CHAPTER FIFTY–FIVE – The First Step Into Darkness
Laura felt her cheeks heat up. “He interviewed me, yes. But I’m sure the hiring decision was a team effort.”
Kira scoffed. “Of course it was. I’m sure your… qualifications… were thoroughly vetted.”
The implication in Kira’s tone was clear, and Laura felt a flare of anger. Before she could respond, Larry stepped in.
“Alright, alright,” he said, his tone light but with an undercurrent of firmness. “Let’s all play nice. Laura, why don’t I show you what we’re working on?
Grateful for the intervention, Laura nodded. “That would be great, thanks.”
As Larry began explaining their current project, Zaya kept trying to interject with questions about Laura’s life outside of work. Kira, meanwhile, made no effort to hide her disdain, occasionally making snide comments under her breath.
Aiden, for his part, remained quiet, but Laura caught him watching the interactions with a look of sympathy in his eyes.
As the morning wore on, Laura found herself struggling to concentrate. Between Zaya’s constant interruptions, Kira’s icy glares, and the complexity of the work itself, her head was spinning
Just before lunch, a familiar voice cut through the office chatter. “How’s our new recruit settling in?”
Laura looked up to see Ryan Callis approaching their cluster, his charming smile firmly in place. She felt a mix of relief and nervousness at his appearance.
“Ryan“” Zaya exclaimed. “Laura’s doing great! Did you know she’s into theoretical physics? How cool is that?”
Ryan chuckled, “I did know that, actually. It’s one of the reasons I thought she’d be a great fit for our team.” He turned to Laura. “How about a quick progress check? Let’s see what you’ve been working on.
As Ryan leaned over Laura’s shoulder to look at her computer screen, she felt her heart rate pick up. His cologne, a subtle mix of sandalwood and citrus, filled her senses. She could feel the warmth radiating from his body, his arm barely brushing against her as he pointed at something on the screen.
“This looks promising,” Ryan said, his voice low and close to her car. “You’ve already made some interesting modifications to Larry’s initial design Care to walk me through your thought process?”
Laura swallowed hard, trying to focus on the work and not on Ryan’s proximity. “Well, I noticed that the current configuration might lead to increased decoherence in the qubits. I thought if we adjusted the magnetic field strength here and here,” she pointed to two areas on the diagram, “we might be able to maintain coherence for a longer period.”
Ryan nodded, looking impressed. “Excellent observation, Laura. This is exactly the kind of fresh perspective we were hoping for when we brought you on board ”
As Ryan continued to praise her work, Laura couldn’t help but notice Kira watching them intently, her eyes narrow with suspicion. The blonde’s lips were pressed into a thin line, her fingers tapping an agitated rhythm on her desk.
“Keep up the good work,” Ryan said, finally straightening up. “I look forward to seeing what else you come up with.”
As he walked away, Laura let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She turned back to her computer, determined to focus on her work, but found her mind replaying the feel of Ryan’s arm against hers, the sound of his voice so close to her ear.
“Well, well,” Kira’s voice cut through Laura’s thoughts like a knife. “Aren’t you the teacher’s pet?”
Laura felt her cheeks flush. “I’m just doing my job, Kira.”
“Mhmm,” Kira hummed, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “I’m sure that’s all it is.”
Before Laura could respond, Larry Intervened again. “Hey, Laura, could you help me with this simulation? I could use a fresh pair of
Grateful for the distraction, Laura dove into work with Larry, trying to ignore the tension simmering in the air. As the day wore on, she found herself looking forward to the moment she could escape the office and process everything that had happened.
Finally, as the clock struck five, Laura began packing up her things. Her head was spinning from the day’s events, a mix of excitement about the work and anxiety about the office dynamics swirling in her mind.
As she walked towards her car, she heard quick footsteps behind her. “Laura! Wait up”
She turned to see Zaya jogging towards her, a bright smile on her face, “Hey, I was thinking.. want to grab a quick coffee? There’s this great little place just down the road. We could chat, you know, without Kira glaring at us or Bo breathing down our necks.”
CHAPTER FIFTY–FIVE The first Shep Into Dantineda
Laura hesitated. She was exhausted and part of her just wanted to go home and collapse. But Zaya’s eagerness was hard to resist, and Laura realized it might be good to have an ally in the office.
“Sure,” she found herself saying “Coffee sounds great.”
Zaya’s smile widened. “Awesome! Do you mind if we take your car? I usually carpool, but my ride had to leave early today.”
Laura nodded, unlocking her car. “No problem. Hop in.”
As they settled into the Audi, Zaya immediately started fiddling with the radio. “Oh man, this car is so much nicer than mine. Perks of being Ryan’s special hire, huh?”
Laura felt a twinge of discomfort at the comment. “It’s just a company car. I’m sure everyone gets one.”
Zaya laughed. “Oh, honey. You’ve got a lot to learn about Sivarra Tech. But don’t worry, I’ll fill you in on all the office gossip over coffee.”
As they pulled out of the parking lot, Laura couldn’t help but wonder what she’d gotten herself into.
Laura McKenna stepped into the elevator alongside Zara, both clutching their morning coffees as they ascended to Sivarra Tech’s R&D department. The gentle hum of the elevator filled the silence between them.
“So, how’s the new job treating you?” Zara asked, taking a sip from her cup.
Laura shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. “It’s… interesting. Definitely not what I expected.
Zara chuckled. “Yeah, that’s one way to put it. Bo can be a bit… intense.”
“Intense is an understatement,” Laura muttered. “I feel like I’m walking on eggshells around her.”
The elevator dinged, and they stepped out into the bustling office. Zara lowered her voice. “Just wait till you see her in action during the team meeting. It’s like watching a tornado in human form.”
As if on cue, Bo Chen’s sharp voice cut through the office chatter. “Alright, people! Meeting room, now!”
