Juniper's Choice

Chapter 2: Initial Conditions

"Dr. Westfield usually arrives at 8:30," he informed her. "You've got about five minutes. Main reception will have your permanent credentials waiting."

A young man with wire-rimmed glasses glanced up from the reception desk as she approached.

"Dr. Juniper Hale?" he asked before she could introduce herself. At her nod, he continued, "We've been looking forward to your arrival. Dr. Westfield mentioned your work on protease inhibition pathways no fewer than three times during yesterday's department meeting."

June felt a flush of pleasure at this unexpected commendation. "That's... very flattering."

"Oh, he doesn't flatter," the receptionist assured her, sliding a sleek badge across the counter. "This will give you access to the Biochemical Research Division on level three, common areas, and the auxiliary labs. Your biometric data is already in the system from your pre-employment screening."

She clipped the badge to her lapel, admiring the embedded holographic security features. "Thorough operation you run here."

"When you're working on what we're working on, thoroughness isn't optional," he replied, his expression momentarily serious before brightening again. "Olivia Reyes will meet you at the third-floor elevator bank. She's your department liaison."

The elevator doors parted to reveal a woman approximately June's age, though several inches taller, with a mass of raven locks barely contained in a loose bun. She wore a lab coat over casual attire—dark jeans and a vintage band t-shirt partially visible beneath the white fabric.

"Dr. Hale!" she extended her hand with an easy smile. "I'm Olivia Reyes. Call me Liv by the way. Enzymatic biochemistry with a side order of computational modeling."

June shook her hand, immediately warming to Liv's forthright manner. "Juniper Hale, most call me June. It's nice to meet you."

"This way to the dragon's lair," Liv gestured down a corridor lined with laboratory spaces, each separated from the hallway by glass walls. "Don't worry—Dr. Westfield's bark is significantly worse than his bite. Most days, anyway."

They passed labs where researchers bent over microscopes or studied data on large monitors. In one room, a group was gathered around a whiteboard covered in complex molecular diagrams. In another, a lone scientist carefully manipulated a robotic arm handling delicate samples.

"Our work is primarily focused on enzyme inhibition for therapeutic applications," Liv explained as they walked. "Specifically, novel approaches to selectively targeting enzymes involved in inflammatory responses and immune dysregulation."

"The fellowship posting mentioned something about protease inhibitors for autoimmune conditions?" June inquired.

Liv's eyes lit up. "That's my baby! We're developing a new class of highly specific inhibitors for the TMPRSS2 family. Your work on the structural analysis of binding pocket variations in serine proteases is exactly what we've been missing."

They arrived at a conference room where a lean man with salt-and-pepper hair cropped close to his skull stood examining a three-dimensional molecular projection hovering above the central table.

He appeared entirely absorbed in rotating the structure with small, precise hand movements, occasionally murmuring commands that caused the projection to highlight different regions.

"Dr. Westfield," Liv announced, her tone shifting to something more formal. "Dr. Juniper Hale has arrived."

The man turned, steel-gray eyes immediately focusing on June with analytical intensity. "Dr. Hale. Right on time." He gestured to the molecular model. "Your thoughts?"