Malcolm went over all the things I would be required to do while being his assistant. It was mainly small jobs for now, but I didn't care. I loved being in an environment with all this technology surrounding me. In my spare time, I would have many chances to read through all the findings and reports about Terra Nova and the world I now live in.
After meeting Malcolm for about an hour, he decided to go home and catch up on some sleep. I told him that I wanted to stay and begin working on the organization. After he left, though, the other two workers decided to also dismiss themselves.
Now, I was left in a research laboratory with Eko. "They really want to leave you in a laboratory by yourself?" Eko's voice held a smirk.
I shrugged with a smile. "That means I can listen to my own music." Even though I wasn't wealthy or had a home in 2149, the organizations I worked for bought me a few things that I didn't necessarily want to leave behind. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my music device.
I plugged in the device and selected a random song. It was now time to begin.
.: :.
It was late by the time I returned to Taylor's house. I almost skipped the whole way home from my new life. It was truly going to be better.
Better job. Better living. Not to mention I won't always be on the run from the authorities.
I opened the door quietly and entered. The light in the kitchen was on and Commander Taylor sat at the dining table with a drink in his hand. His eyes landed on mine. I assumed he was going to be upset by how late it was, but his eyes showed a smile.
"I stopped by Kayla earlier today," he began as he took some of his drink, then sat it back down on the table. "She told me that you weren't allowed in the group. So that makes me wonder, where have you been all day?"
"Well, I'm sure she explained all the details correctly," I stated sarcastically, "So I went around Terra Nova and found a different job."
"By your expression, you seem rather happy with this one."
The smile escaped more onto my lips. "Yeah. It's more of my field anyway, I believe." My eyes fell away from his and picked a random object to look at. "Sorry it's rather late."
"It is pretty late." He stated.
"Well, I am an assistant to Malcolm in the Research Lab."
"I know." He smirked.
"You know?" I asked.
"Yeah. Malcolm came to me and asked what all I knew about you. I explained that you had a special code, and he appeared weary about that information."
I sighed inwardly. Maybe Kayla was right. "Seems that everyone is."
Taylor shrugged lightly and leaned across the table. "Malcolm isn't one to just hire then fire you. He hired you for a reason."
"Well, I hope that I meet his expectations." I leaned against the fridge and allowed my eyes to fall to the floor. "But… more than that, I hope that I meet your expectations, Commander Taylor. You're the whole reason I'm allowed to stay here."
I kept my eyes downcast. It's been a long time since I've been shown kindness from another human, and I didn't know how to act. It made me feel kind of weak to allow him to know the position he held over me, but with him being a leader, he should already know that.
He scooted his chair from the table and stood up. He took another drink and walked over to the sink. He rinsed it out, then he faced me. "Iris." He paused for a moment. I met his eyes.
"You strike me as a person who doesn't care about another's opinion about you. I have seen my side of hell, and you have obviously seen your side." He looked away from me as he leaned against the counter. "We survived that wretched place by our own will, not someone else's expectations."
"But here, it is not survival against each other. This is Terra Nova. It's a place for new beginnings… isn't it?"
"Only if people allow it, I suppose." He breathed in lightly, then out. "Do you know the process of the butterfly, Iris?"
"The butterfly? Um, yeah."
"The caterpillar swarms itself in a cocoon, dreaming of the day to be a butterfly; however, if a person comes along and helps the struggling butterfly escape its cocoon, it will not have the strength to fly."
"Yeah. I researched about the older days and butterflies. Why is this helpful?"
"You got to Terra Nova on your own will. You broke from your cocoon."
"So? If you're going to use that reference, then all these people are butterflies here in Terra Nova."
"No, I don't believe we all are."
"Commander Taylor-"
"They were unable to leave their old self behind. That's why they fear you, Iris.
"They fear me?" I laughed. "I'm only nineteen, what's so scary about me?"
"The fact that you were desperately escaping your old life. People here have had hard times forgetting 2149, but when you arrived, you were smiling."
"Why does that matter?"
"Because you're able to forget so easily. You're able to look ahead."
"I still don't see how this is helpful."
"They can see greatness in you."
"Greatness? What's so great about me? I was homeless before you took me into your home. Some of the most renowned people in 2149 want me under their surveillance. Enlighten me of how that is to conclude that I am great?"
He smiled. And that irked me the wrong way. "You're intelligent, so you found out things about them that they don't want leaked to the public. That's why you're ranked so high, am I right?"
I had no emotion. "Is that what you believe?"
"I believe you're not a criminal."
"Well that's a relief." I stated sarcastically. "Since you let me stay at your house."
He merely smiled in return. It wasn't a haughty smile, but a welcoming, warm smile. I haven't seen one of those in a long time. "I suppose so."
"Did, uh… Malcolm say anything else about me?"
"He is actually excited to have you working for him."
"Is he really? I don't see how he's all excited since I'm a Zero-Eight and the fact that he barely even knows me."
"Actually he knows of you quite well."
I chuckled. "How?"
"Do you know of a device called 'The Eye'?"
I looked down going through my memory. "Um, now. It doesn't sound familiar. Why?"
"It's a special program that is voice activated. It has all of history recorded into it, and it enables the people in Terra Nova to read up on what all is happening in 2149."
"And what does that have to do with me?" I have to admit that it sounded familiar.
"You were the one credited for it, Iris."
I laughed. "Are you joking? The only thing close to that I've created is a special computer chip that can understand human language. In that, you can talk to it, it understands and follows through with the request."
A smile crossed his face. "Exactly. You explain it so well."
I stood away from the fridge. "No, no, no." I began pacing in the kitchen. "I was told that they wanted no part in that device since a teenager made it. I was told that it was irrelevant to our world and a waste of time."
"Many people in Terra Nova appreciate it." He replied.
"H-how do you know it's me? Surely there are more Iris Fayes in 2149. Surely. I mean, how did… well, it just-" I didn't know how to finish my sentences.
He shrugged. "I just know."
"But… I destroyed my other copies of it. I kept one for myself to help me with my work when it came to it."
A smirk was ever so present on his lips. "Like I said, not everyone in Terra Nova was your enemy."
"Then why give me the credit? Why didn't the person take it for himself?"
He shrugged again. "There are people who like to credit the people who deserve it." With that, he walked to his room and closed his door.
