After disappearing from Atom Beaker's clutches, Alexandra met Patrick at Sam's Synth Staples for some grub. The two of them barely had a word to say to each other. Patrick ordered his special soup and Alexandra had a lobster.
"So, you did meet Atom Beaker for dinner even though I told you not to."
"I just wanted to see what he was up to. Turns out he's up to absolutely no good."
While returning to the community center, Patrick met his doppelganger, one of his 'descendants' called Keven. The two men were stunned at their physical resemblance.
Early the next morning Alexandra woke up to do some work on her standard-issue laptop. Dr. Relevart walked in. "How was your work?"
Alexandra put up the laptop and rose for him. "I've got to be getting to work. But before I go there there's something I have to tell you."
"Oh?"
"Yes, it's vitally important."
"I had a very interesting dinner date last night, if you'd call it that."
"Date? With whom?"
"It was a meeting -- with Atom Beaker."
"You met with him after I told you --"
"I needed to see for myself the truth of the matter. And the truth is far worse than anyone can possibly imagine. Atom and his father are planning destruction to our planet, to basically turn it into a technocracy. The sad part is they've developed the technology to do just that."
For the first time Dr. Relevart emoted frustration. "Alexandra, I told you --"
"I've got to stop him. I can't let him do this."
"Alexandra, you cannot do this alone. You are no match for the Beakers."
"Says who?"
Back in Hidden Springs, Anastasia and Lucian were eating breakfast in the dining room of the newly renovated Redwood Heights Lodge. "We've gotten the first floor done, and most of the luxury suites are finished, but we still need the regular cabin housing and to add the amenities."
"Have to say, Ana, this project has been a labor of love for you. It's also consumed you for months."
"You know when I get started on something it's hard for me to stop it."
"You're a million miles away," Lucian observed.
"So is my sister," Anastasia opined. "I haven't heard a word from her since she got to Oasis Landing. We've never been separated from each other for this long for our entire lives. I wonder if she's okay."
"You know Alex, when she gets busy --"
"Yeah but still, she should have texted or emailed me. But so far, nothing."
"Ana, she's going to talk to you soon. Like you said, she's really busy with her training now."
Later, Anastasia was joined in the hot tub by her friend, Tyler Wentworth. Tyler had been a new arrival to Hidden Springs - her mother, Regina, ran a successful clothing design company in Bridgeport before retiring to the mountains. Tyler was expected to and groomed to take over the company, and was shuttling between Hidden Springs and Bridgeport.
It was no surprise, then, that Anastasia and Tyler had become friends -- both women had a passion for fashion and loved to put things together. It was Tyler who ended up designing Anastasia's wedding gown and, subsequently, a lot of her attire.
"I've got a great idea," Tyler mused, raring her head back in the hot tub. "I think we should open a salon together."
Anastasia laughed. "My architecture work is going to take most of my time."
"I've seen your clothing sketches, Anastasia. If you wanted to you could be a top designer in your own right."
"Nah, I can't see it."
"So when are you going to make it official with Matt?" Anastasia asked. Matt O'Neill, an executive, was Tyler Wentworth's longtime boyfriend.
Tyler laughed. "I haven't made anything official with Matt. But I do love him. I'm just not sure if I'm ready for a lifetime commitment."
"So, your sister, she's off saving the world?" Tyler asked snottily.
"She's on her first long-term space mission."
"Space mission?"
"My sister's an astronaut."
"An astronaut, really? Wow."
"She's wanted to be an astronaut since we were both little."
"Anyway, Anastasia, just think about the salon. I really think it could work."
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