Networked (Argo Series) by Russett Claire

Author:Russett, Claire [Russett, Claire]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2013-03-04T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

During the walk to the science lab, Duncan worked to get under control his fear of what his mind might inadvertently reveal about his feelings for Chris. He concentrated hard on locking down anything deeper than what could be construed as either comradeship or friendship into a tiny dark place buried on the very edges of his consciousness. It was similar to the techniques he used when preparing for a mission he knew to be dangerous—utilizing the mental resilience he’d acquired during his military career and on which he had come to rely with worrying frequency over his years on Argo. And what, to his dismay, he was concerned was failing him when it came to missions that put Chris in jeopardy. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep Chris at arm’s length, to keep up the pretense that all he was to Duncan was a friend and teammate.

When he finally felt that he had his emotions under some semblance of control, Duncan allowed himself to relax slightly. After all, it would do no good at all if Chris were to learn just how wound up Duncan was at the prospect of him finding out something from Duncan’s mind. He glanced over at Helen and Chris. Helen was looking both determined and decidedly nervous, clutching her equipment tightly in her hands whereas, in stark contrast, Chris practically bounced down the corridor, his eyes alight with the same kind of gleam Duncan had seen in them when they’d first met, all those years ago, over the prospect of the Argo Expedition.

When they entered the lab, Jason was the sole occupant, tapping away like mad on his computer with a half-played game of chess balanced precariously on the corner of his desk. The low level of the overhead lights indicated that the majority of the science staff had gone off duty long ago, and that it was only the stalwarts like Jason and Chris who remained. Jason looked up at their entry and waved emphatically at Chris, beckoning him over.

“What’s up?” Chris asked, but Duncan noticed that he was frowning at Jason as he dumped his pad on his desk, obviously not happy with the interruption.

“I reran Morris’s extrapolation,” Jason said, which was obviously the right thing to say because the slight frown of annoyance disappeared instantly from Chris’s face.

“And?” Chris said, trotting over and grabbing a chair before peering at Jason’s screen.

“And I don’t think it is an artifact,” Jason replied, sliding his chair over to the left to allow Chris access to his keyboard.

Chris hummed thoughtfully as he started pressing keys, apparently checking through Jason’s work. From the care he was taking with it, Duncan assumed the extrapolation—whatever it was—was something to do with the project Chris had been talking about that morning. He sidled over to Jason’s desk, curious as to what was going on.

“What’s not an artifact?” he asked, peering over the two scientists’ shoulders and trying to make something of the screeds of computer code that had so entirely captured their attention.

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