10

"Find anything yet Roger?" Factor 2 was monitoring Jack's progress while Factor 1 was busy looking up online manuals as well as a short pile of texts.

"Nope, Sue, got nothing. Real weird." Factor 1 closed the heavy volume he was thumbing through and put it in the second pile, hefting the next from the first. "Good you spotted that anomaly. That might be the clue to this whole scene of his."

"Sure seemed odd to have it sticking in that place. He's been plugging that one piece in here and there repetitively, trying to get it to fit in. But never back where he got it from."

"Definitely some sort of incomplete loop. And a self-imposed restrictor so he won't put it back again. Real curious. We'll have to chase that down. Someone gave him that piece out of sequence. Wonder where he found it?"

"Why don't you give it a break and watch these screens for awhile, my eyes need a rest."

"OK Sue. I'm getting brain-numb anyway. Carpal-tunnel just from the weight of these." Roger put the last book back on the first stack after dog-earing the page he was looking at. Then swiveled to give his full attention to the screen. "Looks like he's just heading back and will settle down now."

"That was a night touch with the young nurses. That should keep him distracted for awhile."

"Yea, but I didn't want to overdo it. He'd start suspecting again. Just make it pleasant. Same with adding more scents in the garden."

Sue quits rubbing her eyes and purposely relaxes, stretching her arms over her head. Joe glances over and frowns. "I wish you'd quit doing that."

"What?"

"You know. Stretching."

"What Roger, too stimulating for you?"

"Too distracting. I need to concentrate."

"Maybe I should get you a set of blinders."

"Very funny. Save it for off-shift."

"What do we have - 2, 3 hours left?"

"More like 5. Hope they relieve us on schedule."

"Hey, I'm going over for a snack, want something?"

"Maybe a fruit bar. Just to tide me over."

"OK, see you in a bit." Sue bounced out of the room, carefully staying out of Roger's peripheral vision as she did.

Gawd, I wish he'd lighten up a little bit, she mused. Zipping down her tunic so it was more comfortable, she ambled down the hall easily, like a leopard or hunting cat. When she yawned and tossed her mane of hair, she could sometimes look just like a lioness, or so some friends said. Too bad Roger didn't appreciate more of the side-benefits of his assigned duties, she thought.

But then again, the Precept could walk in at any time. He had an uncanny habit of doing just that. Almost always just after you mentioned his name. And she remembered some undergrads who were caught in an interesting position one night. Mid-term transfers didn't help your grade average. She sighed.

The short hallway ended in a small break room. A few steps to the fridge, which almost opened as she got there. Her face was bathed in a warm yellow light as she perused her prospects, one hand on the door, the other slowly following her tunic's long, zippered opening.

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