Lost All Connections

Chapter 2- Hope

You know the feeling when you regret something and wished that you could have foretold the future to fix it. Well, that's not my case. I don't regret what I did. Without it, I wouldn't have been able to appreciate life. For it's the things that affect you that make you mature in life. To learn what is worth prolonging your life. To acknowledge the beauty of life. To see more than the picture but the background. To listen more than music but the soundtrack. To feel more than just touch but inside oneself. To smell more than a perfume but the ingredients. To taste more than a sweet but savour it. I learned and I owe it all this to one person. It's because of her that I died without regrets. My name is Peter Harrison and it is by dying that I learned to appreciate life.

August 23, 2025

Mother had been sick over a month now and I was starting to loose hold on life. I walked into father's office with my face blank. I couldn't show him I was struggling. I didn't want to disappoint him more than he already was. My father hated weak men. He said that the weak never survived. I held my breath, once I faced his stone face. His blue frost eyes, which I had thankfully not descended, looked at me in challenge. We both stayed silent. Should I talk first? I mean my father is a very difficult man to please. If I do, he'll think I'm disrespecting him. If I don't, he'll think I'm just a weak pathetic coward.

"You called." I said finally finding the courage to be the first one to speak. He snapped his eyes immediately away from me with a sly smile. I guess he did want me to speak first.

"Of course I did. Take a seat." He said his voice stern and filled with authority. I sat down really uncomfortable. It wasn't like he was the type of father who'd call me for any father to son talk. If he ever did it was about how disappointed in me he was and how I could improve it. I sat there waiting for him to speak. He took a deep breath before looking straight into my eyes. As I we looked at each other, I saw something for the first time in my life. I saw how old he'd gotten this past month. I saw the concern that had waked him up every night under his eyes. I saw the creases of frustration against time on his temples. At that moment I knew exactly who the subject was going to be. "Son, we need to talk about your mother."

"What about her?" I said trying hard not to show any weakness.

"I need you to do me a favor."

"A favor?"

"Yes." He stopped looking at me in decision. "You know about her condition…."

"Yes." I said maintaining my voice in monotone. My mother was diagnosed with leukemia, a cancer which affected red blood cells, about a year ago, but it’s been barely this past month that she’s shown any symptoms. You’d think that after nearly 3 centuries of treating cancer they’d find a cure but they haven’t. My father being one of the best doctors in the world said she had a lifespan of about 2 years and the time is nearing. He himself was looking for a cure.

"You know she doesn’t have much time…" I nodded in understanding. "I’ve found the cure."

"You have?!" I said nearly jumping out of my seat of glee.

"Yes-"

"When do you think she’ll be cured?" He stayed silent. I repeated my question.

"Son, I found the cure not created it." He said with disappointment in himself.

"What do you mean?" I asked with a puzzled face.

"What I mean is that the cure is out of my reach. That’s why I need you to do me a favor."

"You want me to steal it?"

"No, I want you to befriend it." I gave him another queer look. "The cure is a girl."

I stayed silently repeating my father’s words, ‘The cure is a girl.’ I didn’t get it. "What do you mean, ‘The cure is a girl?’"

"This girl from the U.S is the cure to all the diseases in the world." He said.

"So why do you need my help? Can’t you just kidnap her?"

"She’s the CIA’s daughter."

"Oh….So what do you need me to do?"

"They’ll be going to your school and I want you to befriend them."

"Them?"

"Yes, there is going to be two new U.S. transfers and I want you earn their trust. I need you to know who the real cure is."

"Ok."

"Son," he stopped to look straight into my eyes. "Do you want to do this?"

"Yes." I responded immediately. This is my mother’s life we’re talking about.

"Do you know the penalty for going against a CIA?" I nodded. "Are you still willing to do it?"

"Of course."

"Then here." He said taking a FLAT out of his desk and handing to me.

"What is this?" I said trying to look through the FLAT it was locked.

"It has their profile."

"I can’t open it." I said letting out a frustrated groan.

"That’s because it’s sealed with a blood scanner." He said grabbing my index finger and bringing it to the top corner of the thin clear plastic sheet. I gritted my teeth together as I felt the sting.

"Only your blood will be able to open it." He said releasing my finger, which I more than gladly retracted. I watched as two pictures popped up on the once translucent sheet. It was two American girls. Both had brown hair, but one had ocean blue eyes and the other had forest hazel eyes. The one with ocean eyes had a more oval shaped face, while the other one had a more structure face with high cheek bones. My father continued to explain to me what I had to do, but my eyes would glance into the forest hazel eyes once in a while.

"Do you understand?"

"Yes father."

"You may leave." He said not spearing me a glance as he continued his work.

I left his office and transported home. I heard something crash in the kitchen. I saw as my mother trying to sustain her, and I rushed to her aid. "Are you okay mom?" I said picking her up to her feet.

"Yes, honey. I was just making dinner." She said feebly.

"Mom you need rest."

"But I need-"

"I’ll finish it-"

"No! I’ll do it."

"You need to go rest." I said pleadingly.

"Fine." She said going to the transporter to her room. I saw as she disappeared into small particles and continued to finish what she was preparing for dinner.

"Don’t worry mom, there is hope." I whispered into the steaming pasta.