Unfinishe

out, her voice cracking as she stood on the roo

his arm still resting a

ney, r

to calm down!"

! My hypothesis:

ing that," Abby cut in, wi

ore turning over gold

ened her hands

turning to Abby, "Yo

d ahead. Heart pounding, she murmured, "No,

toward Abby,

supposed to c

h silently?" Courtney questione

gly," Alec whispered,

go home. We wil

to fix this. Right now. You're going to go d

d encircled her wrist firml

t g

stand what you'r

verything!" s

ushed her back w

ressive

ged on the pl

es wen

.. she wa

ilence. The

*

asped and

s darte

ouch. The lab lights were on. Her lab

wrist, there w

king. Her chest qu

to the calenda

onths

prior to

.." she

e mirror across the chambe

ad re

iv

ea

her were also stroll

Her palms stopped trembling;

not be t

*

ext M

tructure. She walked past the same glass walls, the same jud

d what was on

ect, the interco

to Conference Room 1. Mandato

idn't

up next to her in towering heels. "Don't want yo

lking. Her fingers

wly and asked, "Is that

ing you that some people are desi

spond, Courtney was blo

x. She did n

ted. Her face looked the same, but

not h

her l

rough the tension b

a proble

spun and

oomed black hair. Black e

he guy had identification fastened to his col

Courtney repli

his eyebrows.

ietly, "new transfer from Geneva. " I

rtney, he said

urprised at the se

ing toward Alec and Abby, "Good; t

for her to make

ted to walk with him; her h

," she

. But I doubt you're the kind of per

more," s

T N

h her eyes glued on the muted TV screen. A

red, "You've been quiet all

dn't a

laced a kiss to her

ney remarked, "I'm

een weeks, Courtney

. I have be

d to say I made you forget w

gently. "Alec

e been chilly all day. Are y

need s

re boring; you

s, "And you've been

ce fo

his jaw. "That

le

not f

behind her and leaned ag

me study. She had to be smarter, sharper, and one step ahead

n laboratory data and trial projections. She pushed her chair back

was silent. Low, nearly like a fain

s Alec'

stairs gingerly,

uneven, "You like that, don't yo

's stoma

through the speaker. "Mmm, I am touching

s breathi

ustling

ing off to the image of your

ow soft they looked and

nt you so bad, Alec, I have

ib, Courtney stood paralyzed

, low, turned on. "Say

for me

aned louder, bre

and the glass slipped from her gra

ga