Two broken girls, one equally broken guy

by

neztro95

chapter 2: When Owen Meets Reagan

the wind was picking up, there was a storm coming. Dressed in a gaudy blue dress a lone scientist looks toward the distance where the helicopter carrying her future husband who was almost half her age, swiftly approached.

Reagan used a hand mirror to check herself out. She still hand those eye bags from a hard days work and she didn't have time to put on any make-up or perfume so she probably stunk.

The helicopter hovered overhead causing an uproar of wind that sent the garbage on the roof of the cognito inc. Building Flying.

Once the copter made it's descents the doors slide open to reveal two men in body armor with visors flanking a muscular man with a black bag over his head.

"Misses ridley, the package has arrived!" one of the men yelled, he was nearly drowned out by the helicopter's thrumming blades.

The scientist nodded her head and pointed to the open door leading into the building.

The security team leader pressed two fingers to his ears and began to talk. Reagan couldn't hear him over the loud helicopter. The men then grabbed the boys arms and rushed him inside.

Reagan rolled her eyes and began to mumble to herself. "stupid dad, stupid arranged marriage, stupid robot double."

The scientist followed the team as they rushed the boy downstairs and stomped lower until they reached the cell where the extraction teams place those whose memories are about to be erased. But today was going to be a 'first date' or at least that is what her father told her this would be… bastard.

They forced the boy into a chair and handcuffed him to the chair by his hands and legs.

Reagan looked him over. He was dressed in a black suit with dress shoes and a white undershirt. He must have either gotten back from the funeral or was picked up during it.

The scientist noted how calm the boy was. Usually people when they were brought here were panicking and fighting against their bonds. But he was quiet and holding still.

Reagan took the leader outside the room and closed the door.

"Tell me everything about the transport." She demanded looking at the boy through the one way mirror.

The security leader saluted reagan "Ma'am he was as calm as a cucumber. It is my belief that he doesn't understand how abduction works and thus hasn't been able to form a proper reaction."

Reagan nodded her head. "that will be all, thank you. Leave me so I can talk with him."

The soldier saluted once again and marched his team out of the bottom cells. Reagan took one last look at the poor kid calmly strapped to a chair… he should be terrified.

She looked at his arms which though they weren't made of bulging muscle they also weren't twigs. The little bit of skin that is shown looks toned and she could swear that there was something comforting by how calm he was.

Reagan inhaled sharply as she paced back and forth. "you can do this, he's just an eighteen year old man and you're a devoted department head who helps run the worlds biggest company."

Reagan stopped in front of the door, she took one last breath. "I can't do this, but I must… for orrin."

Like it or not, reagan owed orrin for abandoning him and she wouldn't leave his son to be harmed and controlled by her robot counterpart. Reagan opened the door and sat across from owen cartwright and reached to take his hood off.

She stopped mere inches from his face, her hand shaking… her breathing irregular.

What was going on? She thought, pulling her hand away like she was about to touch someone with a deadly plague. Why am I acting like this?

Why was she? He was just a young man. An adult kept imprisoned by his mother and mentally stunted… he was probably dumb too. Then why was reagan ridley, one of the smartest and most powerful people on the planet… scared.

No not scared, shocked, that's it… this was a big adjustment. She just had to give herself time. She took a second to even her breath then went to pull the hood off her 'husband'

when the black cloth came off it revealed a young man with short cut blonde hair which matched his fathers. His face looked like exactly like how reagan thought an adult orrin would look and she could feel the nervousness return when he looked her in the eyes.

She didn't know what to expect but what she didn't expect was the curious look in his eyes. It was so naive, so innocent… so trusting like a childs eyes.

"you have very pretty eyes." he said in a soft tone of voice which reminded her of her first meeting with orrin.

Reagan took in a sharp breath and began to have a coughing fit. This had completely taken her off guard… who introduces themselves like that.

"are you okay ma'am?" the boy had an innocent tone of voice as if they didn't just kidnap him.

Reagan fought to keep her composure. "yeah I'm fine… just peachy."

A goofy grin made it's way on the boys face. It had a child like energy to it. "that's good, I'm owen by the way, what's your name?"

Reagan's face twisted in bewilderment. Was he introducing himself like they were on a playdate… he was tied to chair, brought to a blacksite facility… and he's introducing himself with a smile on his face.

"R-Reagan, Reagan Ridley." Was all she could say to this strangely happy guy. He reminded her of brett when she first met him as a matter of fact though brett reactions were more grown-up and when you're less of a grown-up then brett then you know somethings wrong with you.

"do you know why you're here ?" Reagan needed to get her bearings and she was supposed to acquaint herself with this Man, child? Man-child, that works.

"No clue… are you a friend of my mommy's?" owen asked humming to himself as he scanned the dimly lit room. "you have a really nice basement, it isn't as cold as my basement."

the fact that he said that with a cheery tone made reagan's confusion worse.

"No I'm not your mother's friend… I'm a scientist in service to cognito inc." reagan began reaching into her pocket and pulling out a stress ball. This was surreal, no human could be this calm in a situtation like this let alone care free.

"oh, my mommy has some stocks from there. Do you know when she is going to pick me up?" he asked with his eyes never losing their child-like charm.

"uh, I don't know how to tell you this but she's not picking you up, ever." reagan tried to remain composed but she couldn't help but feel that her words came across as harsh.

"Ok!" a bigger grin appeared on the man's face and he seemed so excited. Did he hate his mother that much?

"you're taking this well, owen. Are you not a fan of your mother?" reagan didn't want to admit it but this kid's personality had peeked her interest and she wanted to know more.

"Mommy's fine."

"How can you be sure? If she was fine, wouldn't she come for you?" reagan then grasped the color of her dress. "I need a pen and clipboard."

What could reagan say, she was hooked… by the sheer absurdity of this one person in front of her.

"Mommy always said she'd sell me when she got tired of me."

The fact that he said that without one muscle on his face changing or even a subtle eye twitch… scared reagan.

"and that doesn't bother you?"

"Nope. Mommy said she'd be so much happier if she didn't have to take care of me. Now she is."

Reagan looked deep into the baby blue eyes and she saw a dead, obedient look, a look she recognized… someone completely and utterly devoid of any sense of self.

He was basically a puppy dog trained to make whoever owned him happy. She knew that they had a hundred ways to make someone like this. But a private citizen would have to spend a lot of time and money in order to get these results.

Reagan sighed, looks like she and this guy had more in common then she had thought.

"I guess I should tell you now. I am here to collect on a contract between your father and Mine."

"Oh did your daddy know my daddy… could he tell me about him."

Reagan resisted her first instinct to tell this poor man her opinions on rand ridley. "regrettably, and my father made a deal with your father."

"Okay, did daddy sell me to your daddy."

"Not exactly. Tell me, what do you know about marriage?"

"Well mommy said that marriage was the worst thing that ever happened to her… but I disagreed with her once then she got mad."

Every word out of this kids mouth made reagan feel something she thought that she could never feel. Something more then simple pity or sympathy… empathy for someone who also suffered under their parent.

"i'm sorry your mother felt that way. Because, you're father promised my father that you and I were to be married."

A frown came on Owen's face. The first time ridley had ever seen him have anything but some form of joy. His eyes began to harden and he bowed his head.

"Owen? What's wrong?"

"I'm going to hurt you… just like daddy did to mommy." he said in a saddened tone.

That was his reaction to finding out he was engaged to her. That reagan would get hurt… his first thought wasn't of his safety or desires but of hers.

"why would you hurt me?"

"Because that's what happens to a woman when she gets married to a man who isn't good enough for her… just like mommy said daddy did to her."

It hurt reagan to see him so ashamed of not being good enough for her.

"why do you think you're not good enough for me?" reagans noteboard and pen arrived when a drone entered the room. Reagan clicked the pen and began writing furiosly on the paper.

"Because you're smart, pretty, and you're the first woman who didn't make fun of me or try to harm me."

Reagan's pitter patter of dictation stopped upon hearing his praises. It made reagan think on her life and how she may not be good enough for him. He was kind and though he was simple he deserved happiness after all that happened to him.

"well, I'm not so great… I'm grumpy, bossy, and I'm too in love with my job." Reagan admitted and it felt good to admit to someone who didn't judge her.

"you can't be happy all the time, and some people need to be bossed around or nothing get done. As for being in love with your job, all that means is that you want to improve your life and station through merit and that Is admirable."

It was with that last sentence that reagan caught something in owen's eyes. A flicker of intelligence… actual genuine intelligence. He wasn't dumb in fact he was smarter then he gave himself credit for.

"Well, I'll make you a new deal. You and I will marry each other. Then if either of us feel like we are harming the other… then we'll call it off, deal?"

Reagan didn't know If she had the right to make that deal but screw it. This kid needed some hope and even though she still wasn't comfortable about this whole arranged marriage thing she knew that it had gained her something more then a husband.

It gave her someone who could listen to her problems and not be an inconsiderate asshole about it. It gained her a sympathethic ear, a sounding board for new ideas, and more importantly, the chance to do an old friend one last kindness… by protecting their son.