Official Minds

Chapter 1

A large white building sits surrounded by heavily enforced gates. It is only one story tall, but is very wide in length and width. A black car drives up to the cold metal walls the sun reflecting off it's silvery surface. It comes to a stop a foot away, two small cameras emerging from the tops of the front gate, shooting red beams of light at the car to examine it. With a beep of confirmation, the lights turn green and the cameras sink back into the gate, which swiftly opens, retracting into the surrounding walls, the car driving through the opening and into the perimeter of the facility, the metal gate closing once again. Once the car has parked, the door driver's side door swings open, a man stepping out, his black and white tennis shoes planting firmly on the asphalt ground.

Pacing towards the entrance of the secured building, he walks through the glass doors, which open for him obediently with a quick facial scan. He carries with him a suitcase full of files filled with papers. He has on a lab coat and a black mask that covers the lower half of his face. The door shuts behind him and he removes the mask, sliding it down so that it hangs around his neck. Walking through the hallway, the faces of like minded coworkers pass by him, some without giving him any notice at all, others a nod or glance of recognition, some greeting him with a lighthearted hello or good morning, the man kindly replying similarly with a smile on his face. He reaches another door and takes out a card from his lab coat pocket and swipes it through a scanner on the wall directly to the right. A green light flicks on the scanner and the door opens, the man entering the room and the door silently shutting behind him.

Once inside, a woman greets him. "Good Morning Dr. Hideki." She has long, straight blond hair, her yellow eyes focused on him warmly.

"Morning Liela."

"It's Doctor Suka." She corrects him. A slight laugh escapes the man's lips.

"My apologies. I'm not the type for formalities."

"Then you wouldn't mind if I called you by your first name, Yorumo?"

"Call me whatever you like, I don't mind." The girl sighs.

"I'll stick with the formalities, Dr. Hideki." Yorumo laughs again. "Alright Dr. Suka." Yorumo sets his suitcase down on a desk, clicking the lock open and lifting the top half of the case, pulling out a file and sitting down in a chair lying the file down in front of him and opening it.

"Anything new to report?"

"Yes actually."

Yorumo looks up from the file, a slightly surprised and interested look on his face.

"Oh really? What is it?"

"I'm afraid it's not good news. There was another attack on the outskirts of the city yesterday evening."

"The rebels I assume." Liela nods. "Was anyone hurt?"

"There were several injured and one casualty. They were one of our scientists, Dr. Makioh. Yorumo turns back to his file, putting his elbows on the desk and resting his face in his hands.

"They are getting out of hand." He leans back in his chair, picking up a pen off of the desk and holding it near his face, looking up slightly staring at nothing in particular, thinking. He clicks the pen, then looking back over at Liela. "Any progress on the devices?" Liela shakes her head.

"I'm afraid not. Most of us have been up to our necks in work on the barrier."

"I'd think the devices would be of greater importance."

"I agree, but those were our instructions. What about you? You're connected directly to the higher-ups, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Still working on the same research?" Yorumo reaches into the bag, pulling out another file.

"Actually, I finished it last night."

"What?!" Yorumo smiles, holding the file out towards Liela to examine it for herself. She quickly takes the file and opens it, scanning through its contents. She looks back up at Yorumo, eyes wide in surprise. "How long did this take you?"

"I believe it's been 3 years now."

"But you were at a stand-still, you must have been up all night?"

"Well, just until 4."

Liela continues to stare at him in amazement. Yorumo reaches over and takes the file back from her. "What are you giving me that look for?" He says, smiling, and puts the file on his desk next to the other. Liela is silent for a moment, then smiling.

"Nothing." She turns to a lab table in the room. "We better get started then."

"Sounds good. The sooner we finish these the better for everyone." Yorumo stands up, walking over to another lab table on the other side of the room. Liela glances over her shoulder at him, his back turned to her.

"You know, you really are an extraordinarily smart scientist."

"Isn't that part of the job description?" Yorumo replies, making Liela laugh this time.