First Law of Attrition by Bronwyn Leroux

Author:Bronwyn Leroux
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Digits

25

By the time I hop on the trundle home, I’ve finally swallowed the bitter pill of failure. Only to regurgitate it when I encounter a family off to spend time in a nearby park.

The boy and his parents are such a tiny unit I can’t help hoping they might join more of the boy’s siblings there. Something about the thought niggles, but I dismiss it as my thoughts go to my family.

Until now, I’ve successfully buried myself in work, locking my family into the far recesses of my mind where they are all but inaccessible. But this little group sitting opposite me has smashed those barriers and dredged my family from the depths.

Fierce longing consumes me, accompanied by inevitable trepidation. An urgency to both see the ones I love and verify their welfare overwhelms me. I’m agitated enough to decide I’ll pay Hag Lady a visit tomorrow and request a call with Cygnus, beyond caring what message I’ll send.

Despite the resolution, anxiety dogs every moment until I stagger into work the next morning. I’ve had almost no sleep to speak of, and dark smudges underscore my eyes. Too taxing to bother with makeup. I already have enough on my mind.

I stop at my office barely long enough to drop my things off, then hurry to the top floor. Only to discover Hag Lady isn’t at her desk. Argh! It’s the first time I’ve ever found her missing. No doubt because the director isn’t around and she doesn’t have to patrol his door like a rabid dog.

Annoyed, I leave a message, then ride the elevator back down to the labs. Before I reach my office, my comm beeps, informing me Hag Lady has returned, and I should stop in now if I want to speak with her.

With repressed irritation, I catch the elevator back up, running through my arguments. When the elevator dings open, I’m as prepared as I can be for her potential questions.

“Good morning, Mrs. Jacobs.”

Her greeting is a scowl. “What do you want?”

“May I put in a request to speak with the director?”

“What about?”

“My current project.” Not strictly true, but I can build a correlation when I speak with Cygnus.

“What about your project?”

“Mrs. Jacobs, I don’t mean to be rude, but do you have the requisite clearance for me to provide specifics?”

Beady eyes glint back. “Girl, you think I attained this position without the highest clearance levels?”

I pretend to fidget. “I apologize. I didn’t mean any offense. It’s just that I’m precluded from discussing my projects with anyone the director hasn’t preapproved in writing. May I request you ask the director to send me that permission so I can provide you with the details?”

This was the part I hoped would be too much effort. Hag Lady strikes me as someone who likes to throw her weight around, but who’s also scared enough of the director to not want to bother him unnecessarily. To approach the director twice about the same issue may cross one of her lines.

“I told you I have clearance.

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