TNT: Ch. 13

The Imini building was more of a headquarters than a factory. The factory was definitely a part of the campus, but so were the offices and the labs. The entirity of the corporation seemed to exist in this complex, and it served as one of two poles anchoring Wheatsfield in place, the other being the hospital. All the other buildings - homes, stores, a small school, the junkyard - had grown up around the healers and the appliance makers. (Well, wheat farming was involved too, hence the name, but that started out side the city limits.) When Eric, Vlad, Gina, and the Sacred Lobster of Bune-Doom entered the gates to the Imini complex, they were not just entering a small business as Eric had expected, but a whole appliance centered world. As they walked through the spacious, well-decorated lobby the receptionist welcomed them and asked the question Eric had been dreading:
"How may I help you today?"
He hadn't exactly figured out what to say to her, to avoid being categorized as a nutcase.
"Well, you see, my friends and I, we're on a sort of a quest - well, not so much a quest as a, a fact-finding mission and - y'know what it is more of a quest and-"
"We were hoping to talk to one of your developers." Gina cut in.
'Whom would you like to see?" asked the receptionist in her perfect receptionist voice, as if Eric's gibbering was perfectly run-of-the-mill.
They looked at each other. Some research would have been helpful before they actually got here. Luckily, Vlad was a toaster specialist before he was an anthropomorphic toaster specialist and he knew a thing or two.
"Does Ti Wao Lin still work with the series LM Toastillators?"
"I believe so."
"We'd like to see him, if it's possible."
"I'll schedule you an appointment with him," She typed a bit on her computer, "He's just finishing up teaching a class right now, you may be able to catch him on his way from the training center to the lab. Here's a map of the complex."
"Thank you, ma'am," said Vlad, and they headed off toward the center.
After they left the secretary paged Mr. Lin. "Mr. Lin, sorry to interrupt, but there are two men, a woman and lobster covered with symbols here to see you in reference to a quest."
"Two men, a woman and a lobster?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. The time is finally come."