Page 4 of SummerTime Madness
Pressing my body into his, I know it’s not the right time to bring it up, but it doesn’t hurt to try.
It’s a tricky move, but one that I need to make.
If I’m to create my form of evolution, I could usesomeof his knowledge but mostly access to his connections.
Ones that don’t know who I am or my father but will respect my intelligence and not the money.
“Maybe, I want to work on that secret project of yours?”
His brown eyes widened with surprise. He swallows hard, looking at me like I just admit to engineering his research behind his back.
“How?”
I lean into him, kissing him, seducing him so he can’t fully digest the lie I’m about to serve him. I’m not the only one hiding things.
He keeps secrets too.
Big ones.
“I saw an email about the Queen B project while grading papers,” I lie, pulling away and looking up at him.
“So tell me more.” I bat my lashes at him. “I want in on the Queen B project. Please.”
I’m not above begging. Not for this. Because access to those files, case studies, and labs will be what helps me succeed.
“You have no idea what you’re asking to be part of,” Daniel says, voice hoarse as he adjusts his glasses before taking a step back, continuing to hesitate.
Tilting my head slightly, I study the nervous man before me. “Try me.”
“Try you.”
He chuckles, but it’s not amusement hidden in his tone, it’s fear. He looks at the ant farm,pointing at the small infected hosts–they twitch.
But some are frozen in time.
Dead.
Consumed.
“One of my students submitted a thesis at the beginning of the semester,” he murmurs, more to himself than to me. “Brilliant boy with a temper but brilliant nonetheless.” Clearing his throat, “He created a substrate out of cordyceps biomass.”
Ahh…
This sounds awfully familiar… which could only mean…
My grins spread as I process his sudden admission.
“And this student, did he plan on using crushed fruiting bodies to mix into the protein rich compost?”
Daniel startles at the words that come from my mouth. “Well yes, how do—“
I cut him off.
“So the student wants a bio-neural network, like a fungi communication grid.”
He nods, and I go still.
Realizing the missing link.
