Read Online Synthetica by Rachel Pattinson - Free Book Online Page A

this. Grateful for the extra work?
    “ Oh
yes,” Anais said before she could stop herself. “I'm just so grateful for the fact that I barely see my parents. But thank goodness they
have enough work to do. It would be a real shame if they were
working twelve hours a day and weren't doing anything productive.”
    Skye slowly turned to face her. She felt Xander's hand squeeze hers
harder in warning, but she took no notice. She glared at Skye,
ignoring Dalla's reproachful look; but Skye simply gave her an icy
smile.
    “ Still,”
Anais added. 'It's good to know that I won't be short of work when I
start at the factory. Thanks for clarifying that.”
    Skye didn't reply. She gave Anais one last look up and down, before
turning slowly away as the doors opened. The lobby was now suffused
with early evening sunlight. The area was still busy, but now most
of the crowds were heading out of the building, chatting and
laughing as another day at work ended.
    They all stepped out of the lift and a sharp intake of breath from
Dalla made Anais look up. A flash of bright yellow was bobbing
towards them.
    “ Dalla!
Dalla, over here!” Marcus shouted, waving his arms so violently
that he was in danger of knocking someone out.
    Anais heard Dalla groan. Skye raised her eyebrows and Anais didn't
like the tiny smile that playing around her lips as her eyes took in
Marcus' somewhat eccentric appearance.
    “ Another
friend of yours?” Skye asked Xander, but Xander shook his head.
    Marcus drew level with them, his attention completely focused on
Dalla.
    “ I
thought you were going to wait for me, Dals?”
    Dalla shrugged and made a non-committal noise.
    “ Someone
told me you won the internship here, you should have said! We
could've come here together! I wanted to check the place out,
especially after what happened last night. I've been waiting for you
for ages, they wouldn't give me a pass,” he said breathlessly.
Dalla gave him a tight smile. Anais didn't think it was possible for
Skye to raise her eyebrows any further, but somehow she managed it.
    “ Marcus,
this is Skye Belafonte. She's the PR manager here,” Dalla said.
There was a warning in her tone, as though she knew what was going
to happen next. Marcus' adoring expression faded, to be replaced by
one of distaste. He looked Skye up and down. She towered above him,
but he didn't seem to be intimidated.
    “ Hello,”
Marcus said. “Is it true your research labs got broken into last
night? Security upgrades past their best, are they?”
    “ Marcus!”
Dalla hissed, but Skye only smiled at him.
    “ I
can assure you that Civitas' security is the best in the country. No
one can get into or out of our building without us knowing about
it.”
    “ So
it's not true then, that Clay Winterbourne broke into your labs?
Just like he did a few years ago, and corrupted all your research
files?”
    Skye's smile became rather fixed.
    “ Such
rumours are unfounded,” she said in her smooth voice. “No one
has been able to hack into our security systems in twenty five
years.”
    “ But
is it true?” Marcus persisted.
    “ No,”
Skye's melodious voice became distinctly harsher. “It is not true.
Like I said, no one can get into or out of those labs without me
knowing about it. Now,” Skye turned to Xander and Dalla. “I
suggest you all leave now, before it gets dark.”
    Her blue eyes focused on Dalla.
    “ I
look forward to seeing you around, Miss Goddard. Mr Silvas, please
try to keep from disabling anymore of our security systems during
your employment here,” Skye added. She gave them a brisk nod and
walked away, completely ignoring Anais and Marcus as she passed
them, her heels clicking smartly against the granite floor. Anais
watched her go, her old feelings of anger and injustice rising up in
her once again.
    As soon as Skye was out of sight, Dalla rounded on Anais.
    “ What
was that about in the lift?” she hissed. “You didn't have to
speak to her like that!”
    “