She was Mike Kelly, an old friend from college. The phone turned on, activating his headset.
“So, I heard you were in town?”
He could practically hear her intense grin over the phone. She worked in a business whose precise function he still didn’t quite understand, even after having it explained to him using charts. He had expected it to have imploded years ago, but it had maintained itself, against all odds, and was still growing. In fact, he had sent his CV to it from the plane.
“I am,” he replied. “Actually, I’m still at the airport. Going to get a cab, in a moment.”
“Alright, then, I’ll meet you… somewhere. Later. Not sure where.”
“Great. See you there, then. Send me the details?”
“Sure.”
The lime-green liquid had begun to settle, forming a lump of irregular green powder at the base of the cup. He attempted to shake it, but that only signalled a mobile waiter to come to his table, a mechanical arm dropping from the ceiling with an e-paper bill.
Then she started screaming, on the other end of the line.