Free Thirty Four Minutes DEAD by Steve Hammond Kaye

especially being placed in the confines of such a claustrophobic Designation.
    Marcia Levene had not been melodramatic with her ‘micro-paradise’ description. Her words had been a faithful pragmatic definition. The other side of the wall had revealed an ornate garden – about an acre in size. Vegetation from a variety of climates grew side by side with a compatibility that denied nature in terms of geographical location. The bias prevalent in the creator of this aesthetic construction involved a predomination of plants from tropical regions, and yet despite this, sections of a ‘quintessential’ England were in evidence on occasions. A small strip of dark green lawn was the most noticeable section of ‘little England’. An artificial brook meandered through the garden and a selection of classical statues were located along the sides of the marble pathways which marked the boundaries of Levene's paradise.   Vain was surprised at the scale of the garden complex. Trees of considerable height stretched upward to the complex ceiling and a rain forest type foliage was the most consistent presence in relation to the wide spectrum of the plant life. The temperature was artificially regulated and although the tropical vegetation dictated that the level of heat reflected tropical climes foremost, the overall environment was balanced to a degree of comparative comfort. Levene paid testimony to her paradise.
    "Pretty therapeutic isn't it, Greg? When our project decided to take over ownership of this Designation, one of the salient reasons concerned this aesthetic complex. The prevailing line of opinion felt that in an underground locale, staff would need outlets. The curfews impinge upon a person's liberties and they could subsequently tarnish one's ability to perform efficiently. It was felt that we should retain this complex, as it added an ambient ingredient to an otherwise claustrophobic Designation. The nature of the design is interesting too, Greg. You see a lot of the respective flora and fauna isn't actually real, being composed of a variety of plastic-based materials. A hybrid creation like this one couldn't possibly survive in our 'real' world and so whilst the tropical elements are largely natural, the majority of the vegetation from cooler geographical regions is artificially constructed".
    "Surely the lawn's real isn't it, Marcia?”
    "Sorry Greg - your little slice of England has been artificially installed on sporting surfaces for years!”
    "How come you know so much detail Marcia, so much surrounding the minutiae of the complex?”
    "I make it my business to look deeply into things that I am likely to have frequent contact with, whether my focus is a place or a person. The complex was easy to examine - all I had to do was ask Leif the specifics pertaining to the design. He's a proud man Greg, proud of every area surrounding his project, and it may surprise you to know that there's a softer side to him, one that involves a man who comes into his own when visual aesthetics are the applicable subject being discussed".
    The pair entered the garden area and after a short period of contemplative silence Levene directed a more personal question to Vain.
    "Tell me about your family, Gregory".
    "I thought team members weren't meant to enter into dialogue surrounding their dependants, Marcia?”
    "We're human Greg, aren't we? Those sorts of rules are token issues that surround any security-based project. Let's melt the ice of formality".
    Vain proceeded to tell Levene about his wife and children before returning the question to his CIA colleague.
    "What about you Marcia? Is there a Mr Levene, or any children?”
    "Neither Greg. I'm married to our project - for want of a better phrase. Don't get me wrong, I haven't lived in a life of celibacy, and I don't hate men or anything weird like that. Let's just say that my sights are set on career horizons right now. I survive predominantly through fantasy as far as incarnated