Footsteps thunder down the hall as Christopher heads to his dwelling. The doctors that were in Eli's room quietly following.
"Gather the collected data that we have on surface dwellers and the Kharaneae. And get me Elias' latest results."
"Y-yes Sir."
Stutters the head doctor. She stops following and lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding before spinning on her heel toward the lab, the other two turning to follow her.
"And Samantha."
She looks back to him, hoping her fear isn't visible in her expression.
"Don't fail me again."
He continues in a low voice, his eyes like daggers that were pointed in her direction.
"Yes Sir."
She swallows hard as he turns to go to the living quarters hall. He's greeted by his wife as he enters his family quarters.
"Welcome back, did you get off early today?"
She asks, looking to the clock mounted into the wall as he slips off his shoes, but he doesn't respond.
"Honey? Are you o-"
"DAMN IT!"
He yells, slamming his fist against the stone wall beside him, he grinds his teeth in silence till his wife speaks up again.
"Darling? What's the matter?"
"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."
He shuts his eyes and rubs his temple, trying to think.
"Nothing? Don't worry? It's obviously not nothing so how can I not worry when you're lying to my face?"
She looks to him distressed, while his face holds a look that is a mix of pity and guilt. She walks up to him, placing her hand on her shoulder.
"You never get this angry. And you're never aggressive. What happened today to agitate you this much? You can tell me, I'm here for you honey."
He places his hands over his face, lifting his face towards the ceiling.
"It's better if you don't know. I don't want to give you another a burden to carry."
"Christopher. I'm your wife, I'm supposed to help you lessen your burden. So, tell me what's wrong."
"...It's Elias."
"Eli? What about him? Is he okay?"
"I don't know... he's on the surface."
"The surface?! But- but, how? Why? Is he alive?"
"I'm not sure. A surface dweller took him. Ambrose should have sent the recon teams out by now, if not then soon."
She starts to cry and puts her hand over her mouth.
"It's okay Alison, they'll get him back."
He tells her, hugging her close, his hand throbbing in pain.