Green Table

TWO

The next morning she was sore and stiff, damn was her neck barely moveable. Making it the worse sleep she ever had.
This was not how she wanted to start off her first day on the job. But hopefully it was nothing a hot shower wouldn't fi- that's when she remembered the bathroom only had a tub in it. Palming her face she made her way into the minuscule bathroom.

She sat in the tub until the water turned cold, all the while thinking about how the motel reminded her of her college dorm. Though in college it was slightly larger, the mattress softer, and it was much cleaner. It was hard to believe it hadn't been that long ago; much had changed about herself. She was once naïve to think after school it would be easy to find work. Now she realized that it was nearly impossible, unless you do the unthinkable like she had. Renae couldn't help but think about the other people she went to school with, what were they doing now? Had their lives gone more to plan than hers? 

Reality splashed back on her as the cool water from the sink waved over her face. Looking behind her at the bed side table clock it read 8:00 AM. Shit, she was going to be late. And she did not want that to be the first impression she made, after all they were giving her a once in a lifetime opportunity. 
Ripping off the towel around her, she whipped around to the dresser pulling out  brown  corduroy floods, and a bright yellow button up blouse. It seemed like it would be a appropriate outfit for a day in the lab, it showed she was professional and refreshing.

Looking at the time again, 8:22. Okay I still have some time, she thought as she ran out the door and felt the hot concrete burn her feet. Bringing her foot up to her thigh and hopping on the other. Looking down she paused realizing she forgot her shoes. Letting out an annoyed exhale; only me she muttered under her breath. Rushing back inside, she grabbed a pair of heeled boots and popped them on her feet. 
Okay this time she was ready to try again, shoes on her feet and bag in her hand. Renae bolted down the stairs to reach the bright blue truck, the only vehicle left in the lot. She palmed her face, of course she would be the last one out. 

Cortez was only an half hour drive from the National Park, and only twenty from the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. This being the research lab EIA rented from the park to have their project preform the research they needed. The drive seemed unbearable due to the unchanging view, heat seeping in the car, and her anxiety soaring through the roof at the thought of being late.

Finally reaching Crow Canyon the car came to a halt on the dirt road. From the outside it looked too small to accommodate the needs of a functioning lab. The bricks weathered down to dull chocolates and tans. Black streaks came up the sides of the corners of the walls. The roof was almost flat minus the slight slant that connected to a rain gutter. For a place so dry, it seemed like it was structurally built for storms. Getting out of the car, she made her way to the singular set of doors made of heavy steel. Next to the door were keypads and a royal blue biometric hand scanner.
It was then Renae realized she didn't have a way in, she hadn't been told a passcode. And her hand definitely hadn't been put in the system; meaning she didn't have access in the building yet. She would have to wait for someone to let her in; being on time didn't seem to matter anyway. Dottie didn't appear to be here yet, and she didn't know how else would be authorized to let her in.
Time ticked and what seemed like hours was only ten minutes. That's when she noticed a man taking large strides to the door, he wore a relaxed fit shirt and slacks. It only took him ten steps to make it stopping perfectly right in front of the steal door, his shadow shading the area surrounding.

"Ah you must be Dr. Foster?" His voice deep and domineering, all too well matching his stature. He stuck out his hand for her to shake, she followed putting her hand in his lightly. His hand soft, and strong, gripping her hand tightly as he shook it. 
The man was tall, towering over her by at least two feet. His face long and jaw sharp, lips curving to make a arrogant smirk. Only pushing forward his sense of power; he wore stubble on his face, and had rippling muscles along his body. He looked hard as a rock.
"Excuse me, where are my manners." He palmed his face and shook his head.
"I'm Dr. Tom Phineas."
She had heard of Dr. Phineas; he was an archeologist, known for his otherworldly ethics when it came to working on excavation sites. One professor even noted that Phineas was brilliant, but with this came his impulsive behavior, and that he would rather take someone brain dead than Phineas' recklessness. This lead to many fights between him and other colleges.  Phineas had also been known to cause tension between himself, people and their cultures. And by 1994 Time Magazine reported that Phineas had been retired by Princeton's school board for his unruly methods while researching an ancient temple in Cambodia. Yet it seems like he was still given work, even after all that.