Harris pulled into a reserved parking spot outside the laboratory, switched off the engine and turned to him. “Don’t let me down.”
“I’ll try not to.” Kaden spoke through gritted teeth.
They climbed out of the car and he hurried to keep up with Harris who had longer legs than him. At six four, he was six inches taller than Kaden. As they stepped through the glass doors, Kaden ground to a halt in front of a huge security guard, who’d moved to block his way. The guy looked as if he could eat him for breakfast.
“Morning, Malcolm,” said Harris. “Lovely day.”
So the guard got a better greeting than Kaden?
“Morning, Dr Prescott. I’ve Mr Bauer’s ID here.” He handed Kaden a lanyard with a card attached. Kaden’s slightly gawky, wide-eyed image had been captured last week by Harris’ phone.No amount of pleading had persuaded Harris to take a better picture.
“Thank you.” Kaden put it around his neck.
“Keep it on at all times,” Harris said. “It will get you into areas you’re allowed to access and the canteen.”
“Okay.”
Harris walked through the scanner and turned to wait for Kaden. The only time Kaden usually thought about his faulty heart was when he was in an airport. Scanners weren’t supposed to affect pacemakers, but they still made him nervous. As he followed Harris, he had a moment’s panic that, accompanied by a flamboyant swirl of bright light, a horizonal whirlwind would whisk him off to another dimension. He was slightly disappointed to emerge safely on the other side.
“Beep beep beep!”
Kaden yelped, almost jumping out of his skin.Bloody security guard!
“Alien life-force detected,” Malcolm said and pretended to shudder.
Of course, Harris thoughtthatwas hilarious. “Your face!” He chortled loudly.
It had been funny, but Harris always seemed to find too much pleasure at his expense. Kaden didn’t mind making fun of himself. In stand-up, he did it all the time, but Harris sometimes crossed the line into cruelty. He belittled him in front of their friends and whenever Kaden protested, he was accused of having no sense of humour, which was hurtful.
They headed for the lift and got off on the third floor to face glass doors and an entry pad.
“Use your pass to check it works. The toilets are over there by the lift, but you’ll have to come back through this door to get to them. The canteen’s on the top floor. The fifth. Use your pass to pay for everything and it’ll go on my account.”
“Fillet steak and lobster here I come.” Kaden grinned.
Harris scowled.
Oh God.Kaden would never eat lobster and he wasn’t a fan of steak. He chewed the inside of his cheeks as he pressed his card on the pad. The door slid open and Harris followed him through into the corridor.
“That’s a bit of a security issue,” Kaden said. “You didn’t swipe your card. What if I had a gun and I was forcing you to get me into the labs?”
“Without a pass, you wouldn’t have got past Malcolm.”
“Maybe I left Malcolm tied up on the—”
Harris laughed. “He could stop you with one hand tied behind his back.”
“Not a whole bunch of guys.”
That earned him a glare. Kaden shut up.But I’m right.So make the point!
He took a deep breath. “I know it doesn’t matter because it’s you and you work here but it ought to be compulsory for each person to use their own—”
Harris stopped and glared at him. “You’re not here to criticise our security. Don’t put anything about that in your article. You’re here to see that we don’t experiment on animals. That’s all!”
As they walked down the corridor, they passed door after door with signs sayingNo Entry. Keep Out. Danger. Trespassers Will Be Shot. Intruders Will Be Exterminated.Well, sort of. Signs like that were just a temptation.Guess where I want to go!They ended up in Harris’ office.Kaden wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, but it wasn’t very interesting. A white cube with a window obscured by a blind. One wall full of shelves holding thick books and box files. An uncluttered desk with two computer screens. A couple of chairs, a bare coffee table anda coat stand where Harris exchanged his jacket for a white lab coat, then handed one to Kaden.
Kaden put it on.
