Genesis Code, (Book 1, Genesis Series)

Chapter 18

Laura spent the afternoon sorting through the world's most boring documentation. With another thirteen hours left of her shift, the rate of document delivery about the people of Earth to her monitor didn't look like it would stop soon.

Spread the work out, take regular breaks from the screen.

She obeyed her private mantra, even when the light-starved office triggered a bout of depression that a shot of vitamin D couldn't fix. But she refused to slip into that state of mind.

While her father had suffered from regular depression, Laura's own was triggered by seasonal changes. Since the season never changed, she was caught up in a perpetual loop. Most times the vitamin D shot worked and kept the darker thoughts at bay. While she had never considered ending her life, she knew of the termination rooms the World Government had provided to deal with a population that could live to one hundred and sixty.

With the law amended to legalise what was once a criminal practice, termination rooms could now be found everywhere. Initially, activists had mounted a campaign against the rooms' existence. But when the government made them free to use, the people got behind them.

Her great-grandfather had used one. Just Laura and her mother, Fionnuala, had accompanied him that day. Her father hadn't felt mentally strong enough to attend. It wasn't a bad way to end things, surrounded by loved ones, but Laura wasn't ready to check out of life just yet. Those had been happier times when she and Fionnuala used to talk. But her father's suicide a few years later had turned her mother into a recluse and a handful.

Laura wished she could talk to someone about her strained relationship with her mother or how she blamed herself for her father's death. But she imagined Janine's reaction would be a mix of horror and disgust—maybe even pity?

She shook the negative thoughts from her mind and stood up from her workstation to stretch. She set off on a walk around the room to help counteract her tiredness.

After completing a few rounds, she stopped at Janine's workstation, her cheeks flushed.

'Having fun, are we?' Janine wore a strange expression; something split between humour and jealousy.

'I'm dead on my feet. If I don't move, I won't make it to the end of my shift.'

'Just take another Actigen then.'

'Can't. I'm at my limit of four this week. Plus, they aren't working anymore.'

'Look, I've got work to do and you're disturbing me,' said Janine.

'And there it is,' said Chris, with one eye on Laura.

'What?' snapped Janine.

'The inner bitch.'

'Fuck off, Chris.'

'I've made my point and you've just proven it. So what if she's exercising? I for one am enjoying the distraction.'

'You just want to get into her pants,' said Janine.

'So? What man wouldn't?'

Laura blushed. 'Stop talking about me like I'm not here. And Chris, watch your mouth.'

'Fine. Sit down then and stop wiggling your hips.' Chris sounded offended.

'I need to clear my head first. I'll feel better in a moment.'

'You're wasting your time, you know,' said Chris. 'You'll only feel worse, especially with Actigen in your system.'

'Exercise helps me in other ways.' She wanted to explain about her Seasonal Affective Disorder, how distractions helped with the lack of control. 'You wouldn't understand.'

'Besides there's only one type of exercise I like to do.' Chris wiggled his eyebrows.

Janine pulled a face. 'Oh, keep your thoughts to yourself, for once. Please.'

Keen to move the focus away from her, Laura said, 'Chris, any word from your friend on the lottery yet?'

'You're not going to like it. Perth now, Melbourne next, then Europe.'

'Shit.'

'Why do you want to go so badly?' Janine's gaze narrowed.

'I don't,' she said too fast. 'I'm just interested, that's all.'

'Well, seems to me like it's more than that. What does your family think about it?'

Laura's pulse raced as they hovered close to the edges of her dysfunctional family—a topic that was off-limits. 'My mother will probably end up coming with me.'

'And leave all this behind?' Janine swept her hand around the room. 'You'll never get another job as good as this on Exilon 5. You'll probably have to work as a cleaner for shit pay.'

'Janine, what the hell crawled up your butt today?' Chris leaned back in his chair.

'Nothing. I'm just enquiring about Ms O'Halloran's eagerness to leave Earth, that's all. She gets so excited every time the lottery sniffs near Haymarket.'

Laura had her fill of Janine and her petty sniping. Beneath all the bravado, Janine was insecure and lacked personal ambition. Laura rubbed her tired eyes and began the short walk back to her desk.

'Is that it?' said Chris. 'No more bending over to show us your perfect ass?'

'Bite me.'

'Don't mind if I do.'

'Would you two stop with the sick flirting already and let me tell you what I've heard,' said Janine. Heads peeked up from workstations. Janine was a sure thing for the gossip and she flirted with every male in the building to get it. Her powers of persuasion had proven to be useful. She usually heard news before the other floors. Janine twirled a few strands of her long brown hair between her fingers as she waited for everyone's attention.

'There's a massive meeting happening in Gilchrist's office today. All the security heads will be there. Tom from Level One heard it from Julie, who knows someone who works near Suzanne Brett's office.' Brett was the overseer for Level Five and directly under Gilchrist's command.

A low whisper carried around the room. 'Yeah, I saw Daphne Gilchrist in the lobby this morning, flanked by her minions.'

'That woman puts the frighteners up me,' said Chris.

'All women scare you,' said Laura. 'Any of those who have a bit of power, that is.'

'Not all women, just the ball breakers. She has the power to castrate men with her stare.'

'Exaggerate much?' said Janine.

'I speak the truth,' said Chris. 'Did you know that her voice is so loud during meetings it can shatter unbreakable glass?'

'You are so full of shit.'

The room exploded into peals of laughter.

Another worker cut in. 'Does anyone know why they're meeting? I can't remember the last time all security heads were in one room.'

'Since when are we ever told about anything in this place?' said someone else. 'I barely know what the replicated specials are in the cafeteria, let alone important business that might actually concern us.'

While everyone guessed what the meeting was about, Laura stayed silent. She didn't remember there ever being a security meeting during her three years at ESC.

She couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was coming down the line.