Part Seven: In Plain Sight
Even after they'd successfully escaped with the files, Roger was still riled over his encounter with Commander Belmont. Tony knew that, aside from being uncomfortable at being hit on by another man, it also bothered Roger that the man who'd done it was already in a serious relationship. Belmont's girlfriend was very nice -- beautiful, sophisticated, and intelligent -- and Roger couldn't understand why he would be interested in anyone else. He'd already decided that he didn't like the commander very much anymore, and didn't care who knew it. In fact, he was proclaiming his displeasure, loudly, as they drove back to Tony's house.
"..and I still say he's no kind of a gentleman, to be doing something like that. If I had someone like her, you'd better believe that I wouldn't be trying to cheat on her. I'd've already proposed."
"Roger, you can't expect everyone to be like you," Tony said, wishing his friend would come out of Hormone Hell and pay more attention to the road. "Some men have to have someone new all the time, or once they get a girl they have the urge to look for someone they think is better, or they have a girl but they want a little something on the side. I'm not saying it's right, but that's how it is."
"But Tony," he said, just as they stopped at an intersection.. and for the second time that day, Tony saw Dr. Bellows. He had just come out of a shop on the street, and he was staring right at them.
Tony elbowed his friend in the general area of his ribs. "C'mon, Rog, we've got to get out of here—"
"Ow, Tony, what'd you do that for? These things are still tender, you know, and anyway the light hasn't changed yet.. ."
"Hello again," said Dr. Bellows, coming up to the car. The psychiatrist had recognized the girl in the passenger seat as the woman from the drugstore, and his curiosity had only increased since then. Aside from the fact that she'd been wearing men's clothing that morning, he also thought that clothing looked familiar, as did their wearer. Amanda had pointed out that the woman hadn't been carrying a purse, and what sort of woman went out without a purse? He'd been ready to dismiss his wife's observation until he realized who the woman reminded him of -- Major Nelson. She certainly acted strange enough, and in a very familiar way. "We meet again, Miss—"
"Toni," he replied, quite aware that the doctor had heard what Roger said. "Short for Antonia. It's nice to see you again."
"Mm," he murmured, then looked over at Major Healey. "And this is your friend, the one you were talking about this morning? What's your name, Miss?"
Roger was not good under pressure. "Um.. "
Dr. Bellows glanced at Tony again. "I thought I heard you call her Roger."
"Oh no, it's.. Rhonda," he replied hastily.
"Rhonda?" Roger repeated. "Oh yeah, Rhonda."
Dr. Bellows looked at them like he didn't believe a word they'd said, but at that moment the light changed back to green. Tony leaned over and pressed his foot into Roger's, which was now on the gas pedal, and sped them away. He breathed a sigh of relief. That one had been too close.
Dr. Bellows peered down the road after them. He was right; he'd seen a NASA sticker on the rear bumper, and his suspicions were confirmed.
That was Major Healey's car.
Even after they'd successfully escaped with the files, Roger was still riled over his encounter with Commander Belmont. Tony knew that, aside from being uncomfortable at being hit on by another man, it also bothered Roger that the man who'd done it was already in a serious relationship. Belmont's girlfriend was very nice -- beautiful, sophisticated, and intelligent -- and Roger couldn't understand why he would be interested in anyone else. He'd already decided that he didn't like the commander very much anymore, and didn't care who knew it. In fact, he was proclaiming his displeasure, loudly, as they drove back to Tony's house.
"..and I still say he's no kind of a gentleman, to be doing something like that. If I had someone like her, you'd better believe that I wouldn't be trying to cheat on her. I'd've already proposed."
"Roger, you can't expect everyone to be like you," Tony said, wishing his friend would come out of Hormone Hell and pay more attention to the road. "Some men have to have someone new all the time, or once they get a girl they have the urge to look for someone they think is better, or they have a girl but they want a little something on the side. I'm not saying it's right, but that's how it is."
"But Tony," he said, just as they stopped at an intersection.. and for the second time that day, Tony saw Dr. Bellows. He had just come out of a shop on the street, and he was staring right at them.
Tony elbowed his friend in the general area of his ribs. "C'mon, Rog, we've got to get out of here—"
"Ow, Tony, what'd you do that for? These things are still tender, you know, and anyway the light hasn't changed yet.. ."
"Hello again," said Dr. Bellows, coming up to the car. The psychiatrist had recognized the girl in the passenger seat as the woman from the drugstore, and his curiosity had only increased since then. Aside from the fact that she'd been wearing men's clothing that morning, he also thought that clothing looked familiar, as did their wearer. Amanda had pointed out that the woman hadn't been carrying a purse, and what sort of woman went out without a purse? He'd been ready to dismiss his wife's observation until he realized who the woman reminded him of -- Major Nelson. She certainly acted strange enough, and in a very familiar way. "We meet again, Miss—"
"Toni," he replied, quite aware that the doctor had heard what Roger said. "Short for Antonia. It's nice to see you again."
"Mm," he murmured, then looked over at Major Healey. "And this is your friend, the one you were talking about this morning? What's your name, Miss?"
Roger was not good under pressure. "Um.. "
Dr. Bellows glanced at Tony again. "I thought I heard you call her Roger."
"Oh no, it's.. Rhonda," he replied hastily.
"Rhonda?" Roger repeated. "Oh yeah, Rhonda."
Dr. Bellows looked at them like he didn't believe a word they'd said, but at that moment the light changed back to green. Tony leaned over and pressed his foot into Roger's, which was now on the gas pedal, and sped them away. He breathed a sigh of relief. That one had been too close.
Dr. Bellows peered down the road after them. He was right; he'd seen a NASA sticker on the rear bumper, and his suspicions were confirmed.
That was Major Healey's car.
