Chapter 15

THE QUANTUM CLEANUP

MystTech Creations, West Hollywood, California, United States

Unnerved by this special effects studio, Gen was just about to start her covert investigation when Chip came back into the room where he’d left her. Bermuda Laurens had kindly taken Gen back to where she’d found her. On her own, Gen would have gotten lost navigating the confusing hallways in the belly of MystTech Creations.

“What are you doing?” Chip asked, giving Gen a look of scrutiny.

She was bent over, inspecting the strange blue gel-like liquid around the perimeter of the lockers on the far wall. Straightening, she shook her head. “Nothing. I just thought I recognized this substance. It smells like Sneak’s Stain Solution.”

“Oh, you’re familiar with that, huh?” Chip asked. “Well, if you’re ready, then I’ve got your workstation set up. If you follow me, then I’ll get you going on your first assignment.”

“Right, yeah, I’m eager to get started,” she replied, looking over her shoulder at the potion used for security purposes. She wondered what they were protecting and if it was the dangerous thing that Emperor had picked up on.

As Gen followed Chip through the winding corridors of MystTech Creations, she couldn’t help but marvel at the sleek, high-tech surroundings. The walls were lined with interactive displays, each one showcasing a different aspect of the company’s cutting-edge virtual reality technology. This would have been Sully’s heaven. For Gen, it was the epicenter of confusion—broadcasting just how much she didn’t know about this world.

Chip led her into a vast, open-plan workspace, where dozens of lab stations hummed with activity. At one table, a group of guys dressed in clothes of the modern era were gathered. Chip introduced them as engineers. They were huddled around a complex array of lenses and mirrors, their faces illuminated by the eerie glow of holographic projections. Gen only knew what that was due to terminology she’d heard from the screens in the hallway, explaining the technology.

At another lab station, a lone technician was working on something with great focus. Chip explained the work, using mostly terms that she didn’t comprehend. Gen watched as the technician carefully adjusted the delicate circuitry of what was apparently a haptic feedback glove. The man’s brow was furrowed in concentration.

“Over here, we have our motion capture rigs,” Chip explained, gesturing to a series of sleek, black suits adorned with countless sensors. “These allow us to translate real-world movements into virtual environments with unparalleled accuracy.”

Gen nodded, like this at all made sense. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she watched a suited figure dance and spin. Their movements were mirrored perfectly by a shimmering, digital avatar on a nearby screen. It was the strangest bit of magic she’d witnessed, but apparently it was more than just that. It was technology—magitech.

“And this,” Chip continued, leading her to a cluttered workbench, “is where we need your help.”

Gen raised an eyebrow, taking in the scattered components and tangled wires that littered the surface. It was a strange assortment of broken pieces and bits of dust with bright blue objects that glowed. They were interspersed in with an odd mix of parts which Gen obviously didn’t recognize. “What exactly do you need me to do?”

Chip grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye. “We need you to clean up some of our magitech remnants. You know, sort through the debris left behind by our little cyber-critters. We give them large chunks of hardware that is magically enhanced. Over time, they grow pieces of powerful resources. That’s what we need you to sift out. I’ll show you what you’re looking for.”

“Okay, I guess that doesn’t sound too difficult,” Gen related.

He shrugged. “I know it’s not glamorous work, but it gives you a chance to learn about what we do and be exposed to the magitech.”

Gen looked around in anticipation, remembering her earlier encounter with the strange, hybrid creatures. It was fascinating to her that this company was using little cyber-critters to help them with their work. She approached the workbench cautiously, her fingers hovering over the jumble of parts.

As she began to sort through the mess, a soft, pulsing glow caught her eye. Chip watched her with curiosity for a moment, seeming to be studying her and also a little confused by her demeanor, like she wasn’t what he expected. Dwayne probably told him that she had a self-entitled bad attitude.

Nestled among the debris was a small, crystalline chip, its surface etched with intricate, swirling patterns that seemed to dance and shift in the light. Gen picked it up gingerly, feeling a strange, tingling sensation in her fingertips.

“Ah, I see you’ve found our quantum-entangled silicon. I thought you might spot what it is I have you hunting for amongst the mess,” Chip said, his voice taking on a note of reverence.

Gen held up the strange object. “This is what I’m searching for?” She looked around the cluttered workstation, filled with a thick layer of debris but caught the unique glowing littered throughout it. Still, finding the pieces among what looked like wreckage would take time—and a lot of work.

“That’s right,” he chirped. “That little beauty is the key to our most advanced VR tech. It allows for instantaneous communication between devices, no matter the distance.”

Gen turned the chip over in her hands, marveling at its weight and the way it seemed to hum with barely contained energy. “It must be incredibly valuable.”

Chip nodded, his expression turning serious. “It is. And that’s why it’s protected by some of the most advanced security measures in the world. Biometric scanners, quantum encryption, you name it. We can’t risk this technology falling into the wrong hands.”

“So what would you have me do exactly?” she asked, looking around at the strange area that was covered in what seemed like a mess littered with diamonds.

“The cyber-critters we use for harvesting the quantum-entangled silicon and other components create quite the mess,” Chip explained. “So we need you to pick out the quantum-entangled silicon and discard all the rest. That last part is really the work. The first part is more like a fun Easter egg hunt.”

“A what?” Gen asked, not familiar with this phrase.

His face was suddenly covered in confusion. “You know, Easter egg hunts?” He waved this off dismissively. “Anyway, you’ll pick out the silicon and put them in the bins over there.” He pointed toward another table, this one lined with containers. “Those will be stored in those lockers in that first room we came through.”

“The one with the Sneak’s Stain Solution?” she asked.

He cut his eyes to the side, seeming to avoid her gaze. “Yes…”

She picked up on a half-truth. Gen could tell when people lied. A skill she wasn’t as good at but had, was telling when they were omitting the truth. Many found ways of lying by avoiding giving all the information. For some reason, that made no sense at all, she got that impression right then.

“If this silicon is so valuable, I’m not sure I feel comfortable handling it,” Gen stated. “I’m sort of new to technology and don’t want to break it.”

“Yeah, Dwayne mentioned that,” Chip said, sounding curious. “He said you weren’t from here. Where are you from?”

“Ummm…” Gen thought quickly, never liking to disclose to people she didn’t know that she was from the fifteenth century. It just led to too many questions and then a lot of unnecessary judgment. “Wales. I’m from Wales.”

“Oh,” he said, drawing out the word, seeming to understand at once. “Yeah, I hear they live in the dark ages over there. But it’s really green, huh? I bet you miss the sheep and all.”

“Definitely,” she answered with an internal sigh of relief.

“Anyway, don’t worry about damaging the silicon,” he continued. “It’s very sturdy, hence why we use the cyber-critters to harvest. They break it out of the hardware components where it grows and then leave it along with all the debris. You won’t be able to harm it. And the other technicians and I will be around if you have any questions. You’re doing us a big favor because the cleanup part is really messy. But what you’re collecting before that is probably over a few million dollars of silicon—maybe more. We won’t know until you collect it all. But that’s why it’s important that you really sift through, not missing any bits.”

Gen nodded, feeling a bit overwhelmed by this task. “Okay, I’ll be meticulous.”

“That’s exactly what this job will require,” Chip said, pointing over to the clean workstation with the bins. “Over there, you’ll find the manuals on the cleanup process. Study it carefully before getting started. All the equipment you need can be found on that table.”

She nodded in confirmation. As Gen placed the chip back on the workbench, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t quite right. Chip’s words, while informative, held a hint of something else, something that set her nerves on edge.

“If you need anything, you can find me in the back there.” Chip pointed to a workstation sheltered by paneled walls, giving it some privacy. “You’ll be mostly on your own, since the technicians and engineers are hard at work on a project. So you’ll really need to flag someone down if you need anything. I suspect you’ll be okay, but know that this job takes a long time. You will make little progress today, but that’s fine.”

“Okay, well, then I’ll get started right away,” Gen said, striding over to the other workstation and picking up the cleanup manual.

Chip watched her for a long moment before leaving her, retreating to his lab area. Gen glanced around the lab, taking in the gleaming equipment and the intent faces of the technicians. Everything seemed above board, but there was a tension in the air, a sense that secrets lurked just beneath the polished surface.

Gen shook her head, trying to dispel the uneasy feeling. She turned her attention back to the task at hand, learning the cleanup and sifting process with a renewed focus. But even as she worked, she couldn’t escape the nagging suspicion that Chip’s interest in her went beyond a simple cleanup job.

As she started reviewing the manuals, Gen’s mind raced with possibilities. She didn’t know where the danger could possibly be in this place. The strange security systems involving virtual reality and then Sneak’s Stain Solution were of interest. The place, as Chip admitted, was heavily guarded. Now she knew that was because of the quantum-entangled silicon.

That substance didn’t seem all that dangerous on its own. There had to be another technology here that had set off Emperor’s radar. Something was off. Gen was definitely missing something.

Only time would tell what the truth was. But one thing was certain—Gen would need to keep her wits about her as she navigated the murky waters of MystTech Creations. With the quantum-entangled silicon and the strange, hybrid creatures, she had a feeling that her adventures in this high-tech wonderland were only just beginning.