Bad Nerd Falling (9 page)

“
Yes,” Tia answered
smugly. “This is all that’s left of the equipment.”

“
We can easily store these
in the long term closet.” Maria viewed the remaining items with
satisfaction.

Jorge was busy opening cabinets and
humming a happy tune.

“
There’s plenty of room in
the cabinets for the items we use regularly.” Helena padded to the
new, larger storage closet. “Oh, Tia, you should see
this.”

“
See what?”

“
We found a secret passage
before lunch.” Maria tugged on Tia’s arm.

“
Really?” Tia didn’t
appear to need much tugging.

“
Vlad was here and he had
a small penlight, so we followed it through.”

Tia’s eyes couldn’t get any larger,
not and still remain in her head. “And you did all this without
me?”

“
You were busy,” Jorge
pointed out as he brought up the rear of their train.

She and Maria escorted Tia into the
new storage closet and then showed her the gap. “There’s even
additional storage between these racks.”

“
This is amazing.” Tia
twittered about as they showed her the racks and the secret
panel.

“
We have to find a torch
before we can show you the passage though.” Of course there wasn’t
one in sight.

“
Torch?” Tia’s forehead
crinkled in confusion.

“
Flashlight,” Maria
corrected. “Europeans call them torches.”

“
I think I knew that.” Tia
didn’t look any less confused. She did brighten though. “I’m really
excited to explore that passage.”

“
Except that we have
cabinets to fill now,” Jorge said.

“
Yes, work before fun.”
Tia sighed.

They played with the panel a bit
before separating to stack supplies they used often. It didn’t take
long to set up the lab in the most ideal manner. They also stored
the equipment and tools that didn’t get taken.

“
I believe this setup is
going to work really well for us.” Tia washed her hands at the
sink.

“
Yes, I’m happy Vlad came
to visit today.” Maria shook off the last of the water from hers
and then accepted the paper towel Tia handed her.

“
You are staying here
permanently now, right?” Helena asked Tia.

“
Yes.” She paused. “Well,
I am going to America to finish up a few projects soon.” At their
blank looks, Tia clapped a hand to her forehead. “I didn’t tell
you,” she moaned.

They all converged on the stools
gathered around the largest bench. Once everyone was settled, Tia
explained. “As you know, I am under contract with the school where
I worked when I agreed to help Aleksi.”

They all nodded.

“
I
can
break the contract. There is a
loophole in it that enables me to walk free in the event something
significant happens. Like the fact I’m marrying the Prince of
Rurikstan.”

She enjoyed the little thrill that
shivered through Tia at her pronouncement. It was nice to see them
so in love.

“
But you still have to
return to America?” Maria sounded worried.

“
Yes, if I finish up the
project I was working on, it will help matters substantially for my
leaving free and clear. Plus I need to pack and sell my
condo.”

“
In other words, you have
to finish life at your former home before you can begin your new
one here.” Being a fellow American, Maria probably knew a lot about
that.

“
That’s correct.” Tia
tapped a finger on the benchtop. “I’m glad we’re having this
discussion because Graham and Aleksi wanted me to address this with
you.”

A tiny, sinking feeling started in her
tummy. What if they were sent back to the hospital? She didn’t want
to return there. She wanted to remain here. Of course, they had
just rearranged the entire lab to suit themselves so that had to
count for something.

Still, she couldn’t not ask. “You’re
not planning to send us back to the hospital are you?”

The deep breath Tia took wasn’t
reassuring. “Yes.”

She gasped and heard at least Maria,
if not Jorge, follow suit. Her stomach muscles clenched.

“
When I leave, you three
are to report to the hospital to clean out your areas and train the
new hire.” Tia contemplated them. “If you would like to return to
this lab, you are all welcome.”

Her abdominal muscles relaxed. “So
we’re to finish any work at the hospital, but are expected to
return here?”

“
Yes, your contracts
expire soon, so you have to carry out the last duties at the
hospital to fulfill that commitment.”

“
I was wondering about
that.” She hoped no one would remember, but apparently Graham
had.

“
Your temporary return
will meet the contract terms and conditions. We need to keep watch
on the water wells long-term.” Since that was the reason Tia had
come to Rurikstan in the first place, it made sense.
[
Bad Nerd Rising
– Book 7 – The Morrison Family Series]

“
However, we’re also going
to be participating in some hospital studies in addition to
continuing some personal research of mine.” Tia looked tense and a
little worried.

The last of her tension drained away.
“Thank goodness. I didn’t want to return to the
hospital.”

Both Maria and Jorge nodded
vehemently. “We want to stay here.” Maria darted a quick look at
Jorge whose nod was definite.

Tia’s smile rivaled a searchlight.
“I’m so happy,” she said with the exuberance of a child. “I
couldn’t bear it if any of you left.”

“
We need to stay together.
We’re a team,” Maria announced in her best mom voice.

After a spurt of glee, she finally
ventured a question. “We return to the hospital for how
long?”

“
You’re to finish out any
projects that weren’t complete when you left. You will also be
training the new personnel who were hired to take over your duties
there.” She frowned at the notes in front of her. “However long
that takes.”

“
They shouldn’t need much
training.” Jorge looked like he’d been granted a life sentence
reprieve.

“
That’s
correct.”

“
When do we make this
transition?” Maria brushed some hair off her forehead.

Tia consulted her notes again. “Right
after I leave. You’re all to report to your old jobs at the
hospital since the current contracts expire in less than a month.
You’ll have paperwork to complete and such. Plus you’re to clear
your desks, that sort of thing.”

“
When do we return
here?”
Please be soon
.

“
I’ll be gone for three to
six weeks. It’s going to depend on my projects and how soon I sell
my condo.” Tia’s mouth curled up a bit. “Although Aleksi did
convince me it couldn’t take longer than six weeks.”

She grinned. “He’s a tough
negotiator.”

“
It worked in his favor
that I wasn’t eager to be gone longer than
three
weeks,” Tia answered
dryly.

They all laughed before they returned
to their discussion. “What do we need to do here before we leave?”
Maria asked.

Tia shuffled through her notes.
“Jorge, the water technicians are cleared to do the bulk of the
water testing, is that correct?”

“
Yes, they all passed this
time and they understand what happens if they mess up.”

“
Good. They need to know
that a bad test means we all have to boil water until it’s
cleared.”

Jorge nodded. “They are aware of this.
The hospital is continuing to take precautions so there is no more
contamination to the wells.”

“
Someone needs to keep
testing those samples, even when we’re gone, Tia.” Maria gestured
toward the bacterial incubator.

“
Yes. Do you think you
three can work out a schedule where one of you reports here at
least a few hours a week so that this lab is covered in addition to
your obligations at the hospital?”

They all nodded. “I’m guessing it will
take me a week, tops, at the hospital.” Maria spoke with easy
assurance.

She and Jorge both nodded. “That’s
what we’re thinking as well.”

Tia looked relieved. “So if you can
coordinate a few hours for that week, we should be
covered.”

“
We can figure that out
after we see what is necessary at the hospital,” Jorge
said.

Helena agreed. “I can’t imagine
there’s much to do there.”

“
It will depend on how
qualified the person is who replaced you.” Tia made a note on the
papers in front of her.

Helena grimaced. “That’s true. If this
person is fresh out of school, it might take longer than a
week.”

“
No one should need longer
than two weeks though,” Maria said briskly.

“
Once we’re back in the
lab full-time, why don’t we let you know and maybe you can send us
some stuff from your current project?” Otherwise it might be really
boring. They had already cleaned and organized the lab.

“
That’s a great idea,
Helena. I might be able to finish a lot sooner than I’m
fearing.”

“
We’re going to need
something to keep us occupied,” Jorge reminded her.

“
Yes, with the water wells
in great shape again, we can start on more interesting projects.”
Tia tapped the bench. Her lips pursed as she thought. She added
another note. “I’ll start working on that. It might cut down the
time I’m in the states.”

“
We appreciate it.” If she
was busy at work, she might think less about a certain man who
melted her nuclei far too easily.

Maybe.

Chapter 9

He drove through the quiet streets,
never once consulting a map or his phone. Before he ever arrived
here in Rurikstan, Vlad had memorized the way to Helena’s
apartment. He knew four different direct routes to her and at least
that many indirect ones. This way he could reach her quickly in the
event of danger.

Or so he told himself. It didn’t help
that he wasn’t buying his own explanation.

Instead, he cut those thoughts off as
he coasted to a stop in front of her apartment building. It looked
like what it was. A stately old mansion that had long ago been
converted into flats. Judging from the outside, he bet her
apartment was nice inside. He hoped, for her sake, that it was
safe.

He approved of the heavy-duty bolt and
lock on the door and the small, but nice foyer. A locked door led
to the stairs and first floor flats. Mailboxes lined one wall.
Beside them was an intercom system and the last names of the
residents. A series of numbers completed the list. He punched in
the numbers after her name and waited.

“
Hello?” Helena
inquired.

“
It’s Vlad.”

“
Oh my goodness.” She
sounded breathless. A buzzing indicated she had unlocked the door.
One he could have easily gotten through without her buzzing him in,
but he would obey the rules. Helena didn’t know his skills and
there was no reason why he couldn’t play at being
normal.

Helena’s place was on the
third floor. Vlad approved. It would be harder to break in to. Not
impossible, but harder. As he traversed the hall, he was busy
assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the floor.
Where could an intruder hide? Where was the
structure at its most vulnerable? Were there easy access points to
this floor? To the roof?

All that data rolled through his brain
as he stopped in front of Helena’s door. Before he could knock, the
barrier opened and he found himself staring into the green eyes
that haunted his dreams. “Hi.” Her shy smile melted some cold
places inside him.

His answering smile wasn’t shy. “Hi.”
He trailed a finger down her cheek.

She stepped back to invite him inside.
He gained as much ground as she allowed. The door snapped shut
behind him and he locked it out of habit. Then he got lost in her
eyes.

Bad, bad, bad… pay
attention to your surroundings
his
survival instincts roared, trying to recapture his attention. Only
those swirling pools of green were so heady, it was impossible to
tear away from them. His head descended while hers ascended and
their lips connected perfectly.

A tiny sigh of happiness escaped her
before their lips sealed. He wrapped one arm around her and
plastered her against him, full length to full length.

She felt right in his arms.

Liking that, he kissed her with
everything he was. All he had to give. Admittedly, it wasn’t much.
But all he had was hers. They kissed, time stood still, and he only
raised his head when he realized his heart threatened to stop
beating.

His lungs seized and he heard her draw
in several deep breaths, panting like him to keep bodily functions
working properly. That had been close. Still, as soon as the spots
stopped forming in his vision, he lowered his head to kiss her
again. She met him halfway.