Chapter 3
Zack's walk from his office to the conference room was uneventful. He was going over some calculations that he had had to abandon the previous day because of meetings. He hoped the new Director for ranged energy would be better than the last one. That buffoon had tried on multiple occasions to turn his project into theirs. In fact, she had gon so far as to attempt to steal the Energy Blade, and change its look so she could claim it as her invention. Luckily, she had been stopped outside the vault that contained the blade. Although Zak didn't know who had stopped her. When the facility director had learned of the attempted theft, he had immediately fired the fool, and promoted a new director for ranged energy.
Reaching the conference room Zack open the door and walked in. His eyes opened wide in astonishment.
"Lisa?"
Sitting at the table was Zack's neighbor and best friend. "It's so good to see you again Zack"she said rising from her chair and walking over to take his hand.
"When did they make you the Director of ranged energy?"
Lisa giggled. "I was actually the one to get Miranda fired"she said sitting back down at the table.
"How? I heard the director himself fired her."
"I was actually leaving the vault after checking on a new weapon I have been testing for the last couple of weeks. As I was exiting my section of the vault, I spotted Miranda trying to sneak into the section where you keep your sword projects. I knew she didn't have the clearance to enter that area. so, I shot her with a paralytic arrow, and alerted security about the break in."
Zach took his place across from her. He studied his neighbor and closest friend. Lisa oak have been his constant companion ever since his mother had vanished. Standing at 5 foot six, Lisa was quite lovely with her jade green eyes, her long golden hair, and homey look. She often wore a sea green dress. Along with soft sensible shoes witch she used to keep her feet warm when winter rolled around. On her back she often carried a short bow, which she used to scare off suiters that she had no interest in. Thankfully today Zack had not ended up on the receiving end of one of her shots. It had happened more than once.
She had helped him raise his two sisters for the last five years, and he couldn't decide whether or not to pursue the feelings he had felt for her starting the previous year. This did not mean that he had not been teased remorselessly by his two sisters about the possible crush he had on their neighbor.
"So, what are we planning to do today"Zach said relaxing in the chair. "Or is this just to do a meet and greet with the new Director?"
Lisa smiled at him. "I was instructed to come and meet the Director for the energy blades"she said leaning forward so that she was looking deep into his eyes. "I didn't know that you were the Director, or I might have shown up wearing a little less formal attire."
Zack choked on the drink that he had brought in with him. "Lisa"he exclaimed.
Lisa laughed. "Seriously though"she said relaxing back in the chair. "I was instructed to give any assistance I could to finishing your project with the energy sword, and I hoped you would help me figure out some problems I'm having with the energy bow."
Zach smiled and relief. "I'd be happy to assist"he said coughing to clear his throat. "As far as I can tell the energy saver as I have taken to calling it is almost finished. The only problem we're having is that I only seem to be the only one who is able to even carry it, let alone use it."
Lisa frowned. "That's the problem I'm having with the energy bow"she said looking down.
Zach looked up at that. "What exactly does it do to people who are not you?"
Lisa giggled at Zack's Way of asking about other people. "Anybody can carry it around"she said leasing her fingers together. "However, if anybody tries to shoot it, it drains their energy at three times the rate of mine."
Zac frowned in thought. "Yeah"he said tapping his fingers against his chin. "That's almost exactly what the energy saver does."
"And you have no idea why this is happening?"
Zach shook his head. "We have not discovered what in the development has tied it to my energy specifically, and because of this we actually have to have it locked up in the vault to keep it from being stolen."
Lisa looked thoughtful. "If it drains the energy and at least twice the rate, what's the problem?"
Zach shook his head. It isn't that"he said his eyes losing focus. "If anyone other than myself even touches the sword it starts draining their energy at such an alarming rate that one could die in less than 10 seconds."
Lisa looks puzzled. "If that's the case"she said leaning forward. "What's the problem then? After all, if nobody can hold onto it, then how would they even get it out of the vault?"
But Zack shook his head. "The problem is that one could wear something between their hand and the sword, and it would have no effect on them. Unless they decided to attack with it, in which case they'll have their energy drained at 10 times the rate of any other weapon we've made."
Lisa whistled in appreciation. "That is powerful"she said giving her fellow Director an impressed look.
"You know now that I think about it"Zack said leaning forward "it might be the same thing that would allow somebody else to use the energy bow. Though they'll have to deal with the extra drain, they would at least be able to carry it from one point to another."
Lisa smiled. "It's not carrying it around that's the problem"she said looking over some notes she had. "The problem is that we want to be able to mass produce these for guards, and that's not possible if they're passing out every other minute from energy exhaustion."
Zack was about to reply, when his assistant ran into the room. "Director Zack, someone's broken into the vault."