Caught in the Net (2 page)

I love you
,
the note read.  He scribbled another one.  
Want to go for ice cream after
work?

She made another face, turning back to her computer. 
Michael smiled, time for the big guns to come out.  He held up another note. 
We
could go shopping.  My treat.

There, a little smile formed on her lips.  She rolled
her eyes, nodding, and then went back to work.  Michael laughed; the shopping
bribe worked every time! 

Shortly afterwards, Scott entered the lab, pausing
before he ventured up to the offices.  He pointed to the drawn shades in his
niece’s room.  “What’s with that?”

“Don’t know, sir.  She probably had a tough night and
was still out of sorts.  You know how she gets if she hasn’t had her beauty
sleep,” Frank smiled.

“Wicked witch of the west.  Yes, I know very well.  She’s
just like me,” Scott commented proudly, as he walked up the stairs and tapped
on his nephew’s door before entering.  Michael looked up and smiled, standing
to hug his uncle.

“How are you doing this beautiful day?” Scott asked,
squeezing Michael tightly.

“Great, if I could breathe.  You cracked my whole
spine with that bear hug.”

“As intended.  What’s with Little Miss Sunshine?”

“Tired, cranky and pissed at me.  I’m going to take
her shopping after work to cheer her up.”

“Hmmm, reward for lousy behavior?  I don’t remember doing
that for either of you,” Scott frowned.

Michael shrugged, offering him a chair.  “Yeah, and
now you see what I have to deal with because of your lack of sensitivity. 
Coffee?  I made it.”

“No thanks.  I would like to keep what I had for lunch
in my stomach.  So tell me your idea about the pod and bomb work.”

Michael explained wanting to investigate the sensory
abilities of the cetaceans.  He reported noticing the absence of cetaceans
within a mile of the bombsite, which, in the case of Sam, was an unheard of
occurrence.  He emphasized that his intent was purely detection, not to place
any of the animals in harm’s way, and that it would depend on Sam's cooperation
and communication abilities, which she had adamantly refused.

“Let me guess; that is the reason why Her Highness has
locked herself in her tower.  To mope.”

“Why else?  She not only refused to discuss the idea,
but also threatened to warn the cetaceans away from helping me.  I actually had
to threaten to take her off my team.  That was the final straw in being pissed
at me.  She hasn’t spoken to me since.”

“She’s got a bit of a temper, that one,” Scott
clucked, his expression exhibiting pride.

Michael threw a piece of balled up paper at him. 
“Your fault.  Funny how you think her temper is wonderful, when directed at
anyone but you.  Why couldn’t she have inherited the calm, quiet
level-headedness of Dad’s side?”

“But life would be so boring then.  Let’s see how
stubborn she’s being.”  Scott stood and tapped on the glass.  The girl rolled
her eyes, thinking it was her brother again, and ignored it.  Scott tried
again, a little louder.  Sam still did not look up.  He then smashed his face
to the glass and blew his mouth against it while banging loudly.  She looked
over and stared for a moment before breaking into laughter.  She beckoned to
him and unlocked her side of the door.

Scott scooped her into his arms for another big bear
hug before putting her into her chair and pulling one up to face her.  She bit
her lip; this chair to chair thing usually meant a talking to.

“How did it go last night?”

“Fine, no problems.  Where’s Daddy?”

“Stuck in a meeting.  He’ll be by when he’s done.  So,
what’s going on between you and your brother?”

“I’m mad at him,” Sam answered in a little girl's
voice.

“Why?”

“You wouldn’t understand.  You’re a physicist and a
soldier.”

“Hmmm, and you’re a biologist and a soldier.  Not much
difference.”

“BIG difference.  You study physics, laws of nature,
non-viable entities.  I study life.”

“I think you two can reach a compromise, don’t you?”

“He threatened to throw me off the team if I didn’t
support him!  I'm not going to cave into his bullying me.”

“Yet you threatened to chase away the animals.  A
different type of bullying, but bullying all the same.  He is the lab
commander.  As his subordinate, it is your responsibility to support him.”

“As a scientist, it is my responsibility to speak my
opinion.  Which is that he needs to get his head out of his ass.”

“Samantha, language.”

“Sorry, but I can’t let him hurt my pod!”

“Your pod?” Scott questioned, amused.

She nodded seriously.  “I am a member of that family;
which makes me a member of the entire cetacean community.  The pod broadcasts
images of its members throughout the ocean in a communication system that makes
our phone and internet look like walkie-talkies.  He can’t hurt one pod without
hurting all of them.  Just like my human family.  You wouldn’t let anyone hurt
any of us, right?”  She offered him her big, blue eyes, blinking with innocent
appeal.

Scott sighed.  “Honey, you know that Mike has no
intention of hurting anyone.  He only wants to find out if they have a way to
detect explosives and communicate the time before a detonation.  He mentioned
there were no dolphins around you guys last night and that Ton abandoned you
before arrival.  Did you notice?”

“I wasn’t paying much attention.  Don’t you think that
if they were able to detect the bomb, they would have found a way to tell me?”

“Maybe they assumed you already knew?  You told us Ton
shared the story of his rescue with his pod up north; so they know you correct
things.  Mike also said he sensed something was wrong.  Maybe they sent
something to him, since he’s a bull.  Your terms, might I add,” Scott said
gently, eyeing her reaction.

She grunted, thought about it for a moment, and slowly
nodded.  “Bull-headed, you mean.  Perhaps.  I guess it is possible.  But that
still doesn’t give Mike the right to threaten my participation on a research
team.  I draw the line there.”

“You’re going to have to work that out with him.  My
hands are off the lab, remember?  I also hear he is taking you shopping after
work.”

“Change the subject, why don't you?  Yes, he’s feeling
guilty and trying to make it up to me.”

Scott chuckled, amused by her conclusion.  He’d taught
the boy the shopping ruse when Sam had gotten older and went from being pretty
to beautiful.  It was a great way to meet the ladies, particularly ones that
shopped in the nicer stores.  She had never suspected that they used it for
their advantage or that they always left the mall with several phone numbers
and a couple of dates.

“I see.  So, what are you going to sucker him into
buying you?”

Last time it was jeans, lingerie and her ‘potions’;
resulting in three phone numbers and a Friday night date for her brother.

“New running shoes and some racing suits for the lab. 
He says I need to be more modest.  So no fancy clothes stores for him to wait
for me in,” Sam said lightly once again, attempting to appear to be nothing but
pure sweetness.  Scott knew better; the stinker was onto them after all!

“No Victoria’s Secret?  I thought you loved that
place.  You always drag me there.”

“I beg your pardon?  If I recall, it is you who drags
me inside.  Nope, not after you and Daddy came down on me about ‘regulation
undergarments’!  Thanks, but I’ll stay away from there.  At least for a while.”

“We like you feeling pretty, go ahead.  Do whatever
you need to feel like a girl.  It’s hard being in a house filled with men.  I’m
sure Mike won’t complain.”

“My, my, you certainly are understanding today.  And,
no, Mike would never complain because he’ll get a chance to pick up some
girls.  I know you.  That’s the only reason you ever take me shopping.”

Scott wrinkled his nose.  “All right, I'll give you
this one.  Now, my sweet, I would like to conference with you two about this
week’s plans.  No fighting, either; especially when your dad comes.  He’s
already a wreck about the bomb.”

“Why should we fight?  I refuse to entertain his idea
at all and we only fight when we are brainstorming.”

“Get your butt into the conference room, brat.  And
make some decent coffee.  Your brother tried to get me to drink his swill.”

“You are aware that it is the same brand and
measurements that I use, right?”

“I don't care.  Yours has that extra bit of love.  It
makes it taste better.”

“And you wonder where I learned how to weasel?” Sam
asked, kissing Scott's cheek as she stood to make his coffee.

* * * * *

“Samantha,” Michael sighed, looking up at his sister.  “Glaring
at me isn’t going to change my mind.”

“I wasn’t trying to change your mind; I was trying to
read it.  I just couldn’t get past the thick skull.”

“Stop it and act like an officer instead of a spoiled
brat.  This is serious,” Michael ordered.

His sister scowled again.  “You’re not my boss.”

“Technically, I am.  Now I’m asking you to please cut
it out.  I need your input, not your smart ass comments.”

“Uncle Scott, Michael’s swearing.”

“You’re going to hear me swearing in a minute if you
don’t start behaving yourself better.  Here comes your father, be good!”

“Hi Daddy!” the girl squealed, throwing her arms
around his rock solid waist.

Michael joined them in a hug.  “Hey Dad.  Come sit
down.  Can I get you coffee?  Sammi made it.”

“Water is fine, thank you.  So bring me up to date.”

That was when the yelling began.  Dr. Quimby and Scott
looked at each other as the volume increased between the two.  More so, they
had gone from complete disagreement to ways to conduct the study without risk to
the animals.  The older men started laughing loudly, silencing the younger
family members.

“What’s so funny?” Michael asked, snatching his pad
from his sister, who was rewriting his notes.

“You two.  I guess she’s back on the team, huh Mike?” Scott
asked, nudging the young man. 

“I never said that.”

“No, but you just figured a way that resolved both
your problems.  You couldn’t do that without her input.”

“Yeah… I guess so.  But,” he looked at his sister,
“I’m still in charge.”

“If believing that makes you feel better, then okay.”  She
shrugged.

Michael kicked her under the table.  “You need to be
nicer to me.”

She kicked him back.  “Says who?”

“Says me.  You both are being royal pains,” Dr. Quimby
said, moving himself out of the line of fire and the two started trying to kick
each other again.  “Act your ages.  What are you, five?  Michael Scott, a
gentleman does not kick a lady.”

“If there was a lady around, I would remember that. 
However, you are correct.  I do believe Scott taught me that ladies do not get
kicked, they get spanked,” Michael grinned, catching his sister’s foot.  “One
more time and that will happen, right here and right now.  Care to test me?”

“You’re no fun,” the girl pouted, pulling her foot
away.

“And you’re a brat.  Behave or we won’t go shopping.”

“We are going to get absolutely nothing done today
with these two, Joe.  Let’s call it a day and go to the O’ Club.”

“No, it’s a work night.  We will go home after closing
and be good examples of how proper adults behave.  Didn’t I say to stop it?”  Dr.
Quimby gave his daughter the ‘Look’ after she accidentally kicked him.

“Sorry, Daddy.”

“You will be, if you don’t start minding me.  Michael,
I apologize, but she’s all yours for the rest of the day.  Good luck.”  Their
father stood to leave.

Scott joined him.  “Don’t be late getting home.  You
need to be in bed at a decent time,” he commanded.

“Scott, I’m 22 years old.  I think it’s past the point
of giving me a bedtime, don’t you?”

“Ordinarily, yes.  However, I’ve seen you in the
morning when you haven’t had enough sleep.  You’re hideous.”

“You’re no raving beauty, even if you do get enough
sleep, so why go there?” Michael retorted.

 Scott wagged his finger at him.  “Watch it, teeny
bopper; I’m still bigger than you.”

Michael stood up to face the man, looking him directly
in the eye and smiling mischievously.  “Height, no.  Girth, absolutely.”

Scott scowled, patting his flat, solid stomach.  “You
should look this good when you’re my age.  Hug me and get out of this place. 
Make sure you buy her something pretty.”

Michael laughed, returning the bear hug that left his
uncle gasping for air.

“I think you cracked a rib.  No more weight training
for you,” Scott panted, holding his side.