Broken Wings - XVII -
Max caught Justin just as he was coming out of the building. Before he knew what was happening, he was dragged around the corner and into the alley. Her hands attached to his collar, she forced him against the wall.
"Care to tell me what that was all about?" She hissed.
He opened his mouth to reply while trying to push her back and found his position against the wall firmly re-established.
"Don't talk to me!" She yelled, letting him go.
She started walking away and then whipped back around.
"Dr. Lee can't say anything when I'm there. He doesn't know anything. A few minutes later, he's pouring his heart out to you?!"
Her eyes narrowed. "Or maybe you already knew and you were just keeping it from me? Trying to make an impression with Eye's Only by doing it yourself?"
Justin had had enough from her. He didn't believe in hurting girls, but she was tempting him to rethink this philosophy. His defense mechanisms kicked in before his reason had a chance.
"What, were you eavesdropping?"
Her eyes flashed. "Maybe I was."
Justin's face paled. All he could think of was Jhondie. She had been keeping things about Manticore a secret for years. Hell, after almost three together he only knew the mare minimum and now, it was quite possible that, in less than an hour, he had blown her cover.
His breath caught in his throat but he forced himself to continue.
"So, you heard everything we said, don't you have it all figured out?"
He thought he saw her blink for a minute and her tone was quiet, almost demured. In fact, it was so quiet that he couldn't make out what she said.
"What?" He challenged.
She raised her tone and fixed her eyes on his.
"I only heard the beginning." She said between clenched teeth. She was doing her best not to let her anger get the better of her. As it was, she was using a heroic amount of restraint. What she really wanted to do was to pick him up and kick his butt across the alley...repeatedly. She knew she couldn't. Not only would it be calling attention to certain abilities that she would rather not be public knowledge; she didn't want to have to explain to Logan why one of his most valuable informants was in the hospital.
She thought she heard a sigh...something like a sigh of relief. He tried to hide it but she knew she heard something.
"That's not why..." he started but once again found himself interrupted.
"What the hell were you doing?" She demanded firmly, her eyes boring into his.
Sensing an opportunity, Justin took a step forward and then moved to the side quickly to avoid her grasp. Silently, he was thankful for the time he spent with Jhondie. It was great experience for situations like this. After all, if he could defend himself from his genetically enhanced girlfriend when she was upset, he could handle some pissed off punk girl.
"Listen to me..."
He went to touch her shoulder but she moved away.
"I don't want to hear anything you have to say."
She backed away but he took a step forward and he tried again.
"If you would just listen to me." He started, but she cut him off.
"You've lied to me since I've been here and now you..."
He sighed as she once again backed and lit into him again verbally. His mind was racing with what to do. He'd never seen someone so irrational when they were angry. Well, except for Jhondie, of course but there was no comparison between the two women. Thinking of Jhondie brought an idea to his mind. He took a deep breath and tuned back into what she was saying.
"You've lied to me and now you think you can stand there and..."
Letting the breath out he moved forward with a quick flash of speed that she wasn't expecting from a big guy. He grabbed her shoulders and held them firmly. His eyes blazed into hers as he matched her tone and raised his volume.
"Listen to me." He demanded.
Startled, she hesitated for a minute and he charged in while he had the chance.
"I will tell you everything if you give me a chance. You have to give me a minute to explain."
She looked at his hands, which were still holding her shoulders.
Seeing that she had calmed down a bit, he slowly lowered his hands. Crossing her arms, she cocked her head.
"Okay, tell me then."
Before he could say anything, he heard the ringing of his cell phone. Keeping his eyes on her, he answered the phone. It was Nikki.
Max caught Justin just as he was coming out of the building. Before he knew what was happening, he was dragged around the corner and into the alley. Her hands attached to his collar, she forced him against the wall.
"Care to tell me what that was all about?" She hissed.
He opened his mouth to reply while trying to push her back and found his position against the wall firmly re-established.
"Don't talk to me!" She yelled, letting him go.
She started walking away and then whipped back around.
"Dr. Lee can't say anything when I'm there. He doesn't know anything. A few minutes later, he's pouring his heart out to you?!"
Her eyes narrowed. "Or maybe you already knew and you were just keeping it from me? Trying to make an impression with Eye's Only by doing it yourself?"
Justin had had enough from her. He didn't believe in hurting girls, but she was tempting him to rethink this philosophy. His defense mechanisms kicked in before his reason had a chance.
"What, were you eavesdropping?"
Her eyes flashed. "Maybe I was."
Justin's face paled. All he could think of was Jhondie. She had been keeping things about Manticore a secret for years. Hell, after almost three together he only knew the mare minimum and now, it was quite possible that, in less than an hour, he had blown her cover.
His breath caught in his throat but he forced himself to continue.
"So, you heard everything we said, don't you have it all figured out?"
He thought he saw her blink for a minute and her tone was quiet, almost demured. In fact, it was so quiet that he couldn't make out what she said.
"What?" He challenged.
She raised her tone and fixed her eyes on his.
"I only heard the beginning." She said between clenched teeth. She was doing her best not to let her anger get the better of her. As it was, she was using a heroic amount of restraint. What she really wanted to do was to pick him up and kick his butt across the alley...repeatedly. She knew she couldn't. Not only would it be calling attention to certain abilities that she would rather not be public knowledge; she didn't want to have to explain to Logan why one of his most valuable informants was in the hospital.
She thought she heard a sigh...something like a sigh of relief. He tried to hide it but she knew she heard something.
"That's not why..." he started but once again found himself interrupted.
"What the hell were you doing?" She demanded firmly, her eyes boring into his.
Sensing an opportunity, Justin took a step forward and then moved to the side quickly to avoid her grasp. Silently, he was thankful for the time he spent with Jhondie. It was great experience for situations like this. After all, if he could defend himself from his genetically enhanced girlfriend when she was upset, he could handle some pissed off punk girl.
"Listen to me..."
He went to touch her shoulder but she moved away.
"I don't want to hear anything you have to say."
She backed away but he took a step forward and he tried again.
"If you would just listen to me." He started, but she cut him off.
"You've lied to me since I've been here and now you..."
He sighed as she once again backed and lit into him again verbally. His mind was racing with what to do. He'd never seen someone so irrational when they were angry. Well, except for Jhondie, of course but there was no comparison between the two women. Thinking of Jhondie brought an idea to his mind. He took a deep breath and tuned back into what she was saying.
"You've lied to me and now you think you can stand there and..."
Letting the breath out he moved forward with a quick flash of speed that she wasn't expecting from a big guy. He grabbed her shoulders and held them firmly. His eyes blazed into hers as he matched her tone and raised his volume.
"Listen to me." He demanded.
Startled, she hesitated for a minute and he charged in while he had the chance.
"I will tell you everything if you give me a chance. You have to give me a minute to explain."
She looked at his hands, which were still holding her shoulders.
Seeing that she had calmed down a bit, he slowly lowered his hands. Crossing her arms, she cocked her head.
"Okay, tell me then."
Before he could say anything, he heard the ringing of his cell phone. Keeping his eyes on her, he answered the phone. It was Nikki.
