Read Online The Pike: Ships In The Night by Erik Schubach - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Erik Schubach
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extra baby fat that always looked so good on her. Tonya leaned forward almost cutely, an almost hopeful look on her face that made me feel a little guilty. “So what brings you here today Allie?”
Ok, I was blushing then. I explained as I dug around in my shoulder bag, pulling out the handwritten equations, “I'm looking for a student... or professor... goes by Ligaya Hannigan? She left some papers behind in a cafe this morning. They look important.”
She cocked her head and grinned. “Oh, Doctor Hannigan? Our cute little walking brain?”
Doctor? She looked like she was only twenty-two or three at the most. I just nodded, and she tilted her head the other way, and her grin became a smile. Instead of taking the papers from me she said as she rummaged through the drawers of the counter, “She's probably frantic by now then. Her numbers are everything to her.”
She slid a visitors badge on a lanyard to me with a clipboard. “I tell you what, I wouldn't be able to get these to her until my break, why don't you slide over to the physics building and give them to her yourself?”
I looked back at the door then her again and then nodded and signed the visitor's log and picked up the badge. I looked at it a moment then up at her and asked, “Doctor?”
She nodded, pleased with herself as she said with a touch of pride, “Two Ph.D's by the age of eighteen. She's here on a research grant. The University of Washington is leading at the forefront of research into quantum computing thanks to her and her team. I don't doubt for a moment that they're going to wow the science world with their research soon.”
My mind skipped and replayed the fact that the cute Filipino girl had two Ph.D's before she could even drink. I recategorized her from run of the mill genius to Wile E. Coyote super genius. I caught myself smiling, then held the badge up. “Where can I find her?” I slid the lanyard over my head and pulled my black hair back to fall behind me so the lanyard could settle.
She pointed to the south. “You know the physics building. Basement, room B007.” Then she waggled a finger when I started to open my mouth. “No James Bond jokes!”
I snapped my mouth shut and grinned.
I saluted with the head of the cane to my forehead and started to turn. Tonya said with an odd tone in her voice, “It's good to see that things weren't as bad as the news reported.”
I swallowed and nodded as my pulse started racing, and sweat started beading on my forehead.
I hobbled out quickly as my breathing started coming in fast, short breaths. I pushed into the restroom as the flames licked up in my eyes. I stumbled into a stall and fumbled with the lock. I could feel the flames licking at my body again. I finally slammed the slider home and fell back to sit on the toilet seat as I frantically rubbed my eyes, panic filling me.
I relived the accident. I was pinned and couldn't breathe. My mask was laying a few feet away, just out of reach... then just as quickly as it had come... I was sitting in the bathroom stall just panting, catching my breath. I looked around, the flames were gone. I took two deep calming breaths and let them out then stood and made my way out to the sinks. I hung my cane on the counter and turned on a faucet and cupped my hands. Splashing cold water on my face and washing away the sweat that smelled like panic.
Whoa, what the hell was that? I hadn't flashed back in months. I swallowed and dried my face with paper towels. Took another deep breath then put on my aloof grin as I straightened the hem of my shirt. I grabbed my cane and headed out to find a brainiac cutie.
By the time I had reached the physics building and made my way to the basement, I was full on humming the James Bond theme song as I hunted for 007. At the end of the hall, I found a lab that had a piece of tape over the room number. In blocky black letters, Heisenberg
Ok, I was blushing then. I explained as I dug around in my shoulder bag, pulling out the handwritten equations, “I'm looking for a student... or professor... goes by Ligaya Hannigan? She left some papers behind in a cafe this morning. They look important.”
She cocked her head and grinned. “Oh, Doctor Hannigan? Our cute little walking brain?”
Doctor? She looked like she was only twenty-two or three at the most. I just nodded, and she tilted her head the other way, and her grin became a smile. Instead of taking the papers from me she said as she rummaged through the drawers of the counter, “She's probably frantic by now then. Her numbers are everything to her.”
She slid a visitors badge on a lanyard to me with a clipboard. “I tell you what, I wouldn't be able to get these to her until my break, why don't you slide over to the physics building and give them to her yourself?”
I looked back at the door then her again and then nodded and signed the visitor's log and picked up the badge. I looked at it a moment then up at her and asked, “Doctor?”
She nodded, pleased with herself as she said with a touch of pride, “Two Ph.D's by the age of eighteen. She's here on a research grant. The University of Washington is leading at the forefront of research into quantum computing thanks to her and her team. I don't doubt for a moment that they're going to wow the science world with their research soon.”
My mind skipped and replayed the fact that the cute Filipino girl had two Ph.D's before she could even drink. I recategorized her from run of the mill genius to Wile E. Coyote super genius. I caught myself smiling, then held the badge up. “Where can I find her?” I slid the lanyard over my head and pulled my black hair back to fall behind me so the lanyard could settle.
She pointed to the south. “You know the physics building. Basement, room B007.” Then she waggled a finger when I started to open my mouth. “No James Bond jokes!”
I snapped my mouth shut and grinned.
I saluted with the head of the cane to my forehead and started to turn. Tonya said with an odd tone in her voice, “It's good to see that things weren't as bad as the news reported.”
I swallowed and nodded as my pulse started racing, and sweat started beading on my forehead.
I hobbled out quickly as my breathing started coming in fast, short breaths. I pushed into the restroom as the flames licked up in my eyes. I stumbled into a stall and fumbled with the lock. I could feel the flames licking at my body again. I finally slammed the slider home and fell back to sit on the toilet seat as I frantically rubbed my eyes, panic filling me.
I relived the accident. I was pinned and couldn't breathe. My mask was laying a few feet away, just out of reach... then just as quickly as it had come... I was sitting in the bathroom stall just panting, catching my breath. I looked around, the flames were gone. I took two deep calming breaths and let them out then stood and made my way out to the sinks. I hung my cane on the counter and turned on a faucet and cupped my hands. Splashing cold water on my face and washing away the sweat that smelled like panic.
Whoa, what the hell was that? I hadn't flashed back in months. I swallowed and dried my face with paper towels. Took another deep breath then put on my aloof grin as I straightened the hem of my shirt. I grabbed my cane and headed out to find a brainiac cutie.
By the time I had reached the physics building and made my way to the basement, I was full on humming the James Bond theme song as I hunted for 007. At the end of the hall, I found a lab that had a piece of tape over the room number. In blocky black letters, Heisenberg
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