"Okay, we're closed and everyone else is gone," Bella announced that evening as she walked into the office. "How far did you get?"
Felix let out a sigh of relief and handed her a fistful of printouts. "I am now – on paper, at least – a fully-functioning American citizen. No one will ever know the whole thing is one huge lie." Their wild, wonderful, and flagrant misuse of the desk earlier in the day had given him just the boost he had needed, and he had returned to the monumental task of fabricating an entire life history out of thin air with renewed vigor, purpose, and efficiency.
Bella rifled through the papers and let out a low whistle. "A transcript from elementary school? Damn, you're good." She delved deeper into the pile. "Degrees in computer science and physics from huge schools where it would be easy to be forgotten, with grades that were good but not outstanding enough to be memorable. Excellent!"
"I still have to go to the RMV to get a replacement for my 'stolen' driver's license, and wait for my 'replacement' Social Security card, along with certified copies of my birth certificate, my parents' birth and death certificates, to come in the mail, and then I'll be ready to open my own startup."
"What kind of company are you planning to start?" Bella asked.
"One that does 'research' into viable means of space travel," Felix announced proudly. "I'm going to figure out how to build an FTL drive. I don't like the idea of being stuck on one planet. Once I've drawn up the plans – I studied FTL technology at my real college – I just have to figure out how to fabricate it out of local materials. Then we can go anywhere we want!"
He stood up, and they wrapped their arms around each other. "I would love to explore space with you," Bella whispered into his ear. "We'll find our own private planet. You'll be its king, and I'll be its queen, and no one will ever frak with us again."
"Sounds good to me," Felix agreed. He kissed her, and she kissed him back. When their lips parted, he continued to hold her close, and looked into her eyes. "Let's get started."
"I'm with you every step of the way," she whispered. And she pressed her lips against his.
THE END