Jenny was already awake when her phone began playing her morning alarm.  She was up and out of bed before the second note.  By the time the clock said 6:02AM she had silenced the alarm and was stepping out of her bedroom and across the hallway into the bathroom.  It was an advantage to living in a studio apartment— quick to get around, and no room for anything extraneous.  Jenny turned the water on and looked around while it warmed up.  Mom’s right, I really should clean… eventually.  As she idly inspected the soap scum around the sink, the reflection of her blonde hair and blue eyes in the mirror faded into grey as the small bathroom steamed up from the shower.  I either need to date someone who’s good at cleaning or hire a maid.  I wonder which one’s cheaper? she thought.  Grabbing the least-gross razor off the countertop, Jenny stepped into the shower.  Today was a big day, and she wanted to look good for it.

Alex’s text message hung in the air as Jenny eyed her wardrobe.  Skirt?  Jeans?  How much cleavage?  She’d only met Dr. Barr once before in person just over two years ago, when rumors about him being made dean had started to swirl, and she wasn’t entirely sure he had noticed she was female.  Or even human.  Her editor’s headline for that interview— A Short Time with the Man Making Us Shorter— was considerably better than her sarcastic suggestion— Crazy Professor Changes World, Doesn’t Notice.  Jenny pulled an outfit together and slipped into her favorite pair of shoes, a pair of kitten heels that looked convincingly black so long as you didn’t look too closely at them.  It was time to get to the lab.

Alex heard Jenny before she turned the corner.  Her old Toyota Pickup with a rusty muffler pulled into the parking lot next to Lab 4’s entrance with a groaning of metal.  The vehicle seemed to sigh as the engine was turned off.

“Hey Alex!” Jenny practically shouted as she hopped out.  “G’morning!”

Alex smiled at seeing her friend.  “Hey there!”  The two briefly hugged.

Alex motioned to the truck.  “I thought you were going to donate this thing to the school’s auto shop class?”

“What, my truck?  Are you crazy?  This thing’s been great.  You can’t keep a good truck down!” Jenny shook her head at Alex’s suggestion.  “Besides, the shop teacher rejected it.”

Alex couldn’t help herself but laugh.  “Ah, c’mon.  Rejection?  Does the great Miss Jenny Davis-White know what that feeling is?  Need someone to help you understand— ow!”  Jenny jabbed Alex in the side.  “Yes, she does.  So much of it I’ve sought professional help.  I’ll give you the name of my therapist.  He’s a great guy, a Mr. Walker.  First name Johnny.  You’ll love him.”

“Maybe you could introduce us this evening?  Come inside and you can finally see what you’ve been pestering me about for the last five years.”

As they walked through the first set of automatic doors, Jenny wondered out loud.  “Five years? Wow, time flies… When are you going to finish your PhD?”  At Alex’s groan, she quickly answered her own question. “I know, I know.  When it’s done.”

They stepped up to the security desk.  Dr. Barr’s research had brought in a lot of funding for the university, and a good portion of it had been spent renovating Lab 4 to be a suitable— and secure— testing location.  The guard looked up from the CCTV display he had watched them enter on.  “Good morning, Dr. Alex.  This is our guest of honor for today?”

Alex nodded, and the guard turned around to grab some paperwork.  Jenny whispered to her, “Doctor?”  Alex whispered back, “It gives me more credibility among the staff.”

The guard placed a clipboard down on the desk.  “Go ahead and fill these forms out.  Can I see photo ID to make you a temp badge?”  Jenny reached into her well-worn black leather purse and pulled out her wallet.  Flicking it open, she pulled out her driver’s license and handed it over.  The guard took it from her and began typing on the computer.

Jenny quickly interrupted him.  “Excuse me, but this is a non-disclosure agreement.  I’m a reporter.  I can’t sign this.”  The guard opened his mouth, but Alex cut him off.  “This is a standard form.  It doesn’t prevent you from publishing your story like Dr. Barr agreed to, it’s just about some of the more sensitive aspects of our research and facility.”  Jenny looked at the paper again.

“Like what?”

“Well… we can’t just write down what’s sensitive, that’d defeat the purpose.”

“So you’re saying I can’t publish anything you don’t want me to, and I don’t know what you don’t want me to publish because you can’t tell me?”

Alex looked uncomfortable.  “Basically.”

Unexpectedly, Jenny broke into a smile.  “Sure thing!  I’m sure my signing this will make that pesky First Amendment thing go away!”

Alex sighed.  “It’s not even 8AM and I’m already beginning to feel regret.  Usually when we spend time together, I feel regret at 8AM the day after.”

Jenny laughed as she handed the clipboard back to the guard and retrieved her ID and temporary badge in exchange.  “You spend too much time in the labs.”

Alex waved her down the hallway.  “I spend time here so I can learn how to undo the damage you’re doing to your liver every day outside of these labs.”

Jenny practically bounded down the hallway, grabbed the taller woman’s arm, and leaned her head on Alex’s shoulder.  “And have I ever mentioned how much I love you for that?”

They went through another security check, a metal detector, and had their belongings X-rayed.  Jenny scribbled— “high security” in her notebook.  At Alex’s wordless reprimand about mentioning security, Jenny scribbled in “VERY” above it.  Alex shook her head and stepped into a body scanner.

“What, are we getting on an airplane next?” Jenny asked.

Alex stepped through and the guard waved Jenny in.  “It’s to get a baseline reading,” Alex said.  “You’ll go through one again at the end of the day.  That way, we know what you come in with and make sure you don’t leave with anything.”

Or anyone, Jenny thought as the scanner whirred around her.  Finally, the duo was standing in front of a door that simply said “Lab 4 Entrance”.  There were police-style height markings on the wall to the side of the door.  Jenny pointed them out as Alex waved her badge next to the door to unlock it.  Alex didn’t bother looking up.  “Intern joke.  Wait for the door to close, then you can badge in.”  Jenny nodded, scribbling notes to herself.  She looked at the markings, then did a double-take.  Quickly, she waved her badge at the door and stepped inside the lab.