Jana was being kept away from John deliberately. She knew this instinctively because she was raised with the Soviet mindset and knew the games the big...shots played. She was a 'distraction' to him.She was a distraction to everyone, it seemed to her. That's why she'd been kicked out of the plum projects and sidelined with the 'go nowhere' orders of Polykarpov. She didn't feel resentful towards John. This was not his doing. Like everybody, he was just doing what he's told.Polykarpov's project was a. I had briefed Gemma to surreptitiously spread all sorts of gossip about her sister in these few days. Within a matter of hours stories were flying round the school like wild-fire, you can imagine the sort of thing – “I heard she likes it rough!” … “She’ll fuck ANYBODY her!” … “She smokes a couple of joints – then takes ALL the guys on at once - 5 or 6 at a time - I've heard!”The result of this surfeit of information was, of course, that none of Ellies’ friends would have anything to do with her. Mike knew Norma well enough not to make demands or rehash his feelings too loudly or too often.Three A.M. saw our two-aircraft flight accelerate past the outer marker of the runway. Almost as soon as our wheels were in the well we each began preparing sensors and data links for a test run. Both aircraft carried specially modified FLIR pods that we would test in a high level pass over Tallahassee. Operations knew precisely where everyone was located in that sparsely occupied city and our hopes. Audra scowl reversed into a sly smile when she heard my laughter. She tried to put a serious look on her face as she said, "Oh, you're no help. You're always on her side."I laughed louder this time and said, "She's older and wiser than us both."Audra admitted, "I never thought I would like her, but..." She let her thought trail off as she peered into the top of the old well.I asked, "What are you looking at?" Nothing, I was just thinking..." About?" I queried."Umm, do you suppose we'll.