way to reach DES. “And I can do a security shift. How about guarding the entrance to the pits?”
The chorus of reactions is instant. Great, I’ve three parents and one over-protective boyfriend all yelling at me.
“I’ll think about it,” Radcliff says, ending the discussion.
After dinner, Niall and I go to the rec room since we actually have some free time.
“I’m looking forward to my first full night of sleep,” Niall says as we enter. There’s no one else there. “Of course I’m not naïve enough to think I’ll get more than one.” He turns to me. “What do you want to do, Mouse?”
There’s a pool table, ping-pong table, game/video system, various couches, chairs, and a table for old-fashioned cards and puzzles. Not sure my brain can handle anything more complicated, I pick pool. How hard can it be to knock the white ball into a colored ball?
Turns out I suck at pool and ping-pong. Niall crushes me at both. We end up playing Sevens where luck of drawing certain cards beats out strategy.
“Do you really want to guard the pits?” Niall asks.
“Yes. I’m the only one who can—” An idea pops into my mind. I almost smack my forehead.
“You can what?”
“I can have the Q-net monitor the lab for escaping shadow-blobs. I should have thought of it sooner!”
“Wait, the Q-net can see the HoLFs?”
Guess that news didn’t travel to the entire team. I explain. “…only my Q-cluster can do it, though, so I’m going to need to link it into the camera feed.”
“Wow.” He leans back in his chair. His gaze turns inward. “But I’m not sure my dad will approve that.”
“Why not? Right now the guards are basically bait. They can’t see the shadow-blobs so it’ll only be when they’re attacked and maybe killed that they will know something’s not right. Plus it’ll give the officers more free time.”
“They’d rather be there than trust everyone’s lives to the Q-net.” Niall’s grip on his cards tighten. “You’ve taught us just how much it can be manipulated.”
True. I remember Tora’s reluctance to leave the screens earlier. She certainly didn’t trust the Q-net, or me for that matter. And Beau didn’t back me up. Niall seems…uncomfortable. I wonder if he thinks I’m using my position to influence his father. He should know better than anyone else just how inflexible Radcliff can be. Or is it because of what he’s heard from the others? Do I want to find out? Not really. Denial has its perks.
I suppress a sigh. “Speaking of being manipulated, does everyone think I’m…overstepping my role as a junior officer?”
Niall hesitates. And there’s my answer. Great, just great. I stand.
“Wait.” He jumps to his feet. “I don’t believe that.”
“That’s because you’re dating me.”
“No, it’s because I know you and what you can do with the Q-net. I tried to tell them, but…”
“You’re biased. So why hasn’t Beau defended me?”
“I don’t know, but I can guess.”
I think back over the last few days. “He’s jealous of my worming skills.”
“That’s my take,” Niall says.
Not much I can do about that. Unless I back off and stop making suggestions, stop doing “impossible” things with the Q-net. Except…it’s so not my style. I refuse to let Jarren win and if that’s going to make the rest of the team uneasy, that’s on them.
“What are you thinking about?” Niall asks. There’s a crease of worry in his brow.
“That I have to go talk to your father.”
He’s not happy, but Niall accompanies me back to my—yes, mine damn it—unit. Radcliff’s sitting on the couch, working on his portable. Before he can say anything, I tell him about my idea.
This time I add, “At least allow me to rig up an alarm to alert the officers on duty if a shadow-blob escapes.”
“Will any of the activity tip off Jarren?” Radcliff asks.
“No.”
“How can you be so sure?” Niall asks.
A legitimate question, but why does it…hurt, coming from him? “Because Jarren doesn’t know about my Q-cluster. Also he won’t be searching for such a minor routine laced into the camera feeds.”
Radcliff considers my request. Finally he says, “Set up the alarm, but we’ll keep personnel in the lab for now.” Then he turns to Niall. “Don’t tell anyone about the Q-net’s ability to spot the HoLFs. It only worked for Ara so far.”
“Yes, sir,” Niall says a bit stiffly.
But I need clarification. “So you don’t tell the team everything you learn?” I ask Radcliff.
He gives me a wry smile. “No. Only what they need to know, which is about