When someone dies mysteriously during a Psych experiment, Rhiannon becomes enmeshed in a conspiracy that includes both the survivors and the killer.
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Short on cash, Rhiannon...
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CHAPTER TWELVE
OBEDIENCE
( — the act or practice of obeying; dutiful or submissive compliance. )
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RHIANNON CAN'T FEEL HER TOES. Therefore, it would be extremely pleasing if Rowan decided to open his mouth and give her a straightforward answer instead of being so cryptic, lost inside his head.
She can almost see the electric and chemical messages traveling through his brain and nervous system as he tries to make a decision; she once read an article about the role of serotonin and dopamine in decision making and, though she really wishes she could remember what it said (because, hell, it's supposed to be her field of studies), her mind is blank, complete with a snowstorm.
Despite her impatience (which she prays she's masking relatively well), she supposes she understands it might not be an easy decision to make. It's technically illegal if the police aren't informed of whatever they find out and can potentially help with the investigation and, if word reaches her parents, God knows what will happen; they might not be big fans of having her join Project Oxygen, but that was a decision she made for her own good and was a purely legal one, for that matter.
The difference is that there is a human life at stake here. No one knows what happened to Taylor and, now that there has been almost a month since she was seen for the last time, people have started to lose hope, letting it be blown away by harsh gusts of wind. Rhiannon doesn't want to quit, even though she never knew the girl, but her actions are limited; Rowan, on the other hand, would have a relatively valid excuse to get involved, assuming all illegalities are ignored.
"Are you sure it will be safe for you to be doing this?" Rowan questions, after a long period of silence, while Rhiannon sets a hand on her hip, hoping the movement will help return circulation to her extremities. His shoulders stiffen with the gesture. "Look, I don't want to—"
"I know what I'm doing," Rhiannon chimes in, voice almost imperceptibly higher than its usual tone. He already sounds patronizing, despite not knowing her, but there's a high chance he has heard what people say about her because that's simply what they do; they're always looking for an excuse to bring other people down so they can climb to the top, and she's not even being self-centered. She knows it because she has heard them say mean things about everyone else, including people they're supposedly friends with. Nevertheless, she can handle herself and doesn't need them to pity her, especially Rowan. "Taylor is the priority here. Are you in, or what?"
"Do I have a choice?" Rhiannon stays quiet, focusing exclusively on keeping a straight face so she won't reveal her feelings. "Thanks, then. I promise I won't rat you out."
