'Hi mom.'

A decidedly bored looking and sounding teenage boy sat on the edge of an office desk kicking his feet and picking at the plaster cast on his fractured left arm. A tall, thin blonde woman walked over and pushed him off the desk unfeelingly. He tripped on his shoelace and landed flat on his face on the hard office floor. The woman didn't bat an eyelid and flicked through some files on her desk. The boy looked up to see a pair of heavy black army boots heading straight for him. He stumbled to get up, but a hand grabbed his own and pulled him to his feet. A little disorientated, he let his vision clear and caught his breath. Another teenager, a girl, with shoulder length hair, greeted him.

'Morning.'

She had a fairly low voice for a girl and sounded a little hoarse. The boy slicked his hair back with his hand and returned the gesture.

'Morning. Hi.'

'Hey.'

She was quite laid back, but he was cool as ice. He realised they were still holding hands and led the girl over to the window of the office complex. Outside it was a beautiful day, and the skyscrapers of the surrounding city seemed almost peaceful in the morning light.

'This whole bring your kid to work thing didn't work out so good, huh.'

He smiled limply, in a sort of machismo way. She smiled back enigmatically.

'She's your daughter. Whoa, no wonder she doesn't like you.'

He smiled, but didn't laugh. She beamed and she ran her tongue along her teeth in a way that made him focus on her mouth.

'I'm sorry. I know it was crap. Can't help it, I'm just too sarcastic for my own good.'

She rolled her eyes cutely and he raised an eyebrow still playing the macho card. He slicked his hair back with his hand again

'Nah. Remember, you're not cynical, you're worldly.'

'Yeah. So who is she? She looks kinda scary.'

'Step mom.'

'You called her mom though.'

'Have to. My real mom's dead.'

'Oh man. Hard. I'm with my brother in law, but I pretend he's my dad.'

'How old are you? I'm seventeen.'

'Fifteen, I just look older.'

The girl sat down cross-legged on the floor and pulled the boy down with her.

Meanwhile, the blonde woman was busy tidying her sparse desk and turning on her computer. As son as it was on a faint mechanical droning came from its hard drive and the monitor made a humming noise as the fan warmed up.

'You have mail.'

The woman opened the e-mail and her pupils dilated. Her lip trembled and she got up suddenly. She grabbed her 'son' and led him towards the door.

'HEY! LEGGO A ME!'

'You're coming out to lunch, ok. Bring your friend.'

The frost had left her voice and instead a sort of semi-benevolence, or at least a panicked apathy.

'Yo! Come with!'

The girl got up.

'With you in a sec.'

She walked round to the computer as soon as the other two were out the door. She didn't even look at the message as her gloved fingers pressed ctrl+P. In a few seconds the LaserJet printer betrayed the object of the woman's fear. The girl folded it and stuffed the paper in her back pocket. She ran after the other two.

'Mom, what's going on?'

'We need to get out of here in the next five minutes.'

'What?'

'Don't ask.'

The boy was still dragging behind as the woman's steps quickened to reach the elevator. The boy looked back to see the girl sprinting round the corner and sliding a little. The elevator doors were closing. He had to stop them. His 'mom' had stepped in already. The doors nearly closed on him, but he put his arm out. The girl hurdled and slammed in just as the boy pulled back his arm. The girl was glowing pink from the sudden exertion.

'We need to get out of here.'

The woman said with a slightly exasperated tone.

'Why?'

The boy asked.

'I can't tell you. Look, I may be stopped on the way, if I am, I want you to go on without me.'

'That's a little melodramatic, mom.'

'You can't know anything, you understand. Do not ask anyone anything. Do not give the impression you know anything, ok.'

The teens nodded and looked on the dial as the lift went down to the ground floor.

'Is it just me or is this lift going up?'

The boy was particularly sensitive to things like this.

'I think you're right. That's strange.'

The lift stopped and the doors opened. They were in the foyer. Through the glass double doors was the tube line straight to the city. The employees had always been told that the labs and offices were away from the city for a more pleasant working environment, and few knew better. There were two armed guards on the door.

'Shit.'

The woman cursed under her breath. The guards turned to see the group in the lift. They recognised the woman instantly and drew their weapons. She punched the buttons, trying out of desperation to close the doors in time. Just as the guards fired, the doors seemed to grind to a close, but it was like everything was in slow motion, like they were moving through molasses. None of this made any sense, but they had to do something. They all ducked in a hope to avoid being killed. It worked. The lift went down a floor.

'ALRIGHT WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?'

The girl screamed. The boy just stood up shakily still maintaining his cool.

'Anthony, I haven't been entirely honest with you about this company.'

'Oh, and that's not clichéd at all. Can we leave the explanations and get the hell out of here?'

The doors opened again...