After a painfully long wait in Eva’s pocket, in which you try to keep still, struggling to wrap your brain around what has happened to you, you finally hear a door open and Eva stands up. You twist around to sit up, leaning back against Eva’s side, as she greets someone. A man replies, saying he hopes this is important.

“It’s more important than you can imagine. I’ve got exactly the proof of concept you’ve been waiting for,” Eva says, “and I wanted to show you in private, before anyone else, Arnold. Before your meeting this afternoon. See, I’ve been telling you this would be possible, and I have a demonstration –”

The pocket is pushed open as her huge fingers probe in, fresh light hitting you, and you try to drop deeper, away from her, on instinct. It’s no use, as she probes only briefly before touching you and pinching your right leg. She pulls you up, out, and you wriggle and try to shove free as her fingers roll you, balling you back into her palm like a spider’s legs wrapping you up. You’re smothered briefly in her fist as Eva lifts you up, making your stomach drop, then her hand opens again and you’re left lying there, gasping for air. You’re halfway between her smirking face and the startled face of a young, strikingly handsome man: Arnold Church. He’s immediately recognisable, of course, the fiendishly successful entrepreneur who runs Far Edge Logistics, though sightings of him flying through the office are rare. He’s a square-jawed, unfairly fit man prone to tight shirts and glistening white smiles, often seen on the front of magazines. He’s often in the news preaching one philanthropic project or another, making clear to the world he’s using his disgusting wealth for good, though you’ve never been quite sure what he does in the company, beyond schmoozing and delegating. Surely he’s not on board with Eva’s inhuman scheme?

Eva tells him, “You see, it does work with human subjects. And this one I prepared especially for you. Unofficially, of course.”

Arnold recovers from his surprise to ask, “You did this without approval?”

“Approval? When you scarcely even keep me informed about what’s going on downstairs? Yes, Arnold, I did what was necessary because your other managers are too scared to. More importantly, though, I did this without a paper chain. I took a spare device, last night. No one else knows about this. And trust me, no one will miss this cretin. And for the sake of seeing the project through to completion, this is a worthwhile sacrifice, for sure.”

Arnold stares at you carefully. Whether he’s impressed or disapproving, you’re not sure, but your nerves are tingling at what she’s saying. Eva’s been scorned by this project and gone rogue, and your fate here, apparently, is a dark secret. It’s a surprise to Arnold too, though, he might not be on board with this. Given the chance to handle this discreetly, he might help you.

Do you . . .

[A] Protest now – make it clear you’re not here by choice.

[B] Keep quiet; you’ll be safer if you don’t rock the boat.

[C] Trust neither of them; try to escape while they’re distracted.