Page 1 of The Alien’s Mate

CHAPTER 1

THE INTERVIEW

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It was just an interview, Lila knew as much—but it was at Howland & West Industries, the biggest pharmaceutical company in all of America. So, it wasn’t just an interview—it was the chance of a lifetime to do what she had always dreamed of doing: discover cures for every illness in the world.

Ambitious, indeed; she wasn’t stupid. She knew she would probably never find the cure to anything, but if she worked at a company like Howland & West, known for its ingenuity and innovation, she might be able to at least play a part.

She had just received her BA, and she wanted to move on to her Master’s as soon as she could afford it; when the opportunity arose for her to apply at Howland & West, she was sure she wouldn’t get it because she didn’t have the right degree. The application was rigorous; they wanted everything—school records, several letters of recommendation, and a personal letter; they wanted information about her parents, her medical records, and even her measurements; they wanted pictures of her, a voice recording, and several hand-written, predetermined phrases.

In a way, it felt strange sending them all that, but it was Howland & West Industries. She would sell her soul if it meant she would be able to work there. When she got the interview, she thought for sure that she was dreaming.

That the facilities were hi-tech was no surprise; that they had high security was even less so. Lila had to go through two security checks before she was even allowed into their offices. There, she was placed outside of Mr. West’s office, a wait that made her both nervous and excited.

Stephen West was one of the most successful businessmen in the country—impress him, and every door would open for her. Disappoint him, and she would never work with pharmaceuticals, anywhere.

A dainty woman approached after about half an hour. “Mr. West will see you now, Miss Vernon.”

Lila smiled and stood. The woman led her into the man’s office, and behind a large, glass desk, sat Stephen West. Even though his hair was thinning out, it was neatly combed. His face was hollow but alive, and his eyes glittered like a child’s.

He rose and stood above six feet tall, not a wrinkle upon his expensive suit. “Miss Vernon, welcome.” He extended his hand, waiting for Lila to shake it. “Congratulations on being selected.”

“Thank you, Mr. West,” Lila breathed while accepting the man’s hand. “I was very surprised—and happy, of course!—to be elected.”

Mr. West’s lips curled into a smug smile, and he fixed his tie before sitting down again. “Yes, the competition was fierce. Margery, bring us some coffee.”

“At once, Mr. West.” The woman hurried away from the room.

The man’s sparkling eyes quickly scrutinized Lila, and she suddenly felt shy; was she wearing the wrong clothes? Was she too plain? Too skimpy? She didn’t know.

“Your resumé is very impressive, Miss Vernon,” said Mr. West and weaved his fingers together. “Top of the class, excellent recommendations, and I must say that your personal letter touched me. It had me convinced that you truly do want to change the world for the better.”

Lila straightened. “I do.”

“You have outstanding pedigree, your medical records show you’re fit as a fiddle, and you have a most sympathetic countenance.”

Lila felt her cheeks heat and she looked down. “Thank you, Mr. West.”

“The downside is that you have not finished your education yet,” sighed the man. “Typically, we wouldn’t hire anyone with less than a PhD. Of course, that is years away for you.”

“I… I do have the ambition to advance,” nodded Lila. “I wasn’t sure I should even try to get this position without my PhD—I really don’t want to offend you! I just… it just felt right to apply.” She looked at him. “It’s my dream to come here, to help you and Dr. Howland save the world.”

Mr. West looked at her, narrowed his eyes, and nodded. “What we do here is cutting edge, Miss Vernon. Some things… might be too difficult for some to stomach.”

Lila swallowed and shifted in her seat.

Mr. West’s piercing eyes caught it, and his mouth turned into a thin line. “Are you sure you’re willing to do what it takes to, as you put it, save the world? You’re not even twenty-five years old yet.”

Lila felt her heart drop, her legs almost numbed, but she nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Mr. West narrowed his eyes even more before he nodded again. “Good.” The door opened and the dainty woman returned with a tray of coffee, and Mr. West smiled. “Let’s chat over some coffee, and then, I’ll take you to see the facilities we have here.”

The conversation they had was ordinary; they spoke of many different things, things that didn’t seem to hold any relevance to the job she was applying for. She tried to find out more about it. What would she do as a laboratory assistant? But Mr. West didn’t want to talk about work—he wanted to get to know her a bit better, to pick her brain.

They spend another thirty minutes inside his office before he took her on a tour. The Howland & West Industries building was enormous, but most of it was underground. They went down a couple of floors to find the laboratory, where they had to disinfect and dress in protective wear. Lila was awe-struck by the research going on inside that room. She didn’t know what they were doing, or what medication they were testing, and she didn’t have the authorization to know, but whatever it was, she knew it was for the good of humanity.

Mr. West showed her all the hyper-modern equipment, the million-dollar gear, and pointed out the importance of working with the right engineers to achieve what they had. Some things, he said, were unique and only existed at Howland & West.