>DAY_OF_EXPLORATION

Looking at pictures of the Office online was nothing compared to

being there in person. The thing was a brutalist mass of concrete,

rising seven stories and casting long shadows that seemed to swallow

the ground beneath my feet. This place was no different from any of

the other old homes I had broken into. But something about how

corporate it felt put me on edge. Maybe it reminded me too much of

work.

Entering the building only compounded my sense of dread. The main

lobby was an expansive room. Vines hung from the ceiling and had

leeched themselves to the walls. The impressions of chairs and tables

pressed into its carpet, but no furniture in sight. The only

exception is the front desk in the center of the room, flanked by two

rusted escalators.

I should have turned around then, but my morbid curiosity urged me to

walk up to the next floor. And in my stupidity, I listened.

The second floor was a long hallway lined with office doors. Most

were swollen shut by weathering, but the ones that could be opened

were full of rows and rows of cubicles.I went up to the next floor

and the one after that. Each seemed like a carbon copy of the last.

The same beige peeling wallpaper and the same wine red carpet.

Except for the seventh floor.

The small room was way too well-kept. The floor was dry, there were

no vines, and the mildewy smell that permeated the rest of the

offices was absent. But the strangest thing was the massive metal

door at the back wall. It had been left ajar, letting me hear someone

yelling on the other side. It sounded like a mix of desperation and

anger. I crept closer to the door, leaning in to peek inside. If the

person inside was in danger, I wanted to know what I’d be dealing

with.

SAMANTHA,

LET'S NOT DO ANYTHING RASH.

The woman, presumably Samantha, clenched her fist around the metal

pipe.

IF ANY OF MY COMPONENTS ARE DAMAGED

A SIGNAL WILL BE SENT TO AMPLUS

AND THEY WILL BE HERE IN MINUTES.

YOU WILL LOSE YOUR JOB

AND WORSE.

She stood unmoving. I could almost feel all the malice she was

directing at this strange computer.

THIS DOESN'T NEED TO BE HARD.

YOU JUST HAVE TO DO THIS ONE FAVOR FOR ME,

AND THEN I’LL DELETE ALL I HAVE ON YOU.

At that moment, I was drained of any bravery

that had propelled me so far. What was taking

place in front of me was far larger than anything I alone could

handle. Whether it be Opium trade or white collar money laundering, I

wanted no part.

I started to slowly move away from the

STAY WHERE YOU ARE.

I froze.

YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE.

Samantha turned to me. Her face shifted from emotion to emotion till

it stilled somewhere between anger and horror.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude…”

YOU MATCH AN EYREN NOWAK IN MY EMPLOYEE DATABASE.

YOU WORK AS AN ON-SITE ROBOTICS TECHNICIAN.

There was a long pause

YOU'VE PROBABLY PICKED UP ON THE

FACT THAT PEOPLE LIKE YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE

HERE.

ESPECIALLY UNAUTHORIZED EMPLOYEES.

SO I SUGGEST IF YOU WANT TO REMAIN FINANCIALLY STABLE,

YOU SHOULD CONSIDER HELPING SAMANTHA AND ME

WITH OUR CURRENT PROJECT.