Touch the Sky

A week has passed since the confrontation between Tobias and Zoey. The new couple has had a fairly normal continuation to the relationship they'd already established. Although, knowing each other's past lets them be a lot closer and a bit more free with themselves.

They walked together to work, something they normally wouldn't do. Zoey nestled herself in the crook of Tobias' arm, looking up to the sky with a disappointed sigh. "I hate those domes. No one can feel the pleasure of being kissed by the sun in the morning anymore. Are you even old enough to know that feeling?"

"I might. Way back when I was a little kid, Project GLASS was in effect fully when, in 2030 right? So at the latest I was only six." He said, while looking up at the reflections of the sun on the thick glass over them.

Project GLASS was a supposed environmental protection drawn up by Paradise upon its rise in 2023, it was a massive undertaking to protect nature from people, by making almost the entire populace live under domes. There's certain exceptions but many of the major countries are encased like a super scale snow globe.

"We should take Tobias outside sometime. I bet he'd really like it." Zoey's Incarnate whispered.

"That's risky. Anyone not authorized to be out there could be shot on sight. But, I'll consider it."

The pair went into the building and up the elevator to their floor. A surprise greeting party met them in the office.

Two men dressed in all white suits, one had a perfect business cut, with a neat part in his jet black hair. His expression is so intense that Tobias and Zoey felt like lasers went through them.

The other is an older gentleman with salt and pepper hair who, despite his age, jumped from his seat and immediately shook Tobias' hand.

"You must be the fast riser I've heard so much about! Tobias Matheson, correct?"

Tobias looked at the man smiling nervously seeing who it is. "Y-yes, that's me Mr. Zerrah."

Zoey's eyes widened as she slipped off to the side a bit to observe what's transpiring.

"What brings you all the way down here to meet me sir?" Tobias asked.

"I'm glad you asked. You see, we want fresh blood up at the top. Someone who's got that gritty pedigree and was handed absolutely nothing. Looking through so many people and profiles, your work ethic and your background stuck out to me as a perfect candidate."

"W-wait what?! You want me as part of The Table?!"

"Exactly. I'm not an immortal, I need to look for building blocks of the future. You fit perfectly into the place I want to create, along with the other I've brought with me, Jiro Tamahashi."

"You mean, the one who took over the once corrupt Columbine empire, is…"

Jiro stood up and straightened his suit out, walking past Tobias giving him a glare. "Don't expect special treatment, I've expressed that you're a high risk to the corporation."

He left in the elevator after those icy words.

"Don't mind him, he's not found the true light into his heart yet. Now, shall I give you a tour of your new workspace?"

"I have to be dreaming right?! Paul Zerrah just asked me to work at the top with him? I feel sweat, yup I'm sweating but I can barely contain myself right now! Take a deep breath Tobias, you got this! Be professional and take advantage!"

"I'd love to, Mr. Zerrah." He said calmly, a feat that he surprised himself with.

His expression let out a soft smile, as he put a hand on Tobias' shoulder and began walking him out. "You can just call me Paul."

Zoey had covered her mouth, while quietly holding her closed fist on her lap. As Tobias was exiting with Paul, she calmed herself down and grinned at him with two thumbs up when he glanced at her.

"Aren't you worried about him?" Her Incarnate asked her.

"I'm cautiously optimistic for him, we said we'd let the other achieve what we wanted. But I can't help but feel his goals are impossible from there. He's so intelligent, but still has that childlike naivety."

-

Tobias and Paul went on the elevator, going up to the highest floor of the building.

"He hasn't said a word since we got on the elevator, I wonder if he's giving me a breather possibly? How high are we going? Wait there's two hundred floors and my floor is only thirty-ninth. Let's see, only sixty so far?! Ahhhh! Should I ask something, say something or..ughh!"

Tobias' gears turning in his mind became too much, and finally asked a question.

"So, what am I going to be doing up there Paul?"

"You'll have a very special niche, just don't be too blown away by what you see." He responded.

"A special niche?"

Tobias pondered on what that could mean, as the elevator finally brought them to the top floor. When the door opened, Tobias followed in behind Paul, as they entered a spacious white open room.

The ceiling feels like it's about three stories high, making you feel miniscule in comparison. The floors and walls have such a brilliant shine that they sparkle under the light, you can even see your own reflection! Looking left, is a massive window that you can look out over the skyline. At its center is a table that has roughly twenty chairs, with room for more.

Tobias immediately went to the window with his eyes widened. "Are we above the dome?!"

"Yes, Tobias. We touch the air above the dome, if you'd like you could go outside and breathe some of it in." Paul responded with a smile.

Tobias ran out like he was a kid again, he stood out over the outstretched balcony, unable to hold back a smile as he tasted the fresh, real air for the first time in way too long.

Paul walked out next to him, putting his hand on Tobias' shoulder. "This is just a taste of what the peak of Paradise is like."

"It's certainly a freeing feeling. But, I feel selfish." Tobias responded in a somber tone.

"Selfish? Why do you feel selfish? You've earned this."

Tobias turned to Paul standing a bit straighter, with a look of determination on his face.

"Paul. My goal in coming up here was not to do things like this just for me. I want the world to experience this again. There are people born who have never known anything outside of artificial air, have never felt the sun, the rain, or even been to an actual beach. I want to see this world be a bountiful paradise like it used to."

Paul grinned in response, to Tobias' surprise. "Then your new position suits you as well as I'd thought. I want you to be the head of our Relations Department, Tobias."

"Um, the Relations Department?"

Tobias looked lost, he'd never had such a position of any kind of capacity in his life.

"Tobias, you know my story, yes?"

"Well yeah, you said you were tasked by God to do his work and make a better world again. I never have been religious honestly, no offense to your beliefs. But hey, it pushed you to do all of this, so there must be something at work there."

"Look up."

Paul pointed to the sky, and when Tobias looked up, he saw a sight he hadn't actually thought about.

A white winged being floated down from the skies above, an array of light streaks surrounded them, giving a beautiful warm looking glow. As they got closer, their white robes came into better view, with their long blonde hair flowing in the wind. The sight was enough to take your breath away.

When the being landed behind Paul, he stepped out of the way, letting Tobias see them.

"Tobias Matheson, meet Shyne Melodia, an angel from the great heavens above!"

Tobias looked the female angel over without words to speak out loud.

"Oh my god. She's an angel, is this what I have to do? Zoey is going to be livid. Worse yet, they might even be after her! What should I do? There's no going back from this point, you can't just unsee an angel!"

She put a finger to her lip for a moment before a sudden realization went off in her head.

"Tobias! It's nice to meet you again, you probably don't recognize me but I was your bartender a couple weeks ago. My, how fate makes the world so small."

He snapped out of his internal spell and managed to let out words. "Y-yeah. My apologies, I feel way out of my reality right about now..hehehe."

Shyne grabbed his hands in hers without hesitation. "Please don't apologize! Many are skeptics of the Kingdom of Heaven, for obvious reasons. I just hope I'm not scaring you."

She blinked a few times with an innocent look on her face, her eyes staring into his with a firm attentiveness.

"You're not scaring me, I'm just uh..overwhelmed."

Paul chimed in, breaking the unexpected grandiose reunion.

"Tobias. You and Shyne are going to work in rebuilding humanity's order and conduct in this city. It's been a growing issue that Paradise has a very deteriorated relationship with Chicago's people. I want you to do anything you can to mend it."

Tobias turned his head to Shyne for a brief moment before turning back to Paul. "Me AND Shyne?"

"Those with a seat at The Table have an angel to give guidance and assist them. It's evidence that Paradise is the link to God himself. Now, I'll leave you two to get to know each other, and come tomorrow, you can lay the foundations of your dream Tobias."

Paul left the pair out on the balcony, and the moment he was far enough away, Shyne spoke.

"So Tobias, how are you and that girlfriend of yours doing?"

"When did I say she was my girlfriend?"

Shyne smiles cheekily. "Well, you caught my curiosity and I followed you two home. As I recall you got quite a shock that night, and I'm not talking about the assailants, I'm talking about what happened after."

Tobias' face twisted, somewhere between terrified and nervous. He felt his gut churn; sweat dripping down his head. His mind is surprisingly empty, not because he was calm, but because he had no thought on how to get out of this situation. Instead, only one word comes to mind.

"Fuck."