Adam was quick to find that Charlie had not lied about the time it would take to arrive. In but a few minutes, they had reached the entrance to Esme’s workplace. Or, so the brawny man had said. Nothing but an ordinary-looking wall stood before them, with the regular paint job added to it. Nor were the customary signs of a hidden entrance were present. Though, any signs of it might just have been for the shopping district, meant to ease people into finding the exact location. When it came to places the general work-force weren't intended to know about, it was obvious that a more discreet approach would be made to the entrance.

“How do you suppose we get inside this one?” Troy asked Charlie. “I can't see any card readers here. Do you know the code perhaps?”

The younger man was not the only one with those thoughts. Nearing two hours ago now, Charlie had used non-standard methods to gain access to restricted areas. A modified card, which would give clearance to previously barred places. Adam was not sure what restrictions were had with the device. It was likely only to work on the less important projects. The AI could not fathom that the government would make it so easy to get inside. If anybody could modify core code, changing the requirements present in the process, everything should have been leaked by then. Another barrier, that the cracked card might not have been able to fool, would be the custom codes. They were not simply encryption keys, but a specific set of gestures needed to be done by a human entity. From Troy’s irritated mutterings about the subject, this was partly the method used to contain the AI’s own testing grounds, mixed in with a standard constantly changing numeral code. Seeing as it took more than just a single digital pulse of information, it should have been safe to assume that another method would have to be made to gain access.

It was also time like these, where the AI was happy to have been proven wrong. Charlie did not hesitate to bring forth the modified key-card once again. One of the many additions to it, only hanging on by the connection wires, looked ready to fall off the device, the force of being pulled up enough to nearly dislodge it from its already unstable tethering. The muscular man quickly smoothed over the small mistake, before bringing the key-card up against the wall. Either Charlie had been very precise in his position, or he had just brought the card up to the nearest placement. It did not matter either way, as a blue light seemed to come from the inside of the wall.

While the wall itself might have looked identical to other parts of the facility, this was proper proof that the material was different. It had to be thin as well. Thin enough for a medium-sized explosion to take out its position in the very minimum. To the metaphorical eyes of the AI, this was a clear gamble. Giving away defence in the hopes that it will go entirely unneeded. Not the worst strategy to have. Any standard weaponry would not be enough to disclose the door’s position. And with how little there was around them, the chance of anything stray hitting would below. While the creators of the facility may have been lacking in some areas, it was times like these that showed Adam just how much forethought had been put in the building. Built like a maze, nothing inside being easy to see at any amount of glances… was this place designed to keep people out, or was it designed to keep people in? Where were the exits? Or was there only one?

The blue light swiped up and down a couple of times, seeming to have trouble understanding what it was seeing. A weird personification of what was without a mind, but it fits so well. After a good ten seconds of it trying to understand the modified card, it looked to give up, giving the two access to the inside simultaneously. The AI was surprised it had worked, seeing as the reader looking to normally require a handprint for access. Which was peculiar in of itself. Most machines of such design were limited to fingerprints, as it was much more stable at that level. Not much room for errors. But, the potential of anything going wrong could have been limited by even more technology left out of the public knowledge base. Adam would not have found that possibility out of this realm. Yet… if it was so advanced, how was it fooled by what should only be a mismatch put together in a hurry? The question that came from that was if it was the fault of the security being too low or the card being too high. What ranked the highest in advancements? The progress pf technology was a race after all. The old had to be replaced with the new, lest an opening would be found. If it was not, the holes could be found by searching for them. Could it be that Charlie had utilized such a thing? Or was he just on another level? Adam knew he could not ask and expect any worthwhile answer.

From what the AI could discern, the inside was much like the hallway in Darlow’s work-place. It was long, filled with various paintings of plants, flowers, and what looked to be the standard plant-structure. A whole lot of jagged hexagons riddled the background. But, that was to be expected. Nature’s perfect shape deserved the presence it had.

Troy was not allowed to look from the outside for too long, Charlie tapping him on the shoulder. Adam did know why, of course. Those entrances were not happy being open for too long. The longer they were exposed, the larger the chances were of somebody seeing it. Personnel knowing what they were not intended to know… the AI could only imagine the paperwork. The stability of project funding could even be ruined by it, the chance of it getting out being too high. Having the doors close as soon as possible was only logical, and the younger man likely realised this, as he hurried after Charlie who had already gone a fair bit inside. The door closed only a few seconds after Troy had entered, leaving him to be guided by Charlie. Or Adam, if the situation called for it. Which the AI hoped it did not, as to he did not have any clue either.

The two went down the doors, checking each name carefully. There were not as many doors as with the other location, only being ten in number before the hallway turned to the side. A fortunate thing for Adam, who had been looking forward to seeing more of the place. Also unfortunate, as they found the correct door three doors before the AI would be able to even catch a glimpse. Maybe they could get another tour this time as well?

Likely not. As they went through yet another locked door, this one having a card reader attached, they found themselves in the eyesight of Esme, who was looking very annoyed at their presence there. Adam could not blame her, seeing as she had dropped a stack of Petri dishes in mild shock overseeing them. After a good four seconds of her muttering proverbs best left unmentioned, and a small part of a muffin recipe, there finally came a verbal acknowledgement of Troy and Charlie’s presence there.

“What are you spastics doing here exactly? Weren't you supposed to harass Darlow today?” Esme said. Her tone was a good comparison to the one Adam himself used. An emotionless monotone voice. It worked near-perfectly in all scenarios. With no emotion attached, it was the surrounding looks and actions that spoke all the emotion that was needed. As an example, without coming close to acknowledging it in her tone, the AI was decently sure that Esme was extremely annoyed at them being there, bordering close to outright angry.

This was likely not due to their presence, but instead what their presence had currently done for her work progress. Charlie had been near-physic in his premonitions, with days of work being ruined purely by him being there. Adam had a similar premonition that this was a prediction made from personal experience. One had to get a bad reputation somehow.

“Is it so weird, that we want to visit our dear friend?” Charlie asked right back in his usual fashion. “It does not flatter anyone when you assume such things. If only you-”

It was obvious that a whole other speech about friendship and how dear it was coming along. Adam had prepared himself to ignore the major parts of it, but Esme was clearly not of heart to listen to any of the so-called polite shit-talking.

“You went to visit me first because I am close to where Darlow works,” Esme surmised quickly, cutting into Charlie’s spiel.

“We went to visit you first because you were closest to Darlow,” Charlie instantly confirmed, with a matter-of-fact kind of nod, as if the information was obvious. Which it was, of course, but that did not need to be mentioned. “But… does that invalidate the fact that we are visiting you? Esme, we have known each other for, what, nearing ten years now. A person can have multiple reasons for visiting.”

“You are here to get something out of me,” Esme instantly refuted, not buying it yet.

“As I said before, we are here for multiple reasons,” Charlie stated, not disagreeing with the words said before. They were more true than the man would have liked, surely. Adam had seen few accept the true reasons behind their actions so quickly. Instead of diverting from it, the muscular man used the reasoning as just another piece of ammunition, ready to be used when it was needed. A respectable way of subversion, if the AI had ever seen it. “Troy here was interested in what Darlow did as a job. Evidently, the kid loved it. Even more, than he lets on, with that muted expression of his.

You might not believe this, but Troy here is having a day off. And not our usual version of days off. An. Actual. Day. Off. Full pay and all that. I thought it wise to bring him under my wing, and show him the wonders that were to be had here. Since we have already seen one person's workplace, would it not be customary to see another? At the pace we are doing this, I think we can get through everybody before the day is over.

So, darling, what do you say? Want to break another person’s heart? I hear this approach is common nowadays. Can't really let such an opportunity slip away now, can you?”

Esme looked more than a little shocked upon hearing Troy had a day off. Adam was yet again surprised by a large reaction that the statement got out of people. The facility was created by the government. The organization that mandated days off. They were the people who were supposed to make sure people had days off, where they could relax and stop themselves from utterly burning out. While this would only slow down the eventual break, when it was a stressful environment, days off were supposed to be obligatory. Sure, there was some leeway in when the days were used, but there was a definite requirement to use them. What was stopping people from taking just a single day off? Was it the lack of opportunity to do so? Maybe the constant expectations of projects having to progress?

Or was it the lack of anything to do, other than work? The AI had not seen any way to leave the facility, and he doubted there was one which could be used easily. The place was secret, and letting people leave would only give them unnecessary opportunity to discern where it laid in the world. It was a dark thing to think, but the chance of it being true was higher than Adam would have wanted it to be. Was this why people were so old?

“Troy,” Esme said in an uncaring tone. “Is it true? Are you actually having a day off?”

“Ah, uh, yeah?” Troy hastily answered, his voice sounding more questioning than anything. A slight glare from Esme made the younger man repeat himself. “I mean. Yes.”

“Well, we can't have that now, can we?” Esme said, imitating Charlie’s way of speech by a bit. “Come with me. You two are going to help me remake all the things you made me destroy.”

Technically, it was herself who had destroyed it. It was only her carelessness in moving the samples that had created the opportunity of them being destroyed. Did Adam request for Troy to transmit this fact to Esme? No, he did not.

For he did not have a death-wish.