[3rd POV]
No matter how many times SPACE rang, Melina wouldn't answer the call.
All of Felix's electronic devices are connected to SPACE and the JBOD he created. JBOD is just for family and friends, not for the company.
[A/N: Forgot about that.]
It's not because Melina was scared to answer the calls; it's more that she didn't know what to say... or she didn't want to say it.
After a while, Maria called Felix, and Melina didn't pick up. SPACE even advised her not to answer any calls. SPACE understood that it's not right to ignore someone who is calling because it puts stress on the caller, but it was better than answering a barrage of questions.
More people began to call Felix, and none of the calls were answered. Priscilla told Melina to just text them and lie on Felix's behalf, but Melina said nothing.
Melina remembered that Felix was incapable of lying, or at least bad at it. She understood that Felix would rather withhold the truth than lie. Well, Felix did lie, but his lies were either playful lies or beautiful lies; for example, a husband telling his pregnant wife that she doesn't look fat like a cow, or telling Maria she's weak while knowing full well that she's stronger than most kids her age.
[A/N: FIGURE OF SPEECH]
Those simple lies.
Melina asked SPACE to mimic Felix's voice just so she could tell people that Felix was okay, but SPACE refused.
Priscilla kept cleaning Felix and changing his bandages from time to time. Melina didn't have anything to do besides watching Priscilla write her book after she changed Felix's bandages. She would get curious about what Priscilla was writing and ask questions from time to time. She would help around the kitchen and train herself when possible.
She realised something: she didn't have any mission or objective. She had lived on missions and tasks, but after "her death," she felt relief. For as long as she could remember, she had always had a task, and even right now, her task was to monitor Felix and report back. But since "she died," that meant the task was cancelled, or they would send another Black Widow to monitor Felix or execute him.
Either way, she didn't need to report anymore.
The day, Monday, went by, and Felix still hadn't woken up yet.
________________
[3rd POV] - Lauren
An alarm rang beside Lauren's bed, indicating the time of 06:00.
Lauren woke up and began to prepare herself for the day. She woke up her daughter after she finished showering since it was just the two of them in the house.
She fixed her bed, wore business attire—a black business skirt with leggings, high heels, a white shirt, and a black business jacket—and she began to prepare breakfast.
She cleaned the house real quick since there wasn't much to clean.
Riley finished preparing herself and came to the kitchen.
They lived in a lower-middle-class household, while Lauren was currently earning a middle-class income. It's because the firm is starting up, and she runs the entire law firm.
She lives in a small bungalow house with her 13-year-old daughter, Riley Mercer. After her divorce from her ex-husband, she changed her last name, as well as her daughter's last name, to her parents' name.
Lauren ate breakfast with her daughter while reading a newspaper.
"Mom."
Riley stopped eating and looked at her mother to say something. Lauren stopped looking at the newspaper and decided to converse with her.
"What is it?" Lauren asked nicely, thinking she was going to talk about puberty or menstruation.
"Can I ask why Felix didn't pick me up yesterday?"
Riley asked about Felix because he usually picked her up every day after school, especially on Mondays, unless something came up and he told them he couldn't pick Riley up the following day. He didn't do that, and that was surprising as well as concerning.
"Well, I don't know, honey..."
Lauren said to Riley and thought about saying something but cut herself off. She finished her meal, and Riley finished hers. They talked about Felix, work, and school stuff.
Lauren packed her lunch and Riley's lunch before they took off. She dropped Riley off at her school and headed to work.
She arrived at work.
She walked inside, spotted the security guard she hired, and greeted him.
"Good morning, Mr Jackson." She greeted him with a happy smile, and he greeted her back formally.
"Good morning, Miss Mercer."
She greeted everyone she passed, most of whom were general workers who came from headquarters because there were more general workers there, and Felix sent half of them, about 4.
At this law firm, there's an associate attorney she hired, a junior associate, and the rest are either interns or law clerks/students. There was a receptionist, an IT department, and a finance department that Felix sent to the firm. She's the one who currently hires everyone, so she's working as an HR manager as well.
She arrived at her office, and the nameplate on the door says [PRINCIPAL ATTORNEY - LAUREN MERCER]. Every time she looks at it, she feels that she currently doesn't deserve that title because she's new to working as a lawyer, but she's getting used to it.
She sat down and started to go over her files. She's currently working on a contingency case about employment. She offered pro bono services, but the client changed it to a contingency case.
[A/N: Pro bono is free legal service for those who can't afford it, and a contingencycase means getting paid after the case is won. Who the hell would refuse a free service?]
She did her job.
________________
[3rd POV] - Maria
At a school in Chicago, Illinois.
The school is a high school. It is a public school and has 5 floors. The 1st years (Freshmen) are on the first floor, also known as the ground floor, and the lockers for each student are in the hallway. The school gym is also on the first floor.
The 2nd floor is for the 2nd years, which is the same as the 1st floor, and the 3rd floor is for the cafeteria, study areas (library and study hall), teacher's lounge, student support areas (infirmary, counselor's office, and special education room), and computer lab.
The 4th floor is for Juniors, and it has a science lab, art room, music room, and a workshop.
The 5th floor is for Seniors, and it has department offices, the principal's office, as well as the vice principal's office. The faculty meeting room is on the 1st floor.
Maria could be seen staring at the building.
[A/N: American School time/schedule is confusing. I forgot it's still break and the school begins in Late August or early September by my study. This scene was about Maria talking with a teacher about something in school but I had to change it somehow and I ain't deleting the entire scene about Maria. I'll just recreating it. The current date is middle July 1998. Maybe I should write whatever, if it clashes then it clashes.]
She took a walk, trying to clear her head because she was worried about Felix. Everyone had called Felix yesterday, and there was no pickup. Nobody thought Felix had been kidnapped or lost his phone, which only left one reason why he couldn't pick up the calls... Felix was injured.
If Felix had been kidnapped, then SPACE would've sent his location to his mother, grandmother, or Maria, and there was no way he could lose his glasses. Only a few people knew about the capabilities of SPACE.
Maria hadn't been able to focus since yesterday. She just looked at the school for a bit before she decided to leave.
It wasn't long after she left the school that she happened to bump into her teacher. The teacher doesn't live far from the school, and she sometimes comes to school on foot. She's a friendly teacher whom everyone can talk to easily. There's a summer school taking place, and she had gone somewhere during lunch for personal reasons.
She saw Maria from across the road, and Maria looked worried. She approached her, hoping to cheer her up.
"Good afternoon, Mary." She said to Maria with a smile on her face. Everyone calls Maria Mary, mostly people who know her, especially friends and family, except Felix.
"Good afternoon, Mrs Manson." Maria greeted her back with a friendly smile.
They talked for a while, mostly about school since that's what connected them. Mrs Manson asked about Felix, and it looked like Maria was trying to avoid talking about him, so Mrs Manson changed the topic.
"Anyway, can I ask something, if you don't mind?" Mrs Manson said while sounding serious.
"Yes, you can."
"Can I ask how long?"
________________
{I Want you to remember to understand
CHAPTER 41: MINDSCAPE...
That chapter is going to reveal everything, well few things.
• About why the abortion didn't work.
• About why he reincarnated.
• About why he didn't get a system.
• About who is responsible
mostly about everything he asks/imagines/invents... You can drop your questions in the comments.
After chapter 41, the pace would be fastpaced and would slow down in 2008... The current year is 1998. Thank You for Reading}