Hunched back, droopy shoulders -was all I was left with, after my classes. Then I remembered the orientation class that was scheduled at Nova-Gen. It was already four 'o' clock in the evening and the time was ticking. I clambered out of the corridor of our school and made my way through the herd of high school kids to reach the overground metro train station that was near to our school.

Luckily enough, Pete joined me near the walkway. Or was it really lucky? Because my stomach dropped to the ground everytime he caught me ogling him.

"What do you think is this 'Orientation class'? He chuckled leaning to the corner of the moving train.

I shrugged my shoulders because I actually didn't know much. "Maybe a big lecture about dos and don'ts?"

"Right." He nodded and looked out into the warping scenery of the window. Those belly butterflies wouldn't stop bothering me anyway. Ugh! So I stopped bothering myself with it.

Within a handful of minutes we were at our destination. It took a couple of walkways and escalators to reach the fifth floor, that's where our due session was supposed to take place. The lady at the counter gave us tags, you know -all those fancy, swipe-y, security stuff.

"I'm so excited!" I squealed, squeezing the straps of my backpack.

But surprisingly, Pete didn't seem that excited at all. He didn't even acknowledge what I said, his eyebrows were knitted into a tight frown.

We entered into a small, but the cleanest room I had ever seen. "Yo, bro!" Liam fist bumped his hand with Pete. Donna smiled at me as soon as she saw me.

"Are you feeling good today?"

"Tt-Yeah." I grinned baring my teeth, but I think I made it more than clear that I wasn't.

Cluttering of Emily's high heels made us straighten our backs and look at the door expectantly. She stepped in, all dolled-up, as usual.

"So? You guys excited?" Emily sucked in a heavy breath and rubbed her hands. She certainly seemed more nervous than we were.

"Yyupp." Liam agreed, his small eyes burying deep inside his smiling cheeks.

"Okay then." Emily gestured us to follow her, "right this way."

Donna and Liam followed her closely, I was still anchored to Pete because he wouldn't move. "C'mon Pete. We wouldn't want to get lost in this technological-maze."

"Yeah." He walked dragging his feet and yawned.

"I told you, Karate is not for everyone."

He chuckled again with a sideways nod, "couldn't agree more."

Emily glanced at her sparkly wristwatch and then back at us. "So this is the section where we do most of our biological experiments. Pete I suppose you've chosen this department for your internship. Pretty good choice if you ask me."

"I'm sure it is." Pete walked past me and stood beside her, peering down from the bridge we were standing on.

I backed off a little, my stomach whirring inside my belly as I looked down at all those robotic hands juggling test tubes and beakers with a rhythmic hum. Only a few scientists wearing long lab coats walked in and out of the hall. The lab was too bright and white, so much so, it appeared as if I had time-travelled into the future.

"That's the section for animal experiments." Emily pointed to a glass chamber, "you know, all those cuddly hamsters and bunnies." She goofed up a little and continued, "but mind you, they are not as innocent and cute as they appear to be. They are genetically modified. More lethal than feral."

"Where's the section for human experimentation?" Pete stared down the futuristic hall.

'He has definitely got balls,' I thought.

"Umm...Pete," Emily seemed annoyed. "It's not a question for you to ask. But let me make it clear, Nova-Gen has never conducted human trials and never will. Besides, it's illegal. You know that, right?

Pete nodded. "I was just curious."

"Believe me. Everyone​ is." Emily patted on his shoulder and walked away. "Now, who's up for some robotic action?"

Donna and Liam started whispering with each other like gossiping school girls, I had totally forgotten that they were Robotic engineering students.

Another escalator, we reached a similar looking hall. But this one was rather empty with very dim lit lights. The ceiling was low lying, at the end of the hall was a brighter section with a glass pane separating it.

We went ahead and stood at the look-through glass, my jaw dropped at the thing that was inside. A giant robot, its chest and thighs were shielded with thick metallic armours and face was almost humanoid, but only bald and silver. In its eye sockets, glimmered a pair of bright red lights.

"We call him 'Goliath'." Emily proudly smiled crossing her arms.

"Wow!" Liam walked over and went all nuts, "man, that's​ crazy. How could you possibly build that?"

Emily snort-laughed wondering at Liam's child like enthusiasm.

Donna cleared her throat and scrutinized every part of the robotic giant through her spectacles, "are we allowed to study the details of it?"

"Oh sure. That's what you both will be doing here. For the time being, memorise this -Goliath has a central Titanium skeleton, the body armour consists of tungsten and magnesium alloy, runs on RTG nuclear fission power." Emily beamed, crossing her fingers behind her back, "...and oh, safe for human interaction."

Donna's mouth was hung ajar, she assimilated all of it and nodded pursing her lips. "Cool."

"Goliath." Emily called out through a tiny mike fitted on the glass pane.

Goliath turned around, a robotic voice spoke back. "Got it, Ms. Emily."

The very next second, Goliath took a martial arts position. The giant started punching and pulling its arms in the air. The only thing that bothered me was, it felt wrong. One two, one two, its leg movements were unsynchronized. I hesitated a little, but voiced my opinion, "it's wrong. You need to take the left leg first."

Goliath turned around with a robotic hum, it walked slowly towards the glass and did the most unexpected thing.

Goliath showed its middle finger to me. I knew I might have offended it, but I didn't expect that kind of reaction. With a gush of air, the silver face of Goliath split in the middle and opened to reveal, rather, a familiar face inside.

It was coach Zach.

I gulped, Pete laughed. Liam and Donna giggled. "Zach? I didn't know you taught karate to robots too." I huffed.

"Oh you guys know him?" Emily raised her eyebrow.

"He teaches karate at our school." Pete informed, dragging my hand with him as he followed Emily's lead.

I glanced back over my shoulder at Goliath, Zach's face faded behind the closing halves of silvery face. But the silver mask seemed way more pleasant than the real face behind it.

"You don't think yourself to be a big karate prodigy, do you?" Pete hushed into my ears. It felt very ticklish but I cringed.

"Umm...yes and no."

"Just so you know, it has to be either yes or no, there can't be a middle ground." Pete teased me.

"'Yes', because I can become a prodigy only if I see myself as a prodigy and 'no', because my mom always made me stay humble and grounded." I chinned up.

He kept silent for a while before saying -"yeah, whatever."

Emily scanned her fingerprints and iris to enter into another dim lit hall. As soon as she set her heels inside, all the ceiling lights automatically came alive.

"Whoa!" I swirled, taking in every tiny detail. So many display cases. Inside each case was a super-hero suit. My eyes suddenly caught attention of one in particular - the green and black suit. Probably because I was so used to it by now.

"So, this is our collection of replicas of all the super-suits we've ever made." Emily informed, "from Black ninja, elasto-man to Neon and Vape. All under one roof."

"So I'll be working here?" I asked, my heart pounding inside my chest. I so wanted her to say 'yes'.

"Actually not. You'll be working or rather 'observing' in the manufacturing section. This is just for display."

"Well, that sucks." My shoulders drooped back to their position. "But...I don't see White-hawk's suit in here."

"That's because he isn't our client." Emily clarified it as she turned over her heels towards the exit door.

"Okay." I took in everything for one last time, all those ear devices, capes, helmets, masks, goggles, shields, swords and what not.

"So that's the end of the tour. You guys will be coming here every evening at four-thirty sharp and get on with your observations. If you're late, the word will go to Mr. Ollen and the consequences are not going to be good." She vomited her scripted speech and glanced at her watch once more. "Right. Good luck then."

We all shook our hands with her as we parted our ways.

"That was awesome!" Liam squeeked.

"See you around Chan." Pete waved at them and we took the elevator towards the ground floor.

As I and Pete stepped out of the elevator, I suddenly felt like the nature was calling me -very urgently this time. I fell back and he turned around, "what's wrong?"

"Uh... nothing," I rubbed my neck, "I...I just need to use the loo."

"Alright." He nodded, "I'll wander around for a while and learn some more about this techie-mazy thing you told me."

That was sweet of him. I hobbled to search for a ladies' loo and entered as soon as I found one.

It felt relieving, if not relaxing as I did my job. Right when I was washing up, a janitor lady in those same tasteless grey uniform shied away from my side of the mirror and stood showing her back to me.

Weird. I thought. Just as I finished up, I saw her shoes. A pair of 'Shanaya' brand's red heels. I mean, who would wear heels to this kind of work? Wouldn't they spill all the gunk on their feet when they clean toilets? Or maybe I was being too judgy.

I shrugged it off and walked out to join Pete.