Her eyebrows rose at his quick and efficient rundown, and she folded her arms. “Also doesn’t explain why you don’t carry earplugs. Or how you came to be in a situation where they were going off next you. Do I get the truth now, since you’ve demonstrated your competency?”
Lying was easier. Much easier. “I—” he started, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. Ultimately, he knew he needed to stretch the truth. It was part of the protocol. “I was brought along on a field mission. I—they—they needed a team of scientists, studying the residual effects of… something. Classified. Level seven clearance. And… there was a firefight. Wasn’t supposed to be. That’s all.”
“Uh-huh.” Clearly, he wasn’t telling all the truth, but if it was level seven, it wasn’t worth pressing. If she needed to know, someone would tell her. “If it can happen once, it can happen again. Come on. Let’s at least get you some ear plugs to keep around. Or,” mildly, “maybe I could see your lab?”