Chapter 4

~Zeek~

After leaving Miss Ming's house, I and Venith hopped on the bike and she gave me directions to a building downtown. She said she had a friend who could help us with tech and whatnot, so I followed the directions making sure we kept under the radar as much as possible.

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The two got to their destination, pulling into a huge car parking lot that belongs to the company building. Zeek parks the bike close to the exit then they both get off the bike, Zeek making sure the kickstand was up of course. Venith walks across the rain and diesel-smelling parking lot with Zeek trailing behind to a tall metal door, printed in bold red letters on it said fire door. Venith took the grey backpack off her back and crouched on the floor, opening the bag and pulling out a silver card. She swiped the card through a digital slot opening the fire escape door.

"Won't someone notice you, it looks like security is pretty tight here," Zeek said walking through the door with Venith, They both started heading up the stairs with Venith leading front. "Not to worry Zeek, every day the cameras are cut around this time, the friend I told you about has an automatic turn on for this kinda thing. She said in a huff still going up the stairs, " Annnd, about someone seeing you?" Zeek inquired, Venith still walking up the stairs as if she didn't hear him started speeding up the stairs. "Venith?" She speeded up the stairs faster almost tripping over her feet. "Venith are you telling me you don't have a plan for people not recognizing you!?", he shouted up the staircase scolding her and trying to catch up with her.

Both pretty much out of breath almost to the top. "Why so worried I've been sneaking in here for a while I'm 93 percent sure nothing will go wrong."

Zeek stopped for a sec, placing his gloved hands on the stair railing, breathing heavily out of breath trying to catch up to his very fast friend. "What about the other 7 percent V?!" the long-haired boy shrilled starting up his run up the stairs again.

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By the time Zeek had gotten to the top of the stairs Venith was standing there waiting there with a grin on her face. "Took you long enough man", she said reaching her hand up and patting his back. "You didn't answer me V so this conversation isn't over."

The curly-haired girl gave a playful sigh towards her friend. "The hall we're about to enter is mostly empty so it's a very low chance anyone is going to see us, all I'm asking you to do is trust me, buddy," she said sounding sincere with pleading eyes towards Zeek. "....I trust you just stop doing that weird guilt trip look you do." Venith nodded her head stopping the look she was giving and swiped the card through the slot.

Zeek got in front of Venith slowly opening the door to see no one on the other side, they both slowly made their way out of the stairwell and into the hallway.

"See that wasn't so bad scaredy cat you have nothing to be anxious about," Venith whispered, both still walking down the white and blue hall. It was like being in a quiet hospital, the lights were bright and it smelled of cleaners and a metallic tang from stainless steel. Zeek felt anxious as he followed Venith, worried about him and his friend's safety. They made a couple of turns and passed a lot of windows and closed doors.

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~Venith~

We finally arrived at the door of Salem's lab, I walked up to the doorway and knocked on the door three times, well I can't hear anything on the other side of the door what could he be up to? The door quickly opened both me and Zeek being pulled in by our shirts. The room was dark and I could hear the door close behind me and Zeek, he pulled me behind him, I could feel the panic waving off of him.

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"I do believe that you two could settle down." Came a nasal voice, the light turned on, and when Zeek and Venith looked around the by the light switch stood a short person. With short slicked-back hair and olive skin complexion and green glasses covered eyes. Wearing a green turtle neck shirt, a lab coat with black Khakis pants, and brown Burwood shoes.

"Are you done now, Venith you are 1 minute and 5 seconds late, I suggest you be more adequate with your schedule it makes things more proficient." Venith got from behind Zeek, putting her hand up to her neck chuckling nervously walking over to the lab-coated person. "Come on Salem that wasn't too long, but I do promise to be on a better time-space." Salem rolled their eyes and walked past Zeek and Venith over to his study\lab table where various items such as papers, machinery, and many computers were scattered throughout the very long table. "I think an introduction is to be initiated," he said referring to Zeek. "Uh, sure my name is Zeek Hale nice to meet you, "Zeek spoke walking up to the table reaching his gloved hand out for a handshake.

Salem without changing expression took Zeek's hand into a firm grasp, before swiftly and quickly turning Zeek's gloved hand and inspecting it.

"Nice to meet you, Zeek, I'm Salem Cyprus." Salem voiced not taking his eyes off the glove. Zeek held a shocked yet confused face turning to Venith, staring at her as if she would tell him what was happening at the moment. "What a spectacular piece of apparatus, I see such a thing was handcrafted with the thinness of stainless steel, you could tell if you pay close attention the power source is both in and around the glove, the glove itself looks to serve a purpose to avoid anything that could be in any way organic, Little sloppy on the choice of the design if I do say so myself," he explained quite quickly pushing up his circle-shaped lenses. Then there was silence.

"Oh, come on Salem! You do know how damn creepy you came off doing that right, do we have to go over social cues again?" Venith explained slightly bothered by how Salem decided to introduce himself in such a way, "I was merely complimenting his handy work on machinery didn't you say compliments were utile for such first meetings." Venith gave him a deadpanned look as if to say that is totally not what she meant in the introduction.

Zeek now slightly less weirded out of the short male, had started watching the scene before him as the two went back and forward, he had already slipped out of Salem's grasp at the start of Venith's ramble towards Salem.

" Uhhh, aren't we on some kinda mission V?" Venith stopped turning her head to Zeek then back to Salem. and taking a deep breath gaining a much more serious composure.

"Right, Salem we're gonna need your help."

~Petrichor~

The wonderful smell in the air after it's been raining.