On the sidewalk in front of the CenUMR building, I took off my e-watch and put it in my pocket, pulled my shirt so the collar fell over the comm necklace, then pretended to scratch my collarbone while I messaged Darcy on my personal communicator.

Me: Find out who programmed my new work comm. I’m worried about bugs.

I couldn’t open up the Grey’s Peons chat group until I made sure CEO Finn wasn’t snooping. Having to redact my question about the CEO being called “Big Thumb” had me thinking that while the chat groups weren’t monitored, the secretaries didn’t want to chance CEO Finn knowing about his nickname. It was possible that certain words or phrasing could trigger someone to pull up chat records.

Since I couldn’t be sure whether I was a special case to be monitored from the jump, I didn’t want to expose the secretaries’ sanctuary.

I also didn’t want to expose any more of my health details to the CEO than would end up being in the report sent to HR, so decided to complete the hospital task tomorrow. Instead, I headed to my old apartment to check in on the movers and make sure they weren’t mishandling anything. I felt like I could trust a company contracted by a government organization but better safe than sorry.

Once I confirmed things were running smoothly, I met up with Records Team 4 for lunch as I’d promised the day before. Around that time, my personal communicator buzzed. I put down my skewer to “rest my chin on my fist” while reading the message from Darcy.

*Darcy: H. Simon, 10 yr tenure. Quiet but friendly.*

*Darcy: Cam standard, activated for Class C+. Mic in e-watch. Ear mic for C+. My place after 5.*

I blinked hard as I suppressed the surprise in my expression. RRR fieldworkers had a ranking. The lowest rank, Class D, worked domestically, only in this world. That was where I stood. C and up worked outside this world, traveling and performing work tasks in other dimensions. C were the safest foreign worlds, the level of danger increasing towards A. I recalled Bradley saying Secretary Grey was Class A several years ago. None of that surprised me.

The fact that my comm had a camera that was supposedly deactivated due to my low rank and that it didn’t have a mic was interesting. Instead, the mic was embedded into the removable watch. I could understand there’d be no need to be discrete about communication domestically where civilians have knowledge of fieldworkers and could spot them by their uniforms. But for what reason were domestic fieldworkers deemed to not need camera functions? It was food for thought, but that was not was surprised me either.

What surprised me was that I had fully expected Darcy to take me to one of their underground friends, perhaps the same one who forged my ID card and chip, for a bug check, but instead they wanted me to visit their apartment.

It was curious, but I trusted Darcy. Thinking on it a bit longer, I supposed there was likely a GPS locator embedded in either device, so it was probably safer to not visit the headquarters of an underground hacker.

“Why are you over there nodding to yourself?” Forest questioned. I looked at her across the table crunching a pickled tuber with a judging frown, and I finally took my chin off my fist while pocketing my personal comm with the other hand.

“Just thinking about my position moving forward.” I am not a liar. But I can easily tell irrelevant truths.

“Hm?” Soma lifted his brows with a smile. “What did you decide on?”

“To give it my all.”

My three former team members all hissed and scoffed.

Bayu lifted a corner of his upper lip. “As if you’re capable of doing anything less.”

Was that a compliment or a criticism? I couldn’t be sure, so just decided to smirk good-naturedly. That caused them to collectively click their tongues. I think I am going to miss this team.

I planned that after lunch I would read the comm’s manual and test its features while waiting for the movers to finish. I headed to my favourite cat cafe to exchange some oxytocin with a furry acquaintance while confirming that indeed, the comm’s camera was greyed out with a pop-up reading *Disabled Under Class C*. However, the camera worked on the e-watch for both photo and video recording.

If I turned the watch off, the comm on my neck still functioned. If I chose “Power Off” from the holographic Home Screen, a pop up would announce *Remote Device Not Connected*. When the watch was on, choosing the same option would ask to confirm powering off the Remote Device (e-watch).

From the Settings menu, I could send a tech support ticket, but there were no details on whether it’d go directly to Simon. Looking at the device info, I wondered if I could cross reference my version number with Secretary Grey’s or another fieldworker’s. Seeing *RRR Dept.* under Administrator, I could only let out a contemptuous chuckle.

A staff member came over to the bench and placed a rice milk tea on the table next to my clear cup only full of blushed ice.

I glanced at it then at her. “I didn’t order a second drink.”

The curly-haired employee smiled and a dimple appeared on one cheek. “Service gift.”

“Thank you,” I looked at the drink. “That’s kind of you, Ms. Taji.” Though I didn’t want it. It was wasted product that couldn’t be returned so I’d just take it to go and then toss it on the next block.

“No need for honorifics. Mr. Loren, I noticed you using a holographic comm screen. Did you get a specialized government job?” Her hands were clasped low in front of her apron and I studied her expectant eyes and restrained pursed lips.

“Yes.”

Her shoulder went up as well as the corners of her pursed lips.

I blinked. “You look excited?”

“Oh.” The dimple appeared again as she puckered her lips and turtled her neck, seemingly embarrassed or shy. “Whether it’s a police officer or a Ministry intelligence analyst, such high-clearance jobs are exciting and attractive,” she gushed.

I smiled. “Then what about a CenUMR investigator?”

Her smile and eyebrows fell immediately to be replaced with a line between her brows and an asymmetrical grimace.

My smile grew and I chuckled. “You’re so obvious. Not as cool?”

Taji gasped then straightened her face, shaking her head while clasping her hands in front of her chest. “Not at all! Reality Rip Investigators that travel to foreign worlds face more danger than any of those other people working domestic jobs! I only have respect for them!”

“Then the domestic investigators?”

She froze, eyes darting around like a pinball.

I laughed softly, and could only take a sip of the fresh drink to restrain my amusement. Who could say whether other citizens shared Taji’s impression of Class D RR Investigators. If they did, would it make my job even harder? How could I advance my rank sooner?

“Mr. Loren, has anyone ever told you that your smile could save the world?”

I choked. Droplets of rosy milk tea splattered onto my lid and chin.

“You’d be rich if you charged people to see it.” She spread out her hands in an arc as if giving me genuine advice.

I eyed the napkins in her apron pocket.

I parted my lips, then realized I had no words and closed them.

I opened my mouth again, considering telling her she had wild thoughts. I closed my mouth.

I opened it again. “Can I have a napkin?”

She let out an “Oh,” then handed me one.

I patted my chin then said, “Strangely, you’re the second person to tell me that, and the first was only yesterday.”

Her eyes widened. “How’s that possible?!” She looked upwards in thought, then offered, “Maybe you haven’t truly smiled until recently?”

Was I smiling more as of yesterday? Perhaps in politely friendly smiles since I had met several new colleagues and wanted to build a good rapport. The secretaries’ manic miming a couple hours ago flashed through my mind, tempting me to open “Grey’s Peons,” but I could only be patient.

After leaving the cafe, I checked out a moving day cleaning set from the management office of my old apartment then headed inside to clean. By the time I returned the cleaning kit, it was also the time Darcy would be leaving CenUMR. I stopped by a fried chicken restaurant to grab a box of takeout then set off to my friend’s apartment.