<COMMENT>TWIST, FOR GOD'S SAKE</COMMENT>
<P><JC><B>--- --- --- ---
<P><JC><B>CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Men of Power
<P><JC><B>--- --- --- ---
<P>
<P>An elevator ground languidly up its shaft. At a high elevation it halted. For a moment it paused, as an old man might before recollecting a word - And then its doors, with the sound of a soft wind, smoothly opened, and an indicating tone resonated throughout its heart.
<P>
<P>Two people, darkly clad. Not so much in the color of their clothing, but in the grim aura which they held. The wet soles of their feet came slowly from within the elevator. One step outward, and then both figures stopped, as though waiting for further direction from some master presence.
<P>
<P>A guard shifted uncomfortably, eyeing them both. He approached, his middle-aged face twisted under a fake warmness of greeting (distorted beneath an apparent confusion). Stifly he stood, and allowed a silence before speaking, so that the air seemed to become thick. "Welcome to VersaLife... May I be of assistance?"
<P>
<P>The words crawled.
<P>
<P>Dominic shook his head, and then turned quickly, and approached a small set of steps.
<P>
<P>The lobby was quite lavish. Tiled floors welled and reflected distorted shapes, so that creatures of abnormality seemed to dwell within them. The ceiling reached as high as the topmost floor - An extraordinarily tall window ascended a wall just beside the principal stairway, which itself groped up a perpendicular wall. Bright lights beamed from places above. It was a very richly sterile atmosphere.
<P>
<P>There was a front desk, in the shape of a doughnut. Within its center sat a young woman in a dress. Her attention quickly fixed on the visitors.
<P>
<P>The woman shaped her mouth as though to begin speaking, but Jess approached the counter and placed her palms firmly down upon it. Leaning forward, with a curious expression of familiarity, she asked, quite softly: "May we tour your offices?"
<P>
<P>--- --- --- ---