people. Doesn't say an unkind word to nobody! He's only been here a few days. Says he was supposed to go to college, but he couldn't keep up with the curriculum, so he quit!"
"I don't believe we've met," Cooper replied with a negative shake of his head. "Usually the cleaning crew doesn't hit the lab until after hours, but I'll be sure to speak with him if we're introduced.
"I mentioned him, sir, because you don't see many friendly faces around here, and if you ever need a friend to talk to, Mike's the person to keep things confidential. I liked him the minute we met....good vibes, I guess. But there's something else about the guy that gives you the funniest, dark, foreboding feeling. I guess it's because Mike's not really satisfied with his life, though he's pleasant enough, and likes to laugh a lot. Hey, Doc, maybe you could cheer him up, huh?" John chuckled, and they continued down the corridor the short distance left to the laboratory.
"Yeah," Cooper replied sarcastically, "Sure! Me cheer somebody up?"
"He wants to be a scientist some day. Maybe you could teach him, huh? He's only nineteen. You know how young folks like us learn fast! Maybe you could become friends and kind of like a second father to him."
"What about his own family? Aw, why am I asking all these questions anyway? I've got to get to work!" Putting a hand on the left side of the doors of the lab, Dr. Cooper pushed it a quarter of the way open, then paused as McCree replied,
"His mother was killed in The Food Riots, and his father disappeared afterwards. He's all alone, Doc. I think he needs someone like you to look up to. As a matter of fact, he even looks something like you!"
Cooper's eyes widened. He wouldn't let on, but he liked John's idea of helping the newcomer. He needed a friend, too. His was such a lonely life. Many people liked him, but he feared making too many friends, for security's sake. Perhaps it was getting too late, after all, to father his own child, but now was not too late to help someone to realize how he'd lived his life was partially wrong. the same shouldn't happen to one so young. To teach someone the ways of science.....He knew he would love to meet Mike Montaine. His eyes held a special shine and he smiled back at John McCree.
"Tell Jeanie I'll see her at lunch," John added, blushing at the thought of Cooper's attractive lab assistant.
"I'll try to remember," Cooper told him, "but you know how it is with 'old folks like me!'"
"Huh?" the security man gasped in surprise at the comment, then smiled as it sunk in. "O.k., Doc, I'll be just out here, in case you get in any trouble in there."
"Just make sure no unauthorized personnel gets through this door!" was his order. "We've got important testing to do today!"
"Yes, sir!" McCree snapped a perfect salute and Cooper entered the laboratory at last.