Laily: Jesse dead? Obviously not here, but…well, that would give it away
Jessiah Eberlin: Mason Eckhart? Hmm. Maybe in a future story. Maybe… .
Chapter 1: Welcome Back Life
"Honey, I'm home!"
Katie chuckled at Jesse's joke. "I'm at the desk, Jesse," she called in return.
A few moments later, Jesse appeared in the open room. He slipped his backpack of his shoulder and dropped it against the side wall of the alcove. He ruffled Katie's hair and peered over her shoulder. "How's everything here?"
"Good, good. Did you get Tyrone settled okay?"
"Yeah. I planted a couple of surveillance cameras and traps at his apartment, too. The next time those goons try to get him, they'll be trapped until the police get there."
"Which safehouse did you take him too?"
"I took him to the one off Center Street in New York. It'll be a nice change of pace from Charleston. He took to Monica right off."
Katie laughed. "I'm sure she appreciated that." Monica preferred an alternative lifestyle – she was a lesbian and unashamed of that fact. Most guys though, thought she looked 'normal,' and hit on her left and right. Monica usually found a humorous way of showing those men the error of their ways.
"Yeah, well, I think she likes coming up with new ways to knock those guys down a peg or two. But she'll have him well into the mutant underground by this time tomorrow. That reminds me: we need to improve the visual and audio security around that place. Nicky said she could smell people hanging around outside."
"Are you sure it's not just a bunch of teenagers or drug-dealers?"
"Not really, but she said that there was something different about these people. He said they smelled too clean to be transients. Something was just 'off,' she said. Given that she's a canine feral and has a sense of smell even better than Shalimar's, I'm inclined to believe her. So I upped the camera scanning frequency and linked it to the alarm system here at Sanctuary while I was there."
"Hmm. I'll make sure I add that stuff to the 'shopping list.' Hey, how's the Helix flying?"
"Good, good. Not bad for a first solo jaunt. I think we've got all the kinks worked out. The only problem came when we passed through the jet wash of a 737 near Dulles. I had it on autopilot and the program didn't compensate for the turbulence. We got a little shaken up, but we're in one piece."
"Can you fix the problem?"
"Sure. I'll put Shalimar on it tomorrow. She knows every centimeter of that thing." Jesse paused to take a bite of her half-eaten apple – her healthy snack of the day – on the napkin on her left. "I was surprised that she remembered so much from the specs of the other Helix. I didn't think she had the patience for that kind of detailed work."
"Well, she did say she prefers flying. I guess she wants to make sure the damn thing works. But it's good to know that you and Tyrone are okay." Katie paused for a moment, focused her gaze on Jesse. "Wait a sec. He wasn't injured, was he?"
Jesse laughed and shook his head. "No, he wasn't. We were just tossed from our chairs. And if this is a roundabout way of asking me if I healed his genetic structure, the answer is no. He's a psionic, and his expiration day isn't for another two years. I wasn't even tempted to."
Katie raised an eyebrow at him.
"Okay, okay. I was. But I didn't do it. I'm following the rules." He put the apple down and backed away, reaching down to retrieve his bag. "Has everyone else already taken off?"
"Yeah. I was just helping Shalimar with the logistics for the updates to the Chicago safehouse. Adam's already turned in. He said he was going to go visit Keith Burstyn tomorrow, see how his research is coming. Is he one of the scientists from Genomex?"
"Sort of. He used to work for the Dominion, but got out when they double-crossed him. Adam put him into the mutant underground, and has him working on the DNA animation aspect of genetic stabilization. Anyway, are you sure you don't want to come with us? We're gonna hit Altos and Sundown. I know you love the Sundown's cosmopolitans."
"Yeah, I know. No thanks, though. I've got a meeting with David at 9:30 and I'm actually running late."
"Another one? This late at night? Are you sure it's just a meeting?" Jesse poked her in the side teasingly.
She scooted away from the jabs as she closed the spreadsheets on the computer. "Yes, I'm sure. He's been working late closing a deal and doing the quarterly reports for Kilmartin Enterprises. This is the only time we both have free, and I need to check in with the legal side of things."
"Hmm. Well, from the look on your face every time you mention his name, my guess is you'd like him to be more than a friend and legal confidant."
Katie punched his arm.
"Okay, okay. Big brother Jesse will keep his nose out, for now. But I want to meet this guy before you guys start picking out curtains."
Kate gave a half laugh, half scoff. "I want you guys to meet him too. I think you guys would like each other. You're both workaholics. I've got to get him out of the office first."
Jesse chuckled. "Well, good luck, then. I'm going to grab a quick shower before I head out. If you change your mind, you know where we'll be."
"Yeah. Have fun with Lex-aaa." She let a smirk enter her tone as she spoke to Jesse's back.
Jesse paused for a moment, but then waved a hand and continued on toward the bathroom. But he was blushing, as he knew she knew he would.
