IGO: Sudden Snow Read Online Free PDF Page A

flesh against his fingertips. Yeah, we were lucky . Lucky, thanks to Lars. He could fly the pants off an elephant.
    “Define minor,” snapped Junior Commander Lee, his eyes mere slits against his olive skin and pockmarked face. His tone was switched to bastard . No doubt upset Taylor had sent Darryl to retrieve the scientist and not him. JC Lee reeked of old sweat. Even from his stationary stance by the turbo lift, his odor infiltrated the entire bridge. “ Sergeant Snow.”
    Each time Lee said Darryl’s rank, he made it sound dirty and insignificant. Fine. Whatever. If you get your rocks off thinking you’ve belittled me, go for it. But we all know who’s the real man on the ’shoe, and Lee, it isn’t you .
    “Doctor Krongkon reports only minor injuries, Junior Commander Lee. Specifically, Private Brock and Private Sams suffered small cuts from flying shards of glass cast by a fallen vase. It wasn’t from the attack, but from another soldier’s clumsiness. So, no one was badly injured. As for the shields, engineering has already repaired much of the damage. I repeat, sir , minor damages.”
    Swollen silence landed on the bridge. Everyone heard Lee’s snide tone and Darryl’s reply, which wasn’t much better. Skimming the edge of insubordination, Darryl stood rigidly at attention. He kept his eyes locked on Lee as his upper lip crumbled into a frown, so furious Darryl thought his face would explode.
    Smug bastard. Serves him right .
    “Sergeant Snow, you’ve been on duty for over fifteen hours. Why not go catch some stars?” Commander Taylor suggested with an undercurrent of steel.
    The tense pressure on the ’shoe cracked with a whoosh from the other soldiers.
    Commander Taylor’s expression warned him that he didn’t approve of Darryl’s antics with Lee. Darryl caught his unmoving eyes and stony visage. He’d pushed the commander too far. Darryl opened his mouth to explain but closed it with one final glance at Commander Taylor’s face. His order wasn’t negotiable.
    “Yes, sir,” he said at last and logged off his security clearance.
    Lee puffed up, full of confidence, strolled over to the commander’s chair and stood beside the senior commander, as if on the left hand of a god. He nodded when Darryl passed as if confirming he deserved to be kicked off and sent packing.
    I could be reprimanded for acting like a brat. Why do I keep letting Lee get to me ?
    Grumpy but refusing to acknowledge it, Darryl stepped into the spacecraft’s lift and jabbed the illuminated button for his floor, not waiting for the A.I. to inquire. No one entered the container with him. The turbo lift went so swiftly it didn’t seem to be moving at all. He blew out a stream of air, hoping to relax his tense body. He closed his eyes and rotated his neck to relieve the tight bunch of tension at its base.
    Before he knew it, he was growling and yelling. His fury bounced off the reinforced, soundproof walls. Each angry burst rebounded, slamming home the foolishness of the practice. Shouting at objects without ears wouldn’t solve his problem. Nor cease the annoying awakening smoldering inside him. He realized though, as his eyes opened and the A.I. announced his floor, that some of his angst didn’t come from the job, but rather from the attractive scientist in visitor quarters A3201. It spread, engulfing more and more of his consciousness. And he despised it.
    Using his anger to douse the flames, he’d hoped to render the fire she conjured in him to ash. It only served to encourage his already raging fantasy. He could still smell her scent of sweet lavender and the bitter odor of IGO-issued soap. Hair like a thousand black cords, binding him to her bidding, slicing through his resistance with her saucy allure, Dr. Moore erected more than his imagination. The doctor couldn’t get off his spacecraft soon enough.
    The sooner I can put distance between me and her, the sooner I’ll be able to breathe, get back to normal and