Chapter 10

"Well we can thank your dear old dad for reuniting us, then – because I certainly had no clue about that mission to Venus." Nick looked around as the door opened and Julie poked her head in.

"What's going on in here? Any leftover fries, Nicky?" Then she noticed Astro drinking the milkshake Nick had on his tray . . . and then the crumpled napkin and crumbs all over his bed, her eyes bugged out, "What are you eating, Astro? Your father will have a fit –"

Astro burped and Nick just muttered "Ooops too late . . . oh welllll . . ."

Poor Julie looked terrified, "B-BB-but –"

"Ahem," Nick stood up and took Julie by the hand, pulled her into the room and said very quietly to her, "Now listen to me: Astor and I know EXACTLY how to deal with you-know-who. I PROMISE you there will be NO repercussions from old man Boynton about this . . . in fact . . .", he pulled his wallet out – I'm sending you down to the cafeteria to get a little more – but GOOD stuff. Like Jello for our friend here – we'll send you down with this tray and you can bring back the 'happy food' – but just be sure to buy yourself some fries. That will cover up the delectable aroma of forbidden fruit that is wafting around in here." He handed Julie $20, smiled and asked, "You in?"

Astro broke up. Julie collected the tray and garbage and left with a smile. "That's really twisted, Nick. But I think it'll work."

"Of course it will work!" He waited until she had left the area, then added "That is, until they analyze your crap!" Now he was laughing with Astro, "WTF! How'd this hamburger meat get in here? What's this? A FRENCH FRY?"

They looked at each other. "Then what?" Astro asked. He knew Nick would have some kind of weasley way to dodge the problem.

"Simple!" he announced! "We get Angel to handle the report!"

Astro groaned, "Nooo not after I didn't know who she was . . ."

"No, really buddy, I'll ask her – or I'll get Donna-marie to tag-team it and we'll convince her to go along. I mean come on, she wants you to be strong and healthy and –sorry, but your dad is just gonna geek out on this 'my son as science project' thing he has going on if we don't put our foot down."

"You think?" Astro quipped.

"Yeah, like Reno is pissed because he hasn't been allowed up here yet."

"What?"

"Uh – huh, and you know what – we oughta do something about THAT too!" He pulled out his Blackberry and texted Reno – git ur $$ up here now.

About 30 minutes later Julie returned with a tray full of both permitted and forbidden food, including another double order of fries. She felt secure that Nick would keep Dr. Boynton's prickliness at bay. That is, until she opened the door and found another uninvited guest. Nick saw her crestfallen expression and jumped up to help her with the tray and chat her up so she wouldn't panic.

"Heeey Ms Julieeee – c'mon in and join the festivities. Of course, you know Reno – now don't fret, we won't stay long in case Dr. B decides to drop in and -"

The door unexpectedly opened. It was Angel Boynton. The room went silent for a moment as all eyes turned to see Astro's wife also with a tray of food.

Nick's scathingly agile mind quickly shifted gears as he made the overly cheerful observation, "Angel! What have you got there? How 'bout that! I see great minds think alike, huh?" he winked at her and reached to help her with the tray, which he set down alongside Julie's on the stand.

He looked up at Astro, "Hope you're hungry!" Reno snorted.

"Uhhhh . . . well, I was going to have that Jello, but let's see . . ."

Angel looked nervous, like she had been "caught in the act" – "Well, these aren't exactly on the list – but I knew he was still hungry this morning . . ." Her tray contained macaroni and cheese, tomato soup, and apple juice.

"Uh oh." Commented Nick, wagging a finger at her. "Naughty Angel! Well, I won't tell if you don't – hey Julie maybe you can watch to make sure OMB doesn't ruin Astro's lunch!" She smiled, relieved, and scooted back to her station outside the door.

"OMB?" Angel looked confused. Astro face-palmed.

"Old Man Boynton" he looked at her. "What? You never heard us call him that?"

She was fighting back a grin, "I didn't realize he'd been reduced to an acronym." She looked around the room. "I gather none of us are supposed to be here?"

"Yeah," said Astro with a smile, "Isn't it great?" He reached for Angel's tray, and started to eat, shaking his head, "This is so weird – I can remember eating as a human – the flavors – but it's also sort of "new" again. Ummmm . . ."

Angel was pleased he was enjoying himself, "Well, I don't want to rush you, but as soon as your done, I'll take everything out of here, so Dad won't have any idea. Those French fries will cover up the smell of the other food . . . "

Nick and Astro exchanged looks. Nick saw his chance to complete his "plan": "Uhh . . . you know there is one part of the puzzle that could ruin this stealth lunch – "

Angel turned, with a gasp, "Oh! You're right – they'll be examining everything that comes out of him!"

Astro looked pained. "Pleeeease! Really? I'm trying to eat!"

"Sorry Astro," Nick said, then turned to Angel with a look of concern, "Hmmmm, I see your point. We've got to keep – OMB – away from the test details, don't we . . . "

"Not a problem!" Angel interrupted, "I'll handle the test. I'd better get back to my office – Reno, I'd actually like to discuss a few things with you, so . . ." she looked at Nick and Astro.

"You two go ahead," said Nick, "I'll clean up, and make sure we leave Astro Astor all alone again!"

She smiled at Nick's silly name for her husband. He hadn't finished anything, and had stopped eating, "Are you alright? Anything wrong?"

Astro opened his eyes wide, and tried to look innocent. "No! It's great! I'll finish it up. I'm really hungry!" Nick was covering his mouth to cloak a smile. Astro avoided looking at him.

"All right" Angel said softly, running a hand through is jet black hair and bending down to kiss his mouth, gently biting his lower lip. As she backed away, she gave him a knowing look and thought-spoke "I don't know what's going on, but I can tell you two are up to something." Nick and Reno looked at each other and rolled their eyes as Angel said in a motherly tone, "Behave yourself."

With a calm demeanor, she turned and walked towards the door, turning to look at Reno, raised her eyebrows, and he jumped up and follow her out the door, "Oh, right – you had a question! I'll see you later Astro."

Ka-plunk!

Nick and Astro just looked at each other, shaking their heads, and smiling. "That went almost too smoothly, Nick." He looked down at the tray, "I'm stuffed!"

"Here, I'll get rid of this." He looked in Astro's eyes, "She, uhhh suspects something, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, but she's cool with it. After all – she did the same thing you did."

"What do you supposed she wants with Reno?"

"I'm almost afraid to imagine."

Angel directed a comment telepathically to Reno as they rode the elevator to the fifth floor, where her office was located. "I don't want to discuss this outside of my office, but essentially it's about re-empowering Astro."

Reno looked at Angel – it was clear she was more than a tad worried about 'what happens next.' He know that if he focused on her, and "thought" his response, that she would be able to "hear" him: I've been obsessed with considering what we could do – but can think of nothing short of embedding weaponry in his human body – and THAT'S not gonna work."

They walked in silence to Angel's office, which she unlocked with the retina scan, let Reno in.

She held her finger over her mouth, indicating the need to remain silent while she activated the vocal encryption shield, which presented itself as a pale blue glow around the parameters of the room.

"We are working – as we have been for years – to discern what it is that enables the children and I with these so-called 'powers' that Earth humans don't possess. Our presumption that it was purely genetic does not seem to be proving accurate – but we still aren't completely certain."

She punched up a few charts and data for Reno to examine. "It appears that my DNA might well be environmentally altered, and that this mutation was passed to Shaum and Sarah. The goal is to try and isolate the sources of the different functions – although they all seem to stem from the ability to manipulate matter – even the telepathy."

"But there are Earth human's who can reputedly communicate telepathically and move things through telekinesis – "

"And we've examined some of them – I'll share what we've found here," she said as she handed him a flash drive, "I'd like you accompany me to the International Bionetics Conference on Thursday – but I'd like you to change your appearance – color your hair and grow out your beard – so we'll be incognito. My hope is to locate and bring on board the man who you'll read about on the notes I've given you that might hold the key to bringing this all together, and enabling us to give Astro powers on a par with my own."

Reno's eye's widened, "But you have only defensive powers . . ."

Angel shook her head – "That's not entirely accurate. Most of what I can do, can be turned against an enemy." She looked at Reno with a slight grin. "It just doesn't look that way."

"So we're going to try and find this guy, and get him into IOS."

She looked at him, dead serious, "If we don't succeed, it will just be a matter of time before someone kills Astro."