Juanita Coulson - Children of the Stars 01 by Tomorrow's Heritage

Author:Tomorrow's Heritage
Format: epub
Published: 2013-07-16T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

COMPUTERS CAN'T LIE: PROGRAMMERS CAN

Dr. Albrecht was a nice guy, but he wouldn't take no for an answer, no matter how many times Todd repeated it. Short of being rude, Todd decided the only way to evict the man was to escort him to the door personally and see him on his way—hoping he wouldn't turn around and come back to take up where he had stopped.

Todd cued the elevator, willing it to hurry.

"This terrible, willful destruction of your project—barbarism. That's what it is, my boy."

"I agree."

"Have the police no idea who could have perpetrated this villainy?" Albrecht wondered. He tended to talk like that. Too many lectures in front of the university's vid cameras, probably.

"No. They're working on it." The doors opened, and Todd resisted the urge to shove Albrecht inside. He waved the man ahead and stepped in beside him. "Apparently the incendiary was a military device, very sophisticated. The thugs could have put it in a pocket and brought it in. Armed forces all around the globe use the same thing. It'll be very tough for the police to trace."

Albrecht made sympathetic noises. "Then your enemies—the enemies of science and Project Search—are indeed formidable.

You must see the wisdom of the Science Council's invitation. If your Dr. Foix and the other personnel wish memberships and privileges, I'm sure the Council would be amenable . . ."

Todd didn't bristle at the bribe offer. Albrecht meant well. He just didn't operate on the same frequency as Todd and his people.

"Doctor, I appreciate the offer. But it's really too early to make any plans. My people are still in the hospital."

Except for Anatole. His genetic inheritance is on file in SE Antarctic Enclave. But Anatole himself, the good, decent, intelligent person he was, is dead.

"Terrible," Albrecht opined again. "They're coming along all right, I trust?"

Todd winced at the reminder. "We don't know yet, for a couple of people. They're at the Texas Burn Facility, undergoing treatment. Dr. Foix flew down to spend some time with them yesterday and see how they're getting along. They couldn't have any visitors at first. At least now Dian can go in and see Beth and Anaya briefly."

Mentioning Beth inevitably brought visions of her lying on the gel sheet, of the emergency-room attendant carefully washing bits of Beth's skin off Todd's blistered hands. One week wasn't long enough to lose or even soften a memory like that. It still made him queasy.

Reaching the ground floor didn't shut Albrecht off. He kept on with his pitch as he and Todd strolled down the corridor toward the front door. The smoke smell still permeated the walls and door frames and floor. The debris had been picked up. New supplies replaced the wrecked furniture. Iris was back at her desk again, though looking very pale, glistening burn bandages on her hands and one cheek.

"I. . . wish you would seriously think it over."

"I will, Doctor. As I said, it's just too early."

"All the training, not to mention your files.

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