Chapter 5 AFTERMATH OF GCU

10 years after their graduation from GCU, Steve and Mark now work for Legion Productions in Phoenix, Arizona under the same man who bought the blueprint for their rain generator. They were both seated in his office.

"Fleming! How far are you on that new radiator?" their boss asked.

"I'm still working on it. We will finish it by Friday," Steve said.

"What about you, Toney?" the boss asked.

"Still working on a new hydrant," Mark replied.

"Alright both of you, you can leave my office and get the job completed by the deadlines or it will lead to a cut in your pay." The boss said as both Steve and Mark got up and left the office, closing the door behind them.

"Steve, I'm tired of this!" Mark retorted.

"Tired of what mark?" Steve asked calmly as they both walked down the hallway. Now in their 30s they worked under Grant Griffin immediately after their graduation and have worked for the past 10 years building some devices and developing commercial bio-waste fuel which sold far more than the regular petroleum.

"I can't continue to work for this man!" Mark said being distasteful.

"What's wrong? We've been able to make some good enough money to cater for ourselves and our family-" Steve said.

"Your Family!" Mark shot back. "You're the one who's married!" he added

"What exactly is your issue with working here at Legion?" Steve asked as both men opened a door and walked into their office.

"We share an office! He takes the praise for the job we did. We do the hard work and we get the little percentages." Mark said to Steve, feeling a bit determined.

"Well, what exactly do you have in mind, then?" Steve asked. "Start our own industry?" He asked.

"Is that impossible?" Mark asked Steve. "We have done greater things than this!" He said. "We used the rain to create electricity. You are intelligent, we are creative, we are innovative and resourceful. We can do this!" Mark said, turning to Steve.

"What about capital, employees, and other factors?" Steve asked.

"Steve. Do you remember what you said to me when we made that project 10 years ago?" Mark asked. "You told me there is always a way." He said, answering himself.

Later that Day both men closed from work and got into their cars and drove home. Steve knocked on the door of his home and Sylvie Ross, now Sylvie Fleming, welcomed him. She was childless after five years in marriage and became the Head of women's affairs in Phoenix, having gone fully into politics after her graduation.

"How are you doing, honey?" She hugged him instantly, and he hugged her back.

"I'm doing fine, my love. Sorry I'm home late. Had a lot to do in the office." He said to her, "I hope dinner is ready." He added.

"Of course, I made your favorite meatloaf." She said with a smile. "Come in," she added.

"What would I do without you?" He said, kissing her on the cheek and coming inside. The house was a 2-story building with 3 bedrooms on each floor despite both of them living in the house. Steve showered and dressed in more casual clothes, took a seat on the dinner table on the other side of his wife, who brought the food and placed it on the table.

"So, did anything much happen at work?" Steve asked, while taking a bite of his food.

"Well, a husband violently abused his woman," Sylvie said. "All hell broke loose today. We had to file out some court cases and have a lot of meetings with both the victim's and abuser's family." She added while eating.

"Domestic violence is a serious issue. I'd never want that in my family!" Steve replied.

"Let's be honest, I'd probably be the one abusing you," Sylvie said with a little smile.

"Abuse me with beauty or those hands?" He chuckled.

"Those hands run all over your body in unique positions when we're on the bed," Sylvie replied with laughter before calming down and having a more serious tone. "Steve, I want a child! I don't know why I'm yet to have one." She said with her expression becoming sadder.

"Relax honey, we did the tests and you know you're not infertile. You just need some patience. We'll have our baby in no time." he said, reassuring her.

"What about you? Anything bothering you?" Sylvie asked as she finished her food, and Steve let out a deep sigh.

"It's Mark. I'm worried about him!" Steve replied to her.

"What's up with mark?" She asked.

"He's getting too ambitious and sometimes too worried. It's like he's bothered or afraid, as if he isn't doing enough." He answered. "I always tell him, don't fix what's not broken!" He said. "He wants us to break out and form our own company." He added.

"Maybe he's right," Sylvie said. "You told me Mark didn't grow up under the best conditions. Maybe that's what's motivating him." She said to him, "Plus, I admire Mark's ambition for not wanting to be second-fiddle to a higher power. I'd share the same goal."

"So, I don't have ambition?" Steve asked.

"Far from that, honey. You just haven't lived through what Mark lived through and that's fine. But give it a thought, for him."

"Yeah. You know what? I'll call him right now." He said while standing up and kissing his wife on the cheek. "Thanks for the advice," he said, going towards his room to make the call.

"Yeah. I'm the best," she replied to him while he left.

Steve got to his room, picked up the phone, and called Mark.

"Hey, man. Turns out I share your idea and I fully believe we should start our own company." Steve said to Mark.

"Wow... Thank God you agree with me. We could fully make this work!" Mark said. "There's something else I want to tell you. It's about a girl," he added.

"Wait. You've finally seen a girl to date and put your womanizing life behind you?" Steve asked.

"No. Of course not. Although there's this one of my favorites, Zaynab, that I might have little feelings for." Mark said.

"We'll be careful not to get anyone pregnant," Steve said.

"You know I will," Mark replied and hung up.

It's November 2002. Steve and Mark have quit Legion and are making plans to begin their company. Mark is at home sitting down and arguing with a woman who's lying down on a couch. He currently lives in a two-story building. The woman is Asian, slightly taller than him, and slim, with brunette hair with a face that suggested she's in her early 20s.

"It's your baby. Why are you still arguing?" She shouted at him.

"How are you even sure it's me? I'm not the only person you've slept with? You've slept with other guys in the past." he fired back.

"Search your feelings. You know this child is yours!" She said to him, "And by the way, if you want to deny, we could do a DNA scan once the baby is born!" She hissed.

"This can't be real, Zaynab, this can't be real!" Mark said, holding his head as he tethered on the edge of mental breakdown.

"It is real, Mark! You're going to be a father, Mark! You will father this kid!" she said to him angrily. "I told you to be protective but Nuh-oh, you wanted complete pleasure, and here's the pleasure!" She said even more angry while Mark held his head high and got a thought about how this could affect his growing reputation.

"So, what are we going to do?" Mark said.

"I don't know and sincerely I don't care!" She said, being very spiteful. "You wanted to be a womanizer, right? Sleeping with every girl you see? Well, this is the end product!" She said, firing back at him ruthlessly. "I'm going to give you two options if I won't let this out and since you're rich. You can perform either." She said.

"What are the options?" Mark asked.

"Option one, I deliver the child, you give me money, you also leave the child with me, give me a house, a car, a large portion of land and a personal house for me and my child while you cover all tuition fees till the baby graduates and you get me a real job cause thanks to you. I'm done being a hooker, I'm done schooling and I sure as hell can't go back to Riyadh." She said, still lying down. "Or... We get married and we raise the child together as husband and wife." She said, raising herself and sitting up, holding Mark's hand.

"You would want that?" Mark asked her, looking directly into her eyes.

"Yes. I can't go back to school or work and I want to deliver this child instead of aborting it." She said,

"If that's what you want..."

"It's what I want. I love this child and well... I love you."

"I will marry you," Mark said and kissed Zaynab on her cheek while holding her face.