“What products does the Eros Institute manufacture?” I asked absentmindedly, peering curiously up at the speaker mounted near theceiling.
He cleared his throat. “The Eros Institute is involved in a great number of research and development projects. The thirteenth floor is an extension of our section, The Cupid Company.” He left it at that, and I had a feeling no amount of prying would get me a straight answer. His joyful spark seemed to flicker and even his posture wilted a little.
Silence began to bloom, and I didn’t like quiet when my brain and body were both bloated with tension.
“So, fill out the form, get cleaned up, and then…” I trailed off, waiting for him to continue.
Beta Love seemed to give himself a little shake, bringing himself back into character.
“Samples!” He crowed. “The very best part. You’ll work with our best today, Doctor Swann. She’s the leading Alpha researcher of our section. She truly makes the whole experience as comfortable as possible. After that, there may be additional testing if Doctor Swann deems it necessary, then we’ll wrap everything up with your payment. So exciting!” He flourished a pen at the last exclamation. It was red, topped with a heart, and I took it from him incredulously.
But I was already here. I was already locked in.
Might as well fill out the damn form.
Josie pushed a paw out of the top of the bag, batting at the air. I pretended she was giving me an encouraging high five and I tapped her little toe beans with my index finger. She purred in response before her furry ginger arm disappeared.
The very second after I’d signed my name on the last dotted line, Beta Love swooped in and snagged the clipboard. His eyes roved the page, making sure everything was sorted. When he was satisfied, he ducked back into his side office and returned with a thin file. My name was printed at the top. It dawned on me then that I could have given a fake name. It was probably supremely stupid that I hadn’t.
“This way, Miss Fortune! I’ll be your tour guide today. I just received word that our normal staff who do this sort of thing are otherwise engaged.” He fluttered his hands at me when I didn’t immediately getup. “Up, up! I need to get you sorted, so I can come back to man the front tout suite!”
Once I was standing, gripping my bag for dear life, he turned and began walking back towards the elevators. He bypassed those though, walking until a T intersection at which he turned right. A few yards later, he pressed his lanyard ID against a wall mounted security panel so that the very industrial door beside it would allow passage.
The large room we found ourselves in after smelled… like nothing. I didn’t know how to put my finger on it, but there really was no smell. I mean, my own body smelled, mucking up the works, but the air and everything around us just seemed void of other scents. No cleaner. No dirt. No food cooking in an employee break room.
“I’ll have to ask you to undress here and place your belongings into the incinerator.” Beta Love pointed at an oven-like door mounted about four feet above the floor. “There’s a changing booth to your right outfitted with a robe.”
“You want me to burn my stuff?” My mouth gaped open, the question blurted out in surprise. “I’m not burning my bag.” I pulled it up sharply, hugging it protectively to my chest.
Beta Love eyed the dirty, ratty bag. “I can offer you something as a replacement, but I’m afraid that satchel cannot enter our testing area.”
“And I’m not being tested if you burn my bag,” I countered. It wasn’t really the bag of course; it was the cat inside it. Which, so far, hadn’t been discovered.
“You have already signed an agreement to give samples today, Miss Fortune. I’m afraid there’s no going back now.” He gave me a sympathetic smile.
“Look, it’s not just the bag, it’s?—”
“The cat inside the bag?” Beta Love interjected. “I’m aware.”
“How did you… she’s been perfectly quiet.” I stumbled over my words.
“I saw her, or a part of her, before you filled out your forms. Unless it wasn’t an orange and white cat paw you high-fived.” He shook his head. “It’s highly unorthodox, but I will provide you with a clean, new bag. Iwill also allow you to enter the sanitation booth with your cat. As long as you both are cleared to enter the laboratory, I see no need to relieve you of your pet.”
“But I have to burn everything else?”
“Yes, I’m already bending protocol, though dealing with something like your cat isn’t exactly in the rule book.” He switched the file from one hand to the other, then began tapping his foot. His facade was cracking again.
I’d been holding onto the stupid messenger bag all this time. It was one of the remnants of my old life. It had patches I’d collected as a teenager. I’d taken it to that concert…
Hell, let it burn.
“Okay,” I gave in, and he smiled in relief. I opened the top and lifted Josie from inside. I raised her up, placing her against my shoulder. She curled over it contentedly. With my free hand, I helped my bag slip off my opposite shoulder. I lifted it towards Beta Love.
He reached for it automatically, and even his perfect mask cracked as he touched the dirty satchel. It must be disgusting to someone like him, so perfectly manicured.
“Actually,” I snatched the bag from him, “I’ll just keep it until I’ve changed. If that’s okay? Then we can burn everything.”
He didn’t fight me, flexing his fingers as if to shake off invisible filth.
