All The Beautiful People (A Dread Novel Book 1) (3 page)

CHAPTER 5

Taylor made her way through the maze of stainless steel elevators and bare white walls. Her destination was a group of large offices equipped with desks and computers on the twelfth floor. These offices were kept apart from the rest and designated specifically for Cleaner use. Taylor wasn’t sure how many people with her job description Lazarus Pharmaceuticals employed, although for a company with as much to lose as they had, she guessed they would have multiple agents all over the world.

The office she was instructed to use displayed a large number
“7”
painted on the door in bold black strokes. Taylor’s imagination painted two zero’s in front of the number seven in honor of her favorite hero. As soon as the image of James Bond came to mind she shook her thoughts free of such notions. She had a job to do.

Her ID badge acted like a keycard and gave her access to the room with a loud beep that echoed down the deserted halls. Although hardly used, the office itself was spacious, indicating the financial power of the company. A window overlooking the property, an enormous metal desk, flat screen computer, and chairs rounded out the room’s furniture.

Taylor flipped the lights and closed the door behind her. The smell of newly cleaned carpet made her wonder how often the room was used. Her mind was running blank as to what to include in her report. Even as she crossed the room she wasn’t sure how to start.

She paused to look out the huge window. The report wouldn’t be easy but she would stick to the facts. She heard voices and tensed, her hands balling into fists. Then the door opened.

Wade Treadstone poked his head into the room and smiled as he rapped on the door. “I hope I’m not interrupting you, Taylor.”

Someone stood behind him, though it was impossible for Taylor to see him clearly from her vantage point. “No, not at all. I haven’t even started.”

“Good, may we come in?”

“Sure.”

Wade entered the room, followed by a younger man with broad shoulders and thick, black-framed glasses. “Taylor,” Wade said, “you two have never met but you’ve spoken a few times over the years. I’d like you to meet Jason Waters. He’s your Operator.”

Warning signs flashed through Taylor’s mind as she extended a hand.
Why are we meeting now? Two years and he’s only been a voice. They’ve kept us separate this long for a reason. Now they’re allowing us to meet for…what?

Jason’s handshake was firm without crushing. He didn’t attempt a smile or pleasantries. On instinct Taylor knew they were both thinking the same thing.

“Please sit,” Wade motioned.

Taylor took her seat on the opposite side of the desk as Wade and Jason. The high-backed cushioned seat designed to offer comfort gave her anything but. The anticipation for an explanation brought goosebumps to Taylor’s arms despite her jacket. Years of training brought her feet to rest directly under her body, ready to spring into action if the situation required.

While Taylor didn’t think her employer would silence her after an event like last night, she needed to be ready for the possibility. It crossed her mind in the past that if a situation was dire enough, the company would allow no loose ends. With billions of dollars on the line, Taylor was under no false pretenses as to how much her own life would be worth. She was a cog in the machine, a piece which could be replaced if the need ever arose.

Wade cleared his throat and began. “I understand it’s not protocol for an Operator to meet his or her Cleaner; yet after the events that occurred last night, the Board deemed it appropriate. I’ll start by relieving the tension and letting both of you know no one here is in any kind of trouble. You each handled the situation as well or better than anyone could have. You followed procedure to the letter.”

The muscles in Taylor’s body relax the slightest bit. Jason’s shoulders also seemed to drop as he took in a deep breath.

Wade reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a voice recorder he then placed on the edge of the desk. “We’ll start with you, Mr. Waters. If you would state your full name and title, and tell us exactly what happened last night.”

Jason licked his dry lips. “Jason Oliver Waters, Operator for Lazarus Pharmaceuticals. I received the call relayed to us from the police station last night at 10:12 p.m.”

Taylor was never told what the exact terms of agreement where between the pharmaceutical company and the police but she imagined it worked something like this: Lazarus Pharmaceuticals would pay a large amount to the police department, in turn the authorities would allow them first crack at resolving any issue that may arise related to their drugs. It was an excellent deal for the authorities. They’d be given thousands of dollars each month to do nothing. If an event did happen to occur, Lazarus would be allowed to handle it, and the police could sit back and relax.

Jason’s voice once again filled the room, and Taylor had to remind herself she wasn’t on a call. Over the years she wondered what he might look like. Her guesses as to her Operator’s appearance ranged from a battle-hardened, retired Navy Seal to a young technological prodigy The truth was, he was actually a mix between these two. Jason couldn’t be that much older than she was, somewhere in his mid-twenties. He was fit without being muscular. His glasses spoke of a sedentary lifestyle placed behind a computer.

“The caller stated her name was Mrs. Jones,” Jason said. “She was hysterical. I did my best to calm her and get her to state the facts. As soon as I could get enough information from her, I put her on hold and called my Cleaner. She picked up on the second ring. I gave her the address. With the Cleaner en route, I tried to get as much detail from Mrs. Jones as possible. She told me her husband was acting strange and violent toward himself. She was worried about both of their safety. It was at this point she told me her husband was taking Vanidrum. She went on to say things I attributed to panic and hysteria.”

Wade held up a hand to pause Jason’s testimony. “What kind of things?”

“She said he was trying to make himself beautiful. He was trying to give himself the face he always wanted.”

The room settled in an uncomfortable silence. Wade and Jason stared at each other. Taylor looked back and forth between the two, her heart beating like a drum. Despite Wade’s reassurance that no one was in any kind of trouble, Taylor had a feeling this was far from over. A long history of not trusting anyone had kept her alive this long. She wasn’t going to break her streak now.

“Thank you, Jason.” Wade turned his attention to Taylor. “Can you please pick up the story from when Jason called you?”

Taylor nodded, reminding herself that Jason should also be kept at arm’s length until he could be trusted. “I received the initial call from my Operator with the address at 10:15 p.m. I stopped what I was doing and was en route to the house on 437 Pinehurst Road within minutes. I arrived outside the house at 10:47 p.m., where I received one more call from Jaso—my Operator. The details were those my Operator stated previously. I was instructed that Mrs. Jones’ husband was irrational and possibly dangerous. He was taking the drug Vanidrum and there was cause to think he may be a danger to himself and others.”

Wade leaned back in his chair with the tips of his fingers on each hand touching. Taylor noticed but said nothing, and continued with her story.

“I arrived to meet an anxious Mrs. Jones. She showed me upstairs to her hus—”

A knock at the door stopped Taylor’s account. Wade clicked the voice recorder’s pause button then turned around in his seat with a frustrated expression, “Yes? Come in.”

The door opened with a beep. A middle-aged man with a receding hairline opened the door, an apology already on his lips. “I’m so sorry to disturb you, sir, but you said to contact you if there was another…event.”

Wade nodded and looked to both Jason and Taylor. “Excuse me for a moment.” Wade rose from his seat and walked to the door where he conversed with the man in forced whispers.

Taylor thought about listening in but decided the less she knew, the better.

“Crazy, right?” Taylor looked across the desk to Jason, who seemed to share her same stance on not trying to listen in to the conversation taking place feet from them.

“What is?”

“All of it. Last night, Wade’s interest in the situation, us meeting here now.”

Taylor nodded.

“I mean, you’re nothing like I imagined.”

Taylor’s eyebrow raised on impulse, as she asked, “Oh really? And what was it that you imagined?”

Jason shrugged. “I don’t know. You were always so blunt and short on the phone. Maybe older, larger, not so…” Jason looked at the ceiling struggling to find the right word.

“Not so what?” Taylor asked, surprised at how amusing she found the conversation despite their situation.

Jason looked at her with a boyish grin, “You know. Not so—”

“I’m sorry to cut our meeting short,” Wade’s voice interrupted. “There seems to be a situation that requires immediate attention. You two can consider your report fulfilled.”

Wade turned to go. Though Taylor had a million questions she chose to remain quiet. Jason, on the other hand, did not share her same outlook.

“Sir, if I am not overstepping my paygrade, what’s going on? It’s Vanidrum, isn’t it?”

Taylor’s eyes widened at Jason’s boldness. The notion of voicing her ideas would never be more than thoughts in her mind. What Wade said next shocked her even more.

“That question
is
overstepping your paygrade, Mr. Waters, but you two are the best Operator/Cleaner team we have, so I’ll indulge you.”

“Sir?” the attendant behind him asked.

Wade raised a hand. The way he narrowed his eyes and looked past both Jason and Taylor said he wanted to say so much more than he was going to. “Expect to receive a call very soon.” Wade narrowed in on Taylor. He held her gaze for a moment before speaking, “Be careful in the field. Don’t let their blood come in contact with you.”

There was no time for either Taylor or Jason to ask any questions, Wade turned and exited, his attendant in tow.

CHAPTER 6

“Wow, what do you think about that?”

“I’m trying not to think anything,” Taylor said.

Jason looked at her with raised eyebrows as they exited the office and walked toward the elevators. “Come on, really? Nothing? I know you’re ‘all business’ over the phone, but you have to realize what’s going on here.”

Taylor shrugged and hit the button displaying a downward pointing arrow. More than anything she wished Jason would take another elevator. All this talk would get them nowhere. She wasn’t so lucky.

“So that’s it, huh?” Jason asked as the elevator doors dinged open and welcomed them into an empty car.

Though Taylor’s patience was wearing thin, she held her tongue. Instead of words, she spoke to Jason with her eyes. First fixing him with a stare that would bore holes through steel, then moving her gaze to the steady red camera light that caught their every word. The camera was placed without trying to be hidden in the elevator car’s upper right corner.

Jason was quick to catch on. “Right, well, if you didn’t trust what your veterinarian is telling you about your dog you could always
wait
and
talk
to
someone else
. Another doctor may be able to shed more
light
on what is
really going on
.”

Taylor sighed and lifted her eyes to the ceiling in disbelief. Jason was doing his best to code his message but anyone with any training at all would be able to tell they weren’t taking about animals or doctor visits. The way Jason stopped and over enunciated certain words was so ridiculous it almost brought a smile to Taylor’s lips. Almost.

The two rode the rest of the way down in silence. The elevator only stopped once to pick up a pair of white-coated lab techs, too busy on handheld devices to notice one another, let alone the other two sharing their ride.

Soon the elevator doors slid open again at ground level. Taylor had already accepted the fact that Jason would follow her out to her car. His presence didn’t necessarily bother her but the topic she knew he would insist on discussing did. She knew his type well. He needed to think through things out loud. It so happened his type also preferred to think out loud in the presence of someone else and seek his or her approval.

The unlikely pair maneuvered around the morning traffic of scientists, executives, and security guards. As they exited the main building, Taylor noticed the flashing slideshow and female voice advertising Vanidrum were gone. The chatter around her sought to fill the void, yet failed to replace the soothing female voice that described Lazarus Pharmaceuticals’ latest product with pride.

Taylor created a mental note of this as she left the lobby and made her way to her car. The air outside was warm with a light breeze, making her think of less stressful days where she was alone, free to work things out on her own.

“Do you think they can hear us now? I mean, do you think they have the parking lot bugged?” Jason whispered. His eyes darted in a few different directions. “We aren’t breaking any of the rules by talking with someone who already knows information, right?”

“Well, it was nice meeting you,” Taylor said, lengthening her strides. Her car was only a few yards away. “I guess I’ll be talking to you at some point.” She extended a hand.

Jason refused to accept her token of departure. “No way. You’re not getting off that easy. You’re trying to tell me you have no interest in what’s really going on here?”

Taylor retracted her hand. They were feet from her vehicle. She knew reaching her car wasn’t going to help her escape. Making sure they weren’t in hearing distance of anyone traveling to or from their own vehicle Taylor spoke in a level tone. “Listen, Jason. I’m not sure how long you’ve been doing this but one thing I’ve learned over the years is not to ask questions and not to do too much thinking. We’re both hired for a job. We get paid well to do it, that’s it. We don’t get paid to think. We don’t get paid to come up with theories or hypotheses. You take the calls. I clean up the mess. It’s as simple as that.”

Jason stood with his mouth open. It was clear whatever he’d expected Taylor to say, this was not it. The two stood in the parking lot while Jason gathered his thoughts. Taylor remembered a break up in high school that was comprised of many of the same elements. Tall, dark-haired male standing with his jaw open trying to make sense of life moments after Taylor had fed him the “it’s not you, it’s me” line.

To Jason’s credit, he recovered in a few seconds and his comeback was classic. “If events could be beyond the control of the company, it’s our moral obligation to take action, isn’t it?”

How did this guy get involved in this line of work with an attitude like that?
Taylor wondered to herself. Out loud she said, “Oh great, we’re going to go ethical on this? Listen, I’m not sure what it is you think we’ve been doing over the last few years but maybe you should have asked yourself that question before you filled out the resume.”

Jason furrowed his brow, an argument already on his lips. “No, I know exactly what we do. So far we prevent disasters. Single instances where one thing goes wrong. But you have to agree with me, this is different.”

Taylor’s pulse was rising. It had been a long time since her introverted nature gave anybody the time of day to argue with her. “Okay, Jason, if you want to go do something about this, be my guest. Call CNN and schedule a private interview. Post blogs, tweet, and tell all your Facebook friends about it. See how far that gets you. Even if I admit there is something different about this one, it’s only been one. It’s not an epidemic; it’s not a strain. It’s one incident. Now, I’m done arguing with you. Don’t be offended, but hopefully, I won’t be talking to you anytime soon.”

If his eyes were any indication of what was on his mind, Jason had a lot more to say. As he was starting to open his mouth, the two were interrupted by the generic beeping of a cell phone.

Taylor knew it wasn’t hers right away and took the opportunity to dig her keys from her pocket.

Jason reached into his jeans and brought out his silver company phone. Taylor recognized the cellular device because she was given one exactly like it when Lazarus Pharmaceuticals first employed her. She remembered the day like it happened last week, not two years ago. The tight white package that fit in her hand, along with the specific instructions to carry the device with her at all times.

“Are you sure? I mean, yes, of course, but there’s no other team to handle this? We already got a call last night.”

Taylor was already in her car. Her hand was on the door handle a second away from closing it when Jason’s words made her pause. No, it couldn’t be another call for them so soon. Eight calls over the course of two years and none of them coming even months near one another. Taylor dismissed this idea and moved to shut her door.

Jason’s left hand shot out and he grabbed the doorframe above the window. During the course of their argument Taylor felt heat rushing to her face. Now, as Jason held the phone in his right hand pressed to his ear and her door with his left, her temper reached the boiling point.

Although her first thought was to break Jason’s wrist or throat, she refrained. Rather than accosting her Operator, Taylor yanked her car door shut, putting extra force behind the jerk. Jason let go of the car door and lowered the phone.

Taylor regained her composure and started her car. She’d be gone soon, left alone to gather her thoughts and forget about the morning. With any luck, she would have a few months of radio silence between herself and her Operator.

She released the parking brake and jammed her transmission into reverse. Her phone went off. Not her personal phone, the company phone. Taylor checked her rearview mirror, making sure she avoided eye contact with Jason. She pulled out of the parking space. Her phone rang again.

She reached for it, hoping against all else it wasn’t who she thought it would be. Who else could it be though? Jason was the only one that ever called. He was her Operator.

There was a knock on the window as she brought the small plastic device to her ear. She looked out the passenger side window at Jason’s frown. She could see his lips moving outside the window and hear his apologetic voice through the phone.

“Hello, this is your Operator. We have a situation that needs your attention.”