Genesis

by Bernard Beckett

‘Do you know how long they’re going to be?’ Anax asked, after half an hour had passed with no word being sent through. The guard turned to her. From his expression, she could see he had not been expecting her to speak. ‘How should I know that?’ His voice was surprisingly soft and quiet. Not like a guard at all. ‘I just thought, if you did this often …’ ‘I’ve never been here before,’ he told her. ‘It’s my first time.’ ‘But you are watching me?’ ‘What?’ Confusion tightened his features. ‘You’re a guard, right? You’re here to make sure I don’t try to communicate.’ ‘How could you?’ he replied. ‘The building is under full surveillance. All electronic traffic is tied down.’ ‘I know. I just thought you might be an extra precaution.’ The guard began to laugh. ‘What?’ Anax demanded. ‘What’s so funny?’ ‘I thought the same thing about you,’ he told her. Now she noticed the second door. ‘So you’re …’ ‘Yeah, through there.’ ‘How’s it going?’ ‘I don’t know. I wasn’t expecting the breaks.’ ‘No. It’s unnerving isn’t it?’ ‘A little.’ ‘I’m Anax by the way.’ ‘Pleased to meet you. Soc.’ ‘What’s your specialist topic?’ ‘Do you think we should be discussing this?’ ‘Would they have put us in the same room, if they didn’t want us to?’ ‘Perhaps they’re watching,’ Soc suggested. Anax liked him. She was good on first impressions. His manner was gentle. He was kind, she felt sure of it. ‘Have your questions been difficult?’ Anax asked. ‘Most have been okay,’ he replied. ‘I was thrown by a question on...