Eclipse - Book One: Darkness Falling
by M. Bumbarger
Chapter Three : Centre
The Centre had it all. The entire upper levels of the place were built and designed to accommodate every need of those who worked there. Right now, Adam sat across from his father in a large open-air restaurant, counting the minutes until this slow and painful torture had passed. Although, this time, Adam couldn't really complain. This lunch gathering hadn't been nearly as painful as some others. But that probably had more to do with the fact that his father spent nearly every other minute on the telephone and ignoring Adam. Which suited Adam perfectly well.
He pushed the overcooked vegetables around on his plate and allowed his eyes to wander across the restaurant. Funny how these doctors and psychologists and scientists could work here every day, and yet not a single psi was seen in the restaurant. This restaurant was so prestigious that the psi's weren't even allowed to work here. Talk about your double standards.
Adam was glad for the lack of conversation for another reason. He was still reeling from his run in with Lucy. How many times had he come here and managed to avoid her? How many times had he gone intentionally out of his way to avoid her? There was nothing left between them, all words had been said and all tears had been shed. She hadn't even waited for him to get home from the lab before moving her clothes out of their shared flat. But maybe it had been better that way; their last few weeks together were so volatile, the less contact they had shared the better off they both were.
He realized now that it wasn't that he was still in love with her but that he *had* been in love with her. Once, he had thought that he knew her better than anyone else on the planet. Once, she had shared his ideas and his convictions. Or so he had thought. He hadn't realized how easily money and prestige could sway her, or how easily power could corrupt and change her lofty ideals. It made him feel greatly disappointed in her . . . and in himself for not being able to see the true self that she hid.
"So, Adam, how are classes this semester?"
His father's voice pulled Adam from his thoughts and he looked up at the man across from him. The physical similarities always bothered him. He didn't want to look like this man, not even the slightest bit but there was nothing that he could do about it. Physically, he was his father's son and staring across the table was like staring at himself in the future. It made him want to be sick.
"Good," Adam answered by rote. "They're going well. I'm teaching two classes and one honors class."
"Only three classes? Are you having trouble with the physics department?"
"No, Father, I only want to teach three classes. I wanted some time this semester to work with Professor Cage and Dr. Emmerling on some their theoreticals. And I wanted some time to work on my own."
"Adam," Dr. Neiman leaned across the table, feigning concern as only he could. "I admire your convictions, truly I do. But with your skills, with that mind of yours, you could be doing so much more. You think that little facility you have is something? You should see the facilities we have here at The Centre. Adam –"
Adam rolled his eyes in disgust. It always came back to this. His father trying to convince him to work at The Centre, to abandon the one thing that gave him any happiness and satisfaction and become a government drone. Not just any government drone, but a drone doing things and following principles that he did not believe in.
"We've been over this, Dad," Adam cut him off abruptly. "Those are your goals. Not mine. I'm happy teaching. I want to teach. That's why I became a teacher."
"Teaching? What good is it doing you? Your students, not one of them has your genius or your potential. You are wasting your time at The University when you could be doing so much more."
"Like what? Harvesting *slaves*?"
Dr. Neiman's eyes darkened and narrowed dangerously, and Adam knew that he tread upon very thin ice. "You mind your words, Adam Marcus. Psi Corporation is the strongest, most profitable and most powerful corporation in the Unified Alliance. It is the reason that you have all the things that you have, that you had growing up. It fed you, it clothed you, and it owns you whether you work here or not. Don't ever forget that."
"Where do I sign up?" Adam asked darkly. Standing he threw his napkin on the table and shook his head in undisguised disgust. "I'll talk to you later, Dad. I have some appointments to keep."
He left, ignoring the angry shouts of his father behind him, ignoring the questioning and scandalous looks he was given as he stormed out of the restaurant. Adam walked briskly, clenching his fists at his sides, hoping and praying that no one and nothing got in his way before he calmed himself. He didn't want to take his anger with his father out on an innocent passerby.
No, the inside wall of the elevator sufficed just fine. He pounded the wall once, twice, three times and kicked it for good measure once the elevator doors closed behind him. Angry tears stinging his eyes, he took a few deep breaths and acknowledged that abusing the elevator really hadn't made him feel any better.
He hated that man. He knew that he should feel some twinge of guilt for thinking that way, but he didn't. He hated his father. He hated that man who didn't know him and didn't want to get to know him; who took every opportunity he could to tell Adam that not only was he a failure, but why he was a failure. All because he didn't agree with Dr. Neiman's views and never had.
Adam knew now why he had avoided this lunch date. He now recalled why he made the excuses and avoided the telephone calls. And this time it had only taken thirty minutes of agony for him to recall it. Thirty minutes, an undercooked lunch and some very bruised knuckles.
Stepping out of the elevator on the ground level, Adam looked down at his knuckles and rubbed them gently. At least they weren't bleeding. They would definitely be bruised, he would have to see about bandaging them when he returned to the lab. And he would have to brace himself for another lecture from Sue Lee about learning to control his temper. Maybe he wouldn't bandage them after all. He wasn't quite in the mood for more of Sue Lee's lectures and mother-henning.
But he needed to do something to diffuse the still burning anger inside of him. Maybe he and Red could head over to the gym and hit the mats. Failing that, he could always exhaust himself with a few laps around the pool –
So completely focused on his own thoughts, he didn't notice the obstacle in his path until he walked right into it. An armload of books tumbled to the ground among simultaneous exclamations of, "Ow!"
Despite his anger, he forced his politeness and manners to the fore. "I'm sorry."
"No, it's my fault. I'm sorry."
Rubbing his chin, Adam stared down at the head of dark curls and sighed. If they kept apologizing to one another, it was going to be very long day. He knelt down beside her, helping her gather the books. "Here, let me at least help you."
"No, you don't have to. It was my fault. It's quite fine, really." She reached for the scattered books, carefully keeping her distance from him.
"Four hands make for faster . . . " Adam paused as their hands reached for the same book and his eyes fell on the thin metallic black band on her slender wrist. "Work."
She caught his pause, how could she not given what she was and immediately her hand drew back. She apologized again, gathering up the last of the books, before standing and speaking to him slowly and with that submissive tone that reminded him of just how far the levels of distinction were drawn by Psi Control. "Really, I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Might I have that back?"
Her head rose slowly, dark eyes slowly rising to focus on him and for what could have been an eternity or only a few moments, there was nothing else save for those dark pools that drowned him. Her skin was a radiant nut brown, ebony curls brushing her shoulders and framing her oval face while small white teeth bit on her full lower lip as she stood there, clearly poised on the edge of flight.
God, but she was beautiful.
"Please? My book, sir?" The sound of her voice, made him realize that he was still standing there, staring at her like he had never a woman or a psi before and Adam immediately felt himself flush hotly . . . something he hadn't done in quite a while.
Releasing the breath he hadn't realized he was holding until that moment, Adam extended the book to her after taking a quick glance at the title. "Byron. Poetry."
"Yes," she took the book and tucked it into her arms. "I'm sorry again—"
"Don't," Adam held up a hand to forestall her. "I bumped into you. It was completely my fault."
He didn't miss or mistake the ripple of surprise that played across her face at his words. Of course, in this place she wasn't used to being treated like a real person, with real feelings. She wasn't used to being given respect.
Not quite knowing how else to respond, she simply nodded. "I have to go now." She skirted around him, hurrying away from the public gardens towards the safety of the inner living area of The Centre.
"Wait," Adam turned and followed her, quickly insinuating himself in her path. Later he would wonder what insanity possessed him, but at that moment he didn't really care. He wasn't really doing anything wrong. The gardens were open to everyone – it wasn't as if he was talking to her within the inner walls of The Centre. "Who are you?"
A pause, and then with resignation, "Beta two zero one seven."
It took Adam a moment to realize that she was giving him her Psi Control designation.
"No," he shook his head, "I meant, what's your name?"
Another pause, and for a moment, he thought that she wouldn't answer. Then, quietly, "Amelie."
"Amelie," Adam repeated. "That's a beautiful name."
"Thank you."
"Well, Amelie, I'm Adam." He extended his hand again, this time in introduction, giving her what he hoped was the most open and friendly smile that he could. "It's nice to meet you."
Disbelief flickered across her features as her eyes darted from his outstretched hand to his face and back again. Then, very slowly, as if she was afraid that he would bite her or sting her, her hand rose and clasped his. "It's nice to meet you too."
Her hand was warm and soft. Like her eyes and her voice. Adam felt his smile widen. "You know, I don't bite."
She almost smiled back. Almost. Suddenly she seemed to recall that they were breaking every rule of social etiquette even if they weren't breaking any laws. She jerked her hand back stiffly, bristling like a threatened animal. "I have to go."
And then she was gone, running her identification bracelet over the door and disappearing into the heart of The Centre.
***