Someone hit me. Peri looked into the oily, rank depths of the coffee. Sandys coffee invariably sucked. I hit him back. Whats to tell? Especially when you dont remember.
You always remember, you just dont recall, Sandy said, and Peri blinked fast at the pity in her voice. Sandy put a hand to her mouth. You killed someone, didnt you. I can tell.
Peris thoughts touched upon the man twitching on the floor as stuff that should be inside leaked out through a hole the size of her knife. Both hands around the mug, she took a sip of coffee. It was old, bitter, and burnt. Jack tells me he killed me first, Peri said softly. Guilt pulled her shoulders down, but it wasnt from killing the guard. No, her unease was that she would have to work Sandy over. She had to know if she was in on it. She had to get her reacting.
And the best way to do that is to start a rumor, one that accounts for Bills erratic behavior in a nonthreatening way. Sandy, is there talk about splitting Jack and me up?
The womans eyes widened. Oh, honey, Im not supposed to say even if I knowand I dont. Why would you even think such a thing?
Peri looked down as she worked over her friend. Bill showed up five minutes after we got home. Theyre watching us. She took another sip, gauging Sandys expression over the rim of her mug. Its so unfair. Bill has us going out again on task already. Its got to be one of those stupid evaluation ones, and if they dont like what they see Peri made a small sound.
Sandy held her thick-walled mug of untasted coffee before her. Already? Youre supposed to get two weeks after a draftespecially if youre being evaluated. Im glad you came here for your debrief and orders, otherwise Id assume you were on leave. You want some Baileys for your coffee? Youre tense enough to crack eggs on.
Sandy touched her shoulder, but Peri had gone still, looking at the wall where pictures of retired drafters and their anchors hung in the shadows. No, Im driving, she whispered, but something Sandy had said had pinged in her intuition.
Two weeks. Frank and Sandy would be the only people to know she and Jack were out on a new task. Everyone else would assume theyd taken their break and gone to a sunny beach to recoverno one would suspect they were doing anything outside Optis legal parametersand Sandy didnt seem upset about it.
She should have been.
Shit. Peri looked at Frank and Jack still talking. Their own psychologists We have to get out of here. Would you excuse me for a moment? Peri said as she put her coffee down.
Sure. Go ahead, honey.
Peri crossed the room, her boots leaving puddles of melted snow on Franksdance floor. Her back was to Sandy, and for the first time, she didnt like it. The men turned to include her, and she forced a smile. The big bear of a man was both the bartender and the bouncer, but he had a past, like everyone else connected with Opti. Hi, Frank, she said, heart pounding as he gave her a one-armed hug that made her feel like a little girl.
Hey, sweet pea. His voice rumbled through her slow and easy, and whereas it usually calmed her, it was all she could do not to jerk away. How you doing?
Fine. She smiled convincingly. I need to ask Jack something. Can we have a sec?
Sure, hon. Giving her a grin, Frank ambled to the bar.
Peris breath came in slow, shaking on the exhale. Taking Jacks arm, she turned him so they couldnt read her lips. We gotta go. Now.
Jacks focus sharpened on her. Huh? Why?
Because theyre in on it. Both of them. Peri pulled him back around when he tried to look over her shoulder at them. If we go on a non-Opti-sanctioned job, right after I drafted and lost timeno one will think twice about our absence. Were supposed to be gone. Sandy doesnt care that we lost our downtime. Neither does Frank. Theyre our psychologists, for Gods sake.
His eyes widened in understanding. We have a problem.
You think? She had a bug-out bag in the trunk. So did Jack. Getting to them was step one.
From the bar, Franks gruff voice called out, Either of you want a beer?
Peri turned to see him holding a cell phone to his ear. Looking tiny beside him, Sandy pulled a chopstick from the water glass on the top of the bar. Hips swaying, she wound her hair up as she paced a slow path to the back door. With a last acknowledgment, Frank said something and ended his call.
A sliver of fear wedged into Peri, driven by Franks knowing look. Sweet adrenaline poured in behind it. By the front door, the floor cleaner finished with a cheerful ding and shut down. Were fine, she said, but she knew Frank heard the lie.
Jacks expression when he turned back to her was thick with concern. Any ideas? he muttered, lips hardly moving.
Working on it. Peri gave his cold hand a squeeze. Bill wasnt here yet. They had a chance.
Jacks eyes flicked over her shoulder. Im sorry, Peri.
Its not your fault, she said when Jack reached inside his coat to touch his handgun.
But the sure and steady snick-snack of a rifle cocking cracked through her and he froze.
Peri cursed her slow understanding when Frank came out from behind the bar with that squirrel rifle he kept hidden, now pointed at them.
You always remember, you just dont recall, Sandy said, and Peri blinked fast at the pity in her voice. Sandy put a hand to her mouth. You killed someone, didnt you. I can tell.
Peris thoughts touched upon the man twitching on the floor as stuff that should be inside leaked out through a hole the size of her knife. Both hands around the mug, she took a sip of coffee. It was old, bitter, and burnt. Jack tells me he killed me first, Peri said softly. Guilt pulled her shoulders down, but it wasnt from killing the guard. No, her unease was that she would have to work Sandy over. She had to know if she was in on it. She had to get her reacting.
And the best way to do that is to start a rumor, one that accounts for Bills erratic behavior in a nonthreatening way. Sandy, is there talk about splitting Jack and me up?
The womans eyes widened. Oh, honey, Im not supposed to say even if I knowand I dont. Why would you even think such a thing?
Peri looked down as she worked over her friend. Bill showed up five minutes after we got home. Theyre watching us. She took another sip, gauging Sandys expression over the rim of her mug. Its so unfair. Bill has us going out again on task already. Its got to be one of those stupid evaluation ones, and if they dont like what they see Peri made a small sound.
Sandy held her thick-walled mug of untasted coffee before her. Already? Youre supposed to get two weeks after a draftespecially if youre being evaluated. Im glad you came here for your debrief and orders, otherwise Id assume you were on leave. You want some Baileys for your coffee? Youre tense enough to crack eggs on.
Sandy touched her shoulder, but Peri had gone still, looking at the wall where pictures of retired drafters and their anchors hung in the shadows. No, Im driving, she whispered, but something Sandy had said had pinged in her intuition.
Two weeks. Frank and Sandy would be the only people to know she and Jack were out on a new task. Everyone else would assume theyd taken their break and gone to a sunny beach to recoverno one would suspect they were doing anything outside Optis legal parametersand Sandy didnt seem upset about it.
She should have been.
Shit. Peri looked at Frank and Jack still talking. Their own psychologists We have to get out of here. Would you excuse me for a moment? Peri said as she put her coffee down.
Sure. Go ahead, honey.
Peri crossed the room, her boots leaving puddles of melted snow on Franksdance floor. Her back was to Sandy, and for the first time, she didnt like it. The men turned to include her, and she forced a smile. The big bear of a man was both the bartender and the bouncer, but he had a past, like everyone else connected with Opti. Hi, Frank, she said, heart pounding as he gave her a one-armed hug that made her feel like a little girl.
Hey, sweet pea. His voice rumbled through her slow and easy, and whereas it usually calmed her, it was all she could do not to jerk away. How you doing?
Fine. She smiled convincingly. I need to ask Jack something. Can we have a sec?
Sure, hon. Giving her a grin, Frank ambled to the bar.
Peris breath came in slow, shaking on the exhale. Taking Jacks arm, she turned him so they couldnt read her lips. We gotta go. Now.
Jacks focus sharpened on her. Huh? Why?
Because theyre in on it. Both of them. Peri pulled him back around when he tried to look over her shoulder at them. If we go on a non-Opti-sanctioned job, right after I drafted and lost timeno one will think twice about our absence. Were supposed to be gone. Sandy doesnt care that we lost our downtime. Neither does Frank. Theyre our psychologists, for Gods sake.
His eyes widened in understanding. We have a problem.
You think? She had a bug-out bag in the trunk. So did Jack. Getting to them was step one.
From the bar, Franks gruff voice called out, Either of you want a beer?
Peri turned to see him holding a cell phone to his ear. Looking tiny beside him, Sandy pulled a chopstick from the water glass on the top of the bar. Hips swaying, she wound her hair up as she paced a slow path to the back door. With a last acknowledgment, Frank said something and ended his call.
A sliver of fear wedged into Peri, driven by Franks knowing look. Sweet adrenaline poured in behind it. By the front door, the floor cleaner finished with a cheerful ding and shut down. Were fine, she said, but she knew Frank heard the lie.
Jacks expression when he turned back to her was thick with concern. Any ideas? he muttered, lips hardly moving.
Working on it. Peri gave his cold hand a squeeze. Bill wasnt here yet. They had a chance.
Jacks eyes flicked over her shoulder. Im sorry, Peri.
Its not your fault, she said when Jack reached inside his coat to touch his handgun.
But the sure and steady snick-snack of a rifle cocking cracked through her and he froze.
Peri cursed her slow understanding when Frank came out from behind the bar with that squirrel rifle he kept hidden, now pointed at them.
