Page 21 of S.O.S. Perk

“Here’s your dossier.” Baskins sent a folder over to Perk. “You’ll want to memorize everything in there. We’ve already procured a house for you in Waterston. Agent Tertia and Agent Smalley will be posing as your parents.”

Perk nodded and opened the file, reading his new name aloud. “Thomas Perdudan.” He looked up with a grin. “Hey. Great. My nickname can be Dude.”

Everyone at the table chuckled except Perk’s “new dad”, who simply shook his head.

Damn.He hoped the man would eventually lighten up, or “Dude’s” new home-life was going to suck.

“Okay. I guess if there are no other questions,” Baskins slapped his palms on the tabletop, “we can call it a night.”

“One thing,” Sloane put in before they took their asses out of chairs. She dangled some keys. “I’ve got a car for you, Perk. A beater Volvo, but it’s sound, mechanically. Agent Smalley will pick you up at your real home tomorrow morning at 0600, then drop you at school. He’ll also pick you up at the end of the day. But in order for you to have autonomy to do what’s needed, yournew wheels will be waiting in your driveway once you get to your pretend home.”

She tossed him the keys, which he caught adeptly.

Perk laughed and thanked her. He wasn’t particular about what he drove. His Ford F150 was a base model that had seen better days, but it got him where he needed to go. A crappy Volvo wasn’t going to ruin his day. “If you’ve had your hands on it, Agent Vessers, I’m sure it’ll purr like a kitten.”

One of the safe subjects they’d broached was her love of being under a hood.

Did Sloane just blush?

Was he the only one to notice?

“Okay. Anything else?” Baskins asked, clearing his throat.

Yup.The reddening of Sloane’s cheeks hadn’t escaped her boss.

When nobody spoke up, they all arose, milling about making small talk before they’d take their leave.

Here was Perk’s opportunity.

“Sloane,” he called out, a little louder than was necessary.

Perk noted that the other agents’ heads turned.

“Yeah Perk?” she answered, a smile twitching to escape her pretty lips. She thought she knew what was about to happen.

Perk walked over to her, but instead of laying a hand on her arm as he’d been tasked, he bent and kissed her cheek. Lingeringly, before mock-whispering, “I thought we could set up a time to meet someplace where we won’t be recognized. To discuss the case, of course,” he stated, not bothering to hide his real agenda from anybody as he looked at her with heat in his eyes.

“I, uh…”

Wow.He’d managed to tongue-tie Sloane. Something he figured didn’t happen very often.

“Just a coffee shop kind of thing. Outside of the area,” he assured her, this time placing a proprietary hand on her bicep and leaving it there.

“Umm, okay,” she agreed, her glance shifting to her boss.

When the man nodded, with a clear smirk threatening, Sloane groaned at Baskins. “I’m never going to hear the end of this, am I?”

Agent Tertia spoke up before Baskins could answer. “Well, as this young man’s mother,” she asserted playfully, skewering Sloane with a parental look, “I might have to find out exactly what your intentions are toward my son.” She walked over and actually nudged Sloane in the ribs with her elbow. “Girl to girl, of course.”

Sloane gave a long, painful sigh, then focused her laser-gaze on Perkins.

“Perk? Just so you know. Iwillget you for this.”

Yup.Perk couldn’t wait.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Perk remembered high school well; the popular factions, the stoners, the picked-on nerds, the cocky, over-the-top assholes. He wondered which group or groups he’d have to become part of for this go-round, and how badly it would end up getting on his nerves.

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