Arlington (Book One)

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Standing over my lab table I carefully unbox the materials that just arrived. I look over at the diagrams I had been working on for the last week and a half and nod in content. Alexander was blown away when I handed him a project proposal first thing Monday morning for him to approve. I went through all of the details explaining the materials and why I needed them.

"Xespeocium?" Alexander questioned looking over the desk at me.

"It's a new metal and it's very conductive. The metal is so sensitive that it can spark due to any molecular contact. It has to be handled in a certain environment. But I believe that I can harness this property and use it as a raw power source," I say, and he nods.

"Where did you hear about this strange metal?"

"I did a research project on it my freshmen year," I say.

I am brought back to the present when I hear my lab door open. I still for a moment and my mind flashes back to the one evening I was in my lab alone. I spin around quickly and find Alexander peering across the room at you.

"Your entire body tensed when that door opened," he says sadly.

"It's a reflex..."

"I'm sorry. I can do a special knock on the door before I enter so that you know it's me," he says with a playful smile. I can't help but grin at his antics

"That won't be necessary," I reply with a laugh.

"But it would be fun," he says laughing as well.

"The metal you need will be in tomorrow. It took longer than everything else because of the sensitivity and the means needed to transport it across the world," he says.

"Of course," I say finishing pulling everything out of the boxes.

"Well I'll leave you to work," he says.

"Bye Xander," I say with a smirk and he laughs all the way out of my lab. I was very confused about the way he treats me on the day to day, considering I am a few years younger than him and still in college, he seems surprisingly friendly and relaxed with me. I am really glad he can feel that way around me, it's nice having someone I can talk to about work and random things, but I still find it odd how quickly we clicked.

As I leave the building my head starts to hurt slightly, looking to the sky and see dark gray clouds looming overhead. It's probably just the low-pressure building, I try to tell myself as I make my way home. Weaving through people along the sidewalk, my stomach churns uneasily and I look around confused.

The ground shakes beneath my feet slightly and a deafening sound stops everyone in their tracks. People start running back past me and I stand there stunned. Looking at the smoke billowing from one of the buildings, the sound of glass shattering and people screaming overwhelms me, but something within me urges me forward. A second boom sounds off and I am knocked onto my butt from the force of the explosion and the heat. Looking around quickly, I see people running around in the building and people standing by the now empty window frames. The once glorious glass financial center is on fire and all the windows have been shattered.

People file out the front in a panic, but I can figure out that certain people are stuck on some of the higher levels. My stomach churns harder and I have to bite back the bile rising in my throat as I push forward in the crowd. Steadying myself for a moment I try to decide what I, of all people, should do.