Page 1 of N8
1Obfusc8
They heardthe familiar ding-dong announcing an incoming message. N8 and the others paused what they were doing and glanced up at the monitor overhead. Presently, Wembley came into focus, a smile on his always beneficent face as he stared back at them.
“Good evening, everyone! Glad to see you all busy and industrious. I have some wonderful news to impart! Tests this morning have detected a reduction in the band of radiation circling the planet. Our scientists tell us that for the first time since the war concluded, the level was just under eight hundred microsieverts. That’s fourteen days in a row that the radiation level has shown a definite reduction. And although the drop has been minuscule, the fact that it is dropping is something to celebrate. Now, as I’ve explained many times, an acceptable level for humans is two to three microsieverts per year, so we have a long way to go before it’s safe enough to return to the surface. But these past couple of weeks give us hope that one day, maybe not in our lifetimes, but someday humanity will once again take up residenceonthe Earth, rather thaninit, as we once did almost a hundred years ago.”
P8 leaned over his desk to whisper in N8’s ear, “I’m betting dessert he mentions us being the future of mankind again.”
N8 gave him a go-to-hell look and shook his head. He wasn’t taking that bet, and never would. The president used that phrase like a mantra. “Personally, I don’t believe his bullshit,” he murmured, earning an aghast look from his friend.
“Why not?” the young man challenged.
“If we’re supposed to be the ‘future of mankind’…” He made quote marks in the air with his fingers. “Where are the other survivors? If we’re the future, wouldn’t that make us responsible for creating more children? The babies? For that matter, where the hell are all the people older than us?”
“You know they live and work in a different area of the station,” his friend retorted, and waved a hand in the direction of the three people observing them from the other side of the room. “What about Dorsey, and Bill, and Cydney?”
N8 glanced over at where the three people stood, watching both the monitor and them. For a split second he caught Cydney’s gaze lock onto his. A slight flush pinked her cheeks, and she averted her eyes.
Cydney.A dozen words hadn’t passed between them since she arrived last week, and it wasn’t for lack of trying. He was beginning to think she was deliberately avoiding him. If that was the reason, why? What had he done or said to cause her to keep her distance?
A soft punch to his arm brought him back to the present. P8 pointed to the screen where the president was wrapping up.
“…keep working hard to provide the kind of life we deserve. We are the last survivors of this devastated planet. You, my young friends, are the hope and future of mankind. And from what I’m seeing and being told, that future looks greater and brighter with each passing day.
“Have a pleasant evening, everyone. Here’s to a better tomorrow!”
Wembley faded from view. With the man’s end of day report done, it signaled the end to their day, as well. N8 powered down his computer and pushed away from the desk as T8 ambled up to him.
“Hey, we’re having a friendly game of B-ball after supper. Care to join us?”
N8 caught a familiar stare in the young man’s eyes, and nodded. “Sounds good. Count me in.”
“Great!” T8 playfully slapped his shoulder and left.
N8’s gaze immediately went to the threesome standing in the doorway leading into the small office. A pane of glass enabled him to see the trio as they discussed something. He quickly shifted over to where F8 sat, appearing to be engrossed in whatever she was reading. But he knew better. They all knew better.
As he expected, the two older adults went inside the office, shutting the door behind them. Cydney began going from station to station to pick up the floppy disks containing their day’s work. Rather than leave his sitting on his desk, he held it in his hand and waited for her to come around.
She stopped in front of him and gave him a reproachful look as she held out a hand in silent request. “Answer me one question first,” he inquired, deliberately keeping it out of her reach.
It was a game they sometimes played. Otherwise he wouldn’t know a thing about her. This time, though, he was prepared to take the next step.
“What?” she asked. She knew she might as well go ahead and get it over with. Otherwise he’d keep this up indefinitely.
“Go out with me tomorrow night?” He made sure to make it sound like a request, rather than an order.
She shook her head. “Sorry. I have other plans.”
It was a lie. He could feel her tenseness coming off of her in waves. “All right. How about when you have a free few minutes? We could have a cup of coffee, or maybe an ice cream cone. You pick the time and place.”
He caught her glancing over at the office. Her nervousness amped up considerably. “S-sorry. Maybe later, okay? Some other time?”
He flashed her a smile. “Then it’s not a definite no?”
It was not his imagination when he caught a brief glimpse of fear in those blue eyes that came and went faster than a heartbeat. Again, she checked the duo inside their office. “We’ll have to see,” she finally conceded, and stretched her hand out to him again.
He dropped the disk into her palm. “I’m holding you to that promise.” He added another grin.
She didn’t say anything in response and continued toward F8’s desk to retrieve the last disk before taking them to the two people in the office.
