Secrets and Stasis

“Vitals are stable. Sleeping serum is ready to be injected. How are you feeling Valerie?” asked Dr. Grey.

“Fine.” As expected, he got nothing more than a curt reply. She was tending to her blond locks, the only thing she got from “him”. She hated how much she treasured them and he knew that.

Amusement glittered in ash colored orbs as Dr. Grey twisted a few knobs and chuckled. He held up a test tube to his eye level and a crease of concentration formed on his forehead.

“You know, you should have written something. “ he gave her a glance before going back to doing what he was doing. His huge figure tended to scare people but she knew what lay beneath the huge mass of muscles.

She flattened down some stray hair and turned to face him, her usually snow-white face was dusted with red and her usually calm heart beat went erratic. She tried to bring it under control but the tubes connected to her gave her away.

“He should have been here.” She replied.

 If stare could kill, Mr. Grey would have lost a few million dollars worth of machinery.

“You should under,…” he should have kept his mouth shut. His heart was in the right place but his misplaced loyalty for his friend and project partner could get him in deep trouble.

“Sir! If you require me to write a goodbye letter I will. However, if I am given free will I will prefer not to.” Coldness crept easily into her words as waves of practiced calm overtook her senses and everything was back to normal or it would seem to any outsider. They both knew he was close to crossing a huge boundary.

“Two black coffees please, one with cream and one without.” He spoke into a mic after an uncomfortable pause. She heard static as the assistant spoke back. She raised an eyebrow but chose not to say anything. Black coffee with cream, his favorite, no, their favorite drink. 

She sighed. She glanced at the mirror and got a good look at her eyes, eyes that had betrayed her and they were close to doing so again, as they were laced with tears.

“No one is watching you know. I am open to hugs.” It was him, always him, Dr. Grey with his honey voice and Valerie felt like a parched throat, dying to be soothed. It was he who found the truth about her mother. It was he who found out his best friend’s lost daughter even though it was too late and told her the truth. Valerie’s perfect life was not so perfect after all and everyone made sure to rub it in the face of the girl destined to be the next huge Hollywood star. So she chose a different path and chose to be with Dr. Grey as her mother took no notice of her daughter and wasted away her money to booze and boys as she realized the truth about her late husband.

She felt her heart crack a little more and he had learned her language, so he moved and gave her one of his fuzzy huggies as everyone called them. She immediately felt safe in his fatherly embrace, something she had wanted all her life and her mother had deprived her off. Why? Because her father was a scientist and deemed crazy until he and his assistant made a discovery and Project 100 gained popularity. When they were seeking volunteers, she was the first one to accept. She wanted to give life to the same project that drove her father to his grave. It was her method of defying the world, who had denied her the right of fatherly love. She would be asleep for a hundred years and wake up after that and try to adjust in the new environment and era.

“I can do this. I can do this. I can make his dream a success story. I can prove everyone wrong.” She repeated her mantra in her head and it helped her calm down.

 Dr. Grey moved back as there was a knock on the door.

“Ah yes, the coffee. Bring it in Sasha.” Dr. Grey gave Valerie a small smile and turned to greet his assistant as she brought in steaming mugs of coffee.

“Black coffee, the only thing…” he began to speak as Valerie and Sasha cut him off.

“…to challenge the darkness of your soul.”

Valerie rolled her eyes and huffed and Sasha chuckled. Dr. Grey was pouting. He was acting like a five-year old instead of fifty. Sasha served them their coffee and left. Dr. Grey glanced at Valerie and she answered him with a smile. He seemed satisfied. He said a little prayer before taking a small sip of his coffee and made a face.

“Ah! The things we brave through in the name of love.”

“You know you could add some cream or milk or both.” Valerie remarked as she took a sip of her own beverage.

“You wound me!” he put a hand on his heart. “How could you suggest such a thing miss? I am no coward!”

“Well. I think we should get on with it now. Don’t you agree?” Valerie said completely ignoring his dramatic antics as a funky clock on the white walls showed that it was eleven. She was scheduled to go into the stasis capsule at midnight.

“Indeed.” The usual cheeriness in Dr. Grey’s voice was gone and replaced by a solemn tone.

Valerie once again looked into the mirror and itched to comb her hair one more time but she resisted. She put on the lab issued silver jacket and held on to the worn out locket around her neck. “Love you always V” it said. It was her gift from her father, last token of his love he left for her.

A knock on the door brought Valerie out of her thoughts. Mr. and Mrs. Hart, the sponsors of this project, entered the room. Mrs. Hart gave Valerie a hug and Mr. Hart discussed some things with Dr. Grey. The time was close. The air was thick with tension. Valerie was continuously glancing at the clock and Mr. Hart had wiped his forehead a few times already. Dr. Grey was tweaking with the controls. They would go live at forty five past eleven. 

“Please don’t go. You will lose everything you have. This idea is just a waste of your talents.” A voice screeched in her head. Sounds of laughter came next and threatened to drown her and destroy her sanity.

“VALERIE!” she broke from her trance and focused on the voice. “It will be okay. We will be monitoring you.”

“I just wish dad was here.” Her voice began to crack. Mrs. Hart moved in to hug her. Surprisingly, she didn’t resist.

“He is. He is so proud of you. Believe me.” Dr. Grey assured her.

“Dr. Grey and Ms. Belladonna, you are scheduled to go live in five.” Sasha’s soft voice reverberated in the room.

“Good luck child.” Mrs. Hart had always wanted a kid of her own and she showered all her love on Valerie when she got the chance. Mr. Hart just gave her a small smile.

Valerie took Mrs. Hart’s hands in her own and whispered with a voice laced with emotions, “Thank you. For making my father’s dream a reality.” She turned and walked to give a hug to Dr. Grey.

 “Thank you for finding me.”

“See you on the other side kiddo! Hopefully with a black coffee with cream.” he winked. She laughed.

“Going live in ten seconds.” The countdown began and when it reached zero, Mr. Hart was the first one to speak.

“We welcome all to the first round of Project 100. As you all know, this project is to study how much can life change in a century and can human beings from older era adjust in the new ones. Thank you for joining us in this prestigious journey. This project was brought to life by Dr. Grey and late Dr. Liston. Dr. Liston’s daughter, Valerie is our test volunteer. Valerie, how do you feel?”

Mr. Hart moved to the side to give the centre stage to Valerie. She moved in and cleared her throat before speaking.

“I feel fueled by love I feel for my father. He might not be here but I know he is watching. I know you all are watching too. I will not let any of you down. Thank you for your support.” She passed her mic to Dr. Grey as she felt bile rise in her throat.

“The project is ready for its launch. I am grateful for all the support. Please stay with us till the end. I will dedicate my success, no, our success to the partner I lost because of all the hate he received. This is my,” he pulled Valerie into a side hug. “and her retribution.”

“It is time. Five minutes till midnight.” Sasha informed over the microphone. The audience was filled with many who had leered at Dr. Liston and called his ideas stupid but there were the supporters as well. Everyone was awaiting midnight same eagerness irrespective of what they felt before.

Valerie took a deep breath. “Farewell. Sayonara. Alwida!” she gave a strained smile as she walked towards the capsule. She entered it and the translucent top closed. Dr. Grey started the machine. She was being injected with chemicals of many kinds that would help her survive hundred years of hibernation.

“This might be our last communication Valerie. Take care. Good luck. Good bye. I love you.” Dr. Grey’s voice boomed on the speakers of the viewers and inside Valerie’s capsule.

“Sleep serum to be injected in ten seconds.” The automatic timer loudly announced about the fast approaching midnight.

Dr. Grey stood in front of Valerie and Valerie sent him a smile. She felt the needle prick her and sleep overtaking her senses as she saw Dr. Grey with pull of something from his head to reveal a very familiar tuft of blond locks. Before she could say anything, she was fast asleep.