Dark Princess: Shadows (The Children Of The Gods Paranormal Romance #89)

23. Rob

23

ROB

A s Rob stepped into the elevator in the glass pavilion, he gazed at the panel of floor buttons, realizing that he didn't know which level the lab was on. He'd been so eager to meet with William about potential work opportunities that he'd forgotten to stop by the café and ask someone for directions to his lab.

He scanned the panel again, hoping for some clue. Every floor had some symbol next to it, but the only one he recognized was the one for the gym level. He could stop there and ask for directions.

As the elevator descended, his mind drifted to the previous evening, and a smile tugged at his lips as he remembered his time with Gertrude. She'd been so eager to learn how to use the punching bag, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm as he'd shown her the proper stance and technique.

"Like this?" she'd asked, throwing a tentative punch at the bag.

Rob had gently corrected her stance, trying to ignore the warmth that spread through him at their proximity. "Almost. Try to rotate your hips more as you punch. It'll give you more power."

She'd nodded, a look of determination crossing her face as she tried again. The bag had barely moved.

"That's okay," Rob had assured her. "It takes practice to build up the strength and technique."

Now, as the elevator doors opened on the gym level, Rob couldn't help but wonder if Gertrude had been holding back. She was an immortal, after all. Surely she was stronger than she'd let on. It was a disconcerting thought that she might have been pretending, letting him play the role of the knowledgeable instructor so he wouldn't be embarrassed when she punched harder than he could. It sent a conflicting wave of emotions through him.

On one hand, it was sweet of her to consider his feelings. On the other, he'd had enough of pretense with Lynda.

He preferred the naked, unadorned truth, no matter how uncomfortable it might be.

As he stepped out of the elevator, the familiar scent of cleaning products filled his nostrils. The gym was busy. Immortals and a few hybrid Kra-ell were scattered across various machines and workout areas. He scanned the room, looking for a familiar face or someone who seemed approachable.

He spotted a guy working with free weights who gave him a friendly smile and decided to ask him. As Rob approached, the man set down his dumbbells and looked up expectantly.

"I'm trying to find William's lab. Would you happen to know which floor his lab is located on?"

The guy nodded. "Of course. William's lab isn't on a specific floor. Not anymore, that is. It has turned into a complex that spans multiple levels. I can take you there if you'd like." He extended his hand. "I'm Randel."

Rob shook it. "I'm Rob."

"I know," Randel said. "You are Margo's brother."

He was surprised at how many people knew his sister, but then she had become a celebrity when she'd been rescued from the cartel boss's yacht and brought to the clan's cruise ship.

Still, how did everyone know that he was her brother?

"That's right. If you point me in the right direction, I'm sure I can find the place myself. I don't want to interrupt your workout."

Randel waved off his concern. "It's no trouble. I was about done anyway. I heard that you are a programmer." He started toward the door.

Rob chuckled. "I was warned that the village is a small community and that everyone knows everything about everyone else, but I've just gotten here. How come you know that I'm a programmer?"

Randel shrugged. "Rumors travel fast through the village." He called the elevator. "And we are always strapped for programmers and tech people. William is going to welcome you with open arms."

"Do you work in his department?" Rob asked.

"I do." Randel entered the elevator, and Rob followed. "But I'm not a programmer. I'm an engineer, and I'm currently working on the Perfect Match machines."

"Those are fascinating. Margo is interested in a position on the Perfect Match team, and she doesn't even care in what capacity. She will take any job."

Randel smiled. "I get it. We have a list a mile long of people who want to go on an adventure, so we are trying to put together two more machines. We had a problem with some parts that were difficult to get, but we finally got them."

As they traveled up, Rob's mind wandered back to Gertrude and their time in the gym. He turned to Randel, curiosity getting the better of him. "Can I ask you something pretty mundane about immortals?"

"Sure, shoot."

"I was working out with an immortal female yesterday, showing her how to use the punching bag. But I couldn't help wondering if she was holding back. I mean, aren't immortals significantly stronger than humans?"

"It depends. Immortal females are generally much stronger than human females and even many human males, but the difference isn't as drastic as it is for immortal males. If she hasn't trained with the punching bag before, she might have been doing her best."

The relief Rob felt was disproportionate for what had been at stake. It wouldn't have been a big deal if Gertrude had held back a little. He just needed to make it clear to her that he appreciated honesty and didn't need coddling. He believed she was a good woman, and she would understand.

When the elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open, the sight that greeted him was somewhat chaotic, but the sprawling wonderland of advanced tech had his mouth watering.

Sleek workstations were arranged in clusters, each surrounded by screens displaying all kinds of schematics and lines of code, and in one corner, a group of people were gathered around what looked like a partially disassembled humanoid robot. In another, someone was manipulating what appeared to be a multi-armed type of robotic device that was mounted on a wide base with wheels and was twirling around like a ballerina.

"Welcome to William's domain," Randel said with a grin.

He led Rob into an office that occupied a corner of the large hall. "Where is William?" he asked a beautiful blond woman who was peering over a table covered with scattered pieces of paper. "He stepped out for a moment." She turned to look at the door. "Oh, here he is. William, you have visitors."

"Hello." The slightly chubby guy approached with a bright smile on his face and an energetic stride. "You must be Rob," he said, extending his hand. "I'm William. I've been looking forward to meeting you."

Rob shook his hand. "It's an honor to meet you and get to see this place. For me, it's like Wonderland."

William's smile widened. "Just wait until you see what we're working on. But first, let's chat in my office. Thank you for showing him the way, Randal."

Randel nodded and gave Rob an encouraging pat on the back before heading back to the elevator.

William led Rob to a messy desk at the back of the room. "Excuse the mess." He pointed to a dust-covered chair. "Please, sit down."

Rob stifled the impulse to clear the dust first and sat down. It was better to wash his jeans later than to embarrass his future employer.

William sat behind his desk and leaned forward, his bright blue eyes sparkling. "So, Rob, tell me about your experience. What kind of projects have you worked on?"

Rob took a deep breath, trying to organize his thoughts. "Well, I've been in software development for over a decade now. My focus has mainly been on creating efficient algorithms for data processing and analysis. I've worked on projects ranging from financial modeling software to predictive analytics for marketing campaigns."

William nodded, looking not particularly impressed. "Excellent. And how comfortable are you with adapting to new programming languages or paradigms?"

"Very comfortable," Rob replied with confidence. "In fact, it's one of the things I enjoy most about the field. There's always something new to learn, new problems to solve in innovative ways."

"That's exactly the kind of attitude we value here." William gestured toward the lab. "Much of what we do here requires thinking outside conventional paradigms."

Rob's curiosity was piqued. "Can you tell me more about it?"

"Oh, where to begin? We're working on so many exciting things. Our robotics department and the Perfect Match systems are where we are focusing our efforts currently, but there are dozens of smaller projects that we are working on in addition to that. We're constantly refining our algorithms, improving the AI's ability to adapt to user responses in real time. And that's just scratching the surface." He paused, studying Rob intently. "Are you ready to join our team? You can start right away, this afternoon if you want."

He chuckled. "I wish I could, but I can't just drop everything immediately. I have a project I'm in the middle of for my current employer. I wouldn't feel right leaving them in the lurch."

William's smile grew warmer. "I appreciate your loyalty and integrity, Rob. Give your employer notice, finish your project, and join us whenever you are ready."