Chapter 10
Isaac and Ellie spent the next few hours in the downtown district. The flightport was located directly next to the main concourse, so their plan was to stop for lunch, pick up Ellie's ticket, and then figure out what else to do with themselves until it was time for her to leave. For what little he had left with her, Isaac was eager to be out of the apartment and on his feet, surrounded by things to distract him from her impending departure.
This time around, Ellie noticed that ostensibly, Isaac didn't appear to be as shell-shocked as he had the night before. He didn't shy away from the crowds as much, and he wasn't constantly looking over his shoulder as they walked. It certainly seemed to be a positive indication that he was acclimating to normal life again.
"Well, you seem to be in a much better mood, now. That's good."
She smiled warmly at him, and he smiled back. However, little did she know that Isaac wasn't feeling better at all; he was simply too terrified by the prospect of losing his friend to care about being discovered for the time being. Still, he did a convincing job of showing her otherwise, by keeping his emotions at bay and putting on a lighthearted front.
"You know, just taking it one day at a time. I'll be alright."
They eventually stopped for a very late lunch that neither one really had the appetite for. They kept the chat light as a means to pass the time, and after they finished they worked their way slowly toward the flightport. Ellie approached one of the self-service ticket kiosks outside, and Isaac stood back several feet as she scanned the flight schedules, selected one of the early evening flights and purchased a ticket. He kept his eyes on the ground as she completed the transaction, childishly hoping in the back of his mind that there wouldn't be any available flights to carry her off, but to his dismay she came back with a ticket in her hand.
"Alright, got that taken care of."
Isaac's eyes drifted up to meet hers, trying not to look defeated.
"What time's your flight?"
"0700."
He nodded, then looked down again.
"Well, we've still got a couple hours."
They walked slowly around the concourse loop, carrying on menial conversation with each other as they passed the various shops and restaurants. Though she also sought to conceal her true feelings, Ellie was just as desperate to prolong the inevitable as he was.
"Oh, hey - you know, we should take a picture before I go."
Isaac sideglanced her, trying not to roll his eyes.
"What? Why?"
"Come on. It'll be nice to have something to be remembered by. Unless you don't want to remember me."
Again he looked at her, then sighed.
"Of course I do. Alright, let's take a damn picture."
Delighted to win his consent, Ellie started looking around for a decent backdrop. They were standing on a pedestrian walkway bridge within a massive, cylindrical glass enclosure that boasted a wide open view of outer space all around, and the entire area was flooded with tangent peach hues of light tossed about by the sun's rays coming from the west.
"C'mon, over here."
Isaac followed her toward the edge of the walkway bridge, and he leaned against the railing as she prepped the camera on her RIG then stepped up next to him. She raised her arm and held the capture device on her sleeve out in front of them, and Isaac held a quiet, reserved pose with a strained smile as he looked into the camera's iris. Ellie followed suit, but couldn't resist touching her head to his shoulder in a subliminal attempt to memorialize her adoration for him just as the camera snapped.
"Ok - let's see."
She waited a moment then checked the image on the screen, and when she saw it she beamed with joy.
"Perfect."
She held her RIG up for Isaac to see, and right away he noticed how beautiful her image was, how happy she appeared to be with her head gently sloped against his and a warm, inviting smile on her face. However, all he saw in his own visage was the deep, irreconcilable sadness he ultimately felt knowing that this picture would be the last he would ever see of her. She looked into his eyes with a tender smile, and she lowered her arm.
"Here, I'll send you a copy of it."
With a few quick motions across her RIG Ellie messaged it to him, and he smiled in confirmation he had received it.
"Thanks."
As the time for Ellie's flight closed in, they both began a reluctant return to the flightport. When they entered the main terminal, Ellie wasted no time examining the overhead itinerary boards to figure out where her flight would be boarding. Again Isaac stood back, keeping quiet and out of her business until she turned back around to him.
"Gate 16."
She started off down the walkway toward the security checkpoint and Isaac followed, watching her from behind with saddened eyes as she led the way. He carried her bag while they traversed the terminal, as he was anxious to do anything he could for her knowing he would not be allowed past the checkpoint. His heart ached as they approached the first set of stanchions that marked the start of the line.
"Well, looks like it's just you from here on out."
Ellie turned around and looked at him, feeling her chest tighten, and she drew a slow breath.
"Uh huh. Now it's time for you to have some space, and for me to get back to my thing."
"Yep."
Ellie smiled and patted his arm.
"Now, let's see... I should be settled in a day or two, so if you're bored, gimme me a call. You told me not to call you, so..."
Isaac just stared at her, able to express the agony he felt inside only through an odd, out of place simper. It shook her confidence, reminding her of how adamant he had been about severing any connections that might put her at risk.
"You will keep in touch... Right, Isaac?"
Knowing that in all probability he would never speak to her ever again, he was hesitant to look into her eyes.
"Of course I will."
His tone wasn't very reassuring, and Ellie's expression slowly fell until he briefly feared she might cry. But she shook it off.
"Oh - and don't forget to get in touch with Alan. Seriously. I told him you're looking for work, and he's got some things lined up for you. He could use the help."
Isaac nodded.
"Yeah. Yeah, I will. Thanks for that, by the way."
Not knowing what else to say, Ellie just looked into his eyes with an awkward smile, and they shared in a moment of uncomfortable silence. Finally, Isaac initiated the sendoff by offering her his hand.
"You take care now, Ellie Langford. Thank you. For everything."
She looked down at his hand with a smirk.
"A handshake? Seriously?"
Her face spread into a fragile smile, then she opened her arms and embraced him.
"No, thank you."
She caught Isaac completely off guard and his first reaction was to avoid touching her, but he eventually found it in him to return a reluctant hug - one that inevitably evolved into a firm, heartfelt embrace. The longer he held her the less he wanted to let her go, a fear he knew all too well as the voices inside his head were gathering in anticipation of her departure. He could see the demons' monstrous forms manifesting from the shadows, ready to descend upon him like vultures, to taunt him, jeer at him, lying in wait for the exact moment he would be alone so they could tear him to pieces.
"... Ok, then."
Anxious to get it over with he broke their embrace first and stepped back, somewhat coldly, and offered no further response than to hand her her bag. Coming to realize that their short-lived hug would prove to be all she was going to get out of him, she took the bag from his hand.
"It's been a real blast, Isaac. You take care of yourself, yeah?"
He pulled his hands behind his back, afraid they might suddenly take on a mind of their own and reach for her again.
"Yeah. Go live a beautiful life. See ya around."
"You betcha."
Ellie glanced over her shoulder at the flight itinerary board one more time. Making a quick assessment of her gate number she turned around, squeezing away burgeoning tears she fought to hide, and started down the line toward the security checkpoint. Isaac watched her with hard, unblinking eyes, and just before she reached the checkpoint she turned back around. They met eye contact, and she waved at him one last time before disappearing through the gate. When he finally lost track of her, the forced smile he had barely been holding on to vanished from his face.
"... Bye."
Now that he was all alone, Isaac had no idea what to do with himself. He felt permanently broken; it had been so long since he had lived a normal life without being trapped under the hawkish eyes of his captors, and without Ellie's company the prospect of returning to a normal routine seemed so alien and out of reach for him. His eyes fell despondently to the floor in search of anything that might give him guidance on what to do next, but after finding nothing to go on he finally shoved his hands into his pockets and headed toward the exit at the opposite end of the flight terminal.
When he stepped back out onto the open concourse, everything - from the buildings to the mezzanines, from the bustling crowd to the plethora of lights, even the sun - appeared gray, dim, lifeless.
Without his friend, none of it seemed to matter anymore.
Ellie made her way through security and arrived at her gate, but she and the other passengers were made to wait due to some minor technical delays that pushed the flight's departure time back. She glared at the announcement kiosk with a hint of annoyance, then began to pace the floor anxiously, trying not to think about Isaac while the seconds dragged by. She tried to turn her thoughts to the new journey that lie ahead of her, and to where she would be stationed on Ceres, a cold, lonely satellite floating along the outskirts of Neptune's azure brilliance.
She had come so far. They had come all this way, together. But for what?
She began to question the choices which had led her to this moment, and how she could have let Isaac ultimately convince her to leave. Of course she appreciated from where he was coming, and she had to trust that he was strong, smart and capable enough to handle whatever challenges he had to face on his own. Still, considering all of the terrible things she had seen, how the Marker had affected him, and knowing that it had dramatically changed his life forever, she couldn't help but feel that his struggle to survive would be a losing proposition.
Would this be the last time she ever saw him? Would she come back some day to find he had been captured? Committed? Or worse, dead? Could she live with that, knowing that she could have, perhaps, made a difference?
She drew a deep, shaking breath and glanced at her RIG, surprised to realize that nearly thirty minutes had passed while she had been lost in deliberation. She then looked back toward the gate to find that they had already resumed boarding at some point, and the other passengers were heading up the ramp. Feeling a lump forming in her throat as she watched them walk one by one through the boarding gate, Ellie looked down at the ticket in her hand.
NON REFUNDABLE - NON TRANSFERABLE
With a budding sense of resolve, Ellie walked up to a nearby trash receptacle and tossed the ticket inside.
Everything happens for a reason. It was time that she made a difference.
Ellie felt a tremendous weight lifted from her conscience while she watched the stub slip to the bottom of the basket. Then, eager to go find Isaac, she threw her bag over her shoulder and immediately headed for the terminal exit. Once she was outside, she scanned the crowded nearby establishments. She saw so many people, but no sign of Isaac.
It had been a half hour, at least. He could be anywhere by now.
She kept vigilant as she passed through the concourse, hoping she might run into him along the way, but the crowd was too thick. After searching around for about twenty minutes or so to no avail, she began to feel less optimistic, and ultimately figured she might as well go back to the apartment to wait for him.
He'd have to show up there eventually, so...
Out of the corner of her eye she saw a small, unoccupied outdoor seating area, concealed within an atrium between two buildings and out of range of the crowded concourse. She stopped and looked closer, seeing that all of the benches lining the area were empty - except for one. She could only see the back of his head, but instantly recognizing who it was she quietly slipped into the area and sneaked up behind the bench, being cautious not to give herself away.
With a steadfast gaze upon the dark expanse of space outside the glass walls, Isaac appeared to be oblivious to Ellie's presence even as she came right up to the bench and sat down on the opposite end of it. She sat next to him in silence for a few moments, back straight and anxiously waiting to see what he would say. When he didn't say anything, she turned her head toward the window and joined him in observation.
"... What happened?"
Suddenly hearing his voice, Ellie kept her eyes on the stars.
"Umm. Missed my flight."
Another moment of silence passed between them, and Ellie leaned back on the bench. She was startled by the warmth of Isaac's hand as he gently placed it atop hers, and when she glanced up, she saw that he was staring right at her.
"Christ, you're stubborn. Like every girl in my life."
She simpered, a little insecurely.
"Are you... surprised to see me?"
Isaac grinned to the side, then slowly nodded his head.
"...No."
Baffled, Ellie bent an eyebrow and shot her eyes back and forth.
"Soooo, I can stay, or what?"
He looked at her with a dark, tense expression that briefly instilled fear that he might still refuse her. Then, he leaned in and hugged her.
"Of course you can."
This time, his embrace was nothing like the reluctant attempt he had made earlier - it was strong, warm and filled with a sense of relief that instantaneously cleared any doubt in Ellie's mind as to how he really felt about her. The tears she had been holding back up to this point finally broke free and came forth, she buried her face against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. With a budding smile, he hugged her closer.
"Yeah. Fuck it. You can stay."
They shared in a peaceful quiet until something prompted him to pull back. She looked up at him as he gently wiped a couple tears from her cheeks. The smile on his face faded, weighed down once again by far more serious concerns.
"But, you have to listen to me, Ellie. If you're going to stay, then we have to get something absolutely clear right now."
Ellie straightened her back and stifled her sobbing.
"Yes... Yes, of course."
Isaac looked down, and not knowing where to begin, he stumbled at first.
"I've got some very...hmm. I mean... I really do appreciate that you..."
Becoming frustrated, Isaac grumbled and scratched the back of his head.
"Hmm... look... Ellie, I can't tell you where I'm headed, or make any guarantees about what's going to happen in the future... I've seen so many things I couldn't even have imagined before all of this. And I will never be the same that I was, because of it. You'll most likely never get to meet that person."
He released a slow, steady sigh.
"... I'm broken, Ellie. I know that doesn't have anything to do with you. But... if you choose to stay here, with me... then it's very important that you understand you may have to deal with some... crazy shit."
Ellie listened intently, putting two and two together.
"So... that's why you kept pushing me away. It is the Marker, isn't it? You don't want me to see..."
Isaac just stared shamefully at the ground.
"I don't know what to... I am so fucked up by all of this. I don't know which way is up, anymore."
His voice began to shiver and his eyes glossed over, spurring Ellie to wrap her hands about his.
"We'll get through this together."
He shook his head.
"I'm dangerous to everyone around me... I'm afraid those people are going to come after me. I'm afraid that these visions will never stop. And I am so afraid that if you stay, you're going to get hurt."
Ellie squeezed his hands in an attempt to reassure him.
"Listen to me. We'll find a way to fix you, I promise you that. And you can throw all the 'crazy shit' you like at me. I have a thing for it."
When even her attempt to joke failed to appease the heartbroken look upon his face, she patted his hand and chased down his evasive gaze until their eyes finally met.
"Hey. Trust me, love. We've got this. I've got you."
So moved he was by her gentle, angelic words of promise, Isaac could no longer resist the desire to kiss her. A tiny whimper escaped her throat as they connected, and when he pulled back, she looked at him in a daze.
"Wow. You're... you're a hard man to read."
He shrugged, and tossed his eyes.
"I'm sorry. I know I have a tendency to fluctuate... It's a Gemini thing."
She couldn't help but laugh as she wrapped her arm lovingly around his, overjoyed to watch as the emotional barrier wall he had erected between them finally came down. She took a moment to gently stroke his hand atop hers, unable to suppress a seductive, ever widening smile as they both turned to gaze upon the awe inspiring view of the universe in front of them.
"Well, now that's over with, what happens next?"