The front door of the police station opens on oiled hinges, making no noise as it’s pushed. A woman dressed in black dress pants, a white button-up shirt, and black converse on her feet enters, the door closing with a soft click behind her. A pristine white lab coat finishes her outfit. Her blonde hair is pulled back into a high ponytail, and she reaches up, readjusting the glasses on the bridge of her nose. She walks toward the front desk, everyone’s eyes on her. The way she walks, the way she holds herself… Everything about her commands attention. She reaches the desk, the officer glancing up from his computer screen.

“May I help you, miss?” He asks and she nods.

“I’m looking for Detective Reed and Detective Clark. Do you know where I can find them?” Her voice is soft, the officer struggling to hear her over the tapping of keys and chatter around him.

“If you’ll follow me, miss, I can take you to them.” The officer stands and moves out from behind his desk. He leads the woman down a hall, stopping in front of a door with a warped glass window. He pushes the door open, looking inside. He says something to the people inside the room and turns back to look at the woman again.

“Here you are, miss.” The officer says and she nods her thanks as he steps aside to let her pass. The officer closes the door behind her and the two people in the room stand from their seats at the metal table. A man and a woman dressed in similar outfits. Dress pants, button-up, dark blue suit jackets with dress shoes on their feet. The woman, standing slightly behind the man, stretches out her hand. Her ponytail of auburn hair sways slightly in the movement.

“Detective Clark, or Robyn, if you like.” She says and the woman in the lab coat nods, shaking her hand. The man, watching this interaction with narrowed green eyes, grunts, and sticks out his hand.

“Detective Reed… Or Arthur. Whichever you prefer.” He says, his free hand scratching his goatee.

“You must be Gwendolyn. Please, have a seat.” Robyn gestures to the seat on the other side of the table. Gwen moves around the table and takes a seat in the metal chair. Robyn and Arthur take their seats again, and silence settles around the three of them. Arthur breaks it, clearing his throat. He flips open the folder that sits on the table in front of him, shuffling around the papers inside.

“Gwendolyn Andrews, one of the lead scientists working on…” He pauses, scanning the paper.

“Project Phoenix.” He finishes. Gwen hums, crossing her arms over her chest. Arthur slides a photo from the folder, spinning it to face Gwendolyn.

“This man,” He says, tapping the photo. The photo is of a man, his brown hair slicked back, and his gray eyes stormy.

“he’s your boss?” Arthur asks and Gwen spares the picture a glance.

“He’s the lab director, yes.” She answers softly. Arthur leans forward, lacing his fingers together.

“How old are you, Gwen? Can I call you Gwen?” He asks.

“No.” Gwen answers sharply and Arthur shrugs, leaning back in his chair.

“Alright. How old are you?” Gwen sighs and fixes her glasses.

“Doesn’t your folder have that information?” She asks and Arthur purses his lips, forcing a smile.

“Please. Your age.” Robyn says, glancing at Arthur.

“Twenty-five.” Gwen answers curtly, crossing her legs. Robyn nods.

“Thank you. Now, what can you tell us about this… Project Phoenix?” Robyn questions and Gwen purses her lips.

“Anything and everything about that project is highly confidential. To get that kind of information, you’d have to go to him, Reginald Cross.” Gwen says, gesturing toward the photo. Robyn nods and slips the photo back into the folder.

“Gwendolyn, do you understand why we called you in here?” Arthur speaks up, catching Gwen’s attention.

“For the most part, yes.” She answers and he flips through the folder, searching for something. He pulls out a sheet of paper and holds it up in front of his face.

“Do you know what this is?” He asks and Gwen shakes her head.

“No, I’m afraid I can’t see through paper.” She replies and Arthur slams the paper down onto the table. Robyn flinches.

“This…” Arthur says, his voice a growl.

“is a report of things happening in that lab of yours.” He hisses and Gwen furrows her eyebrows.

“I don’t remember owning any labs.” She murmurs and Arthur glares at her.

“Stop wasting my time.” He snaps and Gwen meets his eyes.

“I’m quite certain you’re the one wasting my time with all these foolish questions.” She retorts. Before Arthur can reply, Robyn cuts in.

“We just want to know what’s going on in there.” She says quickly, setting a hand on Arthur’s arm.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t give out any information about the lab, or any of the experiments. I’m legally bound by the contract I signed when I first joined the lab. I’m sorry.” Gwen says and Robyn sighs.

“Project Phoenix. At least tell us how it started. You can give us that much, yes?” Arthur asks and Gwen lets out a breath, glancing at the mirror behind Robyn and Arthur.

“You’ll have to turn off your cameras and microphones for me to tell you anything about that project.” She says and Arthur stands. He opens the door, yelling something at someone. He shuts the door and sits back down.

“Done. All cameras and microphones are off. Now, please, tell us.” Arthur demands, his hands fists on the table. Gwen purses her lips.

“Tape recorders?” She asks and Arthur stiffens.

“I can’t tell you anything.” Gwen says, leaning back in her chair. Robyn nudges Arthur with her elbow.

“Fine, fine.” He grumbles, pulling a tape recorder from his jacket pocket. He removes the tape, holding it up for Gwen to see.

“There. Happy?” He asks and Gwen shrugs.

“Project Phoenix…” She murmurs and Arthur nods, leaning forward over the table.

“It started with a bee.” Gwen says softly, Robyn and Arthur sharing a look.

“A bee?” Robyn repeats, skepticism dripping from her voice. Gwen nods.

“A bee.” She confirms. Arthur clears his throat, folding his hands neatly on the metal table.

“You’re telling me...Both of us,” He gestures to Robyn.

“that this… Project Phoenix started with a bee?” He asks and Gwen nods.

“That’s what I said, was it not?” She asks and Arthur runs a hand through his already unruly black hair.

“Is that it?” Robyn asks and Gwen lets out a long, exasperated sigh.

“You asked me how it started. I answered. That’s all I can tell you about it.” She says and Arthur’s hands become fists on the tabletop.

“That’s absolute bull, and you know it.” He hisses and Gwen shrugs one shoulder.

“You asked how Project Phoenix started. I answered your question. It’s not bull.” Gwen replies and Arthur stands abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor.

“You’re a real--” Gwen cuts him off before he can say anymore.

“Are we done here? I have work to get back to.”

“Yes. You can go. We’ll call you if we have any other questions. Thank you very much for your time.” Robyn says and Gwen nods, standing. She leaves the room, walking past a woman at least three inches shorter than her, with long black hair tied up in a ponytail, freckles scattered across her face, and bright hazel eyes. The woman wears an outfit similar to Gwen, a pristine lab coat covering jeans, a long sleeve blue shirt, and converse on her feet. Gwen exits the police station, and the woman with hazel eyes takes her place in the room with Arthur and Robyn.

“Detective Clark, or Robyn. You must be Melanie Cook, yes?” Melanie nods, shaking Robyn’s hand. Arthur offers his hand to Melanie.

“Detective Reed, or Arthur, if you prefer.” He says and Melanie nods, shaking his hand as well.

“Have a seat.” He says and Melanie moves around the table.

“Please.” He adds and Melanie offers him a small smile, sitting down in the chair. Arthur and Robyn sit down, Robyn setting down a manila folder on the table. Arthur flips it open and scans the first page.

“Melanie Cook, assistant to Gwendolyn Andrews and Joseph Campbell during work on Project Phoenix.” Arthur reads off and glances up at Melanie. She nods her head in confirmation. Arthur scans the page again.

“How old are you, Melanie?” Arthur asks and Melanie furrows her eyebrows.

“Doesn’t your paper tell you everything about me?” Arthur frowns and nods.

“Still. Your age please.” Arthur urges and Melanie sighs.

“I’m twenty-nine.” She answers and Arthur nods, flipping to the next page in the folder.

“Says here that Gwendolyn chose you specifically. Any idea why that is?” Arthur asks and Melanie shrugs.

“I’m not sure. I’ve only worked with her on one other project before Project Phoenix, and that one was when she first started working at the lab.” Melanie says and Arthur frowns, his lips pinched in a thin line.

“How long has Gwendolyn been working at the lab?” Arthur asks and Robyn frowns at his question.

“Didn’t you just have her in here?” Melanie asks, crossing her legs.

“Why didn’t you ask her?” She questions and Arthur glances back at his paper.

“Could you just tell us how long she’s worked at the lab please?” He asks, his voice gruff.

“I can’t give you an exact date since I had only begun working in the same department as her after she’d started working there.”

“When did you start working in the same department as Gwendolyn?” Robyn asks and Melanie doesn’t answer for a minute, frowning.

“I think it was three years ago. Yeah. Three years ago, I started working in the same department as her, and I was placed on the same project as she was. That’s how we met.” Melanie says and Arthur nods, flipping another sheet of paper.

“Can you tell us anything about this man?” Robyn asks, sliding a photo from the folder. She spins it so it faces Melanie. It’s the same photo of Reginald, his brown hair slicked back.

“About Reginald? My boss? Why?” Melanie asks and Arthur purses his lips.

“He has yet to come in for us to question him. He hasn’t answered any of our calls either. He’s the lab director, he controls the projects, yes?” Arthur asks and Melanie nods.

“He’s a wanted man.” Arthur says bluntly and Melanie sits back in her chair, a deep frown on her face.

“Why? He’s done nothing.” Melanie says and Arthur raises an eyebrow.

“Are you defending him?” He asks and Melanie scoffs, crossing her arms.

“I said he didn’t do anything. That doesn’t mean he’s a nice guy, and that certainly doesn’t mean I’m defending him.” She retorts and Arthur frowns.

“What do you mean?” Robyn asks and Melanie releases a sigh.

“For every project, he takes all the credit. Us scientists do all the work, and when we’ve finished, he swoops in and steals the credit for himself. Slaps his name on whatever we’ve done, and takes all the fame. Granted, it is his lab, but he does nothing but sit up in his office all day.” Melanie says, spitting out the words. Arthur leans back in his chair and runs a hand through his hair.

“What a dick.” He mutters and Melanie snorts.

“Tell me about it. I can’t believe I’ve stayed with the lab this long.” She mutters.

“Anyway…” Robyn says and Melanie shifts her gaze over to Robyn, who slides the folder in front of herself. She pulls out a piece of paper.

“What can you tell us about Project Phoenix?” Robyn asks and Melanie stiffens. She sits back in her chair slowly, eyeing both Robyn and Arthur.

“Why? What did Gwen tell you?” Melanie asks, her tone harsh.

“She told us it started with a bee, and that’s it. She said that’s all she could tell us. What can you tell us about it?” Arthur answers and Melanie frowns.

“Surely because you’ve been at the lab longer than Gwendolyn, you have better clearance, yes?” Robyn asks and Melanie lets out a soft laugh.

“Yeah right. At the lab, employment length doesn’t give you more clearance. It’s the amount of work you put into each project. The more work you put in, the faster you get promoted, and the faster you get promoted, the faster you get clearance to pretty much everything in the lab. I’m pretty sure Gwen transferred to our lab from another one where she already had top level of clearance. When she came to our lab, all she had to do was put in work on a small scale project, and Reginald gave her full level clearance because of her background.” Melanie says quickly and she glances at the watch on her wrist.

“Hm. But is there anything you can tell us about Project Phoenix?” Arthur asks and Melanie shrugs.

“Gwen probably told you this but anything about that project is highly classified. Any information you want on it, you have to get from Reginald, and judging by what you said earlier, he’s probably jumped ship. Skipped town. Whatever you wanna call it. Reginald isn’t a very confrontational guy. He hides himself up in his office all day not only because he doesn’t like getting his hands dirty, but because he knows that if we’re all in one place with him, there’s going be a confrontation. We may work under him, but that in no way means we enjoy working there.” Melanie responds with a small shrug. Arthur curls his hands into fists and slams them down onto the table, making it rattle. Robyn flinches and Melanie doesn’t even blink.

“Sonofabitch!” Arthur exclaims, his voice loud and angry. He storms from the room, the door slamming against the wall as he wrenches it open.

“Well…” Melanie begins and Robyn glances at her.

“Sorry, I wasn’t much help.” Melanie says, standing. Robyn stands as well and shakes Melanie’s hand again.

“No, no. You were plenty of help. Probably much more help than Gwendolyn.” Robyn says in a hushed tone. Melanie cracks a smile, showing off perfect teeth.

“Yeah, well… That’s Gwen for you. She’s too prideful and stubborn to be much help to anyone but herself. She’s fantastic at keeping secrets, though, trust me.” Melanie winks and Robyn lets out a short, nervous laugh. Down the hall, Arthur lets out a yell.

“I better go calm him down. Thank you very much for your time.” Robyn says.

“Of course. I’m glad I could be of some help.” Melanie says and follows Robyn from the room. They turn down different corners, one going after her enraged partner, whose fist is buried in drywall, the other exiting the police station and walking across the parking lot to her car.