Ethan felt Lyla slip her arm through his. A subtle warmth spread through him, and a knowing, almost imperceptible smile touched the corners of his lips.
"Uh… Boss? Did you forget something?"
They had taken barely two steps before the figure of Mad Engineer reappeared in front of them. Ethan frowned. It seemed the guy had already reverted to his usual, irreverent self.
"Forget what? Don't waste my time! Go copy and break down those schematics, then get back to your research. I'll find you once all the components are processed."
"Boss, I can't do shit—er, I can't get anything started without cash!" Mad Engineer whined, his face a picture of misery. The twenty-thousand-plus gold Ethan had given him earlier? He'd dumped it all on the floor back in the hall. His pockets were now completely empty.
"Oh…"
