Gil shrugged again.
"Well I don't know what goes on in the field but I'm just telling you what goes on in the garage. Se Alex... well he was... it was..."
Erica grew impatient.
"Go on."
"Well he was kind of making suggestions and jokes about you and Kyle. You know... about why he sprung you from gaol. Anyway Trek didn't like it and told Alex to stop. He didn't so Trek hit him and broke his nose. Stopped all the rude jokes."
Erica blinked, startled and touched that Trek would do that for her. Her blue eyes shimmered again with unshed tears.
"Oh," she said. Quickly she cast around for a way to change the subject. "Anyway you said Plato hasn't said anything since we came back."
"No," Kat suddenly interjected, sounding upset. "He won't even respond to me. Plato shut himself down completely. It's as if he's not there any longer."
Erica didn't want to think about that.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Trek walked along beside the old man in companionable silence. The corridors of Sky One seemed surprisingly empty.
"So where is everyone?" Trek asked.
The old man shrugged.
"They'll all turn up when you want them."
Trek frowned, trying to work out what the old man meant.
"Listen kid. I know you're a bit confused at the moment but it'll all get clear in time."
"Thanks Grandpa," Trek answered.
And there it was. Grandpa. Trek shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He knew there was some reason why his grandfather couldn't possibly be here but at the moment he couldn't work it out.
They carried on walking into the garage. It was empty. Trek blinked in surprise. Even Plato was gone. He turned to ask the old man where everyone was and found that his grandfather had gone too. Trek turned in a slow circle. He was completely alone. His eyes narrowed as his mind processed what was going on around him. Slowly he began to walk towards the open loading bay ramp, hoping to find someone who could tell him what was going on.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Duke entered the situation room slowly. He dropped into the chair, letting his head rest against the back of his seat, and closed his eyes. God he was tired. He'd hardly slept in three days. Three days of waiting; three days of hoping; three days of nothing. He knew that Kyle and Jenny must be as tired as he was.
Then there was Erica.
Erica had avoided them all like the plague for the last three days. She'd been avoiding Trek as well. Duke knew that Kyle was angry at her. He felt that she was letting the team down. That her refusal to visit Trek showed a coldness and a lack of feeling that he didn't like.
Duke wasn't so sure. He had a feeling that Erica's apparent indifference was just a front. She always came across as unflappable but Duke believed that Erica simply hid her feelings so that no-one could see when she was hurt.
