Page 120 of The Restoration Program

“Someheight?” Carlos snorted. “God-willing, the lab coats around here will fix that littleglitchsomeday soon. Let’s be honest here—it’s only a matter of time before people who chose torestart their lifewill realize this isn’t a life at all. At best, it’s purgatory. At worst…” He shrugged, smiling humorlessly.

Ryan didn’t come close to smiling. “Well, maybe it’d be better if you weren’t so goddamn negative.”

“You only think you have a clue what you’re talking about, you know. Ask her.” Carlos jerked his chin at Nicole.

Quick footsteps approached, interrupting them. Nicole gave a silent huff of relief as Rebecca stepped up behind Carlos. She idly brushed the back of her fingers up his arm, though her bright eyes were not him. He leaned away from the contact, attention dropping to the table.

“Ryan,” Rebecca said. “You’re never gonna believe it. Guess what? Erik just mentioned that he was having some financial problems. I told him you’re an advisor at that fancy firm! Can you come over and, you know, advise?” She glanced down at Nicole and Carlos, grinning. “And I’m sure Bethany would love to chat with you two.”

Carlos patted her hand. “We’ll be over in a few. I was just grabbing some water. We can bring over some refreshments for her.”

Ryan was visibly reluctant to step away, but he followed. On a better day, Nicole would have giggled at his expression. He always grumbled when people asked for free financial advice, but he tended to have a soft heart for difficult cases. Her faint smile dropped when she knew he wasn’t looking anymore.

“Good riddance,” Carlos grumbled.

“Come on, man,” she said.

“Sorry, sorry.” Carlos eyed the others with unusual intensity. He stepped closer and laid a hand on her shoulder. “I want to show you something,” he said under his breath.

“What, where?”

“Down that hall.” He pointed at the open doorway tucked down by the windows that led deeper into the Facility.

She blinked, automatically looking for Dr. Burman. Oddly enough, the man seemed to have vanished shortly after the meeting concluded.

“Are we supposed—”

“No, pretty sure we’re not. But no one’s looking. We’ll be back before your husband has an aneurysm when he notices you’ve moved an inch.”

Nicole shot him a withering look—hating that he was probably right. Peeking at Ryan and the others, she saw they were already deep in conversation.

“This better be good,” Nicole said, trailing after Carlos. The temptation was too intriguing to resist.

His roguish grin sealed her decision. “When’s the last time you broke a rule, Zhou?”

Sharing nervous smiles, they hurried down the winding NüPrint walkways until they reached the floor, then stayed near the walls on their way to their exit.

Nicole half-expected alarms to wail the moment they stepped over the threshold. It was a well-known fact that every inch of the Facility was bugged with HD cameras. But as they jogged onwards, nothing happened. The others’ voices began to fade behind them.

As her feet pounded on the tile, Nicole was struck by the sudden realization that despite having visited Fairbourne Restoration Facility dozens of times since May, she had never walked these pristine halls on her own two legs. Like the other NüPrints, she’d been escorted in her partner’s hands. And beyond their ordinary route to the meeting room, there was still so much shrouded in mystery.

The lack of accommodations became apparent the further they jogged. The sleek ramps, stairs and walkways built for their 10-inch visitors were all absent in this area, which spoke the same volume as theAuthorized Personnel Onlysigns that flashed on the walls high overhead.

“You know where you’re going?” Nicole called ahead.

“More or less,” Carlos returned over his shoulder. “Rebecca took the scenic route out after the last meeting. I only got a second to look that time. But it’s important.”

He slowed to a halt after a left turn down another enormous hallway. It took them twice as much time to cross the space. A skylight framed the drifting clouds above them, making the white walls and spotless tile nearly blinding. The midday light glinted off a pair of handleless glass doors, cutting the hall short. Beyond those, the same thick glass walled in a walkway suspended over a vast chamber.

It was difficult to be certain what was going on inside. Nicole squinted at the floor-to-ceiling windows, able to make out some sort of procedure going on in a room below. A team of humans milled about in dark lab uniforms. Something viscous and wet was being whisked in a colossal vat. Occasional flashes glinted like an automated camera.

“Okay… What am I looking at, Carlos?” She stepped closer to the doors. Judging by the build of them, they should have opened automatically. She pursed her lips, realizing that even their combined weight was not enough to set off the sensor. This would be as close as they got.

He stepped up next to her, his fingertips resting lightly on the glass. “I think that’s where they make us.”

There was something cold about that phrase that made her blood curdle. The truth of it, perhaps.Making people.Nicole watched another automatic flash go off in the chamber below. A man discussed something on a tablet with a colleague.

“You ever think about where we came from?” Carlos asked. “Funny, how this never came up on our tour.”