Page 257 of One Winter Knight
“Oh, fuck.” I went straight to my station. Nothing had been lost because I hadn’t started anything and didn’t have any long-term projects other than my drug. But it was a mess.
“Does anyone know what they might be looking for?” Professor Clemson looked worried. “They’re trying to pull the securityfootage.”
I shook my head. “No idea.”
This wasn’t the lab where the long-term secret shit was happening. Also, it was winter break and a little early for project sabotage.
“Wait, Tad, what are you working on in the broadest sense, considering first the house and now the lab?” I blinked. “Were they after your notes when they stole all our booze?”
Tad frowned. “No one knows what I’m doing other than Professor Clemson.”
Professor Clemson’s eyebrows rose. “Someone broke into your place?”
“Yeah. I hope they don’t do it again, the puppy is there.” I couldn’t bring him to campus.
Tad looked relieved. “The puppy in our room is real? Good, I thought I was still high. Awww, is it for your omega?”
“Yeah, well, for my pack,” I replied. I checked the time. “I have time to help you clean up a little before I leave.”
Though I really should stop at the club and quit in person. After figuring things out with Professor Clemson I knew that I couldn’t keep my job and keep my being in the Circle to a minimum. It made me a little itchy to do it, but I had to trust in my mates–and there was only so much time in a day.
Also, the sooner I quit, the sooner they could hire someone else. I should be respectful and do that in person. They’d always been good to me.
Tad nodded. “I can help, too.”
“Thank you.” Professor Clemson looked around and sighed.
Poor Tad. We cleaned up the best we could.
“I’ve got to get going if I’m going to make my train, I’m sorry,” I finally said.
“Thanks for your help,” Professor Clemson replied.
Tad nodded. “Are you going home to get the puppy?”
“Yeah, I’ve got to stop at the Titty Tank first, then I’ll get thepuppy and my shit,” I replied.
It was weird that someone had broken into the house and the lab. My stomach twisted and I went down to the basement and into the secret lab.
“Oh, hey Hale.” One of the PhD students looked up at me as she worked.
“Hi. Just making sure no one broke in. Someone broke into one of the labs upstairs,” I told her.
“Shit. The one you use? So sorry. Were they after research?” she asked.
I shook my head. “Nothing was taken except for a couple of chemicals from the supply closet, it was just ransacked.”
Huh.
Going back to my truck, I affixed my new parking decal. As I drove to the Titty Tank, my eyes fell on the boxes of honey buns I’d bought yesterday at Pig-E’s. I couldn’t forget those.
The Titty Tank was open, but pretty empty. It wasn't the classiest place, and smelled of cheap booze and French fries, but everyone was kind–unless you were an asshole, then you got smacked down. A number of the dancers said they felt safest here, because the staff wasn’t afraid to piss off customers who harassed people.
“Hey, Hale, you’re back,” one of the bouncers said. “I heard the craziest story that you ran off to Europe and mated with a rockstar?”
I laughed. “It’s kinda true. I’m not mated to the rockstar, it’s the hockey player, but the rockstar is in our pack.”
“Shit, man. Life is never boring with you.” He laughed. “Working today? I didn’t see you on the schedule.”
