Synthetica (7 page)

“
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 Goddard.”

Anais shot a sideways glance at her friend, who was now standing up
straight and smiling warmly. She didn't look anything like the pale,
nervous girl she was a moment ago. The woman turned her icy eyes to
Dalla.

“
I
got accepted onto Civitas' internship today. I asked Xander if I
could take a look around, you know, so I could get my bearings
before I start. I do apologise if this wasn't allowed, but I was
just so excited, I couldn't wait until Monday,” Dalla said, still
smiling.

The woman looked at her appraisingly. Something in her expression
softened ever so slightly.

“
Initiative,”
she murmured. She turned to Anais. “And you are?”

“
No
one,” Anais said without thinking. “I don't work here.”

The woman's eyes narrowed.

“
Where's
your pass?” she asked, directing the question at Anais, who
thought this was a little unfair seeing as how Dalla had a visitor's
pass too.

“
It's
right -” she stopped as she touched the spot on her jacket where
her pass ought have been. She looked down in dismay. It wasn't
there. She glanced down at the floor and surreptitiously checked her
pockets, but to no avail.

Anais' mouth was dry as she looked up into the woman's cold
expression.

“
I
did have one. I must have dropped it,” Anais said her heart
beginning to beat harder at the hard expression on that beautiful
face.

“
I
can confirm it,” Xander stepped in swiftly. “I gave them both
their passes earlier today. I can show you the log on the system.”

The woman stared at them all a moment longer. Just as Anais began to
feel distinctly uncomfortable, she sighed.

“
This
lab normally is accessible to those who have cleared our security
measures. But today -” she broke off with a sigh. Then,
surprisingly, she smiled. The transformation on her face was
unbelievable - she was absolutely stunning. “I won't bore you with
the details. Why don't I escort you back down to reception?”

There was something underneath her warm tone that made it clear
that this wasn't question. All three of them nodded, and the woman
stepped into the lift. As she turned away from them, Anais and
Xander exchanged looks. Something had happened at Civitas, but what?

The woman scanned her thumbprint and the doors began to close. Just
before they shut, Anais caught a glimpse of two police officers
stepping out of one of the metal doors, conferring with a man in a
white jumpsuit. The metal doors closed fully, and the lift began to
descend.

“
I
don't believe I introduced myself,” the woman said. But Anais
noticed that she was looking at Dalla as she said it, turning her
back on Anais. “I'm Skye Belaforte. I'm the PR manager here at
Civitas, and I also have the good fortune to sit on the board of
directors. May I just congratulate you on getting onto the
internship – you must be very bright.”

Dalla visibly puffed up at these words as she beamed at Skye. As
Dalla launched into her spiel about how excited she was to start
working for the company, Anais felt a slight jolt as Xander's hand
found hers. He squeezed it reassuringly. Anais smiled at him,
although a cold feeling had washed over her at Skye's snub.

“
-
it's such an exciting time to be working here right now, especially
with the SLPs about to released,” Skye was saying. “They've been
in development for the last five years, so to see them being
released now is a huge achievement for us.”

“
Oh,
absolutely. I heard about the programming behind the SLPs and it's
simply extraordinary,” Dalla gazed at Skye as she spoke, her eyes
were bright and she kept flicking back her long hair.

Skye preened as she heard this.

“
Of
course, being such a complicated program means we only perfected the
SLPs a few months ago. Doing such a big launch in such a short space
of time has put a tiny bit of a strain on our production schedule,
but no matter – our employees at the factory have been grateful
for the extra work.”

Anais stiffened as she heard this. Grateful for the extra work?

“
Oh
yes,” Anais said before she could stop herself. “I'm just so
grateful
for the fact that I barely see my parents. But thank goodness they
have enough work to do. It would be a real shame if they were
working twelve hours a day and weren't doing anything productive.”

Skye slowly turned to face her. She felt Xander's hand squeeze hers
harder in warning, but she took no notice. She glared at Skye,
ignoring Dalla's reproachful look; but Skye simply gave her an icy
smile.

“
Still,”
Anais added. 'It's good to know that I won't be short of work when I
start at the factory. Thanks for clarifying that.”

Skye didn't reply. She gave Anais one last look up and down, before
turning slowly away as the doors opened. The lobby was now suffused
with early evening sunlight. The area was still busy, but now most
of the crowds were heading out of the building, chatting and
laughing as another day at work ended.

They all stepped out of the lift and a sharp intake of breath from
Dalla made Anais look up. A flash of bright yellow was bobbing
towards them.

“
Dalla!
Dalla, over here!” Marcus shouted, waving his arms so violently
that he was in danger of knocking someone out.

Anais heard Dalla groan. Skye raised her eyebrows and Anais didn't
like the tiny smile that playing around her lips as her eyes took in
Marcus' somewhat eccentric appearance.

“
Another
friend of yours?” Skye asked Xander, but Xander shook his head.

Marcus drew level with them, his attention completely focused on
Dalla.

“
I
thought you were going to wait for me, Dals?”

Dalla shrugged and made a non-committal noise.

“
Someone
told me you won the internship here, you should have said! We
could've come here together! I wanted to check the place out,
especially after what happened last night. I've been waiting for you
for ages, they wouldn't give me a pass,” he said breathlessly.
Dalla gave him a tight smile. Anais didn't think it was possible for
Skye to raise her eyebrows any further, but somehow she managed it.

“
Marcus,
this is Skye Belafonte. She's the PR manager here,” Dalla said.
There was a warning in her tone, as though she knew what was going
to happen next. Marcus' adoring expression faded, to be replaced by
one of distaste. He looked Skye up and down. She towered above him,
but he didn't seem to be intimidated.

“
Hello,”
Marcus said. “Is it true your research labs got broken into last
night? Security upgrades past their best, are they?”

“
Marcus!”
Dalla hissed, but Skye only smiled at him.

“
I
can assure you that Civitas' security is the best in the country. No
one can get into or out of our building without us knowing about
it.”

“
So
it's not true then, that Clay Winterbourne broke into your labs?
Just like he did a few years ago, and corrupted all your research
files?”

Skye's smile became rather fixed.

“
Such
rumours are unfounded,” she said in her smooth voice. “No one
has been able to hack into our security systems in twenty five
years.”

“
But
is it true?” Marcus persisted.

“
No,”
Skye's melodious voice became distinctly harsher. “It is not true.
Like I said, no one can get into or out of those labs without me
knowing about it. Now,” Skye turned to Xander and Dalla. “I
suggest you all leave now, before it gets dark.”

Her blue eyes focused on Dalla.

“
I
look forward to seeing you around, Miss Goddard. Mr Silvas, please
try to keep from disabling anymore of our security systems during
your employment here,” Skye added. She gave them a brisk nod and
walked away, completely ignoring Anais and Marcus as she passed
them, her heels clicking smartly against the granite floor. Anais
watched her go, her old feelings of anger and injustice rising up in
her once again.

As soon as Skye was out of sight, Dalla rounded on Anais.

“
What
was that about in the lift?” she hissed. “You didn't have to
speak to her like that!”

“
She
deserved it,” Anais said, annoyed. “You heard the way she spoke
about the people in the factories.”

“
And
you,” Dalla rounded on Marcus, who flinched back at the look on
her face. “Why on earth were you giving that poor woman the third
degree about the break-in? There's no evidence the damn thing even
happened!”