Page 158 of Huntress

“Not hungry today?”

“First day jitters,” he lied smoothly.

“New! That explains why I didn’t recognize you. I’d have remembered you if I’d seen you before.”

“Likewise.” Saint tossed the trash and slotted his tray in with the others. “I’m sure we’ll run into each other again.”

He stalked away and headed into the bathroom. Elsie sighed and slumped in her seat. He’d been way too good at that. She picked at her food for a few minutes until he came back out, tilting his head toward the elevators. Taking her tray over, she dumped it and joined him.

A brief explanation of the floors the elevator stopped at was posted on the wall panel next to the door.

SL4 - Staff Housing: You are here

SL5 - Migratory/Transients

SL6- Surgery

SL7- Husbandry

SL8- Fusion/Experimental Physiology

He slapped one of the cards on the reader, then handed it to her. Seconds later, the elevator opened, and they got on, along with two other people. Inside was a second reader, next to the buttons for each floor.

Holding her breath, Elsie touched her card to the reader and hit SL8. The button flashed red and went dark. She tried again, this time going for husbandry, breathing out slowly when it worked.

They moved downward, and the doors slid open on the next floor. The other two riders got off, and no one else got on.

“Check where your card goes,” Elsie said as soon as the doors were closed. He tried all the floors, succeeding only on the surgery floor. “Which one should we try first?”

“Husbandry,” he answered immediately. “If they’re keeping demons for their experiments, that’s where they’ll be. Maybe we’ll find one of your chimeras in there.”

“Maybe. Did you have to flirt with her?”

A corner of his mouth lifted. “Elspeth Chantraine, are you jealous of my pickpocketing victim?”

She raised an eyebrow as the door slid open a final time. Elsie led the way, chin up, stride oozing confidence that she belonged there. She took everything in the square space they walked into at once, assessing the situation with each step.

Directly across the room was another set of elevators, and immediately in front of them was a long, yellow-stained security desk. Monitors showed camera footage of the whole floor, and sitting behind the desk was a single, disgruntled man. Two layers of double glass doors were at each corner of the square room, each with another card reader.

The security guard’s eyes narrowed as they approached, looking Elsie up and down. Twice.

“What do you want?” he grunted.

“Fletcher sent us to bring back an assessment of available subjects.” Saint easily borrowed Elsie’s lie. “She’s been working with Cornick, and he wants to try a new combination.”

“Fuck me,” the guard grumbled under his breath. “What does she expect from us, huh? We haven’t gotten anything new since the last time she was down here. You know, I’m sick and tired of these people acting like we’re some kind of shop that gets new merchandise every Friday. You go back and tell that–”

The elevator opened behind them. Another guard walked in, and the man behind the desk jumped to his feet and raised his voice.

“Late! As usual! I’m sick of your shit, Powell! Your time isn’t any more important than mine!” He looked up at Elsie and Saint as though he’d forgotten them, brows furrowing at Elsie’s startled expression.

“Go have a look around. Maybe she’ll take a couple of ‘em outta here.” He nodded at one of the doors and waved them away before going back to shouting at Powell.

“My kid was up puking all night, Sam, you’re lucky I showed up at all!”

Saint swiped his card at the door, and they scurried through as Sam’s face darkened. Elsie wouldn’t be surprised if he took a swing at the day guard.

“Jeesh, these people need a vacation,” he muttered once they were through.