PART ONE: CLOCKING OUT

At first, the ticking of the timer drilled a hole into Stephanie’s patience, each click bouncing in her ears and echoing in her skull. But now she found it peaceful and meditative. At least, when she could get herself to focus. The reception area in which she was stationed was an inside room of the suite; she had no direct access to outdoor light and even with the fancy smart-office system… LEDs still did not cut for the real thing. Especially moments like these when her boss deliberately maxed them to full brightness on the whitest setting.

It all started in the diner, she remembered. Dinah was just finishing off her breakfast when she spotted someone across the establishment. It was an old friend from community college, Quinn. Her mint green hair, pulled in a neat ponytail, was obvious even from a distance. Dinah gave a big wave to get her attention. Quinn’s eyes flashed as she recognized her as well, and she smiled and waved back.