One month ago.
Arx walked into the arboretum dressed in nice casual clothes, not his usual ancient Greek style chiton. Adrianne waited for him on a bench near a small coy pond. She sprinkled in bread crumbs; the fish bubbling up on the surface as they clamored for the treat.
“Are you ready?” He sat next to her.
She smiled and laid up against him. “In a minute. It’s going to be so noisy in there. I like the quiet out here.”
He hugged his arm around her and held her close. “It's hard to find peace on this station. I love this arboretum.”
“Me too.” She cuddled up and closed her eyes. “When I’m with you, I sometimes forget the pain.”
“Glad to be of service.”
They sat there, the fish in the pond scrutinizing them closely, other people walking about in the gentle quiet of the artificial night air.
“You know, Nova said it’s against the rules for the head of ATLAS to be dating a member of ATLAS,” Arx whispered.
“Then I resign.” She chuckled.
“Nova also said that he doesn’t give a damn about those rules as long as the therapist says it’s best for you.”
“It makes me scared.”
“What?”
“That if the therapist ever says I’m better and can get back to full work, Nova will swoop in with those rules and tear us apart.”
Arx held her against him with a firm grip. “Let him try.”
“I just wish he would let me join one of the teams.”
Arx brushed his hand down her side and said, “You know it isn’t good for you to go down and look for your brother’s remains. Let the others take care of that.”
“I need closure, to bury him. My brother might have turned into a monster in the end, but I remember him for what he was in my life. My protector, my best friend, my family. I... I just...” she teared up.
Arx sat back and turned her to face him. “No, not now. Don’t dive into the sorrow. Breathe. Focus.”
She took a few deep breaths and quieted herself. “I know. I will go over this with Barbara tomorrow during our next session. Tonight, I want to celebrate you.”
He smiled, “Best way to start.” He leaned in and kissed her, which turned into a passionate embrace.
“A-HEM!” EB got their attention.
Parting, Arx looked down at the bunny. “Is it time?”
“Yeah. Sorry to interrupt the smooching, but Nova has the presentation ready.”
Arx stood and held out his hand. Adrianne took it and rose to her feet. They left the arboretum and walked through the station to the ATLAS corridors.
Heroes, ATLAS members, and BADGE agents, all in their finest, joined Nova, dressed in a tuxedo. In the middle of a newly remodeled central hall, a cloth draped over an enormous statue.
Upon ARX’s entrance, the audience applauded.
Nova, holding a champagne glass, said, “Arx, the idea of ATLAS was initially started almost as a PR stunt. However, in time, it has proven to be one of the most efficient uses of our time and talents for BADGE and heroes. Earth trusts you and the ATLAS initiative without restraint. We dedicate this new Central Meeting room and command center to the men and women who will continue to make ATLAS shine as a beacon of hope and preservation for the people of Earth. And what better way to dedicate such a place is to honor the man who has made it work and who celebrates his birthday today.” Nova looked over and the main command team of ATLAS pulled the cords of the fabric.
They revealed a statue. The statue depicted a muscular man, scantily clad, holding up his arms with a globe floating above him; the globe was inscribed with the word “ATLAS”.
Arx’s eyes widened and tears welled up in his eyes. “That... that’s me.”
Adrianne looked at the statue and said, “Wow, it is you.”
“That's a picture from a body building competition I won back before I went to Hollywood. How in the world did you find that picture?”
EB gladly said, “What goes on the internet stays on the internet!”
Arx took a glass of champagne from one of the servant robots and held it up. “I thank you, all. This is amazing. ATLAS is a shining beacon of hope, but not because I lead it, but because all of you who make it work. To ATLAS!” He held his glass high.
Everyone responded, “To ATLAS!”
After a few more rounds of applause, the party ensued, with many walking around and admiring the statue.
Adrianne, always holding Arx’s hand, paused and looked at the giant statue. “I must say, you have a nice butt.”
“Hey! Uh... thanks. You don’t know how hard I worked to look like that. Now, I am enhanced with this body.”
She squeezed his butt. “Just means the view is now twice as gorgeous around here.”
“Enough of that.” Nova approached, humor in his tone. “Happy birthday, Arx.”
“Thanks. I never expected a twenty-foot metal version of myself as a birthday gift. It is kinda embarrassing.”
“Be glad I took over from EB on the orders for this. I wanted it just as the picture depicted. EB was going to have the artist remove the posting strap. Half naked is fine, heroic even. Naked Arx might be a bit much.”
“Thanks.”
Nova moved on. Adrianne and Arx sat down, both in awe of the giant statue. She leaned over against him again. “You know, I don’t get to go on many ATLAS missions since I’m in treatment. When you are gone, I’ll come here.”
Arx leaned his head on hers and whispered, “I miss you every time I have to go on another ATLAS mission. I don’t have a statue of you to take with me.”
“You can have this.” She kissed him again. Both lost in a moment of loving embrace in the middle of all the noise and celebration around them.
***
Adrianne stumbled through the grasses scattered over the hard, broken ground. She was beyond thirsty, hungry, and tired. In her hand hung the BADGE scanner, always beeping and searching.
It seemed so easy, so right...at first. She would prove them wrong, finding her brother would solve her pain and grief. Yet, defying her orders, betraying her friends, and leaving the man she loves deeply behind has given rise to new pain. There remained a thread of hope that somehow finding evidence of what happened to Wynn would make this all better.
The hard winds of the early morning caught her hair and twisted it around. She stumbled over a rock and fell face first into the unforgiving ground.
Laying there, she dragged the scanner over the ground back to her side. The sound of the metallic surface scratching across the ground boring into her soul. Right now, she would do anything to feel the arm of Arx around her, his hand holding hers.
“Why am I always in pain? When will this end?” She attempted to weep and cry out, but she was too weak and dehydrated.
“What have I done?” She thought of Arx and the way he looked at her. Whispering into the dry, hot winds, she spoke the words she wanted him to hear right now. “I love you.” Then she begged the memory lingering in her head of him, “Forgive me.”
Something changed. The sensor’s constant beeping sped up and a new sound alerted her. She looked down at the scanner. “It can’t be.”
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