68. Half an Hour

        Feeling defeated already, Nolan gazed out his office window through the veil of rain obscuring the layered islands in the distance, pondering his fate. Although immensely proud of his new position working for the king of Atlan, he still didn't feel qualified for the job, his Panther training seemed to be a moot point. So he was a Panther. So what? It didn't solve the Moha Lab crisis, the budget or the terrorist beneath the pyramids. As he wallowed in his own demise, focused on the lofty peaks of Kergal, looming above the fog, strange urges stirred from deep within for reasons he knew not why, when suddenly, something dark darted behind him. He spun around but there was nothing there… 

         Zara spotted the ’N' from halfway down the hall, butterflies began flapping inside just thinking about a private encounter with Nolan, god of Design. Nervously, she knocked at the door, the butterflies were flapping so wild she felt sick.

         "Come in" A female voice answered, to her dismay. 

         Zara entered the office, it was amazing, there were couches and tables, engineering drawings plastered all over the walls, but only the receptionist was seated at a desk, a Golden no less, Zara recognized her from Culloom.

         "Is this Nolan's office?"
         "Yes" she replied. "Can I help you?"

         "My name is Zara. I'm from Infrastructure." She handed her the drawings. "These are for Nolan, he asked for them yesterday."

         "Well then I'll take them in right away" The receptionist took the drawings and carried them over to a door. "Zara you say?" She checked her tablet. "I believe Nolan is expecting you… Let me see if he is busy." 

         For a moment Zara lost her breath. Nolan was expecting her? 

         Nolan wasn't just expecting her, Nolan had plans for her too. "I need someone who isn't tied up in drafting plans to help do some measuring in the Moha Lab" he explained.

         "Measuring?" Zara echoed in surprise.

         "You can measure?"

         "Oh... Yes!"

         "You'll need a pass to go down there" he signed and dated the back of another business card and handed it to her. "I'm sending the Draftsman down this morning, you two will work together."

         Zara took the card, heart pounding, she dared to look him in the eye but couldn’t resist them… He was still so... handsome, he made her malfunction so badly… Her palms were sweaty... His dreamy brown eyes lunged straight through her, he was stealing her heart again…
         "You do know where the Moha Lab is?"
         "Oh... Yes" she smiled, trying her best to act more professional.
         "Good!" Nolan got up to show her the door. "I'm sure it won't take you guys long."

         Zara hurried back to her office, thoughts racing. Measure the Moha Lab? She knew her big break wasn't going to be rosy, nor was it big, but it was a break!

         Hopes ran high now, perhaps it wasn't a coincidence that Hedena had invited her to lunch, perhaps the blonde hair really was helping, perhaps this was a sign she was about to move up the ladder, perhaps her hard work had been noticed after all!

         The Moha Lab was so much worse than she had heard, she hardly recognized the place, nasty rumors hadn't done much to prepare her for the gruesome onslaught she faced here now. Polluted with the stench of rotting and burned carcasses it was also jam packed with bustling, sweaty, blood smeared and grumpy crews. She tried not to look at any of the bloody carcasses, or react to the scene. She imagined herself wearing blinkers and pictured the string holding her up over and over again in her head to counter the waves of shock and horror around her.

         This was her big break, she couldn’t blow it, she just had to remind herself of that fact, over and over again. 

         But it was unbearable. She had to fight so hard, every breath was torture, every sight was devastating, every second was an unbearable ordeal. It only got worse when a soldier bumped into her with a load. She could feel moisture seeping in through her sleeve, but couldn't take her eyes off the tape, she had to stay cool, she had to stay calm. She took a deep breath but dropped the tape.
         "Are you okay?" The Draftsman noticed she was spacing out.

         "Oh... Yes!" Zara picked it up and tried to focus on the task once again.

         "PUT THEM AS FAR BACK AGAINST THE WALL AS YOU CAN" Bell ordered. "STACK EM AS HIGH AS THEY'LL GO, THERE'S THOUSANDS MORE COMING IN!"

         Zara recognized the voice instantly and froze. BELL? Focus lost, she dropped the tape again.

         "Zara, get a grip! Let's go!" The Draftsman lost his patience, he too couldn't wait to get out of there.
         "I'm sorry!" Reeling, Zara picked up the tape measure, panicking inside. Was it really Bell? She placed the end of the tape measure on the next cabinet and waited for the Draftsman to do his job. But right away her thoughts returned to Bell, was it really him? She couldn't hold back and stole another glance...

        

         Bell felt her gaze and turned towards her, for a painstaking moment, their eyes met. 

        "OK" the Draftsman cued the next step.

         Zara looked away, embarrassed too now; it was Bell! Dena’s advice suddenly echoed from the past to taunt her; ‘Bell’s a Military Merchant…’

         "Zara, pay attention!" The Draftsman was yanking the tape from her hold now.

         "Yes, I'm sorry!" Zara tried to focus to the job, visualizing the blinkers and strings but it was hopeless now. Bell? What were the chances? There was no where to hide, she had to do her job, this was her big break, she would need to overcome her agony inside. No one knew the truth, no one would understand why she didn't like Bell.

        "Now this cabinet" the Draftsman ordered, pointing.

         Zara placed the end of the tape on the cabinet and glanced at the clock. The only thing saving her mind was knowing she could escape this hell hole at lunch time, just fifteen minutes away...

        

         "Do you mind if I leave for lunch?" she asked the Draftsman as the crews headed to the Gourmet Chamber.
         "And go where?"

         "I've been invited to have luncheon with Hedena at The Grill."

         "You've been invited to have luncheon with Hedena at The Grill?" He chuckled. "Wow... Really?"

         "Really."

         "Sure, go ahead..." He continued on towards the Gourmet Chamber, waving her off. "Just make sure you're back in half an hour."

         Zara raced up the stairwell, hurried through the lobby and walked as quickly as she could up Main St towards The Grill. According to the city sundial, she was already late. She had passed The Grill many times before on her way to the construction site, somehow now it seemed so much farther away than she remembered it to be. 

        Finally she arrived at the celebrated restaurant, the hub of the daytime social scene. She paused outside to look in the steamy window, it was packed with patrons, wealthy merchants and Vine Goddesses. Steeling herself she straightened her posture, checked her wig, took a deep breath and walked inside.

         Hedena spotted her the second she walked in the door. She stood up and waved her over, for a moment making her feel like a star. But Zara felt far from stardom as she crossed the dining room. Compared to the fine merchants and goddesses dining at The Grill, she was horribly dirty and unkempt from measuring the lab, she hadn't even combed her wig.

         Panic set in as she neared the table. What was she thinking to arrive like this? The Grill was an elite hang out, everyone was either in a glamorous dress or a perfectly pressed silk suit, the perfumes so pungent they completely obliterated any aromas coming from the kitchen. Would they obliterate the aromas of the Moha Lab?

         "Come Sugar Cheeks, have a seat!" Hedena instructed her to sit down. A large group of Vine Goddesses were seated around the table, some of them she recognized. "This is Zara."
         "Hello, Zara" The goddesses welcomed her and flashed her a smile as she nervously took her seat. She felt their eyes scan her like laser beams, she knew they were scrutinizing her inappropriate presentation, she could hear the snickering. It wasn't fair, she could smell their disrespect even if they tried to hide it. She recognized most of them from Fina, some of them had been at her lashing, some of them had thrown garbage at her that day...

         Suddenly she didn't want to be there anymore. Perfectly groomed, they were better than she was, they were all living the dream because they the chosen ones and she wasn't, she didn't feel like she belonged there, at all.

         Hedena tried to break the ice. "You all remember Zara don't you?"

         "Hello" Zara smiled as bravely as she could, wishing Hedena wouldn't ask them to remember anything about her at all.