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Part 18
By the time Calvin and I make our way back to headquarters, we’re joking and teasing each other like we’ve been buddies for years. I don’t remember the last time I laughed so much…or at all actually.
Don’t ask me what’s gotten into me. It’s like Calvin put a spell on me or something…which once again makes me wonder if he doesn’t have some spooky mind-twisting abilities after all. That would sure explain a lot.
I don’t know what it is with this guy. He is just so sweet and charming and innocent – you can’t help but be nice to him. Being nasty just isn’t possible.
And don’t think I didn’t try.
I was as bitchy and sarcastic as can be, but it just seemed to bounce off Calvin. Either he is really dense or sarcasm just doesn’t enter into his world. He kept smiling, kept teasing me, asking me questions about Calvin and Hobbes.
How happy can a person be before going insane?
Whatever the answer, Calvin is without a doubt coming damn close to crossing the line…he’s probably already over it with one foot. Just a tiny push and- okay, I really need to get some control over my thoughts. Now who’s insane? Maybe I shouldn’t point my finger…you know, glasshouse and all.
Anyway, so we’re heading back to headquarters, walking through the rain without even noticing it. I’m trying very hard to slide back into my bitch-persona, but Calvin is making that damn hard. Alec will never let me live it down if he sees me like this.
But once we reach headquarters the problem sort of solves itself. There’s quite a big gathering there, all eyes glues to the TV. The news is on, and from the looks of the people, it ain’t nothin’ good. Nobody pays any attention to us, Alec included. He doesn’t even notice that I’m there. I try very hard not to be peeved by that as I turn my attention to the news.
“Here are the pictures of what took place in sector eleven mere minutes ago,” the reporter announced in a serious tone and just a bit baffled.
A picture of a burning house fills up the screen. You can see a hysterical woman standing in front of it, screaming that her baby is still in there, trying to break away from the men that are holding her back from running into the building.
My heart clenches. I can’t help but picture the tiny, helpless, little baby lying in its crib, its lungs filling with smoke…
My train of thoughts is interrupted abruptly when a beat up car suddenly screeches to a halt on the screen. Its windows are painted black so it’s impossible to tell who’s on the inside. Then the door is jerked open and my chin hits the floor…literally.
It’s Mole.
Mole is in that car and he actually gets out, right in the middle of a crowd of humans…voluntarily. Has he lost his mind?! Or did hell just freeze over?
He walks over to the woman, a blanket in hand, and in the politest tone he asks her where her baby is. He even calls her ma’am.
I think the woman’s face is just redefined the word “shocked”. Her reaction is similar to mine – she just stares at him dumbfounded for a long moment, eyes wide, mouth hanging open. Then she mumbles something about an upstairs bedroom.
Mole turns away, muttering something about humans never being able to do anything themselves while dunking the blanket into a bucket of water that’s standing there.
And then he just walks right into the burning house. The camera pivots back to the woman who is now leaning against one of the men that had been holding her back a few minutes ago sobbing and staring at the house. She looks heartbroken and desperate but at the same time there’s a spark of hope in her eyes.
A minute later the camera is jerked back to the house and you can hear a collective gasp coming from the onlookers on scene. Some of them even cheer.
Mole appears in the dense smoke, a bundle in his arms. As soon as he’s far enough away from the house he removes the wet blanket to reveal a crying baby. The woman rushes forward to him and snatches the baby out of his arms before crushing it to her chest, sobbing even more than before.
And Mole…Mole just gets back to his car after muttering something about the stupidity and inferiority of humans as if nothing happened. But…oh shit – the car doesn’t start. Shit, shit, shit…this is not good. He tries again and again, but nothing happens. The motor sputters and chokes, but that’s about it.
The air here is practically crackling with tension. I’m sure you could cut it with a knife. And the sound of sirens in the distance doesn’t exactly help matters either. The authorities are the last thing Mole needs right now.
All of a sudden the crowd breaks apart and a motorcycle speeds through the thin pathway the people cleared. I immediately recognize the person riding it – it’s M. She screeches to a halt right next to the car and Mole jumps out and gets onto the bike behind her. Then they speed off. The whole thing happened in maybe ten seconds…it’s almost like she was never there.
Till now the people here watching the news were frozen into place, but all of a sudden the room explodes with noise. Everyone starts talking at once, moving around, doing this, doing that.
Alec starts shouting out orders. He sends a few teams to the gate where Max is expected just in case she is followed, he tells the yeti-guy to check in with Max and see if she’s fine and everybody else is supposed to go back to business.
And I can’t help but think how incredibly hot he is, taking control like that.
It’s strange, I always resented Max for doing it whenever he did – and that was damn often – but with Alec it’s completely different. Maybe because he’s not trying to order me around. Or maybe because he doesn’t have the stuck-up attitude Max always had. With him it just seems…fitting that he adopts the role of the leader. Authority suits him.
God, I want him.
-------
Unfortunately Alec’s too busy to be ravished, so instead I decide to head over to Logan’s. Maybe he’s found out something in the mean time.
Having no ride, I have to walk, which sort of sucks. First of all, the part of Seattle surrounding TC isn’t exactly the nicest neighborhood, so walking through it isn’t exactly a walk in the part. You constantly have to be on your guard and I hate that. I have enough of that in my personal life as it is.
Second of all, it’s a damn long hike to get to Logan’s posh little penthouse in his posh little neighborhood. The fact that it’s raining doesn’t exactly help matters and neither does the ruthless wind chilling me to the bone. Maybe I didn’t mind the weather before, but then, I hadn’t been soaked down to the skin earlier.
When I finally get to Logan’s building I’m in as bad a mood as can be. I’m freezing, I’ve been hit on in the most disrespectful and repugnant way possible on the way here not once but twice and my head aches. Besides, it’s getting dark and that only makes Seattle even creepier than usual.
I let myself in and ride the elevator upstairs to the top floor. Since I’m here to nag and probably annoy Logan I decide to be polite for a change and knock on the door.
“Good heavens, what happened to you?” he asks after opening the door. He sounds kind of shocked.
I shrug. “It’s raining.” Way to go, Parker, like he didn’t already know that. On the other hand, what kind of stupid question is that anyway?
Logan ushers me into the living room and then leaves to get me a towel. I don’t dare to try and use my powers to dry my clothes, I’m in too bad a mood to succeed and I know it.
A minute later Logan comes back with a big fluffy towel and I do my best at giving him at least a somewhat grateful smile.
He’s looking down at me frowning. “You’re going to catch your death in cold,” he tells me. I begin to deny it, but then I realize that I can’t exactly tell him that my alien powers come along with a nifty little alien immune system which means that I probably can’t get sick.
“I’ll get you a bowl of soup,” Logan goes on. That’s when I notice the delicious smell coming from the kitchen as well as the fact that my stomach is growling. Normally I would have refused but, damn it I’m hungry.
He once again disappears and when he comes back he’s carrying a steaming bowl of soup. “It’s French onion soup,” he informs me. Go figure. Good old chicken soup probably isn’t good enough for him. But after the first spoonful I begin to understand where he’s coming from. God, this is good.
When I’m done I see Logan watching me with a queer expression on his face and I realize that I must have looked like I’m on the brink of starvation. I wipe my mouth almost guiltily.
“Good,” I comment.
“So, did you see the news earlier today?” I ask, even though I have no idea why I bring that up. Smalltalk hasn’t exactly been a priority of mine every since coming to this shit-hole of a city. Could it be that I’m stalling? Me? Nah.
“Yeah, I did,” he replies.
“So, planning on doing one of your Eyes Only hacks?” I ask even though I already know the answer.
“Um, actually, yeah, I’ve been considering it.”
“Need any help?” I ask before I know what I’m doing.
He gaps at me surprised.
I almost blush as I fumble for words. “I, um, I had some ideas…for things that…you could, you know, say to, um…spin it to our advantage.”
He keep staring at me. Then he nods his head hesitantly. “Um…sure, why not?”
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