Connor and Vince fight their forbidden attraction as they attempt to rescue themselves and fellow residents of the underground Refuge facility from a toxic breach.
*****
Conn...
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Blinking the stinging sweat from my eyes, I examined the small seeds, twisting one and turning it inches from my visor. The smooth sides and oval shape left the impression that it was part of the fruit or berry family.
Patrick's flashlight lit the vicinity. "Is it anything significant? Promising?"
I presented the seeds in my gloved palm. "There's a possibility they're effected. Maybe they're suffering from exogenous dormancy and just need moisture and nutrients to get past the seed coat."
Patrick cocked his head. "There's a way to test it, right?"
"Testing them in this environment wouldn't tell us much. I need the equipment from the facility, not to mention a sterile and controlled lab, and time. Lots of time."
He nodded, excitement in his wide eyes. "But this is a start, right?"
Was he now fishing for reassurance? Was he digging for a straightforward answer?
I shrugged, doubting he saw it or understood my caution. I didn't want to get his hopes up. My attraction to his confidence caused my hesitation to heighten. I couldn't knowingly give false hope just to watch the bond we'd built break when he finally realized the ruse. So I remained mindful of my answers. "Let's keep looking."
"Can I examine them, first?"
"Sure." I passed the tiny kernels, allowing them to cascade from my hand into his palm. "Control will probably need better evidence before opening that hatch. We need something substantial."
"This isn't substantial?" He pushed them around in his bare palm with his thumb. "These are seeds."
"Exactly, they're seeds. Not a living plant." I didn't need to hide my excitement like Patrick did; it didn't exist because my doubts had suddenly resurfaced. The likelihood of stumbling upon a cluster of seeds that led to living vegetation was damn near impossible and would require more than luck, but I couldn't bring myself to voice my suspicions.
"There has to be a way to check their vitality somehow."
Maybe he wanted to celebrate. Maybe he wanted to announce that we had accomplished our mission, but it would all be premature. "No way to check without my equipment."
Patrick pulled a baggie from his suit and dropped the seeds inside. As soon as the bag vacuum-sealed closed, he replaced it in his pocket. "How's your temperature and oxygen?"
"It's hot," I admit. "Doesn't feel like air pressure is weakening. I think the heat will get me before lack of oxygen does. But since oxygen isn't an immediate threat, I guess we can hold off using the filter as long as we have to."
"Agreed."
The major risk of switching to his contraption prematurely was the possibility that in his haste to build it, a mistake was made and we'd risk early contamination, so enduring the heat until it was no longer bearable was currently the safest option.
