Alternative

| Chapter Six

The vintage hallways of Elizabeth's building are different at night. Eerie. And strange. I can't help but press myself against the wall outside her apartment as I wait for her to answer my calls. I know on her application, the time read eight, sharp, but who says I can't be ten minutes early?

Besides, I am sure the elevator I came through will open any second and blood will splash all over the floor.

My phone vibrates in my hand as I glance down the hall again. The shadows sway with the moonlight coming in through the tall windows. For a moment, I think I see a silhouette; small, thin, standing, waiting. Gulping, I hold my breath.

Are the twins here, too? Will they bring out the blood bath?

My phone vibrates again. Quickly, I pull my attention away from danger to open the message flashing at the top of the screen.

"Dual data is ready," Joe's message reads.

Joe is always on top of his tasks. As a Harvestor's assistant, he's to make sure everything is good to go for a memory upload. Just, as my partner, he goes deeper, hacking our Alt-Life software to copy and acquire more than it is supposed to.

A second conversation bubble appears. He's typing. "Tonight's selection is the beaches of Cancun."

I smirk. Of course, she's traveled. With a computer like that, I am sure she has enough money to see the world. And the moon. Maybe Mar, too.

Quickly moving my fingers, I respond. "Find me the memories in between. Morning breakfasts, lunches, and maybe even snacks. See if she's seen any movies, too."

"On it," his response reads.

Before I can acknowledge the message, the door opens and I power off my phone.

"Evening, Miss—" I turn to greet Elizabeth, but can't finish my sentence. The woman who stands in the doorway is not the same woman I tried to early-spy on this morning. Sure, that Elizabeth was a bit too close, too much, but she seemed natural sugar. Sweet in every way.

The woman who opens the door as the moon casts a blue glow within the halls may have the same face, the same eyes, but her aura is different. It's dark. Seductive.

Pulling my brow together in thought, I finally finish my sentence. "Elizabeth."

Elizabeth, with her wavy curls perfectly framing her face, moves back enough to let me enter. When I step inside, I feel her eyes on me, like tiny hands attempting to feel my body. I give her a side-glance as the door shuts. I face her fully as she greets me.

"Evening, Rayna." She pulls her deep red cardigan close around her body but doesn't quite hide the black dress she wears. I look her up and down, pausing at her feet. They're bare, painted red.

My brows shoot up high.

"Thank you for coming back. I know you said this morning was a standard thing, but I prefer to remember things at night." As Elizabeth speaks, she moves around me and into her living room. The lights are off within her apartment, but candles light the tables. One is unlit and she leans over it, moving a long candle overs its wick. When it ignites, the flame lights up her face. Her plump lips lift into a smile. "I hope you understand."

Her eyes glow as she stands up. Her hands move to her waist again. I notice her nails are painted the same as her toes.

Red. Everything is red.

What happened to the pink?

"I understand," I say as I place my Alt-life bag on her coffee table. "My job is to make sure you're comfortable during the copy process."