by Alexie Aaron
“What do we do until then?”
“I have a few ideas,” he said, patting his lap. “Come here.”
Mia wanted to resist, but her mind was outsmarted by her heart which had control of her body. Mia walked over and stood before him. “I’m afraid I would be using you tonight, Ted.”
“We would be using each other, Mia,” he said. “Let’s just make love tonight. We have the rest of our lives to talk about what we should do. Tonight, let me touch you and give you joy, no strings attached. Actually, that would be a lie; my heartstrings are still attached to you, Mia. I love you with my whole soul. Even when I was flooded with doubt, my heart beat hard when you were around. Please, let me love you tonight.”
Mia held out her hand, and Ted rose from the chair. He scooped her up in his arms. He carried her to their bed where he laid her down and kissed her tenderly as he removed his and then her clothes. Mia’s hands pulled him to her, her kisses urging him on. They danced another tango together, and when they were sated, they started to dance again.
Chapter Twenty-seven
“You have to be feckin’ kidding,” Mia said as they drove up to the mall. “That place is humungous.”
“Nah, it’s just gigantic,” Ted said, stopping the truck on the high ground overlooking the mall.
“Enormous,” Mia insisted.
“Wait, are we talking about the mall or my penis?” Ted asked.
Mia coughed she was so surprised. “In comparison to what?” Mia managed.
“Oh, you’ve cut me to the core,” Ted said. His phone buzzed, and he put it on speaker.
“Ted, why have you stopped? They’re waiting for us down below,” Cid said, pulling the van up beside the truck.
“Mia wanted to get a look at the outside of the mall,” Ted said.
“Now that she’s had her look, come on,” he said and hung up.
“What’s his rush?” Mia asked.
“He wants to redeem himself. The last time he was here, they had to carry him out,” he reminded Mia.
“Oh. Okay, but before we go any further. I have something to tell you.”
“You’re pregnant. I knew we should have used something. I’m sorry, Mia, but…”
“No, I’m not pregnant,” Mia said exasperated. “I wanted to tell you that I’ve enjoyed the last few days getting reacquainted. The PEEPs are going to be looking for signs of whether we are back together.”
“And?”
“Are we?” Mia asked.
“You’re asking me? Wow, Mia, I thought I should be asking you?”
“Well?”
“As far as I’m concerned, I have my friend, my wife and my lover back.”
Mia smiled.
“Are you back?” he asked tenderly.
“Ted, you had me when you gave me this,” Mia said, touching the necklace.
“Mia, you were pretty quiet about it,” he said. “All that sex…”
“That was good, wasn’t it?”
Ted smiled. “Bad Mia.”
~
Ted turned the truck around, and Mia got out and gave him instructions while he backed in. They decided to position the command post in a small wing near the center of the mall. This way the Wi-Fi communication would be stronger. Parking it just shy of the main mall gave the PEEPs the ability to safeguard the truck with ghost countermeasures. Mia insisted that Ted park the truck so he could drive forward out of the place, through the glass doors if he had to, to get away from danger.
“Never get yourself pinned down,” she said.
“Like you did last night?”
“I learn from my mistakes,” Mia said with weak knees.
Cid and Murphy looked at each other. Murphy put his finger down his throat.
Burt arrived, pleased to see the equipment van and the control truck were in place.
“Mia, could I talk to you a moment in private?”
Mia looked at Ted a moment, and he winked his assent. She walked over, and Burt drew her outside and over to his car. He opened up the trunk and pulled out a briefcase from which he pulled out an official looking envelope. “I’ve had an offer on my graphic novel. They are going to make a video game out of it.”
“Oh, Burt, I’m so proud of you!” Mia said, giving him a hug.
“You don’t mind that it’s your image being used?”
“I guess not. It never occurred to me otherwise. Do you want me to sign off on it? Is that what those papers are?”
“Not exactly. The game company would like you to come in and do some promo work. They want a few short films to insert into the game.”
“Why me? They could get a lookalike.”
“Mia, you’re a big star. You’re the BBB.”
“Oh, I better ask Ted first.”
“Does that mean you’re back together?”
“Yes.”
It was Burt’s turn to pick her up. “Thank God. Baby, he’s good for you.”
Mia let his old pet name for her go. “I hope I don’t end up hurting him.”
“Mike thinks he’s going to blow himself up with one of his experiments,” Burt told her.
“Well, until he does, I’m going to share this kind of decision with him. Mind if I look over… They’re going to pay me?”
“Mia, you can even ask for more money, but don’t ask for too much, it might sour the whole deal.”
Ted stood next to Cid. “What are they saying?” he asked.
“Something about having Mia do a porno… No, a promo. Whew!”
“You said that on purpose,” Ted growled.
“She’s coming in to talk to you about it.”
“She’s not just making the decision?” Ted asked.
“She’s your wife, dude.”
Ted was surprised. His first thought was Mia would jump at the chance to be center of attention again. But that thought wasn’t his thought. It was Beth’s. What did he have to do to get rid of this hex?
Mia walked through the door. She drew Ted aside and explained the project and asked his advice. He said that he would support whatever she wanted to do, but she should run the contract by Alan before signing it.
“I’ll have to call him,” Mia said, pulling out her phone.
“He’s dropping some papers off for me to sign tomorrow. You could wait until then.”
“Bev isn’t still trying to extort money out of you, is she?”
“No, Mia.”
“K. Are they divorce papers?”
“No, are you divorcing me?” Ted asked.
“No, I thought maybe you were divorcing me.”
“No, Mia. If I divorce you, then Mike gets you. But if we stay together, he can’t have you until I blow myself up.”
“I’m taking away your nitroglycerine,” Mia said and walked to the back of the truck.
Mia was rereading some of the fine print in the command center when she heard a light tapping. She looked over to see a tall, thin, dark-skinned man with big brown eyes looking at her.
“Are you Mia Martin?” he asked with a trace of an accent.
“Yes I am.”
“I’m Dev Narang. I’m a security guard here at the mall. I was told by Audrey McCarthy that you could put a safety word in my head, just in case I get taken over.”
“Yes I can, Dev. Are you afraid this is a possibility?”
“This mall is evil, but I need this job. I’m bringing over my parents when I’ve saved enough.”
“Let me get another person as a witness, and we’ll tape record this so you’ll know for sure what I did.”
“I would appreciate that.”
Mia started to walk away but stopped. “Think of a word in the meantime.”
Mia asked Cid to be the witness. She felt that Dev would be more comfortable with someone he had met before.
Ted moved some things around and put two chairs behind the files for Mia to use.
“The first thing I’m going to do is hold your hand. This allows me entrance to your mind.”
“Will it hurt?”
“No, if you are sensitive, it will tickle a bit,” she said, taking off her glove. She took hold of his hand and closed her eyes.
Cid watched Mia’s face carefully. Ted didn’t want her to do this with a stranger. He felt it may be a trap of some kind. Cid assured him that if Audrey okayed it, then it would be fine. Audrey had Mia’s best interests at heart.
Mia pushed through the veil and into the corridors of Dev’s mind. From what she could see, he was a private person. He had a large family here to provide for, but he still wanted to bring over as many of his relatives as the law would allow. Mia found the right area of his mind and said very loudly, “Marigold!” She backed out quickly.
Mia opened her eyes and dropped Dev’s hand. She turned to Cid. “Dev’s safe word is marigold.” She looked at Dev and continued, “When you hear this word, you’ll be brought back to this present, out of any dream that you have fallen into.”
“Thank you, Miss.”
“It’s Mrs. I’m married to the tall auburn-haired gentleman.”
“Really? I am surprised. I thought maybe you and Cid?”
“No, Cid and I are good friends,” Mia said smiling.
Dev left and Cid sat down. “My turn.”
“I’ll need to get…”
“I trust you, Mia,” Cid said.
“Give me your word.”
“Friends, my word is friends.”
~
Cid walked over to Ted and patted him on the back. “She’s really something.”
“Who?”
“Mia.”
“Yes, she is. Why is she?” Ted asked, worried.
“She just walked through my head and back in minutes. My safe word is friends. I think all PEEPs words should be friends. Less to remember when we’re under pressure.”
“Great idea. Did you share it with Mia?”
“Yes, she thinks I’m a genius,” Cid said, walking away.
Ted walked around to the entrance of the truck to see Mia practicing the new controls. Jake was timing her. Each time she increased her speed, he gave her a star. Every time she failed, he took all the stars away.
“Excuse me.”
Mia held up a finger and smiled as she hit enter.
A large star appeared.
“What can I do for you?” she asked professionally.
“I’d like to get my safe word.”
Mia frowned.
“What’s the matter?”
“I think Orion should give you yours.”
“Why?”
“I can’t be trusted.”
“Why?”
“You know I’m going to go into your memory and kick the shit out of any…”
“Beth memories. Go ahead,” he said. “Maybe it would help to heal me.”
“Mia, it could help,” Orion said from behind Ted.
“Take it from me, it isn’t pleasant to have your memories ripped out,” Mia said.
Ted gave Orion a hand up and followed him over to Mia. “Mia, it’s agony not knowing if my thoughts are my own.”
“I have an idea,” Orion said. “Let me put Ted’s safe word in, and after this investigation, if he wants you in his head to weed through Beth’s nonsense, then I’ll help you to do it safely.”
Mia looked at Ted. “Is that alright with you?”
Ted nodded and sat down. Orion took off his glove and was in and out in minutes, planting the safe word friends in his mind. He watched as Mia and Orion took turns doing the same. Orion seemed to spend a little more time in Mia’s head. Ted worried that there was something wrong. He would ask him later.
Mia couldn’t go into Murphy’s mind as a corporeal, so Ted watched her body as she bilocated out of it.
Orion was fascinated. He saw Mia lift out of her body wearing the guise of a boyish figure in a hoodie. Was this how she saw herself? She walked over and held both of Murphy’s hands. The ghost looked deep into her eyes before Mia walked into his body! Orion was amazed at the level of trust between both of these beings. Angelo would never be able to interfere with this pairing. Sariel may have danced with Mia, but her battle partner would always be this dirt farmer from northern Illinois. She left his body, walked over and looked at her husband a moment. The love she wore on her face left no doubt in Orion’s mind that Angelo was wrong. There may not be a curse binding them, but Mia loved this string bean with her whole heart.
Mia rose and began rubbing her legs. The old ache was back. Ted helped, and soon Mia was up and on her feet again.
“No rest for the wicked. We have to tie into the security cameras and set up tripod cameras in the center court,” Ted told her.
Mia nodded and smiled as Ted gave her a wrist playbook with the maps of the mall placed in it. She could flip through them easily. “I feel like an NFL quarterback,” she said. “Thank you, Teddy Bear.”
Ted’s eyes filled up. “It’s no problem, Minnie Mouse. I can’t have you lost in the hallways, can I?”
Mia smiled at Orion as she hopped off the back of the truck.
“Gee, don’t I get a nickname?” he asked.
“Glenda, Bev and Audrey have one for you, but you’ll have to ask Audrey,” Ted said mischievously.
“I’m intrigued,” he said. “Too bad I wasn’t aware of this before I entered your head, Ted.”
“About that, you were in Mia’s head a little longer than needed, weren’t you?”
“Oh, yes, I had a look around. But she was prepared for me; she had all the best rooms locked.”
“You still looked around.”
“Yes, I wanted intel on this Sariel. He interests me.”
“Did you find anything?”
“Strangely no,” he said. “Now, how can I be of service?”
“Before we get into all of this, I want to thank you for your advice the other day. You didn’t have to go out of your way.”
“I’m glad you listened. Ted, I have a question for you. You don’t have to answer it, but I’m still going to ask it.”
“I’m all ears.”
“If there was a battle and you had to trust your wife’s wellbeing to either Sariel or Angelo, who would you choose and why?”
“Angelo.”
“I’m surprised, after what he’s done.”
“Sariel is just a warrior doing his job. Angelo loves Mia,” Ted said simply. “Love triumphs over might every time.”
“Thank you. I can see that you are indeed a smart man.” Orion walked over and started to climb down.
“Tripod,” Ted said offhandedly. “They call you tripod.”
“Why?”
“Because they saw you naked,” Ted said and turned back to his keyboard.
Orion smiled.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Ted watched as Mia and Mike interviewed the witnesses and the new owners of the mall. Mia had put a sweater she’d borrowed from Audrey over her tee. She wanted to look less like a video game character and more like a professional interviewer. Her hair was freshly brushed, and Audrey had added a sparkly barrette to hold Mia’s long hair to the side. She looked sweet and intelligent, especially when she slid on her reading glasses. When she took them off and unconsciously shook her hair, she looked like a naughty librarian, but Ted wasn’t going to tell her that.
Audrey climbed in and watched with him. “I’m so glad you guys patched it up,” she said. “I’ve never seen her happier.”
“Thank you, Audrey,” Ted said, following a dark shadow in the hall behind the food court. “Shadow alert in area F,” he said into the mic.
He saw Mia pull up her sleeve and check her cheat sheet. She excused herself and looked over at what Ted hoped was Murphy and left.
Mike finished the last interview, and he and Burt headed for the food court.
“Minnie Mouse, check in,” Ted said.
“Murph and I are heading for the far end of the hallway, hoping to flush the shadow towards Mike and Burt, over.”
Audrey could see Ted’s shoulder’s relax.
“I want someone like you,” she told him.
“You have a doctor, for god’s sake. You don’t need a techie,” Ted said as he and Jake coordinated the security cameras.
“I want Matt to want me the way you want her, sacrifice his sanity the way you do, and to look at me the way you do Mia.”
“Audrey, he probably does, but you’re not looking at the time,” Ted said.
“You do love her, don’t you?”
“Yes, I’m smitten,” Ted said. “Good thing since we’re married.”
Audrey laughed. She sat back and watched the other feeds quietly so Ted could do his thing.
Mia and Murphy walked along the hallway. Mia was reading off the names of the franchises as she passed them. “Sbarro, Orange Julius, Chick-fil-A, they’re making me hungry, Murph.”
“You’re always hungry, Mia. I’m going on ahead.”
“Be careful,” she said.
Murphy was back instantly. “It’s a man in pajamas.”
“A sleepwalking man or a prisoner?”
“A prisoner. He’s kind of in a loop. I’m not sure he’s aware of what is going on.”
“We call that a residual haunt.” She tapped her earcom. “Be aware, we think we are tracking an echo, over.”
Mike and Burt waited at the end of the hall. They positioned themselves to get the maximum view of the entity.
While they were waiting, Mike turned and explained what an echo was to the camera.
Ted followed the shadow. “Okay, guys, you are going to see him in three, two, one.”
The black image slowed down.
Burt focused, and the camera picked up the head and upper torso of a man in prison garb. The man turned around and started running away.
“Mia, he’s coming back at you, not an echo. I repeat, not an echo,” Burt said.
Mia and Murphy were leaning against the hallway across from each other waiting. The man ran up to them and stopped.
“Hello, we’re from PEEPs. Can we be of service?” Mia asked politely.