Chapter 5

Ancients Penthouse

"Dr. Lewis, sometimes I really wish you were a little less brilliant" said Bo with annoyance from having inhaled pesticide for the umpteenth time.

"Oh come on Bo! Its just a little .."

"bifenthrin deltamethrin ..I know." Said Bo.

"How on earth?" said Lauren.

"You mentioned the contents of your syringe to Dyson, baby. It was adorable. But right now I am finding the idea of sitting in this bug spray filled cart, less than amusing. Why do you always pick the worst things to smuggle me in?" asked Bo petulantly.

"What? When did I..?" Lauren said breaking off at the stink eye Bo aimed in her direction

"The body bag..remember? When you snuck me in to see Nadia" said Bo with an incredulous expression.

"Oh!" said Lauren, feeling slightly uncomfortable at the mention of her previous girlfriend.

"Oh." confirmed Bo. "How much longer do you think?" asked Bo.

"Can't be much longer" said Lauren "Once Vex starts spraying, I doubt that the ancients would want to remain. I am sure their delicate sensibilities would be offended" said Lauren

"I can't believe Hera unleashed another bug storm" said Bo.

"Well, she had to get out of her restraints somehow. I tie a pretty good sailors knot, even if I do say so myself" said Lauren

"Don't tell me…you know how to sail?" asked Bo incredulously.

"well.." trailed off Lauren, unsure how to respond as she saw Bo's disbelieving expression.

"Say no more." Said Bo. "Is there anything you can't do babe?" she asked in a much softer tone gazing lovingly at Lauren.

Lauren beamed at her "Several things Bo! I don't know how to speak Mandarin..though i think, given current circumstances, it might be more beneficial to learn ancient Greek or Latin"

Bo shook her head, and then hearing footsteps coming down the hall said "Sshh..i hear someone coming"

Both girls backed up as someone abruptly pulled the table cloth on the cart, hiding them from outside view.

"Well hello my lovelies..please tell me you are making out in there..coz this bloke would love to watch you two go at it" said Vex in his usual obnoxious manner.

"Shut it Vex. Any sign of Tamsin?" asked Bo.

"mmph..right…as if I would go poking around the Ancients lingerie drawers..i know better than that…I promised to smuggle you in..and that's it..now I am getting my extremely well formed arse out of here. You can look for your angel lover all on your own, sugar muffin" said Vex.

Bo looking uncomfortable and sensing Lauren's steady gaze on her said to Vex "Fine. Get out of the way"

Vex exited the apartment, leaving an uncomfortable silence behind.

Bo swung her arm uncomfortably and with an air of false bravado said "Soooo..shall we milady?"

Lauren silently observed Bo's discomfort, made a noise of approval before proceeding to the balcony.

Bo looked at Lauren's retreating form with a look of unease and mouth half-open, as though she was unsure of what to say "Lauren?" And then noticing the direction Lauren was heading towards said "Babe? Why are you heading to the balcony?"

"Well, the only thing powerful enough to take down Tamsin is Z's lightning bolt. And the lightning would have had maximum effect, if Z summoned it directly from the skies" said Lauren as she entered the balcony and started looking around.

"Oh! That sounds reasonable Sherlock Holmes" quipped Bo. "So, if you are Sherlock, can I be Watson?"

Lauren replied "No.'

Bo with a hurt expression on her face asked "Why not?"

Lauren looked at her and said "Watson was just a side kick. Irene was Sherlock's true love. She was the only one who managed to outsmart him." Then looking directly in Bo's eyes "She was the one who got away" Then breaking their gaze, Lauren said hurriedly in an effort to break the tension "She was sexy, mysterious, utterly bewitching, fickle, superbly street smart..the perfect counter foil to Holmes, like you are to me" said Lauren to Bo, before turning around to resume her search.

Bo looked at Lauren said "I notice that you used the word "fickle" to describe her."

Lauren froze temporarily, before continuing her search and said "I was describing Irene Bo..Not you"

Bo reached out and laid a hand on Lauren's arm and started saying "Lauren..Honey.." before pausing as she heard a small noise coming from behind the door. "Did you hear that?" asked Bo, as all thoughts of appeasing Lauren immediately flew out of her head.

Lauren cocked her head. "Hear what Bo?" Just as she uttered those words, a more distinctive "oomph" was heard coming from behind the door.

Both women hurried to the door, where they saw a potted plant and a rolled up carpet.

"Well, I am pretty sure that it wasn't the plant making that noise" said Bo.

Lauren took hold of the carpet "Bo! Stop wasting time, and help me unroll this carpet."

Bo helped Lauren get a firmer grip on the carpet, and unrolled it to reveal a thoroughly disheveled Tamsin.

"Well! So nice of you to remember me! It's about time" said the Valkyrie angrily with clenched teeth.