Doom, Epilogue
"Hey mom. How have you been?" Ben asks through the phone at 5 pm on Friday like always. He knows his mom will be home then as her favorite show is at 5:30. That and he's been calling at the exact time every week now for several months.
"Well enough, well enough. I miss seeing you though. Any idea when you can change that?"
"Sorry mom, I'm still doing top secret tests and things."
"Like what things?"
"Mom," he chides, "you know I can't tell you. We've got lots going on though. We just came back from Europe."
"Oh, I've always wanted to go to Europe. What part?"
"Denmark. Weird place."
"I don't know. I've heard a lot of college kids like it there."
"I'll get back to college mom, I swear," Ben says catching the hint. He hopes he can find a way to make this not a lie, maybe one of those online colleges.
"What else is going on?"
"I'm learning to fly..." He breaks off as he realizes he's just finally pushed past bending the truth and fully lied to his mom. He just lied to his mom. He hasn't doen that since he was three.
"Ben, what was that?"
He didn't realize he put his fist through the wall until his mom asked what the crash was. "Sorry mom, I gotta go. I love you..." He starts to say when the line goes dead. Behind him the door to his room opens and General Ross's assistant is there red faced.
"What part of no specific information was unclear Mr. Grimm?"
"I didn't say anything!" He grumbles but then remembers mentioning Denmark. "Damnit."
"Yes. I will have to report this to the General. I hope for your sake this does not impinge on your phone privileges."
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Later, Reed pokes his head into his room and is holding a weird looking cell phone. It's an older model that seems to have newer parts attached to it.
"Hey Ben. I heard about today. I, uh, made this for you. It's encrypted and the signal is scrambled so it shouldn't be noticed, just dont' use it too often or it will be noticed. I'm sorry for the way things are." Guilt is obvious on his voice and normally Ben would offer some sort of absolution but he's in no mood. Still...
"Thanks. I shouldn't have mentioned Denmark. Hey, do you think you or your buddies can make me a flight simulator? Not just a video game, a real one?"
"I don't see why not. I'll go talk with some of the guys."
"Thanks," Ben says and goes back to watching the New York skyline. Damnit Reed, you make it too hard to stay mad at you.