Chapter 26
“Welcome back, Leo. Why don’t you have a seat, take a moment to gather yourself, and drink some water.” Samson gestured to the loveseat before pushing off the couch and heading to the kitchen to get water. Esmie wanted to protest until she realized how flushed Leo was.
“Did you run up the steps to the apartment?” Esmie asked him, an eyebrow lifted.
“The elevator was on the fritz again.” Leo sat, still panting.
Samson handed him a drink then returned to his position next to Esmie, but with a larger gap between them than before.
Esmie tried not to notice or acknowledge the pinch in her heart.
They waited for Leo as he sipped on the water and slowed his breathing.
Once Leo seemed relaxed, Esmie opened up the conversation. “Okay, so why are we in deep crap?” Leo took a couple gulps of water before setting it on the coffee table.
“When I was at work today, I overheard some conversations. There is a rumor going around about how someone had taken purple glass and survived.”
“Someone in the lab?” Samson cut in.
Leo shook his head. “No, I believe they were talking about Esmie.”
“How? I haven’t been out of this apartment, and I haven’t told anyone else.” Esmie sat forward.
“Esmie’s right, it’s not possible they know about her.
We’ve taken all the necessary precautions.
You must be mistaken.” Samson scooted forward on the couch, placing a hand on Esmie’s knee for a brief moment before catching himself and pulling his hand back.
Esmie focused on Leo, swallowing her disappointment.
“I thought the same thing, so I searched through the databases, searching for a new test subject, but the research was the same. After I scoured all the databases, I visited the lab to triple check. I ran into Jared, the Laboratory Director, and he was livid. He ranted about how he never wanted purple glass to leave the laboratory. It was all Genetronetics doing, especially Tyler’s, and each test subject should have been under our control not given to random people to try to track down like some street drug. ”
“He’s always ranting, though,” Samson interjected.
“This time was different. He specifically said, ‘We finally have a successful test subject for purple glass, and we don’t even know where she is so we can properly experiment on her. She could be anywhere, running around the city with potentially destructive powers. If anyone else catches her but us, we’re screwed.
Stupid Tyler. He did this and now isn’t here to answer for it.
’ He saw me standing there and ordered me to get a team together to put out those new search drones. ”
“Are you sure he said ‘she’? And those new search drones haven’t been approved by the mayor yet. There are still concerns about invasion of privacy, which is why they were back listed.” Samson rubbed the stubble on his chin.
“I’m positive he said ‘she’. Several times. I brought up they weren’t approved and he said he didn’t care. Our jobs were on the line.” Leo sat back against the cushions rubbing a hand down his face.
“Do they know it’s me? Or just a woman?” Esmie leaned forward.
“I don’t think they know it’s you, otherwise he would have sent someone to Papi and Mamá’s house already.
He wants those drones specifically, because they can scan people’s faces and identify them in the database, even if they have no criminal record.
DMV, hospital, and other private records are used.
The scans also check for odd marks, behaviors, anything they find out of the ordinary.
It is a huge invasion of privacy which is why there was pushback.
The mayor thought it was a good idea, until he realized he could lose his seat at the next election if the people of Andloor weren’t on board.
They were trying to find a way to convince the people it was needed. ”
“How did they even find out I—or a woman—took purple glass and survived?” Esmie pulled her knees up to her chest, feeling exposed. She wanted to put curtains on the glass window wall overlooking the city. The once beautiful feature was now her biggest detriment, exposing her to prying eyes.
“I’m not sure but you better believe I will delay the drones for as long as possible.
Finding a solution to hiding the purple on your face, is our number one priority, now more than ever.
” Leo hopped forward in his seat, grabbing Esmie’s hands from her lap and squeezing them.
He waited until she gave him a small smile, before jumping up to grab his tablet.
He set it up, including touching the button to pop out the slim keyboard.
When he sat back down again, he began typing away.
“What about the internship fair, tomorrow? Mamá is more than insisting I be there. I can’t get away with wearing the ballcap but maybe the sunglasses? We can come up with a story about my eyes and an infection or something.” Esmie’s voice sounded small even in her ears.
Leo paused his typing. “Sorry Quita, it’s not a good idea for you to go.
There will be too many people there. If anyone sees even a glimpse of your face…
let’s just say the best outcome would be a disaster.
They would report you immediately to the Law Enforcement Division.
The Laboratory Director not knowing who you are is the only advantage we have right now, and we need to hold onto that advantage for as long as possible. ”
Esmie’s chest tightened. All this running around in hiding was anxiety inducing.
She hated being secretive with so many people, especially her parents and friends.
How could she continue this charade? Mamá expected she attend the internship fair, especially after missing the one at Brookshire State University.
Afterward, Mamá would demand she return home.
Esmie couldn’t go home with this still on her face.
Either Leo needed to come up with a cream to cover it, or she needed to learn how to hide it from the world.
Both solutions seemed impossible at the moment.
Tears formed at the edges of her eyes. Samson placed a hand on her knee.
“We’re going to figure this out. You may not be able to go tomorrow but I’m sure we can come up with an excuse.
We’ll even set up in person visits to the companies if we have to.
From what your brother said, they are anxious to meet you.
They’ll make time for you.” Esmie only nodded, her throat too raw to respond.
When she felt she had control over her voice she cleared her throat. “I’m going to make dinner now.”
“I’ll help.” Samson offered. They went into the kitchen where Esmie lost herself in cooking, one of the only things she felt she had control over.
Tonight, she made another dish from home, sancocho.
She used beef this time to make the seasoned stew.
Samson’s appreciative sniffs over the yuca, potatoes, platanos, and pieces of corn on the cob simmering in her families’ secret blend of spices, brought her a smidge of joy.
Leo, on the other hand, swiped away on his tablet, grunting every so often.
She was surprised Leo found the ingredients.
It was becoming almost impossible to purchase the staple root vegetables of yuca and platanos, along with some of the spices.
Even after changing the names to cassava and plantains.
Papi refused to lose his favorite starches, so he started a garden when Andloor Capitol refused to restock the key ingredients in Las Afueras.
Soon, downtown Andloor would no longer stock them.
Unless she could mimic her Papi’s garden, one day she wouldn’t be able to cook these dishes for her children and grandchildren.
Esmie frowned, ignoring the melancholy emotions at the thought. Things needed to change and soon.
Dinner remained quiet as they swam in their own thoughts.
Leo offered to clean up, and after brushing her teeth, Esmie went to bed early.
She lay in bed staring at the dark ceiling wondering where her life was going.
A week ago, she had felt so sure of its direction.
Now there were all these question marks.
Even contemplating about tomorrow overwhelmed her.
Sleep evaded her and when she finally did, her dreams were consumed with purple glass walls surrounding her as she tried to run from a dark figure.
Leo’s pleas filled her ears. Even Samson made an appearance, trapped within a purple glass box, banging on the walls begging for her to help him out by using her powers.
Although she tried, she couldn’t get her powers to work.
A shout woke her. She sat up in bed, rubbing her face wondering if it had come from her dream or outside the bedroom.
“Esmie!” Leo yelled. He never called her by her name. She bolted out of bed and rushed into the living room, stopping at the end of the couch. Leo was at the dining table beaming at her. Samson stood in the kitchen making breakfast, a plate in his hand.
“What happened?” Esmie paused, rubbing the slumber from her eyes.
“I think I found a solution.” He smiled at her.
“Really?” Esmie wasn’t sure if she was still dreaming or if this was real. She pinched herself and winced. It was real.
“I need you to be ready to go when I come back. I’m going to run into the lab and make a new cream for you.
When it works, we’ll go to the internship fair and catch the tail end of it, but you’ll still be able to attend today.
” Leo stood from his seat, shutting down his tablet, and gathering his things.
“That’s great!” Esmie’s words came out in a breathless rush.
“I thought you took off today?” Samson still stood in the kitchen, watching Leo rush around.
“I did. I’ll just run in to do this, give some excuse about a quick assignment, then rush out. Watch out for her until I get back.” Leo shouldered his bag making for the door.
“Of course.” Samson glanced toward Esmie, who flushed.
Fortunately, Leo didn’t see as he opened the door. A surprised shout ensued from him. He halted in the doorframe.
“Mamá, what are you doing here?” he exclaimed.