Page 14 of A Barista's Guide to Love & Larceny
Silva smiled. “I suppose you could say that.”
Dani had not expected this particular plot twist and didn’t know how to feel about it. “Okay,” she said, “I think I’m following you so far. You’re here to do ‘research’ on OneiroLabs’s new product and see what they’re hiding. But why come to Fox’s Leap? Why not get a job at OneiroLabs itself?”
Silva’s teeth clenched, and it took her a moment to respond. “That would have been a great deal more complicated,” she said tightly. She swallowed, then continued with less tension in her jaw. “Their hiring process is stringent, not to mention lengthy. But it’s not just that—OneiroLabs has seen to it that Fox’s Leap is inextricably linked to this product. Students make up the majority of their recruits for the clinical trials.”
“Oh,” Dani said, remembering the flyer in the library. “I think I’ve seen them advertising around campus.”
“Yes, you’re the perfect target. After all, who’s going to notice a handful of exhausted students? Or a dozen, or fifty?”
“Wait… that guy we saw yesterday. The one who fell asleep at the water fountain?”
“He could be a participant,” Silva said gravely. “I haven’t had the opportunity to speak to a student who’s been in the trials, so I’m unclear on the extent of the side effects, but extreme exhaustion will definitely be one of them. I don’t know how many students have used the product, but I have a feeling this could be a much bigger problem than anyone, except perhaps OneiroLabs, realizes.”
“Wow,” Dani said, letting out a breath. “That’s—I mean, this is some next-level shit. Sorry.”
“No, you’re quite right. It is indeed next-level shit.”
“But…” Dani paused, trying to find the right words. “I guess I’m just wondering, what does any of it have to do with me?”
“Ah, yes,” said Silva. “OneiroLabs has been keeping everything under lock and key, refusing most press requests since they began developing this product. But I’m hoping they might be a little morereceptive to a student from the Leap, and perhaps a bit less tight-lipped around you in particular, what with your gift.”
“You want me to talk to them?”
Silva nodded. “If you’re amenable, you’ll take a tour of their facility while posing as a journalist doing a profile on the company for the school paper—which they won’t be able to find fault with, since they’re debuting this new product here in a little over a month. Fox’s Leap has the privilege of hosting the Renard Gala and Exposition for Magical Innovation and Development this year.” At Dani’s blank look, she explained, “It’s an invitation-only gala where companies and entrepreneurs show off what they’ve been working on. OneiroLabs will finally reveal their new product and secure investors to fund its production.”
“Okay,” Dani said slowly. Something was nagging at her. “If OneiroLabs has been keeping this stuff quiet, how do you know about it at all?”
“Ah,” Silva said. “My organization has many connections in different fields.” Dani didn’t say anything, processing this vague response, and an unprompted violet filled her inner eye as Silva continued. “We had a contact on the inside who leaked some details to us here and there. But what they provided was limited, both due to their role in the company and the fact that it could have significant legal ramifications if they were discovered. As such, they don’t want to be further involved, and we don’t have access to everything we need to move forward.”
That all made sense to Dani. “So that’s it?” she asked. “I go in, take a tour, ask a few questions, and walk away?”
“That’s it,” Silva confirmed.
Dani paused. “Am I allowed to say no?”
Silva’s brows furrowed. “Are you—are youallowedto say no? Of course you’re allowed to. Do you think I’d force you to do something you didn’t want to do?”
Dani lifted one shoulder in response, unable to speak—she was all at once overwhelmed with nausea, but it was the nausea of release, her days-long anxieties washing out to sea.
“Gods, only say yes if you want to. And I’m not asking you to do this for free, either. For your hard work—and your discretion—I’m happy to compensate you. Two hundred and fifty dollars,andI’ll arrange for your lowest grade in Intro to Oneiromancy to be dropped from your record.”
Dani’s brows went up. She’d gotten a C on her last exam in the class, and doing away with it would almost certainly improve her GPA. Plus, the extra money could alleviate some of her constant financial stress. And it wasn’t like Silva was asking her to do anything illegal, or even immoral—in fact, it sounded like quite the opposite.
“Make it three hundred dollars,” Dani said, surprising herself with her boldness, “and you’ve got a deal.”
“Done,” Silva said, a spark of satisfaction in her tone. She reached a hand across the desk, and after a second’s hesitation, Dani shook it. “I must say I’m relieved, Miss…?”
“Lionet,” Dani supplied.
“Miss Lionet.” Silva opened one of her desk drawers and pulled out a checkbook. She scribbled in it as she talked. “Relieved and delighted, since the tour is slated for tomorrow at three o’clock.”
“What? You mean you already had it scheduled? Before I even said yes?”
“I was being optimistic,” Silva said. “That, and it was the only time slot they’d give me. OneiroLabs’s Head of Research attended undergrad here, and the chair of the oneiromancy department was able to call in a favor—but OneiroLabs had to dictate the details, of course. In any case, it worked in the end, no?” She tore off the check she’d been writing and handed it to Dani. “Half now, half once you’ve taken the tour and reported back.”
One hundred and fifty dollars.Dani felt her heart lift a little, justlooking at the number. Silva wasn’t trying to squeeze all the juice out of her like a traumatized lemon. She wasn’t her parents.
“Thank you,” Dani said, “but there’s one problem—I have a class tomorrow at three.”
