“What’s the matter?” He tried to feign ignorance.
“You know better’n this. Law’s all over lookin’ for ya. Them super-freaks are nosin’ around too. Elm says a couple of ’em came by his shop. Spend yer time how ya want, but don’t bring trouble inna my bar.”
Tech refrained from saying that Trouble was not only already in the bar, but looked like a regular with a usual drink order and everything. The patrons were seedier, if that was possible, than the clientele of the Monorail. He lifted the bottle, though he didn’t dare drink because his muzzle wasn’t aligned with the hologram’s mouth. “Thanks,” he said.
“Stay the hell out,” the woman replied.
“Another rousing success?” Duck said as Tech walked out.
“For your information, we have a lead,” Tech said, turning off the suit’s external speakers and switching to the internal channel. “The bartender said he’s staying with his in-laws. Hopefully we can get some records from the ’net that at least show his family.”
“I thought Ace and Lexi were supposed to be investigating his family.”
“They are. We should see where they are, and—”
Duck was already on the team broadcast channel. “Attention, team. We have new information. Everyone meet us back at the jet.”
Tech shook his head and followed Duck back down the street.
They’d gotten halfway back when Tech sensed rather than saw a blur of motion, and Rev appeared beside him, falling quickly into step. The roadrunner wasn’t wearing his environment suit.
“Hey I figured if you guys found something it was probably you and not Duck so what is it where’s this scumbag hiding out me and Slam were asking around a bunch of shops looking for guns too like you said but nothing really came up haven’t heard from Ace and Lexi yet they’re probably holed up somewhere going at it so what’s the info?”
“He’s with family,” Tech said. “You should still be wearing your suit. It’s dangerous.”
“I was but I took it off when I heard your news I can run faster without it and I figured if you knew where he was he probably wasn’t anywhere around you so I’d be safe anyway.” He winked at Tech, just when Duck turned around.
“Oh, when did you show up? Get tired of Slam? Or just horny?”
Rev stuck his tongue out at Duck and slipped an arm deliberately around Tech’s waist as they walked. Even through the rigid suit, the weight of the roadrunner’s light embrace made the coyote smile. The warm glow of that touch vanished almost immediately as a voice crackled over the speakers. “Horny? What’s dat supposed ta mean, Duck?”
Rev looked from Tech to Duck as they stopped dead and stared at each other. “What what’s goin’ on what am I missing?”
“Duck left his broadcast channel open when he said that,” Tech said. “To the whole team.”
Rev’s eyes widened for a moment, then he grinned and shrugged. “Ah they won’t be able to understand it anyway Slam’s already back at the jet with his suit off so just tell Ace you were talking to some street person or teasing Tech about getting laid or something and it’ll blow over.”
For a moment, Tech thought Duck might just spill their whole secret right then, but Slam and Lexi started talking on the channel at the same time, making him wince and hold his ears. Slam was babbling angrily about something and Lexi was saying, “Duck, leave Slam alone already.”
“I was just teasing Tech about something,” Duck said. “I forgot I had the channel on, okay? Signing off.”
This time Tech heard the click as the channel shut down. They started walking back to the bikes again, and Rev kept his hand on Tech’s hip. The roadrunner chattered as they walked. “You know really I don’t know why it’s such a big deal Duck knows and Lexi probably knows and Slam won’t give a damn so there’s only Ace and if nobody else cares then why should he?”
“Lexi knows?” Duck said.
Tech shrugged. “She probably hears a lot of stuff that goes on all over the lab. I’m sure she’s heard us talking.”
“But she wasn’t there that day. You mean there’s been other times?” He held up a hand. “No. No. I don’t want to know.”
“She probably hears lots of stuff that we think we do in private like make phone calls or you know other stuff those bathrooms aren’t soundproof,” Rev said, winking at Tech.
“Ph-phone calls?” Duck looked at both of them. “You think she listens in on phone calls?”
“I don’t think she listens deliberately,” Tech said, “but I’m sure that if she chances to overhear something, she wouldn’t really be able to tune it out.”
“You think she tells Zodavia about things she hears?”
“Come on who talks to Zodavia in their spare time?” Rev said.
“Yeah.” And then Tech thought of something that made him grin, so he had to say it. “Besides, Zodavia monitors all phone transmissions into and out of the base anyway, so Lexi wouldn’t really have to tell her.”
Duck’s feathers all went limp, leaving him very sleek and wide-eyed. He turned without a word and kept walking. Tech grinned at Rev, who drew a little closer to him.
He stayed close as they rode back to the jet, pacing Duck and Tech on the bikes and darting around and over obstacles, coming up on one side of Tech and then the other. When they came into view of the jet, sitting in the decrepit field, Rev put on a burst of speed. No matter how much Tech gunned the bike, he couldn’t catch the speedy bird, who turned around and waited for them in the bike bay, leaning casually against the door.
“Show off,” Duck muttered, locking up his bike next to Tech’s. He walked back to the bridge.
Tech followed, walking at Rev’s side. He grinned down and said, softly, “Show off.” He got a wink in return as they entered the bridge and took their seats.
Zodavia had located two possible residences for
