"How much?" Scarlet asks the cab driver as they get nearer to her destination. She's finally going, after getting into a very heated argument with Theo about the many reasons this is wrong. He was insisting she shouldn't do this, that Victor can't be trusted.

"Can you?" Scarlet had shot back, making Theo purse his lips angrily. He wouldn't even tell her how he and Vic know each other, or whatever lies Victor was talking about that morning. Let alone why he doesn't want her to do this. Though she herself knows the risks, Theo must've had his own reasons.
It's the reason she had snuck out of her own house when he fell asleep on her bedroom couch. That and the fact that he had seen and touched her, naked... well almost naked. It may have been comforting and most definitely welcome gesture when he pulled her to his chest, but it isn't any less embarrassing.

She will blame it on her stupid extraterrestrial ankle if need arises.

"Fifty bucks," says the cab driver. Scarlet hands him a hundred note and exits the cab, softly closing the door and hearing it drive away.

Her now naked eyes train on the building in front of her as she flattens her sweaty palms on the front of her thighs. Thanks to the black wardrobe, she went for black skin jeans, a blank tank top with a black heavy trench coat on top, along with a black beanie on her now cropped hair. For some reason, Scarlet chose to wear a pair of black Timberland boots instead of the four inch black Louboutins she had wanted in the first place. She's always avoided heels for fear of tripping and embarrassing herself in public anyway.

Scarlet tilts her head up to examine the building in front of her. Little snowflakes have started falling and dancing with the flow of the wind, reminding her of the most important reason for her being here; Celine. As if on cue, her phone rings and when she gets it out of the jean pockets, it's Celine.

She smiles. "Hey baby, are you okay?" Scarlet greets her daughter.

"Yes mommy," Celine says. "Are you coming to grandma's today?" she asks. "I really want to go home mommy I don't like it here," the little girl complains.

"But why my love? You know how much grandma Steph loves you."

"Yes, but-" her voice drops into a whisper and Scarlet knows that the mushroom soup is coming next, she's been complaining about it for the past two weeks. "Grandma makes me gross mushroom soup mommy! She says it's good for my, my, rec ... rec ..."

"Recovery."

"Yes that one," Celine whispers again. "...but it's gross mommy I really really don't like it. But if I don't eat it, it will upset grandma and I really don't want grandma to be mad at me. Please take me home?" she pleads.

"Okay baby, but not today." Scarlet answers. "Do you think you can eat two more bowls of mushroom soup, for me? Be my heroine for two more days?"

"I can mommy," Celine agrees enthusiastically and Scarlet can almost see her curls bouncing on her head as she nods vigorously.

"I have the best baby in the world!" Scarlet says and from the other side of the line her daughter giggles. "Love you Cee."

"Love you Scar."

Scarlet hangs up and switches her phone off altogether. If she's going to do this, she needs to concentrate. The tall building, whose walls are made of a royal blue and white glass pattern stands at an intimidating height, almost as if screaming "I've been waiting for you."

With a thudding heart beat, Scarlet walks over to the entrance, the foot stumps of her heavy boots scrunching the snowflakes that have settledon the side walk. The main gate of the building is heavy looking,  it seems to be made of iron coated in a royal blue paint. In the middle of the wide double door iron gates is a curved-in sculpture of a dragon spitting sea-blue water, the words; Nova and the Dragon written in it.

She presses what seems like a doorbell and almost immediately, two men dressed in all black like her open the gates up, each on either side. One is black and the other is white. Their eyes are obscured by sunglasses. Their broad chests and whole body mass is enough to have her pee herself. Scarlet swallows and takes a shuddering breath when they wordlessly usher her in and close both doors behind her in sync.

She thinks about asking them for help with the directions around the facility as it's her first time here but decides against it. They haven't said a word to her, and they most definitely don't look like the type you have a cup of tea with and bond over the cold winter day.

In small timid footsteps, Scarlet makes her way into the facility, the route from the main gate to the entrance takes her about ten minutes and she can almost feel the two men's eyes poking holes into the back of her head. Scarlet sighs when she finally arrives. She pushes the opaque blue glass doors but they don't move.

"Please place your thumb here," says a robotic voice.

Scarlet whips around to where the voice is coming from. There's a small black box with a little green flickering light in the shape of a thumb. When she does as she's told, a small screen appears atop the box out of nowhere.

"Scarlet R Greene," says the screene while her name appears onto it.

How. The hell?

"Non official staff, non board member, non cleaning staff," it pauses. "No bio data on entrant ... threat analysis- none found. Consequence analysis, vulnerability assessment- none, risk assessment- none.

"Overrall assessment: visitor," the robot pauses.  "please do come in to the next security check and enjoy your stay in Nova and the dragon." Then the screen disappears.

Okay...

The doors open and Scarlet walks right in- with a very much pounding heartbeat. She can't help the nagging feeling in the back of her mind that she may be walking into something bigger than her but pushes it back, whatever it is is non of her business as long as she gets what she wants.

Yeah, and get out of here alive.

She's looking around the inside of the building for the said security check. Right in front of her is a large oakwood reception desk, but there seems no one sitting behind it. Her eyes continue to scan around, there's three navy blue waiting chairs on one side and a hall on the other side of her. She starts walking over to the hall but before she can, a petite lady in a navy blue suit comes into view. Her platinum blonde hair is tied up in a torturous bun and beige heels clink as she walks over to where Scarlet has stood. Red lips form a smile that doesn't reach her eyes.

"Scarlet Greene?" asks the lady in blue.

Scarlet nods.

"Marilyn Sanders," she holds her hand out. "I'm here to escort you through the next sec. check."

Scarlet shakes it. "Okay."

The clinking of Marilyn Sanders' heels and the thudding of her own boots in the silence of the building is too much for Scarlet's nervousness as they walk down a blue marble hall. There's a way the walls of the hall seem to consume her when stares at them awe, almost making her dizzy.

Scarlet blinks and looks away.

At a corner, Marilyn turns and Scarlet follows. They walk down another hall. The whole building has an eerie aura to it, making Scarlet's nerves spike up ten fold. This hall, unlike the first is painted a dull too-calming blue, even the linoleum floor is a light blue.
They reach a small cubicle that doesn't seem enough for two people and enter it. Apparently, it's an elevator. Marilyn presses five.

"You're welcome," says the robotic voice again. "Please identify yourself."

Marilyn places a palm on a small screen situated on the left side of the elevator keypad. "Agent Marilyn Sanders, Ax00475, in with a visitor; Scarlet Greene."

Agent?

There's a small beeping as the screen traces Marilyn's fingerprints and they wait in silence, for what, Scarlet's unsure. Then the voice speaks again.

"Thank you for your cooperation agent. Please go right ahead."

And the elevator dings to life. When it comes to a stop at floor five, she gestures for Scarlet to get out and she does, after which another almost identical woman comes into view.

"Thank you Marilyn," the navy blue suit clad woman says but the elevator is nearly gone back. Her blonde hair, unlike Marilyn's is darker and in a high ponytail. She too smiles at Scarlet. "Scarlet Greene?"

Scarlet nods again.

"This way please," the woman motions to a hall with her hand before offering it to Scarlet. "Julia Parkham, I'm here to escort you through the next sec check."

They go through the same process until the elevator stops at floor ten. Julia motions for Scarlet to get out and she does. Again, another woman comes out of a room.

"Thank you Julia," she says, smiling at Scarlet. "Scarlet Greene?"

She nods.

"Alberta Williams, here to see you through the next sec..."

Dear lord! Scarlet sighs internally. Just how much of this hell is she going to go through?

It's always a great feeling when you know God listens to your prayers. Note the sacarsm, because forty nine floors, ten security checks and ten navy blue suit wearing women later, that included a Jessica, Freya, January, Meredith, another Julia and others, Scarlet's finally found herself on the fiftieth floor of Nova and the Dragon. Which hopefully, is the last. Apparently, there's a security check point after every five floors.

"This way," says an Alex before making a turn in the hall and stopping at two exquisitely designed double doors. She places her face in front of a small screen beside the door, an eye scan. "Agent Alex Cooper Yx00954," she says into the screen.

"Do come in Alex," Scarlet hears Victor's authoritative voice behind the closed door. Her heart lurches, almost painfully.
The doors automatically slide apart, revealing the most beautiful office she's ever had the privilege of entering.
It's also painted blue, only lighter and more homey.

There's not much inside, just a huge sleek black masterpiece of a desk, two rotatable snow-white leather chairs on their side and a big bright red one facing the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. She also notices quite a few paintings, not paying any attention since she's never quite understood those.

Alex asks her to follow and she subconsciously does, taking note of the fact that she had paused at the door. Victor seems to be busy with something behind his chair. From where she stands, Scarlet can almost see why Victor is so authoritative; this view, it makes it seem like you own the whole world.

That is if you're not Scarlet Greene. Because all of a sudden, her heartbeat is erratic, her eyebrows sweaty and throat dry. She's going to faint, she wants to be anywhere but here.

"Bee," Victor's booming but gentle voice brings her back to a much scary reality. How can she feel this way in front of a man that's practically been her dad her whole life?

Maybe it's because unlike what you want to make yourself believe, that conversation with Theo actually did happen. Her subconscious chimes in. Maybe you don't trust him anymore.

Scarlet smiles. "Vic," her voice thankfully oozes a little more confidence, as opposed to her state.

A small fatherly smile forms on his lips as Victor swings around in his seat.

"I see you finally got rid of them."

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A/N: Uh ... Scarlet was not naked in the last chapter, she has her panties on tyvm!
I mean how ... the image is killing me. How would she just. .. thrash in front of Theo when she's COMPLETELY NAKED!?

Anyway, thought I should clarify.
Thank you for reading x