Cali & Hitome - Welcome to Unreality 001 write-up (Patreon)

Here in FabPharma, we believe good health is the foundation of vibrant lives, thriving communities and forward progress. That’s why for more than 40 years, we have aimed to keep people well at every age and every stage of life. Today, as the leading corporate conglomerate in pharmaceuticals, genetics, medical advances, cosmetics, chemical manufacturing, consumer packaged goods, and other industries housed under our umbrella, we are committed to using our reach and size for the good of mankind and its advancement. We strive to improve access and affordability, create healthier communities, and put a healthy mind, body and environment within reach of everyone, everywhere.

Every day, more than 1,160,000 employees across the world are blending heart, science and ingenuity to profoundly change the trajectory of health and well-being for humanity. Beyond just employees, members of FabPharma are so much more than that, and we like to consider each and every one as part of our personal family.

As CEO of this corporation, allow me to extend my personal welcome to the heart of this family of ours, the FabPharma Main Headquarters. As you now well know, we consider you to be the closest family of all, since we will be spending most of our time together working on advancements to our entire line of products, as well as researching bleeding edge projects in biotech, medicine, as well as a myriad of other technologies.

I hope to meet with you soon in our next get-together. Until then, I hope you find your quarters to your liking. Attached with this letter, you will also find your personal assignment within the facility, the necessary ID and access passes related to your clearance, as well as a personal welcome package.

I hope you enjoy your time here, and together, we will work towards the future of human well-being.

Yours truly,

Nicholas Montgomery, CEO

Nicholas Montgomery read the draft on his computer screen as he sat in his spacious desk, "Looks good, send my regards to our writing team."

Sadie, Mr. Montgomery's personal assistant, nodded quietly as she stood by his side, "Of course, sir."

Nicholas leaned back in his leather chair, stretching languidly for a moment before resuming his posture, "What else is on today's docket?"

"There's conference calls with our European and Asian branches to update you on their current projects, as well as proposals for the next quarter. They're available to meet at your demand."

"Noted. What else?"

"You have an interview with the Big City Times in the afternoon."

"Mhm, we've already prepared my statements. Anything else?"

Sadie hesitated for a second, glancing over the myriad of folio folders strewn across the CEO's large desk, "Y-you still have to choose the initial test subjects for the first human testing phase of the Nereidyl Project..."

Mr. Montgomery licked his lips, glancing over to his assistant with a wicked grin, "I suppose that's a good place to start," he quips, standing up in a fluid motion.

Pacing slowly back and forth along his desk, Nicholas begins opening each folio, each one containing the personnel files of different women working in FabPharma's headquarters, "You know me, dear Sadie. I take my time with my picks..." Sadie nodded, "And this trial is rather exciting, to be completely honest" he continues, picking up a leaflet whose title reads 'Delivery of large, timed doses of Nereidyl serum to host via implantation', giving it a once over before placing it down carefully once more on his desk.

Sadie only nodded, "I understand, Mr. Montgomery... you've taken this specific project very... personally... already."

Nicholas laughed, "Indeed I have, hope you're not getting jealous, my dear!" Leaning over his desk and picking up four specific folios in succession, handing them over to Sadie "These should do just fine. Give these folios to Dr. Krieger for additional screening, let him know any two in this group are OK'd by me."

The doors from the other side of the immense office suddenly flew open. A turqoise haired, vinyl clad vixen striding in, "Ahh good, I'm not too late," she murrs, making her way across to the office to his desk.

"You want to pick these two," she said, leaning over his desk, slapping down the two folios she was carrying in her hand right in front of Nicholas.

Nicholas Montgomery eyed the exotic woman, "Funny," he snapped, "I wasn't aware you decided to become CEO this morning," he remarked acidly,"I could've slept in."

Sadie eyed Nicholas with trepidation, her gaze slowly sliding over to the woman.

Alice shrugged, "Suit yourself," she shot back, spinning around on her heel and beginning to walk away, "Don't act like I never help."

Nicholas laughed, "Dear Alice, come back," he beckoned as she turned to glare at him, "Come, sit with me and we'll go over your picks together."

Alice narrowed her eyes to almost slits, feigning indignation for a moment before smiling alluringly, quickly making her way back to Montgomery's desk, circumventing it swiftly, and finally plopping down on his lap, leaning forward to lay both folios open in front of him.

Nicholas took the first folio and, at first glance, was already displeased, "Heart issues, weak constitution, overall frailty... this girl actually works for us?"

Alice nodded enthusiastically, "I know, right?"

He looked at her as if she'd grown two heads, "...You're serious? The trial would almost certainly kill her."

"Would not!" she shot back, "If anything it'll help her! And she's already pre-registered herself into every implant trial we have available to headquarter staff, as well as every public one we've published, so it's not like she's gonna get weirded out by this one approval," she argued, "Besides, she's just a nurse, easy to replace."

Nicholas rolled his eyes, sighed, and picked up the next folio, scanning it briefly before throwing it onto the desk, "Alice, are you intentionally trying to waste my time today? This woman is actually PART of the Nereidyl Project," he stared Alice down, leaning away from her in his seat, "Did she do something to piss you off?" he teased.

Alice crossed her arms, staring right back at Nicholas, "So what if she did? That's not the point! In contrast, she's in perfect health, and never was IN the project, just some tangent research leading to it, doesn't know anything important about it, and is also pre-registered to a bunch of cosmetic modification trials we offer. What more could you ask for?"

Nicholas narrowed his eyes, smiling thinly, "So she didn't piss you off at some point?"

Alice sighed in exasperation, her cleavage almost busting out of her low cut vinyl suit, "Will you drop it already? She's never had access to my research wing, and you don't like me randomly interacting with staff outside of it anyway!"

Nicholas shook his head, chuckling, "So why in the world would I burn a skilled researcher on this trial?" he leafed through the folio once more, "Besides, she'll be a handful to deal with, she's already a freaking JJ cup!"

It was Alice's turn to look at Nicholas oddly, "Look at Mr. Moderation here now! Seriously, you know she fulfills every requirement for the trial, and way more. Just think of the possibilities!"

Nicholas raised his eyebrows, "Alright, I will concede your point," he said, taking the last folio and throwing it across the desk, motioning to Sadie, "Tell Dr. Krieger to prioritize this one for final screening."

Alice frowned, "What about my first pick?!"

"Ah, dear Alice," Nicholas laughed, wrapping an arm across her waist, "We all can't have everything we want all the time, that's what makes life so... interesting!"

She suddenly stood, "I want them both in the trial, Monty. You owe me that much." she pouted.

Nicholas raised an eyebrow, "Are we going to get petty now? I think that debt is more than repaid."

Alice crossed her arms, looking away from him, "Okay, fine... we can make the wager."

Nicholas paused for a moment, "Mm, what was that?"

She gritted her teeth, "You know what I fucking said."

He tilted his head, regarding her coldly, "So, you get your way, and if your picks make it through the trial, you...?"

"Get more access."

"To what?"

"Everything."

"Heh," Nicholas leaned back in his chair, his gaze never leaving Alice's resentful glare, "Either of your picks don't make it through the trial, then you..."

"Don't say it. I know what you want."

"Fair enough," he smiled thinly once more, "You know we have to go through all this nonsense because of you, right? And, you're taking all the fun out of it for me along the way as well! Do you know that I've spent days poring through personnel files for the picks I already had laid out before you barged in?"

Alice doesn't reply, just glares back at Nicholas, time stretching along the silence, "It's a deal then?" she finally snaps.

"Very well, Alice, deal." he waves her away, "Take those folios to Dr. Krieger and have him call them in for trial-related prepping."

Her demeanor changes instantly, snapping up the folios triumphantly, "You won't regret it!" she beams at him before quickly making her way out of the office.

"I know I won't," he called out after her, smiling coldly, "Either way, I win!"

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*NURSE HITOME NAKAMURA, PLEASE REPORT TO CENTRAL STATION* the loudspeaker system blared.

Hitome was finishing up with a patient. Smiling kindly, she finished tending to his bandages.

"There, all set! Hopefully next time you're a little more careful near the heaters, hmm?"

The lab tech grinned sheepishly, nodding, "Yes, Nurse Nakamura, thank you."

Hitome winked at him, then turned to leave, musing as she looked up at the loudspeaker.

Weird, I rarely get called to Central. Hope I didn't mess up or something...

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*RESEARCHER CALISTA ARIELLO, PLEASE REPORT TO CENTRAL STATION*

Looking up from her papers, Cali eyed the loudspeaker.

A summons from Central? That's odd, my research notes aren't due for a few more days...

She sighed, saving her work before putting away her papers and logging off her workstation, wondering what this call could be for...

TO BE CONTINUED