Every Wednesday and Friday, I go to Alax for my internship. I'm not sure why they only offered a two day internship for an entire week without any demerit but that sounded just fine to me. If anything, that was a gift from heaven.
As I was about to press the elevator's close button, Magna Silva, one of the interns from Princeton High, walked in with her usual resting bitch face – although she really was a bitch and not a mask. I stepped aside to make room for the royal highness and she just hissed at me for no reason.
"Which floor are you heading to?" I asked when I realized she hadn't pushed her floor number when she got in.
She glared at me. "I thought I made it clear that you aren't allowed to talk to me, you poor commoner."
Every time she's around, I feel like I'm looking up to a statue because of how highly she thinks of herself – her pride with the height of the heels she wear every time we go here for work. Magna Silva is the only daughter of the richest family in our state. You can tell right from the way she looked that she was a rich brat. She didn't need to say anything for anyone to know that fact.
"I was just asking since you didn't—"
She flipped her hair over my face causing some strands of her hair into my mouth. Her hair tasted sweet – like luxury shampoo and conditioner with fancy bubble baths every morning. I can't even imagine.
Right now, I'm just glad that we're both being professionals about this. She may be bitchy but at least she's mature enough to not make fun of me like child just because there's a huge gap between our statuses in the society.
As soon as we reached the intern's lobby, we were welcomed by our senior executive, Ms. Lana. Ms. Lana has helped us with everything we needed to do here since day one. She's the one who toured us inside the great Alax laboratories which actually did exceed my expectations. Like every laboratory there is, there were tons of labs where different types of experiments were being tested and monitored – except that Alax has THE best of the best.
"Silva, attend to Dr. Murkin in Lab 3-D. Coven, Dr. Wells is waiting for you by B5-A."
Magna instantly shoots me a glare.
I was just as shocked as she was. Having Dr. Wells waiting for me… No, having been called to attend to the basements where all private and exclusive researches are being conducted is a big deal. I wasn't an elite like Magna so it was strange that I've been summoned there. "Ms. Lana, can I ask—"
Ms. Lana raised her hand up in the air to stop me from asking. "Make sure you bring Mr. Wells his coffee." She then walked closer to me and leaned over to my ear to whisper, "What happens in the basement, stays in the basement."
What happens in the basement, stays in the basement.
What happens in Alax, stays in Alax.
That was the first rule Ms. Lana ever told us during our first day. I can understand that there could be a mole who might spill the secrets the lie beyond this laboratory but I can assure that I have no business in that certain area.
"Mr. Madox will accompany you to Mr. Wells."
Hiro Madox, one of the senior interns of Alax. Top student of Princeton High, same school as Magna – which is our school's neighbor. He's been an intern in Alax since his second year in college. I heard that his admission was also granted by Alax themselves. I believe they're already molding him as their next generation.
Hiro gestured me to follow him so I did.
We both headed to the elevator and it was only this moment that I realized that there was no way an intruder would ever access the most private area of Alax. Hiro had a special keycard that lets him access the floors below. Whatever was down here must be really important for them to keep it hidden and secured like this.
What's more… Why did Mr. Wells bring me down here?
"You should be honored, you know." Hiro suddenly spoke.
I turned to him with a questioning look. "For what exactly?"
"That you're about to step into Alax's Sui Generis."
Is that what the people who work here call this place? "I was honored enough when I got the chance to step inside this building during the interview."
Hiro laughed. "SG's a different line."
A different line…
The elevator door opened. The ominous energy that passed through my senses were so familiar. I don't know if this was just me, not getting enough sleep yesterday or whatnot. The flow of everything here felt so different from the upper floors – it's almost as if the energy that were being used here for the researches were overpowering our human energies.
"You get a weird sensation when you first step in here but once you get used to the frequency, you'll enjoy working here that up there." Hiro commented even though I've been quiet. "Follow me." He said.
I've never been to the lower floors. I've been to the higher floors helping other doctors and whatnot but I've never experience working down here – in the basement. I felt like I was doing something illegal although I doubt that anything here was illegal.
Hiro and I walked through this paths with half clear, half frosted glass walls that lets people see the inside of every room. Every room felt the same except the people in every room were different – and were working on different experiments.
We stopped at the door that was labeled 'A'. Usually, first letters would be up front but for some reason, this room was at the end of this floor. I guess A is their label for the 'most' priced research that was headed by Mr. Wells.
Hiro pressed this buzzer at the side of the door. A loud ring lasted through the speaker. He then leaned closer to the, what looked like, an intercom and spoke. "Dr. Wells, she's here." He said and a green light flashed just above the intercom.
The door opened with a strong spray of air.
I looked around with a fuzzy vision as soon as we entered the room.
"Ah! Hiro!"
Dr. Wells stood from his chair and marched towards where we were to welcome both of us.
"Are you staying here today too?" Dr. Wells asked.
Hiro looked around, scratching his head. "I'm not scheduled to work here today, professor."
"We don't need Hiro here, Professor Wells." A girl that came out of the foggy room that was a part of the laboratory we entered at, appeared with a guy next to her.
"Right. He's only going to mess everything up."
Dr. Wells laughed with the two.
I had no idea they had such bonds building down here. They all looked so close to each other and they even call him professor.
"Katherine." The girl that appeared with pretty brown hair extended her arms towards me so I shake hands with her. "This is Francis. The moron."
Francis glared at her, frowning. "You're the moron! You only build what I come up with!"
How in the world…
"I should be heading back, professor. Dr. Thales will kill me if I don't get to his lab on time."
Dr. Wells nodded, patting his shoulder. Why do I feel like everyone here is Dr. Wells' children? And why am I here? What am I supposed to do here? Am I supposed to bring them all some coffee here or something?
"Shoo!"
"Don't come back!"
When Hiro was gone, Dr. Wells, Katherine and Francis turned to me.
"So she's the one?" Francis asked.
I blinked in confusion. Katherine shrugged as well. They all looked at me like they were expecting something from me. I was so terrified, that I felt my whole body shaking. I'm not going to be a lab rat right? They don't do that to people here right?
Dr. Wells planted a palm over my shoulder and gave me an assuring smile. "You're Pyco's student right? Alexis Coven?"
Pyco?
Professor Faux?
"Pyco acknowledged you so much. He said you're full of potential in terms of both analytical and mechanical."
I gulped.
That's a lot of pressure.
"You see, Coven. We were working on this research recently that flunked. I asked a few mentors, Pyco for example, for help and he suggested to have you look at the research. He says you're very keen into details and you find the smallest faults there is."
I gulped even harder.
That's TOO much pressure.
"And since you're already invited here, you will be a part of this team."