Death Drive

Chapter 10

"Pardon me, but isn't it time for your and Ms. Liu's agreed upon dinner date?"

Lucas quickly checked the time: the AI had a point; he only had a few minutes.

"How did you know?", he asked as he frantically saved his progress and disconnected his laptop from the terminal, almost dropping it in the process.

"The same way I know everything: your glasses allow me to see and hear everything you do. I did make an entry to your calendar, but you must have missed the notification."

"Great. A fat load of good that did me, I'm going to be late from our first meet-up," he said, rushing towards the doors. "I just want to make a good impression. How could I ever do that now?"

"Stop trying to do what you think she'd like you to. She excels at reading people and your crude attempts at manipulation will just annoy her." He stopped dead in his tracks, turning to squint at the obelisk questioningly.

"I do realize you were mostly just thinking out loud," the incorporeal voice said with a possible hint of kindness, "but I do wish you the best of luck. I see great things resulting from your union."

"Thanks," he said, not knowing what he should have said.

"I've called the elevator for you. You'll make it if you hurry."

The elevator doors closed, and ascent began as soon as he got inside. The calm he had felt in the lower level was rapidly waning, the bleep marking the correct floor made him jump. Everything was so much louder and brighter after the muted mainframe chamber.

"She's going to be showing me around so hopefully she'll do most of the talking," he thought as he neared the spot where they were supposed to meet.

"Good, I'm here first." There was chatter coming from an open glass door nearby and he skulked closer, peeking around the frame. There she was, standing in a ring of her colleagues, a dark-haired man telling something and gesturing with his hand while the rest listened and occasionally commented on the story.

"Did she forget?" he thought. "Should I go in and introduce myself?" In his imagination he stepped in, the gossip coming to a sudden end as they all turned to stare at him. His throat constricted and he backed away from the door, leaning his back to the adjacent wall. A man that had been looking at him through the glass of his office opposite of the cafeteria withdrew to his desk, acting like he hadn't noticed anything. Lucas' cheeks burned as he thought how ridiculous he must have seemed. He reached inside his breast pocket and grasped the small bottle of pills he always carried. Often just holding the capsule helped calm him down, but this time he was forced to swallow a tablet. He closed his eyes as he waited for his anxiety attack to pass.

"I'm at home, it's quiet, it is dim, I am alone." He repeated the mantra that helped to bring to mind a calming image. Gradually, his breathing grew steadier, and his heartbeat was no longer a jackhammer in his chest.

"There you are," came a friendly exclamation from his side. "Fall asleep waiting?"

He opened his eyes. Amber looked at him with an amused expression, some of her workmates standing behind her.

"No, I'm just, I mean-," he stammered like he was using his mouth and tongue to form words for the first time.

"I'm sorry, but something came up," she said, not waiting him to finish. "I'm going to have to take a raincheck on the coffee. Owe you one."

"Oh. Sure." In a way it was a relief.

"How about tonight? I'm going to go check out this new Asian place, want to come along?"