RETALI8ION: The Cobalt Code Read Online Free PDF Page A

asked Thomas.
    “Yes.  You can have whatever you want,” Regina said as she looked down at her tablet to see what time it was.  It had been just over two hours since she'd spoken with Artemis, and she guessed he was probably already inside.  “Let's go.”
    Regina walked up to the plain polished steel door and pushed it open.  The lobby was just as nondescript as the doors, with plain white walls, one other doorway on the back wall, and a small black desk sitting in the middle.  A single woman, wearing a very expensive black cheongsam, was sitting behind the desk.
    “Greetings, and welcome to Kusanagi's.  I am Yoko.  How may I assist you today?” the woman asked.
    Regina noticed, as she got closer that this was either an android or a cyborg.  Hard to tell.  But the body was undoubtedly a high quality model, as she could just barely make out the joint connections near its neck.
    “Hi.  I need to go to the Red Room please,” Regina stated as she came to a stop in front of the desk.
    “Reason for visit?” asked the cybernetic secretary.
    “I'm here to get my friend here some noodles.  He really likes them,” Regina replied motioning towards Thomas.
    “I don't,” Thomas stated, confused.
    Regina's expression changed to one of displeasure.
    Thomas lowered his head and said, “I like.”
    Regina looked back up, and smiled, awaiting a response.
    “Very well.  Please follow Tyko to your destination,” Yoko replied, pointing to a small black orb-shaped robot on the desk next to several others just like it.
    The small bot jumped to life, with arms and legs springing from within it.  “Please follow me,” it stated cheerfully as it started giving off a diluted red glow.
    “Thank you, Yoko,” Regina said as she started to follow the little robot.
    “This way,” the little bot shouted, jumping off the desk, as the doors behind the desk opened automatically.
    The doors opened into a long white hallway.  The only feature seemed to be several elevator entrances along the right side.  Tyko walked up to the middle elevator, and was followed closely by Regina and Thomas.
    “Just a few seconds, please,” Tyko said hastily as it tapped its foot on the ground.
    The elevator sounded its arrival, and the doors opened.
    “Please step in,” Tyko said as he ran into the elevator.
    Regina and Thomas entered the elevator and the doors soon closed behind them.  The small robot jumped up and pressed a button on the elevators panel.  The doors closed, and the elevator started moving downward.
    “Ten seconds,” Tyko announced happily.
    Regina counted the seconds in her head as she watched the fidgety little robot scuttle around on the elevator floor.  Sure enough, ten seconds later, the elevator doors opened again.
    “This way,” the little bot said as it left the elevator, and took off down the hallway.
    Regina maintained her slower pace, trying to take in her surroundings as they went.  This particular hallway still had a white ceiling and walls, but the carpet was a deep luscious red.
    “Here we are, M'lady.  The Red Room!” Tyko said stopping in front of a mahogany-colored wood door about nine meters from the elevator.
    “Thanks, Tyko,” Regina said as she stepped in front of the door.
    “My pleasure,” Tyko said with a strange salute.  “Please come again,” it said as it took off back down the hallway.
    “Let's see if anything has changed, shall we?” Regina said, looking down at Thomas.
    “Yes,” Thomas replied.
    Regina pushed open the wooden door, and walked in.  The room was dressed in every color of red one could imagine.  From the deepest and darkest to the tones as close to pink as one could go without crossing the line.  The colors also seemed to lighten as one looked up.  The carpet was a deep first blood kind of red wine, the tables looked to be either a ruby or classic polished cherry, chairs seemed to be different variations of cherry or apple, and the ceiling and its drapery