Read Online Psion Omega (Psion series Book 5) by Jacob Gowans - Free Book Online Page A

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school in Lyon. I’m going to call them and see if I can still accept their
offer. I just—I’m done.”
    “Fashion.” He’d spat the word back out at her. “Why
would you give up such an important life for something so shallow and
fleeting?”
    Strawberry’s eyes turned cold and her expression
stony. “Ask Hefani.”
    Hefani’s body now rested in a graveyard outside
Glasgow, a crude tombstone marked the spot. Hefani’s death had hit Sammy hard,
mostly because despite being acquainted with him for almost a year, Sammy had
never actually taken the time to really get to know Hefani.
    Strawberry had known him best. They’d arrived at
Beta headquarters at the same time. During his funeral ceremony, she spoke
about how he had liked quiet and solitude and that he preferred to keep things
about himself private, much like Sammy. From her description, Sammy decided he
would have liked Hefani if he’d made the effort to talk to him. Now it was too
late.
    Dr. Rosmir finished his examination of Brickert.
“His condition is improving. I’m going to have Janna take him in for testing.
Have you met Janna? She’ll be here in a—”
    The faint sounds of two people yelling came through
the wall: one male voice and one female.
    “She’ll be here in a minute or two.” Dr. Rosmir
acted as though he didn’t hear the shouting, but his eyes glanced at the wall
through which the sound came.
    When one of the voices grew louder, Sammy asked, “Is
that Janna?”
    “It’s not our business,” Rosmir said.
    No , Sammy
realized. It’s Al and Marie .
    The noise continued until Sammy was certain he was
right. Then a door slammed shut and the voices stopped. A moment later a
pancake thin nurse entered wearing a strained smile, her face red and sweaty.
The small bump in her midsection told Sammy that she was likely expecting.
    Dr. Rosmir saw her and asked, “Is everything all
right?”
    The nurse glanced at Sammy and nodded. “Hi, Sammy.
I’m Janna Scoble.” She tried to give him a better smile, and was mildly
successful.
    “Janna’s a nurse. Recently joined us from … where
was it?”
    “Star Valley.” Her smile turned sad.
    “Yes,” Rosmir said, “wherever that is. You hungry,
Sammy?”
    Again Sammy shook his head even though his stomach
gurgled in protest. His thoughts were on Al and Marie. He knew their marriage
had been struggling since Marie had revealed her pregnancy to her husband. He
knew Al felt betrayed that she’d intentionally let herself conceive to prevent
them from being selected to go on missions. But what he’d just overheard was a
major row. Marie was due soon to deliver their baby, and apparently its
impending birth hadn’t fixed their problems.
    “Okay,” Dr. Rosmir said. “Well, Commander Byron’s
been looking for you. He wants you to meet him in the cafeteria. Or do you plan
to continue avoiding him?”
    “I haven’t been avoiding him,” Sammy lied.
    “He said you pretended to be asleep every time he
visited you in the infirmary.”
    Sammy couldn’t hide his reddening face. “I—I
didn’t feel like talking to him.”
    Dr. Rosmir put a hand on Sammy’s shoulder. “When
have you known him to have anything but your best interest—”
    “I know he does. I also know what he wants to talk
to me about, and I don’t need to hear it. Between the leadership committee and
Brickert and—and … everything else, I have a lot on my mind. Getting lectured
isn’t a priority at the moment.”
    “From what I hear you can’t even be bothered to go
to your committee meetings.”
    Sammy fixed Rosmir with a cold stare. “The commander
should worry more about Al and Marie than me.”
    “I’m just asking, Sammy. Just asking.”
    Sammy had no response for Rosmir. He knew Commander
Byron wanted to discuss how Sammy had managed to save Brickert. He knew Byron
had suspicions … and rightfully so. After a long pause, he sighed and gave Dr.
Rosmir half a smile.
    “Whatever. I’ll go find