CML - Custom Made Lover [Slow Updates]

CML - Custom Made Lover, Chapter 7

The shuttle glided smoothly in to the station and came to a halt. Mechanical doors slid open with a sigh, revealing the passengers within. Somewhere in the stream of bodies exiting the shuttle was Caleb. Since most people headed toward the main exit upon arrival he found it easiest to just follow the crowd until he had reached the bottom of the stairs and on to the sidewalk there. This is where he turned and headed right instead of left, breaking free from the herd; most people who came to this station were factory workers heading in to the industrial zone on the hover bus line. Only those en route to Numan needed to go right.

There was no hover bus to take him there; the city hadn't provided one. Unlike Ryan Corp Numan had little in the ways of influence at town hall. One of the past mayors had used their services once, but this had done nothing to improve their connections with the offices down town. This meant that all customers and personnel had to walk from the station, adding another ten minutes to their commute.

Caleb walked swiftly, occasionally breaking out in to short sprints and thereby hoping to reduce his delay. His doubts still fresh in his mind he made sure to keep an eye out for any suspicious activities; he found it unlikely but not impossible that he might encounter two fugitives on the same day. If this turned out to be the case he would need to think of ways to get this person to safety, perhaps hiding them somewhere along the way and telling them to wait, until he could pick them up again on his way back. Walking briskly he managed to shave two minutes off his travel time, aided by the fact that there had been no-one in need of rescuing. Now only being three minutes late he could put it down to having strolled leisurely from the shuttle station, unaware of the exact time.

Even though the building stood in a grimy part of town Numan had done everything it could to make the immediate areas around their building look pleasant; a small park with hedgerows and fountains surrounded the gleaming, modern structure, making the entire affair look very much out of place.

Quickly heading inside he checked in at the front desk. A nice lady there informed him that the technician was already waiting for him and that he could proceed directly to room 7B. Caleb nodded his thanks and headed down the hall. He noticed there were no people in the waiting area as he stopped in shortly to get a complimentary cup of coffee. He looked around as the machine ground up the beans behind him, mixing it with the boiling water; the atmosphere was homely. Soft couches lined the walls and a coffee table stood in the middle on which stood a tasteful flower arrangement. The walls, painted creamy white, were adorned with a few pieces of art which sported colors and designs that were meant to soothe rather than entertain. If Caleb had been early he wouldn't have minded spending time here.

A small beep behind him informed him that the coffee was ready so he turned toward it. The cup was warm and smooth to the touch, the coffee within covered by a thin, creamy layer of foam. He made a mental note that they had spared no expense to give people the impression that they were in good hands here, dealing with kind and considerate individuals.

Heading back in to the hallway he quickly located room 7B, knocking on the door before entering. A middle-aged man, seated behind a desk, looked up and rose from his chair to shake Caleb's hand.

“Welcome! Can I take your coat?”, they asked, smiling at him.

Caleb made to take off his coat, handing it to the man who took it and put it on a coat rack behind a panel in the wall. Walking back to the desk he gestured toward an empty seat on the other side.