Abel Ladd - The Crying Child | Day 7 : 910 words

The director sat in his office watching the myriad of screens that showed any camera in the building at any time. There was a certain comfort he took in watching the progression populate across the screens. He had become accustomed to the pattern and could anticipate what should be on a screen as it was switching feeds. The job of the director has periods of extreme down time between bouts of nonstop work and he had found his comfort zone.
The various departments had their nuances and time schedules. He had learned to be an observer for the most part. The cameras helped instill that mentality. He had learned to be the observer and only insert himself into a situation if it demanded it. He noticed men enter the lobby who had the distinct look of Division.
“Shit, what do they want.” He muttered.
The men rode the elevator to the top floor, saying nothing on the ride, exiting as the doors opened. Their purposeful walk and dour demeanor startled the desk clerk who obedient let them into the director’s office.
“Where is the sample from the child.” The closest man, apparently the lead, said to the director.
“Who exactly are you?” the director asked.
“We’re from the Scientific Investigations Division. Where is the sample?” the man’s eyes narrowed.
“The sample should still be in the unit. We don’t remove them until shift change.” The director replied.
“Where is the lab? Show us.” The man turned and motioned with his arm towards the office door.
The director stood from his chair and opened the side drawer of his desk, pulling a badge from it and clipping it to his shirt pocket. “It’s this way.” He said walking past the men who turned and followed closely behind.
They walked down the hallway to the elevator and waited for it to arrive at the floor. The director slowly turned from side to side to look back at the men now standing behind him.
“Curious to know what brought you here.” The director said over his shoulder, glancing at the elevator display.
“It’s not your concern.” The lead man said.
The elevator landed on the eighth floor, the doors sliding open. The director led the group down the hall past the delivery and checkup hall open archways. He opened the door to the lab and led the men to the unit. The lead turned to the director, “get the samples.”
The director looked at the unit, his eyes roaming over the outside surface. He attempted to open the storage drawer but missed the catch release on the far right side of the handle. He pulled on the drawer again but it resisted defiantly. The director glanced at the lead man and flashed a slight smile. He pulled on the drawer once more in a display to show he doesn’t know what he is doing.
The lead man turned to another next to him, “Get the sample.” The second man opened the panel to the robot arm and pulled the carriage from the cavity.
“Sir, this is empty.” He said as he shook the carriage in the air.
“Where are they?” The lead clenched his fists, two knuckles cracked as he flexed.
“They should be here. Shift change isn’t for another few hours.” The director replied innocently.
The lead turned again to his men, “Check the data, if the sample isn’t here the data should be. The sample was taken, we need to find it.”
The director stepped back from the unit as the SID men moved around the unit and one began scanning the display for the data files.
“How do you know the sample was taken?” the director asked the lead.
“We know. Don’t worry how.” He said flatly.
The man at the screen said, “I found it sir. The sample was run and the results are here. It saved the genome so we are good.”
“Good, at least we have that.” The lead turned to the director and moved his face close, “don’t fuck with us. You’ve been warned. I expect you won’t impede us again?” his aggravation hissed through his teeth.
The director held his hands in the air, “I have no idea what you are talking about. You have the data, that should be enough.”
The lead stared intently at the director, his clenched fists letting loose their grip. “Fine. The data should be enough. I highly recommend you let us know if the sample happens to show up.” He turned to his men and nodded at which they all moved towards the lab door.
“Is there a way I can contact you if the samples show up?” the director asked as he looked around the lab.
The lead reached into his breast pocket and pulled a card out, handing it to the director. “This will get you to our intake office. They can forward you.”
“Thanks” he replied as he pulled the card from the lead’s tightly grasped fingers. The card pulled from between them with a distinct snap. The lead looked the director in the eyes and grinned.
The group of men walked out the lab door, leaving the director standing by the unit. He looked around the lab and then walked to the door, pausing as he reached the door, looking back at the unit. “Shit.” He thought as he left and let the door close against the piston, walking down the hallway to the elevator.