MOAB

Chapter 3i

Chapter 3i

Yanni sat across Ourania. His wife had left this morning, taking the kids to her mother. He had said goodbye to Georgie and the baby, but mostly Georgie since he was old enough to miss him. It was unceremonious, they didn’t want to make a big deal out of this. It would last at most a couple of months. That was what he told his son and that was what he was telling himself.

He reached out and took the small globe in his hand. By accepting this, the Ellipsis method would begin. Hopefully, it would lead to a big scientific discovery and him winning the Nobel prize. He could live with just the discovery credited to his name and no prize attached, but he had gotten pompous with all the recent events. Nikos’ optimism was getting to him.

Ourania was at the exact same position as last night, when she blurted out the terms and conditions and waited for an acceptance. This whole thing looked like a computer, frozen and waiting for you to hit the “OK” button. But where was the “Cancel” button? Did it even exist? Was he in too deep, learning of the corporate secrets of Hermes? Could he back out if he wanted to? Did he want to?

He shook his head. Of course, the cancel button was placing the globe without putting the thumb on it first. “Silly me,” he thought, remembering the day before. It was hard remembering anything but the amazing farewell s*x he had with his wife. She had definitely achieved her goal, marking her presence deep in his thoughts.

This is it, he thought. The family is gone, the laser is on its way, the muse has already knocked on the door and is waiting in the living room.

Everything was in place.

He put his thumb over Greece on the small metal globe. The country was way too small of course, he covered most of Eastern Europe all the way to Iraq.

A small needle pricked him.

He was jostled by it, looking at the blood-drop falling over Africa.

Yanni placed the globe in Ourania’s palm and waited almost reverently to see what would happen.

Ourania tilted her head up, opened her eyes and looked straight into his.