10. New Pastures

Jack was swinging around excitedly in his desk chair whilst he detailed the events of the earlier day, stressing the exhilarating moment where he had actually met Professor Leo Dalton at the Lyell Centre

"Did you get his autograph?" Clarissa asked with a grin

"No," Jack frowned but she could see that he actually looked slightly disappointed "I got something better though?"

"What's that?" she asked "A DNA sample so you can clone him and get your own Professor Dalton,"

"Funny," he said sarcastically "No, he offered me a job,"

"Oh," Clarissa said looking shocked. She'd worked well with Jack for few years now and they made a good team. She knew he'd move on eventually but she secretly hoped it wouldn't be so soon, nor would Jack be so eager to leave

"He's offered me the opportunity to set up my own Forensic Science department in the Lyell Centre," Jack explained enthusiastically "Like in the paper I told you about,"

"That's great Jack," she said trying to mirror his enthusiasm "Are you going to accept the job?"

"We," he said

"Sorry?" Clarissa asked looking thoroughly confused

"Are we going to accept the job is the question you want to be asking," Jack explained "If I'm going to set up my own forensics department then I need my best team and my best friend on board,"

"I don't know Jack," she said cautiously "This is a big risk,"

"Where's your sense of adventure?" he asked spinning around violently on the chair and nearly falling off

"I'm going to have to accept aren't I?" she sighed "If only for the reason to keep you under control,"

"Great!" he grinned "Come to the Lyell Centre tomorrow. I'll mention your name to security and they'll show you the way to the lab. Our new life is going to be so great there I just know it!"

Clarissa smiled at her colleague's enthusiasm, her doubts and uneasiness not fully quelled but pushed to one side for the moment. She was actually quite looking forward to the new challenge and meeting this Professor Leo Dalton whom Jack spoke so much about. Clarissa had always wondered whether Jack's judge of his character was entirely accurate or not. Tomorrow, it seemed, she would find out.