killer, gbd (EDITING)

17

The morning was uneventful, filled with stares into nothing. I didn't have time to eat, but I figured I would order something as soon as I got back to my room.

My heels click against the floor at a satisfying note, I consider shortening my steps just to hear more of it. Not having worn heels in a while, I pride myself on my ability to walk in them.

The assistant walking beside me also has heels on, and hers make a deeper tone. She takes long, but quick steps and clears ground with a steady grace. Before I'm ready for it, she stops and turn to me with a polite grin.

"Here we are, Ms Patton," She opens the door for me, he eyes follow me as I enter, whispering a thanks.

I tell myself that I'm fine, that there is nothing to worry about, and I keep my anxiety at bay.

Being a few minutes early, I expected the room to be fairly empty, but as more of the long table comes into view, I see that almost every chair is already filled. The nail of my index finger digs into the cuticle of my thumb.

Each face watches me as they carry on their quiet conversations, filling the room with a low buzz. Noticing each seat is labeled, I walk around the table until I find my own.

Pulling out my chair, the woman beside me looks up at me, her face not offering any kindness. Staring back at her, I sit at the table and keep my hands in my lap. Her eyes trail down my stature before returning to the head of the table.

Her rich black hair is pinned up in a knot, exposing the back of her neck. From beneath the collar of her suit, I see the peaks of a tattoo. The design looks to be one of a serpent, a dragon, or snake, scaly and drawn in black.

Peering down at the name card in front of her I read Lyra Yang. While my eyes are stuck to her card, she looks over to me, her face still straight. "You're Aria?" She asks, not bothering to look down at my name card.

"Yes," I nod once.

"I'm Lyra, a friend of Grayson's," She offers her hand, slender and with short black nails. I take her hand in mine. "I heard you two were working together." Her head tilts.

"Yes," I raise the corners of my lips but it doesn't reach my eyes. I want to ask more questions, but it doesn't seem to be my place to pry.

Just in time, the man at the head of the table stands and clears his throat. Looking at him for the first time, my brows nearly raise. When I pictured the man who would be leading this meeting, I pictured an older man with gray hair and wrinkles. But who stands in front of us is far from it.

He is blonde in the extreme, but not in a way that is off putting. His eyes are a blue lined with a deep gray. They are large and attention grabbing. He is pleasing to look at, and hard to look away from. To contrast with his fairness, he wears an all black suit.

"Thank you all for being here," He smiles. When his eyes meet mine i feel a chill. "I wanted to begin this meeting by opening the conversation about Dr. Patton." His eyes stay on mine, and out of my peripheral, I see several other glance my way. He goes on to discuss my father and how his passing was a tragedy, and it becomes very clear to me why it was necessary to have me here.

"One of his most popular concoctions is a deadly gas with properties similar to chloroform. But, sadly, his research was discontinued, and as you all know, was burned down." He takes a seat at the head of the table.

"Today, I am proposing the idea to pick up where he left off," My breathing catches in my chest. I knew why my father had burned down his research, to keep it from getting into the wrong hands. I don't know how happy he would be if he found out it would be picked up and continued.