Beneath The Waves (bxb)

7. Learning By Mistake

"I'm really fucking pissed at you."

Way to ruin the moment, Jay.

I glanced up at him, grinning like the idiot that I was. Sure, I was one of the best scientists here, or at least that's what my paycheck said, but I knew what I had done was beyond stupid.

"I know."

"No, you don't."

My brows furrowed, and I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, and not just because I had been pulled underwater twice today already.

"What?"

The door opened behind me right as Jay was about to respond, drawing my attention to the young intern who just stepped in.

"Dr. Ryans, what would you like us to do about feeding him?"

Seriously?

"Put fish in the water. He'll likely eat any kind."

The guy blinked, as if confused, then quickly nodded and ran back out. Well, that had officially broken up any kind of argument Jay and I had been having, so back to work. Except when I tried to scoot off his lap, his arms wouldn't let me go. Looking back with an annoyed glare, I grumbled at him.

"Let go."

"No."

"Dammit, Jayson. I have work to do."

"You're not going near him again."

I blanched, then jerked my body hard enough to stumble out of his lap. Of course that meant I dropped onto the floor, but at least the blanket absorbed most of the impact.

"I am not going to just leave him here with them. He's my responsibility."

Jay scoffed as I got to my feet and limped over to my second locker. We always had two, one for basic necessities near the front of the building, and another in this room in case we ended up diving. So, when I opened the small door, I gave a relieved sigh. My spare dry clothing were still there, neatly folded on the upper shelf. Without taking off the blanket, I quickly tugged on the dry boxers, then followed them up with pants and a shirt. The chill from the sixty degree water was still bugging me, but I knew I had to get back out there and make sure they weren't doing anything to stress Callem out any further. Once I put the blanket in the dirty laundry hamper by the door, I stepped back out into the pool area, Jay nearly glued to my heels. Smithson hurried up to me right as I walked out, worried but smiling.

"Are you alright, Dr. Ryans?"

I nodded and walked with him toward Callem's pool.

"Parker!"

That made me chuckle a little.

"He's called for you a few times."

We stepped up to the tank, and I noticed Callem swimming over. There were a few pieces of fish floating in the water, but he didn't seem interested in them at all.

Odd, he has to be hungry, especially after throwing up from the drug he was shot with earlier.

When his head surfaced a few feet away, I nodded toward the small piece of fish in front of him.

"Aren't you hungry, Callem?"

He glanced at the fish, then back at me before nodding. I returned the gesture, but he didn't bother to look at the fish again.

Okay, maybe he thinks it means something else?

I walked over to one of the elevated platforms attached to the outside of the tank and stepped up. He swam over, ignoring the fish again.