Chapter XIV
Liz had gone to the library. She was much better, after the nausea which had been seized a few hours before. The pregnancy had not developed specific food cravings, but every time she went around to devote to something. That evening was the turn of the books. Once there, she looked around for something that could please her. Perhaps a reading light, or a love story ...
She climbed the stairs and acceded to the top of the library. She took a sample of psychoanalysis, which unfortunately slipped from her hands and ended up down in the middle of a stack of old books.
"Damn!" she thought. She got out to look for the book, but found that Manning had already it in his hands.
"Good evening, Liz." He began enigmatically.
"Hello Tom!" replied the girl.
"Are you alone?"
"Yeah .."
"Hmm ... and we give ourselves to reading, isn't it?" continued Thomas with the same, identical expression.
"Well ... yes ..." answered Liz.
"Yes, Yes! Pregnancy also leads to this, I know, you need too, for that matter, think of something ..."
"I would say so, Tom."
"Good. But often it is sensible to things that are certainly not acceptable by our superiors. Not so, Sherman?". said sardonic the head of the BPRD.
Liz had the distinct feeling that Manning had come with the intention of bothering her: "I do not really know where you're going with this discourse, Tom.."
Thomas Manning reacted almost hysterically: "Yeah ... You don't know! None of you know what sacrifices are needed to carry out a power station of this type. No one knows the responsibility of ensuring the security of our nation. You call me traitor because I chose to turn your back and move on, but you have no idea what it cost me. "
"What you're saying, Manning?" Liz replied, beginning to prepare a flame in one hand, to defend herself. Her superior, in fact, appeared to be seized with a strange anger. She was informed by Red and Johann about their suspicions, and she began to prepare for the attack.
"I'm saying, Officer Sherman, I did something that you will not like, but it will be necessary ...".
"I still don't follow you!"
"Now it is better to resolve the issue once and for all. I'll start with you.." Said Tom with a glacial calm. He put his right hand in the jacket. He was pulling something.
At that moment he was seized by Red, who stopped him.
"What the hell are you doing, Red?" Manning shouted.
"What have you in your jacket?" What did you do to Liz? " Red shouted, holding. He didn't wait for his answer, and pull a strange small object from inside jacket of Manning.
"What the hell is it?" He asked, worried.
"It 's the key to the new coffee machine! What the hell you wanted it to be?".
Red let Tom go, and said in disbelief: "It's about coffee…machines?".
"Yes! Damn! I'm handing the keys to all employees. I didn't find you, so I started to give one to Liz. " So saying, he tore the little key from the hand of Red and handed it to the girl.
Now was her to intervene, "Tom. I don't understand: Why did you first spoke about sacrifice, betrayal, the fact that you have turned your back to us, and we call you a traitor ...?".
Manning heaved a deep sigh, as if to prepare himself to say a shocking revelation:
"Guys, maybe there's something you don't know ..."
"Speak, we are all ears.." Red answered on their toes.
"You should know that ... It 's the fifth time this month that those idiots of " cold cases " office broken the coffee machine. I tried to fix and replace all the machines, because in fact, they are a bit old. I ordered new models that work best, I spent a fortune. And you know what happened? ".
"What?" Churches Red now relieved, but annoyed.
"It 's happened that Fred Simmons, their supervisor, now nearing retirement, he came to complain, saying that he doesn't like the new machines , that I didn't anything to inform them, that I betrayed their trust. He's around saying that I'm an incompetent, a traitor. That old nuisance! But could be people so controversial? ".
Red was stunned. He was joined immediately by Abe and Johann who, noting that it was all quiet, didn't say a word.
"As soon as I can, I'll give you the keys to you too, guys ..." Then he withdrew, now speaking for himself: "Here they are plotting against me, they want to attack at all costs my power."
When Manning was out of sight, Red and Liz hugged, lifted.
"For a moment I feared he would seriously kill me." Said Liz.
"I'd never leave, baby." Said the big red demon, lifting her chin.
"R ... Red!" Abe said: "Dr. Krauss and I go to his room to decide what to do in an emergency. ... Um ... Once you have finished, turn up there too.."
So saying, he took apart Johann and crept out.
Once left alone, Red and Liz exchanged another hug. Then Red said: "It is no longer safe to stay here, Liz. We should go.."
"But where, Red? And we would give too much attention now. ".
"You're right. Manning looks like a jerk, but he is in reality a demon. As soon as we can, we'll go away from here ... I want the best for our children ... and for you, Liz."
"I have already the best." said softly the pirocinetic girl, poping a kiss on his lips. Red was touched: it was clear she was referring to him. Although he knew that she loved him, he never ceased to be moved every time Liz's showed his affection.
He didn't wait no longer: he took her up immediately and headed towards to their room.