Chapter 28: Reminiscences (1): Richard Trevor.

Illinois, U.S.A., T.I.R.G. headquarters. October 12, 2074.

A brown skinned man clad in a black suit and a red tie walks towards the entrance escorted by two bodyguards. He is in his late 30s but possess a domineering presence of someone much older, his posture utmost straight, and he has a sharp gaze that seems to rips the fabrics of reality with just a look.

As he enters the building and walks towards the elevator everybody greets him with respect. Anyone who sees him couldn’t help but feel shivers in their whole body as they recall the identity of that man. However, as he returns the greetings with a smile and a wave of his hand, a warmth feeling is embedded in the heart of each of them.

As the man is about to enter the elevator he dismisses his bodyguards. The elevator opens and he presses the button for the third floor.

*Ding.*

The elevator stops and opens again. The man clad in black suit lowers his head and steps out. He pauses for a moment and then raises his head glances at the whole floor with just one motion. His gaze fixes in an office in a far corner of the floor and he starts walking towards it.

“Good morning boss.” A worker greets the man clad in black suit as he passes near him.

“Good morning Vladimir, bring me the detailed reports of the last month in fifteen minutes.” The man clad in black suit returns the greeting with an amiable tone.

“Right away.” Vladimir says and starts organizing some documents.

There’s a glint of veneration in the eyes of Vladimir, the same as all the workers on the floor. Richard Trevor usually leaves for one or two months and returns without notice, but none of them has ever slacked just because he is away, they always work at the same pace.

“Good morning Mr. Trevor.” A woman huge belly says as Richard Trevor walks by her side.

“Good morning Jessica, how’s your child?” Richard Trevor answers her while gently patting the crown of Jessica’s head.

“He already wants to come out, but he has to wait 2 more months!” Jessica answers excitedly.

“Great, don’t overexert yourself.” Richard says gently and then continues walking.

He remembers the names of all of his workers, and not only of them, he remembers the names of each family member of each of his workers, where they live, almost all the information that is in the CV of each of them. This man clad in black suit is none other than Richard Trevor, a prodigy between the prodigies, one of the most influential man in the scientific world.

“Good morning Mr. Trevor, here is the schedule for this week meetings.” A woman in a black dress approaches Richard as he is about to enter his office and extends some documents.

“Thank you Ann, make sure of loosening my schedule for the next week, I need to check the progress in the lab personally.” Richard accepts the documents from Ann and answers her while opening the door of his office.

“Yes sir.” Ann answers and goes back to her desk.

Richard Trevor is the dream boss of many. Even with such high status he is not an arrogant person, and he likes to talk in equal terms with everyone, although this is something a bit hard for the other person.

As he enters his office he starts to work immediately. He takes decisions, checks the progress of the latest projects, and attends meetings. His schedule is very tight but he does everything with incredible efficiency, not leaving anything undone.

Illinois, U.S.A., T.I.R.G. western lab No. 21. October 22, 2074.

“What’s the status on the nano-particles fusion engine?” Richard Trevor asks a man by his side as they are walking in a long corridor inside the lab. Both of them are wearing special isolation suits.

“We just finished the fourth stage. Now we just need the modified Hadron Collider to be finished to make the final stability tests.” The man walking alongside Richard answers in excitement. In his chest there is a plastic insignia with his name: Frank S.

“No need to wait,” Says Richard Trevor coolly, “The modified Hadron Collider was finished 3 weeks ago, I personally witnessed the first test and it worked perfectly. If what you say is true, then we will able to proceed with the final stage after we move the team there.”

“Yes sir.” Frank eyes lit up and he couldn’t hide the excitement in his voice. “This way, the team is waiting for you to show you the results!”

Winterthur, Switzerland - EU, T.I.R.G. eastern lab No. 55. July 25, 2077.

There is a joyous atmosphere inside the lab. A lot of people is cheering and hugging each other, some of them couldn’t contain the emotions and were even crying.

“Silence everybody, the boss is going to speak.” A man in lab clothes yells and he points towards another location where Richard Trevor is standing. He is brimming with happiness, smiling.

The lab grows quiet and everybody turns to look towards Richard Trevor with eyes full of veneration.

“Today, is not a simple day, few days in history are as important as this day. And I’m not saying this arbitrarily or because I’m self-centered, I’m sure that all of you agrees with me.” Richard Trevor starts his speech with a soft tone and as he gets to this point everybody nods their heads, “The nano-particles fusion engine was just a dream, a distant one. The possibility of creating the cleanest and most powerful source of energy is the dream of every scientific, the theorizations about the nano-particles fusion engine were just a myth, something that could only be conceived in paper and blackboards.”

“I ask you, how many of you were told that you were just wasting your time? How many of you were told that you were just wasting your talents? How many articles were written about the improbability of our success? I tell you something, even I were told innumerable times about my financial analysts that I was throwing the funds of Trevor International Research Group and the associate companies in a sink.”

“But today, today we proved them wrong, because…” Richard closes his eyes and a big smile appears in his face, he takes a deep breath, “TODAY, AFTER 12 YEARS OF HARDSHIPS, WE COMPLETED THE NANO-PARTICLE FUSION ENGINE!”

The dozens of Scientifics inside the lab burst into cheers again with a wild joy. Although it was a short speech, no more words were necessary because every single word that Richard Trevor said was true. Generating energy from the fusion of nano particles was an absurd idea, in paper it could generate four times more energy than a nuclear reactor with half the costs and no nuclear waste, but that was in paper, it was just a theory.

The impossible was achieved today after 12 years of hard working. From now on, the status of Richard Trevor would be even higher, he will be at the real pinnacle of the world.

However…

Greenfield, South American Countries Federation, Trevor residence. September 3rd, 2077.

Although Richard Trevor could live anywhere in the world, there was no better place for him than the house in front of him. This is the place where the roots of the Trevor family started, three generations ago the Trevor name was far from being known even in the Greenfield, let alone in the world. It was just after his grandfather, Augusto Trevor, won the physics Nobel Prize that the Trevor name started to get fame worldwide.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

This house has been the residence of the Trevor family for more than one century.

But don’t be mistaken, the roots of the Trevor family were humble and this neighborhood was once very poor, however, with the influence and help of the Trevor family this neighborhood is now far from being what it once was, but its memories and history lingered.

Richard stepped out of his car and then dismissed the driver alongside with the bodyguards. After contemplating the house for an instant, a smile appears in his face and he walks with huge steps towards the door.

When he was about 5 meters way from the door, it opened slowly and an aged woman in a grey maid outfit opens the door. “Mr. Trevor, what a pleasant surprise having you here.” The aged woman greets Richard with a warm smile.

“Thank you Mary, your smile is as gentle as ever.” Richard says as he greets the maid.

“You honor me Mr. Trevor, with 20 less years I would have fallen in love with you.” Mary laughs gently and then her expression turns a bit sad. “It’s a shame that Mrs. Dyane left one week ago with little Casie to Italy, otherwise the family will be complete once again.” Mary says while letting out a sigh.

“Don’t worry about that, not even I expected to have time to come here and Dyane had to accompany Casie for her exposition in the University of Rome, I wouldn’t permit that because of me she loses that opportunity.” Richard says with a sincere tone. Dyane is his wife, and Casie is his daughter.

After completing her PhD in Quantum Physics at the age of 15, two years ago, Casie received innumerable letters from the most prestigious universities in the world to request her to dictate seminars, classes, and even work in investigation groups. Although she was reluctant to accept any of this, her mother advised her to politely accept some of those request, she then decided to participate in some seminars.

“Is Marcus at home?” Richard asks Mary suddenly while entering the house.

“Little Marcus got back from school 1 hour ago and is at his room. Do you want me to call him?” Mary says while following Richard.

“No need, I’ll see him later.” Richard says while loosening his tie and unbuttoning the sleeves of his shirt.

He walks around the house greeting everyone. Those who knows about the news of his success hug him tightly. Apart from him, Dyane, Marcus, and Casie, here lives one of his brothers and two of his cousins. His father lived here until he passed away 10 years ago.

Moments later he walks towards the study, along the way he found Mary again who told him that there is some correspondence which she placed in her desktop. Richard closes and locks the door and then he sits in his chair. The study is neatly arranged and everything is organized, he reclines in the chair, lights an incense stick, and closes his eyes with a placid expression. It’s an expression that only those who make something to really be proud of could have.

After relaxing for a while he opens his eyes and his gaze fixes in the small pile of correspondence. He picks the first envelope in the pile and as he does, he raises and eyebrow. It’s a priority mail from the T.I.R.G. headquarters.

He rips the envelope and starts reading it. As he begins reading the first few lines, his expression suddenly changes. His expression turns darker and darker, and his eyes are full of concern. He puts the first letter into a corner of his desk and then picks three more envelopes, they are priority mails from T.I.R.G. headquarters too.

Concern, worry, fright, terror. Each letter he reads just strikes deeper and deeper in his heart. The once neatly organized desk was now full of papers. “This can’t be, this must be a joke, this must be a cruel joke!” Richard says as he stands up from his chair and looks scared toward the letters. His breath becomes ragged and his eyes are widely open.

Richard grits his teeth to a point that they almost shatter, then he takes out the phone from his pocket in his pants and starts dialing.

“Vladimir, what’s the meaning of this? Why do you sent me those letters?”

“…”

“What do you mean with that? How is that we got rejected?”

“…”

“I’m not telling is your fault but I want an explanation, and I want it now!”

A few calls later.

“Patented by someone else? That’s bullshit, no one else has another modified Hadron Collider, how the fuck can that be patented?!”

“…”

“Do you think this is a fucking joke Harvey? Do you think this is a fucking joke?! DO YOU FUCKING THINK THAT SOME MOTHERFUCKER CAN COME WITH THE RESULTS OF MORE THAN TEN YEARS OF WORK OF 150 SCIENTISTS BY CONICIDENCE?!”

With each call the once good mannered and gentle Richard Trevor disappears more and more. His tone gets more and more aggressive, his curses more and more derogatory, his fury rises higher and higher.

Outside of the study a few people gathers. Never in their life have they heard Richard being so furious, never in their life have they heard someone being so furious. Mary, the maid, is there too. She couldn’t believe what she is hearing, and she is trembling violently, her hand in the mouth, and tears flowing down her face.

Since Richard entered his studio four hours have passed.

“No trace? NO TRACE? NO GOD DAMN TRACE?! How is it possible for the fucking information to have been leaked without leaving a fucking trace? Why do I pay you for?!”

“…”

“You are investigating? You think that 7 billion dollars’ worth of information is something to be investigating? Listen to me, and listen me clearly because I’m just going to tell you this once. I WANT MOTHERFUCKING RESULTS AND I WANT THEM RIGHT NOW!”

*BANG. CRASH.*

As he finished yelling at the cellphone, he tosses it with all his might towards the door. The people watching at the door of the studio from the other side are startled and take some steps back.

Richard’s body is trembling. He walks while leaning his body towards the wall until he reaches the chair of the desk, then he sits down powerlessly. He grabs his hair with his hands, his eyes are crimson red. He support his elbows in the desk and then covers his face with his hands. No much time passes and he starts to weep.

The tears he is shedding are no ordinary tears. This are not tears of sorrow, nor sadness, nor grievance. This are tears of one of the most basic instincts: hatred. For the first time in his life his heart is full of anger. The project of his life, the project in which he spent the last 12 years of his life, is completely ruined. Someone leaked the results of the project and now he doesn’t have the complete ownership of the pattern, he could only sit and watch as the glory is taken by someone else.

He uncovers his face revealing once again his bloodshot eyes. “AAAAARGH.” With one swift motion of his arm he wipes away everything that was on top of the desk. Everything falls except one last envelope. His gaze falls upon that envelope that is different from all the others that he opened previously. With rage and curiosity dwelling in his heart, he slowly picks it up. After flipping the envelope a row of words appears in his sight.

“Tidem University – Acceptance Letter.”

END OF CHAPTER 28.