9 Day Off

IMANI

Imani pressed the elevator's call button and a red light came on at eye level. She smiled directly at it because she knew it meant that Parisa Barnes was watching her from her office. The light flashed green before it winked out and a couple of seconds later, the elevator doors opened.

She sucked in a breath as she stepped into the elevator that would take her directly to Parisa's private office.

Imani didn't know much about the woman. Most of the things she knew about her, she got from the internet. Parisa Barnes, thirty six years old and a graduate of Fletcher University. A mother of three kids, two boys and a girl. She was a scientist, philanthropist, mathematician and an author.

Her husband, Owen Barnes, was the owner of the Barnes Institute of Medical Research and the Barnes Academy of Science and Technology.

Imani had only met the woman five times.

First, when Imani was hired at the institute. Second, when the Sirizan virus showed up a year ago. Third, when Parisa's family became infected with the virus. Fourth, when her husband died from the virus and fifth, when Imani found the cure to the virus.

After she found the cure, Parisa sent her gifts every day to thank her for saving her children. She was also the one that arranged for security guards to escort Imani to her car every day.

The elevator doors dinged open and Imani stepped into Parisa's office.

The room was painted a cream colour and the tiles were ivory. It had floor to ceiling windows that gave views in two directions. A bookshelf filled with books stood in a corner next to a cabinet and a marble topped console that held a flower vase and framed photographs of Parisa's family.

Parisa was sitting on the swivel chair behind the glass table which was in the middle of the office. She was scrolling through pictures which were on holographic display and when the elevator doors opened, she swiped the pictures down, back into the table, before she got up.

"There's my favourite scientist," she said as she rounded the table and walked up to Imani. She wrapped her arms around her and Imani hugged her back.

"Don't tell anyone I said that. They'll accuse me of favouritism," she whispered in her ear before she pulled away and Imani let out a laugh.

Everyone in the institute knew that Imani was her favourite scientist and some had already accused her of favouritism.

"I knew you would come to work, that's why I told the receptionists that I wanted to see you," Parisa said as she leaned against the table. "I thought I told you take some weeks off. You have already done more than enough."

Imani laced her fingers together. "I know. I was going to take time off starting Monday –"

"No, you're going back home today. You need to rest. The reporters and drones must be getting to you already."

It was true. They were getting to her. She had become paranoid for a few days after they broke into her compound. She didn't tell Parisa because she knew that if she did, the woman would take the news companies to court. Imani didn't want to draw more attention to herself.

"I watched the news this morning," Parisa stated as she walked over to the cabinet by the wall and opened a drawer. "Congratulations, Imani."

She turned around to reveal a rectangle shaped wrapped box in her hand. It looked small but Imani knew that what was in it would be really expensive. She also knew that Parisa wouldn't allow her to reject it.

"Thank you, Parisa," she said with a smile after the woman handed it to her.

"Now go home. Go do something, anything. Go on a date," Parisa began to gently push her in the direction of the elevator and she let out a laugh.

'Oh, I have a date with Kurt Powers tomorrow,' Imani remembered as Parisa pushed her into the elevator.

"Good bye Parisa," she said after hitting the ground floor button.

"Good bye sweetheart."

Imani kept the box in her hand bag and sent a message to Lola, asking her for Kurt's phone number. She received a message after she stepped out of the elevator when it got to the ground floor.

She nodded at the receptionists before waking the screen of her phone and a message popped out. It wasn't a message she realized after staring at it for a couple of seconds, it was an e-mail from someone named Vinay Sanjana.

'Miss Tallerico. I've lost count of the amount of e-mails I've sent to you. I'm sure you have your reasons for –'

The e-mail disappeared before she could finish reading it. The corner of her lips turned down as she processed what she read.

'Lost count of the amount of e-mails he has sent? I haven't received any e-mails from a Vinay Sanjana before.'

She opened her e-mail inbox and reloaded the page when she didn't see the e-mail at the top. It still didn't show after it reloaded. She was about to check the spam section when a message came in from Lola.

LOLA, 8:50AM: I may have already given him your number yesterday or something. I don't remember. Blurry memories nowadays. It's a thing, check that website you read, Minerva or whatever its name is.

She pressed her lips together after she read it and was about to reply her when a man walked into the lobby.

"Miss Tallerico using the pop-up feature of her phone in public. I guess she has no secrets huh?"

It was Tyrone Bridges. He was a business executive, philanthropist, industrial designer and CEO of Kincade, the phone that majority of the population used including Imani. He was a close friend of Renfield Sutton and he was the father of Kyle Bridges who was Desmond's best friend.

"Well yes," Imani grinned at him. "I have no secrets."

Tyrone kept his hands in his pockets as he stopped in front of her. "I see you read Minerva's website. That should be a secret."

Imani felt her cheeks heat up and she quickly swiped the message back into the phone before she let out a laugh. "I don't read that. Lola reads that, I don't."

"Ah, I see," he said with a smile. "Well, I've been meaning to talk to you for a while now. Can I ask you a question?"

Imani shrugged. "Ask away."

He cleared his throat and removed his hands from his pockets. "Lucas Harrison... Has he approached you?"

'Lucas Harrison? The Werewolf dude?'

"Why would he approach me?" Imani asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.

Tyrone smiled at her as he was satisfied with that answer before he glanced at the holographic clock. "No reason. I have a meeting with Parisa right now so I'll get going. See you later, Imani."