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A LONG WEEK transpired for Ann. Using the guise of a national emergency, President Foster grounded all air traffic within a two hundred mile radius of both Orlando and Dallas. The military also set up road blockades around both cities. Nobody went in or out without being thoroughly vetted. This was, of course, part of the plan to keep the WWLO trapped in Orlando and out of Dallas, but carried the unfortunate side effect of trapping her in the city as well.
Even though she wasn’t thrilled about it, she now understood why Liam sent her to the city. The final piece to complete The Christensen, the STS ship that was being constructed in Dallas, launched a month ago. The final assembly was taking place in orbit and the staff, including herself, would be launched to board the ship in only two days.
The plan was for her to board The Christensen and then rejoin with Liam and The Hawking in a few months right before they left Earth for good. In the meantime, she was to keep an eye out for any WWLO activity. She pled her case to Liam and Foster that she was a scientist, not a spy. They understood, and told her just to be watchful, no need to go out of her way to investigate things. Percy assured her there was not a WWLO branch in Dallas. One could empathize her doubt.
Mentally, she found herself struggling with the fact that in two days she would no longer be calling planet Earth home. That day was not supposed to happen so soon. She should've had eight more months and now she was being thrust onto another ship filled with strangers instead of alongside the man she loved.
Her alarm woke her ten minutes ago, but the strength needed to rise out of bed eluded her. She stared at the ceiling of her hotel room. The STS Two’s administrative staff put her up in the nicest hotel in Dallas. It would prove to be a stark contrast to the room she’d be living in in two days. Originally, she was to be in a two-person suite (suite being a term used lightly as even those were smaller than her current hotel room) with Liam. With her change in situation came a change in room and board. The single occupancy rooms on the ship were quite tiny indeed. There would be a very small bathroom (in an effort to save space, the toilet sat inside the shower), a kitchenette featuring a mini-fridge, microwave, one countertop stove burner (no oven), a twin-sized bed, and a table with two chairs. One hundred square feet total.
Though she desired to spend as much time in her large bed in her large room as she could, work beckoned. With a groan she climbed out of bed next to her on her nightstand a blue LED light blinked away signaling a waiting text message. This one from Liam.
Lottery scheduled in three days. They wanted to wait until the Dallas crew was in space. Announcement coming tonight.
Well, at least she wouldn’t be here to see that shit-show. The lottery went through many variations over the years as world governments bickered over the requirements. Eventually they settled on these statutes:
The results of the lottery would not be made public. Those selected had six weeks to register privately online. Once registered, a location would be given specifying where to meet to be bussed or flown to the nearest launch location. The problem was that people would inevitably riot at the gates of the launch sites desperate to not be left behind. Desperation, history had shown, could lead to terrible tragedies. The shuttles to the launch site may be swarmed. Hovercopters ferrying lottery winners could be attacked. They could only hope the militaries would be able to keep the process under control.
She pulled back the curtains revealing the Dallas cityscape from twenty floors up. A few vehicles moved around here and there, but largely the roads were empty. She imagined what it must have been like a hundred years ago. The morning commute in full swing with traffic jams blocking all major roadways, pedestrians heading to work, and kids being dropped off at school. The sun rose over the Texas horizon casting a beautiful orange light over a dying land. Ann’s hand pressed against the glass trying to feel if there was any pulse left in the city.
She couldn't find one.
Her commute to the campus was quick, the newly implemented security measures to get inside the campus, however, were not. It took twenty minutes from the first gate to her parking space outside the lab.
The lab was a replica of what awaited her in orbit. She planned on only being there a couple of hours to make sure the inventory was complete and nothing forgotten. She also had to video conference with Dustin back in Orlando. Tomorrow she’d have the day off to prepare for the coming launch.
The campus was a ghost town for the most part. The Christensen would be finishing assembly in orbit that day and the STS operational fleet would grow to two. Many of the crew who were working on The Christensen had moved on to Cairo, Brasília, and Orlando.
After the first hour she finished her inventory checklists and video called Dustin.
“Ann, hello. Good morning,” Dustin said.
“Good morning. How’s progress?”
She hated that she wasn’t there. The Orlando lab was her baby. She trusted Dustin to hold down the fort, but she would rather be the one overseeing the expedited process.
“Moving along. Don’t worry, I can see it on your face. I got this. You’ll be with us soon enough.”
“Yeah, I know. I trust you to get it done, I do. But it’s hard not being there.”
“We all wish you were. Are you putting those Dallas botanists in their place?”
“Ah, I’m just their unwanted tagalong. They tolerate me.”
“Don’t be too hard on them. Took me years to warm up to you.”
She let out a short laugh. “I didn’t know you ever did.”
“Let’s compare notes. Make sure we’re still rolling on the right path. Though I do like being the one in charge over here, not going to lie.”
“Bet you do. Must irk you to take orders from me when I can’t even get back to the city.”
“I never said that.”
“Uh-huh. Alright, let’s get started on some actual work.”
Later that evening, Ann sat alone at the restaurant adjacent to the hotel lobby. It seemed every year restaurants became fewer and fewer and the available items on the menus shrank as certain foods became scarce. Tonight’s dinner would be tilapia.
She fretted over the task in Orlando Liam would be taking part in. Although he couldn’t go into too much detail with her, she had a rough idea of what was about to go down: an attack to bring down the WWLO headquarters. It would be happening soon. Tonight? Tomorrow? She wasn’t sure.
She wished for Liam to sit this out, but that would go against his very nature. A warrior to his bone, she could picture him storming their headquarters single handedly like in a movie. Bad guys going down left and right while Liam barely broke a sweat. Reality was a much scarier place and she worried for him. Life isn’t like a movie. This could all be a setup by Percy to lure him inside enemy territory. He could get hurt or killed in an ambush.
It was only a few months ago, before the explosion, that their relationship had recovered from the Night. It was the tenth anniversary of the end to the African Water Wars. Liam never talked to her about Africa. She heard the stories from the media, but had a feeling he had seen and done worse than what the media was allowed to report.
She came home that evening to find him surrounded by bottles. Liquor, beer, some empty. He was barely conscious, mumbling to himself or her, she couldn’t tell, that he was sorry. Over and over he apologized. She tried to comfort him by pulling him into a tight hug, but the kind act triggered something. He pushed her off and tossed her across the room.
She screamed at him to stop, but he grabbed the nearest bottle and threw it at her. If he wasn’t so drunk it would’ve hit her in the head instead of crashing two feet away on the wall.
He unleashed a furious yell and tried to walk to her, but stumbled and fell. Shaking, she crawled to his unmoving body. He had passed out. She gathered her things and left to stay at a friend’s house.
The next day he called repeatedly. Annoyed, she finally answered to hear him out.
“What happened last night? I woke up and there was shattered glass everywhere and blood on the floor. Ann, what did I do?”
She filled him while sobbing.
“Oh, God. Oh, God. I am so sorry. So sorry.”
It took a week before she allowed herself to see him again. Slowly, very slowly, they rebuilt their relationship. Liam attended meetings and vowed never to take another sip. So far, he was a man of his word. Still, the Night hung over their relationship, always leering, making a home in the back of their minds.
The television in the corner lit up red with a Breaking News graphic. Secretary of Defense Blake was announcing the lottery. She looked around. Everyone grew excited at the prospect of finally knowing whether or not they would be among the chosen. They’d been anticipating this day for so long. Her seat had been reserved for years and she’d forgotten what it was like when she didn’t know if she would be saved. She scanned the room sympathetically. Faces lit up, people called friends and family to share the news. Imagine having all of your hope in the world wrapped in such a miniscule game of chance.
Her father only had one entry in the lottery. She had a feeling he’d decline even if he did win. He would want his spot to go to someone younger with more to offer. She expected some of the older winners to do the same. What a brave thing to do to give up your survival for someone else.
The bartender began passing out free shots to celebrate the coming lottery. People laughed as they threw the shots back. They were so happy to finally have their chance. None knew that a lone woman sitting at a table nearby already had a ticket booked and would be leaving in less than forty hours. None could discern the survivor’s guilt masking the woman’s face. They were too busy focused on their own hopes and dreams.
The waitress came by offering her a free shot. She politely declined, forcing a smile. The atmosphere was quickly turning into a small party. Instead she asked for her food to be sent to her room.
Alone in the elevator, the tears overwhelmed her. She would never see her father again. She may never see Liam again if things went wrong. Her entire life on Earth would soon be over. By the time she made it back to her room, she collapsed to her knees—heartbroken for the world soon to be left behind.