The button was pressed, but nothing happened. There wasnt even the flash that would indicate a malfunction. The lights
however did flash on, revealing the terrible face of this villain, carrying in his hand a sack which no doubt contained some
of Trent's most valuable worldly posessions.
"Chris!" Cried the owner of the house.
"Trent!" Cried the owner of the sack.
"Why the heck did you come in here?" Trent asked demandingly, angry over the fright he'd been given.
"I came to put in the lead insulators, you gave me the keys remember!?" Said the accused, in a tone that was both hurried
and defensive, but truthful none the less.
"Oh!" Cried Trent, remembering it suddenly. "Oh yes."
"Yeah, you know, the stuff that keeps the radiation from cooking people if you ever get the thing working." Chris chuckled,
seeing his advantage in his friend's forgetfullness.
"I very nearly had it working as you were entering actually." Trent replied, finding himself defending his scientific genius.
"So you've found the oft searched for formula to produce electricity out of your ass?" Chris asked with a laugh as he nudged
the unplugged power cord with his foot.
"So then you've installed the lead insulators then?" Trent asked, having a suspicion as to the answer he'd get.
"Well... That is to say... No. I was kind of taking a break." He stammered out while looking around a bit guiltily.
"From the work you hadn't done yet?" Trent inquired.
"Well, the planning alone was exhausting."
"I'm sure it was, especially when you had to think on the go while ransacking my fridge."
"Oh it's not as though you eat anyhow! All you ever do is work on the damned wave decelerator." Chris shot back.
"Which is exactly what we should be doing now, theres no time for food when science is involved!" Trent said stoicly as
he began to unscrew the plates that covered the interior of the machine so the insulators could be put in.
"Oh man, I wish I'd gone to work for a nutrional researcher instead of a physicist..." Chris complained as he began to
unload the lead plates.
"If you worked for one they'd have told you not to eat all my chips and soda." Trent replied with a laugh.
The two partners carried on their work late into the night, as was customary for them. By the time they had quit the machine
was fully operational and not nearly as likely to irradiate people, which is why this isn't going to be a superhero novel.
Once the work was finished Trent and his friend sat down to finish off the snacks that had been set out previous to his
arrival. Since they had come from Trent's cupboards the fare was rather scant, and often stale, but it was food and they were
hungry, which adds savor to any dish.
Eventually Chris and Trent made their parting, the latter to go home and go to bed, and the former to stay at his work
and likely fall asleep on something which would leave a curious imprint on his face. Such was the way of life in Trent's household.
Continue... IF YOU DARE
