Fight to the Finish Read Online Free PDF Page B

meeting the guy that kissed me.
    Chapling grabbed the still brewing coffee and poured himself a mug. “Isn’t it weird that GiGi and Randy already know each other?”
    David glanced between the two of us. “You two know each other?”
    I tried to swallow, but the HUGE lump in my throat prohibited me.
    “Yep,” Chapling went on. “From GiGi’s last mission. Randy was the glyph expert.”
    David didn’t respond for a second, and I watched as it slowly dawned on him. He turned and stared right into Randy’s eyes. “ You’re the professor?” You’re the guy that ‘gets’ my girlfriend? I imagined him saying.
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Randy nodded, clearly not picking up on things.
    “David,” TL said, “Randy will be staying in the guest room. Take care of getting him settled.” With that, TL walked from the room.
    Everyone stood in silence. David staring at Randy. Me looking between the two of them.
    And Randy looking between me and David.
    “Yes!” Chapling smacked his lips. “Nothing like caffeine straight to the veins.” Carrying his coffee mug, he waddled over and climbed up into his computer chair and started clicking away, completely oblivious to the three of us.
    “Um,” Randy pushed his glasses up his nose. “Wanna show me to my room?”
    Without a glance in my direction, David turned and strode from the computer lab. “Yeah, let’s go.”
    Randy gave me a what’s-going-on? look to which I sort of smiled and shrugged.
    In silence I watched the two of them leave the computer lab. I was in trouble. Big trouble.

    * * *

    Later that night, TL, Mystic, and David left for the mission. No one had a clue where they were going, but all of us were dying to know. Never, in the time I’d been here, had a mission occurred so quickly. Usually there were weeks of preparation before someone left.
    Whatever it was, it had to be really important.
    David hadn’t even had a chance to said goodbye.
    And Mystic hadn’t even received his going away party, tradition for all first missions.
    “Did you meet the new guy?” Cat asked.
    I glanced up from where I sat in the corner of the rec room, idly watching Bruiser and Parrot across the room playing air hockey while Wirenut cheered.
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I nodded. “Yes.” And went back to watching Bruiser and Parrot.
    Cat sat down in the oversized, leather chair beside me. “Cute, huh?”
    I nodded. “Yes.”
    Beaker plopped down in the other leather chair. “Wonder how old he is.”
    “Twenty three,” I answered.
    Cat snuggled further down in her chair. “Wonder where he came from.”
    “IPNC.” The same organization we used to belong to before going private.
    Beaker kicked her legs up on the table in front of us. “I heard he’s a historian.”
    I nodded, still watching the air hockey. “Yes.”
    “Suppose he has a girlfriend?” Beaker asked.
    I shook my head. “He doesn’t.”
    No one said anything for a few minutes, and then Cat looked over at me. “You sure know a lot about him.”
    “Yes,” I agreed.
    They didn’t reply, obviously waiting for me to continue.
    I sighed, resigned to the inevitable. “He’s the guy that kissed me.”
    Beaker coughed. “ What?!”
    I finally took my eyes off of the air hockey match and drug them over to Beaker and Cat.
    “He was on the mission with Parrot and I.”
    Cat sat up in her chair. “Does David know?”
    I nodded. “Yes.”
    “What did he say?” Beaker asked.
    I shook my head. “Nothing.”
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Cat blinked. “What are you going to do?”
    “I don’t know.” It wasn’t like I had a lot of experience with this sort of thing. “I don’t suppose either of you have any words of wisdom.”
    Beaker shrugged. “Sorry. I’ve never had a boyfriend. Can’t help you.”
    Cat shrugged, too. “I’ve never cheated on a boyfriend.”
    “I didn’t cheat,” I defended myself.
    Beaker narrowed her eyes. “You kissed another guy.”
    “No.
    He kissed me.”
    They just looked at me.
    I rolled my eyes. “I guess this is the time