The Ark

8.

I almost bumped into Effie as I headed back out into the ballroom.

"Astrid!" She grabbed my arms to keep me from falling and peered over my shoulder down the short corridor. "Have you seen the hot guy from outside? I could have sworn I saw him come this way."

I glanced over my shoulder to where Zaphron had been seconds ago, only to find the spot against the wall empty. It was as though he'd evaporated.

"Um, no. I haven't seen him."

Effie opened her mouth to reply when the lights suddenly dimmed. A hush quickly fell over the ballroom as guests gathered to catch a glimpse of a tiered platform emerging from the floor in the very centre of the room. Atop the layered stage, a single figure rose above the gathering crowd.

Xanthe Zenith.

I had met Zenith once. Well, perhaps met was a little too generous. I'd briefly been in the same room as her when Dad had taken me to his work on an emergency call-in. She'd seemed smaller then—flanked by hulking bodyguards as she'd sat at the head of an expansive boardroom table in a chair so large it practically swallowed her.

Tonight, however, she looked larger than life—and it wasn't just because of her outlandishly high stilettos. She was dazzling in a pair of high-waisted silver dress pants, her bare torso covered with a blazer that had been encrusted with so many crystals that it rivalled the enormous chandelier above her.

Effie nudged me. "Better find our table—they're about to make the announcement."

She grabbed my hand and led me through the crowd toward the centre stage. Finer details of Zenith's silver-clad figure came into view. Her lips were painted in a metallic shade slightly darker than her pants and glittering chains had been woven through her hair, twinkling as they fell with strands of blonde into a deep V of bare skin between the lapels of her crystallised blazer.

"Honoured guests," Zenith began, her words honeyed, "we have brought you here tonight to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of ZenTech." The lights dimmed further and a holoprojection of the renowned ZenBrand lotus appeared behind her. It rotated on the spot, the purple of its lights casting an aura around her. "And what better way to celebrate our centenary than with a landmark revelation."

Whispered chatter spread through the room as guests speculated. I wondered if this revelation had anything to do with the current sale of the government's last remaining asset—The Department of Law and Justice. ZenBrand had been tipped to win the tender which would send us into the age of complete privatisation—that would certainly count as landmark.

I was so caught-up watching Zenith, that I hadn't realised Effie had found our table until I literally bumped into it.

"You okay honey?" Dad whispered, steadying both me and the wobbling cocktail table.

I rubbed at the arm that had knocked into it and nodded. "All good," I whispered back, "what's the announcement? Have ZenBrand got the L.J Department?"

Dad's jaw clenched for a moment and he swallowed, then he shook his head. "It's not that." He turned his gaze back to the stage and I wondered if he was going to elaborate, but he didn't.

"One hundred years ago," Zenith continued, silencing the room, "my father made history when he acquired the ex-government Department of Information and Technology—thus beginning our continent's exciting journey into privatisation." Her silver lips curved into a smile. "His dream of ZenTech's deep integration into the lives of every citizen became a reality. And since then, our brand has grown to service the needs of The Ark and its people."

I felt Dad's hand slip from my shoulder and watched as it curled into a fist at his side. A slow dread started to filter through me, a chill creeping into my veins.

"Tonight, I am proud to announce a new facet of the business—ZenExplore." Zenith paced around the holographic lotus and it morphed into a rotating globe. The crystals on her blazer reflected shards of green and blue into the audience. "We have partnered with the ex-Department of Exploration and Rehabilitation to bring our shareholders—and the entire Ark—The Rehabilitation Project. Humanity's first endeavour to reinhabit the old world."

There was an eruption of whispering through the crowd and I took the opportunity to glance at Dad. His tense stance hadn't changed.

"We are three months into this new endeavour and have already struck gold," Zenith said over the fading murmurs. "Oasis pockets. Completely habitable zones, untouched by fallout or natural disaster. These pockets are just the beginning of a new, expanding future we will be able to build together—in the Old World."

Applause rattled through the room and Zenith gave a small bow. When she straightened, there was a moment where I thought her eyes darted in the direction of our table, but it seemed she was just sweeping her gaze around the room in polite acceptance of her praise. As the applause receded, so did the stage, and she was quickly reunited with her personal security at its base.

The ballroom lights brightened all at once and the party grew back to its full volume. Next to me, Dad was in a hushed and urgent-looking conversation with what looked like three territory representatives.

"They put on a whole gala for that?" Effie said, looping her arm through mine and heaving a sigh. "Boring."

I pressed my lips together to hide my disagreement. It had been one of the most exciting shareholder announcements I think I'd ever heard. The possibility of finally learning more about the Old World had me reeling. Not only that, Dad's reaction to the whole thing was enough to put me a little on edge too.

"There he is." Effie grinned and I followed her gaze to the bar. Zaphron was leaning against the faux wood, his electric blue eyes on us. He raised his drink in salute when he caught us both looking his way and I held back an eye-roll. "I'll catch up with you later," Effie said, removing her arm from mine and starting toward him. Zaphron held my gaze for a moment, smirking before focusing his attention on Effie as she opted for his company over mine. I turned away, my face reddening as I remembered his insinuation that I had no one to hang-out with on a Friday night. Now Effie had ditched me, that statement felt all the more mortifying—and accurate.

At least I could make an effort to get some more time with Dad. It was the reason I had come in the first place. Only, when I looked for Dad by the table, I found all the delegates he had been speaking to had left—except for one. An elegantly dressed brunette woman had her arms around his waist and her cheek on his chest.

My eyes met Dad's and he gave me a sheepish smile, gesturing for me to come over.

"Astrid, I want you to meet Fabia Inzaghi. She represents the Italian territory."

Fabia let go of Dad, dipping her head low as she shook my hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you Astrid."

I glanced from Fabia to Dad and raised an eyebrow. "Nice to finally meet you too."

Since when did Dad have a girlfriend?