Page 59 of Never Enough

“Midas. Well, Nova, his AI program, figured it out. She borrowed the files from the local police, analyzed them, and came up with a number of solutions as to how you did what you did. Then I went through and made notes of which version I figured was most likely. I particularly loved the Spider-Man-style crawl across the ceiling to lower yourself upside down into the display case. Genius.”

“So, you looked at something I did, figured out what I used, and then threw away things you’ve been doing for however long to use my version?”

He shrugged. “No ego here, kitty cat.”

She snorted.

He admitted, “I can recognize when someone does something well and be smart enough to change my ways to be better. Refusing to adapt could get me caught. Even killed.”

She shook her head and went back to studying his table. “Every time I think I have you pegged, you surprise me.”

Nemo ignored the loaded comment. “See anything I’ve missed or that you want?”

“No, you have pretty much everything I used,” she admitted. “Are we leaving soon?”

“Waters said we’re rolling out at oh-four-hundred tomorrow. Medusa is going to take us by helicopter to a private airstrip, and then she’ll fly us by Mythos’ jet to Mozambique, where we’ll create a safe house. From there, we’ll head into Zimbabwe. We’re going to meet in an hour or so to come up with a plan of attack, then we’ll get a few hours rest before we pack up and head out.”

He turned to her and leaned his hip on the table’s edge, his arms crossed over his chest. She was chewing on a thought. Hard. He could almost hear the wheels turning in indecision. He was worried that her teeth were going to bite straight through her lip. Finally, she reached into her pocket and removed a tool from it. She clicked a button, and a metal rod extended from the end of it. She handed it to Nemo.

“This is my get-out-of-all-disasters tool. I never go anywhere without it. It’s even more important to me than a cell phone, so I’m trusting you not to lose it.”

He didn’t even look at the item she held out to him. He stayed focused on her eyes that wouldn’t meet his. “Why are you handing it over to me, then?”

It was her turn to try for nonchalance. “I have a spare upstairs, and I figured maybe you’d want one of your own. If you get stuck in a ventilation shaft, a conduit, or somewhere else, you’ll need tools to get out. It would be irresponsible of me to put my partner into a dangerous situation.”

It felt like all the oxygen had been sucked right out of his lungs. As quietly as possible, he tried to suck in air so he could breathe again. He unfolded his arms from his chest, and with one finger, he tilted her chin up so that she would look him in the eye. Then, slowly, he bent down and placed a barely therekiss to her cheek. When he pulled back, he didn’t take his eyes from hers. “I’ll guard it with my life.”

“Hey, you two!” TB’s bark came from across the room. “Save that shit for in private. Some of us don’t have our women here to canoodle with when we’ve got work to do.” He chucked a box at Nemo, nearly hitting him in the head.

Nemo was thankful his back was partially to Haskell when he made the catch, as it allowed him to hide the box of condoms. Nemo rolled his eyes, mouthing, “Fuck you, asshole,” at his teammate. Then, out loud, he muttered, “As if you’d ever let Flame be around me alone.”

There was a chorus of chuckles around the room, and TB agreed. “She’d be safer in private with you than in public. Either way, I don’t want you anywhere near her to work your voodoo on her.”

That comment actually caused Haskell to flinch. Nemo looked around the room, but everyone’s focus was on whatever they were doing. He pressed his index finger against her lips. With a shake of his head, he replied, “I would never do that to you.”

Anyone listening would think he was answering TB. Anyone watching would know it was a promise to Haskell.

22

SEPTEMBER 9, 2022

Haskell

Oh my god, it hurts so bad!

Haskell was holding her sides, tears streaming down her face, she was laughing so hard. Next to her, Nemo sat, both hands filled with marshmallows, and he was making all sorts of melodramatic, pantomime trash-talking faces and gestures at the red-haired Rapunzel across the table from him. Flame, TB’s girlfriend, who also held two fists filled with the spongy sugar concoctions, made faces right back at him, only hers were like a twelve-year-old boy, her eyes crossing. Haskell was sure that she’d be sticking her tongue out at him except that the eight marshmallows currently in her mouth were preventing that from occurring.

“Nemo! Dude, do not encourage her!” TB threatened. “Somebody take those away before one of them chokes todeath.” TB attempted to wrestle the marshmallows in her fist out of her hands, but Flame was tenacious and seemingly unbothered by the giant’s attempts.

Demon agreed, “Yes, please, I don’t want to be doing the Heimlich on her. He’ll kill me with a spork.”

Kubrick, sitting in Waters’ lap at the foot of the table, blew a raspberry at Demon. “Alpha funsuckers. That’s what you all are.”

“Rule six, Kubrick” Waters growled. Then he kissed the side of her head.

“Oh, for the love of Pete… Seriously? I don’t have any money on me for the Rule jar.”

“Guess she’ll be paying in sexual favors tonight,” Midas quipped to Steel.

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