MOONSTAR LABORATORIES was a sight to behold. Dominating a sprawling industrial park in the suburbs outside a major metropolis, its eclectic layout comprised dozens of pyramidal structures of laminated glass and carbon steel, resembling space-age, industrial greenhouses. Most of them were joined to sterile white buildings in the bland, architectural design of any office complex defining corporate America. The landscaping was immaculate, featuring perfectly trimmed hedges and grass so green it might be mistaken for artificial turf.
The interiors were even more elaborate—laboratories filled with the best cutting—edge equipment money can buy. Wall to wall stainless steel tables and countertops lined the laboratories. The smell of astringent and bleach wafted through the air.
Peter Malik held
