Delphine

Her eyes twitched in amusement at his stammering acceptance of her offer to pair up. This would be an easier task with someone not so exuberant and full of themselves. As they reached the table, she sat down, legs wider than a usual casual position, leaning onto the table. She took in the model and the components that needed to be fitted. As suspected, mostly simple things but there was an optic. Her lips split into a smile. They were her favourite, the only thing that actually interested her in their application to human biology. The close-knitted wiring required to make them work and flow with natural nerves was beautiful, artistic.

Delphine made a move towards the optic, giving the other installments little but a glance. Looking up, she saw his fumbled movements around his chosen installment. He was right, it wasn't his strong suit. She would help him after this, optics took a few minutes for her and this was an older model, easier to connect than the newer versions.

"Is it not the same reason everyone came here today?" Delphine quipped, her eyes never leaving her hands where they moved with speed only capable with an enhancement. Taking the original eye out was the annoying part, making sure the nerves don't get damaged in the process. "Money, advancements, power, it's why everyone comes to a cyberware company, but here it is on a whole other level." She was telling the truth, that is why people came here. But she wanted to see what the grass was like on the other side, was this a better place to create and nurture her ideas? Or was it just like Elysium where she couldn't get a word in to the managers or even other engineers.

"I just had some good teachers." She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, pressing the final connective wire into place with the nerve ending, holding it with tiny forceps. All there was left to do now was push the new optic back into the socket without damaging the bone. Delphine's eyes flicked up at the introduction of Hazel's voice. She knew the woman was walking around the room and it was obvious she was assessing them. Other pairs were panicking, making stupid mistakes because of it. Once Hazel's attention turned from her partner to Delphine, she slotted the optic back into the socket in one flick of her fingers, her knuckles popping at the movement.

Delphine smiled, ensuring she kept it friendly, raising her hands and flexing her fingers. "New hands will do that." She glanced back over at her partner, he was still struggling. Not wanting to draw attention and dash his chances of an internship here, Delphine quickly shifted her eyes back to Hazel. Her words were spoken with a curiousity that would not bring any suspicion, but her eyes were gleaming with something else.

"Graduated with highest honors and had some good teachers, it's not very complicated to understand." Delphine returned the spark in her eyes, lifting a neural link chip in one of her hands. "I think we will be done soon, but we better get back to work." She smiled warmly before sliding her chair towards her partner a little further down the table.

Waiting for a moment, Delphine watched as he tried to assemble the piece. "Here, watch this." She reached over and carefully took the piece from his hands and twisted it, aligning the two components. "It won't fit in right, unless it's lined up properly." Delphine held the object back out towards him, palm open. "It may not be your strongest skill, but by the looks of some of these other pairs, you have a good shot." It was true, there was one other pair going almost at Delphine's pace, but many others were still struggling with simple installments, leaving the complicated optic for last - mistake number one.

Delphine

Her attention returned to Hazel as she spoke, her eyes sparking with interest. That sounded promising. A chance to put forth her ideas and actually implement then without being shut down or carted out of the room without a second glance. The excitement welled inside her, Delphine's body remained neutral but her eyes betrayed her interest.

"Thank you, I will perform proficiently in those challenges as well." A statement, not a guess at her skills in the areas, but a confident proclaiment of her abilities. Beside her she heard Eli speak, her eyes carried over to him, her lips already moving to talk. "You're welcome." But the end of her response was abrupt, for the tiniest most insignificant moment her body tensed. Eyes twitched and shot to Eli's face. He wasn't looking at her, instead focusing on Hazel's next words and the component in his hands.

How did he know her name? Sure, it was listed in the main room, but any of these people in their group could be Delphine. Perhaps he had seen her at other related events, even then she had never met this man. Another micro reaction to her name as Eli said it again. She wasn't mistaken, he had said her name. As the man looked back towards her, Delphine breezed her surprise off into a cool look, attempting to conceal her thoughts beneath.

"Don't worry, it takes practice. Finicky little things too." She proded at the last component, some sort of chip. "This will be quick." Delphine offered with a taut smile. Edging her way towards the neck of the model, fiddling with her contraption before pushing into the gun applicator. She needed to line it up with the muscle, not the huge vessels or nerves in the area and especially not the bone. Delphine twisted her wrist, a moment later, the chip was perfectly slotted into the fibres of neck muscle below the ear. Puffing out a sigh, she gently slid the gun back onto the table and leaned back in her chair. Eyes calculating Eli's movements.

"Why are you looking for an internship here? I know I'm not one to speak, but you're not intern age either." Delphine tipped her head to one side, her hair following suit, a small portion covering an eye in the process. Had he just worked out her name from the board, or had she said it and not remembered? Either way, her curiousity was peaked.

Hazel

Hazel observed Delphine closely, noting the ease with which she navigated the technical tasks. Her confidence and skill were impressive, and Hazel couldn't help but feel that her initial instincts had been correct.

After a moment of consideration, Hazel decided to address the matter directly. "You know, Delphine," she began, her tone neutral, "I’m not usually one to rush into things. Bringing someone in for an interview the same day might seem impulsive to some. But I trust my instincts, and you have certainly caught my attention."

Hazel's gaze lingered on Delphine for a second longer than necessary, taking in the confident way she held herself, the subtle curve of her smile, and the way her eyes sparkled with a mixture of curiosity and challenge. There was something undeniably magnetic about her, a pull that Hazel couldn't ignore.

"It’s not just your technical skills that stand out. It’s how you handle yourself under pressure, how you navigate the dynamics of this room. That’s something we value here" her voice softened as she spoke.

Hazel's eyes met Delphine's with a knowing look, "So, if you’re up for it, I’d like to see more of what you can do. We could go upstairs to my office now, have a more private conversation. This way, we won't have to keep you later than what the open day usually runs? I wouldn’t want to hold you back from whatever plans you might have, but I do think there’s potential here, and in this fast paced industry I’d rather not wait to explore it."

Her smile was sharp, hinting at the challenge ahead, yet there was a hint of something warmer beneath the surface, a genuine interest not just in Delphine's skills, but in Delphine herself. There was an undeniable charm to the way Delphine held herself, a confidence that drew Hazel in. "What do you say? A bit of a detour, just the two of us?" A smile pulled at the edges of her mouth.

Eli

Eli blinked, taken aback by Hazel’s sudden shift in tone and the proposal she made to Delphine. He had seen Hazel in action enough times to know that she was typically meticulous, not one to rush decisions or show her cards too quickly.

The fact that she was inviting Delphine upstairs for a private conversation so soon felt out of character, and it left Eli wondering what exactly she saw in Delphine that warranted such immediate attention.

He cleared his throat, trying to mask his surprise. "Wow, Hazel," he said, his voice carrying a hint of disbelief. "You’re moving pretty fast, aren’t you? I mean, you usually take your time with these things." He glanced at Delphine, trying to read her reaction, then back at Hazel, undoubtedly giving away that the pair knew each other well.

"Not that it’s a bad thing," Eli added quickly, not wanting to sound like he was questioning Hazel’s judgment. "It’s just… unexpected. I guess she made quite an impression on you." His eyes flicked between Hazel and Delphine, feeling the tension in the room shift slightly.

Eli shifted his weight, unsure if he should stay or leave them to their conversation. The dynamic between Hazel and Delphine was intriguing, almost charged with an undercurrent he hadn’t noticed before.

"Well, I’m sure you’ll have plenty to discuss," he said, stepping back slightly. "I’ll… uh… be around if you need me." He nodded to both women, trying to keep his expression neutral, though he couldn’t quite hide the curiosity in his eyes. "I'm gonna move on to the next room Hazel, I'll catch you later" he grimaced as he spoke. His nerves had got to him and caused him to spill the private dynamic between him, but he was sure that Hazel would ease Delphine's suspicions and explain that he was essentially just a scout looing for talent.

Delphine

The moment her hand reached out in introduction to Eli, Hazel had swept back to the table, catching the woman by surprise. Her head lifted from her hand quickly as she looked over towards Hazel, her other extended hand retreating back to her side. The tablet on her lap buzzed again. Delphine ignored it once more, looking towards the captivating gaze of the woman before her. Her spine straightened at the progression of the sentence. She had peaked her interest clearly, but where was she going with this. Delphine held the eye contact without wavering, her own pale blue eyes glinting in the unnatural light of the room, keeping her expression friendly enough even if there was a twinge of deviousness to her smile.

Hazel was speaking all of the correct buzz words Delphine had been hungry for. Recognition, acknowledgement, progression, deserved praise, it was almost the whole kit and kaboodle. Delphine would be an idiot to miss the underlying tone to this woman’s proposal. Yet, a private interview with one of the top leaders in the field is not something she would turn down. Even if word got out to Elysium, she could fabricate some excuse, scouting for new interns or something. That was a problem to solve later on when it arose and began to cause issues, she was never much of a planner.

Delphine matched the feline smile of Hazel, the competitive glaze over the woman’s eyes was something she had seen in her own many times, it was enthralling. She parted her lips to respond, something sly but agreeing, when Eli spoke up beside her and made her stop in her tracks. Delphine’s eyes shifted over to the man, almost forgetting he was there, until he said Hazel’s name. In slight shock at first, who in their right mind would address her like that if you wanted to intern here. But then, as he continued, the more complex intertwining of the pair were coming to fruition in Delphine’s mind. Her nails tapped on the table for a moment as Eli paused in his chatter.

“I see.” Delphine mused, a small knowing smile sliding onto her lips. “That’s how you know my name.” She directed her conclusion towards Eli. “Not that you did well hiding this,” She gestured between Hazel and Eli. “Arrangement, that is.” Delphine slowly rose to her feet, grasping her tablet with one hand. She did not offer Eli another glance, her attention honed on the woman before her. Eli had scurried off, further confirming her suspicions were correct.

“I would be honoured to take the offer.” Delphine smiled, her eyes dancing with adrenaline, the possibilities that she may have just unlocked for herself forming in her thoughts. Perhaps, she could actually do something here. Perhaps, become greater than her parents, or at the capacity that Hazel was talking, greater than Elysium.

Cain

When the elevator pulled to the correct floor, Cain whipped himself out of the old rusting metal cage and jogged towards the corner of the carpark. His hand flapping about trying to grab his key from the jacket pocket. He didn’t have a car at the moment, he’d thrown out the alignment and it was in the shop, he would probably sell it. The sleek piece of metal was getting old now, other models were beginning to come onto the scene and cause issues for Cain’s races. His friend was supplying the car for tonight, all he had to do was show up.

Finally, he flicked the keys into his hand and pressed down on the finger ID button on the black piece of plastic and glass. With a deafening growl, the engine of his motorcycle burst to life, the sound echoing off of the cement walls of the under ground carpark. Cain’s face was split by a wide grin as he hooked a leg over the seat, securing his black helmet onto his head before leaning back to check that he at least had a set of goggles for Delphine. Which he did, good, she hated to bleed her eye make up in the wind, she didn’t care too much about the hair.

On my way now, you’re house first stop? He padded into the device before tucking it into an inner pocket on his jacket and zipping the leather up. Cain flicked up the stand, gave a rev of his engine before tearing out of the carpark. Barely missing a beat up sedan that was pulling into the garage, he skidded around it before vanishing up into the streets of the city.

Hazel let her gaze follow Eli as he scurried away, a chuckle escaing her lips at Delphine's words. "Eli is usually more subtle, he works for me" the partial lie sounding natural. "Excellent," Hazel replied smoothly, her voice carrying a hint of warmth as she met Delphine’s gaze. "I had a feeling you’d be up for it. You seem like the type who doesn’t shy away from a challenge, and we could use someone with your talents and... perspective."

Delphine

Delphine’s hand moved to tuck a stray strand of hair from her cheek behind her ear as she listened carefully. Certainly not missing the pause in Hazel’s words, clearly there to make it more pointed. A small wave of suspicion prickled over Delphine’s skin, but it was quickly beaten out by the promise of advancement that was being waved in front of her face. She was like a hungry stray dog being teased with a juicy steak.

“You have read me correctly then.” She confirmed, keeping her smile until Hazel began her walk out of the room. “Thank you.” The young woman offered as Hazel began to lead her out of the room. Delphine did not miss the stares and quick glances from other tables at the sudden disturbance of her table, Eli fleeing the scene and herself being guided away by the very woman they were trying to impress. Delphine could imagine the annoyance and disappointment that Hazel would not be there to watch the others work, but from the looks of things, the woman had found what she was looking for at this conference. And that thing was Delphine.

Carefully, keeping a respectable distance from Hazel, she made her way up the stairs when a small flicker in the vision caught her attention. A company message from her mother, fading into view behind her eyes. The light blue letters held over her vision as she tried her best to read and walk up stairs at the same time.

Delphi, how did your appointment go? Everything working well? I hope so, we need you back at Elysium. The new interns are just useless! I don’t know where the guys up top found them.

Love you!

Her mother always used the company contact system to get a hold of Delphine during work hours, her justification being the chip was already in her head for work so why shouldn’t she use it. With a small flick of her eyes, she sent the message back, out of her view. She had bigger things to deal with.

“I feel as though I can safely assume, you do not bring new interns up here on a regular basis.” Delphine tilted her head to the side, ever so slightly, a little mechanical in its movement. “Based off of your friend’s words and the looks in the room.” She hummed, her free hand moving to tug the hem of her suit jacket straight again after it had become crumpled after sitting down.