The Epilogue
Chapter I
Irene glided up the escalator and somberly got
off---without a word, without a gesture, without a blink or a breath. She examined the diluted reflection of
herself in the stainless steel wall, barely able to make out any image in the
cold surface. This is all he ever wanted, be grateful. Her vision started becoming illegible,
like an abstract oil painting. She
commanded herself to stop the tears, telling herself that she could cry
anytime. Now was important. I might not ever see him again, was
the last thing that came into her mind before she raised her head to look up
into the picturesque window range.
The rocket shot off into the lazy blue sky, its
wisps of smoke barely hanging there before the wind caught them. Suddenly realizing that she had almost
missed seeing the rocket blaze away, she assertively pressed her eyes to the
sky, straining to see the rocket one last time before it disappeared. Her eyes were completely unmoving from the
spot, reluctant to leave the place where he had just been, seconds before.
"How many launches are there in a day? A dozen?"
"Sometimes more."
"You're the only one who watches every one of
them." She slammed the image out of her
memory, as she took an acute breath.
He'll be back.
* * *
Shortly afterwards on her way back to the work
station, she noticed everyone in her work division heading down the hallway,
pouring out of the work area.
"Where are we going?" she asked an intelligent black
woman, someone who set only a few seats away from her in the work area.
"To the fitness area. They said they wanted everyone to start getting accustomed to the new mission director's style. The word is, he said that Gattaca's
previous, unacceptable level of fitness was the cause for all the mission
failures."
After a tiresome jog that the fitness director told
everyone was required, she felt slightly better, although she felt very
perturbed at how much she was made to exercise all for the benefit of the
mission director. The fitness director,
obviously in disarray from the new reconstruction, commented pettily about how
her energy had been low, but she barely even acknowledged him, going straight
into the locker room.
With as much energy as she could muster up, she took
her clothes and headed to the shower.
While the warm water massaged her muscles, she tried to relax. She realized that it was vital to start
gathering strength for the long journey that lay ahead. Her deep thoughts were interrupted by a
group of women who came into the locker room.
As garrulous and insensitive as the seemed, Irene told herself not to
get irritated with them because she knew that there was no way that they could
know the situation she was going through.
She dismissed the thought as she got out of the shower and renovated her
appearance, then left the locker room.
As she walked back to the work area she was unaware
how she began to feel better with each step.
Her mind was getting ready to stumble upon the fact that she indeed was
feeling better when she heard a sweet baritone voice call her name. It was more like a question testing to see
if it was really her. Of course she
knew that the only other Irene at Gattaca had been laid off months ago.
She turned around, gathering her mellow politeness
that many took for spontaneous charm.
"Yes."
She saw a man who she had never seen before; she
noted to herself that he probably worked in the business department. The rugged look he possessed about him was
noticed by Irene, but it also was not overlooked how the man's light brown eyes
had a keen, eager look. The stranger's
hair was dark brown, but she observed how the light caught meticulous
highlights in his hair. The way he
stood gave away the fact that he was muscularly built and exercised
regularly. The way those keen eyes
looked eagerly at her showed his love of learning. His parents must have been excessively wealthy because she knew
it was usually unheard of that a man could have an equivalent position of the senior
staff without having lived long enough to have been able to acquire the
knowledge, and she knew that he probably held a high position.
"I was wondering if you would be interested in
taking a small sabbatical from your current job to assist the new mission
director for awhile." He spoke with
charm and grace.
"I'm sorry.
I have already been away from my regular job for some time now, because
I was the assistant to the men investigating the murder of the former mission
director." She executed her valid
reasoning with a faint smile. She
usually wasn't this assertive about refusing to assist with one of the
organization's operations but she had told herself that it was imperative to
return to her old lifestyle.
"The mission director would greatly appreciate it."
"Well," she said keeping her same level of polite
finesse, "judging from the mission director's work so far, I haven't been
pleased—seeing as how on the first day returning back to our regular work, the
staff has already been made to do more than their share of work, even for the
people who will be leaving soon for missions.
So once again I am sorry. Excuse
me." She consciously began to turn back
around when the same voice caught her, but this time, it held a sincere tone.
"Michael Conner."
"And what department do you work in?" Irene asked
genially.
"I'm the new mission director." He noticed how only
the slightest enlargement of her eyes told of the surprise she felt.
"Well I'm glad to meet you, mission director," she
said tilting her head.
"Would you mind showing me around Gattaca's
facilities?"
"You haven't been shown to them already?"
"I'm not as familiar with them as I should be."
"I really must be gett-"
"Irene, it won't even take a whole day."
She figured there was no other way around it, so she
started on the tour, trying to keep it systematic and professional.
*
*
*
The end of tour brought them to the fountain
garden. "Here is the memorial
section. The names of many great founders
and significant people who have paved---"
"Would you like to come to dinner with me tonight,
Irene?" he asked with detail looking straight at her.
"Tonight I---"
"I really need to get to know some of our staff
better since I will be working with them so much."
Irene was caught off guard, and she prayed that she
wasn't standing there looking
speechless. Michael seized on
the situation.
"Then I guess I'll see you tonight. I'll pick you up."
What have I done? Irene stood there, daring to not breathe or think. He smiled sincerely at her before he turned
around to walk off.
