Neverquest – Part 118

Characters: Sophia, Jesse, Alyssa, Neil, Pip

Location: The basement of CNN

Time: Day 5 – 3:50 AM

Sophia downed her third cup of coffee, set it down next to headset, and turned away from the monitor screens. “Pip, how are the visuals on my dad’s team coming?”

“Nothing since they went out of range of our tracking port,” he called from the power room, where he was tinkering around with the wiring. For over an hour now, they had lost all visual and audio contact with Russell and his men. “Did you report it to Michelle yet?”

“She’s about to meet with Siarra. She has more important issues to worry about.”

“More important than your father?”

“Just do your job, Pip,” she said, “and I’ll do mine.”

Neil appeared at Sophia’s side and stared at the four blank computer screens on the wall. “I hope Russell and the guys are okay.”

“I’m sure they’re fine.”

“But what if—”

“They’re fine, Neil. …Wallace is there. He won’t let anything happen to my dad or anybody else.”

He nodded numbly and somehow his hand found its way to Sophia’s shoulder, which he briefly touched and pulled his fingers away. He couldn’t believe how soft her skin was. “I’m so sorry, Sophia… You don’t deserve what’s happening here.”

She tried to smile. “Nothing’s happening to me, Neil. I’m not the one whose life is endanger.”

“No… But you do have to watch it happen. I know how it feels to have no control over what goes on in your life.”

“Life?” Alyssa echoed with a condensing laugh. “And what life do you have, Neil?”

He looked over at her. She had been so quiet up until now. “What do you mean?”

“Not this again,” Sophia sighed, putting her head in her hands. “Alyssa, just stay at your desk.”

“No.”

“Alyssa…

“No, I want to know,” she said. She stood up and strutted over to Neil, who only shied away. “Come on. What life do you have?”

He stepped back.

“I won’t bite. Come on. Tell me.” She followed him around the desk. “You’re thirty-five years old, Neil. What’s it like to still live with your mother?”

“I don’t live with her… She lives with me.”

She caught up to him and took him by the collar of his baggy t-shirt. “How close have you ever gotten to a girl, Neil?” She leaned forward. “This close?” She looked into his eyes and something dark lay beneath the surface. “How about so close you could hear them breathe, Neil? Have you heard them breathe? Have you heard their heart beat? Are you so deaf to the softness of what they feel inside?”

“You’re scaring me,” he said, squirming in her grip.

“Tell me what life you have, Neil. Tell me what you are.”

“Alyssa, let him go,” Sophia said, starting to rise.

But Alyssa spun around and pinned Neil against the desk, leaning into him. “I want to know what he feels. I want to know why he’s even alive.” She stared down at him. “Come on, Neil. You wanted to talk, so let’s talk.”

“I-I was hoping we could talk over a cup of coffee…”

“Why would I waste a minute of time with someone like you? You don’t even know what you are.”

“I’m a human being.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Yes, I am. I’m breathing, aren’t I?”

“Barely.”                     

He gathered his courage. “Yeah. Yeah, and I’m standing erect, aren’t I?”

“You look like you’re slouching to me.”

“Well, maybe if you got off me!” he snapped, pushing her out of the way. She stumbled, falling into Sophia, and they fell back into the chair together. “…There. Now I’m erect.”

Sophia and Alyssa stared at the circus tent in his pants.

“You want to know what I am?” Neil asked. “You want to know why I still live with my mother? Because she’s sick. She’s dying, you cruel, little lady. Yeah, that’s right. I used to live in an apartment, but I moved back when I heard she had cancer to take care of her.” He leaned forward and prodded her chest with his finger. “And so what if I can’t get a date? I’m old-fashioned. I’m the last decent gentleman in this world. Look me up in the phonebook sometime. Yeah, take a good look, because I’m the last man on this planet who actually cares about a woman’s needs. What do you care about? You’re like one of those pop divas who think the whole world is their red carpet. But me—oh, no, I actually respect people. I don’t get respect back, but at least I can go to bed at night knowing I didn’t step on anybody to get where I wanted. How’s it feel to be like that, Miss Alyssa? Come on. Tell me!”

She looked up. “…It feels pretty damn good.” And then she kicked him between the legs and knocked him over the desk.

“Enough of that!” Sophia screamed. She threw Alyssa off her and stood up. “I feel like I’m babysitting a couple of kids. Would you two grow up?”

“She started it!” Neil cried.

“Neil… I appreciate your concerns for me and for my father, but for whatever reason, Alyssa doesn’t like you. That can’t be helped.”

“Yeah,” Alyssa said, slipping an arm around Sophia’s shoulder. “Maybe you should go cry to your mommy, Neil. If you’re lucky, you might catch her before she dies in your arms.”

Sophia pushed her arm away. “I don’t like you either, Alyssa. And when this is over, I’m going to tell your parents that you need serious psychiatric help.” She tried to shake her head, but she could only stare at the blonde-haired girl in front of her. “Something is very wrong with you.”

“Yeah!” Neil said. He pulled himself to his feet, straightened his shirt, and held his chin high. “And I don’t want to share a cup of coffee with you anymore.”

Alyssa smiled as he walked away.

“…You’re ridiculous,” Sophia said, falling back into her chair. “Where’s Jesse anyway?”

“In the bathroom.”

“He’s been in there a long time.”

“Well, it is his first time seeing me in quite a few months.”

“…Go away.”

Suddenly, there was a sharp ring and then the voice of the secretary came over the loudspeaker. “Russell, are you down there?”

“He’s in-game right now,” Sophia said. “What is it, Kelsey?”

“…Sophia. We found Marcus outside.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “Marcus! Oh, thank God…” Sitting up straight, she brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and shooed Alyssa away. “Can you put him on speaker?”

There was a pause.

“…I’m sorry, Sophia. He’s dead.”