Hi everyone, so this is my first foray into the Lunar Chronicles fandom. It's my first ever TLC fanfic. I'm still working out kinks in characterization, so if they seem a little OOC, I'm sorry. I would love any feedback.

Cress Darnell, high heels in hand, ran as fast as her short legs would carry her. She knew she was late, mostly due to swatting at a bug in her dreams that turned out to be her alarm. Her boss, a particularly strict woman by the name of Sybil Mira would have her hide. Cress had already been considered tardy twice that week both for legitimate reasons. It wasn't her fault that a poultry truck had turned over on the freeway blocking traffic for miles. But according to Sybil, she should have accounted for it and been on time. She was sure to get a write up for being late three days in a row.

Cress slid into her seat and started her computer. She was begging it to hurry and load before Sybil came by for her "daily update," which she knew was just an excuse for Sybil to berate her in front of the rest of the team. Please start.

Cress could hear her boss moving around the floor, making her way over to the bullpen where Cress sat. But before she could approach, someone distracted her. "Sybil, I have a question for you."

Stars, she would owe Thorne so much for this. While he chatted up their perpetually moody employer, Cress managed to get logged in and look like she'd been there 15 minutes earlier than she had been by the time Sybil hovered behind her desk.

"You're behind on your part of the project, Crescent." Sybil appeared in the mirror Cress kept on her desk. She tended to let out unprofessional squeaks when surprised, and the mirror helped her keep that to a minimum.

Cress shuddered at Sybil's tone. She always made Cress' full name sound like it was something to be ashamed of. "I'm going as fast as I can, ma'am. There's a lot of backtracking to do from the other team … they made a lot of mistakes."

"We can't keep our clients waiting."

"Yes ma'am. I'll hurry." Cress sighed. Looks like another late night.

"Good, see that you do." Sybil turned and walked away, ready to throw someone else under the bus.

As soon as Sybil was out of sight, Cress leaned back and breathed a sigh of relief. A ping on her computer drew her eye to the instant message window on her screen.

Captain1sKing: That was close

MoonGirl: Tell me about it. Thanks for distracting her

Captain1sKing: What are friends for? *wink*

MoonGirl: *rolls eyes*

Captain1sKing: How have you lasted here this long? I've been here a month and I'm done with Mistress Sybil.

MoonGirl: She just takes some getting used to

Captain1sKing: You're delusional…but if you'll get lunch, maybe I can forget the crazy lady.

MoonGirl: Deal.

Cress heaved a sigh and got to work on the project Sybil had given her. It was "the most important project in the history of Luna's existence," which of course meant that Cress spent every minute of her day hacking away at it. By noon, her head ached and a kink was beginning in her neck from hunching her shoulders. She almost went into a trance when she was working, numbers and formulas flowing like water through her brain.

A crumpled ball of paper pinged off her head. "Earth to Cress."

She looked up to find Thorne leaning on the wall of her cubicle, that devil-may-care grin plastered on his face. "Lunchtime already?"

"We passed lunchtime half an hour ago, but you were in your workaholic mode and I couldn't get your attention." His hands crumpled a sticky note into a ball. "However I'm starving, let's go."

"Let me save this and then we'll head out. What do you want for lunch?" She clicked a few buttons on her computer before logging off.

An email pinged as soon as the screen went black. I should check that … but if I see another email about corporate attitude I'm going to scream. I'll look when we get back.

Thorne chose Delvecchio's, a quaint mom and pop Italian place on the other side of town for lunch. Cress agreed on the sole condition that he drove.

As with most mom and pop shops, the food was great even if it did take forever to come out. They were in the middle of the drive back when Cress' phone dinged an incoming message.

Reminder, all employees are required to attend an informational meeting at 1:30. Refreshments will be provided, DON'T BE LATE!

She leaned her head back against the seat and groaned.

"What's wrong?" Thorne glanced at her.

"Sybil has a department wide meeting in 5 minutes with the words don't be late in all caps."

Thorne's trademark smirk spread across his face. "Let me do the talking, it'll be fine."

"Sure it will." She believed him, mostly.

When they got back to the office, every desk was empty.

"Wow she doesn't mess around with meetings does she?" Thorne glanced around at the eerie scene.

"No she doesn't … and she's gonna kill me!" Cress wailed flopping into her seat.

"She's not gonna kill you. Like I said, leave the talking to me. I can charm my way out of almost anything." He held out a hand to her.

Cress let out a breath, he had a point. In the last month, she'd seen him get out of several reprimands. Each time he succeeded, it astounded her that he was able to talk Sybil out of writing him up for whatever reason. "We should go find them."

"As much as I would love to show her that she can't control everything, you're probably right."

She let him pull her to her feet. "Come on, let's go."

They turned down the hall to the conference room where such meetings were usually held. Cress stopped dead in her tracks. "Well that's weird."

"What's weird?" Thorne ran into her back.

"The door is open. Sybil never leaves doors open for meetings."

He stepped up to the door. "Maybe cause there's no one in there?"

"What?"

"The room is empty, Cress." He reached for her hand. Cress tilted her head to the side. It was only 1:35, they weren't even that late. Where did they go?

Down the hall, they heard the chant of hundreds of people. "We don't know what you need."

Cress looked to Thorne, he looked just as puzzled as she did. He glanced inside the conference room and grabbed the phone off its cradle as well as a pair of scissors.

"Here, take these." He tossed the scissors to her.

"For what? In case we run into rampaging paper?!" Cress' imagination ran away from her, creating all sorts of scenarios to explain where everyone was.

Thorne peered around the corner. He held the phone handset and cord in one hand and reached back to grab Cress' with the other. As much as she wanted to revel in that, her heart was pounding away in her chest.

"The coast is clear." He pulled her into the hall with him.

"Thorne, what is going on?"

"Don't tell me you never seen the horror movies that have a similar situation in them."

Cress shook her head. Horror? Her?

"Well, don't worry, I'll protect you." He let go of her hand and draped an arm over her shoulders.

"Isn't that what the hero says right before they're killed?" She rolled her eyes. She had a flair for the dramatic, but this was too much even for her.

Thorne winked at her. "I won't get killed."

"Of course not, this isn't a movie. Let's just find them before we're even more late?" I should have stayed in bed this morning.

The ominous chanting continued, but the source was nowhere to be found. That was more irritating to Cress than the fact that it existed at all.

"I would typically never suggest this, but maybe we should split up. We'll cover more ground that way. I'll call you if I find them." Thorne nodded.

"I-if you think that's a good idea." She was not thrilled about walking around a creepy, deserted office by herself.

Thorne winked, a smile spreading over his face. "It'll be fine, like you said, this isn't a movie."

Cress gripped the scissors in white knuckles as she searched for the missing employees. They had to be there somewhere. She wasn't entirely sure why, but every time she got close to the chanting voices they disappeared. This is ridiculous! They can't have just disappeared! She pulled out her phone and shook her head at the irony. She was willingly going to contact Sybil. She'd walked around in circles around the office, there had to be a logical explanation. They were playing a prank on her … that had to be it. As soon as she called Sybil, they'd all come out of hiding.

Her finger paused over the dial button. Call her.

A strangled cry echoed in the hall. Cress' heart froze.

Thorne.

Dropping her phone, she ran down the hall. His voice had come from around the corner, near the conference room.

She skidded to a halt. The good news was she found the missing employees. The bad news … they were all glassy eyed and holding Thorne captive.

His usual put together look was entirely undone, red stained the left leg of his khaki's and his shirt had a hole ripped in it.

"If it isn't our little late comer?" Sybil was suddenly next to her. Her voice dripping like honey from her lips.

"S-Sybil, what's going on?" Cress was sure her heart was going to explode if it tried to beat any faster.

"Cress run!" Thorne shouted. The mob of glass eyed employees forced him to his knees. A grimace twisted his features as he hit the thin carpet.

She turned to her boss. "All this because we were late?"

Sybil's hand connected with Cress' cheek leaving a stinging sensation behind. "Luna Incorporated is going to take control of the market. And to do that we need everyone on the same page, and with far less back talking."

"What are you talking about?" The scissors shook in her hands.

"You remember our CEO, Levana Blackburn?" Sybil nodded to a beautiful woman who dug long slender fingers into Thorne's shoulder.

"I've developed a way to get everyone to do my bidding, no questions asked." Her red lips pulled into a sneer.

"Do either of you hear yourselves right now?" Thorne fought against Levana's hold on him.

"My company is going to be the only one that people will want to use. And I will stop at nothing to achieve that." Levana twisted her free hand into Thorne's hair, yanking his head back. "Sybil."

Sybil handed Levana what looked like a champagne flute filled with a bubbling blue liquid.

"Open wide." Levana sang holding the glass over Thorne, who kept his mouth shut.

"No!" Cress shouted as Levana's stiletto heel came down on Thorne's leg. The moment he opened his mouth, she poured the liquid in.

Thorne gagged, blue spilling down the side of his neck. Levana let go of him as he pitched forward in a fit of coughing. Cress ran to his side and knelt next to him.

"Deep breaths, just breathe." She rubbed soothing circles on his back.

When he'd caught his breath, he glared at Levana. "What was that?"

"You'll see any moment now."

Thorne gasped. He clawed at the collar of his shirt, like the fabric itself was crushing his throat.

Cress had a sinking feeling in her stomach. "What's wrong?"

"Can't … breathe." He collapsed on his side still gasping for air.

"No!"

"Cress."

Something shook her shoulder.

"Cress! Aces, wake up."

She blinked, her eyes assailed by the bright fluorescent lights overhead. She sat up, noticing the 200 pages of "J" that filled her screen. "What?"

"You fell asleep … you've been muttering 'no' in your sleep along with my name for the last 10 minutes. Honestly, I'm kinda flattered that you dream about me." Thorne knelt next to her desk. That had all been a dream?

Groggy, she looked around. It was noon. Lunchtime.

"You okay there?" Thorne's forehead creased.

"I'm fine. Lunch?"

"Yeah come on, let's go."

The End