Page 89 of Amethyst Flame
“Excellent,” Adley said to me about Oluwa’s approach. “She’s very believable.”
“But also pay attention,” Oluwa went on. “At least one of them is known for nailing interns with tricky methodology quizzes, and I’m not telling you who it is. Any questions?”
Mary Liz raised her hand.
“Good,” Oluwa said. “Follow me.”
Mary Liz looked confused for a sec, but her hand slowly lowered, and she double-stepped to catch up with her group who were heading—the screens shuffled—to the elevator.
I noticed that Drew guy from Adley’s security call was hanging out in the corridor outside the intern room, pretending to show some lady something on a workpad.
Sneaky. Everyone was just so sneaky. Even me, apparently.
“When they get down here,” Adley said to me, “and Will is isolated, I’ll do the talking.”
“But the rest of the group is going to hear everything.” Will would be exposed. Maybe I would be too.
“No,” Adley said with a calming hand to my forearm. “They will be cleared from the area before anything happens. Remember, we’ve done this before.”
Yeah, that was the problem.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
As each secondbrought Will closer, anxiety percolated in my blood and set my butterflies into a mad flutter. I clenched my teeth in an attempt to keep my chill. But Adley was right: Willhadtried to hurt me. He needed help. And she was the one who could help him. She could helpus.
The elevator reached the white lab’s floor. There was a blind left-right turn out of it, and Oluwa took the left, just as I had the day I had been caught.
The group milled into the workspace withohhsandahhsin anticipation of seeing what BantaMatrix was developing now, what would be released to the public in a few years.
Three rumpled and irritated scientists eventually wandered out of their offices, a couple of them engaged in an argument over “variability” or something. A white-bearded guy was very emphatic about reworking some calculations. None seemed like they wanted to be bothered by a shadow today.
Nevertheless, Oluwa introduced each to an intern, and the pairs headed toward the far end of the room and through swinging lab doors. Only one of the scientists acknowledged her intern, asking about what fields they’d studied.
I was strangling with tension, but soon, yes, it was just Will and Oluwa.
“I’m sure yours will be here any moment,” Oluwa said in a tone that communicated she had other, better things to do than chaperone him. The woman deserved an Oscar.
Beside me, Adley stood. “That’s my cue.”
“Be careful,” I told her. “I’d fight if it were me.” I was ready to fight now, and I wasn’t even her target.
“I’ll be careful.” She took a deep breath and straightened to her full height, smoothing down her gray slacks. Perfect, as always.
This felt so wrong, and yet I couldn’t think of anything else to do. Maybe all the choices here were bad. Maybe I was still traumatized by what had happened here to me not too long ago. Kidnapped, taken captive, so sure that I was going to die. Sometimes it felt like I’d never gotten out.
Adley was already striding out of the door as if she were stepping onto a stage to the applause of her worshippers.
On the security screen, I saw the moment Will’s eyes widened, fixed on Adley. His hand went to Oluwa’s arm…for support?
Oluwa kept her cool and didn’t pull away. Yeah, they’d prepared for this. Probably prepared for me this way. “Will,” she said, “you’re the lucky intern to be paired with BantaMatrix’s founder, visionary Adley Ruskin.”
Adley held out her hand for a shake. “It’s so nice to meet you one-on-one, Will. Sorry I’m late.”
He didn’t shake her hand, and he kept hold of Oluwa. His complexion got grayer.
Adley lowered her arm and gave him a soft smile. “No need to be nervous.” She took a few steps away to the center of the space where the arcs of NASA desks faced the monolith. She put her hands on the back of one of the chairs and pulled it out in invitation. “How about we take a seat and learn more about each other.”
Everything in her delivery was calming. Deliberate. Designed to engender trust.
