And there. Thane Chulalongkorn, Senior Researcher, Department of Horticulture.

I typed a message in the air as I walked. Need a favor. Can you get me a watermelon?

He responded before I made the end of the hallway. Sure, if you explain WTF you need it for.

Thanks. I’ll come to you if you can clear me for access.

Yeah. Meet you on the green floor.

The lift in question opened as soon as I pressed my hand to the scanner. Thane had come through. It was a start, but it wouldn’t help when the timeline rest.

When I exited on the green floor, the air tasted cleaner. Thane leaned against the wall holding a canned energy bev. I’d only met him once—though it was hard to think of that as yesterday—but a few hours had changed him. His hair hung limp and greasy and his rumpled lab coat was buttoned askew. I’d spent enough nights sleeping in my own lab to recognize the glazed expression of overwork.

“Altair Orpheus.” He extended his hand for a firm shake. “Didn’t think I’d be hearing from you so soon.”

I shrugged. “Didn’t think I’d be needing a functionally extinct fruit.”

“For Quanta, right?” He sipped his energy bev and waved me down the hall after him.

“How much do you know about her?” I gave half my attention to the conversation and half to the layout of the corridors. The subtle scent of growing things permeated the air as we passed glass-walled rooms of hydroponic greens.

“Only that she’s made me a good few credits over the years.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair, compounding the grease. “And I’m growing half this shit for her dinner.”

I faltered mid-stride. “Doctor Nagi’s letting you use research space for that?”

Thane shot me a wry, caffeinated smile. “You’re an Orpheus. You should know the politics.”

I knew all about Helix politics and the insider deals that fueled the Senate, but in this underground world of Doctor Nagi’s, nothing met my expectations. “Enlighten me.”

“Let’s just say you want to be the big doctor’s favorite.” Thane keyed us into one of the growing rooms, choked with the scents of ripe fruit and pollen. “Quanta’s his favorite project and Waldman’s his favorite team leader.” My face must’ve shown what I thought of that idea. Thane laughed. “Yeah. Everyone else thinks Waldman’s the spawn of Satan.”

“That’s an understatement.” I followed Thane down a row of neat apple trees and the misting apparatus on the ceiling stopped spraying to let us pass. Mutual hatred was an excellent place to start digging for info. “I wouldn’t mind putting up with him if I could at least access his research. I came here expecting to collaborate. Not start from scratch.”