and
the main offices. Xander pressed his thumb onto the fingerprint
scanner by the door and typed in floor level 55. The lift began its
smooth descent down, the soft lights pulsing gently overhead.
“ So
how big is the research lab?” asked Anais, peering out of the
glass walls to see the floors around them glide serenely past.
“ Labs,”
Xander corrected. “They're the largest section of the whole
building. I think they're from floors 55 up to 94. Most of them are
completely off-limits, so I'm not sure of the exact number, but
there are a couple that you're allowed to see from the outside. I
know there's definitely one on the floor we're going to, but I can't
remember what kind of research it specialises in. RetComs or
something, I think. Nothing too sensitive.”
The lift finally slowed to a halt at the floor marked 55, but the
doors didn't open like Anais expected. For the first time, Anais
noticed that they couldn't see outside into the corridor that
should've been in front of them. In front of the glass, a set of
heavy looking metal doors barred their way. Xander frowned and
scanned his thumbprint again, before reentering the floor number.
But this time a red light flashed up on the touch pad, informing
them that they didn't have access to the area.
“ What
the -” Xander muttered, inputting the information for a third
time. But nothing happened. “That's never happened before.”
“ What's
wrong?' Anais asked. “What's with the metal doors?”
“ They're
standard issue for the whole R&D department,” Xander replied
as he peered at the touch screen and the fingerprint scanner. He
began to type in a command, but the light stayed resolutely red. He
tried again, typing in a longer, more complicated code.
“ How
long will this take?” Anais turned at Dalla's high pitched voice,
surprised to see her looking distinctly pale. Anais reached over and
squeezed her hand for comfort.
“ I
don't – ah,” Xander started as the light suddenly switched to
green and the doors slid open. He stood back up straight, looking
satisfied. But the look was short lived.
The doors opened to reveal a long corridor. It took Anais a minute
to realise what was different about this place, until it occurred to
her that the walls were no longer glass. Whereas in all the other
parts of the building she'd seen the offices were open plan, and
sunlight streamed through the windows; this corridor had no windows.
Ceiling tiles, infused with a soft light, illuminated the hall. She
could see two polished metal doors on either side of the corridor,
but she couldn't see how far the passage extended, as a tall woman
with long sky blue hair and matching azure eyes was blocking their
view. Her eyes were cold and narrowed in suspicion as she stared at
them. Everything from her perfectly coiffed hair down to her navy
trouser suit and shiny black stilettos screamed of designer labels.
Instinctively, Anais knew this woman was not someone to be messed
with.
For a long moment no one spoke. The woman flicked her eyes over
them each in turn, taking in every little thing about their
appearance. As her eyes passed over her, Anais felt a thrill of
fear. She had to resist the urge to wipe her palms on her jeans.
“ Well,”
the woman finally said in a soft, smooth voice. “What have we
here?”
When no one answered her, she raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow.
“ Shall
I call the police? Or are you going to tell me how you disabled my
security protocols?”
“ That
was me,” Xander said. The woman turned her imperious gaze to him
and he swallowed. “I work in security here. I thought – I
thought this lab was open access. My friends wanted to have a quick
look around.”
The woman kept her gaze on Xander. In the soft light, Anais thought
she could make out the sheen of sweat on Xander's forehead.
“ And
what might your name be?” the woman asked him, tilting her head
slightly.
“ Xander
Silvas,” Xander said promptly.
“ I'm
Dalla
the main offices. Xander pressed his thumb onto the fingerprint
scanner by the door and typed in floor level 55. The lift began its
smooth descent down, the soft lights pulsing gently overhead.
“ So
how big is the research lab?” asked Anais, peering out of the
glass walls to see the floors around them glide serenely past.
“ Labs,”
Xander corrected. “They're the largest section of the whole
building. I think they're from floors 55 up to 94. Most of them are
completely off-limits, so I'm not sure of the exact number, but
there are a couple that you're allowed to see from the outside. I
know there's definitely one on the floor we're going to, but I can't
remember what kind of research it specialises in. RetComs or
something, I think. Nothing too sensitive.”
The lift finally slowed to a halt at the floor marked 55, but the
doors didn't open like Anais expected. For the first time, Anais
noticed that they couldn't see outside into the corridor that
should've been in front of them. In front of the glass, a set of
heavy looking metal doors barred their way. Xander frowned and
scanned his thumbprint again, before reentering the floor number.
But this time a red light flashed up on the touch pad, informing
them that they didn't have access to the area.
“ What
the -” Xander muttered, inputting the information for a third
time. But nothing happened. “That's never happened before.”
“ What's
wrong?' Anais asked. “What's with the metal doors?”
“ They're
standard issue for the whole R&D department,” Xander replied
as he peered at the touch screen and the fingerprint scanner. He
began to type in a command, but the light stayed resolutely red. He
tried again, typing in a longer, more complicated code.
“ How
long will this take?” Anais turned at Dalla's high pitched voice,
surprised to see her looking distinctly pale. Anais reached over and
squeezed her hand for comfort.
“ I
don't – ah,” Xander started as the light suddenly switched to
green and the doors slid open. He stood back up straight, looking
satisfied. But the look was short lived.
The doors opened to reveal a long corridor. It took Anais a minute
to realise what was different about this place, until it occurred to
her that the walls were no longer glass. Whereas in all the other
parts of the building she'd seen the offices were open plan, and
sunlight streamed through the windows; this corridor had no windows.
Ceiling tiles, infused with a soft light, illuminated the hall. She
could see two polished metal doors on either side of the corridor,
but she couldn't see how far the passage extended, as a tall woman
with long sky blue hair and matching azure eyes was blocking their
view. Her eyes were cold and narrowed in suspicion as she stared at
them. Everything from her perfectly coiffed hair down to her navy
trouser suit and shiny black stilettos screamed of designer labels.
Instinctively, Anais knew this woman was not someone to be messed
with.
For a long moment no one spoke. The woman flicked her eyes over
them each in turn, taking in every little thing about their
appearance. As her eyes passed over her, Anais felt a thrill of
fear. She had to resist the urge to wipe her palms on her jeans.
“ Well,”
the woman finally said in a soft, smooth voice. “What have we
here?”
When no one answered her, she raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow.
“ Shall
I call the police? Or are you going to tell me how you disabled my
security protocols?”
“ That
was me,” Xander said. The woman turned her imperious gaze to him
and he swallowed. “I work in security here. I thought – I
thought this lab was open access. My friends wanted to have a quick
look around.”
The woman kept her gaze on Xander. In the soft light, Anais thought
she could make out the sheen of sweat on Xander's forehead.
“ And
what might your name be?” the woman asked him, tilting her head
slightly.
“ Xander
Silvas,” Xander said promptly.
“ I'm
Dalla
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