“Thanks,” I said, and I meant it.
I gestured at the same retaining wall where I’d sat waiting for Teo on Sunday morning. “Shall we sit?”
When we were comfortable I asked if Paul had any updates on Bobby.
“They think he’s going to make it.” He paused. “But Kenny died this morning.”
“No,” I said in total disbelief.
He bit his lip. “Yeah.”
“What happened in there, Paul?”
“I don’t even know…”
“Bobby said a valve blew.”
He looked surprised. “He did?”
I nodded.
“He could lose his security clearance for telling you that.”
“I think he figured that was the least of his problems.”
Paul acknowledged that Bobby was probably right.
“I heard there was some kind of problem with the shield placement.”
“He told you that?”
“No,” I said. “Someone else did.”
“Who?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Paul looked like he wanted to argue the point, but something stopped him. “We had a new guy who was meant to install it, but he got his wires crossed. I should have caught it.”
“And if it had been there?”
“We wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“Jesus, Paul.”
“I know,” he said. “I feel like shit. I don’t know what I was thinking. I mean, I do know. I was thinking about you and Teo and how bad I’d fucked everything up, and I just signed the stupid authorization without even looking around the containment room.”
“Does Bobby know it’s your fault?”
“Yeah, definitely,” said Paul.
“He didn’t say anything to me about it.”
“He’s a good guy.”
I agreed with him.
“Is this going to affect Advanced Course?” I asked Paul.
