Reencounter

Dr. Carlie woke up feeling drowsy and, now more than ever, kept thinking about Lowo N'air and how he might be. Then, she had the idea of taking advantage of the early hour to look for him on the streets. If she were lucky, she might find him.

It took her no more than half an hour to get dressed, grab a quick bite to eat, and head out to search for her little friend. She walked through the city streets, traversed alleys, searched, and asked around, but no one could tell her anything about Lowo N'air.

She was almost ready to give up when, without noticing, she bumped into a man who immediately stopped and asked if everything was okay. Dr. Carlie barely paid attention and was already leaving quickly, after apologizing as well. But suddenly, before she could take another step to leave, she felt she recognized that voice.

When she looked up to find its owner, the man had already walked away, striding with long steps.

— Hey, you there, sir, please wait a moment. I didn't apologize properly. I'm sorry, I was looking for someone and accidentally bumped into you. Either way, it was my fault.

The man turned around kindly and said:

— No problem, miss, I was also being careless.

When their eyes met, their thoughts hit them hard, each in their own mind. Dr. Carlie knew that man and hadn't seen him in a long time. His name was Eldim Domi, a resident of a strange and mostly unknown country, with whom she had enjoyed the company. Unfortunately, due to a disagreement, each went their separate ways.

Since then, she had never seen him again, and now, after so much time, there he was right in front of her, looking as elegant as ever, wearing expensive clothes and with a serious look. In fact, he was the most serious man she had ever met in her life.

Meanwhile, Eldim Domi was recalling the best moments they had shared in their lives. There were adverse situations that forced them apart, but it seemed fate would bring them together again.

— Carlie, you here! What a pleasant surprise.

— The pleasure is all mine to find you, Eldim Domi.

It wasn't exactly what Dr. Carlie wanted to say, but she was so emotional about reuniting with her old love that it was hard to hold back her feelings, let alone her words. The handshake was prolonged; she even thought of giving the man a small kiss on the cheek, who seemed to be waiting for something more substantial. But for some reason, he also kept a safe distance in their relationship.

— Please, just call me Dom. I'm visiting your country in search of a specialist in the field of technopharma.

— This is too good to be just a coincidence, Domi. Because it's precisely in this field that I'm working. Well, actually, I was almost leaving this job, but since I still want to learn more...

— You don't need to say more, Carlie. I just need to know how much you understand the subject. Could you accompany me to conduct some tests? — He asked without much preamble.

— Tests? What do you mean? I'm not looking for a job.

— Then, Carlie, consider that a job is looking for you. And from what you've told me, you're not satisfied with your current job, so you're looking for a better opportunity. And this opportunity has come to you. If you want to accompany me, you take the test, and if you're good enough in this field, we can place you as a senior specialist.

Carlie's heart seemed like it was going to explode with happiness, but she felt she needed to control herself more.

— I think we're moving too fast, Domi, but I'll accompany you. I'm intrigued to know what technologies you have at your disposal.

They continued talking and walking for a few minutes until a black car stopped next to Domi, who opened the door for Carlie and said:

— Please, get in and let's go to our future laboratory.

Without much ceremony, Carlie got into the vehicle, and they continued their conversation. It didn't take long for them to arrive at a building that wasn't anything special and seemed to be under renovation.

— Carlie, I apologize for the mess, but we're setting up this place to meet our needs. But come here and let's see how you operate these machines.

Carlie entered and didn't recognize any of the equipment, but after five minutes of Domi's instructions, she knew exactly what each one did. After all, it was as if they were copies of the ones she normally operated at CPF.

— From what I see, this equipment doesn't have enough power to generate an energy cocoon.

Domi frowned, and for the first time, Carlie saw his face show a mix of curiosity and concern:

— I need to ask you, Carlie, how do you operate this technology so well, and how do you know about the existence of an energy cocoon?

— Because your equipment, in some respects, is similar to the equipment I operate at CPF.

— CPF? — Asked Domi.

— Yes. Central Pharmaceutical Research, but actually, it operates to create research portals in other worlds.