Uncle Wheatley is NOT a moron

My everything

"I've got the door," said Valerie.

"Thank you, love." With Chell on my back, my hands were left fairly useless.

Valerie swung open the front doors to Aperture Laboratories to admit Chell and I.

"Okay Chell," I said as we approached the front desk, "I've got somethings to settle down here. So you go up with Valerie and I'll met you there in just a few minutes. Okay?"

"Okay," she replied, sliding off my back.

Valerie planted a kiss on my cheek. "Good luck," she said, "See you soon." They separated from me and entered an elevator.

I sighed, brushed back my hair, and walked up to the reception desk. "Hello," I greeted, "I was just wondering, erm..... Are the, uh, the spots for um..... Project Android. Are they full, or.... How- how would I sign up?"

Without even glancing at me, the woman took a small stack of paper out from under the desk and shoved it into my hands. "Just fill out the papers," she said.

"Ah. Thank you." I took a pen from my top pocket and started scribbling down my information.

Around ten pages through, I looked up at the receptionist. "Excuse me, did a Jason come by here recently? I don't know his last name, but he's tall, muscular, leather jacket and a motorcycle helmet."

The woman rolled her eyes. "Do I look like I know?"

I shook my head, sheepishly, and returned to writing.

This was it. I was finally doing it. No matter how scared I got, nothing could stop me.

As I reached the final signature space, a list of involved scientists caught my eye. The main developers of the project were on the top of the list and third name listed was...

"Valerie Cassidy," I said out loud, "Valerie?  Where does she work?"

"In the medical section. Tenth floor."

My heart thumped. Valerie developed Project Android? Why hadn't she told me? Wasn't she disdainful of the idea? This wasn't making sense.

I signed my name and handed the woman the finished document.

"That should be all," she said.

"Yes of course. The project though, Project Android, it starts tomorrow, right?"

"Its been delayed," she replied.

"Oh? How long?"

"Four days. We'll be starting Sunday."

Sunday? No..... Oh no. Not Sunday. "Th- This Sunday? I'm afraid I couldn't. Not this Sunday. You see, a friend of mine's birthday is this Sunday I simply can't-"

"If you can't make it Sunday, then I'm afraid you're wasting your time. The date cannot be changed again. Are you signing up or not?" Her dark brown eyes pierced mine.

"Ah. O- of course. I understand....... I'll do it."

Chell's birthday was four days away. I had to be there for her. Lately, I was the only one that was ever there for her. And now I was going to miss her birthday.

But that couldn't matter.

I walked to the elevator.

It couldn't possibly take all day. I'd still see her; I'd still wish her a happy birthday. Nothing was going to stop me from seeing her. Nothing.

An hand seized my arm and yanked me down the hall and into an empty room. I barely had time to yelp.

My eyes met a pair of dark blue ones. "Dr- Dr. Rattmann," I said in surprise, "What are you-?"