A meeting and a mission

Upon arriving at the mansion, you go through the same routine as before, with the businesslike woman leading you once again through the halls of the expansive house. You once again are led to the opulent dining room, where Harold and Sylvia sit, waiting for you. They both smile warmly as you walk in, and Harold gestures for you to sit.

“Welcome! Thank you so much for coming. And you must be the doctor I’ve heard so much about.”

Sam nods, taking a seat beside you. “Dr. Samantha Hass, but you can just call me Sam. I’m not hung up on titles, Dr. Albright.”

Harold chuckles. “It seems like I don’t need to introduce myself. Just Harold, please, I feel much the same as you.”

He turns to you and winks. “Aren’t you a lucky man, with all of these women around you. I’ll admit a bit of jealousy!”

Sylvia playfully smacks his shoulder, and he laughs. You chuckle. “I am lucky, but don’t get it wrong, they’re all here for each other, I’m just along for the ride.”

Sam nods. “And don’t you forget it!”

She looks back to Harold. “All that aside, why are we here? You have some news to share?”

Harold smiles. “Straight to business? Fair enough. My reasons are twofold. First, I wanted to meet you, to take your measure. You risk much, helping him, and helping me. If CompanionCorp finds out…”

Sam interrupts. “Then I lose my job, at the least. I understand that.”

Harold sighs. “At the very least. I know the man in charge of the Hybrid program. Jack Marceau is intelligent, resourceful, and ruthless. And a complete sociopath. Whatever it is that he wants, he will do whatever it takes to get it. With the success of the Hybrid project he will have essentially unlimited resources, and I guarantee that a man like that isn’t satisfied with simply creating humanoid house pets. No offense.”

Emi shakes her head. “None taken.”

You sigh. “I saw him on tv, in an interview. Very charismatic, but still, there’s something off about him.”

Sam nods. “I’ve seen his interviews. I worry for the Hybrid he brings with him, she doesn’t deserve to be attached to that man. He doesn’t seem like the type to care for her.”

Harold nods. “He isn’t. She is just a tool to him. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. My other reason for this meeting is more immediate. I believe I have found another of the runaways.”

Emi perks up immediately. “Another one like me?”

Harold smiles at her. “Exactly. Possibly even having escaped in the same incident that you escaped from. And I want you and Andy to check it out.”

You blink in surprise. “Us? Why?”

Harold shrugs. “Who else? I can’t go, that sort of thing would be noticed. You have experience, and Emi is an escapee herself. You have the best chance of getting close to them.”

You nod. “I suppose. But what would we do if we get close?”

Harold smiles, and hands you another of his cards. “Give them this, and explain a bit of who I am. Save the full story for me, though. I do love a dramatic reveal!”

Beside him, Sylvia rolls her eyes. You chuckle. “Fine. How do we find them?”

He hands you another paper, this time with an address. “Here’s where they are. The man living there, Mark, is being even more cautious than you are, but I know he’s hiding a runaway. Just be careful, don’t scare him. We want to be sure everyone stays safe.”

Lili claps her hands. “So-so exciting! Like a spy movie, yes-yes!”

Sam nods. “A little bit, but this is reality. Be careful, Andy.”

You smile. “Of course. Should be no problem.”

Harold looks quite happy with this. “Then we’re agreed? Wonderful! So, who’s hungry?”