Levi felt a pang of guilt, so he held out his hands and zipped his mouth shut.
“There are videos …” Mary said, swallowing audibly. “Ones that are far more graphic than what we’ve seen before. A lot of the main media outlets already have their paws on them.”
Levi pursed his lips and leaned on his hand. “Those videos aren’t real,” he said. “They are made to pull at people’s heartstrings, to get everyone into a pointless uproar. Trying to upset people like you.”
“People like me?”
“Yes, people who give a shit.”
The bar went suddenly quiet as Mary looked on, seemingly not stunned by Levi’s acute indifference.
“You truly don’t care that people could potentially be affected by what you are creating?” Mary asked.
Levi took another gulp of his beer, polishing off his glass and raising his hand in the air for another.
“That came out wrong,” he said. “I do give a shit. What I don’t feel, though, is guilt, which I thinkyouthink I should feel.”
Mary tapped her fingers against the table, then raised a hand to summon a server of her own.
“I think I would feel guilt,” Mary said.
“Exactly,” Levi asserted. “If it wasn’t our company making that kind of chip and having different militaries exploit its features, it would be someone else. So why worry about that, right?”
A redhead started their way, eyes locked on Levi as she swayed her hips back and forth. He internally groaned, not having time for this.
“What can I get you babes tonight?” She leaned into him, her body nearly brushing him, and batted her eyes. He was nearly buried in her cleavage, and he had to force his head back to look up at her.
Mary’s icy blues shot over to Levi, a smirk growing on her lips. “I’ll have whatever he’s having,” she said.
He didn’t have time for Mary’s teasing or this girl’s advances. There were more important matters to deal with right now, and frankly, taking the waitress home wasn’t his thing. Besides, he needed to focus.
He looked up, offering her a soft smile that he hoped was polite as he pointedly avoided looking at her breasts. He didn’t want to come across as rude, but he hoped she knew he wasn’t interested.
Though it seemed to be lost on her as she started to trail a hand down his chest, leaning in so close, he thought she might straddle him there. “And for you?”
“Same as last time,” Levi said, turning his gaze back to Mary.
The waitress bit her lip, nodded, and then left the table. Though he didn’t turn to look at her, he could see the way she kept twisting around to peek at him. Poor girl. There was no chance with him tonight.
“Wow,” Mary said.
Levi moved his eyes back to Mary, grinning widely.
“What?”
“You could have had that, you know,” Mary said nonchalantly. “I will never understand certain parts of you.”
Levi shrugged. “And that is fine with me. I can maintain some level of mystery.”
The waitress brought their drinks over hastily, attempting to make more conversation with Levi but failing. When she departed from the table, he raised the glass in the air. Mary reluctantly raised hers too.
“Here’s to Einstein,” he said. “To do what we do best and pushing the boundaries of science.”
Mary sighed, then clinked their glasses together. She held the glass in front of her lips. “Science, eh?” she said.
“Mary, come on!” Levi exclaimed. “Tonight is the night for celebration! Have a few drinks with everyone.”
Mary took a sip of her drink and then looked back at the bar. The redheaded woman was still there, cleaning glasses with a disappointed look on her face.