Chapter VI
"So, you really need this? How soon?" It was not a difficult task, but he really did not want to be bothered by menial distractions when he was so close.
"I told you, this guy I work for…" The red haired man's explanation was cut off by the tired voice of his pale acquaintance.
"Alright, you don't need to repeat it." He was becoming exasperated. Though he'd known him for years, this man had always been a little shifty. He was more apt to get stoned and party than to follow any ambitions. "Two grand, no questions." He may as well make this profitable for its worth.
Looking as though he was about to argue, the woman at his side made a small whimpering noise and gave him a pleading look as she persuaded him to get this whole thing done with so they could skip straight to the club. "Sure. Thanks man. You don't know how much you're saving my skin. Hey, why don't you ride along with us, you could use a change of scenery."
It was the same offer every time, but his scene had never been the social one. To add to it, the woman that accompanied his friend was beginning to hit a chord in him that brought out his worst impatience. She was a none-to-trusted slut that for some odd inclination clung to this man like a leech. Though relatively harmless at best, she'd been known to break more than a few men's hearts. The glue didn't seem to be coming undone between her and the red headed man anytime soon, though. "No, no thanks. I'm, uh, kinda in the middle of something here that I want to finish up. So you go on ahead without me." His excuse sounded poor, even to him, but it was the truth. "Just make sure you're here on the nineteenth. Don't be late."
"Suit yourself man. We'll see you around," the other man said non-chalantly, as he was not in the least surprised at the declined invitation. With that, the silent man and woman that completed their posse of four escorted he and the human leech out.
Not at all regretting their departure, he ran his hands through his short dark hair and, sighing heavily, sunk gratefully back into the chair positioned in front of his computer. Now he could continue.
***
They teased her, at first privately, then blatantly almost everyday about her literally constant "sentry duty". It was all good-natured, but she took it a bit personally at first. It took her some time before she realized that what they said was true, but by that time she didn't mind. They didn't know what she knew, nor could she herself believe what she knew. The entire situation was more than unreal, though she should have come to expect the seemingly impossible considering all the strange things she'd experienced and come to accept as normal since being freed five years earlier.
"Uh oh, what ever will he do without you? Don't want to leave the poor guy to piss by himself Trinity!" Mouse punched her arm playfully as he sat down beside her on the bench to eat.
Glowering at him, but hiding a smile provoked by being caught off guard (literally), she retorted back, "Well a girl's got to eat now and again, you know, Mouse." She had always thought of Mouse as almost like a little brother and as such, they slipped easily into a conversation which conveniently distracted her from the topic that had a become a permanent resident in her mind.