Tekgrrl

by A. J. Menden

  Then reality came back and we released each other, drifting apart to stare as if we didn’t know what to say.

  “There,” I said, my voice sounding weak and fluttery. “Are you going to be nicer to everybody now?”

  He flashed me an awkward smile. “God damn it, Mindy.”

  I took a step back. “Not exactly the reaction I was wanting.”

  “I’m trying so hard to keep this on a strictly professional level.” He started pacing.

  “Sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say. I hadn’t wanted these feelings either, and now they were just there. Like the proverbial elephant in the room.

  “I was counting on you to act like yesterday had never happened so I wouldn’t be tempted.”

  I quirked an eyebrow. “Tempted?”

  “I mean, we have to work together. In close quarters.”

  I nodded. “Alone sometimes even.”

  “God forbid.” He passed his hands over his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I know your parents, for God’s sake.”

  “Is there a point to all of these strange ramblings?”

  “I never thought you would do this!” he said, whirling to face me. “I’ve known you for so long, and I’ve never, ever looked at you once as anything other than a coworker.”

  “Well, Jesus, Paul, it’s not like I’ve ever thought of you as anything other than my uptight boss. I’m as stupefied by this attraction as you.”

  “It’s completely inappropriate.” He went back to pacing.

  “Completely,” I agreed.

  “When I was twenty-four and just starting to try to convince Rath to let me go on team missions, you were twelve!”

  “Yeah, and you always glared at me as if I had no business being at the EHJ headquarters when I came there with my parents.”

  “You don’t even like me most of the time.”

  “You don’t like me.”

  “I don’t dislike you! You’ve always acted like you think I hate you and I don’t hate you. I’ve never hated you. I’ve always respected you and your work.”

  I smiled. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a guy who’s had his tongue in my mouth say that he respected me or my work.”

  “I think that’s more of a commentary on the guys you’ve dated.”

  That was the final icebreaker. I burst out laughing. Paul looked at me for a moment, and then he started laughing too. After the tension-fueled last couple of days, it was a good release.

  “Listen, whatever this is,” I said, motioning between us. “It’s not going to affect our work.”

  Paul gave me a disbelieving look.

  “It isn’t! I think we can both agree that this is temporary insanity. I’m sure it will just go away.”

  “Uh-huh.” He looked like he didn’t believe me. “I’m having extremely inappropriate thoughts about you right now, and that’s just going to go away?”

  I blushed. “It will. I mean, so we have a bit of a flirt, so what? At least we’re getting along better now. And we’re definitely not going to paw at each other right in front of everyone.”

  “Definitely not,” he agreed.

  “And we’re not going to let it get out of hand. We’re grown-ups.”

  “One would think.”

  “Why are you two still hanging around in here?”

  I jumped about a mile, and Paul whirled to see Fantazia standing in the hallway between the main room and the others, tapping her fingers on her hip and looking impatient.

  “We were just talking,” I said.

  “Well, come on, I’ll take you to your room,” Fantazia said to me.

  I nodded. “I’ll see you later, Paul,” I said in all seriousness. “Thank you for discussing those tech ideas with me.”

  I saw the trace of a smile on his lips at my attempt to go back to normal, whatever that was. “No problem, Mindy. And we’ll work on your telekinesis tomorrow.”

  “All right.” I followed Fantazia down the hall, leaving Paul and the weird attraction behind. She showed me to my temporary quarters.

  Kate looked up as I walked in. “I didn’t think you’d actually be using this room.”

  “Why wouldn’t I?” I stripped down to my underwear, suddenly exhausted and ready to curl up in bed and sleep for days if possible.

  “I thought I was going to be your cover so you could sneak over to be with Paul. I’ll swear you left early every morning for breakfast meetings with him if you want.”

  With a groan, I pulled the covers up over my head.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  The next morning I dragged myself out of bed to find my roommate already up and around. Kate was a morning person. How annoying.

  I threw on my old clothes from yesterday and made a mental note to try to convince Paul or Wesley that we needed to go out at least for basic necessities—like fresh clothes and a toothbrush, for starters.

  Paul probably wouldn’t be too hard to convince.

  It was weird to think of Paul at all, let alone as the guy that made me feel tingly. I kept thinking I would wake up and things would be normal again: We would be back home, Simon’s crew wouldn’t have tried to arrest us, Paul would be just my stick-in-the-mud boss.

  I walked into the new main room to find everyone hanging out, looking like they didn’t know what to do with themselves. So far, we were still in a pocket universe and on the run from Simon. Things had not magically sorted themselves out overnight.

  Kate was in one corner of the room, talking to Cyrus. (I wish I could say I was surprised.) Wesley and Lainey were holding some sort of conference with Fantazia on the other side of the room; Luke and Selena were sipping coffee and eating some sort of breakfast pastry a short distance away, obviously listening to the conversation. All voices were hushed, like we were living in a library or something.

  I helped myself to a bagel and a mug of coffee, even though I wasn’t all that hungry. I wondered how Fantazia got food into this universe. Had the bagels and that carafe just disappeared from other places in the regular world? Or were these magic bagels and coffee?

  And, why was I pondering the origin of this food when our entire world had been turned upside down?

  “You’re up and about early,” Toby remarked, reaching around me to nab a blueberry muffin. He was holding a delicate china cup of tea. From where had Fantazia conjured that?

  “Couldn’t sleep,” I said. “As soon as I rolled over, I woke up and remembered what happened.”

  “I know what you mean,” Toby said. “I kept expecting all of this to be a nightmare.”

  “We need a television or something in here,” I said. “Something to take our minds off all of this.”

  “Tell me about it,” Toby agreed. “Can you get cable in pocket universes?”

  I laughed and then took advantage of the moment to ask, “So…I take it you’re talking to me again.”

  He frowned. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “You seemed upset with me after my incident at the club.”

  He put his hands in his pockets and looked down. “I might have been a little. I thought you were being irresponsible. But then Lainey told me what happened with taking off the blocks and what you remembered…” He looked back up at me. “I’m sorry, kiddo. That well and truly sucks. And then everything that happened yesterday probably doesn’t help matters any. How are you holding up?”

  If only he knew what crazy things I was doing to cope. Maybe that’s what I could blame my strange attraction to Paul on: It was a coping mechanism.

  “I’m doing okay,” I said. Then my attention was drawn to the person walking into the room. Paul. He looked around as if he wasn’t sure which group to join. I felt his eyes turn on me. Something was dancing in those blue depths—amusement mixed with worry, maybe?

  I turned my attention back to Toby. “So yeah, I think we need to get a television. If for nothing else, just to kill time.”

  “We need something on which to monitor trouble,” Paul said, overhe
aring and walking toward us. Nothing had changed about him, really; he looked wholly the same as last night, and yet somehow he was completely different. Maybe it was because his suit was rumpled, maybe it was the fact that he had dark circles under his eyes.

  Or maybe it was that I was actually noticing that he really did have the darkest, bluest eyes I’d ever seen, and even though the suit was conservative, it really did show off his shoulders in a way that was very attractive.

  He must have noticed me checking him out, because he gave me a half smile and pointedly asked, “Are you okay, Mindy?”

  “Sorry.” I tried to reorganize my thoughts. Think of mean, nasty Paul, I reminded myself, not the unbelievably great kisser. “My mind was wandering.”

  “About yesterday?” Toby nodded in sympathy. “It doesn’t seem real, does it?”

  I shook my head, watching Paul. “No.”

  “It’s surreal—like something out of a dream,” Paul remarked, and I felt my cheeks flush. I tore my gaze away from his.

  “We need to do something to get back our sense of normalcy,” Toby opined.

  “Wesley’s right. We need to focus on doing what we normally do—helping people,” Paul said. “With that in mind, I think we need to get a television. Or at least a computer with Internet access. Something to let us know what’s going on in the outside world.”

  “I was thinking we also need to get some basic necessities,” I said. “Unless Fantazia has some sort of magic Laundromat going on here, these clothes are going to start smelling pretty ripe if we have to wear them day after day.”

  “I hear that,” Toby said. “You can only turn your underwear inside out once, you know.”

  “Just go without,” I said without thinking, and noticed Paul’s eyes widen.

  “Do what you want, Mindy, but going commando is not my thing,” Toby said. He gave a slight shudder.

  “Er, I think we’re definitely going to have to discuss the clothing issue,” Paul agreed. “Maybe we’ll go in shifts of two or something to buy new stuff. Or maybe we should send a team. I don’t think we need to go roaming the streets in a group right now, but I also don’t think alone is a good idea.”

  “Here you go,” Wesley said, walking up with Lainey and Fantazia, Luke and Selena in tow. “Fantazia’s worked up a little something to make coming and going from here easier.”

  Fantazia dropped what looked like a coin on a string into each of our hands. I held mine up to the light. “Money?”

  She shook her head. “It’s a key and a glamour all in one. It will allow those of you not magically inclined to access the doorway to this world. This is the only thing that will allow anyone in or out now that I’ve locked the place down. If you lose it, you’re on your own.”

  “And the glamour part?” Toby asked.

  “It conceals your real appearance in the outside world. Of course, to anyone wearing one, you’ll look the same as usual. High-level magic users can also see right through the disguise, so a degree of caution when you’re out would still be a good idea,” she warned.

  Wesley nodded. “She’s right. Even though we’re going to still help people, we don’t need to draw any unnecessary attention. The time for us as glory hounds is over. Save the day, but don’t stick around for pictures.”

  We all nodded.

  “How are we doing, Cyrus?” Wesley asked.

  “All set,” Cyrus replied, and I noticed he and Kate were surrounding a small laptop.

  “Where’d you get that?” I asked.

  “I was allowed out long enough to get my stuff—with the Old One,” Cyrus said. “Can’t be a techno mage without some techno, know what I mean? And if I’m going to be working for you…”

  “Wait, you’re letting him work for us now?” Luke asked. “He’s a criminal!”

  “He’s a criminal who knows how to divert our funds into local banks without Simon’s government connections finding out,” said Wesley. “Unless anyone here knows how to do that?”

  “For a small percentage, of course,” Cyrus put in. He wouldn’t want to look like he was out for anyone but himself.

  “He’s also a good source of information,” Fantazia said. “Trust me, I’ve gotten some of my best dirt from him. If you want to know what Simon’s cronies in Washington are up to, he’ll dig it up. Probably with photographic evidence.”

  “I do PowerPoint presentations now,” Cyrus joked.

  Fantazia scoffed. “Pardon me for not knowing what that is—or caring.”

  Luke looked at Paul. “I still think this is a mistake.”

  “Kate’s monitoring him. If he steps out of line, she’ll turn on her power and he’ll do what she wants,” Paul replied. Did I detect a trace of bitterness in his voice?

  “You knew about this?” Luke asked.

  Paul nodded. “Wesley and I talked about it last night.”

  “And didn’t include the rest of us?”

  “We’re the team leaders,” Paul said, a hint of ire in his voice. “We can’t run everything by you, Luke. Groups need heads to make these kinds of decisions. You never questioned Rath…”

  “It’s a good idea, Luke,” Selena said. “We’re all stressed. There’s no need to snap at each other.”

  Luke took a deep breath. “You’re right, baby.” He gave Cyrus a nasty look. “I just don’t trust him.”

  “And I’m wounded about that,” Cyrus said. “Now, Old One, I dropped the amount you requested into each account across town.”

  Wesley nodded. “Great. I think we’ll send a few people out to get necessities. How about Lainey and Selena go and get everyone some clothes and toiletries and the like. Oh, and a television, so we can monitor the news. Lainey can work a teleportation spell to send it back here.”

  “No problem,” Lainey said. “I like how the former secretaries get the shopping duty.”

  “You’re the ones who know all of our sizes,” Wesley admitted. Was the Reincarnist blushing?

  “Yeah, yeah,” my friend said, and leaned forward to give him a kiss. “Even in a pocket universe, the more things change, the more they stay the same.”

  “I’d like to go get some bits and pieces of tech to start modifying,” I said. “We at least need to get a communication system up and running.”

  “That’s a good idea, Mindy,” Wesley said. “Someone should go with you.”

  Cyrus put up his hand. “I volunteer.”

  “You’ve already been allowed out once with me. Count yourself lucky,” Wesley retorted.

  “First I’m a prisoner, then I’m a coworker, then I’m a prisoner. Make up your damn mind, will you?” the Virus grumbled.

  “I’ll go,” Paul said. “She might need my help.”

  I bit down a retort. Like I’d ever needed Paul’s opinion on anything for my inventions! But then I saw Kate smirking at me and decided to ignore the both of them.

  “Sounds good,” Wesley agreed. “Everyone try to meet back here at three so that we know you’re okay.”

  Lainey edged close to me. “Is it wrong that I’m glad Wes is going to have to keep Emily for a while? This strange new place and everyone being stressed has stressed her out in turn, and she’s done nothing but fuss all night. My nerves are shot.”

  “I seriously don’t know how you handle all of this the way you do,” I replied, and we stepped toward the door together.

  Lainey shrugged. “You get used to it.”

  I took a deep breath and stepped forward toward the portal between worlds, and with a shimmering, queasy feeling I was back in the smelly alley behind the biker bar. Awesome: My headache had returned.

  “You all right?” Paul asked, as I rubbed my head and groaned.

  “Yeah, it’s just this headache came back almost as soon as I stepped outside.”

  “That’s weird.” He frowned.

  “I’ll buy you some migraine stuff,” Lainey offered.

  “Thanks.”

  “Well, we’ll see you ladies later. Let’s go,
Mindy,” Paul said as he started down the sidewalk.

  I followed after him. “You didn’t have to come along, you know.”

  “No one needs to be going off alone right now. I’ll be working on these projects with you, so it makes sense for me to come along.” He gave me a sideways glance. “You didn’t want me or something?”

  “No, it’s not that,” I was quick to say. “I mean, it doesn’t matter to me. I just meant you just don’t have to if you don’t want to.” I was stumbling over my words. Why was I acting like such a spaz?

  “Well, I want to. Now which way is the ATM?”

  I looked at the paper Cyrus had given him. “It’s that way.” I pointed left. “Six blocks up. Think we can spring for a cab after we get some cash? I don’t feel like walking around all day in the open like this. Or in these heels.”

  “Absolutely. If it wasn’t daylight, I’d say we could fly. But since that would attract attention, it looks like we’re going to have to hoof it until we get some money.” He looked down at my feet. “I hope those boots are comfortable and not just for making your legs look hot.”

  I looked down. “You think they make my legs look hot?”

  “Like you’d wear them if they didn’t.” He gave me a half smile. “And yes, I think they do. Now let’s get down to business instead of talking fashion in the middle of the street.”

  I followed him. “I’m just not used to you giving me compliments.”

  “Hey, I said your hair looked nice after you had it done.”

  “No, you didn’t. You said I was trying to remake myself into what I thought Luke would like.”

  “No, I didn’t!”

  “Yes, you did!”

  “I did?” He gave me a sideways glance. “Hmm. That does sound like something I’d say. Well, I take it back. Your hair looks nice like that.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Even if you did do it to get some guy’s attention.”

  I turned to give him a nasty look and saw his mouth twitching, so I settled for a light punch on the arm. “Jerk. I’m seeing a whole new side of you, Paul, and I can’t decide if I like it or not.”