We finally arrive back at Cotex, it took a little longer than expected due to us hitting the start of rush hour downtown, but at last I was back to the safety of the lab. As we parked the van in its assigned spot in the lot, V turns off the radio and looks at me mischievously as she turns the ignition off as well.

I shift my focus from the building to her as I arch my eyebrows and question her:

"What's with that look? Is something up?"

Instead of replying, V reaches into the back of the van and into her bag. She then pulls out a little clear plastic baggie containing a piece of a small black sample.

"Good news….we got a clue from the crime scene" she says while simultaneously lightly shaking the bag.

"Wait, what? How did you manage to do this? We were at the scene for like 5 minutes before my dad and his people came in and interrupted everything!" I ask, intrigued by her previous statement.

"Well, thanks to you two having that heated argument, I was able to sneak under the radar while everyone was focused on that little distraction, and I managed to take a sample off of the charred safe in the back" she declared proudly.

V then proceeds to make her way out of the van, I follow her out and into the lab, trailing right behind her. To no surprise, Elise cheerfully welcomes us back as she sees us come through the revolving glass doors and into the lobby.

"Welcome back boss! Had a successful time at the scene? Was it a cool experience Carter?" She asks, standing up and handing V a cup of coffee.

We both freeze momentarily, unsure of how to respond as we both think back to that awkward confrontation.

V then takes it upon herself to answer and replies:

"Um…" she pauses briefly "It was interesting to say the least. I managed to snag a sample from the scene, so that was good. I'm about to take to the Chemical Analysis Department, as for Carter, I think we both learned plenty from this case." She says, drawing her attention back towards me, giving me a subtle look.

I nervously laugh and respond back to Elise, "Ya, it was quite the first investigative experience. I'm sure I'll never forget it."

V smiles and pulls my arm, indicating that I follow her upstairs. At that moment I realize how cool V is and how amazing it is to work with her. Over this time period, since I began shadowing her till now, I felt that we have really connected and I think of her as not only as my job mentor, but as a role model too. I'm really glad that not only do we have a professional relationship, but we have a solid friendship too.

I'm pulled out of my own thoughts when V leads me upstairs and down an unfamiliar hallway. Instead of turning right towards V's office, we go left and we are suddenly standing in front of a large black door with an adjacent silver metal keypad.

"Welcome to the other side of operations CJ. This here is the Chemical Analysis Department. We report any evidence here and they basically dust for prints, identity the chemical composition of the sample, and record anything unusual about the sample" she says enthusiastically.

I don't reciprocate her excitement and just stand there unimpressed as chemistry isn't really my thing.

V grabs a key card out of her blazer pocket and slides it down the slot in the key pad. The pad beeps, flashes a green light and we're in.

I enter the room, and at first glance the glaring white reminded me of a hospital room rather than a chemistry lab. I take a better look around when V takes me towards the back of the room and I notice some of the equipment that the lab technicians were using. Not many people were working, as it was late-ish, but the few who resided were working with silver and black microscopes, acid testing kits, a plethora of Erlenmeyer glass flasks full of various colored chemicals, and a centrifuge.

As we make our way back, V greets each person in the lab and suggests that they wrap up and take off, as it is a Friday. We finally reach the end of the lab which consists of many different offices displaying the name of the employee that occupies it.

Yet again we are standing in front of another closed door, this time it's labeled 'Damien Barlow: Department Head'. V knocks on the door three times and then takes a step back.

It opens revealing a tall, lanky man in a white lab coat, with dark hair and clear glasses frames, resting upon the bridge of his pointed nose. He looks down at both of us, especially focusing on me as I'm an unfamiliar face to him. After a few seconds of observing he beings to speak.

"Ah V! It's so nice to see you again!" he exclaims, gesturing for us to enter his office.

"Damian it's always a pleasure catching up with you" V replies back, semi-sincerely.

He leads us to two chairs that sit across from his desk and motions for us to take a seat, and just as we begin to pull out the black fabric rolly chairs he questions our presence.

"So V, who's the mini much?" He asks, although I don't understand why he referred to me as that as I'm significantly taller than V, actually most people in fact are.

My grip on the felted arms of the chair intensifies after that comment out of frustration, but thankfully V shut him down moments later.

"Actually, this is Carter Jones" she exclaims gesturing to me, "and she is here shadowing me for her senior high school project. So right now I'm just showing her a glimpse of your department and what you do."

Damian didn't reply to this at first, he just graciously took a sip of his coffee from the black Cotex mug sitting upon his desk and stared at the both of us.

I glance around his office observing the organized mess of documents and files spread throughout the room in and on top of filing cabinets. I was tired of the lurking uncomfortableness in the air, so I asked him the question he probably didn't want to be asked.

I clear my throat disguising it as a cough and inquired, "So, I'm guessing you don't just sit in your office all day." I shift my position in my chair to correct my posture and continue:

"What exactly then do you do here in the chem department?"

He stands up out of his chair, taking his mug with him, and walks to the front of the room leaning his lanky figure on a beige filing cabinet causing V and I to arch our heads in his direction.

"Well Miss Jones, I'm presuming that since you're a senior that you have basic knowledge of chemistry; however, just because you can balance chemical equations doesn't mean that you have the skills to accomplish what is being done here at Cotex." he says, being somewhat impertinent.

This time I turn my entire chair around to face him and as I open my mouth to try to add more to my question, he makes sure to cut me off before I can say a single word.

"And…" He blurted in a louder tone than before. "I'm quite sure that my work is far too difficult for a mere high schooler to understand." He sighs as he sees me angrily glaring at him. "But to make it short and sweet and in terms you might understand, we get handed off the organic material at the crime scene and analyze what its chemical makeup is, which then allows us to determine what could have occurred at the scene."

I crossed my arms and huffed out in frustration, brushing some of my straggling hair out of my face. I'm sick and tired of people treating me like a child, I came to that conclusion on my own even before V gave me that little run down before entering. If this is all the information they can give me about this place there must be something else they aren't telling me. One of two options, one they don't think I can understand or two, they might not want me to know something about this place. Either way, I decided to give up on my disagreement with Mr. Barlow and let V take over the conversation.

Out of the blue, V's face lights up as she remembers something and she stands up approaching Damien as she begins to pull an item out of her pocket.

"Damien, I completely forgot, but I have something you might be interested in!" She exclaims as she positions her black glasses frames back up the bridge of her nose.

"Oh really now?" Damien questions, standing upright from leaning on the cabinet.

She holds out the small plastic baggie containing the black material that she had shown me in the van, and now I understand exactly why we're here.

"Carter and I just came back from a rather interesting case and I managed to obtain a sample. I need it analyzed ASAP. It's imperative that we get this done fast, because I have a hunch this criminal might strike in the near future, and I need to know the method of their pyrotechnic demolition."

He quickly grabs the sample out of V's hand and stuffs it in his labcoat pocket.

"I assure you ma'am that I will personally take care of this sample and get right back to you with any uncovered data." He said eagerly.

"Now, I must begin this assignment right away." He says, opening his office door to gesture us out.

V and I reluctantly head out and let Damien be with his work.

As soon as the door shuts with a loud bang, I turn to V. "So, is he like that all the time?"

"Like what?" She questions, making her way back out of the laboratory with a quick stride in her step.

I have to fasten my pace to catch up to her as we both weave our way back out of the lab and into the hallway.

I catch my breath for a moment and place my hands on my legs. "Oh I don't know, to me he seems a little brooding and rude."

She assists me back up on my feet, "Yeah, you can say that. He's been like that since the day he started here. He can be a little hard to deal with sometimes and has a small issue with authority, he thinks he's top dog in the industry, but he is a great chemist and does his work efficiently and on time. What more could we ask for?"

I shrug, and notice that yet again V is on the move and has started walking back to her office. I follow close by and enter her office seconds later, closing the door behind me.

I noticed that she is in the process of gathering her belongings and managed to grab my jacket as well as she hands it to me.

"Carter, I don't want to make you waste anymore of your Friday. You're a teen, you should make use of your weekend. Go have fun. Also, I think you should get back to your father. He's probably worried."

I grabbed my jacket from her grip and slung it over my shoulder. I really wouldn't mind staying here with V, but she's probably right, I told my dad I'd be home soon. I don't want him to be even more upset about my affiliations here at Cotex with V. As much as I'd like to avoid confronting my dad at home, I'd rather not get even more on his bad side. Today has been a roller coaster, but I'm glad V and I are still going to be working together.

"You're right V, I guess I'll be on my way home now. I hope you have a good weekend too. If something comes up with this arson guy or if Damien finds something be sure to text me." I say, turning around heading out the door.

She pats me on the back. "Don't worry Carter, you'll be the first to be notified." She laughs out. "Just make sure to play it safe at home with your parents now. I'm sorry for such an awkward day, but I just know you'll be successful in this industry; I'm not giving up on you just yet kid." She says, walking down the stairs and into the lobby. I smile at her comment as we descend. I won't and can't let anything jeopardize this.