“I think we all develop habits,” Rod said. “And speaking of which, I like coming here and listening to Pearson.”
“Pearson is quite talented,” Declan added. “And it’s not opera.”
“For sure not opera,” Rod chuckled. “I wish I possessed his knack for the guitar.”
“You don’t play?” Declan asked.
“No, it’s one instrument I never learned. Wyl tried to teach me but got other ideas.” He took Wyl’s hand and winked at him.
Wyl blushed. “Yes, well, a certain professor put a spell on me.”
Rod squeezed Wyl’s hand. “I need a loo break.”
“Me too,” Wyl said.
They stood and walked toward the Men’s Room.
“Sorry if I embarrassed you, babe,” Rod whispered as they maneuvered through the tables.
“It’s okay,” Wyl said. “We ended up together.”
“Boy howdy!” Rod said louder than intended. Heads turned as they walked past.
As they neared the men’s room, Wyl leaned over and whispered to Rod,” Are you okay? You're acting a bit tense.”
“I’m fine,” Rod whispered back as they entered. “But Declan and Ailbe make me uneasy. The more I’m around them, the less I trust them. And much less after my nightmare and hearing about the murder. Something about their demeanor screams career criminals.”
They stood side-by-side at the wall-urinal while doing their business.
Wyl bumped Rod with his shoulder. “Like I said, they need us, or we wouldn’t be here. We have the power now.
“What?” Rod shook, tucked, and zipped.
Wyl stowed his manhood and buttoned his fly. “If we are out of the picture, their success is jeopardized.”
Rod washed his hands. “How so?"
"They need me to ensure their code succeeds."
Keep reminding me.”
“Remember, no matter what happens, I’m on your side.” Wyl washed his hands.
They dried their hands and returned to the table.
“I mentioned to Declan how your crowd-handling skills enhanced your presentation,” Ailbe said. “And you handled my students with ease. The volume of questions amazed me.”
“Gee, Ailbe, you sure can butter a guy up.” Wyl risked a stab at what he figured to be Ailbe’s ultimate plans. With an engaging smile, he said, “It sounds like you want something else.”
“Since you mention it, I wonder if you might consider helping me.” Ailbe sported a coy smile.
Uh-oh…here it comes. Rod wiped the Guinness foam from his upper lip. He studied his beer glass, avoiding eye contact with everyone at the table.
“Help with what, Ailbe?” Wyl raised one eyebrow.
“I have this massive course project to grade. I escalated the due date to give me time to finish, but the project is complex, and I can use assistance. Would you be willing to review the projects?”
Wyl didn’t buy for a minute the pleading tone in Ailbe's voice, but he kept a smile on his face. “I never graded schoolwork. I’m not sure I'll do a competent job.”
"Review the student projects to determine if the code will work. For a man with your skills, think of it as similar to reading a primary school essay.”
Based on his review of Fergus Rafferty’s work, he could uncover any errors. Grading for Ailbe also allows him to inspect the entire project. Unlike looking at only one piece, the whole project opens up the intricacies of Ailbe’s plan.
“Since you put it that way, I'm happy to help. And Rod's background in grading student work means he can help me. When is the project due?”
“October 22nd.” Ailbe stifled a frown at Rod’s involvement. “Semester end is six weeks later, but I'd take a month to complete all the projects. With your help, I can ensure the projects are valid and complete sooner than planned.”
“I'll need a few days to prepare,” Wyl said. “Can you send me the project parameters, so I understand what I’m grading?”
“I’m happy to, Wyl.” A sinister smile crossed Ailbe’s face. He didn’t bother to disguise his pleasure at having snagged a coding expert to help him.
“Our email address is sterlingranchers@gmail.com."
Ailbe made a note on the back of a paper napkin. “Thanks, Wyl.” He smiled and winked. “I’ll send the information tomorrow morning.”
The evening passed without further mention of the project, and they said their goodbyes in the parking lot as they prepared to leave.
“We enjoyed visiting with you, chaps,” Declan said as he shook hands with each.
