Chapter 3: Take the Job

The Department of Scientific Advances didn't look like the department of scientific advances on the outside. It was the department of military advances. Military trucks, jets and soldiers scattered all over the grounds without any sense of alertness. It was indeed a lax environment. Their destination was Building Block 1, the largest building around. It wasn't saying much as it was only two stories tall. Although the decaying building didn't shout "scientific advances" from the outside, inside was a different story. They both entered a minimalistic world of white. White walls, white floors, white ceilings. It reminded Jack of a dull mental institute, and it could very well be. Another eerie thing was the lack of any activity or living being. Only Jack and the scientist's own breathing resounded in the white halls with discreet white sliding doors with a card scanner beside them.

"Where's everyone?" Jack asked.

"We're understaffed at the moment," she replied. "Can't blame them, with the abysmal pay and nonexistent benefits."

"A department of the World Order is?"

"The DSA is relatively new. The only thing they'd lend us is an army, but I bet they think we're more of a refuge for problem soldiers. Who'd want to honestly work with infecteds?"

Thus ended their conversation. A few twists and turns later, they reached a hall with a lone door at the end. Unlike the other doors, this one had a doorknob. There was no presence of a scanner of any kind around it. Above the door was a sign that read "Head Scientist's Office."

Marianne placed her hand on the doorknob, twisted it and slightly pulled the door back.

"Let me be the first to say, welcome to hell."

And indeed, her office was hell. It looked like the place was ransacked by a storm, as everything was a cacophony of papers, books and furniture. Jack watched in horror as Marianne mindlessly trod above the debris to make a pathway to the only thing that properly stood amidst the chaos — an expensive-looking mahogany table with a pile of books resting on top.

"... Don't you ever take time to clean?"

"I just don't like cleaning. I remember ever piece of detail in this room, ever speck, so I don't worry about misplacing my stuff. Enough of that. What do you want, coffee or tea?"

"Coffee."

She kicked a stack of books that blocked her way and reached for the tumbled down mini refrigerator at the corner of the room. After rummaging inside for a while, she pulled out two cans of extra-chilled iced coffee. Marianne threw one to Jack's direction, but he didn't seem too ecstatic about her offer.

"Nothing hot?"

"It's too tiresome. I could spend the time making hot water for instant coffee to finish a day's worth of paperwork."

"Instant coffee? The thought of brewing actual coffee never entered your mind?"

"It's all the same shit. Look, I don't have chairs, so feel free use those books over there," she said, pointing to a corner where a stack of books was left to collect dust. "Get creative, make a throne out of it for all I care. This room is a Zen Zone, it becomes whatever you think it to be."

"I think of it as a messed-up warehouse."

Marianne flashed him a smug grin. "Then you must have a messed-up mind."

"... Yeah, whatever."

Rather than follow her orders, Jack decided to just blast it all and sit on the floor — or the mess of papers and books on the floor, to be exact. It was his own little way of protesting against the unreasonable Marianne. She upped Jack in his own game by following him around and offering a shady job he normally wouldn't take — if it wasn't for the information she dangled in front of him.

Marianne Eventide was a suspicious character. She knew what he was looking for despite his best efforts to hide it. And unlike most of the people he met, she said 'her' name without any hint of disgust, fear or even twisted adoration, as if it was just another name to be said. Jack ascertained that she had real information due to that, but the problem was getting it out.

The scientist carelessly swiped off the mess on top of her mahogany table and sat on it with legs crossed. The first thought that entered Jack's mind was a lofty queen who held authority over the secrets of the universe. He quickly snapped out of it and steeled himself for whatever fastball that may come his way.

But she exceeded his expectations. "So, was Sara Aislin your girlfriend?"

Jack sprayed the chilled coffee he was drinking. "The hell is that question about?"

"Nothing, just curious. Actually, I don't plan on asking you about your past, or your motives. Those stuff reveal themselves more truthfully in time. All I need is your services. You work for me, I tell you what you want."

He raised an eyebrow. It was an interesting proposal, not one he expected, but probably better. His teacher always said that the number one priority when swimming through dangerous people was hiding your motive. Motive decides whether you fail or succeed. It gives your enemies the means to become one step ahead of you at every turn. It was best for Jack to hide his motive for finding Sara as much as possible.

"I do this troublesome job, you give me information. But what assurances do I have that you have the information that I'm looking for?" Jack had assurance, but he wanted to ask just in case.

"This should be enough assurance." Marianne took out a picture from her lab coat's pocket and threw it at Jack's way.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The picture was a group shot of three scientists posing in front of a huge cylindrical machine: a frail blond girl on the left throwing an unstable peace sign, an older blond on the center glancing at the machine with a proud look and the one on the left with the silver hair timidly looking away from the camera. He knew these three women well. It was Sara Aislin, Marianne Eventide and surprisingly, his teacher, Anya Rozhkova.

"You know my teacher?"

Marianne smiled like she expected this reaction from him. "Are you going to take the job or not?"

"No, how did you know my teach—"

"Are you going to take the job or not?" she asked once again, more forcefully this time.

"Fine. I take the job. Are you happy?"

"Yes I am."

They both glared at each other so hard that sparks began to form between them, both unwilling to let down their threatening auras. The first one to back off was Jack, when he realized the most crucial question he failed to ask since day one.

"So, what's the job again?"