Chapter 5
“Well, that was interesting,” Smokey said after Vestibule was gone.
“That’s one way to put it,” I offered. “At least now I can finally put this ‘date’ thing to bed.”
“You know, I would have been happy to let you guys speak alone,” Smokey assured me. “Why’d you tell me to stay?”
“Because when I tell Electra what happened, she’s not going to be happy,” I stated. “I’m going to need a witness to back up my version of events.”
“Your version?” Li said, sounding nonplussed.
“Yes, my version,” I replied. “Which is basically that I don’t want this outing with Vestibule, and I’m doing it under protest.”
“Electra knows that,” Smokey chimed in. “She also knows that you need to honor the deal that was made.”
“Speaking of Electra,” Li said, “I assume that the lack of heated words while Vestibule was visiting means she is not here?”
“She mentioned something earlier about shopping for a dress,” I answered somewhat sulkily. “Although I assumed she’d be back by now.”
Smokey laughed. “What you really mean is that you thought she’d be so worried about you that she’d be waiting to make sure you made it back okay.”
“Not exactly,” I protested, although Smokey had accurately picked up on my mood. “I just–”
Still smirking, Smokey cut me off with a wave of his hand. “You’ve got a lot to learn about women. For instance, nothing interferes with shopping – not even boyfriends on deadly missions.”
I chuckled slightly at that. He may not have been an empath or a telepath, but Smokey often displayed an uncanny ability to read the room.
“If I might offer my own analysis, Jim,” Li added. “I think that Electra – being aware of your power set – feels little need to worry regarding your well-being. You have displayed on multiple occasions an innate ability to take care of yourself.”
“Thanks, Li,” I said. His words, however, reminded me of an oversight on my part.
“I’m sorry,” I continued. “I didn’t even ask – how did things go on your end today?”
“Very well, thank you,” Li replied. “We encountered some issues, but nothing that jeopardized our ability to complete our assigned task.”
I nodded. “Good to hear.”
That was about as much as we could say in our current location. Li had been part of the team that had made a direct assault on Dream Machine’s main base. Being an android, he wasn’t susceptible to the AI’s power, which had made him – like me – indispensable to a certain extent. Moreover, it was also his first official mission.
His group had obviously been successful in providing a distraction, and Mouse had relayed to me before I left that they were all okay. (The very fact that Li was here now was another indicator that things had gone well.) Still, he was my friend, and I suddenly felt bad that I had been so wrapped up in my own issues that I had failed to ask about the life-or-death mission he’d undertaken. Thankfully, Li did not seem offended.
“Anyway,” I said, getting to my feet, “I’ve got a million things to do before tomorrow night, so I need to get out of here.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” Smokey stated plainly. “Not until you finish that soda.”
I blinked. “What?”
“Do you know what it cost to get that for you?” Smokey asked, pointing at the soda bottle. “And you’ve barely taken a sip.”
“It was free,” I countered, “from a fridge about fifty feet away, that’s kept fully stocked. Exactly what did it cost you?”
“Time and effort,” Smokey said. “But it’s not about what it cost me, young man. It’s about the waste. Do you know that there are little kids dying of thirst–”
“Alright, alright,” I cut in, laughing.
Shifting into super speed, I grabbed the soda bottle, turned it up, and gulped down the contents in about a second.
“Satisfied?” I asked as I placed the bottle back on the table.
“Eh,” Smokey muttered noncommittally, but with a smile. “It’s a start.”
I laughed again, enjoying the good-natured ribbing I was receiving. It made me mindful of the fact that Smokey and I really hadn’t had a chance to talk since I’d been back. Other than my immediate family and Electra, I hadn’t really made time for anyone lately, but I mentally made a note to remedy that situation at the earliest opportunity.
I turned to Li. “What about you? Anything you need me to do before I take off?”
Li shook his head. “No, but with respect to tomorrow night. Are you sure–”
“You’re coming,” I declared, not letting him finish. “Both of you. No excuses.”
“Hey, man, I’m looking forward to it,” Smokey clarified. “And it’s still okay for me to bring my plus-one, right?”
“Of course,” I said with a nod. “Sarah will enjoy it.”
At the mention of his girlfriend, Smokey’s brow creased slightly and I felt an odd mix of emotions from him: longing, sadness, affection, and more. Clearly something was off.
Maybe they’re fighting, I thought.
Whatever the issue was, Smokey hadn’t mentioned it and it wasn’t my place to delve. Besides, he and Sarah had always seemed like a rock-solid couple, so I was sure they’d work it out.
So, assuming everything was fine for the most part (but promising myself I’d see if Smokey wanted to talk about it later), I said goodbye to my friends and teleported home.
Chapter 6
Home for me these days was a three-story mansion in a tony residential district that was reserved for ambassadors and foreign dignitaries. In fact, the place where I now hung my hat was officially the ambassadorial residence of the Caelesian envoy to Earth (which, at present, was none other than yours truly).
The person who had originally filled that role was my grandmother, Indigo. However, due to her prolonged absence, I found myself unexpectedly saddled with the title a few months back. I hadn’t wanted the job, but it had come with some nice perks (diplomatic immunity, for example) and virtually no duties, so I really didn’t have much
