Authors: RS McCoy
The Killing Jar (39 page)
CPI-AO-302, NEW YORK
AUGUST 30, 2232
She’d never been to Nick’s office, nor had she any intention of going, but somehow that’s where she ended up. It was a boring, basic thing, the mirror image of Arrenstein’s and right across the hall. Still, it gave her a chill, as if she didn’t belong there.
Arrenstein said play by the rules. So that’s what she was doing, or at least, she was trying. Though Arrenstein making them wait so long wasn’t making it any easier.
Theo sat in the stiff metal chair beside her, silent in dread. For whatever reason, Theo liked the worm Nick, and worse, cared about his opinion.
Mable didn’t have any respect for that.
The door pushed open, though it had never really been closed, and Nick entered, followed by Arrenstein. His eyes found her and stayed with her for several seconds, looking her up and down.
“I’m fine,” she told him, guessing his concern.
Then he looked to Theo, at the purple, pink, and black regions that marred both cheeks. She had to admit, it looked pretty bad, probably a concussion. He’d slept for most of the shuttle ride and she’d programed the pod to take them back to CPI so he could rest. If they weren’t already here, she would have begun to worry about him. As it was, an inquisition was the last thing he needed.
“Do I even want to know?” Arrenstein asked with a sigh. He walked around to face them, leaning his hip on the front of Nick’s desk, a steel monstrosity.
“Probably not.” Mable crossed her arms.
“They won’t tell me anything, but obviously he was attacked,” Nick whined from behind her. She didn’t even give him the courtesy of a death glare.
“Maggie?” Arrenstein prodded.
She shook her head. No good would come of it. She didn’t want to explain it and it wouldn’t change anything anyways. There was no point to all this.
“Kaufman?”
Theo, too, shook his head, for which she was grateful.
“Why not? What’s the big secret?” Arrenstein asked pointed questions, but his tone was more curious than anything.
“She told me she preferred if we kept it between us.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
Theo nodded. “I am. It’s not a big deal. We were never in danger, but if she wants the specifics to remain private, then I’m comfortable with that.”
Arrenstein smacked his palms against the top of his dress slacks. “Well, I guess that’s it then. You two can get back to work.”
“That’s it?” Nick’s voice was one octave from horror.
“No,” Arrenstein answered simply. Then he turned to Theo and said, “Kaufman, get yourself down to cleaning and get that fixed up before the others start asking questions.”
Mable curled her lips to try to hide her smirk, but it was hardly effective. She got up and darted out before Nick and Arrenstein started some sort of lover’s quarrel.
Theo and his technicolor face appeared in the hall a few seconds later. “Thanks for not saying anything.” She fell into step beside him, determined to see him to the cleaning station.
“You’re welcome.” He smiled, though she could see a vacancy in his eyes she was sure hadn’t always been there. Theo had certainly looked better.
“Come on.” Mable tugged at his shirt and drug him toward the elevator. She didn’t want to dwell on the fact that he had every chance—and every right—to dime her out to his buddy Nick, but he’d chosen not to. There had to be something to that, but she didn’t want to think of what it might be.
She deposited him to the woman in lavender and selected one of the chairs by the door.
Twenty minutes later, Theo emerged from cleaning like a brand new baby. His skin was smooth and dark, his injuries perfectly healed. More than that, he had long dark hair that touched his shoulders, shimmering and smooth.
“Whoa,” she let slip before she could help herself.
“Like it?” An expert hand combed through his new locks. He offered her a shy smile.
“Sure.” She tried her best to sound disinterested. This was definitely not a good development. He looked downright handsome.
Bad, bad Mable.
“I thought I’d have to wait months for it to grow out again.”
“You had hair this long before?” She was tempted to reach out and touch it. Instead, she kept her hands balled at her sides.
“Yeah, I only had it shaved the day before I got here.” He batted his eyes.
“Ah. Scholar Academy.”
“Yeah. Are you going to get your scar fixed?” Theo nodded toward the exposed side of her head.
“Not today.” She didn’t tell him how uneager she was to experience cleaning again.
Theo shrugged. “Okay. Ready to go up?”
For the first time, the prospect of spending day in and day out with Theo, of researching bugs and extracting them from hosts, didn’t seem so bad. “Yeah, let’s go.” She smiled and turned back toward the elevator. It was time to get to work. It was time to figure out this problem, one bug at a time.
End of The Killing Jar.
The Lethal Agent released August 2016
.
The Sparks Saga
The Luminary Chronicles
The Sea Shade
The Alder Tales
Raene and the Three Bears
Hale and Gemini
The Snow Owl
The Extraction Files
The Lethal Agent
Rachel McCoy is a Texan living in New Jersey. Between binge-watching MTV reality shows and baking gluten-free treats, she writes paranormal fantasy and science fiction novels.
She is the self-published author of the
Sparks Saga
trilogy,
The Alder Tales
series, and
The Extraction Files
Part One and Two. Back when she lived in the real world, Rachel earned a degree in marine biology, which contributed to her die-hard love of manta rays.
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