The Soulmate Curse

BERGAMOT (for control) - Part 3

"Sorry, guys. I was dropping eaves," said Zhen coolly. "So, Jack, when does Finn get to present to GV?"

"The first presentation is in four days," said Jack.

Finn finally remembered how to speak. "Four days? I... that's not going to work?"

"It's a bit tight, but you've worked tighter deadlines," said Jack with a smile.

"It's not that," said Finn, looking to Zhen for support. "That's when I start on my leave. I applied for it weeks ago. You approved it, Jack."

"Well, yes, but..."

"What Finn means," said Zhen, looking straight at Finn and trying to convey something she couldn't understand. "Is that she'll be there."

"What, no? We can't Zhen," Finn said, almost in a panic. If they didn't leave for the moon four days from now, Zhen would end up going to court, stripped of her astronaut status, lose the apartment and everything else that followed that. They'd never get another chance to do this. And there was no way she could do this alone. Or involve anyone else. It was already way too dangerous.

"Don't worry Finn," said Zhen with a smile. "We can go camping another time."

"Exactly!" said Jack, totally confused at Finn's reaction. "This opportunity is way more important than any camping trip."

"Don't even sweat it, Jack," said Zhen. "I think Finn is just in shock from the wonderful news."

Jack frowned. "Must be."

Finn just stood there, watching everything around her slowly unravel, falling through her fingers like cupped water. After months of wondering why she kept being pushed towards this serial killer case by unheard voices from unseen shadows, she finally knew what was wrong with the whole situation and how she could help fix it, but was being directed to let it go. Then there was this thing with Jesse. She'd found someone who made her happy and, if her grandma's claim of the broken curse was to be believed, had the potential of being more than a friend with benefits, but only if she chose to get over Zhen. To add to that, her dreams with GV and her future career were close enough for her to touch, yet Zhen's world was crumbling to dust and Finn had a chance to help, was desperate to, but was now being told she might not be able to.

"Tell you what, Jack," said Zhen. "Give me a few minutes to talk to her. She'll be ready, four days from now. Promise."

Jack nodded. "Thank you, Zhen. Gemini Ventures is an important client. We can't lose them."

Zhen smiled. "We won't."

Jack walked away. Zhen pulled Finn to the nearest meeting room, shut the door behind them and blocked out the glass walls.

"Zhen, we're going to the moon in four days," whispered Finn, even though the room was private enough. "I'm not doing that presentation. This is the last chance to try and catch MechSoft at their game and clear your name."

"Listen to me, Finn," said Zhen. She walked up to her and gently laid her hand on Finn's arm. "MechSoft has already ruined my life. Don't let them ruin yours too. I'll find another way."

"But Zhen..."

"Finn, I'm out on bail with a court hearing dated two weeks from now. I can't leave the state, let alone the planet," said Zhen, squeezing her arm. "Besides, you've got Jesse and you've got your dream job. Don't throw that away. Not for me."

Finn was silent for a moment, close to tears of frustration. "Are you sure?"

"I am."

*

Four days later, living on just a thread of sleep and wishing, for the umpteenth time in those last few days, that Zhen's caffeine formula hadn't been appropriated by that stupid Big Pharma company, Finn entered the elevator to head to the floor where Jack's office was. They had prepared an office just for this presentation and it looked amazing. Jack met Finn as she walked out of the elevator.

"I'm proud of you, kid," said Jack, smiling wide. "This is going to blow their socks off."

"Thank you, Jack. And thank you for the opportunity. It's going to change my life. And it's all your fault." Said Finn with a smile that was as big as Jack's.

Jack laughed, then sighed. "You're one of the few people who actually get to change the world, Finn. And I wish I could take all the credit for this particular chance to do that, but it wasn't just me who noticed your hard work."

"What do you mean?" she asked, a little confused.

"Don't tell anyone, because he hates it when I brag about being friends with him," started Jack. Finn blood suddenly ran cold. She stopped right outside the office door. Jack stopped next to her. "When Roy Cruz asked about you and said he'd chosen to invest in GV based solely on your idea and was impatient for more, I could hardly believe it. This never happens. But you know what, it couldn't have happened to anyone more deserving."

Finn tried to stay composed. "Roy Cruz? The MechSoft CEO?"

"The one and only," said Jack proudly. "I'll introduce you after we get GV across the finish line. You'll soon have friends in extremely high places, Finn."

Finn slowly backed away from the office door.

"Finn?"

"I can't believe... the nerve...!" she whispered to herself, shaking her head as she tried to let it all filter through. "And he almost won too."

"We should get inside. Set everything up before they get here," said Jack trying to reach over and help guide her into the room.

Finn looked up at him. "I'm sorry, Jack. There's something I need to do."

"What? Where are you going? The presentation is in fifteen minutes!" Jack shouted after her.

"Let Jani take the lead. He knows the material as well as I do!" Finn called back just as the elevator shut closed with her inside it.

As she walked to Zhen's desk, Finn called Jesse.

"Hey, babe? Feeling nervous before the big presentation? In need of a pep talk?" Jesse asked cheerily.

"I asked before what made you change your mind about MechSoft," Finn said. "Tell me the truth, Jesse. Why did you change your mind?"

Jesse went quiet for a moment.

"About a week ago, we found another serial killer taking out my girls. She'd killed four of us before we could track her down," Jesse's tone was grave. "But it was a set up. MechSoft has my people, Finn. You have to stop. Please."

Finn hang up and slapped the curving screen onto her wrist just as she got to Zhen's desk.

"Did you forget something for the presentation?" asked Zhen.

"We need to leave now, or we'll miss it."

"Miss what?"

"Our rocket to the moon."