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We shuffled into the break room, which was more of an overflow-storage room with a couple couches crammed in between the boxes. Liam was there, leaning against the counter by the coffee maker. He had his arms crossed, his body compressed with nervous energy, but when he saw me herelaxed a little. I didn’t think my arrival had ever inspired that reaction in someone.
“Howdy,” he said.
“Is that your attempt at an American accent?” I asked him.
“Not convincing?”
“I’d give it a solid C minus,” I told him.
“That’s charitable,” Abby said. Liam winced theatrically.
The banter was forced, but there was a desperate release in it, like we were all grabbing at something normal.
Dr. Kapoor showed up twenty seconds later. “Morning,” she said, as if unwilling to append an adjective it hadn’t earned. She wasted no further time on pleasantries. “Today we are going to finish up yesterday’s interrupted work. Lily, you’ll be joining me for that. I think it’s best if we let our intern experience some variety, and the sample room requires some attention. Kenny, you can orient Ms. Hayes before you get started for the day.”
I didn’t want to be stuck doing inventory and tidying—I wanted to go back to Belaya Skala. Lily caught my look and misread it. “It’s much cooler than it sounds,” she assured me.
“Yeah, the sample room is boss,” Kenny agreed. He propped a hip against the back of the couch and folded his arms. “You’ll dig it.”
“Are you... Is that you trying to talk like the youth these days?” Lily asked him. She shook her head in mock shame, and he blushed bright red.
Dr. Kapoor wasn’t done. “I’ve contacted Mr. Nguyen, but he is unavailable to retrieve you,” she said, looking at Abby. “Dr. Hardcastle is trying to locate someone else who is able to fetch you. Ifhe is unsuccessful, we will sacrifice the use of theKatydidto ferry you back tomorrow.”
Abby just smiled. “That leaves me one more day to explore.”
Dr. Kapoor’s jaw tensed. “This island is private property,” she said. “You are trespassing, and have been since you arrived. Not to mention the fact that if you were to wander off and hurt yourself, the Center could be held liable.”
“Abby and I could help Sophia in the sample room,” Liam suggested.
“I’d appreciate the company,” I added.
“I don’t know about that,” Hardcastle said, striding into the room. My stomach dropped, and I took an involuntary step back.
Run, that voice in the back of my head insisted.
Hardcastle was smiling and I found myself staring at his perfect white teeth. “Vanya’s a stickler for procedure. Letting civilians rifle through our old junk? Could lead to pandemonium!” He chuckled. The sound of the ocean roared in my ears. “But seriously, the insurance folks would probably rather we stick to official LARC staff only. I’m at loose ends, though—I can help you out, Sophia.”
I stared at him. It felt like a fist was wrapped around my throat. I couldn’t speak, and maybe that was for the best, because the only word in my mind wasno, no, no—
“It’s fine,” Dr. Kapoor said abruptly. “Might as well put our guests to productive use. You were just complaining about being behind on grant writing in any case.”
“True,” Hardcastle said, sounding surprised. He was not used to playing bad cop, clearly.
The tension in my chest eased enough for me to breathe. To fake a smile. “Cool,” I said. Too loud, too bright, but maybe they wouldn’t notice.
“All right,” Dr. Kapoor said. “Kenny?”
“Come, my ducklings,” Kenny said, summoning us with a wave of his hands. I forced myself to walk instead of sprinting to get out of the room. Away from Hardcastle.
“Hey,” Liam said softly. He snagged my elbow, and we fell a few steps back behind Kenny and Abby. “I know I’m not supposed to ask if you’re okay. But. What was that with Will?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” I did my best to look mildly confused, but all I managed was a grimace.
“You looked like you were ready to bail out through the nearest window. Or possibly go for his throat,” Liam said.
“I barely know him,” I said. Not an answer. Not a lie.
He hesitated, then glanced behind us as if worried he would be overheard. “I just... I don’t know about that guy. My mum—Shakespeare-mum, not bird-mum—doesn’t like him, and I’m not sure Dr. Kapoor does either, even though she’s worked with him for most of my life. Mum calls him a selfish creep. Dr. Kapoor once told me ‘reliable and trustworthy are not the same thing,’ and I had the odd feeling she was talking about him.”
