Demon Seed

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

3:00 am Nashville, TN

As they reach the Nashville airport, Tracy, the diva of the bunch, yawned and sighed most of the way.  She had started dating this new guy in town and hated to have to leave him for an extended period of time.  The team is used to her drama but this time she was in “love”.  “What if he decides to date someone while I’m gone?  I really love him!  He is so perfect and his smile will look so good on the faces of our children!”  Emily was sleeping and that was fine, because she and her husband were arguing again about her having to leave again for research.  Even though they are experts in the same field, her husband did not like Emily spending time in the field.  Being married for two years, he was ready for a housewife with two kids and him to be the” breadwinner”.  Emily, being the OCD, busybody-type person she is, has no desire to be a housewife, much less having children yet.  So, the argument continues over text and email everyday they are apart. 

Meaghan and Ross were both, earplugs installed and iPods on, ignoring everyone and in their own space.  They met a few years ago at a frat party and became great friends.  Most people think that they are together, but to Meaghan, that would be like kissing her brother.  Ross, who thinks Meaghan is great, would feel like he was fooling around with his sister if they even held hands.  So they agree to enjoy their friendship and have no conflicts.

 Ross is actually the oldest of the team, and last to get his master’s degree for one really good reason.  He is a veteran in the US Army and was sitting in Iraq, on a tank, when the others in the team were in their undergraduate courses.  He is a Staff sergeant, but anyone who ever met him wouldn’t really know that due to his being a very soft-spoken person and fairly laid back.  He is also a brown belt in Karate and enjoys shooting rifles and bows with his buddies from Tennessee.  He’s just a good ole country boy and just enjoys nature and studying Waves and how they are an integral part of earthquake damage.

  Courtney yells to the crew, “Time to get your stuff together”!  Emily grumbling, rubs her eyes and stretches asking, “Is there a bathroom close, I’m about to burst”!  Ross and Meaghan have stowed their gear and are ready to get out of the vehicle.  Courtney pulls into the “Long-term Parking area” of the airport and pays the fee to keep her car there safe.  She has done this so many times that it has become automatic.  Plus, she has developed a loose friendship with the trolley drivers and they keep an eye out for her van.

“All out folks”, Ross yells and they all open doors and the trunk in order to get what gear they brought from the office.  “Is there a trolley handy”?, Tracy asks.  Courtney looks around and waves to the trolley driver heading their way.  “You’re a godsend, this shit is heavy”!  The trolley driver pulls up and opens the door in order for them to load their gear.  Courtney notices that this guy is new and smiles at him.

When the driver notices the label on the crates and boxes the team start to load, he asks, “What the hell are you anyway? You some kind of scientists?”  “Yeah, something like that”. Meaghan replies sarcastically.  Ross, being the guy and the strongest, starts lifting the heavy crates and suitcases of the team into the trolley.  He glances at the driver and notices him looking at each of the girls.  When the driver notices him looking, he quickly looks away, but not without a sly smile.  This makes Ross want to punch the driver in the face, for his lack of tact, and for just being an asshole.

Once all the gear is loaded and the van locked, the team gets aboard the trolley and they head to the terminal.  “What flight are we on anyway”? Emily asks, in between texting and looking around.  “I need to tell Cameron what flight so he can keep track at home”. Courtney thinks “Ugh”, those two are just inseparable most of the time at best.  “Hope I don’t have to listen to this shit the whole time we are gone”, thinks Courtney.

“Flight 182 from here to San Diego, CA, that’s three hours, and then an egg beater to Hermosillo, Mexico, another two hours and then a two hour drive to the actual site”.  “Good enough”?  Tracy sighs and rolls her eyes. “Its gonna be so damn hot there!  I hope we have sunscreen and lots of water!  I’m not getting the shits again, like last time!”  The whole team snickered and Tracy turned red at her admission in front of the driver.  He just smiled slyly. 

After they direct the driver to the proper area to unload their gear, Courtney tips him and they head away, hoping he doesn’t mix it up and they are without their gear when they land.  They arrive at their terminal and start to board immediately.  Finding their seats quickly, Meaghan and Ross sit together, Emily and Tracy sit next to each other and Courtney, being the loner she is, finds her seat and has no partner.  This is luxury at its best.

Most of the team sleep through the flight, having never been able to sleep for long, but Courtney studied her maps and computer simulations in order to get an idea of where to start looking for evidence.  This was always her favorite part, the initial prep for an in-depth study.