by Erin Rickman
“Hi, Alina,” I breathed heavily.
“Hello, Blaire!” she yelped with delight. “It’s so pleasant to speak to you. Congratulations on the degree, by the way.”
“Thank you, when are you due to come back?”
“In a few months, have to wrap things up here. So, how do you feel about the internship?”
I paused, debating my answer. Truth be told, the job looked fantastic; if it were anyone else applying, I would say to them that they would be an idiot not to take the opportunity. Regardless, I had my reasons for not taking it, and I felt they were justified.
“It looks amazing...” I mumbled, trailing off.
“But?” she pressured.
“I don’t know; maybe it’s not for me?”
“But you said it looks amazing, so why would it not be for you?” Alina asked, genuine interest in her voice. I remained silent while trying to come up with an answer, but she had resumed the conversation before I could speak. “Look, Blaire, I read your paper, you are so capable. We will train you, and you’ll be under some of the best professionals in the field.”
“You’re right,” I agreed with little enthusiasm. I didn’t want to explain my greatest insecurities of failure to Alina; I could always find a way out at a later date.
At that, Alina agreed to call me soon and arrange a formal meeting. I decided I had to find a way out, and didn’t listen much to her words. Instead, my brain was ticking over different excuses I could use to get myself out of it. The phone call ended, and I debated the opportunity.
Maybe going ahead with the job wouldn’t have been such a bad idea, but I was going to need more convincing than a simple chat with Jai and his aunt. I was stubborn, and this was also trying to break down a fear I had of failing. Though, I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life on minimum wage. Either way, I knew it was going to be a matter of time before I had to honestly decide, otherwise I would pass the point of no return.
Chapter Two
February 26th 2024
I sat in my beat-up Ford Fiesta (which was barely held together by duct-tape) in the parking lot. I had passed the point of no return when denying Alina's job offer. Though, I suppose I could get out the car and run for it, but somethings stopped me. Maybe, subconsciously, I wanted to be here. A large glass building was situated in front of me across the road; the morning light danced across the structure, showing the reflection of the sun rising behind me. The never-ending stream of windows were held together by large silver beams, towering towards the sky. If the breathtaking Stark Industries structures were real, this would have been designed and put together by Ironman himself.
I stared at it realising this was a huge turning point in my life. I felt a lump at the back of my throat; this job was going to make or break me. It wasn’t just my reputation on the line, but Jai’s, and my family’s. I knew deep down that I had never refused the offer because I did want to get somewhere in life, despite my philosophy on failure.
When I had opened up to Jai about the real reason for wanting to deny the internship, he managed to pull a very successful reverse psychology play on me. He had managed to convince me that by not taking the job opportunity, I would be disappointing people, especially my parents who he had told about the job next time he visited. Therefore, if I didn’t want to disappoint, then I had to take the responsibility of pursing the industry I had qualified in at university. So, getting myself out of this rust bucket of a car was essential, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Then, my phone binged.
From: Jai
I know what you’re doing, get out of your car and kill it. Prove everyone wrong xx
I gazed at the text, knowing full well he was right, as always. He knew me too well, plus, he understood I was nervous due to our phone call last night. With a deep sigh, I typed a quick reply reassuring him that I would. I gingerly leaned over to my passenger seat, grabbed my bag and exited the car.
I had received uniform instructions from Jai’s aunt before my first day: white blouse, black trousers, and heels or smart shoes. I had opted for the latter as decorum was not my strong point, and I was likely to trip in heels. I listened as my footwear smacked against the pavement, and I looked through the windows as I walked, peering into the reception. As I approached the door, I noted everything was white, giving a clean and professional aura.
I walked through the entrance and the building smelt as sterile as it looked. The marble floor changed the echoing sound of my footsteps. Tall green plants sat at either end of the large white desk, and in the corners of the room, which offered the only splash of colour. Behind the centred desk was a white wall, blocking those peeking through the window from discovering the company’s secrets. Mounted on that wall was a large TV, on this read the words ‘Campbell Medical Research Facilities—Protecting Tomorrow’s World, Today.’
As I approached the desk, a young male stood. His ginger hair was illuminated by the morning sun through the glass windows, the freckles dancing on his face. His skin, like most adorning the same hair colour, was pale.
His smile was wide. “Good morning, miss, how may I help you?”
I squinted at his name tag, ‘HECTOR’. I met his eyes and cleared my throat. “Hi, my name is Blaire Mayres. I’m new. I’m here to see—”
“Mrs Robertson? I already have your name down. Let me give her a call for you. Take a seat.” He gestured towards the large white seats in the centre of the room. He seemed friendly enough, outgoing and eager to please.
Just as I went to turn, a voice echoed through the large building. “That will not be necessary, Hector, thank you.”
From around the corner came Jai’s aunt, Alina. There was no resemblance between Jai and his aunt, given his genes are more dominated by his Jamaican roots. She was a short, round woman. My small five-foot three-inch stature towered over hers. Regardless, she was beautiful. Her blonde hair fell to her waist, her eyes as blue as the summer’s sky and her lips coloured a cherry red. Her clothes were all black, shirt, skirt and tights apart from the white lab coat, which seemed to be the perfect fit.
“Hello, Blaire, please follow me,” she said with a wink before continuing, “how are you?”
Her warm smile eased my nerves as I stepped forward to follow the short blonde lady. “Hello, thank you. I'm really good, excited and nervous. How are you finding being back in the UK?” I asked, in an attempt to make small talk.
“You’ll do great here, Blaire, this job was made for you. Don’t be nervous. Well, the UK is not quite France, but being back in my home country is fantastic. I hadn’t realised how much I had missed friends and family, with work being so busy and all.” I was sure she was not exaggerating. Alina being so high up in a company meant it was not questionable that she had little time to spare. “So, with it being your first day, we’re not going to rush into too much. Simple training day, work policy, and by the start of next week, I hope to have you in the lab assisting Doctor Van Wick.”
“Doctor Van Wick?” I stammered. This man, in the world of immunology, was simply a legend. “As in, son of the creator of the Influenza vaccine, who now is responsible for updating the formula every year?”
She chuckled at the amazement evident in my voice. “Yes, Blaire, and, may I say, he was quite amazed at your paper on the A virus—‘A(H1N1): Natures 131 active subtypes and the molecular differences of the 67 potential hazards’.” I wasn’t sure what to say as we stepped into the elevator, thankfully, Alina didn’t seem to expect a reply.
I watched as she pressed the button for the seventh floor, and I examined the number of storeys (thirty-two up and three that were below the ground level). I noticed that some storeys required a fob, I guessed this was to restrict access to a smaller number of people in the company. This was probably where those higher up in the company worked. The elevator music was quiet, smooth and upbeat. Just as I was getting into the tune playing, we arrived on the seventh floor. We exited the elevator and continued down the hall and to a large
room. She opened the door.
“Blaire, this is Atlas and Kenji.” Alina gestured to each of the males inside the room as we walked in.
The first male, Atlas, was named appropriately after a Greek god. His hair was jet black, the fringe sweeping across his eyes which were an emerald green. His nose was perfectly angled, and dimpled cheeks hugged his wide, bright, perfect smile on the announcement of a new arrival. He was tall, above the six-foot mark. His white shirt hugged his well-built body, and his shoulders were broad.
The other boy, Kenji, was clearly of Japanese descent. Much like Atlas, his hair was dark but styled up into a quiff. His eyes a deep chocolate brown and his skin colour rich. His lips and nose were both small, but in proportion with his face. Kenji was of average height, a few inches taller than myself. His face was stern, no smile, and he barely glanced upwards from his worksheets when we had entered.
“Hello,” I smiled, “it’s nice to meet you both.” I held out my hand, which Atlas gladly shook.
“Atlas and Kenji also work in the lab with Doctor Van Wick. They’re currently tasked with analysing the genetic sequence found in the Ishka virus—I’m sure you have heard of it?” I nodded to Alina’s statement. “Well, while the gents are assigned with this, you can complete your training, they will guide you and fill you in. You will be working closely with them on this project.”
Alina said her goodbyes and handed me a lanyard with my ID; she explained I would get a fob for lab access when I meet Van Wick. She waved as she left, apologising as she had much to do. I stood at the door, taking in the surroundings, the room held a total of five computer stations. I turned to the right and saw four of the five workstations. The two desks on the right were facing the wall. Whereas, the two on the left overlooked the rest of the room. Therefore, the stations were in a cluster situated to the right-hand side of the room, and the four occupants were back to back with a small walkway between them. The first to the right was Kenji’s, and the back right belonged to Atlas. The fifth station headed the room and was clearly Doctor Van Wick’s.
Kenji sat at his station, the computer on with papers in front of him that he vigorously flicked through. Atlas’ desk next to him was much neater, hot coffee cup to one side and the chair pushed back. The screen was on, with software running in the background. The desk closest to the front left had a picture of a man and a woman smiling wide. The final one of the four next to it, up against the wall, was empty. The wall at the back of the room was coated with bookshelves which held mountains of paperwork.
“This desk is yours.” Atlas pointed to the empty desk at the rear which sat with its back to his station. His deep but silk-like voice echoed in my ears as he said, “The other desk is Maze’s.” He returned to his seat, and his eyes watched me as I moved across the room.
As I walked past Maze’s desk, I got a better look at the photo. She was blonde, short and wearing a gorgeous wedding dress. Her partner was dressed in a blue suit with a salmon shirt. She was doubled over with laughter as she stared at the camera, while his eyes were on her, the his expression was intense, as if he could only see her.
On my desk were a login and password. I sat quietly, arranging my belongings while the computer turned on. “Kenji and I are going to the sandwich shop across the road for lunch if you would like to join?” Atlas offered, Kenji’s eyes rose from his paperwork as he side glared at Atlas, clearly not appreciating the invitation for my company.
“Thank you, but I’ve got my sandwich here, maybe another time,” I said, waving my lunch box as I proceeded to place it on the desk. “So what exactly are you doing here?” I pointed to Atlas’ screen.
Atlas proceeded to explain that they were mapping the genetic code of the new virus, looking for abnormalities and matches to current viruses that already have vaccines. My new office friend explained that this would allow them to see if they can start exploring different, already discovered, substances to counteract the infection.
After about half an hour of gaining an understanding of what they had so far and a bit about the software, I made a start on health and safety training which was essentially universal. It was incredibly dull, outlining different situations like how to lift a heavy box and how to have your work station set up to avoid poor posture.
Kenji finally spoke. “I’m getting a coffee.” As soon as he’d spoken, he had gotten up and left. Kenji’s accent was a thick Geordie accent, not matching his Japanese appearance.
“Was it something I said or did?” I asked confused at his cold welcome and actions.
Atlas laughed, “No, don't worry. He's like this, it does become somewhat charming and his attitude grows on you. He can be alright.” His laugh was as perfect as his appearance. I found myself smiling, and the nerves finally dissolving.
“So, what is Maze like?” I quizzed, pointing at the vacant desk next to me.
“She’s fantastic,” Atlas explained, clearly attached to his colleague. “Her laugh is infectious, and her brain works in brilliant ways.”
“She sounds nice.”
I watched as Atlas’ eyes lingered on her desk, after a moment he cleared his throat and turned back around to face his computer, resuming work on the program. I wondered if Atlas had a crush on Maze, but I decided I didn't know him well enough to make a judgement like that.
✽✽✽
Later that evening, I sat around the dinner table; my parents, Jai and Andrea, were there. My new job was a monumental step on my path to becoming a successful and independent adult—which mattered very much to my parents. I suppose it would be a joyus moment for any parent, seeing their disappointment child not be so disappointing. Therefore, they decided to celebrate with tacos and my two friends. The topics of conversation jumped around, but my parents always bought it back to how proud of me they were. Andrea had finished explaining the story of Henry asking her to go to Paris. My parents congratulated her, then reminded me this is the sort of thing I could now afford to do with Jai. They were so happy I had a job with a future.
“I went antiquing today,” my mother chirped, “and I found the most beautiful china tea set.”
I scoffed. “If it’s anything like the centrepiece,” I gestured towards the large ornament, “then I can tell you it is anything but beautiful.”
“No, Blaire, the centrepiece is quirky,” she maintained.
“No mother, it’s trash.”
My mother let out a small laugh. “Well, I saw something I thought you would like, as a congratulations present, but I decided against getting it because of how fussy you are.”
I thanked her, regardless the gesture was nice. It was odd to see my mother's affection directed at me rather than Liam, it was always directed at Liam.
“So, tell us all about your first day.” My father’s smile was full, so vast it was almost a recreation of the Joker. He knew how defensive my mother could get about her hobby, so avoiding that can of worms was an excellent notion.
“It was okay,” I started. “Alina was very welcoming, and so was Atlas. Kenji is a bit cold.”
“Well, I'm sure they will love you. Your father and I are so proud of you,” my mother gushed.
I shrugged, a small smile on my lips. “I get to work with Doctor Van Wick; he runs our team. Apparently, he read my dissertation on the flu strains and loved it.”
“That’s fantastic!” Jai exclaimed, a little too loudly for my liking. “I’m sure Kenji will warm up to you, if not, you’ll still get on fine. Pot kettle, and all that,” he teased.
I glanced at my vegetable taco, weighing up the appropriateness of throwing it directly at my partner. My hunger was overwhelming, so I settled for flipping him off, which received a cough of displeasure from my mother. My parents continued to question me around the new job—they were already suggesting steps forward in order to gain a promotion. I had to remind them it was only my first day.
As the evening went on, we laughed and joked. Andrea had explained she was attending a comedy gig on Satur
day which Henry refused to go to with her. Jai and I accepted the invitation instead, giving me something to look forward to at the weekend. If the week ahead were as busy as I expected, I would be obliged to have some comic relief.
Chapter Three
March 1st 2024
I walked into the large building, and there, at the front desk, Hector stood smiling. “Good Morning, Blaire.”
In the last week, I had noticed he was always smiling. He had the power to turn any negative to a positive. If you were having a bad day and spoke to Hector, you would walk away feeling enlightened. That could be because of his contagious positivity or his innate need to help everyone fix their problems.
I smiled at him. “Morning, Hector!”
“How was your first week?” he questioned.
Hector was fast becoming a close contact at work, and I thoroughly enjoyed spending my time with him. His happiness was always radiant, and I wished I had that effect on people.
“Yeah, it’s gone super fast actually. I think I am settling in alright.”
As I replied, Atlas came walking through the door. He held his head high and walked with confidence. He was far from arrogant, but he knew how people looked at him and, more often than not, liked what they saw.
“Hector, you coming out tomorrow night to the gig?” he asked as he paused at the desk. Hector nodded, and they arranged a time. “Blaire, you’re welcome to come,” he offered sincerely.
“I’m actually already out tomorrow night with my friends; we’re going to a comedy gig in town,” I explained, “but thank you.”
“Oh, no way? The one at Haven Heights?” Atlas asked.
“Yeah, is that where you’re going?”