The Clock Winked (The Sagittan Chronicles Book 2) Read Free

accounting department is pretty good, so we
shouldn't have any issues. Melissa might strangle someone, but I think we'll be
fine.”
    They turned into the main offices where the graduate
students, temporary employees, and other random related individuals worked. A
couple of students lay flat out on their desks, sound asleep; one snored
softly. The others turned pages slowly, scribbled with their pencils, and
downed copious amounts of coffee.
    “Go home!” John yelled, rapping a sleeping youth on the head
with his knuckles. “Sleep! Eat! Come back tomorrow,
sometime, whenever you want, as long as it's before midnight.”
    A wave swept over the room as the sleepers woke and the
workers stood, and backpacks filled with the rustle of papers. Coats and
scarves vanished from the backs of chairs, and in a moment, the room lay empty,
devoid of the sleepless zombie students.
    “There's something you two should know,” Tom said, closing
the door after the last student stumbled through. “There is an investigation
being conducted into the death of Chair Aderick. It's completely secret—well,
except for a few of us. Mr. Drake doesn't know—he would probably have a heart
attack. We don't think Chair Rizinski is responsible, but his absence has left
some inexplicable holes and Rathead and his Woerta Clan gang members are on the
move again.”
    “Er, I thought Aderick died from a heart attack. Didn't he
have heart surgery a few years ago?” John asked.
    “Well, yes, but you know there are certain drugs that can
induce a heart attack. In fact, there are many things that can induce a heart
attack.” Tom crossed his arms. “I need your help. I want you to talk to your
non-existent shady friends to dig up some information regarding this issue. I
don't need evidence. Nothing needs to be proved in court, as far as I'm
concerned. We just need to know so we can figure out where we stand and what
steps should be taken. Do you understand?”
    “Yes, sir.” Quin nodded.
    “Of course,” John said, grinning. “Sounds like fun.”
    “Not too fun, I hope,” Tom replied.
    A crash and a dribbling thump resounded through the quiet
room, marking his statement emphatically; it was the sound of dozens of books
falling into a heap. Quin darted towards the sound. A slew of books littered
the floor, and in the midst of the wreckage sat a dazed and blinking graduate
student. She rubbed her head.
    “Misty!” John exclaimed, running past Quin and kneeling next
to her. “Are you okay? What happened?”
    “My mistake,” she murmured. “Did anything break? Am I
awake?”
    John chuckled. “You’re awake and seem fine. Don’t worry
about the bookcase. You should go home, though.”
    “First things first,” Tom interjected. “Did you hear our
conversation? It was supposed to be private, you know.”
    “So sorry! My adamant apology!” she
wailed, scrambling to pick up some books. “My associate apprentices were gone
when I woke, and then I stumbled into the bookcase, which broke.” She sank to
her knees and shook her head dramatically.
    “What did you hear?” Tom asked. “Of our
conversation?”
    Misty covered her face with her hands. “Everything. But I will not sing!”
    “Background check,” Quin stated.
    “Clean.” John turned to look at the other two men. “Leans towards the Conservative Matrite Party. Volunteers at the animal shelter. Work focused on trees.”
    “Trees?” Quin asked.
    “Yes, her thesis is quite interesting. She's looking at a
sampling of planets from each sector of the known universe to try to find a
common factor between varieties of trees. Her only problem is that it requires
a travel permit and sampling privileges.”
    “Interesting.” Quin said, nodding. “Religion?”
    “Undecided.”
    “Well, Misty the graduate student,” Quin crossed his arms
and turned all of his massive attention towards her, “I have a new job for you.
It's highly confidential. If you spill the beans you will lose