Snippet #1278891

Jannett stared at the clockwork a moment longer. That's it...they're gone. She couldn't stop her stomach from turning knots. Trust them.

The woman found her thoughts wandering back to Gabriel's invitation. It was an utterly obvious ploy...but she couldn't help but wonder if she could use it to her own advantages somehow. The idea tugged at her as she turned to leave the room. Suddenly though Jannett stopped and glanced back over her shoulder. "Bennett, I've got a small project to keep you occupied for a bit while we wait on the return. See me in my office in fifteen." She called to the engineer without much consideration in her voice. Jannett had unwittingly let herself become worked up over Gabriel Cross' invitation...it was putting her in a bad mood. Without bothering to correct her tone though she left it at that and then returned to her office.

There Jannett sat in her chair and let her head fall into her hands. Damn life. A sigh rattled through her. As she raised her eyes, Jannett found the delicate looking rose Gabriel had left behind. Her gaze fixed upon it a moment, and ever so slowly she reached to take hold of it. As her fingers curled around the stem, her eyes drew further into the inviting beauty of the bud...and it was then that she felt a small but sharp pain in her fingertip. Her hand drew away from the rose, letting it fall as it may. And as she upturned her fingers, a small speck of ruby red blood was there to meet her gaze. Like a symbol it was.

Jannett turned her eyes to look down at the elegant rose once more but this time she saw its true nature. One little spine left hidden at the base of its stem was enough still to hurt. It was proof that even beauty and innocence can hide a sharp point...

"And it can be just enough to make you bleed." Jannett whispered to herself. She had a lot of thinking left to do.