The Emotion Game

Chapter Twenty: A Hacking Hostage

"I know you're not asleep."

Drew's ears pricked at the new voice. He'd expected it to be Neil, but it wasn't. For one thing, the voice was different, but the footsteps were also too light. Drew listened as the person moved closer. The door closed. It was a man, based on the type of shoe it probably was, roughly 6 foot 5 by the length of his stride. Drew rolled over, smiling at his correct deduction, "6'5?" He raised his brows.

The man narrowed his vision, adjusting the clipboard he had in the crook of his arm and against his side. He nodded, raising an eyebrow. "I'm—"

"A scientist or a chemist; based on your attire and the safety-goggle impression on your nose." Drew smiled, letting his vision lower. He'd guessed the shoes right too. He snapped his gaze back up. "I'd tell you my occupation, but I suspect you're already acquainted with it." Where was this boldness coming from? He was usually more timid. But he knew he was right. That always seemed to boost his confidence level.

"Neil was surprisingly accurate in his statement. You are observant." It sounded like he cleared his throat, but just slightly. "Quite." He cleared it again. "But yes, I know everything about you." His voice was interesting. It sounded almost robotic, but also intriguing.

Drew's face tightened. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. And how could this guy know everything? "What's your name then? Doctor something obviously."

The man's eyebrows lifted, almost in surprise. He brought the clipboard up into his view and slid a pen out of an inner pocket of his coat, clicking it on. He then proceeded to write some down some information, his eyes flipping over the edge to Drew's face. "I'm Dr. Maxwell."

Drew let the name resonate in his brain, storing it in the back of his mind along with a mental picture of his appearance. "I'd say it's nice to meet you, but I didn't exactly ask to come here. So unless this is some bad excuse of a surprise party—I'm very unhappy to meet you." He shouldn't be so sarcastic. Now wasn't really the best time for it. Drew could tell his words irritated the doctor. His skin seemed to tighten like a balloon being stretched from too much helium.

"Better watch that mouth, boy." Maxwell's jaw muscles flexed.

Drew narrowed his vision to get a better look at Maxwell's hand as he scribbled down some information. Should I? Drew blinked his vision away, only able to keep it at the floor for a few seconds before it lifted back to the clipboard. He inhaled. "So, do I get to know why I'm here? Or is that still remaining a secret?" His voice was dry. He knew he was walking on eggshells with these people, but his brain nagged him for all the information he could get. "Or should I just keep assuming I'm a hacking hostage?"

Dr. Maxwell's eyes jerked to Drew for a moment, his pen hovering over the clipboard. He quickly scribbled down another short phrase.

Drew scanned the movement like a computer analyzes data. "You just wrote has high observational skills." He quirked an eyebrow.

Dr. Maxwell's lips parted slightly. One might think he was shocked. A split second passed before his facial expression tightened again. "And you read my hand writing upside-down." He almost smiled, but quickly penned another phrase.

"Inverted handwriting analysis skills." Drew let the words slip from his mouth as he watched Maxwell pen them. He didn't remember when he'd learned it, but reading upside down was a skill he really valued.

Dr. Maxwell's vision jerked upward again. It was obvious he was annoyed, but it also appeared he was amazed that Drew could read his writing upside down while he was putting it on the paper. "You're good." He smiled, turning his back to keep his next penned phrase from Drew's eyes.