Title: Claim Day
Chapter 17: A Matter of Perspective
Cedric
I was just about to head out, keys in hand, when a knock came at the door. Not expecting anyone, I hesitated before turning the handle. The small studio they’d given me wasn’t much, but at least it was private: somewhere I could sit and think about Olivia without anyone watching me fall apart.
When I opened the door, Wendy stood there, her green eyes lighting up at the sight of me.
“Cedric! I was hoping to catch you,” she said, her voice bright with that weird eagerness that made my stomach twist. “Can I come in?”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. My mind was a mess of worry about Olivia—where she might be, what might be happening to her. The thought of my little girl in the hands of some stranger who’d claimed her kept me up at night, made it hard to breathe. The last thing I needed was Gabriel’s wife buzzing around me like a fly looking for sugar, a constant reminder of what I’d done to my best friend.
“I’m actually heading out,” I said, jingling my keys. “Going to see Gabriel. Is he still in his office, do you know?”
Wendy waved her hand dismissively, barely considering the question. “I don’t know. But if you’re going out, can I do anything for you first? Are you hungry? I could swing by the cafeteria, bring you something back.”
I stepped into the hallway, gently but firmly moving her aside so I could lock the door. The corridor was dark, lit only by emergency lights that cast everything in an eerie red glow. Wendy stumbled slightly as I moved past her, and I saw a flash of distress cross her face before she composed herself.
“Cedric, wait,” she said, following me down the corridor. “I can help you. You don’t have to be so careful around me.” Her voice dropped lower, more intimate. “I understand what you want. You told me to take care of Gabriel, and I have been, just like you asked. But he’s not here right now, and I’ve got time. I can help you too.”
I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to face her. The emergency lights cast harsh shadows across her face, but I could still see the desperation in her eyes, that need to please that wasn’t really her. Even her posture was different, more open, less reserved. Almost... revealing? The way she pushed out her chest, the way she tilted her head to expose the smooth line of her neck… It made me sick, even as a part of me responded to it.
“Wendy,” I said firmly, “being here for your husband, taking care of him, that’s the exact opposite of what you’re doing right now.” I gestured back toward her and Gabriel’s apartment. “Gabriel probably is probably having a hell of a day. He’s trying to save the world while dealing with the fact that his wife belongs to someone else. And you don’t seem too worried about that right now, do you?”
Her face fell as the realization hit her. She was failing at the task I’d given her, and I could see the genuine distress that caused.
“You’re right,” she said quickly. “I’ll come with you. We can check on Gabriel together, see how he’s doing.”
“No,” I said, more sharply than I intended. I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t make her care for her own husband even if I commanded her to. She was only doing it because I said so, and she was missing the obvious. “The last thing Gabriel needs is the three of us in a room together. He doesn’t need to be reminded of what I did to you.” I softened my tone slightly. “What did Gabriel ask you to do today? Did he give you any instructions?”
Wendy looked down at her hands. “He told me to stay in the apartment. Said he’d be back later.”
I sighed, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me. “Then you know what to do, don’t you?”
Without waiting for an answer, I turned and continued down the corridor, the sound of my boots echoing off the walls. I didn’t look back to see if she was following. I couldn’t bear to see the hurt in her eyes—hurt that I’d caused by not being pleased with her, hurt that wasn’t really hers but programmed into her by whoever had done this to the world.
All I could think about was Olivia, and how I’d failed to protect her. I wasn’t about to fail Gabriel too by keeping his wife from him, even if she was only going through the motions.
I made my way to Gabriel’s office, my mind still churning with thoughts of Olivia. The hallways of Echelon felt like a maze, all sterile walls and identical doors. When I finally found the right one, I knocked and waited.
Alva opened the door, looking like she hadn’t slept in days. Her neat bob was slightly mussed, and there were dark circles under her eyes. When she saw me, she squinted slightly, her lips pressing into a thin line. She knew about Wendy and me, that much was clear.
“Gabriel,” she called over her shoulder, her voice professional but cool, “Cedric Appleton is here to see you.”
There was a long pause, long enough that I started to wonder if Gabriel was going to refuse to see me. I wouldn’t blame him if he did. I’d claimed his wife, for Christ’s sake. Friend or not, that’s not something you just get over.
Finally, I heard Gabriel’s voice. “Let him in, Alva.”
She stepped aside, giving me one last appraising look before leaving the room.
Gabriel sat behind his desk, looking like he’d aged ten years in the past two days. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair disheveled, his shirt wrinkled like he’d slept in it. Or maybe hadn’t slept at all.
“Jesus, Gabe,” I said, trying for a light tone, “you look like you got run over by a truck, backed up over, and then run over again.”
A ghost of a smile flickered across his face, and some of the tension seemed to leave his shoulders. But there was still wariness in his eyes as he gestured for me to sit.
I dropped into the chair across from him, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees. “How’d it go today? With all the… you know, the teams and everything?”
Gabriel ran a hand through his hair. “About as well as could be expected. The teams are formed, the scientists are working. All things considered, it went smoothly.” He paused, his expression turning thoughtful. “Claimed women are actually pretty easy to manage. They follow instructions without complaint. Though they’re a bit too… focused on their owners.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, he seemed to realize what he’d said. His eyes darted to mine, then away, his jaw tightening.
“What you’re doing is great, Gabe,” I said quickly, trying to move past the awkward moment. “I’m just glad you’re the one in charge of all this. If anyone can figure this mess out, it’s you and your team.”
“Ramona and Phoebe are in charge,” he corrected, his voice flat. “I’m just… facilitating.”
An uncomfortable silence fell between us. I cleared my throat.
“I tried calling Olivia again,” I said, the words tumbling out in a rush. “Her phone’s dead. I’ve been checking all her social media accounts too, but everything’s a mess online right now. She hasn’t posted or logged in since Claim day.” I leaned forward, feeling the desperation rising in my chest again. “I can’t just sit here, Gabe. I appreciate you giving me a place to stay, I do, but I can’t just wait around while my daughter is out there somewhere, maybe being… being…” I couldn’t finish the thought. “I need to look for her.”
Gabriel’s expression softened at the mention of Olivia. The tension between us seemed to recede, replaced by his genuine concern for my daughter, the girl he’d watched grow up, who called him “Uncle Gabe” and made him birthday cards with too much glitter.
“I don’t think going out right now is a good idea, Ced,” he said gently. “It’s still chaos out there. We’ve been monitoring what news we can get… It’s not good. Law enforcement is basically non-existent.”
He tapped his fingers on the desk, thinking. “Edward Barrett—he’s our head of security, you haven’t met him yet. He’s planning to send a couple of guys out in a day or two. Reconnaissance, plus we need to start thinking about supplies. I could ask if you could go with them when they head into town. They have weapons, training. Edward says they have some contacts out there too.”
I ran a hand over my beard, considering it. The thought of waiting even another day to look for Olivia made my stomach knot, but rushing out alone with no plan wasn’t going to help her.
“I don’t like leaving her out there any longer,” I admitted. “But I don’t even know where to start looking.” I sighed heavily. “Maybe you’re right. Going with people who know what they’re doing might be smarter.”
“I’ll talk to Edward,” Gabriel promised. “Ask him to stop by your room to discuss it. He’s a good man, ex-military. If anyone can help you find Olivia, it’s him.”
I stood up, frustrated but resigned. “Alright. I won’t bother you anymore. You’ve got enough on your plate.”
I was almost to the door when Gabriel’s voice stopped me.
“Did you command Wendy to sleep with me?”
The question hit me like a punch to the gut. I turned back, genuinely surprised. “What? No. I told her to be here with you, to take care of you, but I never…” I trailed off, seeing the hurt and anger in his eyes.
Gabriel let out a harsh laugh. “Right. Because she definitely needed to be commanded to take care of her husband. How thoughtful of you.”
The bitterness in his voice cut deep. I opened my mouth to respond, then closed it again. What could I say? That I was sorry? That I’d had no choice? That I’d done it to protect her? All of those things were true, but none of them would make this situation any better.
Instead, I turned and left without another word, understanding his pain all too well and not wishing to make it worse with an argument neither of us could win.