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Authors: Preston Child
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mug in Sam's hand. For a moment the journalist wanted to go with his host, not wanting to be left alone with the bully. But he had to face her. In his opinion she had overreacted anyway and she had no reason to be mad.
"So you had to wedge in on this one too, huh? Not enough fame yet? Are Matlock's coattails finally withering?" she snapped at him in a hushed tone.
"What did I do, Nina? Come on. Out with it," he replied, as he busied himself with the kettle.
"I thought you had some integrity, Sam. I thought you were like me, not easily swayed by the guile of fame and glory and money. So what do you do? You whore out on me!" she hissed, moving closer to him so that she could comfortably chew him out.
"Excuse me?" Sam frowned. He refused to be talked to this way, a side effect of growing some self-esteem. "You knew that we all did what we had to do, Nina. Just because you did nothing to secure your part in the story, does not mean that everyone else did you in. My God, the gall of you!" he clenched his words between his teeth in the most subdued tone he could muster.
Nina was visibly taken back by his reaction. He was not the submissive, careless guy she knew a few months ago and quite frankly she was caught off guard.
"How could you side with Matlock when you knew that you and I discovered the documents that led to the Antarctica expedition in the first place? How could you let him take credit for what belonged to you, Sam?" she moaned, her anger now slightly pacified.
"You forget that it is my job to do editorials when I am sent on assignment, Nina. For Christ's sake, not everything is about you. Stop taking everything so personally," he explained while stirring in the sugar and tossing the spoon carelessly into the sink. It clamored loudly on the steel among the background hum of the machines and the hiss of the waves. The loud clang startled her and made him seem more aggressive.
Sam waited for her to fight back but all he saw was defeat. Nina's face was weary and unhappy as she held back the tears. His attraction to her had not faded at all and he felt sorry for the beautiful academic who once kissed him, a sensation he still recalled when he felt lonely.
His voice softened, "Look, I know you got fucked over. Believe me, I know how much you put into that expedition and everything you did to save our asses. Matlock could have credited you as coauthor or at least have given you credit for bringing the idea to him." Sam put his tea down and rubbed her arms with his hands as she sank her head. Under his palms he could feel the slight shaking of her body as Nina wept silently. He pulled her against him.
"Come on, give me an intellectual 'fuck you' that you do so well," Sam play-pouted to cheer her up. It was the first time someone from the expedition openly admitted that she was fucked over by Matlock and it was strangely therapeutic to hear it.
He continued, "I know what you did. Everyone in your department knows too. Who cares? It's only a matter of time before Matlock is a has-been. You are only just getting started, right? Hey?" he sank his head to see her face. Nina nodded.
"Thank you," she said, in an almost inaudible voice.
"Sorry? Can't hear you," he teased and gave her a little shake.
"You're an asshole, Sam Cleave," she sniffed. He took his tea and hugged it with his cold fingers.
"That's my girl."
☼
Chapter 10
As soon as the sky started to turn light Purdue, Nina and Sam prepared for their first trip down to the submarine. The two guests had each been given their own quarters with amenities, which included heaters and extra blankets. Keys for their lockers were supplied for their own peace of mind and the walls contained built-in radios, which had satellite reception, should they wish to drown out the incessant buzzing of machinery and listen to a bit of music from civilization. The living quarters were remarkably luxurious considering their distant location from land, but then again, to
"So you had to wedge in on this one too, huh? Not enough fame yet? Are Matlock's coattails finally withering?" she snapped at him in a hushed tone.
"What did I do, Nina? Come on. Out with it," he replied, as he busied himself with the kettle.
"I thought you had some integrity, Sam. I thought you were like me, not easily swayed by the guile of fame and glory and money. So what do you do? You whore out on me!" she hissed, moving closer to him so that she could comfortably chew him out.
"Excuse me?" Sam frowned. He refused to be talked to this way, a side effect of growing some self-esteem. "You knew that we all did what we had to do, Nina. Just because you did nothing to secure your part in the story, does not mean that everyone else did you in. My God, the gall of you!" he clenched his words between his teeth in the most subdued tone he could muster.
Nina was visibly taken back by his reaction. He was not the submissive, careless guy she knew a few months ago and quite frankly she was caught off guard.
"How could you side with Matlock when you knew that you and I discovered the documents that led to the Antarctica expedition in the first place? How could you let him take credit for what belonged to you, Sam?" she moaned, her anger now slightly pacified.
"You forget that it is my job to do editorials when I am sent on assignment, Nina. For Christ's sake, not everything is about you. Stop taking everything so personally," he explained while stirring in the sugar and tossing the spoon carelessly into the sink. It clamored loudly on the steel among the background hum of the machines and the hiss of the waves. The loud clang startled her and made him seem more aggressive.
Sam waited for her to fight back but all he saw was defeat. Nina's face was weary and unhappy as she held back the tears. His attraction to her had not faded at all and he felt sorry for the beautiful academic who once kissed him, a sensation he still recalled when he felt lonely.
His voice softened, "Look, I know you got fucked over. Believe me, I know how much you put into that expedition and everything you did to save our asses. Matlock could have credited you as coauthor or at least have given you credit for bringing the idea to him." Sam put his tea down and rubbed her arms with his hands as she sank her head. Under his palms he could feel the slight shaking of her body as Nina wept silently. He pulled her against him.
"Come on, give me an intellectual 'fuck you' that you do so well," Sam play-pouted to cheer her up. It was the first time someone from the expedition openly admitted that she was fucked over by Matlock and it was strangely therapeutic to hear it.
He continued, "I know what you did. Everyone in your department knows too. Who cares? It's only a matter of time before Matlock is a has-been. You are only just getting started, right? Hey?" he sank his head to see her face. Nina nodded.
"Thank you," she said, in an almost inaudible voice.
"Sorry? Can't hear you," he teased and gave her a little shake.
"You're an asshole, Sam Cleave," she sniffed. He took his tea and hugged it with his cold fingers.
"That's my girl."
☼
Chapter 10
As soon as the sky started to turn light Purdue, Nina and Sam prepared for their first trip down to the submarine. The two guests had each been given their own quarters with amenities, which included heaters and extra blankets. Keys for their lockers were supplied for their own peace of mind and the walls contained built-in radios, which had satellite reception, should they wish to drown out the incessant buzzing of machinery and listen to a bit of music from civilization. The living quarters were remarkably luxurious considering their distant location from land, but then again, to
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