FAI Read Online Free PDF

Rosewood’s office lined the walls.
    “Welcome to Vision’s Research and Development Lab,” John said.
    “Seems nice,” Kari said. I mean, if you’re into partially buried R&D labs, that is. Personally, I prefer my old factory. Just as unexpected and a tad less nuclear winter shelter.
    “This will be your home for the duration of the engagement,” Christina said. “You’ll find everything you need here to live comfortably and complete your task.”
    Kari nodded, mostly because Christina had a way of making every sentence sound like the end of a conversation. John waved her forward and they moved down the hallway.
    “We have a number of labs across the world, but this is the one that has produced the money maker,” John said.
    “Soon-to-be money maker,” Christina said. “We haven’t realized any gains from it yet.”
    “Right,” Kari said. “You’ve gone to great lengths to secure this place . . .”
    “When you have a potential trillion-dollar project on your hands, there is no measure of security that is appropriate. I’d double it if I could,” John said.
    What are you going to do? Find another mountain to drop on top of this one?
    “That’s because you only profess to love money,” Christina said. “You’d spend us into oblivion without properly monetizing our developments.”
    The conversation had just gone over her head to some argument she wasn’t a part of. Oddly enough, the way they looked down on her served to make her indifferent to listening to their personal squabbles. John cleared his throat and ignored Christina.
    “Your personal quarters will be down this hall,” John said, pointing to a door as they passed it. “Everything has already been configured, and you should find all you need to live comfortably for the next few months.”
    The door opened just as they walked by and a woman in a white laboratory coat walked out. She looked startled to see John and Christina.
    “Of course, you’ll have to share the lab here with our other scientists,” John said. “Roughly two hundred scientists live here full time on any given day.”
    “Two hundred? Here?” Kari asked.
    “You’re sure this is the Freelancer?” Christina said.
    “It just seemed like a lot for down here . . .” Good thing you’re insanely rich, otherwise you wouldn’t have many friends.
    The last door on the right opened before they reached it. Inside, a giant room spread before them. White tiled floor and glass separators extended out nearly as far as she could see. People dressed in white lab coats were intermixed with crawlers and drones throughout the lab floor. They strode into the room passing scientists laid back in their chairs working on projects or others scribbling madly in the air.
    “Everyone here is a world-renowned specialist in their respective field,” John said.
    “Or they would be if they ever left this place,” Christina said. “Bunch of pathetic geniuses.”
    “That isn’t nice,” Kari said. I’ve had enough of her. This is one reason why I hate bosses so much. They think they are so much better than their employees, when they don’t actually do any of the hard work.
    “Oh, they are fully aware of their situation. They love it for some reason,” Christina said.
    “We call them our cave trolls,” John said. “Strangest group of people you’ll ever meet.”
    “Speaking of our cave trolls, I’m going to meet with Adrian. Can you be finished with the girl by the top of the hour?”
    “Of course,” John said.
    Christina peeled off to the right, heading down an isle of glass cubicles to the center of the room.
    “Is she always like that?” Kari asked.
    “This is a good day for her,” John said. “She’s the bad cop, I’m the good cop. It’s a dynamic that can require some acclimatizing. But trust me, her bark is far worse than her bite. She wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
    “Who’s Adrian?” Kari said. There was so much to see and take in, but that was the question