Seeing what the man was cleaning up she comes over and begins to assist him, "What a shame, it was such a lovely piece."
"Yes a shame," dumping the remains of the antique into the trash he stands, "Charlotte can you discreetly get me the information on a Ms. Reeves please?"
"Yes sir, but may I ask why?"
"Just acquainting myself with our neighbors, nothing to important really but please do it as quickly as possible." His assistant didn't ask any more questions on the subject and did what was requested of her, and within the hour she sent the information to his tablet for review. Looking over the file Edd saw nothing of note on the lady that made his nerves tingle, Ms Bethany Reeves age nineteen Caucasian female height five eleven hair brown eyes brown, no criminal record, nor was she very academically noteworthy. She was born and raised on Acheron and had lived here all her life, her parents were one of the original colonist that had built this place, and it seems trained her to work here as well, being certified for the maintenance team threw online schooling and testing. But when her parents decided to move back to earth a few years back she had chosen to stay, it was her home after all. So her statement earlier about everyone here being family was more likely the way she truly felt, and to her Edd was an outsider encroaching on that, and like a jealous child she was lashing out. But something in his gut told him there was more to it than that, then all her attempted subtle remarks made since, "Oh how cute, she has a crush on Kevin."
Edd had no fear of Kevin cheating on him what so ever, they have been in a relationship for seven years now and not once has he ever shown any interest in another person, even when they practically threw themselves at him. As a matter of fact at the beginning he had to stop Edd from cutting a bitch or two for blatantly flirting with Kevin in front of him, to which the red head had thought Edd's jealousy was adorable at the time. But now he knew that all he had to do was wait her out, that all her attempts were a futile effort that will never come to fruition. Brushing this whole thing off as a misguided youthful crush Edd closes the file on her both figuratively and literally and returns to his work finishing his day some five hours later. Bidding farewell to his team he leaves his offices and begins his walk home, passing the Major and another officer in the hall as they were admonishing a few kids for playing in the office area. He felt sorry for the kids for there was probably so little in the way of space to be a kid in this colony, but at the same time he could understand the men's concern for a maintenance crew was welding only a few feet away from them, Ms. Reeves and a taller man were doing the repair work.
Arriving home he is welcomed by Kipper jumping up to greet him and the smell of baking lasagna and garlic bread coming from the kitchen. Sitting the few things he brought home from work down on the coffee table he walks into the kitchen to set the table, receiving a kiss on the cheek as he opened the cabinet, "Welcome home babe."
The stubble of Kevin's five o'clock shadow felt rough against his skin, "Hey there handsome."
"How was work?"
"You know, just getting everything set up right now so we haven't gotten to the fun stuff yet, all in all it was pretty mundane today."
"I'm sorry to hear that," the timer goes off and Kevin pulls their meal from the oven, "I'm sure you'll have a lot more fun once you start playing with your toys."
"Yes I'm sure I will," the rest of the evening was enjoyable, Kevin went into great detail on some of the shenanigans his new friends got into this day, both Nat and Big Ed, as they called him, seemed to be quit the pair. Edd made a personal note to himself to go meet Kevin's crew of misfits the next chance he got, for he would be working alongside them shortly and needed to pick a few good people to assist his team. Dinner finished and their mess cleaned up they spent the remainder of their evening cuddled up on the couch watching a movie until it was time for bed. Falling asleep with Kevin's head on his chest and Kipper resting at his feet, these tiny quarters on this tiny plant was slowly starting to truly feel like home to Eddward, and that's all he really needed.
Kevin and Edd were awoken a few hours later by a video call, rolling over and hitting the button on the screen Nat's face appeared, "Hello," Kevin groggily greeted him.
"Hey boss sorry to waking you," Nat was trying to keep his voice down so he didn't wake up Edd, "But we got an order to go out on a search and rescue, apparently the Jorden family needs some help."
Kevin wiped the sleep from his eyes and sits up, "Did they specify what the problem is?"
"Not really just an injury of some kind."
"Alright I'll be right down," he stretches, "Go ahead and sign out an ATV and I'll meet you in the garage." Ending the call he leans over and kisses Edd on the cheek, "I got to go babe."
"Be safe," Edd replied sleepily and fell back to sleep meer moments after feeling Kevin's weight leave the bed.
