“What if I need a midnight snack or something?” He carried the plate to a table that he’d have sworn didn’t have utensils wrapped in a fabric napkin when he walked in.
“Chances are you’ll have a stash of edibles in your room. Drinks as well.”
“This place is better than a hotel.” He cut into the medium-rare and buttery soft steak. He almost groaned at the flavor.
“I told you. Tower takes care of us.”
“What does Tower get out of it?”
Her brow knit. “I’m not sure. Perhaps the same satisfaction a parent feels caring for a child.” She shrugged. “Whatever the reason, you will want for nothing.”
In between bites, he kept asking questions. “You said earlier you’re a doctor but also a scientist?”
“Given ailments are rare amongst the other inhabitants, I have plenty of time to do research, my true passion. The warriors will sometimes bring back samples from their missions. Blood mostly.” Her nose wrinkled. “Bodies, if they’re not destroyed on the spot. Occasionally, unidentified plants.” She paused beforeadding, “I have your skates and jersey in my lab and have been examining the alien residue.”
“Are they really aliens?” he queried, taking another heavenly steak bite.
“I’d say most definitely. The cells I’ve been examining are nothing like anything I’ve ever seen on Earth and are behaving most peculiarly.”
“In what sense?” He didn’t really care, but he found himself enjoying looking and listening to Leila. Upon first meeting, he’d been struck by her petite and frail appearance. However, the more she spoke and revealed, the more he realized her strength and determination. Attractive, smart, and way too hot for a battered old man like him.
“The cells haven’t died yet, which is something I’ve never seen.”
“Zombie aliens,” he joked.
“You laugh. However, that’s not far off. The tiny hunk of flesh I’ve been studying should be inert but, instead, appears to be regenerating when fed meat protein.”
“Meaning you might be growing a new alien in your lab?”
Her laughter tightened his groin. Good thing the table hid his lap.
“I doubt that. The sample is very tiny, and while it appears to be repairing and gaining in size when given certain types of food, I’ve not provided enough for it to do anything of substance.”
“Good, because you don’t want one of those things to get loose in this tower. They’re killers.” He finished his meal and stood with the plate. “That was delicious. Where do the dirty dishes go?”
“You can leave it on the table.”
“Seems kind of rude and lazy.”
“I assure you, it’s fine. Shall we resume the tour?”
She led him up the next few floors and pointed out the library, the training gym, the administrative offices. On the eighth level by his count, he noticed the carpet ripple.
“Why’s the floor doing that?” He pointed.
“It’s Tower seeking our attention.”
“What for?”
“See that open door?” She pointed up the hall. “That will be your apartment.”
He honestly didn’t expect much, probably a generic hotel-like room. He walked into the loft of his dreams. Exposed stone walls, big fucking windows, a massage chair like he had at home, a La-Z-Boy recliner in front of a big-ass television, and was that an old school waterbed? “Damn, this place is nice.”
“I told you, Tower aims to please. Now that you’re settled, I am going to return to my lab.”
A part of him almost asked her to stay. He instead blurted out, “When will I see you again?”
“Never. I only provided a tour because no one else was available.”
