The Golden Couple (The Samantha Project Series, # 2) (28 page)

What Terrance had said about me was exactly right. I wasn’t sure about my feelings for Erik. Because I didn’t understand them. As much as I loved Colin, there was something about Erik that drew me to him with an intensity I couldn’t explain. And the more time we spent together, the stronger it got. I couldn’t stop looking at him. Wanting to be near him. And his touch was so intoxicating that I tried to avoid it, knowing where it could lead.

I kept telling myself that I was drawn to Erik because our relationship was new and fresh and exciting. But it was more than that. Something sparked between us the day we met and had never gone away.
 

That afternoon, we had our etiquette class, which focused on table manners. We were given an overview of all the different types of silverware, plates, bowls, and glasses used in formal dining. I knew some of it already, but Erik had no clue people actually ate that way. He didn’t even know so many types of silverware existed.
 

After the class, we were shuffled off to the formal dining room to practice our new skills. Erik and I sat at a small table lit by candles and were served multiple courses as our instructor watched from afar. The food was delicious but we were too on edge to enjoy it. The instructor kept criticizing us every time we did something wrong.
 

When we got back to the room, Erik worked on the cipher. I went right to bed. I wanted to get a full night’s rest so I would be alert for our tour the next day. I was sure it would give us information about the building that we could use for our escape. And maybe even information that would help me find Brittany. But I should have known better.

The tour was scheduled for the morning. Erik and I were allowed to get ready without the oversight of Natalie and Kendall, but they did come by to inspect us before we left.
 

I had on a skirt and a blouse. Natalie didn’t like how they looked and made me wear yet another dress with heels. My feet were killing me from wearing heels every day. I longed to have my jeans and sneakers back. Erik felt the same. The suits and ties were driving him crazy.
 

We sat on the tiny sofa, waiting for our tour guide. “I bet it’s an old guy in a tuxedo,” I joked.

Erik closed his eyes as if making a prediction. “I’m gonna guess a middle-aged guy. In a suit, not a tux. With a foreign accent.”
 

“I like it. Let’s go with that.” I heard the door unlocking. “Here he comes. Get ready.”
 

We were both surprised to see no man at all. Instead it was a young woman in her twenties with blond, flowing hair and bright blue eyes, wearing a fitted v-neck red cashmere sweater, tight black skirt, large diamond earrings, and very high heels. For her tall, thin frame, she had an exceptionally large chest that couldn’t possibly be natural. She looked like a swimsuit model. Erik couldn’t stop staring at her.

I stood up as the woman walked toward us. “Hi, I’m Rachel.” She shook my hand. “I’m here to take you on the tour. You must be Samantha.” She looked down at Erik, who was still sitting. “And you’re Erik, right?”
 

Erik was too mesmerized by her looks to speak.
 

“Yes, that’s Erik,” I said, answering for him. Idiot guys, I thought. It’s like their brain shuts down around a beautiful woman. “Erik, get up, we’re leaving.” I patted his shoulder.

“I love the suit, Erik.” Rachel smiled at him. She seemed like the type of woman who enjoyed the effect she had on men and used it to her advantage whenever possible.

He smiled back at her, finally getting up. “Oh, thanks. They
are
really nice suits.”
 

I rolled my eyes, remember how just minutes ago he was complaining about them.

“Have you worked here long?” I asked Rachel as we walked out.

“About a year. Since the place opened actually. Drew invited me to come up here with him. He actually got me this job.”
 

“Drew? I don’t think we’ve met him yet.”

She gave me an odd look. “Drew Chamberlin. He said you had dinner with him the other night.”

“Oh, yes. I didn’t know his first name.”

“He’s kind of formal that way. I don’t know if he mentioned me at dinner, but we used to date. Well, I guess we kind of still do, but I’ve pretty much moved on. I’m hoping to leave here in a few months and go back to Los Angeles. That’s where I’m from. I used to be a model, but now I really want to be an actress. And I can’t exactly do that here in Iceland.”

I tried to guess how old she was. Maybe 25? Chamberlin was at least 20 years older. Rachel led us toward the entrance of the building, where guards stood blocking each door.

“So we’ll start the tour over here. These statues are—”

“Rachel, sorry to interrupt, but I was wondering, why do they have so many guards around here?” I figured that playing stupid was the best way to get information from her.

“Drew says there’s something really valuable in here that needs a lot of protection. He wouldn’t say what it is. It could be one of the paintings. Or one of the artifacts over there.” She pointed to a glass case near the side wall. “The GlobalLife execs are really into that ancient artifact stuff. Last year they bought some piece of pottery for like five million dollars.”

“But the guards kind of make it feel like a prison.” I said it quietly so the guards wouldn’t hear. “They distract from the beautiful artwork. And are they really necessary? I would think that a company like GlobalLife would have the latest security technology.”

“They do. In fact Drew just installed this new thing where you have to use your brain as the password.”

“What do you mean?” I asked innocently.

“Like instead of using a security badge, you say or think something and that gets you in the building or lab or whatever. I guess the device is supposed to read your brain waves as you say or think the words. Drew says that everyone’s brain waves are different and that’s why it works. He called it a brain wave fingerprint. He said it’s way better than other types of security because nobody can copy a brain wave.”

“So they’re using that here?”

“They only use it in some sections of the building. And I think we’re the only office that uses it right now. Hey, Erik, you’re awfully quiet. Do you have any questions?”

Erik stood there staring at her. “No. No questions.”

“Okay, well, I have this whole speech I’m supposed to go through, so we better get started. As I was saying, this globe statue was made in Italy.” She lowered her voice. “This next part is all scripted. I don’t really talk this way.”
 

She raised her voice back to normal. “The globe represents GlobalLife’s commitment to ending world hunger, curing disease, promoting peace, and making the world a better place for every person on the planet. It represents their never-ending efforts to make continuous improvements in areas such as agriculture, human health, clean water, renewable energy, and economic stability.”
 

As Rachel talked, I stared at an engraving on the base of the marble globe. It read, “We are only as strong as our weakest link.” It was the exact same phrase Chamberlin had used when I’d asked him about Brittany.
 

Rachel noticed me reading it. “Weird, isn’t it? Drew says that phrase all the time. I don’t even know what it means.”
 

We went to the next statue and the one after that, with Rachel explaining their history and design. Then she moved to the tapestries along the wall. Below each one was a gold plate with an inscription. When we got to a tapestry featuring a large tree, she went off script again. “GlobalLife is obsessed with this golden ratio thing. So are the Founders. This is the symbol for it.” She pointed to a symbol on the gold plate. “It’s phi, a Greek letter. When Drew first talked about it, I thought he was talking about a fraternity. Isn’t that funny? He didn’t think it was funny. But hey, a lot of fraternities use it. And sororities.”

“Why are they so obsessed with it?”

“It’s supposed to equate with perfection. And these people like stuff to be perfect. Drew always says, ‘Perfection above all else’ and ‘Errors are nothing more than a side effect of weakness and stupidity.’” Rachel mimicked Drew’s voice as she repeated his words. “He likes to make these phrases up and then say them over and over again. Drives me crazy.”
 

“What does the golden ratio have to do with this tapestry?”

“Drew said the golden ratio is found in nature, like branches and leaves. I guess it’s shown in this tree.” She pointed to the tapestry. “You’ll learn more about it later, when I talk about the building. It was also designed according to the golden ratio.”

The tour continued as she described each painting on the wall. I soon figured out that the tour was nothing more than a lesson in art history and design. We were able to see the layout of the building but weren’t able to find out anything about what went on inside the various rooms. The tour was simply meant to give us something to talk about with the investors on Saturday night.
 

The tour script included a few facts about the company but nothing we didn’t already know. Rachel raced through those parts; they seemed to bore her. She didn’t appear at all interested in GlobalLife or anything they were doing. Clearly, Chamberlin had only brought her up there to show her off at gatherings. And to accommodate his other, more personal needs. She didn’t seem too bright but she was very nice and I actually felt comfortable around her.

“Say something, Erik,”
I thought to him.
“The tour’s almost over. She’s gonna think something’s up with you.”
He’d been quiet almost the whole two hours.

Erik finally spoke up. “Rachel, what’s down all of these hallways?”

“Well, the hall where your room is has employee residences. When our employees have to be here for weeks or months for a special project, they stay here instead of a hotel.” She pointed behind us. “The hallway we were just in has offices. And that one along the back wall? All conference rooms. Pretty boring. That’s why those areas aren’t on the tour.”
 

“And what about the labs? Do we see those next?” I asked her.

“No. Those aren’t on the tour either. But there’s nothing to see. Just a bunch of equipment.”

“What’s on the second floor?” Erik asked nonchalantly. “More labs?”

“Um, I don’t know. Nobody’s allowed up there. I mean, the people who work there are, but the rest of us aren’t.” Rachel’s evasive answer had me even more worried about Brittany.

“Do people ever stay up there?” I asked her. “Are there rooms up there like they have down here?”

She became flustered. “I don’t really know. So anyway, that’s the tour.”

Rachel walked us quickly back to our room, trying to avoid any more questions. “Nice to meet you both. I’ll see you at the party on Saturday.”

“Did you hear all the stuff she told us?”
I thought to Erik once Rachel had left.

“What stuff?”

“Weren’t you even listening? The stuff about the brain wave fingerprint? That’s what they’re using as a biometric to protect the alien DNA. It has to be! That’s the other level of security we need to get past in order to access the genes.”

I felt no excitement in Erik’s thoughts.
“So what? You don’t know whose brain waves they’re using. And even if you did, how are you gonna get someone’s brain waves?”

My enthusiasm faded because he was right. Both of us could read brain waves but not capture them in the air and store them for later use. To do that, we’d have to somehow replicate them in our own minds.

“Erik, do you think you could copy my brain waves?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Like if you listened carefully, picking up on the changes in the pattern and electrical impulses in my brain, could you replicate those same things in your brain?”

“Why would I do that?”
Before I could answer, he realized what I meant.
“Sam, that’s not gonna work. Like I said, you don’t even know whose brain waves to replicate.”

“It might work. And I’m thinking it’s gotta be Chamberlin. He wouldn’t let anyone else have access to those alien genes.”

“Okay. I’d agree with that. But that doesn’t get us very far.”

“Rachel said the person would have to say or think something while standing in front of whatever they’re trying to open. Like a word or a phrase.”

“And how will we ever find out what word or phrase to use? That’s impossible.”

“Just forget it, Erik. I’ll figure it out myself. Work on your cipher.”
 

“So now you’re mad at me for being realistic?”

“Yeah, I am. I think you could be more positive. And you could have paid more attention on the tour and asked more questions. Rachel told us a lot today. She’s a good source of information. You would’ve known that if you’re weren’t staring at her boobs all morning.”

“Hey! I wasn’t staring!”

“You were totally staring. But I get it. She was hot.”

“Very hot.”
He stared dreamily into the air as if she were in front of him again.
“Very, very hot.”

“Oh, please, so you’re in love with her now?”

“No, she’s not my type,”
he said, waking from his fantasyland.

“Not your type? She’s gorgeous! She’s every guy’s type.”

“Yeah, but a girl’s gotta have more than looks. I like a girl with brains. And someone’s who’s not all about money. And Rachel’s well, she didn’t seem too bright. And she’s obviously after guys with money or she wouldn’t be dating Chamberlin.”

“I’m sure if she let you, you’d go out with her.”

He smiled.
“If she let me, I’d do more than that.”

I punched his arm.
“Erik, you just met her!”

He shrugged.
“I’m a guy. What can I say?”

I walked away in disgust.

“Hey, it’s not like it’s gonna happen, Sam. And I don’t know why you even care.”