Chapter Seven. The Billion Dollar Caretaker.

Waking up from a hang overs was one of the worst experiences that Eddie wished he had a remedy for. But sadly their wasn't, he'd have to live through the brief momentary pain before the coffee and pills subsides it all. He wished a cup of coffee and some pills could bring back Katie, and the life they had. She was his all, but then she left him for some douchebag with a fancy accent.

His phone abruptly rang and called him back to the present. He looked at his screen and noticed the caller wasn't saved to his phone. It was also a private number. But he reluctantly picked the call as he became a bit suspicious of whom his mystery caller might be.

"Hello, who am I speaking with?."

"Dr Murphy, this is Daniel Hendrickson the ETD of the ISAS organization. I believe you recall now. Don't you?."

"What is it you want Mr Daniel?."

"Hahaha." Chuckled the elderly man before saying. "It's not about what I want Dr Murphy. But what needs to be done."

"That is?."

"You're to continue your work on project 909. I need not to tell you that this is all confidential."

"Wait hold on. I thought I was done, wasn't the surgery a success??."

"Dr Murphy you of all people should know that success isn't earned in one night. You don't expect a patient to be healed overnight. Do you?." The elderly man's words made him see how preposterous his reasoning was, and that infuriated him.

"Well it's not wrong to assume that the ISAS organization should have their own medics. So I didn't see need for my return." He countered.

"Project 909 is a very classified experiment. Only a few knows of this operation and the subject's existence." He paused for a while and continued. "You are one of those few, and we'll like to keep it that way. Do you understand?."

Eddie fell into a trance of thoughts, to him this all felt like a baccalaureate set by life itself. A way to see if he can surpass his limits. He loved science, but what he loved more was the lives he saved. With them reuniting with their loved ones, while he stood aside and watched, alone. Though he still had his parents, well his mom only. He still considered himself as an orphan.

But their was a certain sense of eccentricity in Mr Daniel's words. And an Invasive feeling of distrust kept churning in his insides. But he knew he had to come to an agreement.

"Do you understand Dr Murphy??." Repeated the elderly man.

"I do. When can I begin?."

"Good you'll be emailed a schedule setting of the whole process. And you don't need to worry about your military obligations. It's been taken care of."

"Alright then, I'll be in touch."

"You better be." The line disconnected and he heaved a sigh before continuing with his morning routine.

★★★★★★

Later that day, a message from an unknown source was emailed to him. He examined the message scrupulously before switching off his smartphone and returning it to his pocket. He took a small sip from his strawberry flavored milkshake and returned it to the table as he glanced outside through the window of the nearby restaurant which he was seated in. He was expecting someone, his best buddy Mateo.

Just in a few minutes the restaurant's doorbell jiggled as a not so tall but charming young man strode into the restaurant. He looked around before glancing at him. A wide smile spread across his face as he walked over to meet with his friend. He sat down opposite to him and they both exchanged pleasantries.

"So how's your knee feelin' Eddie?."

"I can swim on my own now, and I don't need anyone guiding me to the bathroom."

"Hmph I see. Good for you." He asks, "So how's Katie and the little one?."

"You mean Summer?."

"You got another baby?." Mateo jokingly asked.

"Hahaha very funny Mateo." He mumbled in a tone filled with so much sarcasm and added. "Everyone's alright, how about you?."

"You know me man, just got a leave so am out here chillin' n' lookin' for some nice shawty to mingle with."

"Good. You're finally thinking about settling down and getting married eeh."

"Marriage?. Oh hell no brother!. No offense, but I ain't plannin' to end up like you."

"All marriages works differently. You know that right?."

"Yeah 'nd I also know that nun's gon work for me man."

"So you're just going to remain single?."

No man. I'mma find myself some baby mama, you know what am sayin'." He mumbled and chuckled sheepishly.

Eddie quietly shakes his head as he feigned a shameful face and took a sip from his milkshake. The waitress finally arrived at their table and requested for their orders. Mateo ordered for a vanilla milkshake and some chicken fried steak. While he only ordered for a cheeseburger since he'd eaten before coming.

As the waitress walked away to go carry out their orders. Mateo gawked at her swaying round buttocks and remarked.

"She got a fine ass, don't you think?."

But he was in no mood to play along with such unchastity entertainments. He simply needed an advice from a friend and Mateo was his only friend. It wasn't a surprise to anyone. After all he wasn't good at making friends. He was terrible at it.

"I was offered a billion dollars for a job Mateo." He suddenly said.

"Say what??." Mateo asks with a baffled look and a clear feeling of disbelief. But after getting no more reply but a transparent stare from his old friend, he realized that it was no joke.

"What's the job 'bout?."

"I dunno. A caretaker you could call it."

"A caretaker....,!???"

"Yeah. A billion dollar caretaker."