Read Online A Chronetic Memory (The Chronography Records Book 1) by Kim K. O'Hara - Free Book Online Page B

anything big. I was working in the lab here before the degree and just went on doing more of the same after I got it.”
    Dr. Seebak agreed. “The degree was just a formality. He’d been doing groundbreaking research for years before that.”
    Lexil pulled a chair over to join them, but before he sat down, he hesitated. “Am I interrupting anything? You two looked pretty serious when I came in. If you need to talk privately, just say so.”
    He waited while they exchanged looks. It would be Marielle’s decision, ultimately. Finally, she nodded. “It might be useful to have your perspective. We are both used to thinking in terms of what we’re allowed to do and what we’re not allowed to do.”
    And that simply wasn’t right. He stuffed down the angry feelings out of habit. These two were brilliant, and they should have free reign in deciding what to study and what to publish. But there were patents, and there were copyright laws, and he knew there had been some arrangement, years earlier, before he was old enough to contribute an opinion, that curtailed some of their research.
    He sat down. “I’ll be happy to help, if I can.”
    Doc started. “Marielle was telling me that she has become aware of some intrusive practices by the board members at the institute.”
    “Aware of them!” Marielle exclaimed. “Try: subjected to them!”
    Lexil could feel himself getting angry again. He didn’t like seeing people he loved being victimized, no matter how they felt about it. “What are they doing to you?” he asked, prepared to leap to her defense, however ineffective that action might be.
    “I’ve been told not to interact with any of the fellows or interns. My work must be restricted to fine-tuning existing technology, with no original research permitted. I’m watched all the time at the institute. I wouldn’t be surprised if I were watched when I’m not there as well.”
    “How can you let them do that to you?”
    She locked eyes for a second with Doc. “Well, I’m being blackmailed, essentially.”
    “What do they have on you that would make you so afraid of them?” Lex was incensed. Then he realized how personal that question might be. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer that.”
    “It’s okay. Some of it I’m not really comfortable sharing, but I’ll tell you, in general, what they have. You remember that I used to be have a problem with substance abuse? You were a young teen back then.”
    “I heard about it, but I can’t remember ever seeing you that way.”
    “One evening, I was involved in something. Making it public would have destroyed my career and ruined relationships. I could have dealt with the personal aspects of it, but the field of chronography would have suffered lasting harm.” She spoke frankly, but he could see that it still hurt her to remember.
    “Is that what you’ve been worrying about all these years?” Doc exclaimed. “The field of chronography has become no better than a mill, churning out data. Other than what we are doing here, all the great intellects have been buried in tedium. Not just you, either, Marielle. I haven’t seen anything from Calegari or Tasman for years.”
    “Unless they are making breakthroughs that aren’t being published?” Lex offered. “Have you seen anything there?”
    “No, and I would know. The three of us work really closely together. Nikoli—that’s Dr. Calegari—has come up with some equations recently, but they are far from final form, and he has no equipment to adequately test them.”
    “So why worry about it? Come clean. Get out from under their influence.”
    “Ah, Lex.” She looked at him fondly. “What I wouldn’t give to have some of your youthful sense of invulnerability. I’m glad you grew up here. You’ve had so much freedom in your research.”
    “We all would benefit from that,” Doc interjected.
    “You made the right decision, Mitch. I should have bowed out and worked with you. You are still