Moss, am I to assume from your story that you are not a medical doctor but rather a scientist of some sort?” the man continued, obviously playing with her.
Alex didn’t reply , she just looked at the mysterious figure as if he were an alien.
”Alex is a paleontologist. One of the best,” Tom offered helpfully , trying to break the silence.
“I see. Well, Miss, I mean, err, Dr. Moss, I would certainly like to apologize for any inconv enience we may have caused you,” the stranger said.
Alex could feel her face flush red , now she wanted to kill this guy. OK, smartass, two can play this game. “Wait, I still don’t know your name, who the hell are you?”
“Oh yes, so sorry . My name is Batter.”
“Batter. Just Batter huh?”
“Think of pancakes, Doctor.” He smiled at his own joke which seemed to allow him to avoid the question of whether there was any more to his name or not. It was clear to Alex that if Batter had used that line once, he’d used it a thousand times, and he still thought it was funny. He slowly rose from his chair and walked across the room, as if it were a great inconvenience, and held out his hand.
Alex reluctantly took it as if someone were handing her a dead fish. There was something not right about this guy. He smelled like stale bread and Old Spice. Someone had clearly given him too much power for his ego to deal with. His eyes were pale grey, and he looked like a man that lied for a living. But it was his absolute and total confidence that was most disturbing.
“Now, you were saying , Doctor?” Batter said, seating himself uncomfortably close to her at the table.
Alex just stared at him—dead silence again which Tom soon felt the need to fill. “Alex is one of the finest paleontologists in the country, Mr. Batter. She specializes in the Cretaceous period and teaches … err, I should say she is a professor at the University in Salt Lake. At least, that is, as of the last time we spoke.” He looked to Alex for confirmation.
“Tom, the last time we spoke it was not about my career . In fact, I think it had to do with someone you had been cheating with if my memory serves,” Alex said, still looking intently at Batter.
“Alex!” Tom pleaded, his face reddening.
Batter was clearly amused. “Well, Dr. Moss, I’m sorry and quite surprised to say that Tom hasn’t spoken a word about you before. Now, as I was saying,” he continued, obviously enjoying the domestic dispute.
“No, Mr. Pancake Batter,” Alex interrupted, fire in her eyes, “as I was saying, your little operation here just nearly killed me, and it destroyed a one of a kind specimen. That’s more than a ‘little inconvenience’ if you get my drift.”
There was a loud knock at the door. Some kind of aid e in uniform entered. “Here is the file you requested, Sir.” The aide stole a glance at Alex as he handed the file to Batter. He looked back at Batter, and waited patiently as the older man thumbed the pages.
“Hum… interesting. All right , Corporal, very good,” Batter said as he continued reading. “You will return the side arm to the young lady, as well, please,” he added without looking up, still combing through the file.
The Corporal reluctantly produced Alex’s Ruger and set it carefully on the table, placing the loaded clip beside it. He looked back at Batter as if he were about to salute, then thought better of it. “Will there anything else, Sir?”
Batter looked up from the file and smiled at Alex. The return of her weapon was obviously some attempt at a peace offering. “Why yes, Corporal, now that you’ve asked. Dr. Moss, you must be thirsty. How rude of us not to have offered sooner. Can we get you an iced tea, soda?” He paused. “Perhaps something stronger,” he added mischievously.
Alex just looked at him. Who is this guy?
“Tom?” Batter asked.
“No, ah, I’m good.” Tom twisted uncomfortably in his chair.
“Corporal, two iced teas please for Dr. Moss
Alex didn’t reply , she just looked at the mysterious figure as if he were an alien.
”Alex is a paleontologist. One of the best,” Tom offered helpfully , trying to break the silence.
“I see. Well, Miss, I mean, err, Dr. Moss, I would certainly like to apologize for any inconv enience we may have caused you,” the stranger said.
Alex could feel her face flush red , now she wanted to kill this guy. OK, smartass, two can play this game. “Wait, I still don’t know your name, who the hell are you?”
“Oh yes, so sorry . My name is Batter.”
“Batter. Just Batter huh?”
“Think of pancakes, Doctor.” He smiled at his own joke which seemed to allow him to avoid the question of whether there was any more to his name or not. It was clear to Alex that if Batter had used that line once, he’d used it a thousand times, and he still thought it was funny. He slowly rose from his chair and walked across the room, as if it were a great inconvenience, and held out his hand.
Alex reluctantly took it as if someone were handing her a dead fish. There was something not right about this guy. He smelled like stale bread and Old Spice. Someone had clearly given him too much power for his ego to deal with. His eyes were pale grey, and he looked like a man that lied for a living. But it was his absolute and total confidence that was most disturbing.
“Now, you were saying , Doctor?” Batter said, seating himself uncomfortably close to her at the table.
Alex just stared at him—dead silence again which Tom soon felt the need to fill. “Alex is one of the finest paleontologists in the country, Mr. Batter. She specializes in the Cretaceous period and teaches … err, I should say she is a professor at the University in Salt Lake. At least, that is, as of the last time we spoke.” He looked to Alex for confirmation.
“Tom, the last time we spoke it was not about my career . In fact, I think it had to do with someone you had been cheating with if my memory serves,” Alex said, still looking intently at Batter.
“Alex!” Tom pleaded, his face reddening.
Batter was clearly amused. “Well, Dr. Moss, I’m sorry and quite surprised to say that Tom hasn’t spoken a word about you before. Now, as I was saying,” he continued, obviously enjoying the domestic dispute.
“No, Mr. Pancake Batter,” Alex interrupted, fire in her eyes, “as I was saying, your little operation here just nearly killed me, and it destroyed a one of a kind specimen. That’s more than a ‘little inconvenience’ if you get my drift.”
There was a loud knock at the door. Some kind of aid e in uniform entered. “Here is the file you requested, Sir.” The aide stole a glance at Alex as he handed the file to Batter. He looked back at Batter, and waited patiently as the older man thumbed the pages.
“Hum… interesting. All right , Corporal, very good,” Batter said as he continued reading. “You will return the side arm to the young lady, as well, please,” he added without looking up, still combing through the file.
The Corporal reluctantly produced Alex’s Ruger and set it carefully on the table, placing the loaded clip beside it. He looked back at Batter as if he were about to salute, then thought better of it. “Will there anything else, Sir?”
Batter looked up from the file and smiled at Alex. The return of her weapon was obviously some attempt at a peace offering. “Why yes, Corporal, now that you’ve asked. Dr. Moss, you must be thirsty. How rude of us not to have offered sooner. Can we get you an iced tea, soda?” He paused. “Perhaps something stronger,” he added mischievously.
Alex just looked at him. Who is this guy?
“Tom?” Batter asked.
“No, ah, I’m good.” Tom twisted uncomfortably in his chair.
“Corporal, two iced teas please for Dr. Moss
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