Heiser-The-Facade - Sparkling Eyes

CHAPTER 7"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can becounted."— Albert EinsteinTHE THREE OF them spent the next hour in Brian's room getting acquainted.Brian was glad to have the company. He'd spent most of the last eleven years alone, buthad never really adjusted completely. He enjoyed those infrequent occasions when he hadvisitors. He marveled again at the personality contrasts in the group. For sure Deidre wasone of the most acerbic people he'd ever met, but her circumstances humanized her. Shewas also razor-sharp when it came to quickly analyzing people and their own state ofaffairs. Malcolm was nearly her alter ego in terms of disposition. He was obviously veryintelligent, but was affable almost to a fault, creating a sort of misfit impression uponthose who might meet him only in passing—the life of any party without knowing it.Brian enjoyed his company immensely. Watching the two of them interact reminded himof a question he'd forgotten to ask earlier."So what were you two talking about outside the cafeteria'?" Brian asked, taking aseat on his bed."Mostly about our own little `contributions' to the project," Malcolm answered."Yeah, it's like they think that now that they've assigned homework we're allgoing to crawl all over ourselves to please them," Deidre cracked. "I wonder if they'llhand out grades.""Maybe we'll get detention if they don't like our work," added Malcolmsarcastically."So neither of you are taking this seriously'?" asked Brian. "I mean, youracademic reputations, at least with this group, are at stake to some extent.""They'll get what they paid for," Deidre replied, "but that doesn't mean I have tolike it, or have to be naive enough to think they aren't just using us for some end we don'tknow about.""Father Benedict doesn't think they're being exactly forth-right either, but he doesthink they need us pretty badly. Have you entertained the possibility that they might betruly desperate, regard-less of whether we know everything or not?""I can vouch for the desperation part," noted Malcolm. "We met briefly with ournew colleague, Dr. Marcus, after the session this morning. Seems nice enough, and he letus know in no uncertain terms that they're clueless as to what to do about our microscopicadversary. I know Mark isn't happy.""I thought as much, too," Brian added, "but you sound very sure—how do youknow?""Mark has a habit of playing with his hair when he's upset. Trust me, he'sanything but enthused.""So what do you think?" Brian queried."I guess I can say I'm convinced of one thing," Malcolm noted, "their backs are68