Hired for secrets

Into the great unknown

Sofie leaned against the door frame. This was the place. It had been a while since she was here last but she remembered it well. The pale-white neon lights flickered against her skin, creating deep shadows under her eyes. And the strange chemical smell made her stomach turn. Or was that because her head was still spinning from her conversation with Phil. They could have had a future together had she not screwed it up. Had she not -- once again -- used him as a stepping stone. Proved that she was incapable of seeing people as more than her informants.

"We should have gone to a hospital."

Phil watched her walk unsteadily into the dimly lit room, holding on to the wall for support. This place wasn't a medical facility. It didn't even have the right implement. It was the cellar of an office block, stuffed with laboratory equipment that looked outdated and barely operational. The style and color of the bench tops was mismatched and the fume hoods had different heights. The whole lab looked salvaged and barely more functional than a scrapyard.

Before Sofie could answer, a plump man with black hair and terracotta skin entered the room. His tattered lab coat hung off one shoulder and he was slightly out of breath. He had been running to get here.

"Sofia! Meu carinho," he shouted with a heavy Brazilian accent. Storming toward Sofie, he planted three wet kisses on her cheeks before surveying her doleful condition. "So, what did you get yourself into this time?"

"Oh you know, this and that."

Staying lighthearted was her defence mechanism. She held up the syringe she snatched while Phil had Lee pinned against the wall.

"I have a sample for you to analyze, Perro."

"Always happy to peel the pineapple for you, Bebê."

Even though Perro had been living in the UK for a decade he still translated Portuguese expressions one to one, creating the oddest phrases.

He put on gloves. The latex slapped against his skin, blowing out a little puff of talcum powder. He took the syringe and held it up against the light.

"Not much left," he commented to no one in particular before pipetting the remaining content into a small plastic vial. When he finished he nodded towards Phil.

"So, who's the observer?"

"I can't tell you. You know that."

"Sure, I'm not looking for horns on the horse's head." Sofie had no idea what that meant but it sounded defensive. "...it's just. I thought this was our thing."

"You aren't jealous Perro, are you?" Sofie forced a laugh. In the past, they barely exchanged three words beyond the excuberat welcome. Especially not about personal things. It had been easy and efficient, and Sofie liked it that way.

Perro took the hint and laughed as if Sofie made a joke rather than a poignant observation. He picked up the sample and returned to work when Phil interjected.

"He's not jealous. He's worried that you won't come back. That he won't be part of your investigations in the future."

"What?"

Sofie was gobsmacked. How did Phil get all that from one question?

"Well," Perro admitted, "I could understand if you wanted to use a better lab. But I thought you came here..." His eyes searched hers. "Because you liked my work."

Sofie gave him a reassuring smile. She breathed out a small sigh, she knew what this was about. Perro wanted to have his ego stroked.

"You are the most brilliant scientist I know. So why would I go to a flashy lab when they probably can't find the answers I need. No Perro, you'll always be my go-to scientist."