Elaine walked into the great open space of the office around 9 o’clock that morning. She rested a finger on the scanning pad on the work station and the system connected with her implant, activating the transmission and receiving of information from the Collective Server.

She sat on her chair as the scene in front of her eyes transitioned from the office to what looked somewhat as a hotel’s reception, populated by blurred figures who moved around her purposefully. She turned and took a few steps and the space surrounding her morphed smoothly, doors appearing and disappearing, corners moving past her rather than her walking around them.

In a few moments she had found the room she was looking for and entered.

Voices greeted her in her mind: “Good morning Elaine!” was saying John, “Good morning” answered Elaine in her thoughts, and various other hellos and how are you I’m very well thank you – to the rest of the team.

Since February they were working on the design of the new City hospital and the deadline was close. Simin informed about her some last-minute modifications and she virtually stepped into the project to take a look. From the shades provided by the tall cypresses in the park opposite the main entrance she couldn’t spot any major changes. She got closer, walking in front of an ambulance which hovered in front of a door, the paramedics frozen in the act of getting on and rush wherever the emergency was called. “It’s the A&E” Simin informed her. Elaine walked in the direction of the Emergencies and entered the building.

About an hour later, Elaine disconnected from the Server and found herself once again looking at the open space office. She was angry and felt how flushed the skin on her face was by the way it was burning. She had disagreed with the change her team had made and dismissed it, but they had stood together against her. She was the head of the project and had had the final word, but she didn’t like how long it had taken for them to accept her veto and how condescending some had sound when addressing her.

Elaine could not stand that kind of passive aggressive disrespect, especially when she suspected that behind it there was some sort of prejudiced thinking. The fact that it had happen before didn’t sooth the sting, she had never grown accustomed to it and didn’t think she ever would. She imagined it would only get worse with the passing of the years.

Suddenly, she decided she would move her mandatory training hour from the afternoon to the morning and headed towards the transit platforms to go to the gym. She would have to cancel her habitual 4pm pilates class and swap it for something that would allow her to burn her anger down right now.