Elaine gets a job at a cutting-edge research facility, and she cannot wait to participate in their research to find a cure for cancer. But what if the lab is a façade for something completely different? Immersed in a world of deceit, will she be abl...
Elaine got up, dusted off her rear, and tried to muster all the courage she could. She must have looked like a hard-headed eight-year-old facing an angry authority figure.
"I'm Elaine Scuterburg, and I'm a chemist here," she said, extending an outstretched hand to the man standing before her.
She was doing her very best to sound confident and innocent. She definitely did not want to come off as guilty. She vaguely recalled hearing that a person is only as guilty as they look. So, she was adamant about coming off as innocent, and it seemed to work a bit. The security guard glanced at her outstretched hand and was caught a bit off guard. He looked her up and down, seemingly sizing her up. Elaine wasn't sure why; her pride was a little hurt. Did she not look like a distinguished woman of science? He then broke the silence that seemed to stretch on for an eternity.
"Well, Elaine, who works here...." He mused, "what were you looking for underneath our counters? I can assure you this lab is free of dust bunnies, and which team are you assigned to? I don't remember seeing you anywhere near here before," he concluded with a smirk, which only seemed to intensify the gleam in his eyes.
If looks could kill, she thought, she would be considered post mortem. Elaine kept egging herself on, mentally screaming, "Think fast, think fast!" She had no idea what to say, so it seemed the truth would suffice. She was always a terrible liar anyway.
"Well, I actually work in Wing A as part of the CANCER 1 team. We developed nanorobotic technology. And to be totally honest, there was a key card issue this morning, and I somehow got a master key. So, after finishing my work, I decided to see where the door conjoining the wings would lead. I was hoping to perhaps see my research in action."
She figured at this point, she was facing death or life in prison, so it made little difference whether or not she told the truth. But, to her, it felt like at least if she told the truth, then she would somehow be going out fighting. It felt like an act of defiance on her part. The big burly man then looked at Elaine and seemed to be pondering what he was going to do. It seemed like he was never faced with this conundrum before. But she was adamant about showing no fear, so she stared him straight in the eye with her chin held high. Although, on the inside, she was doing everything she could to keep her knees from shaking.
"Escort her upstairs to the grand meeting room until we receive orders on how to proceed," the man said to one of his associates. "We will continue a sweep in here, in case there were any other curious laypeople with this one."
"Hold your hands out, please," the other security guard said to Elaine.
She looked unsure but figured they were probably going to slap handcuffs on her, like she had seen in movies. Were they also going to read her her Miranda rights, she pondered.
As soon as she held out her wrists, he pulled something off his belt and slapped it on Elaine's wrists. It all happened so quickly. She looked down and saw a metallic bracelet that resembled that worn by Subject 1. The mere fact that she was referring to the man as Subject 1 in her own mind bothered her immensely; everyone deserved a name.
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