Page 35 of Dream Mates (Into The Parallel Omegaverse #2)

Chapter Twenty-One

Grace

G iddiness filled me as I shifted my weight on the stool in my little office lab. Today was my first official day at Compass BioTek. My attention kept focusing on Blaise’s adorable baby as they video-chatted with me.

“I’m so excited. I’ve had an interest in simulating particle acceleration since undergrad,” Blaise said on the screen of the computer as they bounced their infant.

“I’ll send everything I have over to you.

It’s not much, but I’ll include all the general project checklists so that you can start filling in the gaps and laying the groundwork. ”

“Absolutely. Thanks for making time for me while you’re on leave.”

“No problem. When Deb told me that Spencer had finally started hiring for the project, it made my day.” They gave their baby a kiss, short brown hair falling over their brown eyes.

Blaise was something called a quantum coder, and on parental leave. We’d be working together along with the team we’d assemble. There was also a quantum physicist that was on sabbatical, and a project manager currently working on other things.

“I’ll also take a look at who’s presenting at, and attending, the PIIP symposium, in case there’s someone worth talking to. We’re going to need an expert on super colliders and that would be the place to find one,” they said. “We might even find a quantum mechanic.”

I nodded. “Perfect.”

“Deb said that you’re helping with the interns and fellows–keep an eye out, because you never know if what we really need is some nineteen-year-old with a penchant for arson.” They grinned. “Oh wait, that’s how I got hired back in the day.”

I laughed. “You’re right, though. One of the high school applicants submitted a proposal that used hacking to solve Garamoci’s Theory of Everything.”

It wasn’t even Riley.

Garamoci’s Theory of Everything was one of this world’s unsolvable equations.

“Overachiever,” they coughed, chuckling. The baby fussed. “I’ve got to go, but we will talk again. Let’s get this simulation started.”

The screen on the laptop went blank. While I still felt like I was massively in over my head, I liked Blaise.

There was a knock on the door and Deb popped her head in. “How’d it go? Blaise is great, right?”

I nodded. “I’m really excited.”

And grateful I’d gotten a bunch of project management experience at my other job, even though then I’d resented roles like that instead of the positions I’d really wanted.

“Ready for lunch?” Deb entered. She was older than me, with a little grey in her short dark hair.

She was a smartly dressed, no-nonsense alpha and head of all of Special Projects.

Since this project didn’t have a team leader yet, I'd directly report to her. While this project was still in the early development phase, I’d have other projects and duties as well.

My stomach grumbled, it had been a while since we had welcome pastries. “Sounds great.”

I stood. Today I wore one of my new outfits. I’d also brought the messenger bag with the equations on it that I’d gotten for my birthday from Evan.

“I thought we’d have lunch for all of Special Projects so that you can meet everyone. We even invited the locals who work remotely and this afternoon there will be an online mixer,” she said, looking very serious in slacks and a blazer, her jewelry just right.

It was nice that so many people worked remotely, at least part of the time. Not just in Special Projects, but in a lot of departments. It meant me working remotely a day or two a week wouldn’t be weird.

“Considering your past work with qubits, you’ll probably get along with a lot of them, especially Margie’s team, which is the ultra-secure communication project, and Narif’s which is the nano-quantum-computing project.

Some of them will be going to the PIIP symposium with us,” she added as we walked down the hall.

“Narif is presenting, isn’t he?” The PIIP symposium was something that I was very excited for. I’d already been in touch with Dr. Harlowe and was trying to set up a tour of PIIP and a demonstration of the particle cutter for our whole group.

“Yes. His work is amazing. We’re so lucky to have him.” She beamed as she opened the door to a room that had some tables with balloons on them set up along with a display of food.

A banner said Welcome Dr. Ellington.

My hand went to my heart. “This is for me?”

“Yes.” She grinned. “Any excuse to order catering. While the cafeteria food is great–and free–sometimes it’s fun to bring in something else.” Deb led me around the room as people came in and got food.

A middle-aged woman with chin-length dark-blonde hair, who reeked of nosey Karen, came over to me.

“So, this is the mysterious Dr. Ellington? I thought Blaise was running the simulator program.” She gazed at me with pursed lips.

“Blaise and Grace will be working together, Margie,” Deb assured. “The team is still being assembled. Grace is laying the groundwork and working on some other projects while Blaise is on leave.”

“I see.” Her mauve nails tapped on her soda can as she looked me over. “You’re helping with the interns, right? Please make sure we get a good one this year. University, not high school. Why are we adding high school interns?”

For Riley, from what I could determine. So far not very many high school students had applied, and most weren’t suited to our division.

“I’ll try my best. I’m meeting with the intern coordinator tomorrow,” I answered, though we’d already met before today.

It didn’t sound like I’d be doing the actual assignments, more like coordinating the needs of the department, acting as a liaison, planning some activities, as well as running a small project of my own.

I could do that. It would be fun.

Someone called Deb. “I’ll be right back.”

She left, leaving me with Margie.

“You’re Grace.” Another woman joined us. “I’m Tish, I work with Margie. Welcome.”

“I’m Jordie,” a guy added. “Also with Margie. First day, exciting. What brings you here? I heard you were working on a quantum-computing project previously?”

I nodded, nerves in my belly, as I clutched my can of soda. “Yes, I was. But those were very different applications.”

Military applications.

“Why did you leave?” Margie pressed, making a nosey face.

Time for my backstory. I waggled the finger with the beautiful antique sapphire and diamond ring that Wes had given me on my birthday. “I finished my PhD program and moved here to be with my mate.”

Which was true. We’d tried to root everything in the truth.

“Oh. A new mate. How exciting,” Tish giggled. “Did you do anything special? Travel someplace exciting?” She was younger than Margie but older than me, her dark braids swinging as she moved.

“Tish is always looking for new places to travel to,” Jordie replied. He looked like he was probably around my age. He was slight and very well dressed.

“The pack is going to the Mediterranean this summer,” I said. “But my mates and I are going on a special trip next year. I’d love to hear recommendations.”

I didn’t miss Margie’s eyebrows when I said mates, as she looked at my neck. There weren’t any bites on hers, but I did see one on Tish’s wrist, and one on Jordie’s neck. All three smelled like betas. Not that I was really good at smelling designations yet.

“A new pack, a new city, and a new job. So exciting! I have tons of recommendations. We’ll have to sit together at lunch and talk.” Tish’s hands moved while she talked, and her nails were a pretty gold color.

Tish seemed nice. Wes had mentioned her as someone he thought I’d get along with.

Margie studied me, eyes narrowing. “I’d love to read some of your work. I couldn’t find any.”

Inwardly, I groaned. And here we go. “I didn’t have a lot of opportunities previously, but I do have some things that I’m working on.”

Which was true. Spencer and I were going through all my work, including my dissertation, to see if anything could be redone and published with this world’s sources.

Especially since I was going to need an actual dissertation to have on file at the university I’d supposedly gotten my PhD from.

Thank goodness for Spencer and his incredible network of people who owed him favors–and Evan and the Omega Protection people who helped make identities real.

“No?” Margie smirked.

Tish frowned. “You can report them if you think you were denied opportunities because of your designation. We all know it still happens. I don’t know if you’re part of the Daedalus Society but reach out to them. They can help you.”

The Daedalus Society was a professional society for omegas in the sciences.

I’d gotten quite the education on how omegas fared in science PhD programs, and a lot of it paralleled my professor’s stories from their experiences as being young women in science.

This was why some omegas did what was basically independent- study PhDs.

Rami, Katie’s omega, had done such a program and now worked for the Space Authority.

And in this world, supposedly so had I, since it would help explain why other people in the program I’d ‘graduated’ from didn’t know me.

“Thank you. I joined Daedalus. It was more because I didn’t have family support and couldn’t participate in anything that didn't fill a requirement, was for a class, or paid,” I explained truthfully.

That was why I’d begged Professor Jaffey to include my underfunded ass on one of the Rydor Corp teams. It paid. Though I had later learned that Professor Jaffey intentionally kept opportunities from me, because I couldn’t serve her purposes if I got on someone else’s radar.

She’d played a long game with me. And almost won.

Jordie raised his cup. “Here here. I was a bartender all through my PhD program. I feel like that taught me just as many skills.”

I nodded. “I worked in bakeries. Lots of life skills.”

“You worked in a bakery? I didn’t know that.” Wes came over to us.