Page 27 of The Honeymoon Hack
“Tremaine believes happy employees are productive employees,” Claire explained, leading us toward the lounge. “Everything here is complimentary—gym, games, movies, food. Stop by the shop before tomorrow’s shift to pick up some Mnemis shirts, which you should wear during work hours. There’s even a spa around the corner, though the waiting list is always a few days long.”
“A spa?” I couldn’t keep the surprise out of my voice. “I’ve never actually been to one.”
“Never?” Claire turned to me with wide eyes. “You’ll need to try it. Massage, facial, the works—it’s the perfect antidote to support call-induced stress.”
Will caught my eye, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. “You’d have to pry her laptopandphone away from her for that.”
“Ha, ha.” I stuck my tongue out at him, and he pinched my upper arm.
“The residential area is called ‘The Reef,’” Claire continued. “This is The Grotto, Davy’s is the cafeteria, and all the server areas are named after the oceans. You’ll get the hang of it quickly.”
We followed her past the cafeteria, where dozens of scents vied for attention—brewing coffee, fresh bread, and sizzling meats. Several staff members sat at tables, some eating, some playing cards, some on their devices.
I scanned the tables, counting maybe thirty people, my stomach tightening. Scarlett had told me to make friends and gain allies I could leverage.
But as I’d told her, making friends wasn’t my strong suit. At HQ, I could work for hours without speaking to anyone. Here, every interaction required me to maintain a cover story, to remember what I’d said to whom, to smile and nod and pretend I belonged.
And now I had to remember that ‘honey’ was my go-to nickname for Will.
Claire stopped at another door with a keycard sensor. “This leads to Little Haven, our private island.” She glanced at me. “I’d recommend you use the cabanas and limit your time until you’ve done a few trips up top. You’re pale, and the sun is brutal. I’ve seen newbies burn to a crisp their first day out.”
Will nodded. “Good tip.”
“Remember, Mnemis policy requires at least thirty minutes outside daily,” Claire said. “It’s for health reasons—prevents the whole vitamin D deficiency, seasonal depression thing. You canstay as long as you want, just don’t let it interfere with your shifts.”
“Howlittleis it?” asked Will.
“Only a few acres, but it has everything you’d expect at a resort. Beautiful beaches, a snack shack, tennis and pickleball courts, volleyball, paddleboats, and bikes. It’s our own little paradise.”
“Sounds perfect.” Lying on a beach wasn’t my idea of fun, but the island would give us space and privacy to call the team without using the Wi-Fi.
Claire led the way from the Little Haven entrance through another corridor that gradually shifted from the warmer residential styling to a more utilitarian design. It led us straight to another checkpoint, which appeared more secure than the one at the entrance.
“This is the main security check between the residential and technical areas,” Claire explained as we approached.
Three guards manned the checkpoint—one processed items, one was at the X-ray monitor, and one was at the full-body scanner. A security barrier bisected the room, forcing everyone through the scanner. Intimidating, but at least these men only had sidearms in holsters instead of M4s across their bodies.
A lanky man who appeared to be in his early fifties stood ahead of us in line, placing a small toolbox on the scanner’s belt. He acknowledged Claire with a nod.
“Hey, Ronnie,” Claire said, gesturing at his tools. “You didn’t switch shifts on me, did you?”
“I heard one of the kids talking about a cable upgrade in the Pacific Section.” His hair was brown but mostly gray, worn in a braid that hung over his shoulder. That, plus the Grateful Dead pin on his lanyard, made him look like a proud hippie. “From the way he was talking about it, I knew he wouldn’t have finishedbefore his rotation ended, then I’d be stuck fixing it tomorrow. It’s better if I do it myself.”
“Good thing we’ve got dedicated employees like you,” Claire said.
He frowned deeply at her and proceeded through the scanner.
“Wait for us on the other side,” Claire called after him. Turning back to us, she pointed at a row of small compartments on the wall before security. “Since you haven’t installed the app yet, you’ll need to leave your phones and any electronics in the secure lockers. They’re biometrically locked to your fingerprint.”
The idea of ever leaving my phone more than ten feet away didn’t sit well in my stomach. Priority number one once I got back to our room would be to evaluate how risky it would be to install the app.
After locking up our phones and smartwatches, we started what would become our daily routine. First, our ID cards were verified, then our retina scans were compared against the ones they’d taken during our initial processing. Those were easy.
But next, we had to empty our pockets and pass through the scanner while our belongings went through the X-ray machine. Claire removed her small crossbody bag, placed it in a tray, and sent it through the machine. The guard working the scanner waved her through.
While I hadn’t brought anything else with me that wasn’t locked up already, Will placed his pen and earbuds case onto a tray, along with his belt. No hesitation, despite breaking the ‘no electronics’ rule.
Our first test had been getting in the front door and passing as a couple.
