The Fair & Foul (Project Gene Assist Book 1) (3 page)

It was cylindrical in shape with a glass dome top providing spectacular views of campus. While the glass was clear, the dome acted as a solar collector, powering the entire building. At its base, the architects had installed a series of camera and pixel displays, which would then project whatever the view was on the other side, rendering the base invisible to the casual observer. The resulting effect made it appear as if the top of the building was a floating hemisphere. Supposedly, Louis Evans Sr. had thought the town needed modernization to counter other structures such as Castle Craig, a tower made to look like a medieval castle set within nearby Hubbard Park.

To Juliane, the building was a testament to the ACI's willingness to invest in the unproven, but not all experiments are successful. The panels were enough to achieve the effect the designers were looking for, but what the architects hadn’t anticipated was the extent of injuries their design would inflict upon those who never looked up as they wandered about the campus.

The entrance to the building was easy to miss. It was only identified by a subtle alteration to the otherwise repeating layout of brickwork that cut through the commons. As she approached, she noticed a man lounging along a walled planter near the base of the building. He looked to be about her age, in his early thirties, dressed more sharply than one might have expected at this time of day. Juliane would have expected a person dressed like that to stand at attention, careful to avoid contact with anything that could mar its appearance. But based on his relaxed posture, he couldn’t care in the least if his clothes were damaged by their proximity to dirt or brickwork. His skin was gorgeously tanned and unblemished, his hair stylishly tussled. His face was partially covered by a full yet manicured mustache. Juliane decided it suited him.

He spoke as she grew nearer. His voice was velvet smooth with a singsong quality about it. It was not an accent she was familiar with. She was so caught up listening to the sound of the words and not their content that she did not immediately realize he was addressing her.

“I’m terribly sorry, Ms., but would you happen to know where in the blazes the entrance to the Gould Building is? I must have circled this spot nearly a dozen times and all I’ve gotten for my trouble is a bruise to my leg.” Unlike the dozens of times she had heard similar complaints from new visitors, the man seemed more amused than annoyed.

Juliane remembered all too well her first visit to the building and offered him a sympathetic smile. “Sure, you’ve almost found it. Follow me.” Juliane led the way, and within moments, several panels ceased displaying projections from the other side of the building, allowing a door to become visible. “The trick is to look for changes to the pattern of the brickwork. Around here the pattern is everything.”

"Why in the world would a building be made with a door so hard to find?" he asked.

"I am sure the designers thought a door would destroy the effect," Juliane answered while sparing a glance upward and toward the dome. "Architecture aside, it also helps provide a higher degree of security. There are several projects being reviewed inside that the competition would give anything to know about."

They entered the building together. The marble of the floor tile shone in near mirror quality with images of the high-end fixtures reflecting on its surface. The interior of the Gould Building was more typical of a
Fortune 500
tower rather than most research and design facilities. Juliane had expected the man to stop to fully take in their surroundings, but his stride never broke. He nearly walked into Juliane’s heel.

They continued through the building’s lobby, finally reaching the elevators. “The directory is on the wall over there. Do you think you will be able find your way from here?”

The man laughed. “Not if the interior of this place matches the exterior. I’ve been sitting out there waiting for someone to either enter or exit for probably the last thirty minutes, and I was already late for a presentation before I arrived. I’ve likely missed it entirely by now, but I suppose there is a chance that I could go directly to the source for a download—assuming my contact is here.” He looked around the empty hallway. “There doesn’t appear to be a lot of traffic in this building.”

“No, I suppose not. We tend to get lost in our projects and forget about the basic human necessities. Some of us even prefer to sleep here.”

“We? I thought this building was nearly solely occupied by research and development. Are you one of the academic liaisons then?”

Academic liaisons were part-time employees, full-time students, and basically a step above servants. Within any other organization, they would have been called interns. However, the ACI had chosen the unique title as a way of acknowledging that in addition to being tasked with all sorts of menial work in support of assigned research teams, these individuals were also expected to serve as a bridge between the ACI and their various universities.

They had helped the ACI make millions, yet they were expected to put up with any number of indignities for little more than the hope that their indentured servitude might one day grant them the recognition that they had never been able to achieve on their own, and for what? Recognition that they might one day be invited to join the ACI full time and given the opportunity to repeat the cycle. Juliane wrinkled her nose at the thought.

It was common for new recruits to spend a year or two in such work, but a person still doing that work at her age? Juliane shuddered.
If an AL is my age and hasn’t been recognized by now, they never will be.
It was a matter of personal pride that Juliane had never spent a second as an AL.

“I have had the pleasure of maintaining my own office here for the past few years.”

He stopped in mid-stride, and Juliane batted her eyelashes, returning his false sincerity with her own. His gaze swooped over her body from head to toe, while his head cocked to the side and his thumb stroked his chin, as if appreciating fine art. “What did you do then, graduate high school when you were twelve?”

She found herself wanting to shake her hair free from its bun in slow motion like women in the movies did whenever they were attempting to be seductive.
Where did that come from?
she wondered. Juliane was relatively certain that had she gone through with the move, she would have looked ridiculous. Juliane knew that she was attractive, and had even gone on a couple of dates, but had found that most men were a complication she hadn't missed. Instead, she heard herself giggling. “Sixteen.”
What has gotten into me?

“Well, you don’t look a day over twenty.”

Juliane decided the banter had gone on entirely too long. As much as she enjoyed the moment, she shouldn’t allow this smooth-talking stranger to make her into a person she didn't recognize. She reminded herself that women before her had fought too hard to penetrate her otherwise male-dominated field. She had fought too hard. She would not allow herself to play the role of the vapid female. She rolled her shoulders as if shrugging off a coat while tightening the control on her expression.

“You mentioned that you were here to see someone? I’m not completely surprised that they didn’t come down to see you when you missed your appointment; as I mentioned, we tend to lose track of time. Do you know what floor they are on?”

The stranger seemed oblivious to the effect he had had on her and her internal struggle. “Well, if I am being honest with you, even if I had managed to attend the presentation on time, it would have been a surprise visit. I’m here to see Dr. Faris.”

Juliane froze, her finger on the elevator call button. She fought the rush of fire that sought to consume her cheeks. “If you were intending to surprise, you certainly did. I’m Dr. Faris, but I don’t believe I have a meeting with you on my calendar.”

She risked a glance in his direction, only to be disappointed to see that he did not share in her embarrassment over their prior exchange. If anything, he looked as if he enjoyed himself more knowing who she was. His eyes twinkled in amusement, and the corner of his lips turned up in a sly grin. “Okay. So that’s not the only thing I need to be honest about. I’ve known who you were since before we met. I just wanted a chance to break the ice before we got to the formal introductions.”

“Oh? And why is that?” The fire in her cheeks was immediately extinguished, replaced by a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“Well, I have reason to believe that you might have made excuses not to meet me otherwise.”

Juliane wondered if she might be dealing with some sort of stalker, an attractive, smooth-talking stalker but a stalker nonetheless. She knew it was only a matter of time before her success earned her one.

“And who might you be then?”

“I’m Louis Evans. I believe you might have heard of me?”

Juliane and Louis rode up the elevator together in silence. Mentally, she replayed her words over and over again, analyzing them to see if she had said anything she might be ashamed of, now knowing who her companion was. By the time the doors opened on her level, she was still far from making a ruling.

“My lab is down this way.” Juliane gestured toward a door with J. Faris displayed on the nameplate. Not waiting to see if Louis followed along, she picked up her pace. As she pulled open the door to her domain she was greeted by Chad, her academic liaison and research assistant. While she may never have had to subordinate herself by acting as an AL, she definitely appreciated having one around most days.

When Chad had first been assigned to her, she had seen his various flaws but thought his assignment was the ultimate compliment. At the time, she imagined all he needed was a person such as herself to unlock his full potential. But more often than not, she found herself reconsidering that earlier assessment.

Over time, she discovered that Chad was not the most dependable of assistants on a good day. On a bad day, he might not show at all. He was involved in a serious relationship with another AL, Nadia, who tended to demand more of his time than Juliane ever did. Juliane could lodge a complaint with her superiors, but she wasn't confident that a replacement would ever be assigned unless she found a way to break out of Alan’s shadow.

“How’d the presentation go, boss?” As Juliane lamented Chad's lack of ambition, he ran to her side with a clipboard and a cup of coffee. His burnished red hair, pale skin, and freckled face combined with his earnest expression made him look like a child playing doctor in his white lab coat.

“As well as could be expected. Brace yourself, we’re about to have some company.” Juliane took the cup from his outstretched hand, grimacing as she realized that the liquid was only lukewarm. On cue, the door opened again as Louis entered, sending Chad back to his desk in a scurry. Juliane rolled her eyes. She often wondered why Chad had even bothered to apply to the AL program. She would have thought that a person with his level of social anxiety would have looked for a position that required less interaction with other people.

“Chad, I’d like to introduce you to Louis Evans, here to....” Juliane trailed off as she realized that Louis had never mentioned the reason for his visit. Louis spoke up before the pause became uncomfortable.

“Ah yes, Chad, it’s good to meet you.” Chad could have been a piece of office furniture as automatic as the pleasantry was delivered. Louis’s attention never left Juliane.

Had Juliane been in Chad's position, her back would have straightened in offense, but Juliane could see Chad's muscles respond in the complete opposite fashion. Juliane wondered if she would ever understand her assistant.

"Please accept my apologies, Dr. Faris, for not giving you advance notice of my visit, but I’ve recently become more active in the company and prefer to take a more hands-on approach than some of my predecessors, especially with some of the more promising work. I’m just trying to get my finger on the pulse, not decide whether or not to pull the plug. I found that all the pomp of a planned visit tends to get in the way.”

Juliane’s forehead knit as he spoke. His vague answer left her wondering what his role in the company truly was. Whatever it was, Alan and their audience earlier had been obviously more familiar with it than she was. It also didn't explain why Louis was meeting with her and not with Alan. Juliane frowned. She hated unknowns.

"I'd heard about your father. I am sure he'll be back behind his desk in no time."

Juliane nearly jumped when Chad spoke. Her frown intensified. She had no time for office gossip, but somehow, she had missed some momentous news. For Chad to speak up, something unfortunate must have happened.
How could I have missed it?
Juliane wondered. Whatever it was, there must have been some scandal involved. That would explain why the news didn't get past her online filters.

Juliane contemplated changing her filter settings. If she relaxed them, she might be better prepared in the future, but then she would also be bombarded by all the garbage news that wasn't worth her notice. The frown deepened into a scowl. No. She would leave her settings as is. What was the chance that she would ever be blindsided again to this extent?

Chad must have seen her frown and misinterpreted its cause because he quickly bowed his head and returned to his work.

Louis shrugged. "In any case, I am here now as acting CEO."

Juliane felt as if the floor was dropping out from under her feet. She had expected Louis to say that he was in some training program, or come up with some bogus title designed to keep him from causing too much trouble, like Assistant Coordinator of Cool Research. She definitely did not expect her career to be in his inexperienced hands, even if his comment that her work was 'promising' was a point in his favor. Whatever had happened to his father must have been truly awful for the board to favor this decision.

"So how do you intend to do that?" Juliane asked. She bit her tongue. "I mean what do you know about my work?" She once again fought against the rush of blood threatening to color her face. Questioning the big boss's competence so openly probably wasn't the best strategy for distinguishing herself within the new hierarchy.