Dr. Hoffman pulled off his goggles and tucked them inside his jacket. For the first time, his eyes met hers. They were obsidian, much darker than Sophie had imagined. She recalled hearing about them in the past, when several of her team had been invited to a board meeting with NTC leadership.

“The data your team will collect is very important, Dr. Winston. I hope you realize what you have been hired to do.” He scrunched his eyebrows together, peering deeper into her eyes. It was too much; she looked away.

“I’m fully aware of my assignment. Just remember your part of the bargain.”

“I don’t gamble when it comes to the end of the world, Dr. Winston. You and your team will have seats on the first flight to Mars. You have my word.”

His reassurance helped her relax, and she settled back into her seat, clasping her hands together and staring out the train window. The concrete walls of the tunnels raced by, illuminated by the white glow of the halogen lights. Eventually, the train slowed to a halt. The two NTC soldiers rose from their seats and stepped out into the tunnel. Dr. Hoffmann followed, once again covering his black eyes with his goggles.

“This way, Doctor,” he said, leading her back into the access lane. “The Biosphere is located in the main chamber. The space has been completely retrofitted and sealed from the outside. A state-of-the-art air filtration system has been added, and the facility is equipped with an artificial intelligence named Alexia—you will meet her shortly. She controls the temperature, humidity, and all the other settings the Biosphere needs to operate properly. In case of a medical emergency, she will also double as a doctor.”

“Our engineer, Saafi Yool, is more than capable of regulating the settings,” Sophie said. “And among the rest of my staff, I’m sure we can handle any medical emergencies.”

Dr. Hoffman stopped in front of the open blast door, staring into the chamber. “Consider Alexia part of your team—a safeguard, if you will. Do I need to remind you how important this mission is, Dr. Winston? The future of humanity depends on your results. It’s the reason I have taken time from my very busy schedule to be here for the beginning of this project. I don’t like to waste my time. Am I wasting my time?” One of his eyebrows formed an arch over his goggles.

Sophie took a deep breath. “No,” she said. “As we already discussed, I’m well aware of the significance of this mission. I do not, however, trust any AI, especially one I haven’t worked with before.”

Dr. Hoffman turned. “Dr. Winston, this isn’t open for negotiation. Alexia is part of your team now. Accept it, or we will find someone else.” His tone was firm, and Sophie realized this wasn’t something she could argue.

“Okay then. Alexia is part of my team,” she lied. She was anxious for a shower, a hot cup of coffee, and the familiar faces of her team. Even if that team now included an unfamiliar hologram.