The Fair & Foul (Project Gene Assist Book 1)

by Potts, Allie

  Juliane isolated the network link in her mind and severed the connection. Immediately, her body felt cold as if she were physically bleeding out. It was as if, without the link, she was suddenly less whole, less alive. Even her vision was affected. The world looked grayer. How would someone go about cauterizing a virtual wound? she wondered.

  Juliane slogged toward the lab. She felt a desperate need to be surrounded by other people, yet she wanted to lock herself away in her office until the end of time. Her body felt foreign. Wrong and alien. Something had gone very, very wrong.

  Seventeen

  Juliane glanced at a clock only to realize that several minutes had passed of which she had no memory and minimal accomplishment. Most of the last several weeks had passed in a similar state of fog. The fact that Juliane was able to focus long enough to complete anything at all had become her daily victory.

  “Have you completed the next simulation profile? Juliane? Juliane? Earth to Dr. Faris?” Betty’s voice cut through Juliane’s thoughts.

  “I’m sorry, Betty. Yes, the simulation profile is ready. Would you care to go online with me to view it?”

  “Excellent, Alan should already be there waiting for us.”

  Juliane attempted to glance around the room without Betty noticing. Until Betty had spoken, Juliane hadn’t realized that Alan wasn’t still in the room. How long have I been out this time?

  “Is the meeting in the same place as before?”

  “It seemed appropriate enough.”

  Juliane closed her eyes and imagined entering the virtual reality universe they had selected. It was a process that had grown routine. Not that she was complaining. Even if she was only going through the motions, she was at least going forward. Her avatar appeared outside of the CERN reactor laboratory. As Betty had advised, Alan was already there, rendered in full lab coat complete with safety goggles and clipboard. The corner of Juliane's lip twitched as if she wanted to smirk but just couldn't remember exactly how. “You certainly seem to enjoy looking the part in here.”

  He smiled as he answered, “As they say, 'When in Rome.' I’d hate to see the dry cleaning bill on the outfit you are wearing in real life.”

  Juliane looked down. She hadn't given a thought to how her avatar should dress when she entered the virtual world. As a result, her subconscious had chosen for her. Her outfit was a version of the same iceberg white suit from the symposium; only here it was made with a fabric that could be described as being a modern take on samite. Her loose hair swayed in a breeze that she alone could feel. I must look like an ice princess, she thought.

  The virtual Betty, on the other hand, appeared exactly as she did in real life. Juliane couldn't be sure if that was by choice. Betty did not seem to be able to perform more than a handful of actions at a time in the virtual world. Alan had speculated that the safer procedure would have such an effect, and Betty's performance would suggest he was right.

  “Have you uploaded the latest equations?” Alan asked.

  “Chad should be processing Juliane's portion now,” answered Betty.

  Betty disappeared and then re-appeared by Alan’s side. Chad once mentioned hearing a rumor that the two were dating outside of work. At the time, Juliane wasn't able to muster the energy to scold Chad for spreading gossip. She told herself it wasn't any of her business. So what if Betty and Alan chose to have a romantic relationship in addition to a professional one? But today, seeing them so close together, she couldn't help wondering if there was any truth to the story. It was like trying to ignore a scab that refused to heal.

  Alan had mellowed since she severed her connection with Louis as if he could sense something different about her. He'd even stopped calling her 'Jules.' The corner of Betty's lips turned up as Alan's virtual hand hovered near hers for a moment. Juliane realized how badly she wanted what they appeared to share, and she cursed the shadow of her former self she had allowed herself to become. The next time Louis was in town, she would re-establish the link if only to feel whole once again. Then, they would find some way to make it work properly.

  She wondered for the thousandth time how he must be coping with the connection's loss. She hoped for his sake that whatever had been limiting its effectiveness on his side had in some way shielded him from its loss. She was afraid it hadn't. Her calls and messages had thus far gone unanswered.

  “Ah, Juliane? You were fading out just then. There isn’t anything wrong with the simulation?” Betty asked.

  "No, nothing is wrong. I was momentarily distracted, but I am back now.”

  Juliane forced herself to forget about everything but the simulation. A series of components began to appear before her and gradually assembled themselves into shape. Juliane reached over and pressed a small switch. “Now this is based on available components found today. I would suspect that once we have a workable tool, much smaller, more commercially-available substitutes will be on the market, and we will be able to offer a version greatly refined in size and shape."

  The device began to hum. Juliane waved her hand, and the floor around Betty and Alan became a pool of water, which remained even after Juliane switched the device off.

  “And you are one hundred percent sure that you did not create that pool purely by thought?” Alan asked. "Accidents can happen here if you aren't careful."

  As if she didn't know that. “I am positive. I had keyed in a program restriction just to be sure.” Juliane nodded, emphasizing her point. It was one of the few things she was sure about.

  “Well then, I will begin the requisition process for the materials in real life.”

  “Do we have a budget for that? Isn’t the board going to need more proof of concept?” Betty asked.

  Alan laughed. The sound seemed eerie and wrong in Juliane's ears. "You let me worry about that."

  “Alan has had the board eating out of his hand for years," elaborated Juliane. "I don’t know exactly what he has over them, but he’s always been able to get them to sign off on whatever he needs to be successful.” Juliane's jaw ached. She may have spoken more today than she had in days.

  Alan did not offer any additional comment other than a smirk.

  With childlike glee, Betty clasped her hands, beaming with pride at their accomplishment. “I guess that’s all we can do for now. Alan, will you be coming by later? Er . . . you too, Juliane? I feel like celebrating.”

  Alan turned to her. “Not right away. Juliane makes it sound like all I have to do is snap my fingers. I’m good, it’s true, but there is a certain amount of paperwork required first.”

  “Oh yes, of course there is. How about you, Juliane? You’ve been working so hard over the last few weeks. Would you like to go out for a celebratory toast?”

  Juliane sighed. “Thank you for the offer, Betty, but I’d prefer not to celebrate, at least not yet. Chad? Would you work up the remaining task list? I’ll start work on the costing proposal. Alan can explain it later. If that’s all, I am going to sign off.”

  Before either could respond, Juliane opened her eyes back in the real world. Betty's blank expression was evidence that she lingered in the virtual space. Chad too was still tethered to the machines. Alan was nowhere to be seen in the lab. Juliane found herself wondering where Alan might have disappeared to, but was grateful for his absence. Had he been there, Betty might have returned promptly as well and then she would have been forced to listen to more of Betty's bubbly happiness. It was more than she could take.

  She took a step and was momentarily blinded by a splitting headache. Juliane reached out to stabilize herself as the room spun and her legs buckled. The entire episode lasted less than a minute while Betty continued to sit like a doll in her chair. While the vertigo may have left, Juliane still felt weak. The lab walls felt oppressive. She had to get out of the room.

  Juliane made it as far as her office before she had to rest once again. Reaching into her desk drawer, she frantically tried to find her phone before rememberin
g that she had stopped carrying it some time ago. While her head no longer felt as if it was being puréed in a blender, she was unable to focus, leaving her with no access to the network and no other means of locating Louis. She didn't have his private line programmed into the desk phone. She had never needed it.

  “Dr. Faris! Are you all right?” Chad stood in the office doorway, but she had trouble focusing on him. “When was the last time you slept?”

  Juliane wasn’t able to form the words of a witty retort, so she settled on a futile attempt of waving Chad away. Chad ignored the gesture. He came to Juliane’s side and reached out as if to hold her hand, but froze in mid-movement as if afraid of her reaction.

  “Migraine. I need to talk to Louis,” Juliane whispered. The sound of her voice created aftershocks of stabbing pain. Blinking rapidly did not help her vision, but she still noted Chad blanch, and he took a step back.

  “Er . . . hmm . . . well . . .”

  “Chad, I can barely stand my own voice. If you’ve nothing to say, then don’t.” Each word was like a miniature ice pick in her brain. “I don’t have my phone. Find his number and call him. Now.”

  “Um . . .”

  “Now, Chad.”

  “Well, I’m not sure that is such a good idea . . .”

  “I don’t remember asking you for your opinion.” Inundated by another wave of pain and nausea, Juliane was forced to rest her head back down on the desk.

  The staccato melody of Chad’s phone ringing played across her ears like a jackhammer. As she was taken over by blissful darkness, the last sound she heard was something that sounded much like Chad saying, “I don’t know if she’s heard yet or not.”

  Eighteen

  When her eyes fluttered open again, her head was wedged in between the pillows of her bed. The warm pale light on the wall suggested early morning. How did I get here? she wondered. Chad. Chad must have moved her after her collapse in the office. But how would he have gotten into her apartment? He must have rooted around in her purse to find the key. She wouldn't have thought he would possess the nerve. She risked a glance down and was relieved to see she was still in the same attire that she had worn before. It was stiff and wrinkled, but otherwise all there. Juliane's lips inched upward a fraction. At least there had been some limits to Chad’s caregiving.

  Juliane pinged Louis's location with her next breath. Her fists tightened on their own accord as she realized that not only was he in transit, he was moving in an easterly direction. Finally. He had to be coming this way. He must have heard about her collapse and dropped everything for her. Once he got here, she would explain everything. They would debug the private link issue, and everything would be just as it should be. Juliane closed her eyes, displacing the threatening tears.

  Juliane's lips settled back into a fine line. Now she just had to summon the energy to get herself out of bed. It felt like trying to open her car door in the dead of winter. She filled her lungs in anticipation of the effort and nearly gagged. Is that smell coming from me? Juliane rubbed her fingers over her temples. Her skin felt cool to the touch, more like it belonged to a porcelain doll than a person.

  She pulled herself upright only by a supreme act of will. Stumbling, Juliane made her way to the shower. As the water began to flow, she could feel the impact of each droplet on her body like hail stones. Juliane began to worry that she might shatter under the assault.

  Emerging from the shower, she did not recognize the face in the mirror. Her normally alabaster skin was tarnished by dark lines, giving her skin the appearance of veined marble. Her dark hair, still wet, clung to her neck and shoulders. The dryer, a dead weight in her hand. Chad was right. She had been working herself too hard. She would go into the office, finalize the remaining tasks, and then insist on some time off.

  She went through the rest of her morning ritual on autopilot. Every step she took was a small victory. Each time she felt like giving up, Juliane reminded herself that everything would be better soon. Ever since Vegas, Juliane had splurged on her clothing, making sure everything was tailored. Dress for the job you want, she told herself as she paid for the extra service. Fine suits became her armor, but she noticed that her clothing no longer fit her to perfection. When did that happen? Juliane realized she couldn’t recall the last real meal she had enjoyed.

  As she put on her shoes, the entry door opened. Juliane immediately stopped struggling to line up her foot with an errant shoe. Pulling on its pair had taken several minutes. "Louis," she whispered. She lost her grip on the shoe.

  As it clattered on the floor, Juliane's vision once again blurred. A shadow came toward her. She felt a hand on her arm, pulling her upward. Juliane realized she must have fallen along with the footwear. The figure's face came into focus. She had expected to see Louis's wickedly sexy smile. Instead, she was greeted by Chad's look of concern. There was something else though about his expression. Something she couldn't quite place. It was the same look that had met her at the door of each foster family. Pity. She recoiled from the sight.

  “What are you doing here, Chad?” she asked, fighting back the tears threatening to consume her. No one pitied her now. She had come too far. Chad must have forgotten who was in charge. She would have to be careful not to show any more weakness in front of him.

  “Oh, thank goodness you're moving around! I worried that it might be time to call the emergency room!”

  “It was just a migraine, nothing to get that worked up about. Definitely not worth going to the hospital over. I am grateful that you got me back home. It was much nicer to be able to wake up after a day like that in my own bed.”

  “Umm . . . it’s been more than a day.”

  “What? Two?” Juliane sniffed.

  “Err . . . more like a week.”

  “A week. How could it possibly have been a week?” she demanded.

  Chad frowned. “You don't remember." Never letting go of her arm, Chad walked her to a chair. Even after she was seated, he did not completely release his grip as if he was afraid she might fall again.

  Juliane pushed him off, straightening her back. "Remember what?" she asked.

  "When I brought you back here, you were awake, but in a daze. The following morning you drank some water when I came by to check on you but demanded I leave you alone. We were beginning to worry you might not be willing to come back. Nadia wanted to call the doctors right away, but I . . ." Chad trailed off.

  "You what?"

  "I couldn’t help worrying what could happen when they started treating you without knowing what effect that procedure might have done to your systems. I didn't want to be the reason if you got worse.”

  Chad's face was flushed brilliant red. Juliane took a deep breath as if the added weight in her lungs would somehow help anchor her back into the land of the living. “Well, I feel fine now." Juliane responded as if the words being spoken out loud would make them true. "At least you were able to get through to Louis. How about the project? Was Betty able to help Alan finish up the requisition process?”

  “Oh yes, I’ve never seen anything like it. I don’t know what he did or said, but everything we asked for was in the lab the next day. The final assembly should be taking place today. If you think you are up for it, we could go together for the trial.” Chad glanced down at his phone. “But we all understand if you would prefer to stay away one more day.”

  “Nonsense. I told you I am fine. There is no reason I would miss this.” Juliane waved Chad toward the door, determined to rise and make her way on her own.

  Arriving at the lab, Chad hovered behind as if she might break into a thousand pieces at any given moment. True to his report, when she opened the lab door, she was met by a large metallic device. It was a near replica of the simulated one she had created in the virtual world, only missing a side panel. Betty and Alan were crouched over a corner desk examining the remaining electrical components and wire harnesses like puzzle pieces.

  "Branching
out to new fields of study, are we?"

  Although Alan did not glance up as Juliane and Chad entered, Juliane watched as he slowly returned the component he had been holding back to the table. Juliane had been building circuits almost as long as she had been programming, but Alan had never quite mastered the skill. There was a certain amount of artistry involved by tapping into an innate skill that just couldn't be taught. It was a talent Alan lacked, and they both knew it. Juliane knew it had to gall him that there was something he wasn't the best at.

  Betty, on the other hand, immediately jumped up and ran over to them. She reached out to touch Juliane as if she needed reassurance that the real Juliane was in front of her and not just a virtual simulation.

  “Thank goodness! We were streaming soldering for dummies, but I think even the dummies have more experience with electronics than I do. I am so relieved you're back on your feet. I am so, so sorry that I wasn’t there for you. Why didn’t you tell anyone you were feeling ill?”

  “You and Alan seemed to have other things on your mind. Besides it was only a little headache, nothing at all to concern yourself about.”

  “A little headache doesn’t keep you from our work for over a week,” Alan spoke up. “I’m glad you're feeling well and rested now, but you could not have picked a worse time to have a breakdown.”

  “I’ll try to make sure to schedule the next one at a more convenient time.”

  “See that you do.”

  Juliane scanned the work bench and the supplies strewn about it. Silver blobs shown in between twisted wires and broken chips. Her nostrils detected the smell of metal and burnt fabric. "Your iron is too hot and the sponge is too dry, but you haven't done too much damage yet. Chad? Can you please bring me my tools? I should be able to get us back on track in no time."