Replicant beamed as the receptionist got on a line with the director to announce his presence, as she had done so many times before. Wait wait wait, ma'am? The director wasn't a woman, what was going on here? The issue further compounded when a woman's voice replied agreed to let the two of them enter together. He felt the need to open his mouth in confusion and pseudo-protest, but quickly shut it. This was far too interesting and bizarre. If there was a change in the position, then he was supposed to have heard about it... Wasn't he? Or was this some assistant woman he'd never met that was filling in for the usual director?

The very second the hero entered Alice's office alongside the girl, he had to prevent himself from doing a double take. She was... Fascinating, to say the very least. So very [i]intriguing.[/i] He [b]needed[/b] her in his lab. Like, now! She offered a drink, which he had to politely decline, before bringing up the issue of who would speak first.

"I do apologize little lady, it must be very troubling to have your business cut in front of like this, but I'm afraid that REPLICANT is here on official Protectorate business! The kind which concerns life and death, heroes and villains! Out of the necessity of the greater good, you will have to stand aside like a good citizen and wait your turn. My deepest and humblest of apologies, little Phoenix girl." The hero put emphasis on nearly every other word, and produced a small jar and cotton swab with which to take a quick sample from the young girl. After which he turned to "director" Alice.

"You will find that our business is... Exceptionally important, miss." He gave a friendly wink, not too flirty but definitely more than platonic. "It concerns your friends, the ones closest to you."

[@Old Amsterdam][@Sickle-cell]