Countdown

by Julie Cannon

  Kenner walked slightly behind Andrea through the crowded halls. One by one the other people turned either left or right down other long halls, and she moved beside her. “How long did it take you to learn your way around this maze?” Kenner asked, her boot heels tapping quietly on the tile floor.

  “Three days,” Andrea replied seriously, nodding to a man in a flight suit walking in the opposite direction.

  “Three days?” Kenner was impressed. She doubted that most people could find their way around in three months. Andrea didn’t say any more, probably still pissed about their conversation in the car. Well, too bad. No way was she going to let her or anyone in this place walk all over her. She wasn’t changing her modus operandi for anyone.

  Finally, after the fifth turn, Andrea stopped in front of a door with a brass nameplate that read Barry Haven. She knocked, opened the door, and stepped inside. A woman who sat behind a large desk raised her hand, signaling to her ear in the proverbial “I’m on the phone” gesture. Since the advent of Bluetooth, you never knew if someone was talking to you, someone else, or to themselves. She finished the call and touched her ear.

  “Andrea, good to see you. He’s waiting. Would either of you like some coffee?” she asked politely.

  “No.” Andrea replied at the same time Kenner said “Yes.” The woman looked at Andrea, unsure which answer to respond to. “I’d love some, black, if it’s not too much trouble,” Kenner said. Damn it, she wanted coffee, and when offered she’d take it. She saw Andrea nod slightly before she opened the door to her boss’s office.

  This office was three times the size of Andrea’s and definitely furnished from a different account than hers. Cherrywood furniture gleamed, the carpet was plush, and this was obviously the corner office. A man in his late fifties rose from behind the massive desk.

  Kenner held back a laugh when he stood. He couldn’t have been more than five feet five inches tall, and now she understood his furnishings. He didn’t come out from around his desk to greet them but extended his arm instead. Kenner stepped farther into the room and stopped in front of his desk, the width of it making her lean over to shake his offered hand.

  “Ms. Hutchings, thank you for coming,” he said in a gravelly voice before sitting back down and motioning to them to do the same. His feet must have been dangling off his chair, because seated behind the desk he looked like he was at least six feet tall.

  “I won’t say it’s my pleasure, but I’m here,” she replied, trying to get comfortable in the rock-hard chair.

  Her response obviously surprised him, and he looked at Andrea. “She was on vacation when I called and was kind enough to cut it short.”

  “Yes, that’s right,” Kenner added. “I was in the south of France on a beach with a cold drink and a hot—”

  “She’s getting settled in,” Andrea said. “She spent most of the day yesterday with Propulsion analyzing data.”

  Interesting, Kenner thought. Was Andrea afraid of how she might finish her sentence? Barry eyed her critically, taking in everything from her boots to the spike in her hair. Too bad he couldn’t see the tattoo on her left forearm. Judging by the look he was giving her, that would send him over the edge.

  “Paul and Fred are very sharp,” Kenner added, thinking everyone on this crew needed a compliment with this guy. “And Andrea is bending over backward to make me feel welcome.”

  “As she should. The success or failure,” and he emphasized the word failure, “of this mission lies directly on her shoulders.”

  God, what an ass, Kenner thought. No wonder Andrea was wound tighter than a guitar string. She glanced over at Andrea, who had suddenly turned very pale.

  “Her crew will do anything for her, and they’re working their damnedest to get the mission back on track.” Kenner could sling the political bullshit with the best of them. She hated it, preferring to call it what it was, but she could do it, and this seemed to be the time. She felt Andrea’s eyes on her.

  “I don’t need to tell you this, Mr. Haven, but you have an extremely qualified group on the floor. I’ve talked to all of them, and kudos to you for getting them. They are some of the brightest minds in the world.” Kenner loved to study body language, and as much as Haven thought he was hiding it, he’d gobbled up her compliment completely. He was practically beaming. Then he shifted.

  “Then why are you here?”

  “For the same reason colleagues talk to each other every day. It helps to bounce ideas around, gets the creative juices flowing. The old saying two heads are better than one is true. Except in this case it’s more like forty-eight.” Good God, it was getting deep in here. She had to leave soon or she’d gag.

  “Speaking of getting the mission on track again,” Kenner said, rising from her chair, “I need to get back to the control room. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Haven, and thanks for asking me to join your team for a while.” Kenner turned to look at Andrea’s shocked expression. “If you two have other things to talk about, I can find my way back.”

  Barry answered for Andrea. “No, that’s all.” He was obviously trying to regain control of his meeting.

  The door had barely closed before Kenner said, “What an asshole.” She turned left and started walking down the hall. “And you work for that guy?” she asked Andrea, who had to hurry to keep up with her.

  “He’s very good at what he does.”

  “Yeah, at being a pompous ass. What’s with him saying ‘The success or failure of this mission lies directly on her shoulders,’” she asked, mimicking his nasal voice. “Obviously as the head of NASA the buck doesn’t stop with him. And speaking of bucks, how much of my taxpayer dollars went to decorating that office?” Kenner knew that whatever was in her head was coming out of her mouth with very little censorship. “What a jerk, and I’d appreciate it if you keep him away from me because I’m not going to take shit from him either.”

  Andrea wasn’t expecting it when Kenner stopped in front of her and turned around so suddenly she almost ran over her. Kenner’s face was flushed and anger sparked in her eyes.

  “What is with everyone around here? From the guard at the gate to mister shit head,” Kenner said, pointing back down the hall. “Is it a requirement to have a stick up your butt to work here? If it is, no thank you.”

  Andrea reached out and grabbed Kenner’s arm before she could walk away. “We’re all under a lot of pressure,” she said, her explanation weak.

  “And you don’t deal with it well. Isn’t that something you’re screened on—how to handle pressure and stress? If not, it should be, because with a few exceptions all of you suck at it.”

  “That’s not fair,” Andrea said.

  “Well, fair is a four-letter work that starts with f, and this whole situation is fucked up.”

  People were staring as they walked by, and Andrea did not want to have this conversation here. “Can we not talk about it right now,” she said, almost pleading. “Let’s go back to my office and we can—”

  “No. I have to get to the control room. Don’t bother to lower yourself and show me the way. I can find it.”

  Andrea was stunned. Granted, she didn’t know Kenner at all, but she certainly was passionate about what she believed in and not afraid to say it. She watched Kenner move almost gracefully down the hall. She didn’t swagger, but her stride was confident. Confident in her abilities, and if the second looks from more than a few heads turning were any indication, herself as well. Someone bumped Andrea’s shoulder, bringing her to her senses. She quickly looked around to get her bearings and continued in the opposite direction to the one Kenner had gone. She needed to get to the control room, but she had to stop at her office first.

  The door closed behind her, Andrea leaned against it. What had just happened? One minute the morning briefing had just ended, and the next Kenner was walking away, a tornado in her wake. Andrea’s hands shook. The entire scene in Barry’s office was unreal. Kenner had sucked up to him like a pro and, if Andrea wou
ld admit it to herself, was quite good at it.

  From the minute Barry had asked to see Kenner, she’d been on edge. No, that wasn’t right. From the minute she’d walked into the conference room and Kenner had shook her hand yesterday, she’d been on edge. She had no idea what Kenner would say to Barry, but if it was anything like the riot act she’d read her earlier this morning, she’d be up shit creek. The politeness had lasted only until they got out of his office. That was the Kenner she knew. She was feisty, outspoken, and gutsy.

  “Andrea, they need you in the control room.” The knock and accompanying message startled her.

  “On the way.” She was grateful her voice didn’t betray her emotion. The control room. Her favorite place in the world, the place she couldn’t wait to get to everyday and had to drag herself away from at night. It was where her thoughts were clear and her confidence never wavered. But now Kenner was there, and she’d seen her reaction to the words exchanged in Barry’s office and in the hall. Uncharacteristically, she had to pull herself together. She smoothed the fabric of her shirt where it tucked into her pants and took a deep breath. Then she opened the door and went to work.

  Chapter Thirteen

  T-minus 08:13:12:09

  The burning on the back of Kenner’s neck was incessant. After her little tirade in the hall outside Haven’s office, she found her way to the command center. The digital clock at the bottom of the screen reminded her that she’d been staring at the screen in front of her for the past three hours, and for most of that time she could tell Andrea was looking at her. She had no idea why and frankly didn’t care. She was here for a short period of time; then she’d be on her way and never have to deal with the uptight Andrea or the ass Haven ever again.

  She worked for Quantum so she wouldn’t have to put up with this kind of shit for long. She could move on after she solved NASA’s problem. After graduating she’d worked with a very large company, where she quickly witnessed so much back-stabbing, idea-stealing, and political crap she couldn’t wait to get out. She was here at NASA to do a job, not stroke egos and take shit from people not nearly as smart as she was, or from anyone for that matter. Bosses like Andrea’s were self-centered, egotistical, and more often than not intimidated by people who knew more than they did. Especially if that person was a woman.

  Her stomach growled, and she decided this was as good a time as any to grab a bite. She stood and stretched her arms above her head, then arched her back. The snap, crackle, and pop in it, caused by sitting too long, sounded awful but felt fabulous. Touching her elbows together behind her back, she turned at the waist first to the left, then to right, repeating the action ten times. She dropped her chin to her chest, then to the left, right, and dropped her head back, each time counting to fifteen. She set the timer on her watch to ring on the half hour every hour she was working, and then she made herself get up and complete these same exercises. Without this routine she had horrible headaches and pains in her arms and could barely turn her head from side to side. Her stretches complete, she slid the chair under the desk and headed toward the door, all the while feeling Andrea’s eyes on her.

  What was up with that, Kenner wondered as she made her way through the maze of halls toward the cafeteria. A brunette with large breasts winked at her as she passed. Kenner turned her head and watched the tight butt in the short skirt continue down the hall. “Very nice,” she said quietly, then looked around hoping no one had overheard.

  She was finishing her burger when a wonderful scent drifted through the air from somewhere behind her. She was just about to turn to locate its source when a voice said, “May I join you?” The winking brunette came up from behind, stopping in front of her. Kenner’s day had definitely gone from shitty to optimistic.

  “Certainly,” Kenner answered, standing up and indicating the empty chair in front of her. She had learned how to treat a lady by watching the way her father treated her mother. He stood when she approached or left the table, always opened the door for her, and brought her flowers for absolutely no reason. He never missed a birthday, anniversary, or special occasion. If something made her mother happy, he did it. If she wanted something, he bought it for her when she least expected it. And even after twenty-nine years, his eyes still lit up when she entered the room.

  Last month had been their thirtieth wedding anniversary, and Kenner had gone home for the party. Her oldest sister had organized everything and, with Kenner and her other five siblings, had joined fifty of her parents’ friends in celebration. Even with this display of obvious love and devotion, and the happy marriages of her four older brothers, Kenner had no desire to follow in their footsteps.

  “Thanks,” the brunette said, settling in. She extended her hand. “I’m Susie.”

  Kenner took the offered hand and held it a bit longer than straight women would. “Kenner,” she replied, the familiar tingling starting between her legs.

  “You’re new here,” Susie said, placing her napkin in her lap. It was more a statement than a question.

  “Second day.” Kenner liked what she saw sitting across from her at the small table. “I take it this is a social call?”

  “Why do you ask that?” Susie placed her napkin in her lap.

  “Because when you introduced yourself, you only used your first name.” Susie looked puzzled. “Everyone I’ve met so far has been Jack Stevens, Booster; Rob Jazinski, Medical; and Paul Cooler, Gyro,” she said, naming just a few of the people she’d met so far.

  Susie understood. “Definitely a social call.” She smiled and showed very white teeth. “Are you answering?”

  Kenner liked Susie’s straightforward, no-nonsense directness. She held her gaze for a few seconds. “Yes.”

  Susie’s eyes sparkled. “How long are you here for?”

  Susie glanced at her chest and Kenner lost track of the conversation.

  “Your badge, it’s temporary,” Susie said, explaining her question.

  Kenner tipped her badge up so she could see it. The large T behind her headshot indicated her employment status. “Does it matter?”

  “Depends.”

  “On?”

  “My plan of attack.”

  It was Kenner’s turn to be confused. “Your plan of attack?”

  “Yes, my plan of attack.” Susie took a bite of her salad and chewed, then sipped from her soda.

  Kenner prompted her, interested by Susie’s approach. “Go on.”

  “Well, if you’re going to be here for a few weeks or longer, I’d ask you to dinner a few times, maybe a movie or out for a drink. You understand, get-to-know-you kind of things.”

  “And if I’m not?” The tingling between her legs now was starting to demand attention.

  “Then I’d ask if you were interested and want to get together for some no-strings, no-drama fun.”

  Holy cow, Kenner thought. Numerous women had propositioned her in various ways, but none had ever been as straightforward as Susie. She revised her day from shitty to optimistic to fabulous. “I’m working on an issue, and as soon as it’s solved I’ll be on my way.”

  “Are you local?”

  “No, actually, I live in Atlanta.”

  Susie’s eyebrows rose, and Kenner knew exactly what she was thinking. Even better, she’d been saying to herself. She’d never see this woman again for the rest of her life. Most of the time Kenner preferred this kind of attachment. Hook-up was a more appropriate word. No strings, no obligations, no awkward moments when you stumbled into each other at a club or, God forbid, a business function. She absolutely loved sex and everything about it. The anticipation, the tension, the verbal and visual foreplay, the signal a woman gave off when she was aroused. All of it was enticing: the way a woman’s eyes darkened, her skin flushed and heated, the whiff of arousal, the scent of desire.

  However, sometimes she felt a little odd afterward. Looking across the dinner table at the woman with which she’d been completely naked, flat on her back, or any number of other position
s, her hands and mouth on the most intimate places on her body, made her feel odd. It was the only word she could use to describe it. It wasn’t embarrassment or shyness; it was just feeling odd. She didn’t feel that way when she shared a pizza with women after a game of basketball, or racing around a mountain on a pair of cross-country skis, or even the time she was very sick and barfed all over someone’s shoes. She didn’t feel odd in those situations. What Susie was obviously offering would eliminate any of that, and Kenner jumped in with both feet.

  “What did you have in mind?” she asked.

  “Like I said, I thought maybe we could have some fun together. You’re away from home, I’m here. Maybe I could show you around, kill some time together.”

  Susie might have been offering innocuous suggestions, but Kenner read between the lines. Not being one to beat around the bush either, she learned forward and whispered, “I’d rather just fuck you until you beg me to stop.”

  Susie dropped her fork and it clattered on her plate. All heads in the room turned their way. Kenner slowly leaned back, maintaining a relaxed position in her chair while Susie scrambled to pick up her fork and act like nothing had happened. But Kenner knew the statement had affected her. Her neck was flushed, and not due to embarrassment, and her large breasts were moving up and down much faster than they were when she first sat down. Kenner even detected a slight tremor in Susie’s hands.

  “Well.” Susie cleared her throat, obviously trying to regain her composure. “The only thing I can say to that is ditto.”

  Kenner’s smile had persuaded one of her exes to go home with her. She’d said it held a teasing promise of what was to come.

  “There’s only one small issue,” Kenner said cautiously. She didn’t want to screw up this opportunity.

  “And that is?”

  “I came in yesterday, and my hotel arrangements got all fucked up, and there’s not a room open in town. So I’m bunking with a coworker and we’re car-pooling.”

  Susie thought about that for a few seconds. “And?” She left the question hanging in the air between them.