A Forsaken City

Prologue - Nerissa Quinn

Climbing out of my car, I step into the parking lot of the new facility. I haven't been at the older one very long considering I just got my job, but they saw potential in me.

I carefully open the front entrance door, closing it behind me. The stale air rushes into my lungs as I walk over to the secretary's desk.

"Hello- uh, Miss. I'm Dr. Qui-" I begin, getting cut off by the lady sitting across the desk.

"Here's your badge and a map of the building. My name is Helena." She grumbles at me.

"Oh, Oka-okay. Thank you." I mumble. She turns back to her computer. I walk off towards the elevators staring down at the map.

Room C-5, Floor 7. I repeat, over and over in my head as the elevator rises in the building. I'm taken from my trance as the bell dings, indicating I've reached the correct floor.

I step out, sighing as I begin the trek to my new laboratory. As I walk down the long hall, this gruff voice comes from behind me.

"Show me your badge."

I spin around, my hair coming with me at twice the speed. I wince as it smacks me in the face. I really need a haircut.

"Oh, here." I say, pulling it out and handing the new card over to what looks to be a security guard.

"Alright, you're good." He acknowledged, stepping around me to go do whatever else he needed to.

Quickly, I stuff the card in my pocket, wondering what it is he went to do as I continue walking to my lab. Soon enough, I reach the door and pull my badge out of my pocket once again. The card slips from my hands and falls to the floor. 'I need a lanyard' I think, mentally cursing myself for not being fully prepared.

I squat down to pick it up and set it on some sort of reader. The little, circular light switches on to flash a neon green at me. The door pops open and I glance inside before stepping in.

The LED lights are on, and the bright white countertops are clean. All my new equipment is set on shelves and is stuffed in cabinets near the floor.

Smiling as I walk over to the little desk, I set my purse down on the floor next to it and sit in the spinny chair. It's quite comfortable.

I open my computer and begin the sign-in process. It's going to take a while because of all the security set in place for my future work. I can't wait to work with all the new bacteria's the old labs couldn't handle.