I am away for the next four to five days without internet (boo!) so I thought I'd just post something to keep you guys going ;) The story is finally starting to take shape, hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 5
The elevator doors shut, and Dr Lane pressed for level eight, another floor filled with labs, but secured for his own private use, they would have more privacy there.
"What do you think you are doing?" Dr Lane hissed, as he typed the security code into the access panel so they could gain entry to the private floor.
"What do you mean father?" Quint asked his gruff voice edged with fake innocence.
"You know what I mean," Dr Lane spoke, sounding each word off as if it was a sentence of its own. "Human's are futile creatures only here to serve," Quint remained silent. "Do you know what could happen if they learned the truth of what we are doing here?" Quint grunted, he understood the risks and consequences. But he never was one to follow rules. "Paying for her surgery, we are not a charity!" His father's eyes flashed black with outrage.
"You said she was the best assistant you'd had, so I presumed you'd want to keep her in working condition," Quint defended, shrugging his large lean shoulders. Dr Lane exhaled dramatically.
"She is an excellent worker, and you have a point. A man must invest in maintaining and repairing his utensils," Dr Lane nodded, hoping finally Quint had begun to understand how things must be done. His son nodded along, agreeing with his father. "As long as your interests remain exactly where they should be Quint," Dr Lane added, glancing over to him. Quint glanced back, unamused. The lift slowed to a stop.
"She's human," Quint spat, as if referring to vermin, or bacteria.
"So was your mother," Dr Lane warned, stepping off the elevator as the doors slithered open. "Do not repeat the mistakes I made, humans cannot be trusted,"
"Of course father," Quint nodded respectfully, following in his fathers footsteps and stepping off the elevator.
"You had us so worried, are you okay?" Olivia gushed as I sat down at our usual lunch table in the small cafeteria.
"Yeah we thought you were having a heart attack or something!" Rachael added her mouth half full of pasta salad.
"I'm fine thanks guys, it was a seizure, but I'm going to be okay," I half smiled, pulling my bottle of water and 'sandwich a la vending machine' out of my handbag and ripping into the packaging.
"A seizure? Is that from your… you know," Trisha asked, bouncing around the subject and pointing to her temple. I nodded slowly, taking a large bite out of my tuna sandwich.
"Yeah, the doctors said it's grown back, and I have to have it removed in two weeks," I shrugged, putting on a brave face for my friends. It was unfair for them to carry my woes.
"More bills," Trisha sighed. I nodded, taking another bite from my sandwich. Withholding the truth is technically not lying right? I didn't want to have to disclose exactly who was paying for my treatment, as it would most likely lead to them asking why. Incentive. His voice played through my head.
"I'm glad you're going to be okay Vicky, and if you need anything we're here for you," Olivia smiled. Rachael and Trisha nodded in agreement.
"I have one question though…" Olivia trailed off. "Who is the guy the doctors were referring to as your boyfriend?" She smirked, wiggling her brows. Oh crappity crap. I'd completely forgot about that and had failed to come up with a premeditated excuse.
"It was the guy… from the bar; he went in the ambulance with me," I sweated.
"What guy?" Olivia and Rachael chimed together.
"I know what guy," Trisha smiled devilishly, "I do remember seeing him outside with the paramedics actually, so he said he was your boyfriend just to stay by your side?"
"Awww!" Olivia and Rachael simultaneously cooed. "That's so cute!" Rachael added.
"You're going to see him again? Yes?" Trisha pestered. I decided to come half clean; it would only be a matter of time before Trisha spotted him lurking around the office somewhere.
"I don't think he's avoidable, he works here," I admitted, taking a sip of water.
"NO WAY!" Trisha beamed, completely gleefully in shock. The entire room turned around to look at us. "Sorry," She apologised to the room. "No way he works here, which department?" She asked in a hushed voice, checking around the room for any sign of him.
"I don't know actually," My first proper bit of truth.
"I am going on a man hunt for him," Trisha laughed.
"Is he hot?" Olivia asked.
"Smoking!" Trisha confirmed. My face lit up bright red; well I wouldn't call him smoking…
"Anyways girls, I have very big news, I found a ring box in Kyle's suit jacket, I think he's proposing to me next week at the gala dinner," Olivia gushed. The gala dinner was an annual charity event hosted by Antigen for all the big wigs to rub shoulders with some world leaders. They invite all the staff as a courtesy.
"Oh my gosh! That's amazing I'm so excited, I'll be there with the camera to capture the whole thing!" Rachael exclaimed.
"What is everyone wearing?" Trisha asked the group, "It says black tie but I don't really have anything I think is suitable," She cringed. It's not like any of us have the time or money to parade around in evening gowns all the time.
"We were going to go to that dress rental place on George Street," Olivia smiled, "I'm hoping to pick out something fabulous for my big moment,"
"Are you still not going?" Trisha asked me as I finished off my sandwich.
"I can't afford to realistically, I'd love to be there for your big moment though Olivia, but I owe Bobby rent money, and I need to put food in my fridge," I sighed, even without the medical bills, it would be a couple of months before my bank balance would start to look healthy.
"That's completely understandable babe, don't worry about it, Rachael will take lots of photos to show you!" Olivia smiled, embracing me. Lunch was finished off with a few more rounds of gossip and a cheeky chocolate bar Olivia had donated to me; she wanted to look fabulous and skinny for her 'big moment' after all.
Emails. Phone calls. Coffee run. Cleaning. I felt so trapped in a mundane minimum wage job. Forensic science was my passion, I grew up watching so many cop shows, I just knew I always wanted to be a crime scene investigator, solving crimes and helping people. Fate decided it wasn't for me though. In my final year of university instead of being on placement at the local morgue I nearly ended up in one. My mind began to wander back to my time at university, asking myself why I never went back, pondering whether I should go back now my debts were almost completely erased. I began counting down the minutes until home time; Dr Lane had already left for the day on 'urgent business'. The man had 'urgent business' almost every day. Come on now just thirteen minutes left I thought to myself. Suddenly the phone rang, startling me while I day dreamt of snuggling up on the sofa with blanket and Monty.
"Dr Lane's office-" I was rudely cut off as I greeted the caller, I didn't even have to second guess who was on the other end.
"Victoria is my father in," Quint asked, his voice pained and gritty.
"No he already left, are you okay?"
"I'm fine," He growled painfully, hanging up the phone abruptly. Even though I didn't know him particularly well, I knew in my heart that something was wrong. I checked the caller ID on the phone console, hoping it would pinpoint whether he had made an internal or external call. It was an internal call, made from floor eight. Alarm bells went off in my head instantly, and I jumped onto the phone, redialling the same number.
"Father?" Quint's gruff, strained voice answered. I could hear the slither of hope in his voice.
"It's me again, don't hang up!" I shouted, "Are you okay? You're calling from floor eight, that level is off limits, only your father has the pass code for it," I spoke the last part in a hushed whisper.
"How do you think I got in here," He growled at me.
"No one can get on that floor to help you without managing to contact your father first," I whispered. He put the phone down.
Leaping up from my desk I bolted towards the elevator, taking it down to the lobby.
"Oliver!" I shouted as I jumped out of the lift frantically.
"Victoria are you okay?" Oliver asked, approaching me worriedly.
"I need a favour,"