“… and another top finish for our Earth team! The current standings keep them in first place while the Baron of Esperia, Areiv is closely behind them in second. Rounding out the top five are…”
Lindsay turned the program off as she picked up a transmission from Earth. Several came her way in the evening after a race, particularly when they placed in the top five. It was one downfall for having the races aired on Earth; phone calls from sports channels bombarded herself, Bradley and Malik throughout the evening. It took Lindsay a while to get used to speaking to anyone apart from her family; the artillery specialist still felt that Bradley deserved the honor.
“Hello…?” though her voice faltered, she made every effort to fight the surprise from going to her face. The face peering back at her was unknown. Lindsay was familiar with the usual reporters who called her; the middle-aged man was not one of them.
“Mrs. Rose! First, I want to say congratulations on another great finish!”
“Um… thanks. Wh-”
“Not bad for a birthday present, right? I know you’d rather be back here celebrating but I’m sure it would be fun there,” the man startled her; Lindsay expected no one remembered it was her birthday. No one on the team said anything. But, they had a race to contend with and Lindsay found that excusable. “You probably don’t know who I am.”
“That would be a no, I won’t lie.”
“My name is Eugene Horn: head of Adidas’ marketing program.”
“Oh… okay…”
“I wanted to speak to you about a few ideas we’ve been brainstorming about lately. We usually only do posters and advertisements for our shoes and apparel, of course. And we would love to do a poster of yourself and Brad together.”
“Uh… so you’re saying you want us to wear something with Adidas on it?”
“It’s not necessary, seeing that we sponsor Brad.”
“I guess… we can pose or something like that. Won’t happen today…”
“I know that the two of you are busy. So, if you would want to, that would be great! But, we’ve found some shots of the two of you already and played around with them…”
“In other words, you already photo-shopped us together.” Lindsay smirked as she sat at her desk.
“That is one way of putting it! These were just ideas, something to give us a base to work with. Nothing’s set in stone yet. Me personally, I think the CGI looks great!”
“You know, this sounds good and all. But, what would this be for, exactly?”
“Honestly?”
“That… would be very helpful, yeah.”
“Okay. When people see the two of you with Adidas, it would increase sales possibly tenfold. The two who lead the Earth team to victory is endorsed by Adidas? Yeah; through the roof! But… do you realize there’s nothing here on Earth with any pictures of the Earth team for support? There’s the usual bootleggers who’ve created their own products. Taking images from online and all. But there’s no one brand name.”
“Oh. Didn’t know that. You said endorsed. I don’t think we’re allowed…”
“Just because Brad is over there doesn’t break his contract with us. He’s still obligated to us. We understand we can’t sponsor the Silver Stallion. I won’t lie: I’d have no idea how to go about doing something like that! But, there’s nothing saying we can’t sponsor its pilot and artillery specialist! Look, since I’m being blunt, here: I know Nike is trying to talk to Malik about something similar. We’re trying to get ahead of them. Would you let me send you what we have so far and then you can talk it over with whoever you need to talk it over with?” Eugene tried. Lindsay drummed her fingers on the desk, considering the offer.
“What about the money we’d get for this? Earth money’s no good over here…”
“You can give it to your husband or your parents or to your dog, if you like! That’s up to you.” the man grinned. Lindsay bit the side of her lip.
“Fine, alright. Send it through.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Rose! Look forward to talking to you, again!” he replied and ended transmission. Seconds later, she listened to the murmur of the scanner/fax machine. Lindsay took a moment to go over the print and beamed. Whichever photos they found, were good ones, she reflected. The background was simple and dark with Bradley and Lindsay standing, backs together. The two dressed in their regular attire for race days: Bradley in a white t-shirt and Lindsay in an orange tank top; the image stopped at their torsos. Neither looked towards the viewer but in the direction they were facing: Lindsay to the right with her arms crossed and Bradley towards the left, his hands on his hips.
Something about the picture warmed her. Eugene was right; the image looked impressive. It was as though they posed for the picture. Looking at the photo even more made a faint blush rise. The Baron was right as well: the pilot and his artillery specialist were a well-suited match. Lindsay wanted a second opinion and left her room.
Bradley turned the TV off and left to answer his door. After he spoke to everyone, no one usually bothered him: the whole crew would be too weary to hang out. He gave Lindsay a questioning glance but grinned, nevertheless; she was all smiles.
“Hey…”
“Hey! Oh,” she noted the surprised expression in his face. “Maybe I should’ve buzzed you?”
“Oh, nah! Come in. Just that we’re all usually too tired to visit each other so I was a little surprised to see you. Everything okay?” he let the woman inside. It was the first time she went inside his place and glanced around.
“Yeah. I just wanted to sho-”
“Bradley, I detect another life form in the area; are you having company?” PAS dropped in front of Lindsay, causing her to jerk backward.
“Jesus Christ!”
“Oh… yeah. Switch security system to minimum…”
“As you please. Security is presently set to minimum detection.” the orb announced and withdrew into the ceiling. Bradley gave Lindsay a shy grin.
“Sorry ‘bout that!”
“It’s… okay. Guess I need to visit folks more often! And… I didn’t know you could do that…”
“Do what?”
“Tell it to switch security levels.”
“You didn’t? Hell, you can turn the whole damn thing off if you wanted to! Yoji showed me how to do all that.”
“Huh. Wonder why he didn’t tell the rest of us?” Lindsay smirked as she made her way into the room. As Bradley stepped into his kitchen section, Lindsay busied herself with a small tour. She found a frame on his computer desk and picked it up. His girlfriend, she eyed the brown-haired woman in the picture with him. The woman was fair-skinned and appeared hardly an inch shorter than Bradley; she didn’t have to reach far up to wrap her arms around his neck.
“I think I’m the only one who asked. The damn thing was warning me of every little thing that moved in here!” he chuckled. Lindsay managed a laugh as she continued to examine the picture. Bradley made his way towards Lindsay with two bottles of water but stopped short. He watched as she looked at the picture. He didn’t understand why he felt ashamed as if Lindsay caught him in a lie. Bradley did mention his girlfriend; just not as much as Lindsay mentioned her husband! The thought only proved how attracted he was to the woman. It was dangerous territory, with Lindsay being married. But Bradley told himself, unlike the Baron, he would keep his true feelings for her subtler.
The notion of the younger Esperian made Bradley slightly cringe. It annoyed him: Areiv had no remorse in revealing his attraction for Lindsay. What got to Bradley was how no one reflected on the Baron's behavior; the man knew it wasn’t all in his head! Even as Lindsay fussed that the Baron was extremely friendly and polite to everyone, including herself; Bradley didn’t see it that way.
One fact he had to accept: Bradley owed the Esperian. Areiv saved Lindsay’s life. But, because he was grateful didn’t mean Bradley had to care for the two spending even more time with one another. Just once, he fumed, he would enjoy to spend some sort of quality time with the woman. Away from the team, away from the Silver Stallion… and definitely away from the Baron of Esperia!
Bradley shook out of his trance before Lindsay noticed and stood beside Lindsay. He stared at the photograph with her. Lindsay sensed him and glanced his way with a smile.
“This her?”
“Yeah. That’s my girl.” he confirmed with a smile. Bradley proposed a trade, giving her one of the bottled waters as he grabbed the picture. It made him smile reminiscing about that day; one of his friends considered it was cheesy he wanted a picture of the two that way. Bradley's girlfriend was delighted; it was right up her alley.
“She’s really pretty.” Lindsay confessed. She felt his girlfriend would be; it made sense. Lindsay shrugged the idea out of her mind as she continued to scan Bradley's room.
“T-Thanks. So, uh… what did you want to say before PAS scared the shit outta you?”
“Oh!” Lindsay grabbed the photo she placed on the desk and offered it to him. “Whatcha think?”
“Wait. That’s… us…?” Bradley examined it. The phrase on the top made him smirk. “You talked to someone from Adidas.”
“How’d you know?” she asked. Bradley pointed to the words.
“That’s their slogan. ‘Impossible is Nothing’. This something they’re working on?”
“Yeah. They wanted to show their support for the Earth team but get sales at the same time!”
“Sounds ‘bout right,” Bradley couldn’t take his eyes off the picture. His face colored at his next concern. “So, don’t take this the wrong way but…”
“But?”
“… We kinda make a good-looking couple…” he confessed. Lindsay became rosy but gazed at the photo along with him, sighing.
“Oh, thank God! I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one who thought that!”
“R-Really…?”
“Yeah. Areiv thinks so, too.”
“He… does?”
“He thought you were my mate!”
“H-Ha; yeah, that’s funny! So, it’s okay to admit that we look good together?”
“Yeah. I mean, if we match, we match. No harm in pointing it out! I take it you like it?”
“I really do. We’ll have to tell Keith about this, though.”
“Hmph; knowing him, he’d tell them to take me out the photo…”
“Lizzie…” Bradley breathed out. Part of him felt sad because he realized Lindsay had a point. “I wanna copy of this. Hold on,” Bradley put the picture in the scanner and sat at the desk. The man was happy he did. Bradley looked on the desktop and noted that his calendar had the day’s date circled. The mark was a common sight, seeing it was a race day. But the circle was in orange instead of its typical black. Bradley smacked himself on the forehead. “Lindsay!”
“W-What…?” it startled Lindsay to hear her complete name out of Bradley's mouth.
“Why didn’t you say something?! I’m the lousiest partner, ever! Happy birthday…” Bradley put on an apologetic smirk. Lindsay blushed and stared at the floor.
“It’s… it’s okay. It was race day. We get pretty busy-”
“That ain’t no excuse! No one told you happy birthday?!”
“Not here; no. I didn’t mind; no one knew… wait… how’d you know?”
“It’s in your files.”
“There’s files on me…?!”
“We all got ‘em.”
“So… how’d you get to see them…?”
“They’re on the computer…? For everyone to see?”
“Thanks, smart ass; how was I supposed to know that?”
“Cuz… it should be on your desktop…” Bradley pointed to the file on his. “What did you think it was?”
“I don’t know; I’m computer retarded!” Lindsay laughed. Bradley laughed along with her. Glancing out the window, he took notice it was still daylight.
“I don’t think you’re computer retarded! I do need to make this up to you though.”
“Brad, you don’t have to…”
“Um, yeah! Yeah, I do. Damnit, it’s your birthday, woman! So, whatever you want…” Bradley was cut short by the soft ring from the computer. The man sighed and shrugged as he took the call. “Yeah?” Bradley didn’t care if the bite of discontent was evident. The screen came in focus and showed the rest of the Earth team crammed together in someone’s room.
“Brad! You seen Lizzie? We tried buzzing her, but she’s not there…” David wanted to know.
“You know; I’m not even gonna ask why you’re all in one room! But, she’s in here with me.” Bradley moved to the side to give room for Lindsay. The woman waved at the group.
“What’s up, guys?” she beamed. To her surprise, the crew put on various party hats and belted out “Happy Birthday to You” as loud and off-key as they could. By the end of the song, Lindsay was thoroughly flustered and near tears.
“And you thought we forgot!” Tim smirked.
“You probably did, bastards!” she sniffled.
“Nah! We’ve been making plans all day! Well, trying to, anyway. So, we’re thinking that the birthday girl needs to come hang out with her buddies…” Malik tried.
“That sounds great, guys!” she responded. Bradley fought his eye roll; he truly looked forward to being alone with her. The rest of the team tagging along ruined the moment. But he concluded that at least he'd get to hang out with Lindsay.
A rap on the door made Bradley eye it. He left Lindsay to talk more to the others as he moved to answer it. Bradley had to fight another expression of contempt; things couldn’t get any worse for him. Yet, he gave Areiv a friendly nod.
“I do not intend to interrupt you, Bradley. But I am searching for Lindsay. Have you seen her?” he inquired. Bradley noticed that he bore a magnificent bouquet and let the alien inside. Even the Baron knew what that day was.
“She’s right here.”
“What… oh! Hi, Areiv!” Lindsay beamed. The woman gasped as he moved toward her, offering the deep maroon, soft green and off-white arrangement.
“I called to mind that today is the anniversary of your birth. I wished to offer you Resiak Blooms. These are traditional birth celebration flowers on Esperia however… they are rare to you.”
“What’s those? Who’s that? Is that the Baron?” Steve squinted at the screen.
“Oh, Areiv… these are gorgeous! But, I’m not too much of a flower or plant person…”
“You do not care for them…?”
“Oh, my God, Lizzie; just say thank you and smile!” Malik grumbled. The woman glared at the screen before glancing back at the Baron.
“I do! I love them; the thought was really nice! It’s just that,” she sighed. “They’ll be dead in a couple of days at the most with me. Flowers and stuff hate me…”
“Do not worry. These blooms can endure for… ten of your Earth years, I believe, with limited attention; five if completely neglected.”
“Oh!” Lindsay brightened.
“Have you any arrangements for the remainder of the evening? I would very much like to take you to Esperia.”
“As much as I would love to go, the guys wanted me to hang out with them.”
“Of course. I would feel condemned if you were to set aside any commitments with your team. I can always take you another time.”
“Areiv! Come with us; I’m sure Lizzie wouldn’t mind! In fact: grab Agnab and the others; this’ll be a party Buno won’t forget!” Malik beamed.
“Assuming that you do not mind, then I will be most delighted to join you.” Areiv accepted, making Bradley scream internally.
ns 15.158.61.51da2
