Awakening - The Last Science #1

Chapter 6 - An Impossible Marketplace - IV

  "Rika dear, you do know it's considered rude to barge into one's home unannounced, yes?" Kendra said pointedly, not even giving them a glance. Her eyes were invisible behind the reflection of the laptop screen emblazoned on her glasses. "Pardon the mess," she added distractedly.

  Kendra sat in a chair near one corner of the room. Mess isn't really the word, Alden thought. There were stacks of boxes piled up in every corner, but they were very nearly arranged. Clear paths through the room existed, convoluted as they might be, and in one corner sat a pair of desks with computers, and a row of blinking machines sitting just below them. He saw a cord snaking off from the computer bank through a hole in the wall and out to the apparent nothingness. Behind Kendra, an opening lead to a staircase and a kitchen.

  Kendra herself was far more casual than when they'd left her only an hour earlier, clad in a sweatshirt emblazoned with the RSU logo and track pants instead of the business attire she'd worn to the meeting. She was busily typing away at something while they spoke. Unlike the Market outside, this room felt far more stable to Alden, and he felt his anxiety diminishing.

  "Uhh, hi," Rika started.

  "No need for that. Your reputation precedes you," she said distastefully. Her laptop pinged, drawing her attention away momentarily, but her eyes shot back up only an instant later. "Apologies. I've just so much to do. Might I ask you visit another time?"

  "I'm looking for—" Rika started again, but before she could get another word in, they heard a door crash open in the kitchen.

  "Cat's out of the bag, Kenni," came a voice from the kitchen. Kendra stiffened in horror. Rika and Alden gave each other looks of confusion. Unless he was hearing things, that was distinctly Kendra's voice—though clearly not issuing from Kendra's mouth. "Bit of a cock-up, and Rachel's right pissed, but we were planning to go public soon anyway, yeah?" There was a rustling as someone took off a jacket and hung it to dry. "You were right on the Scrap too, creation magic. Want me to put the kettle on before I head ou... "

  As they stared, Kendra walked in through the kitchen. Or at least, someone who looked very similar to Kendra did. Identical, even, except for the clothing she wore. She saw Alden and Rika and her face fell. "Oh, bugger all," she muttered.

  "Lily, we have guests," Kendra said mildly, returning to her laptop.

  Lily glanced at her awkwardly before continuing. "Right then. I'm Lily, I'm her twin sister, I don't exist. You two got that?"

  Alden nodded emphatically. No need to make enemies. After a moment's hesitation, Rika did the same. Alden was shocked to see her speechless. "Brilliant. Kenni, you need me for anything?"

  "I'll be fine, thank you," Kendra answered, still not looking up from her laptop.

  "Right. Well, pleasure to meet you both... again," she nodded at Alden and Rika. "I'm going to nip upstairs to take a quick shower before I head outside." Lily disappeared up the staircase, leaving the three of them alone again. Kendra typed out a few more sentences, then snapped the laptop shut and looked at them more intently. Her entire demeanor had shifted since her sister's intrusion, suddenly polite and welcoming.

  "You'll have to excuse my inhospitality. I'm afraid I'm a bit under the weather of late. I'd offer you a seat, but I haven't put together a sitting room here yet."

  "Couldn't you just make one?" Alden asked. Kendra raised her eyebrows, the corners of her lips curling slightly in amusement.

  "He's really new to this," Rika said apologetically.