Ch. 8:
"Rise and shine, princess." Bright light streamed into my face, forcing my tired eyes to flutter open. I squinted as Alec stood before me with a big grin on his face while wearing Peter's "Kiss the Cook" apron.
Rubbing my eyes of sleep, I asked, "Alec, what the hell are you doing waking me up at…" I looked at the alarm clock next to my bed and continued, "Eight in the freaking morning?! You know me. On the weekends, I sleep until noon. It's law."
Alec gave me a smirk, while teasingly wagging a finger. "You know, Bobbie, that's not a nice way to treat the person who has cooked you pancakes, bacon along with a side of French Toast, and a small glass of apple juice."
I gave him a jaded look, "You ordered that from McDonald's, didn't you?" Alec grinned, to which I grabbed my pillow and threw it at him. The little jerk ducked my pillow missle and leaned on the doorjamb. "Get out. I need to look decent for breakfast."
As soon as I was done getting dressed, I stepped into the kitchen where Jeremiah and Alec were sitting facing each other at my breakfast table. On the counter were McDonald's paper bags, amongst which was my packet of pancakes with bacon and French toast. Grabbing a plate, I sat down at the table and began to eat. Utter silence accompanied my Saturday morning breakfast, with only the sounds of my eating to break the monotony. Alec was reading the sports section of The New York Times, while Jeremiah read the International pages. I looked out the window and noticed that the Malones were eating breakfast as well. I guess the three of us looked normal for once.
"Jeremiah, could you please pass the butter?" Alec's tone was nice and polite. To my surprise, Jeremiah handed him the butter with a smile.
"Here you go, Alec," he said. "Could you hand me the syrup? My pancakes are feeling a little dry."
"Sure thing," Alec replied, handing Jeremiah the syrup. I could see that his injured shoulder was already healed since he was moving it with great ease. A few minutes passed of this relatively quiet scene before I burst out, "All right, who are you and what have you done with my brothers?" Alec and Jeremiah looked at me with innocent eyes.
"Don't do that!" I snapped. "You guys are being nice and polite."
"Isn't that how you're supposed to treat people?" Alec asked with wide eyes. "Manticore taught us that much back in Dining Preparedness Class." I glared at him.
"That's not what I meant and you know it. You two are being nice, to each other."
"Bobbie, haven't you always wanted us to be civil to each other?" Now Jeremiah was the one to act all innocent. "I mean, isn't that what you've aspired for us?"
"Yes, but it's creeping me out. Go back to fighting."
"Fine," said Alec, dropping his paper and placing it on the table. Jeremiah did the same.
"All right, Bobbie, since you want us back to fighting, here's a question," Jeremiah looked at me with sharp pale blue eyes. "What the hell happened between you and Logan?" I nearly spit out my pancake as I looked at my CO with wide eyes.
"What?" I nearly shrieked.
"You heard me," Jeremiah snapped, leaning over to me. "Yesterday, before the drop off, you come out with a big bruise on your arm and Alec's holding you like he did back when you accidentally shot yourself in target practice."
"The bruise? That's what you're worried about? I told you, I fell." I rolled my eyes at Jeremiah. He wasn't having any of it. Damn him.
"Bobbie, that may work well with Wonder Boy over there," He pointed a finger at Alec, who frowned. "But this is me you're talking to. I promise you, that ass is going to pay if he hurt you."
"He didn't."
"He did, Bobbie. Don't lie. Not to us," Alec's voice was soft.
"I'm not Bree," I said. My eyes stared straight into his hazel ones. "Alec, I can take care of myself. I'm not Bree. I won't be Bree."
"I never said you were," Alec protested.
"Then stop treating me like a china doll," I said. He gave me a hurt look. Reluctantly, I softened my voice. "Look, what happened between Logan and me at the house is between the two of us. You can be sure that if he ever tries it again, I'll kick his ass. No questions asked."
"All right," Alec remained unconvinced. I gave him a glare. He held up his hands. "Okay. Okay, I believe you. I know you can take care of yourself."
"Damn straight," I declared, getting up from the table and putting my plate into the garbage pail. "You've known me practically your whole life. You've never seen me stay down for long." I turned to face my brothers, arms crossed at the chest, and my back pressed against the kitchen counter. They stared back at me with broad grins on their faces.
"We hear you, Bobbie," said Jeremiah. "We just want to let you know we have your back."
I let a smile cross my face. "Thanks. You know I got yours."
"Good."
"It's all good," I said and the room fell silent.
"Okay, then," I said, feeling stronger and back in business. "Jeremiah, you said you wanted to talk to us about something?"
"What?" Jeremiah looked at me, confused.
"You said you wanted to tell us something last night. You know? While you were well on your way to getting pissed drunk." The light dawned in Jeremiah's eyes as he recalled what he had wanted to tell us last night.
"Oh, yeah," he replied. "I found Bree."
"Where?" asked Alec, as he drank the rest of his orange juice. "Last time I heard she was in New York with you."
"She was," said Jeremiah with a shake of his head. "But I lost track of her. Seems that one of her customers wanted her to follow him to the west coast."
"Customer got a name?" I asked, picking up Jeremiah's empty plate and throwing it into the garbage.
"John Valdez," Jeremiah answered. "He's a businessman and a fitness freak. Got a wife, three kids living on the Upper West Side and a taste for transgenic blood."
"Huh," I grunted. "What's with these ordinaries and wanting our blood?"
"Don't you know, Bobbie?" asked Alec with wide eyes. "Our blood provides all the necessary vitamins and minerals for a healthy balanced diet."
"Transgenic blood. It does a body good," said Jeremiah with a small grin.
"Amen for that," I said. "It's so nice to know we're wanted."
"Yeah," said Jeremiah looking down at my table. Heaving a sigh as he scratched the nape of his neck, he continued, "Anyway, I tracked Valdez to Seattle since he took a job at the local Citibank and my bet is Bree followed him."
"So, not only are you here to watch how the Seattle Transgenic Movement is going, but you're bugging me to work for some government job and you're tracking Bree," Alec said with a look of disbelief. "Man, Jeremiah, back at Manticore when they said we could multi-task, they really meant it."
Jeremiah gave Alec a dirty look. "You would be able to do what I can if you just put yourself together and quit acting like a norm."
"Hey, I don't act like a norm."
"Oh really?" Jeremiah leaned over the table to look at Alec with unflinching eyes, "I see you mooning over that Max girl like a norm. I see you letting that guy Logan take over the movement."
"Max likes him," Alec defended the X5. He turned to me. "Bobbie, tell him."
I waved my hands in protest. "Oh, no. I'm not going to get sucked into this argument."
"You've never had a problem before," Alec muttered.
"Well, you two aren't going to kill each other this time. So, I'm letting this argument go for broke."
"Gee thanks, Bob."
"Anytime," I said with a smile.
"Like I said, you're letting this norm Logan take over the movement. I can see Max letting him take over," said Jeremiah, "But you? You have had over twenty years of training. You were made to be a leader. Max? She left when she was nine. She doesn't know anything about being able to lead. She can learn, but she'll never know. You, on the other hand, know."
"You've been talking to Mole, haven't you?" Alec had a bitter look on his face. "He's been telling you all this stuff."
"He's only telling me what he thinks is going wrong," said Jeremiah. "For the record, I agree with him. You and I have had our differences." At that Alec and I gave loud snorts. Jeremiah glared at us as we quickly wiped the grins off our faces. I kept darting glances at him and we exchanged quick grins as Jeremiah went on.
"Like I said, you and I have had our differences. As far as I'm concerned we still do, but right now, that doesn't matter. What matters is that someone has to get this movement into shape and my vote is for you."
"Gee, you're too kind."
Jeremiah shrugged. "Hey, I know you and I keep hearing some rumors in TC."
"You've heard the rumors, too?" I asked. I was hoping they weren't serious, but the looks on Alec and Jeremiah's face weren't anything to laugh at.
"Mole and a couple of guys are thinking of forming their own transgenic movement," said Alec. "They're making it more militant since I heard he's been getting supplies from outside sources."
"AK-47s? Uzis?" Jeremiah asked.
"M-16s, M-1s, Berretas, Glocks, the whole works," Alec replied, rubbing his forehead. "I haven't told Max yet, because I want to sort this out myself. The guys trust me since I'm the mediator between the X-series and the trans- humans for the Council." The Transgenic Council was the makeshift government that Max, Alec, and Joshua had formed in the early days of the Terminal City siege after the attack on Jam Pony.
"They trust you, but you're X-series," I said, looking at him calmly. "They're not going to take it too kindly that they've got to put their toys away by an X5."
"I'll make them put them away," Alec's voice was hard and firm. "No one's going to get gun happy on my watch."
"Too bad," said Jeremiah. "Transgenics with guns might make the norms take us seriously. We wouldn't be hearing about this Congressional bill to make a "separate but equal" law for transgenics." My CO held up the front page of the Times, whose headline read: Washington Senator to Sponsor McKinley- Mahoney Transgenic Protection Bill.
"God, I was hoping that wasn't true," I said. "I mean, I heard about it in the news, but I didn't think the norms would go through with it."
"They are," said Alec, fingering a plastic knife. "I talked to Max. She says she's thinking about going to Washington and making our case to Congress."
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Max? Max said this? Without Logan's approval?"
"Yeah, Bobbie," Alec snapped. "Max told me this a couple of days ago. I told her to sit on the idea for a couple of days." He looked at me sharply. "You don't think Max is smart enough for that?"
I shook my head. "No. No, it's not that. It's just that in the two and half years I've known her, she can't seem to fart without Logan's permission. What brings this on?"
"Bobbie, did it ever occur to you that Max just might be the right leader for the transgenics?"
"I'll believe it when I see it," I replied.
"Yeah, well, believe it," said Alec. "Max is a good person, Bobbie. You only have to know what to see."
"All right. All right, whatever you say," I said. Alec brightened considerably. "That doesn't mean I have to like her." Just then the phone rang and Alec and I looked at my phone.
"Sorry, guys," said Jeremiah, holding up his cell phone. "It's for me." As he talked on his cell, Alec rose from the table and dumped his plate into the garbage. He hopped up on my kitchen counter and idly swung his legs. Gently, he nudged my hand and I slapped it away. He nudged it again a few minutes later and before I knew it, we were playfully swatting each other. An audible click told us that Jeremiah was finished with his call. Our CO looked grim as he put his cell phone into his back pocket.
"Bad news?" asked Alec.
"No, not really," Jeremiah replied. "There's a shipment of guns for the New York boys. I'm the guy they wanted to pick it up."
"Do we want to know what it is?" I asked.
"Ask Alec," Jeremiah answered. "He let me make the order." I turned to Alec who had a smug look on his face.
"What can I say? I know guys who know guys."
"I bet you do." I gave Alec a gentle swat on the shoulder to which he returned.
Jeremiah gave us an exasperated look. "If you two can quit acting like children, I just want to say that you guys are going to have to look for Bree today." He looked as though he was going to throw up.
"Relax, Jeremiah," said Alec with a cheerful smile. "You go and do the gun deal and Bobbie and I will handle Bree."
"When does the search begin?" I asked as Jeremiah stood up.
"At eight tonight. The ordinaries usually come to this place between Fiftieth and Main." Jeremiah handed me a slip of paper with the directions. "It's an apartment building in a neighborhood for transgenics not living in Terminal City." As I looked at the directions, Jeremiah's words pierced through my brain. I looked up at him.
"Eight? Tonight?"
"Yes, eight. Tonight," Jeremiah replied, a little annoyed. "You got a date?" Alec smirked as I glared at him.
"Well, I do have a date with Peter tonight. I promised him I'd have dinner with him."
"Well, cancel."
"He's taking me to this really nice Italian restaurant and his mom's in town…" I let my voice trail off as I looked down at the ground. I could feel my lower lip start to stick out.
Jeremiah shook his head, "Bobbie, which is more important? A date with a norm or saving your fellow soldier?"
I scrunched up my face and heaved a sigh. "Saving my fellow soldier," I replied. "You're right. Alec and I will check out the place this afternoon and take care of Bree."
"Good," Jeremiah gave me a broad smile as he patted me on the shoulder. "You always come through for me, Bobbie."
"Yeah. Yeah," I glumly replied. Alec led Jeremiah out of my apartment. Just as he was about to go down the flight of stairs, he turned around to face the two of us.
"If you guys need any help…" he began.
"Jeremiah, we can handle it," Alec said breezily. "Don't worry about it."
"I know you can," my CO said. "But you barely remember her."
"Bobbie'll tell me where Bree is and we'll detox her and everything will be all right."
"All right," Jeremiah gave us a final suspicious glance and then walked down the stairs. As Alec closed the door, I began cleaning up the table. Alec walked up to the kitchen counter and placed his hands on it. His head bowed, he said, "Bobbie?"
"Yeah," I replied, putting away the apple juice container in my refrigerator.
"I know we said we wouldn't talk about it anymore," Alec began. "And I know you can kick Logan's ass to hell and back."
I turned to face Alec, my eyes narrowed and my arms crossed over my chest. "Yes," I said warily. "I can."
"That said," Alec continued. "He comes at you like he did last night again, we kick his ass together, got that?" I gave him a grin and grasped his hand.
"I get that. I really do." Alec wrapped an arm around my shoulder and gave me a quick squeeze. The doorbell rang, breaking us apart.
"Who the hell would come here at this hour?" I asked as I walked up to the front door.
"Maybe it's Peter," said Alec, leaning on the counter. My hand on the doorknob, I gave Alec an annoyed look.
"Peter's got a study session this morning. He said he wouldn't come over until tonight."
Alec shrugged. "You never know. That guy seemed awfully possessive of you when he called last night."
"He was just worried. I left him here all alone while I had to go off to Terminal City which was, by the way, at your call."
"Bobbie, I can't believe he hasn't figured it out yet. The guy's gonna be a doctor right?" The doorbell rang again.
"Hold on!" I yelled as Alec continued.
"I mean, he's got to notice the blood and all the away time you've clocked since you've met him. I'm surprised he hasn't broken up with you."
"Well, maybe it's because we love each other. Peter is willing to give me time and space to tell him my story." I felt slightly uncomfortable since Peter's call last night did tell me that he was noticing in a big way.
Alec gave me a look of disbelief. "Bobbie. You're not serious, are you?"
"Look, you and I can have round 2001 on this topic, but I'm ending it here and now," I kept my voice firm. "I've got a person ringing the doorbell at eight-thirty in the morning and it isn't my boyfriend. So, I need to find out who it is."
"Maybe it's a salesman?"
"Very funny," I said as I peered through the peephole. A skinny dark haired girl wearing finger-less gloves, a leather jacket and jeans stood before my door. I felt my heart sink into my chest as I said, "Oh, crap. It's Max."
"Rise and shine, princess." Bright light streamed into my face, forcing my tired eyes to flutter open. I squinted as Alec stood before me with a big grin on his face while wearing Peter's "Kiss the Cook" apron.
Rubbing my eyes of sleep, I asked, "Alec, what the hell are you doing waking me up at…" I looked at the alarm clock next to my bed and continued, "Eight in the freaking morning?! You know me. On the weekends, I sleep until noon. It's law."
Alec gave me a smirk, while teasingly wagging a finger. "You know, Bobbie, that's not a nice way to treat the person who has cooked you pancakes, bacon along with a side of French Toast, and a small glass of apple juice."
I gave him a jaded look, "You ordered that from McDonald's, didn't you?" Alec grinned, to which I grabbed my pillow and threw it at him. The little jerk ducked my pillow missle and leaned on the doorjamb. "Get out. I need to look decent for breakfast."
As soon as I was done getting dressed, I stepped into the kitchen where Jeremiah and Alec were sitting facing each other at my breakfast table. On the counter were McDonald's paper bags, amongst which was my packet of pancakes with bacon and French toast. Grabbing a plate, I sat down at the table and began to eat. Utter silence accompanied my Saturday morning breakfast, with only the sounds of my eating to break the monotony. Alec was reading the sports section of The New York Times, while Jeremiah read the International pages. I looked out the window and noticed that the Malones were eating breakfast as well. I guess the three of us looked normal for once.
"Jeremiah, could you please pass the butter?" Alec's tone was nice and polite. To my surprise, Jeremiah handed him the butter with a smile.
"Here you go, Alec," he said. "Could you hand me the syrup? My pancakes are feeling a little dry."
"Sure thing," Alec replied, handing Jeremiah the syrup. I could see that his injured shoulder was already healed since he was moving it with great ease. A few minutes passed of this relatively quiet scene before I burst out, "All right, who are you and what have you done with my brothers?" Alec and Jeremiah looked at me with innocent eyes.
"Don't do that!" I snapped. "You guys are being nice and polite."
"Isn't that how you're supposed to treat people?" Alec asked with wide eyes. "Manticore taught us that much back in Dining Preparedness Class." I glared at him.
"That's not what I meant and you know it. You two are being nice, to each other."
"Bobbie, haven't you always wanted us to be civil to each other?" Now Jeremiah was the one to act all innocent. "I mean, isn't that what you've aspired for us?"
"Yes, but it's creeping me out. Go back to fighting."
"Fine," said Alec, dropping his paper and placing it on the table. Jeremiah did the same.
"All right, Bobbie, since you want us back to fighting, here's a question," Jeremiah looked at me with sharp pale blue eyes. "What the hell happened between you and Logan?" I nearly spit out my pancake as I looked at my CO with wide eyes.
"What?" I nearly shrieked.
"You heard me," Jeremiah snapped, leaning over to me. "Yesterday, before the drop off, you come out with a big bruise on your arm and Alec's holding you like he did back when you accidentally shot yourself in target practice."
"The bruise? That's what you're worried about? I told you, I fell." I rolled my eyes at Jeremiah. He wasn't having any of it. Damn him.
"Bobbie, that may work well with Wonder Boy over there," He pointed a finger at Alec, who frowned. "But this is me you're talking to. I promise you, that ass is going to pay if he hurt you."
"He didn't."
"He did, Bobbie. Don't lie. Not to us," Alec's voice was soft.
"I'm not Bree," I said. My eyes stared straight into his hazel ones. "Alec, I can take care of myself. I'm not Bree. I won't be Bree."
"I never said you were," Alec protested.
"Then stop treating me like a china doll," I said. He gave me a hurt look. Reluctantly, I softened my voice. "Look, what happened between Logan and me at the house is between the two of us. You can be sure that if he ever tries it again, I'll kick his ass. No questions asked."
"All right," Alec remained unconvinced. I gave him a glare. He held up his hands. "Okay. Okay, I believe you. I know you can take care of yourself."
"Damn straight," I declared, getting up from the table and putting my plate into the garbage pail. "You've known me practically your whole life. You've never seen me stay down for long." I turned to face my brothers, arms crossed at the chest, and my back pressed against the kitchen counter. They stared back at me with broad grins on their faces.
"We hear you, Bobbie," said Jeremiah. "We just want to let you know we have your back."
I let a smile cross my face. "Thanks. You know I got yours."
"Good."
"It's all good," I said and the room fell silent.
"Okay, then," I said, feeling stronger and back in business. "Jeremiah, you said you wanted to talk to us about something?"
"What?" Jeremiah looked at me, confused.
"You said you wanted to tell us something last night. You know? While you were well on your way to getting pissed drunk." The light dawned in Jeremiah's eyes as he recalled what he had wanted to tell us last night.
"Oh, yeah," he replied. "I found Bree."
"Where?" asked Alec, as he drank the rest of his orange juice. "Last time I heard she was in New York with you."
"She was," said Jeremiah with a shake of his head. "But I lost track of her. Seems that one of her customers wanted her to follow him to the west coast."
"Customer got a name?" I asked, picking up Jeremiah's empty plate and throwing it into the garbage.
"John Valdez," Jeremiah answered. "He's a businessman and a fitness freak. Got a wife, three kids living on the Upper West Side and a taste for transgenic blood."
"Huh," I grunted. "What's with these ordinaries and wanting our blood?"
"Don't you know, Bobbie?" asked Alec with wide eyes. "Our blood provides all the necessary vitamins and minerals for a healthy balanced diet."
"Transgenic blood. It does a body good," said Jeremiah with a small grin.
"Amen for that," I said. "It's so nice to know we're wanted."
"Yeah," said Jeremiah looking down at my table. Heaving a sigh as he scratched the nape of his neck, he continued, "Anyway, I tracked Valdez to Seattle since he took a job at the local Citibank and my bet is Bree followed him."
"So, not only are you here to watch how the Seattle Transgenic Movement is going, but you're bugging me to work for some government job and you're tracking Bree," Alec said with a look of disbelief. "Man, Jeremiah, back at Manticore when they said we could multi-task, they really meant it."
Jeremiah gave Alec a dirty look. "You would be able to do what I can if you just put yourself together and quit acting like a norm."
"Hey, I don't act like a norm."
"Oh really?" Jeremiah leaned over the table to look at Alec with unflinching eyes, "I see you mooning over that Max girl like a norm. I see you letting that guy Logan take over the movement."
"Max likes him," Alec defended the X5. He turned to me. "Bobbie, tell him."
I waved my hands in protest. "Oh, no. I'm not going to get sucked into this argument."
"You've never had a problem before," Alec muttered.
"Well, you two aren't going to kill each other this time. So, I'm letting this argument go for broke."
"Gee thanks, Bob."
"Anytime," I said with a smile.
"Like I said, you're letting this norm Logan take over the movement. I can see Max letting him take over," said Jeremiah, "But you? You have had over twenty years of training. You were made to be a leader. Max? She left when she was nine. She doesn't know anything about being able to lead. She can learn, but she'll never know. You, on the other hand, know."
"You've been talking to Mole, haven't you?" Alec had a bitter look on his face. "He's been telling you all this stuff."
"He's only telling me what he thinks is going wrong," said Jeremiah. "For the record, I agree with him. You and I have had our differences." At that Alec and I gave loud snorts. Jeremiah glared at us as we quickly wiped the grins off our faces. I kept darting glances at him and we exchanged quick grins as Jeremiah went on.
"Like I said, you and I have had our differences. As far as I'm concerned we still do, but right now, that doesn't matter. What matters is that someone has to get this movement into shape and my vote is for you."
"Gee, you're too kind."
Jeremiah shrugged. "Hey, I know you and I keep hearing some rumors in TC."
"You've heard the rumors, too?" I asked. I was hoping they weren't serious, but the looks on Alec and Jeremiah's face weren't anything to laugh at.
"Mole and a couple of guys are thinking of forming their own transgenic movement," said Alec. "They're making it more militant since I heard he's been getting supplies from outside sources."
"AK-47s? Uzis?" Jeremiah asked.
"M-16s, M-1s, Berretas, Glocks, the whole works," Alec replied, rubbing his forehead. "I haven't told Max yet, because I want to sort this out myself. The guys trust me since I'm the mediator between the X-series and the trans- humans for the Council." The Transgenic Council was the makeshift government that Max, Alec, and Joshua had formed in the early days of the Terminal City siege after the attack on Jam Pony.
"They trust you, but you're X-series," I said, looking at him calmly. "They're not going to take it too kindly that they've got to put their toys away by an X5."
"I'll make them put them away," Alec's voice was hard and firm. "No one's going to get gun happy on my watch."
"Too bad," said Jeremiah. "Transgenics with guns might make the norms take us seriously. We wouldn't be hearing about this Congressional bill to make a "separate but equal" law for transgenics." My CO held up the front page of the Times, whose headline read: Washington Senator to Sponsor McKinley- Mahoney Transgenic Protection Bill.
"God, I was hoping that wasn't true," I said. "I mean, I heard about it in the news, but I didn't think the norms would go through with it."
"They are," said Alec, fingering a plastic knife. "I talked to Max. She says she's thinking about going to Washington and making our case to Congress."
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Max? Max said this? Without Logan's approval?"
"Yeah, Bobbie," Alec snapped. "Max told me this a couple of days ago. I told her to sit on the idea for a couple of days." He looked at me sharply. "You don't think Max is smart enough for that?"
I shook my head. "No. No, it's not that. It's just that in the two and half years I've known her, she can't seem to fart without Logan's permission. What brings this on?"
"Bobbie, did it ever occur to you that Max just might be the right leader for the transgenics?"
"I'll believe it when I see it," I replied.
"Yeah, well, believe it," said Alec. "Max is a good person, Bobbie. You only have to know what to see."
"All right. All right, whatever you say," I said. Alec brightened considerably. "That doesn't mean I have to like her." Just then the phone rang and Alec and I looked at my phone.
"Sorry, guys," said Jeremiah, holding up his cell phone. "It's for me." As he talked on his cell, Alec rose from the table and dumped his plate into the garbage. He hopped up on my kitchen counter and idly swung his legs. Gently, he nudged my hand and I slapped it away. He nudged it again a few minutes later and before I knew it, we were playfully swatting each other. An audible click told us that Jeremiah was finished with his call. Our CO looked grim as he put his cell phone into his back pocket.
"Bad news?" asked Alec.
"No, not really," Jeremiah replied. "There's a shipment of guns for the New York boys. I'm the guy they wanted to pick it up."
"Do we want to know what it is?" I asked.
"Ask Alec," Jeremiah answered. "He let me make the order." I turned to Alec who had a smug look on his face.
"What can I say? I know guys who know guys."
"I bet you do." I gave Alec a gentle swat on the shoulder to which he returned.
Jeremiah gave us an exasperated look. "If you two can quit acting like children, I just want to say that you guys are going to have to look for Bree today." He looked as though he was going to throw up.
"Relax, Jeremiah," said Alec with a cheerful smile. "You go and do the gun deal and Bobbie and I will handle Bree."
"When does the search begin?" I asked as Jeremiah stood up.
"At eight tonight. The ordinaries usually come to this place between Fiftieth and Main." Jeremiah handed me a slip of paper with the directions. "It's an apartment building in a neighborhood for transgenics not living in Terminal City." As I looked at the directions, Jeremiah's words pierced through my brain. I looked up at him.
"Eight? Tonight?"
"Yes, eight. Tonight," Jeremiah replied, a little annoyed. "You got a date?" Alec smirked as I glared at him.
"Well, I do have a date with Peter tonight. I promised him I'd have dinner with him."
"Well, cancel."
"He's taking me to this really nice Italian restaurant and his mom's in town…" I let my voice trail off as I looked down at the ground. I could feel my lower lip start to stick out.
Jeremiah shook his head, "Bobbie, which is more important? A date with a norm or saving your fellow soldier?"
I scrunched up my face and heaved a sigh. "Saving my fellow soldier," I replied. "You're right. Alec and I will check out the place this afternoon and take care of Bree."
"Good," Jeremiah gave me a broad smile as he patted me on the shoulder. "You always come through for me, Bobbie."
"Yeah. Yeah," I glumly replied. Alec led Jeremiah out of my apartment. Just as he was about to go down the flight of stairs, he turned around to face the two of us.
"If you guys need any help…" he began.
"Jeremiah, we can handle it," Alec said breezily. "Don't worry about it."
"I know you can," my CO said. "But you barely remember her."
"Bobbie'll tell me where Bree is and we'll detox her and everything will be all right."
"All right," Jeremiah gave us a final suspicious glance and then walked down the stairs. As Alec closed the door, I began cleaning up the table. Alec walked up to the kitchen counter and placed his hands on it. His head bowed, he said, "Bobbie?"
"Yeah," I replied, putting away the apple juice container in my refrigerator.
"I know we said we wouldn't talk about it anymore," Alec began. "And I know you can kick Logan's ass to hell and back."
I turned to face Alec, my eyes narrowed and my arms crossed over my chest. "Yes," I said warily. "I can."
"That said," Alec continued. "He comes at you like he did last night again, we kick his ass together, got that?" I gave him a grin and grasped his hand.
"I get that. I really do." Alec wrapped an arm around my shoulder and gave me a quick squeeze. The doorbell rang, breaking us apart.
"Who the hell would come here at this hour?" I asked as I walked up to the front door.
"Maybe it's Peter," said Alec, leaning on the counter. My hand on the doorknob, I gave Alec an annoyed look.
"Peter's got a study session this morning. He said he wouldn't come over until tonight."
Alec shrugged. "You never know. That guy seemed awfully possessive of you when he called last night."
"He was just worried. I left him here all alone while I had to go off to Terminal City which was, by the way, at your call."
"Bobbie, I can't believe he hasn't figured it out yet. The guy's gonna be a doctor right?" The doorbell rang again.
"Hold on!" I yelled as Alec continued.
"I mean, he's got to notice the blood and all the away time you've clocked since you've met him. I'm surprised he hasn't broken up with you."
"Well, maybe it's because we love each other. Peter is willing to give me time and space to tell him my story." I felt slightly uncomfortable since Peter's call last night did tell me that he was noticing in a big way.
Alec gave me a look of disbelief. "Bobbie. You're not serious, are you?"
"Look, you and I can have round 2001 on this topic, but I'm ending it here and now," I kept my voice firm. "I've got a person ringing the doorbell at eight-thirty in the morning and it isn't my boyfriend. So, I need to find out who it is."
"Maybe it's a salesman?"
"Very funny," I said as I peered through the peephole. A skinny dark haired girl wearing finger-less gloves, a leather jacket and jeans stood before my door. I felt my heart sink into my chest as I said, "Oh, crap. It's Max."