Mirrors to Atlantis

Chapter 5

Polina awoke to the screech of brakes and the soft glow of a white streetlamp casting its light on her face. The bus came to a sudden stop at the circular entrance to the facility. As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she got her first glimpse of the compound. It resembled a sleek, modern office building: three stories tall, adorned with large glass windows, and boasting automatic sliding doors at the entrance. It struck Polina as odd. How could such a new building exist here without anyone in Dikson knowing about it? The appearance of this facility was startlingly fresh, making her wonder if it had been constructed in the four years since she had moved here. But no one in town had worked on such a project, and no one had noticed any long-term out-of-towners during its construction. The presence of this facility remained a mystery to the town, just 40 kilometers away, the only inhabited place remotely close to this enigmatic structure.

"Polina," the bus driver called curtly, "head through the front door to the check-in desk on the right."

Polina gathered her belongings and hurried off the bus, following the driver's instructions. The two other passengers from the bus followed, stopping by the elevators on the left side of the lobby. As Polina walked toward the large, round check-in desk, she glanced over her shoulder to see the elevator doors closing in front of the elegant woman with the scarf and her companion.

"Excuse me, can I help you?" the receptionist greeted Polina with an air of impatience.

"Uh, hello. My name is Polina. I'm here as a volunteer," she stammered nervously. "The driver told me to come here."

"I see. Please sit over there. I will inform them that you've arrived," the receptionist replied, dismissively.

Polina took a seat on a bench near a small tropical garden with a trickling water feature. She noticed Koi fish swimming in a small pond. This place puzzled her. It was unlike any building she had seen within the Arctic Circle. Most structures here were old, designed with tiny windows to ward off the cold, and desperately in need of repairs and cleaning. This building, on the other hand, was pristine and resembled a sophisticated Moscow office building placed in the desolate Arctic tundra. It felt out of place.

"Come with me," the receptionist instructed, snapping Polina out of her contemplation.

Polina jumped up and hurried after the snobby receptionist, who had already started down a corridor, almost disappearing from sight. Polina caught up to her and silently followed her through a labyrinthine series of hallways, up a flight of stairs, and down several more halls. They finally reached a pair of heavy metal doors, painted blue, adorned with warning signs, lights, and a hefty lever on the wall. The receptionist picked up the phone mounted beside the lock.

"We're here," she announced.

Polina's nervousness surged. What kind of facility was this? What were these tests she was about to participate in? Had the jolly doctor lied to her? Maybe she should have listened to Viktor!

Her thoughts raced, and she wanted to flee down the corridors. How could she have been so naive? Her feet felt glued to the ground as her mind raced.

"Hello there, Polina!" A familiar, cheerful voice broke her panic. "I'm delighted to see you made your way here to help us today!" Dr. Kaznacheev beamed with a big smile, his jolly demeanor calming Polina. He reached for her hand and gave it a firm shake, his other hand resting on her shoulder. "Polina is here to help us change the world, Katia," he said to the snobby receptionist, emphasizing the importance. "Be nice to her so she'll come back!" He playfully wagged his finger at Katia as she scoffed and headed back to her desk in the lobby.

"How are you, Polina? Was the bus ride here okay? It wasn't too cold on the bus, was it?" Dr. Kaznacheev inquired.

"Um, I'm well, thank you. The bus was fine," Polina replied, trailing off. "What is behind this door?" She couldn't shake her fear about what she had gotten herself into, but she felt she could trust Dr. Kaznacheev.

"I'm glad to hear the bus met your expectations! It can be quite a journey, especially during this time of year," the doctor continued. "This is the entrance to our test facility. Don't let all the security measures intimidate you; it's simply a precaution."

Polina now felt reassured. She believed him when he brushed off her concerns. "We just need to complete some paperwork before we begin today. Does that sound alright to you?" He cocked his head to find Polina's eyes.

"Yes," she reluctantly answered, her gaze still fixed on the imposing blue metal doors.

"Great, follow me!" He patted her shoulder in an attempt to provide some reassurance. Together, they walked a short distance down the hall to a small conference room where some forms awaited Polina on the table. Another woman sat across from the forms.

"Renata, this is Polina. Polina, meet Renata, my assistant. She'll help you with the paperwork, give you an overview of today's procedure, and answer your questions. I'll be waiting for you in the testing depot when you're ready." Dr. Kaznacheev jovially walked out of the room.

As his whistling faded, so did Polina's comfort. She remembered the mysterious nature of the compound she was in and the imposing door that seemed designed to keep something inside, rather than protect what was behind it from the outside.

Polina sat silently in front of the papers as Renata explained their contents to her. There were all sorts of liability waivers, health forms, wellness questionnaires, medical releases, and nondisclosure agreements. The stack was extensive, shaking Polina's confidence even more.

"Before I sign this, can we please talk about what's happening?" Polina's voice quivered, and tears welled up in her eyes as she pleaded with Renata.

"Sweetie, there's nothing to worry about." Renata reached out and took Polina's trembling hands. "This experiment involves testing some mirrors. You'll sit inside a metal spiral for as long as you're comfortable and report what you experience. It's straightforward and non-invasive. No hooking up to anything, no injections, no probing, and no exposure to biochemical weapons. There's no reason to be anxious. You're under no obligation to participate; you're welcome to leave at any time during the process." Renata squeezed Polina's hands gently and then let go, waiting for Polina's reaction.

Polina took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The revelation that she could leave at any time was a great relief. The test appeared to be exactly as Viktor had described a few days earlier, non-invasive and straightforward. The weight of her anxiety seemed to lift, and she was ready to proceed. She signed the pile of papers and provided all the required information. Together with Renata, she walked back to the large blue doors. Renata picked up the phone next to the heavy lever and informed someone on the other end that they were ready to begin. A few moments later, Dr. Kaznacheev reappeared, thanked Renata, dismissed her, and started the process of opening the massive blue doors.

"Welcome to our laboratory!" Dr. Kaznacheev proclaimed as he entered a code on a keypad, scanned his hand on a pad, and pressed a green button. One of the large yellow lights above the door started blinking. After a loud metallic click, the yellow light turned off, replaced by a green one. Dr. Kaznacheev pulled the massive lever down, and the door began to open horizontally.

"Welcome to our laboratory!" he repeated, ushering Polina into the vast, empty warehouse below. They stood on a metal balcony that lined the perimeter of the warehouse. Dr. Kaznacheev gestured enthusiastically for Polina to follow him. Down below, she could see a large, intricate metal structure and a small, portable observation room a few meters away. Her anxiety began to resurface, but she followed the jolly doctor to an elevator along the metal catwalk. It was then that she realized he had been rambling throughout their journey, but she hadn't heard a word. "I'm sorry, sir. I'm a bit distracted. I didn't hear what you said," she admitted sheepishly.

The doctor chuckled and assured her that it wasn't important. He led her to a small observation room where two other scientists were waiting. Dr. Pasternak, whom she recognized from the grocery store, greeted her. The other scientist was the elegant woman from the bus earlier.

"Hello, Polina. My name is Dr. Marzanna Vuk, and I'll be assisting with the testing today. It's nice to meet you," she said, adjusting her red-framed glasses and extending her hand.

Polina shook her hand and felt a sense of relief at finally meeting the mysterious woman from the morning bus ride. The scientists went over detailed instructions with Polina about the experiment and what was expected of her. As she became more confident in the simplicity of the experiment and the prospect of earning money, her dreams of returning to Vaiya began to take shape once more.