Page 31 of Mimosa

Setting his fingers tenderly on the keys, Mims felt at home. Sure, he loved his found family, but before them, he’d found a home on screens.

An escape from tension, from pointed fingers, from being pushed to be things he could never be. Like going into rooms to hide from monsters, that was how the computer made him feel. Rooms with blankets to keep him warm, with boyfriends to keep him from being lonely, from friends that were outcasts like him.

The lights, the movement, the speed of the thing. If one place didn’t comfort him, he could be in an entirely different place in less than a second.

Code was easy for him. People, well, they were hard, but computer code was a simple form of expression that was comfortable, whereas dealing with people, generally, was not.

As his finger flew over the keys, he calmed into a state of pure serenity. The familiarity of it made him relax, and he soon had the optics for the entire area surrounding the home where the Maxfield Parrish painting currently resided.

Sure enough, an upscale neighborhood, mostly modern designs for the homes, gated, security guards on duty twenty-four/seven.

Cameras were everywhere, much more than the fourteen that were obvious on light poles and at stop lights.

Haze sat with him and Abs stood behind him almost the second he found the many feeds. “These are all on normal frequency, but I am getting three that aren’t. They’re not at the house where the painting is, but next door, the house to the left.”

“We just avoid that house then,” Haze reasoned.

“Yes, and I think the back would be the best way to get inside, Haze, so if you can get the blueprints, I can confirm that and help you track a way inside and to get out too.”

“What about security systems?” Goldie asked.

Typing the perimeters, he saw that the community all used the same security systems, as they were included in the purchase of the homes. “Trifecta Security, Inc.”

“We’ve dealt with them before,” Abs said. “They are pretty easy to bypass, unless he’s got a backup.”

Mims didn’t see one, but that meant little. “I’ll start a search into the owner’s finances. If he added a second, third or whatever, I’ll find it by the time we go to work tonight.”

“You’re the best,” Goldie said and then left to get some sleep before the shift that night. Abs sat in the other chair after Haze left to get sleep as well.

“So?”

“He’s…God, Abs, he’s perfect.”

“No one’s perfect, but I know what you mean. Do you really like him?”

Mims sat back in the chair and smiled dreamily. “He’s no pushover. He’s tough, and he’s strict.”

“Oh, god, perfect for you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Strict daddy, even if he’s too young to be a technical daddy to you.”

“Wow, yeah, I guess you’re right. The way he fucks, I’m gonna feel it for days. It was great. Everything about him is great and he’s gonna break the fuck out of my heart.”

Abs whispered, “Not if you don’t let him.”

“How can I stop him, if he wants to boot me after all this undercover stuff is over?”

“Make sure he falls for you like you’re already falling for him. That’s all.”

“That’s all, he says. Great, Abs, well that’s easy enough!”

“Why do you do that? Think that he couldn’t possibly fall for you?”

Mims shrugged and said simply, “My history.”

Abs kissed his cheek. “I love you. I know a building full of great people that love you. Maybe remember that,” he said as he started to leave, but called back, “Get some sleep or you’re gonna be shit tonight!”

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