by Trudi Jaye
She blinked, leaned away, and pushed the glasses up her nose. “Your name?”
Her voice was so cold Henry had to suppress the urge to shiver. “Oh sorry, I was distracted. Henry Kokkol. I’m here on assignment.”
“Assignment?” She looked Henry up and down. He glanced downwards; cowboy boots, ripped jeans, and a faded David Bowie t-shirt—his usual. He’d taken his cowboy hat off as soon as he’d entered the building. His Momma had raised him properly.
He nodded. “Assignment.”
“You know what we do here, Henry?”
“Design high-end smart room and nanotechnology for the international market. So I believe. I didn’t have time to do much more than look you up on the internet before I was sent here.”
“And you still feel you’re in the right place?” Her voice was snide, but Henry was distracted from her attitude by the glasses. They’d fallen down her nose again.
Henry shrugged. “It’s not the place I’d choose to be, but it’s the place I’ve been ordered to report.”
“And who are you here to see?”
Henry pulled out his piece of paper again, and checked the name. “A Dr. Callaghan, according to this piece of paper.”
She sighed. “Dr. Callaghan is the owner of the company and our Chief Operating Officer. Are you sure that’s the name on your piece of paper? If I call his office and you’re not expected, I’m going to be annoyed with you, Henry.”
Henry smiled. “You’re not going to be disappointed,”—he paused, looking at her name badge—“Wanda.”
Wanda narrowed her eyes, not entirely certain he could be trusted. However, she picked up the phone and dialed a number. “Deirdre, there’s a Henry Kokkol here to see Dr. Callaghan?” Her voice implied she knew it was a hoax.
Henry leaned casually against the reception desk, tapping a finger on the marble, waiting patiently.
“Yes, Deidre, I’ll send him right up,” she said. Wanda glanced up at Henry, who grinned and winked.
Wanda shook her head. “I can see you’re going to be trouble, Henry Kokkol. Dr. Callaghan will see you now. He’s on level twelve. Robert will escort you to the elevators.” She waved one hand toward the large security guard.
Henry smiled. “Thank you, Wanda, for your help. I appreciate it.” He ambled over to the elevators in Robert’s wake. The guard inserted a keycard to unlock the call button, and pressed it with one beefy finger. The elevator doors opened immediately. Henry nodded at the impassive guard and stepped into the small space. It was fancy, all done up in mirrors and industrial steel. He sighed as he pressed the button for level twelve. This was already tiresome, and he’d only been here five minutes. He vowed that he would finish this contract within the week, no matter what. He knew he could do it. The magic pulsed through his veins even this far away from the Carnival.
When the doors opened, Henry stepped out into another, very different, entranceway. This one was much friendlier, with cream walls and old 50s advertisements for toys—mostly rockets and cars—framed on the walls. A blonde receptionist with another perfect up do was waiting behind a wooden desk.
“Mr. Kokkol? Dr. Callaghan will see you now. Please follow me.” The younger receptionist smiled at Henry, her blue eyes sparkling, and stood up.
Henry followed her to a set of double doors. She pushed one open, and led him into a large room, filled with strange and incredible paraphernalia. Henry looked around in wonder. Old-fashioned video games, life-size statues of movie characters, bits and pieces of machinery, cars and even boats all littered the room. There was even a Tardis.
“Hey there, Henry. It’s so great to meet you!” A friendly voice emerged from the side of a strange metal contraption at one end of a large wooden table. A moment later, it was followed by the shape of a tall, gangly man who looked to be in his early twenties. “I’m Lucas Callaghan.”
He took in Henry’s surprised stare, and sighed. “I’m older than I look. Bad genetics mean people never believe I’m the one in charge. It’s lucky I’m more intelligent than most of them, or I’d never survive.” He flipped his long, brown hair out of his eyes, and grinned down at Henry.
A surprised bark of laughter escaped Henry’s mouth. “It’s, uh, good to meet you, Dr. Callaghan,” he said, holding out his hand to the younger man. Despite himself, Henry liked him already.
“Lucas, please.” He took Henry’s hand in both of his and shook it vigorously. “It’s great to have you here. Jack told me all about you. He said you’re a genius with machines.” He looked like an overgrown kid on Christmas morning.
Henry shook his head, suddenly nervous. “I hope Jack hasn’t been boasting too much. I’m good with figuring out how things work, mostly.” He could fix anything, and create whatever they needed for the Gift. But that was different to working in the outside world in some fancy research lab. His palms started to sweat and he wondered if he was going to get out of here in a week after all.
“That’s exactly what we need. We’ve reached a roadblock on our latest device, and I’ve decided a fresh pair of eyes will help the team push through.”
Henry walked forward and touched a massive engine sitting at the other end of the table from where Lucas had been working. “Is this what I think it is? A Chrysler A57 Multibank? The engine they used in the tanks in World War Two?”
“One and the same.” Lucas gave a pleased smile. “I have a working model in storage. I’ll let you drive it sometime.” Lucas walked over to stand next to Henry beside the table, and slapped one hand on his shoulder. “I knew you were the right man for this job, as soon as Jack told me about you.”
“I don’t even know what it is you’re doing here, Lucas.”
“It’s really quite simple. We’re trying to take smart room technology to the next level, to have it on us at all times. Not just when we enter a certain place or room, but all the time.”
Henry frowned. “At the risk of bursting your bubble, wearable technology is pretty much mainstream these days, isn’t it?” he said.
Lucas grinned. “Oh, yes. I really like you. You don’t hold back. That’s just what this team needs.” He touched the motor sitting in front of them with a reverent finger. “You’re right, it’s old news. Our project takes it further. At least, it was supposed to. It’s a Second Skin Kinetic Intelligent Neurosystem.”
“A what?” Henry struggled to imagine what that sequence of words might mean in practice. Some kind of computer that was worn on the skin?
“We call it SSKIN. Come on, it’ll be easier to just show you. I’ll introduce you to the team.”
Lucas led Henry back out to the elevators and pressed the button, talking the whole way. “The team is small, and they’re probably going to resist the idea of someone else coming in to help. But I know you’re going to blow our socks off, I can feel it.” Lucas rubbed his hands together and grinned. The doors to the elevators pinged open and Lucas gestured for Henry to go first.
“Research lab,” said Lucas as he entered.
“Certainly, Dr. Callaghan,” replied a woman’s voice.
“Voice-controlled elevators?” Henry said, his eyebrows raised.
“Only for me.” Lucas grinned. “Privileges of being the boss.”
“Do you tinker with inventions as well, Lucas?” Henry was suddenly curious about the background of the enthusiastic man in front of him. How had he come to be the owner of a multi-million-dollar technology company?
“Yes, I’m an inventor, too. I have a PhD in nanotechnology from MIT.”
“So a big time inventor, then.” Henry was being sarcastic, but Lucas didn’t pick up on it.
“Not so much big time as lucky. My PhD research into an alternative heating system was picked up and purchased by a rather large multinational company. Luckily, it wasn’t my only idea, so I was able to take that money and set myself up here. The rest is history.” Lucas swept his arms wide indicating the building around them.
Henry was impressed. Lucas really had done i
t all himself.
The doors opened, and they walked out into a large open floor plan area. Aside from a few desks with extensive computing systems to one side and at the back of the room, and a meeting area with a table and chairs, the area was filled with shelves and tables covered with robotics equipment—metal legs and arms, computer parts, keyboards, nuts and bolts, wires and cables, soldering devices—in all shapes and sizes.
Henry itched to start putting things in the right places. His hands even rose up of their own accord, as if to grab the closest part and get to work. He literally had to clasp them together in front of him.
He took another step into the room and stopped. He sensed a faint metallic magic floating in the air around him, whispering to him. He glanced at Lucas, and the other men who were walking toward him. It wasn’t coming from any of them.
They might not know it, but someone was working magic here.
CHAPTER TWO
From her cubicle on the far side of the room, Fee looked up. Something tingled down her spine; the intuition she relied on for survival. Lucas was standing in front of the lift and next to him was a golden god. Tall and broad, with blond hair and a chiseled chin. He smiled at the room in general and Fee knew she was in trouble.
She took a sip of her iced tea, wondering what to do. Something tapped on her glass, and she looked down at the little metal creature who had stowed away in her handbag this morning. He was one of her inventions, a tiny spider-like robot with multiple legs and a constant desire to swim in water. She’d been trying to create something that could test the purity of water in third world countries. Instead, she’d ended up with an annoyance. She sighed and tipped him into the glass of water she kept on her desk. She watched as he splashed around, before going back to her immediate problem.
The others generally ignored her, left her in the corner, and didn’t bother her too much, only coming to her when they needed a particular bit of robotic help to grease the wheels of the project. She preferred it like that. She certainly didn’t want to make friends with any of the scientists on the team.
However, her intuition was going off big time, and she knew something was about to change. Goosebumps appeared on her skin, and she rubbed her arms. What if they’d found her? What if this man was a scout sent to assess the situation? The exit sign to the far side of the elevators blinked mockingly at her. She’d never be able to make it there before this man, if he was here for her.
Something tickled her neck, distracting her from her dark thoughts. She grabbed at the metal creature hiding in her hair. Another damn stowaway. This one was bigger, but with five waving hands like a crab’s. He moved like a crab too, but he used his arms for evil instead of good. He was one of her early attempts; but instead of a handy robot to find lost items, she’d created a kleptomaniac who loved nothing more than to steal her stuff. She pulled him off, and her gold necklace landed in her hand along with the robotic thief.
“You can’t do that,” she whispered at him. She shoved him into her top drawer and quickly shut it. Hopefully, that would keep him safe for a little while.
She looked up again to see the delightfully arrogant—yet annoyingly clueless—Dr. Pelgrim Shaw stride over to the elevators. He wore his usual perfectly groomed shirt and pants, his hair short and his face impeccably shaven. He was the political beast among them; he knew how to work the room, and who to make up to. And obviously, the boss was the perfect place to start. She watched through narrowed eyes as Pelly shook Lucas’ hand, and then turned to the new man. As the big blond man smiled and shook his hand, and Lucas continued to talk, Pelly’s shoulders stiffened. His voice raised a little and he let go of the golden god’s hand.
Fee smiled as tension drifted across the room. It wasn’t often that Pelly was taken down a peg or two, and it was good to be a witness when it did happen. Lucas generally left them to it; he liked to give people space to be creative in their research. Unfortunately, Pelly just wanted to rule the world. And if his world happened to consist of the research and development lab at Callaghan Technologies, so be it.
The others were now drifting over, drawn by the raised voices and the promise of excitement. They were a team of five, and she was the only woman. Eugene, David, and Nolan were all excellent researchers in their own fields, but had the stereotypical shyness and introverted personalities of scientists the world over. Nolan led the way—he generally did of the three of them—his glasses reflecting off the fluorescent lights overhead. He was most used to dealing with people; he’d been a practicing doctor for several years before deciding research was his passion. Eugene was next; his retro 70s look accidental rather than purposeful. Then came David, the newest member of the team, who was so shy he looked like he might actually run if startled.
Fee watched as Lucas made the introductions, wondering what he really thought of the team, and Pelly’s leadership. Their employer’s real thoughts were hidden behind his outer shell of smiling enthusiasm and affability. He had one hand casually in his pocket, a smile on his face, and laugh lines around his eyes. Fee shook her head. Before meeting Lucas, she wouldn’t have thought it was possible for someone to seem so outwardly open and yet be so good at hiding what they actually thought.
Pelly might bluster and scoff about it; but they were significantly behind schedule on the project, and Fee had been wondering how long Lucas would let it go on. Pelly was smart in a lot of ways, but he underestimated the sharpness in Lucas’s gaze and saw only an affable, friendly—and thereby supposedly malleable—young man.
Fee started flicking the tip of a ballpoint pen off and on. Lucas was talking as each of the three researchers shook the stranger’s hand, carefully watching their reactions. With each passing moment, Fee became more convinced this was a monumental moment for the team. Something was about to happen that would change everything. Was Lucas closing them down? Or perhaps putting this new man in charge? Perhaps he was here to buy them out?
Her fingers stilled on the pen. Or had the Witch Hunters finally found her?
The last thought sent a chill across her skin and she had to resist the urge to crawl under her desk. What good would that do if they were here for her?
Pelly glanced in her direction, and motioned with his hand. She sighed. He was right, it was time to come out of hiding and face whatever was going to happen. She’d learned to be quick on her feet over the years. She would deal with this, whatever it was, straight on.
Standing, Fee brushed at imaginary fluff on her knee-length black dress, and then pushed a strand of her long hair back behind one ear. She took a deep breath and headed over to meet their visitor.
As she neared the golden god, she realized he was enormous. He didn’t top Lucas for height—no one did—but he had a breadth, a feeling of solidity that Lucas lacked. His alert gaze didn’t seem to miss anything, and Fee could tell he’d summed up Pelly immediately. He smiled kindly at the other three and made conversation with them easily. They were blossoming in the sunlight of his attention.
Who was he? Why was he here? The questions thrummed in her head, making her dizzy with apprehension.
“Ah, Fee, thank you for joining us.” The reprimand in Pelly’s voice was unmistakable. “Fee is our robotics expert. Anything robotic, she creates it for us. Fee this is Henry. He will be joining the team for a month as a...consultant.” Fee was used to reading the not-so-subtle undertones in Pelly’s voice, and he didn’t think much of Henry and his status as consultant.
“Hi, Henry, nice to meet you,” she said with a glance at Lucas, who was chatting to the others with an easy smile on his face. He seemed pleased with Henry’s inclusion in their team. Their boss had subtle magic of his own, although he didn’t wield it in the same purposeful way Fee did. It had helped him create his company from the ground up, and Fee trusted his instincts when he was enthusiastic over some particular path.
“I’ll gather some schematics while you introduce yourselves,” said Pelly, his chest puffed out like a gorilla protectin
g his patch. He would probably get old schematics, just to put Henry off. He walked away and, as he passed him by, Nolan caught his arm, asking him a question in an undertone, their backs to Fee.
“Fee? That’s an unusual name,” said Henry, holding out his hand with a smile.
Sighing, Fee prepared herself to tell him the usual lie about what it was shortened from. “So I’m told,” she said. The second her hand touched his, alarm bells went off in her head. A sizzle of blue lightning streaked down her arm and up Henry’s. Colors burst inside her head, exploding like Fourth of July fireworks. It was confusing, painful, and beautiful all at the same time.
Fee felt a moment of complete chaos, and then everything went black.
***
Henry only just managed to catch Fee.
As soon as he’d touched her hand, electrical feedback had hit all his senses at once; it felt like he’d been dumped into water with an electric current running through it, while someone dragged their nails down a chalkboard, and someone else played the violin off key. Bright lights flashed in his head and pain streaked along his senses.
However, he hadn’t reacted as badly as Fee, and he’d only just caught her before she hit her head on the hard concrete floor. Once the initial pain subsided, an uncomfortable buzzing vibration danced over his skin where he was touching her, sending prickly shockwaves down his body.
Glancing around, he saw the shocked faces of the other researchers. What had just happened? He didn’t understand it, and his thinking was slowed by the flash of energy from Fee’s initial touch. “Is there, uh, somewhere I can put her?” he asked. He wasn’t sure who had seen the actual lightning, but it hadn’t been natural, and they were going to have questions.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with her,” said Pelgrim, walking over from where he’d been talking to Nolan. “She didn’t report any illness to me when she arrived this morning.” His expression said he didn’t want to get closer to Fee and risk contamination.