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Hey, guess what, guys I’ around Cool, huh?

That would be one to drop into conversation over the barbecue grill and beer

Oddly, hearing Annalie’s utterly normal crisis had oes on Bryn’s undead, but Annalie’s still overdrawn

She found herself s to Pharreen line on her nav systeht before, but this place was huge The driveas probably a half a uard posts, both of which she had to pass with video conversations between the ar allowed to proceed Her car was searched She was searched, in a pat-doorthy of airport security And finally she was allowed into a parking garage, which was the size of an office building on its own

She was directed to the basement, which seemed weirdly appropriate, and, of course, ariven a choice where to go, but she was issued a badge with her picture on it--creepy, because she was sure she’d never posed for it God, had they taken it when she was dead? No, this looked more like a hidden cae had a red stripe at the top, and soe superiuessed

"Miss Davis," the securityher He had on a blue sports coat with the Pharreen stripe "Let me familiarize you with the rules You’re not supposed to be here froo over the rules in any case You will go only to your designated floor, and proceed straight to the person ho You’re authorized for that person’s office, the common break-room areas, and the restrooo to the wrong place?"

"Alar Please ood to know Code Red didn’t sound like much fun, at least for her "I’ll be careful," she promised The elevator doors opened on the seventh floor, and the guard walked her down a plushly carpeted hall that seemed to stretch on forever, to a door with no nu nameplate that said MCCALLISTER, P, DIR SECURITY

The guard knocked, waited for the okay, and ushered her in He didn’t follow, and when Bryn looked back she saw that the door had closed behind her

Patrick McCallister, wearing a fresh (but still beautifully tailored) suit and tie, ca modern desk and offered his hand She took it, not sure why they were so foruest chair he indicated "You’re looking better today," he said, which was a backhanded compliment, at best "Slept well?"

"Yes," she said She wasn’t sure if he knew she’d been at Joe Fideli’s house, and didn’t say, in case there were rules against it "Surprisingly, I did Maybe the nanites co"

That surprised hienuine one He was entirely different in that uard She looked away When she checked, he was back to his old, unset the obvious out of the way," he said, and reached in his desk drawer

She was expecting to see the gun he’d proe I’ht, but rolled up the sleeve of her sweater and took the shot without con"

"Lovely" Bryn picked up the pen and clipboard and began flipping through, trying to glean fro promised It looked like the standard sort of safety disclaimers Shoot anybody with the weapon we provide you and we’re not liable Whatever She signed "I would have thought being undead came with less paperwork"

"Not in the corporate sector"

"So am I a real Pharmadene employee now?"

"Unfortunately, you’re not only official; you’re ain, took out a box, and passed it across to her She swung open the hinged top Nice A Beretta 92F S, basically the same as the weapon she’d been issued in the military He’d included two boxes of aistered to you personally," he said "No direct connection to Pharmadene, as a security o shooting up the town on Saturday night, the co like that?" Bryn asked, checking the slide on the pistol It was so insane? No Not in any of our clinical trials"

"Well, that’s reassuring"

"And I think we already established that it doesn’t make you crave raw un back in the box "Still, this is quite a states considered"

McCallister cocked his head slightly, watching her with those secretive, slightly sad dark eyes "Not really," he said "Pharmadene owns you now, Bryn They control your access to the drug, and that absolutely guarantees your loyalty and service Doesn’t it?"

That was a harsh way to put it, and she felt a bright surge of anger inside "Or it guarantees that I want to punish them for it," she said