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 SEVENTEEN
DOPAMINE
( — a catecholamine neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, retina, and sympathetic ganglia, acting within the brain to help regulate movement and emotion. )
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IF THEY WANT A WAR, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET. By attempting to pit them against each other, doing exactly the opposite of what they had mentioned the experiment entailed, the researchers have only made the participants begin to develop closer bonds with each other (though a tiny voice in the back of Rhiannon's head whispers that's what they want).
Rhiannon knows she's spending more time at the house than she's supposed to, much to Isla's dismay, especially because they barely see each other nowadays, but also because she fears Rhiannon might be wandering into dangerous territory. Rhiannon agrees with her, at least partially, but she'd also like to believe she's doing this for the greater good.
Rowan is discharged from the hospital at the beginning of December. Rhiannon only knows this through Isla, who has been a lot calmer now that he's seemingly out of danger, despite having temporarily lost his voice, but she's glad he managed to escape mostly unscathed. Taylor wasn't as lucky, unfortunately, but Rhiannon has heard the police is now working extra hard to not let this turn into a cold case.
Personally, she thinks they should have been putting this much effort since the very beginning; they're certainly not omnipresent or omnipotent, but she still saw them slowly give up on finding her alive as the days went by. No, Rhiannon wouldn't have done a better job, but, then again, it wasn't her job and she already has too much on her plate; between attending her lectures, spending time at the Project Oxygen house, winging her way through assignments, tests and essays, she barely has any time to sit back and do anything else.
It gets even worse when she gets a D on her Brain and Cognition test.
Chase Fowler, the guy who slammed a baseball bat against Rowan's leg a few months ago, threw her a look full of superiority as she checked her grade on the list. Her professor, for some unknown reason, enjoys hanging the list of grades by her office, which, naturally, leads to massive lines being formed just so one can catch a glimpse of their grade and everyone else's because this entire university revolves around competition.
He got an A, a certain improvement from the B he got last time, but she's the one who's dangerously close to failing the course.
If she hears someone else tell her it's not the end of the world, she's going to flip. She's competitive too, damn it, even if she doesn't take it as far as her classmates do, and her parents spent years of her life teaching her she should always aim for the top instead of being happy with mediocrity. They also didn't teach her to step over other people, having to use her own skills and intellect to succeed, and she can always improve.
