~~~
This room we’re headed to is farther than all of the others I have been to. It takes us a while to get there, but once we do, I see it’s not different from any other room. There are tables lined up against the walls with cabins in the corners. It appears a few scientists are working at several of these tables.
They turn their heads our way as we enter. In the very farthest corner from the door, there seems to be some sort of counter, looking a lot like it should be in the kitchen than in here.
“This is it,” Rob motions around the spacious room. “This is where some of us work. We’ve come up with a certain number of designs for several things. Some are useless and some have proven to be a great deal of help. Shall I show you around?”
I don’t see how I’ll be able to work here. This sophisticated equipment is too complicated for my brain. Maybe I can get an easy job? Rian’s doesn’t seem to need too much brain power. All he does is sit there and record changes.
I nod to answer Rob’s question. He drifts over to the white counter, kicking a chair from his path as he pulls a small white bottle from behind the same counter. Turning toward me, he says, “Hold out your hand.”
Reluctantly, I obey. He squeezes a blob of a chalky white substance onto my palm (as well as his own) and commands, “Follow what I do.”
I watch as he rubs his hands together, spreading the substance all over his hands. Awkwardly, I rub my hands as well. If I had to guess what this is, I would say I'm rubbing lotion all over my skin.
Rob holds both of his hands out and I gradually do the same, unsure.
We wait, our hands outstretched. I wonder how odd it might look if one of the scientists in the room were to turn around now and see us.
“Wait five seconds,” Rob mutters, examining his fingers.
I do the same, asking, “What was that?”
Rob glances at me, both eyebrows raised. “Did you notice that?”
I am confused. “Notice what?”
“A cold sensation spreading across your hands.”
My gaze flickers to my fingers. “No,” I say, examining the back and front of my hands.
Rob is flustered. “I—uh...don’t understand. There could be a chance you didn’t get the right amount of lotion.” His eyes narrow as he reads the label on the small bottle, muttering the words under his breath. He puts the bottle down and looks at me. “It’ll come eventually. This isn’t the improved product anyway.”
My head snaps to my hands as a flash of cold runs over them.
Rob’s eyes brighten. “Did you feel it?”
I nod, curling my hands in front of my face. “What is it?”
“Lotion gloves,” Rob’s mouth curls into a triumphant grin. “Derived from latex. A smear of it over the skin causes the fragment of wire and particles to duplicate and heal, creating a protective layer around your hands. That is why it is so vital to spread it across your skin.”
I scrunch my face up, narrowing one of my eyes. “How safe are these?” I show him my hands.
He lets out a quiet chuckle. “There are no risks if used on your hands. In fact, the material is thin but more secure than a regular latex glove or mitten. It can withstand a maximum temperature of 300 degrees.”
My mouth partly opens in surprise. “So you could use this all over your body and be able to survive in a 300 degree environment?” I grab the white bottle from the counter and inspect it.
Rob snatches it from my grasp and says, “Not exactly, no. You wouldn’t finish slathering this across your face before the thin layer of lotion spreads, blocking your nostrils of receiving any oxygen. You’d be suffocated in a second. The layer could spread into your body from the nose and block the vital organs.”
I take a small step back. “Did you test it on a human being?”
Rob avoids my eyes, sliding his hands into his lab coat pockets. “Uh, should we go on, now?”
I decide to drop the question and follow Rob. He doesn’t leave the room but saunters over to a white cabinet in the corner.
How many people have they killed with that lotion bottle? I shiver, wondering what it might be like to watch someone suffocate and not be able to do anything about.
Rob starts talking again and I tuned back in. “...only lasted us two weeks. We do have the finished product and I’m sure you’ll get it soon if you hadn’t gotten it already.”
Oops. I wasn’t listening. Looking down at his hands, I see he’s holding what appears to be a pair of glasses. “Why would I need glasses?”
Rob blinks at me and doesn’t speak for a moment. “These...aren’t glasses.” Confusion spreads across his face. “Weren’t you listening?”
Nope. “Uh…” I trail off and wait for Rob to continue speaking. He sighs and puts the glasses back inside the cabin. What he says next makes me grimace. “Next up is the hair.”
Ugh. I don’t really want to see it. What I’m imagining is a bucket full of head hair floating in water. I really hope that’s not what it is. He leads me to the other side of the room. And when we stop walking, a job idea pops into my head. Is there one that requires walking? I don’t want to sit in a chair all day long.
Flasks are laid around the table we have stopped at. They all seem to be half full and I’m glad I don’t see what pictured. This is nicer than a bucket of hair.
“What are these?” I ask.
Rob picks one of the flasks off the table and stirs the liquid around. “Helps with baldness. It’s a work in progress. We started making this last year.”
I grimace. “You have to drink that?”
He nods, moving on to something else. “That’s why I had to cut your hair. We drop it into a mixture to make that.” I am disgusted by the thought of drinking other people’s hair.
Rob shows me a few more of their inventions. Some I’m sickened by; some are fascinating. Then he mentions jobs and I’m forced to ask, “Is there a walking job available?”
“A few,” he answers, pushing a box back into its place. “What are you looking for exactly? Shipment?”
“Sure.”
Rob starts leading me out the door, and I suspect this is the end of the tour. He stops suddenly. “Oh, and Vivian?”
I push the door open and step out into the hallway. “Yeah?”
“Do you want to see what’s outside?”
I’m stunned for a moment. “W-what?” I haven’t given much thought about that so I don’t have an exact answer. Will it be dangerous? “You have access?”
“No. You do.” He lets the door shut behind us and we’re out in the hallway. What he does next catches me by surprise. He grabs my right hand.
A few people glance at us and I flush with embarrassment. About to pull my hand back, I’m startled when he taps the part with the tattoo. “Specifically, this does. Or...your handprint.” He points to my palm.
I take my hand back and cross my arms, hoping he won’t grab it again. “How?”
He laughs and steers me away from the door we’ve just come through.
Not answering my question, he says, “I’m curious to what’s out there. If—”
I cut him off. “You haven’t tried asking anybody else with access?”
“They’re all being monitored. Besides, they’re all boring.”
I’m about to tell him Rian isn’t boring, but I remember what he just said to me. “I’m not being monitored?” I scowl, not believing this. “What makes you so sure?”
His eyes brighten. “I’ve seen the footage. You don’t have a tracker on you.”
I move a few feet away from him. “So you’re just going to use me to bust yourself out of here? How do you know you won’t die from sudden contact with whatever gases are out there? Mr. Welds told me there are high levels of radiation—”
Rob holds his hand up. “I won’t breathe it in. I’ve heard rumors that there is a glass hallway stretching out from the ground for several yards. It should be long enough for me to see what’s out there. So what do yo
u say?”
I shake my head, not exactly in the same place Rob is. I’m still stuck on what my hand has access to and his theory of me not being monitored. Welds (not Mr. Jack Welds) said I’m being watched. I remember him saying this my first day here. Rob could be wrong.
“And what happens if we get caught?” I ask.
Rob just snorts. “Dara will—” he clears his throat “—excuse me. Janelle will take the blame.”
Dara? “Janelle will take the blame?” I say. “What exactly do you mean by that?”
He pulls me along the hallway and explains, “Janelle has a few things arranged. She’ll lead us to the staircase extending outside, we’ll scan your handprint, and voilà...we’re outta there. Are you up for it?” He stares into my eyes for a second, waiting for my answer.
“Uh…” I look around the room, unsure. Maybe there will be an answer somewhere around here. Maybe someone can answer for me. “I’m not monitored, huh?”
Rob lifts a shoulder. “They haven’t injected a tracer in you yet, that’s for sure. I wouldn’t get my hopes up that they never will. It might be waiting for you right now.”
I’m reluctant to go. Does Rob have a tracker?
I ask him that and he answers with, “No, they haven’t given me one.”
Shoving my hands into the pockets of my sweatshirt, I skid on the tile again with my socks. Breaking their rules isn’t something I would like doing. I don’t want to set a bad example while I’m here.
I turn around, planning to head in the opposite direction Rob is leading me. “You know what,” I begin. “I’m not—”
His hand grasps my arm and he jerks me to a stop. His eyes are desperate. “Please, Vivian. I have to see what’s outside. They haven’t exactly led me out. Sure Janelle’s plan isn’t perfect, but I’m positive we won’t get caught. Do you understand?”
Of course I understand! I just don’t want to believe it.
Rian pops into my head. I could tell him about this. If Rob had asked him the same thing he’s asking me, I’m sure he’d remember it, right?
I take a deep breath. “Fine, I’ll go with you. But just to that staircase. I’m not opening any door for you. Got it?”
A grin spreads across his face but he doesn’t show any signs of agreeing with my deal. I’m about to reconsider what I complied to.