Leaning against a cabinet in the break area of the Brain-Machine Interface R&D center, Jin held a steaming cup of coffee. His gaze remained fixed on a vague point, somewhere else. He wondered what he was doing there, in the heart of a company whose core values he loathed. He thought of Xiao and Mei: had they already received his last message? He tried to initiate a neural chip connection with Sofia, but the attempt failed, likely due to the depth.

He brought the cup to his lips, took a sip, then remained focused on the warm ceramic. He didn’t hear the footsteps approaching.

- Doctor Wu? A female voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see a blonde woman with an open smile. His face remained closed. He was surprised that someone so striking worked in such a stark laboratory.
- Yes? he said, his jaw barely relaxed.
- I’m Professor Olsson.
- Oh.

Jin slightly relaxed his features, without smiling.

- It’s an honor to meet you, Andrea added, extending her hand.
- Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.

Andrea blushed slightly. She hadn’t thought her work in biotechnology was visible enough to draw attention. Worse, she recalled some questionable, even crude, conversations among colleagues. Jin continued:
- I found your last paper on the connectome very interesting. It opened pathways I wouldn’t have spontaneously considered.

Andrea was momentarily speechless. She had thought Jin was merely being polite, given his closed expression, and was touched by the remark.

- Thank you very much, Doctor. I didn’t think that paper would be read.
- You’re welcome. And we can speak informally, if that’s okay with you.
- Of course, Doctor.
- Please, call me Jin, he said, with a faint smirk.
- All right. I’m Andrea.

The tone remained professional, but the connection was made. Andrea continued:
- You arrived yesterday, is that right?
- Yes. The arrival was a bit chaotic, but now I’m ready to work.
- Chaotic? How so?
- I lost consciousness at one point. I don’t remember how I got to my office. Apparently, it’s related to the depth.
- Ah. Interesting.
- Didn’t you experience anything like that when you arrived?
- No, not that I know of. But… are you okay now?
- Yes, yes. Very much so.

Andrea’s answer only deepened the strangeness Jin had felt since arriving at the Plain. He still didn’t know that his blackout was due to the implant Nathan had inserted in his back, and that everything was being recorded.

- I’ll let you get settled, Andrea said. “We can touch base tomorrow if you’d like. Especially if you have questions about the center.
- Tomorrow… I was thinking of going back to the surface.
- You kept a base up there?
- Yes. That’s where the clinic my wife and I founded is.
- You’re married?

The question slipped out. Jin simply nodded, no comment.

- And… how’s life on the surface? she asked, hiding her disappointment, or rather Nathan’s small betrayal in omitting this detail.
- How long has it been since you went back up?
- About ten years.

Intrigued, Jin noticed she hadn’t lost her color, unlike Theo.

- It’s getting harder and harder, he said. “The gap between oligarchs and the people has widened further since the last revolutions. But some initiatives are emerging to try to live differently, away from the frantic race. And the air is better up there.

Jin’s words reinforced the image Andrea had of him. She knew he was competent; now she discovered he was principled. Maybe Nathan was right. But now was not the time for seduction. Besides, she hadn’t worn the perfume he’d given her.

- One last question: do you know where your office is? Andrea asked.
- They put me in the office of the professor who left. Right next to yours, I think.
- The professor who left? You mean Nasir Badaoui?
- Yes… that’s what I was told.
- Ah, maybe I shouldn’t tell you this”, Andrea said, hesitating. She paused, then added: “Well, you would’ve found out soon anyway. He didn’t leave. They committed him. Downstairs. In the center’s basement.”

Jin, already surprised that Theo had dodged the professor’s fate and the true purpose of the basement, hadn’t expected such a revelation.

- But what happened? Jin asked.
- I don’t know more than that. I was never able to find out, and I quickly understood that asking too many questions wasn’t wise, Andrea admitted.

Next: Mila visits Theo after a tense update with Nathan. What is she really after?
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