“Tenn’s not entirely wrong, though,” Will interjected. “About some people, I mean, not necessarily about Ivan. In high school, we had a couple of guys who always seemed to be in the middle of any mess that happened. One day in Chemistry class, the prof passed around sealed ampoules of various chemicals for students to examine. One was pure elemental chlorine. As I looked at it and passed it to the next student, I said to myself, ‘The idiots will drop it. Just watch.’ The chlorine ampoule got to the idiots and sure enough. Couldn’t have taken even five seconds. We had to clear the room and bring in hazmat.”

Seth shook his head and glared at Will. “And how the hell does that tie in to this situation?”

“Some people,” Will replied, “when given a choice of caution or impetuousness, will always go for the latter. Some people will always try to show their bravery by juggling the dangerous vial in the air. Some people will always poke the unknown thingy with a finger. They’re not unlucky. They make decisions that are more likely to be dangerous.”

“And you think that’s Ivan? When did he ever give you that impression?” Seth gave Will a look of disbelief.

“How bad can it be?” Tenn said. “Those were his exact words, just before he touched the thing.”

“Yeah. Right after you bet him his desserts against you prepping meals. Way to preach caution, there, Major Safety. What are you really after, Davies?”

“What I’m really after, Robinson, is going home. I hope the ICDC concentrates on Pritchard and lets us go. And I don’t particularly care about some yammering about loyalty. Pritchard made a choice when he reached for that thing. I don’t feel like paying for that choice.”

Aspasia glared at Tenn for five long seconds. “What you really want is to hate the noob so you don’t have to feel bad about going home and leaving him to the wolves.” She got up. “Well, I do feel bad about it. But I also know there’s not a damn thing we can do. Assuming,” she swept the room with her gaze, “that they let the rest of us go at all. Something that is not guaranteed.”

A heavy silence settled over the room, and no one would meet anyone’s eyes.

23.The Chrome Man

23.The Chrome Man

Dr. Kemp stood outside the sick bay door, trying to control his breathing. He had to be prepared for whatever he would find on the other side. He absolutely must behave professionally, with a doctor’s detachment. Above all, do no harm. That included not only treatment of the patient, but how he dealt with the person.

Assuming he was still dealing with a person.

Dr. Kemp thrust that last thought away, and reached for the door.