For Science, You Monster

The Future of the World

[Sorry this took me so long!! I love writing this so much, but school's kept me pretty busy. Enjoy!❤]

"Mr. Johnson, sir," I call after Cave, seeing him in the hall. It has been a week since Mr. Ratt had told me about the problem. I have been putting off telling Cave about it though, and it was almost time to hire a new batch of homeless people.

"Yes Caroline?"

I catch up to him quickly because of the fact he was walking fairly slow compared to my usual fast pace. He is pushing the wheelchair in front him; he uses it as little as possible. I think it makes him feel handicapped.

"I need to speak with you. Preferably in private."

Cave chuckles. He had the wrong idea didn't he? He hardly ever takes things as seriously as he should.

"Of course Ms. Caroline. Is my office alright?"

"Anywhere private is fine," I reply, a little too quickly.

He smiles. Obviously I was not helping the situation. 'Ugh.' I follow him in the direction of his office.

We arrive at his office and once we are inside I quickly stop him before he can start kissing me, which is obviously his intention. He frowns at me, confused.

"Cave... I'm sorry."

"Does this have something to do with me being sick? I'm pretty sure I can still-"

"No, no, it's not that at all," I cut him off. "I have some bad news."

I can't do anything to let him find out about the baby. What if he gets mad that I didn't tell him sooner? The more I think about it the more it seems like a bad idea to tell him. It is just too late.

"Oh." He hesitates. "What is it?"

"It's about money." I say, trying to stop thinking about the tiny life form inside me. "W-we don't have enough to even pay homeless people anymore."

He is silent for a moment, his face unreadable.
"Oh well," he states, startling me with his calm response. "We could have skipped that. I was thinking anyway, why bother paying anyone else than we already? I was thinking to my self, why, Cave that's pointless. Why hire more workers when you already have some that are fine for the job. So it isn't so bad."

"W-what do you mean?" I question, a little worried.

"The scientists and lab workers! They help create the tests, so who is better fit for testing than then? Right darling?"

I know he is only trying to sweet talk me; I get the feeling he thought
I wouldn't like this plan.
"I don't think we should... if we ask them perhaps, but..."

Cave frowns as my voice trails off. "They work for me, they follow my instructions. Why should I have to ask?"

"I just think it would be better if-"

"You don't see, do you? We can be better, stronger, Aperture is going to lead us into a new age! But, you-"

"Cave I-"

"Don't tell me how to run my company Miss Caroline."

I reach out, trying to stop him as he walks to the door, but he swats my hand away.
He look me in the eye.

"And that's Mr. Johnson to you."

•~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~•

I sit in my office, classic music playing softly in the back ground. The sun comes in the large widows, and the trees' newly budded leaves outside cast shifting shadows across my neat desk.

The events of that Tuesday replaying in my mind continuously. It's already the next Monday now, and Cave had barley spoken to me. When he did it was very formal and withdrawn.
I sigh and tap my key board with one hand as I lean on the other. What was happening to him?

Just then there is a knock on the door. I glance at the clock on the wall opposite the windows. 12:35, right on time.
"Come in," I call in a sweet voice.

Doug sticks his head in with a shy smile on his face. He shifts his brown paper lunch bag to his other hand so he can shut the door behind him as he greets me.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Caroline."

I shake my head with a small smile. "Doug, how many times have I told you, just call me Caroline."

He smiles again as well and pulls one of the wooden chairs closer to my desk. "I know, I know."

We have been having lunch together for a while now. I invited him down once to ask him what they where working on in the AI department, curious what Cave had been doing but not wanting to ask him my self. Sadly he said that that information was strictly classified, even to me, but then some how we struck up a conversation and he stayed the rest of his lunch. He's been coming ever sense. My lunch is actually scheduled before his but I've gotten used to putting it off for a bit.

Doug opens his lunch bag, "Ah tuna fish again."

"You pack your own lunch, why do you always sound surprised?" I say, trying to suppress laughter.

"Well I have to make it interesting some how."

"Am I not enough fun?" I pout.

"Wha- no I don't mean-"

I laugh for real now, "I'm only joking!"

His worried look fades into a grin as he realizes. I loved his smile.

"You're too easy to mess with Doug," I sigh, still giggling a little.

"I know," He replies, smiling at the sandwich. He becomes more serious. "Anyway, I actually had something important to talk to you about today."

"Oh?" I say almost through a mouthful of noodles from my chicken soup. Intrigued, I stop eating for a moment.

"Yeah... remember the first time I came to lunch with you, and I told you I couldn't show you our project? Well I was looking through some things, and i guess you are technically the same rank as Mr. Johnson is. So actually, I can show you."

"Really?" I put my spoon down. "When can we go?"

"I- um, we can after six. No one should bother us then; most of us get out at five thirty."

"Thank you, Doug. This means a lot to me." I smile brightly.
He smiles at me a little uncertainly for a moment before a beep from his pager interrupts us.
"Arg, cutting lunch off early again," He groans, glancing at the clock. "Well, I'll see you tonight. I meet you here ok." He flushed a little after noticing how much he had made it sound like a date.

"See you then."