Chapter 21
tweNty-oNe
THE PARKING LOT SEEMED eerily quiet. The building out my windshield didn't look any different from the lab I'd worked in before, but it was more menacing.
That was stupid. A building couldn't be menacing.
I knew it was all in my head, born of the knowledge that someone in there had authorized an experiment a Grand Canyon beyond any ethical standard.
I took a deep breath and willed my heart to stop racing. I could play off some of it as first day jitters, but I couldn't walk in looking like I expected a death squad.
I palmed the crystal pendant under my blouse and gave it a quick squeeze. Warm. Solid. A quiet reminder that I wasn't going in alone.
My things gathered and my car locked, I made my way to the entrance. My shoes clicked on the smooth marble floor. I approached the reception desk, manned by a woman in business casual and a man in a security uniform. The woman looked up with a warm smile.
"Good morning. How can I help you?"
I did my best to return the smile and hoped it didn't look too deranged. "Hi, my name is Haven Ward. I'm the new Clinical Research Compliance officer."
"Oh! Right. I forgot you were starting today." She stood and held out her hand. "I'm Summer Green and this is Patrick Lewis."
The security guard grunted in my general direction as she shook my hand.
"Don't mind him; he hasn't had enough coffee." She stepped out from behind the desk and waved toward the back. "Let's go get you set up."
Summer kept up a steady stream of conversation, putting me at ease. She was charming and bubbly, exactly the sort of person you wanted for a receptionist. I watched her use a keycard to gain access to the rest of the building.
"I'll have a keycard for you by the end of the day. I hope." She gave a self-deprecating chuckle. "Our IT guy is on vacation. He left instructions and I'll do my best. Don't worry, if I muck it up too badly, he'll be back by the end of the week."
We went through another set of locked doors and into an open space. Equally spaced desks lined the walls with chairs in rows through the middle.
"This is our main research area." She stopped at the first desk on the left. "This is Frank Walker, our lead researcher. Frank, this is Haven Ward, our new CRC."
The older man stood, an easy smile appearing from his bushy salt and pepper beard. "It's nice to meet you, Haven. If you need anything while you're getting settled, let me know."
"I will, thank you."
So far, no one seemed like an evil genius. Not a mustache twirl or maniacal laugh to be found. Was I wrong about Novagen being involved with BioSynth? Maybe the flu shots were outsourced?
A hush fell over the space and I looked up to see Mr. Beringer making his way toward us with determined strides. I took what I hoped was a subtle deep breath. After our phone conversation after the fire, I wasn't expecting to see him.
"Haven! It's good to see you look none the worse for wear after the excitement in your neighborhood."
"I might smell vaguely of smoke, but I'm otherwise fine."
"Good. Good."
He paused, staring at me like he could see my thoughts if he tried hard enough. Summer broke the silence.
"Excitement?"
I turned to her, grateful for an excuse to break eye contact. "My neighbor's house caught on fire."
"Oh wow! Are they okay?"
I tilted my head and wondered how I could phrase his current state of being dead without saying a monster gutted him. "The police didn't say."
Mr. Beringer cleared his throat. "Did I also hear something about a hospital visit?"
Which hospital visit, I wondered—and didn’t give him the satisfaction of asking.
Either way, it was confirmation. Even if Novagen wasn’t involved, Justin Beringer certainly was.
Otherwise, how would he know I’d been hospitalized at all?
And why would it change his plans enough to have him show up in person?
I cast my eyes down like I was embarrassed.
"Oh, yeah. It was nothing. A friend came over and found me passed out on the floor.
I must've gotten too hot unpacking.” I shrugged, careful to keep my tone casual.
“I don't remember anything between taking my blender out of a box and waking up in the hospital. "
He scrutinized me again. Looking for the lie, I presume. It was a few tense moments while I did my best to look sheepish. He relaxed. I gave myself a mental high-five.
"It gets very hot here in Damruck, even in the fall. You need to make more of an effort to stay hydrated."
"I will."
Summer reassured me that I would get used to it. Mr. Beringer patted my bicep, doing his best to look like a kindly grandfather type, before he glad-handed around the room and disappeared the way he'd come.
Summer turned toward me with wide eyes. "What did you do to get a personal welcome to the facility from the CEO?"
I shook my head and scrunched my brows. "I have no idea. Kind of wish I hadn't." We shared a chuckle and then she restarted her tour.
"Like I said, this is the public-facing part of the facility. It's kept neat and clean."
"Oh." Like many, she'd misunderstood my role here. "I'm not an inspector. I'm a compliance officer. I'm more concerned with how the volunteer subjects are treated, the base ethics of the trial, and that sort of thing."
"I see. I never thought about it, but needing someone to make sure everything is above board makes sense."
I nodded and smiled while my inner monologue screamed I was such shit at my job, I'd missed non-consensual genetic alterations.
I'm not sure if they put my office through another two sets of double doors because they thought I was an inspector and wanted me away from any chaos that might happen, or if it was the only open office available.
I was just grateful I wouldn't have to sit in the main testing area with its lack of privacy and slight echo.
The office was utilitarian. A standard desk in the center, small printer stand with drawers on one side, and a large whiteboard on the opposite wall.
The window at the back surprised me. The facility I'd been at before was a concrete box with almost no windows.
I put my things down and Summer showed me where the break room and bathroom were, then told me that most employees went out for lunch.
"We're close to a few fast-food places, two mom and pop joints, and some casual sit-down restaurants. If you want, I can tell you which ones are good and which to avoid."
"I'd like that, thanks."
She nodded with a big smile. "When it gets close, just let me know what kind of food you're in the mood for."
"I will. I'm really glad you gave me a heads-up on the lunch situation. I would absolutely have been the awkward employee eating in the break room by myself."
We shared a laugh, and then she left. I sank into the only mildly uncomfortable office chair and spun to take in the view, such as it was. I swept my eyes over the parking lot with its sad, sparse smattering of trees that I'm sure was supposed to give the expanse of asphalt a more natural feel.
Beyond the parking lot was a road that didn't seem terribly busy.
I sank back into the seat and took a few deep, calming breaths.
The pendant hummed faintly against my skin like a second heartbeat.
Somewhere, Quin and Bacon were watching numbers dance on a screen.
Today was just about showing up and convincing everyone I was clueless.
I wasn't sure how long it would take, but eventually they would start ignoring me like coworkers do.
Then, the real work would begin.