We had passed several employees in lab coats along the corridor, but this part of the building looked deserted, silent and empty. It felt like a dungeon formed of steel, the massive doors revealing nothing of what went on behind them.

“Yes,” she said.

“Do you know what they do in there?”

She crossed her arms, studying the thick steel doors. “I don’t,” Daiyu said. “But I know that my father has been working on a secret project for a few years now.”

I untinted my helmet, and she held my gaze, assessing me. Was I being too obvious? Had I looked too long through one window, shown too much interest? Did she notice me memorizing the layout of everywhere we went, marking each corridor and emergency exit?

“I’m sure he’ll make a big announcement soon about the endeavor,” she said. “But now you have me curious too.”

I gave a devilish grin. “Let’s go see.”

Just then, one of the steel doors slid back, releasing a draft of cold air. Daiyu tensed, laying her hand lightly on my arm. “Keep your helmet on but untinted.”

A tall man exited, wearing the same white lab coat as everyone else, clutching a stack of files. He was reading notes, murmuring to himself, before he noticed Daiyu and me standing on the edge of the restricted area. When he recognized Daiyu, his eyes widened. “Miss Jin,” he said. “Good evening.”

She nodded at the man, smiling. “Dr. Lu. You’re here late.”

“Yes, got caught up in what I was working on.” His dark eyebrows drew together. “Can I help you?” He cast a glance my way. It was not a friendly look. “This is a high-security area.”

“Really?” Daiyu said, lifting her chin. “Even to me?”

The tall scientist shifted on his feet, his uncertainty and discomfort obvious. “I . . . I think you’d have to ask your father, Miss Jin.”

She flashed that disarming smile. “I was just giving my classmate a small tour,” Daiyu said, her tone casual and light. “I’m taking him to Vivian to see my newest suit.”

Dr. Lu brightened. “Vivian. She is so talented.” He pressed the files he held protectively against his chest. “You’re fortunate to have her as your designer.”

“Definitely. We were just headed that way.”

He nodded at us as we turned around, then pushed past us in his haste to where he was going.

She gripped my arm to stop me and cocked her head back toward the restricted laboratory. I winked. We didn’t say a word as she stepped beneath the brain wave scanner. This time, I slipped the capture device onto the column right as she got under the dome. I wondered if the scanner would grant her entry, and by Daiyu’s uncertain expression, she didn’t know either.