The Soulmate Curse

MYRRH (for healing sorrow) - Part 3

The call finally came from Jack. It had been a few weeks now since they'd presented their projects to the Board in charge of the Space Station construction. Despite that little moment they'd shared in the hallway and with the coffee, Zhen was still as cold as ice towards her. Finn had tried everything she could think of to change that. Now, with the failed letters to the serial killer and all the anxiety from the contest to add on to that, she was wound up tight. Confused. Uncertain. What if she had been wrong the whole time? What if, despite all everything, she and Zhen weren't meant to be? Maybe she'd had this whole soulmate thing wrong from the start. Not to mention this craziness with the serial killer. Maybe all she was doing was just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

"...well, I'll see you both in a few minutes," Jack said, closing out the call that Finn had mostly missed.

She looked up to see Zhen stand and straighten her skirt. She looked at Finn and gave a small nod, then headed towards the elevators. Finn scrambled to get up and rushed to join her.

"So..." said Finn, trying to figure out why they were going to Jack's office. "A meeting."

"I guess it's the best way to tell us about the results," said Zhen with a shrug.

Finn felt her stomach sink to the floor. Not this again. Like a virus filled computer, her mind was inundated by memories from the last time the two of them had been up for the same award. When everything had broken apart. And Zhen had cut Finn completely off. It wasn't the same this time. They were up against genuine geniuses and had come into the contest late. Finn was pretty sure she wasn't going to win. There was no way. Still, that's what she'd thought back then too.

Dread turned her extremities numb as the elevator took them up to Jack's office. She couldn't back out, and that made it worse. Like she was willingly walking into the room where the tiniest good thing left between them, the one that allowed for midnight moments in their apartment hallway, was about to be ripped away without a chance in hell to get it back. She struggled to keep the tears back.

"Good afternoon, ladies," said Jack, standing up when they entered his office.

"Hi jack," said Zhen, cheerily.

Finn couldn't speak past the boulder in her throat. She just nodded and hoped they'd both chalk it up to nerves.

Jack gestured to the chairs. "Please, have a seat."

They did.

"Alright. So, like I said, I got the preliminary results, and I've got some good news," started Jack. "You both made it to the short list."

"That's great!" said Zhen.

Finn just nodded and smiled. Whole limbs were going numb now.

"As you both know, this was a prestigious, extremely exclusive contest, with some of the best minds on and off planet invited to compete," said Jack. "I'm sorry if I had a doubt about you making me proud. Before I continue, I want to emphasize again that what I tell you now should not leave this office. Are we clear?"

"Of course," said Zhen, leaning forward.

"Yes," managed Finn.

"Officially, they're at the stage where they announce the shortlist," said Jack. "But I know for a fact that they've already picked a winner."

"What?" said Zhen.

Jack turned to Finn.

"Finn, what you presented was beyond what they expected from any of the competitors. Your work was thorough, detailed and almost perfect enough to be implemented immediately," said Jack.