Page 75 of Distortion
I thank her for everything and she tells me she’ll bring it all for me on Friday, since I don’t want to carry it around to the lab to meet Applegate. I’m done with a few minutes to spare and follow the path straight to the Novelle Center.
I stand in front of it, taking a moment to really look at it. Most of the front is made up of tinted green glass windows, allowing passersby to see into the classrooms and the large foyer at the front. The lines are slightly curved, and the roof is covered in a living canvas of grasses and plants. It’s so natural, and yet the building’s facias gleam in polished chrome that makes it feel state of the art as well.
Almost unable to contain my nervousness and excitement, I go in through the large front doors.
I look at the email I printed out and take the stairs down to the first basement level. Afraid I’ll be late, I quicken my pace, but when I turn a blind corner, without looking, I bump into none other than Doctor Applegate himself.
‘I’m sorry!’ I say, trying for my practiced inflection, so that he knows I mean it.
‘That’s okay,’ he says, giving me an easy grin that’s a bit at odds with how he was in his office this morning. ‘I was just coming up to see if you were here yet. I’ll take you right to the lab and you can get started. Have you ever worked in a lab setting before?’
I think about all the times I snuck out of my room and avoided the cameras so I could mess around in The Heath’s small lab behind Stoke’s office when the blanks were in their staff room chatting late into the night. I hope I have enough practical knowledge to not make a total fool of myself.
‘A little.’
‘Great. Well, there’s nothing out of the ordinary. You’re to assist for now, and maybe we can put you on the project in a greater capacity once you’ve ...’
‘Proven myself?’
He chuckles. ‘Something like that. A couple of the seniors are in the lab this evening too. You’ll be working with ... sort offorthem at first as the assist, so if you have any questions, just ask them and they’ll put you on the right track.’
‘Okay.’ I look over at him as we walk. ‘Thank you again,’ I say. ‘I wasn’t sure what you’d make of me this morning. I hope I don’t let you down.’
He nods. ‘I appreciate that.’
For a second he looks as if he’s going to say something more, but then he just gives me another smile and uses his card on the pad next to the door in front of us. It opens with a click.
‘Normal lab protocols from this point. Your keycard should already have been updated, so you’ll be able to get in and out. Oh, I almost forgot.’ He stops and puts an arm out to halt me too. ‘Some of what we’re working on here is cutting edge stuff. We don’t want knowledge of it getting out. There should be an NDA in here waiting for you. You’ll have to sign it before you’ll be allowed near anything important.’
I nod. ‘Of course.’
‘Perfect, Miss Evans.’
‘Please, call me Daisy,’ I say.
‘Daisy?’ He points his two index fingers at me. ‘Oh,Marguerite. I get it.’
We walk down the hall and Applegate points out the various labs and when we get to the end, he takes a white coat off a hook. I do the same.
‘There are always a pair of safety goggles in the pocket,’ he explains, ‘but, I’ll warn you, you’ll probably be put on basic admin tasks to start with.’
I nod. ‘No problem at all.’
‘Okay. Let’s see if your card works. Swipe it.’
I take my campus card out and press it to the pad by the side of the door. It turns green with a beep and clicks open. Doctor Applegate ushers me in front of him and I enter the lab.
‘Doc. I was hoping you were still here. Some of theseresults don’t match up. I think we’re going have to check through all the numbers again tonight.’
I freeze at the voice and my eyes widen as I turn.
‘Perfect timing, Mr. Shaw. I’ve brought your new assistant.’
Mav turns with a smile on his face and freezes much like I have when he sees me.
‘Daisy?’ he asks.
His confusion would be funny ... if any part of this was funny.
