Fifty Degrees Below Read Online Free PDF

she might have gone down a wrong path somewhere. “What about you? What brought you to NSF?”
    Well, I gambled with equity that wasn’t entirely mine, lost it, went through a break-up, needed to get away. . . .
    It wasn’t a story he wanted to tell. Maybe no one’s story could really be told. She had not mentioned her late husband, for instance. She would understand if he only spoke of his scientific reasons for coming to NSF: new work in bioalgorithms, needed a wider perspective to see what was out there, a year visiting NSF good for that—and so on.
    She nodded, watching him with that amused expression, as if to say, I know this is only part of the story but it’s still interesting. He liked that. No wonder she had risen so high. Alpha females pursued different strategies than alpha males to achieve their goals; their alpha-ness derived from different social qualities.
    “What about your living situation?” she asked. “Were you able to stay in the place you had?”
    Startled, Frank said, “No. I was renting from a State Department guy who came back.”
    “So you managed to find another place?”
    “Yes. . . . For the moment I’m in a temporary place, and I’ve got some leads for a permanent one.”
    “That’s good. It must be tough right now, with the flood.”
    “That’s for sure. It’s gotten very expensive.”
    “I bet. Let me know if we can help with that.”
    “Thanks, I will.”
    He wondered what she meant, but did not want to ask. “One thing I’m looking into is joining an exercise club around here, and Anna mentioned that you went to one?”
    “Yes, I go to the Optimodal.”
    “Do you like it?”
    “Sure, it’s okay. It’s not too expensive, and it has all the usual stuff. And it’s not just kids showing off. Most days I just get on a treadmill and go.” She laughed. “Like a rat on a wheel.”
    Just like at work, Frank didn’t say.
    “Actually I’ve been trying more of the machines,” she added. “It’s fun.”
    Frank got the address from her, and they went back to the serving area for pie and ice cream (her portion small), and talked a bit more about work. She never made even the slightest hint of reference to his letter of resignation. That was strange enough to disturb his sense of being in a normal professional relationship. It was as if she were in some way holding it over him.
    Then, walking in the covered walkway above the street to the NSF building, she said, “Let’s set up a regular meeting between us for every two weeks, and add more if you need to. I want to be kept up on what you’re thinking.”
    Quickly he glanced down at her. She kept looking at the glass doors they were approaching.
    “That’s the best way to avoid any misunderstandings,” she went on, still not looking at him. Then, as they reached the doors to their building, she said, “I want something to come of this.”
    “Me too,” he assured her. “Believe me.”
    They approached the security desk. “So what will you do first?” she asked, as if something had been settled between them.
    “To tell the truth, I think I’ll go see about joining that health club.”
    She grinned. “Good idea. I’ll see you there sometimes.”
    He nodded. “And, as far as the working committee, I’ll start making calls and setting it up. I’d like to get Edgardo on it too, if you think that would be okay.”
    She laughed. “If you can talk him into it.”
             
    So. Frank returned to his office, collecting his thoughts. A workman was there installing a power strip on the newly exposed wall behind his desk, and he waited patiently until the man left. He sat at the desk, swiveled and looked out the window at the mobile in the atrium.
    He had spent the night in his car and then lunched with the director of the National Science Foundation, and no one was the wiser. He did feel a little spacy. But when appearances were maintained, no one could tell. Nothing obvious gave it away. One retained a