Chapter 101: When the gate talks back
The next day came quickly, and passed just as quickly. Between all the concerns involving the new Field Guide program, how many students could actually attend the first round, and all the moving parts that needed to be sorted out, the two Field Guides forgot about food and the time. If it wasn’t for Maeve, they would have skipped lunch. She knocked on the door, surprising the two focused Guides with a grin on her face.
"Time’s up. It’s lunch time, you two. Get out of here and go eat. If I didn’t knock, you two wouldn’t have stopped working." Chuckling, Kellen closed the laptop and grabbed his jacket that he’d shrugged off at some point. Brent stood up from the couch and stretched.
"You’re right, Dr. Lyons. We’re both workaholics." Brent told her with a grin. She shook her head in exasperation.
"I didn’t realise that this was a trait shared among Guides. I’ll have to add it to the observation journal." She muttered. Kellen was pretty sure that she thought that they couldn’t hear her, and Kellen laughed again.
"Hey now, I wouldn’t say that about all Guides. Brent and I are pretty extreme in our work ethic, but there are also Guides out there that are extremely lazy. Guides are just like other people. We’re just a little on the strange side." Kellen told her, and she stared at him. Eventually, she nodded.
"You aren’t freaked out that we have an observation journal?" She asked and Brent shrugged, while Kellen finished buttoning up his jacket.
"Hell no. You are a bunch of scientists, and this little nerd over here isn’t any different. He keeps track of so many things when we’re on the front lines. It’s hard for me to manage all the data that he comes back with from the gates." Brent puffed out his chest. "I’m the one who usually makes the reports since Kellen isn’t gifted in that way." He was so proud of that, and Maeve couldn’t contain her laughter.
"I guess I didn’t fully realise you were as nerdy as we were, Guide Jameson. I think I was thrown off by the scar down your face. It made me think you were just a pretty playboy." Brent gasped, and Maeve went white. It was clear she was worried that her words had hurt Brent, but Kellen rolled his eyes.
"Oh Dr. Lyons! That’s so nice of you to say! Thank you for appreciating that I am a playboy, but I am so much more than that. Awe, now I’m embarrassed." Brent covered his face with his hand, acting perfectly and Maeve snorted.
"Well, I don’t like to come to conclusions on others right away without research." She stared at them for a moment longer, before sighing. "Either way, I’m heading out for lunch as well. Make sure to take care of yourself, since I won’t be coming back to the office after. I have a few meetings with the other research teams." She waved and disappeared from the doorway.
Brent dropped his hand, a faint smile still on his lips.