Water's Price

Table of Contents A NineStar Press Publication Water’s Price Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six About the Author Connect with NineStar Press A NineStar Press Publication www.ninestarpress.com Water’s Price ISBN: 978-1-64890-669-5 © 2023 Mell Eight Cover Art © 2023 Jaycee DeLorenzo Published in June 2023 by NineStar Press, New Mexico, USA. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact NineStar Press at [email protected]. CONTENT WARNING: This book contains depictions of graphic violence. Water’s Price A NSP Fantasy Short Mell Eight Chapter One “YOUR DESK IS here,” Nythia said, waving to an anonymous cubicle in the midst of a sea of cubicles. Although most of the other cubes had some sort of decoration or photos and were covered in varying amounts of paper and binders, the desk she showed Calder had a computer and a stapler, but that was it. “You can leave your stuff here, and we’ll start on the tour.” Calder obeyed, dropping his bag onto the desk and shrugging out of his light autumn coat to hang on the back of the chair. Warrick had told him not to bother with a suit on the first day—the office was incredibly informal to the point that most employees wore jeans and T-shirts—but Calder couldn’t do that. He had compromised by wearing a nice pair of slacks and a collared shirt. His emerald-colored button-down emphasized his blue-black hair and green eyes, which was why he had chosen it for his first day. “Shall we?” he asked Nythia. She nodded and led the way back out of the cubicle farm. “As you know, Mere Nerian Logistics is the leading manufacturer and implementation company for technology and resources to help save our oceans. Beyond simple cleanup is the subsequent recycling of the items recovered from the water. We are also a world leader for providing high quality recycled plastic and rubber to partner manufacturers.” Nythia pressed the button for the elevator, and they waited a few moments for it to open. Then she pressed the number two. “First floor is the lobby and reception, which you already saw. The basement is the parking garage for our executives, and you need access permissions added to your badge to get down there.” She pointed to the card hanging from the lanyard around his neck that she had handed to him first thing and then to a white box adjacent to the elevator buttons. “You also can’t access the eleventh floor, which are the executive suites. However, the rest of the building is open.” They got off on the second floor and immediately turned right, where Nythia showed him the massive cafeteria from which he could grab food any time of the day or night. Apparently, some employees had to work off-hours and the cafeteria accommodated. Next, she towed him down a long hallway to the gym, which had a raised track and every kind of exercise and weight equipment Calder could think of. Then it was back into the hallway, where they walked past two doors. One had a sign reading Authorized Entry Only. Calder could smell salt and water and guessed there was a salt pool on the other side. The second door read No Admittance, and here, Calder smelled the brine of the ocean. Nythia hustled past both doors, not mentioning anything about what they were for as they returned to the elevator. The rest of the building was a mix of cubicles—like his on the fifth floor—and research and development. Nythia was particularly proud of the massive weather simulator tank on the seventh floor, a gigantic tank full of water that could emulate anything from becalmed seas to a hurricane and allowed them to test the viability of the various products they were sending out to collect trash and debris from the ocean. Finally, she tapped her badge to the white card reader and pressed the button for the eleventh floor. They stepped out into another lobby, this one with blue tile floors and cream-colored walls. Tasteful seascape paintings lined the walls. A secretary behind a large brown desk held court in the center of the room. “Calder Nicor to see Mr. Triton,” Nythia said. The secretary nodded and typed something into his computer. “He’ll be right out.” Nythia turned to Calder. “Carr will be waiting for you when you’re done. He’s your mentor and will show you how all the databases and such run. If you have any HR questions, you know where to find me.” “It was nice to meet you,” Calder replied. She grinned at him and waved as she returned to the elevator. Calder was left standing awkwardly in the lobby for only another minute before a door off to the left slid open. The man who stepped through was, in one word, impressive. His shoulders and chest were massive and corded with muscle over a trim waist and thick thighs. Yet, for all that bulk, his jeans and long-sleeved print shirt were not overly tight. Rather, he simply looked fit and healthy. His hair was a lovely red-blond, cut to frame his angular face with gentle waves, and his blue eyes were kind-looking, but firm. He appeared to be in his early thirties, not much older than Calder’s given age of midtwenties, but as Calder well knew, looks could be deceiving. He was everything Calder had heard a Triton would be. “Hello. I’m Sevan Triton,” he said. “You must be Calder Nicor. Welcome.” He waved for Calder to precede him back through the doorway and into the office beyond. Calder obeyed, slipping