can—”
“That’s an order!”
The screen went all black.
ABBY WAS FUMING and almost out of control, but she managed to force, “REV!” through her clenched teeth.
Rev pointed at himself.
“Who, me?”
“Don’t play me for a fool, Rev. Your straying outside protocol has cost us this mission! You get it?”
“Okay. Just relax,” he said. “It wasn’t just about me. You heard him. They’re worried about our safety. Maybe it’s for the best. Maybe you should take some time off. You need it.”
“What the hell did you mean by that!” she barked. “Do I look tired to you?” without waiting for an answer, she faced Morris. “Well, do I?”
Both Morris and Rev looked away. Ruby had to come to their rescue, saying with a succession of clicks and squeaks she looked wonderful, better than the day they met. She also had something for Abby—a package of Skittles . Where it came from was anyone’s guess.
“Thanks,” Abby smiled reluctantly. “You always know what to say, Ruby.”
“Relax, Abby,” Rev shrugged. “I was just saying no one needs a little time away from everything more than you do.”
“ Jerk!” the candy whizzed right through his face.
“Hey!” he watch ed the package hit the wall and explode into pieces. “What are you trying to do? I didn’t mean anything by it. I just thought—”
“What? You thought I could use a little time off because why? Say it! You think I look tired, don’t you? A little haggard? Dark circles under my eyes? Is that it? Well, you know what? If you’re so repulsed by the way I look, then I’ll just take care of that for you!”
She turned on her heels, glamorous black hair bouncing, and stomped to her office.
Rev sauntered to Abby’s door. Fading to invisibility, he stopped at the physical boundary, artificial to a ghost, yet very real for a living person, especially one who sought privacy. Rev knew she wanted to be alone. He couldn’t help it. Something told him to go to her.
“Rev, leave her be,” Morris had to use his multi-spectrum glasses to spot the remorseful ghost. “Can’t you see she wants to be alone? Don’t make it worse.”
Ruby squawked in agreement. Rev glanced at her. She and Brutus hovered side-by-side with arms crossed. None of them wanted anything to do with what was going on, yet they all felt compelled to make a stand. The mood at Gasworks always turned black as night whenever Abby was upset. Lately it seemed she was upset with more regularity, and that had everything to do with Rev.
Still invisible , Rev smiled wordlessly then stepped through the door without opening it and, worse, without knocking. To a normal human with normal perception, he would have been unseen. Abby wasn’t normal. Right away, Rev reversed course and burst through the wood with blinding speed, just ahead of a CRACK! and the shattering of glass.
Morris flinched, throwing is hands in front of his face. Ruby and Brutus darted for cover, neither one knowing what had happened. Then it became obvious when Abby screamed.
“Don’t you ever barge in here like that, Rev! What the hell do you think you’re doing!”
CRASH! another eruption of shattering glass.
Morris shook his head and lowered his guard.
“Told you so.”
Rev smiled again. He wouldn’t let the female angst get to him. Calmly, coolly, he rapped on the door with solid knuckles.
“Go AWAY!”
“Abby, I just want to talk to you,” his voice was the exact opposite of hers. Calm, patient.
“I don’t want to talk to you . GO AWAY!”
He peeked at Morris, and then Ruby and Brutus. None of them had an encouraging word. He refused to be swayed by their negativity.
“Come on, Abby. You can’t be this mad about what I said. Besides, I didn’t mean anything by it. Really, I didn’t. I think you’re a doll,” he waved for some support. “We all do. Right, guys?” and the team backed him up with a universal vote.
The door opened a crack. Abby spoke with tranquil
“That’s an order!”
The screen went all black.
ABBY WAS FUMING and almost out of control, but she managed to force, “REV!” through her clenched teeth.
Rev pointed at himself.
“Who, me?”
“Don’t play me for a fool, Rev. Your straying outside protocol has cost us this mission! You get it?”
“Okay. Just relax,” he said. “It wasn’t just about me. You heard him. They’re worried about our safety. Maybe it’s for the best. Maybe you should take some time off. You need it.”
“What the hell did you mean by that!” she barked. “Do I look tired to you?” without waiting for an answer, she faced Morris. “Well, do I?”
Both Morris and Rev looked away. Ruby had to come to their rescue, saying with a succession of clicks and squeaks she looked wonderful, better than the day they met. She also had something for Abby—a package of Skittles . Where it came from was anyone’s guess.
“Thanks,” Abby smiled reluctantly. “You always know what to say, Ruby.”
“Relax, Abby,” Rev shrugged. “I was just saying no one needs a little time away from everything more than you do.”
“ Jerk!” the candy whizzed right through his face.
“Hey!” he watch ed the package hit the wall and explode into pieces. “What are you trying to do? I didn’t mean anything by it. I just thought—”
“What? You thought I could use a little time off because why? Say it! You think I look tired, don’t you? A little haggard? Dark circles under my eyes? Is that it? Well, you know what? If you’re so repulsed by the way I look, then I’ll just take care of that for you!”
She turned on her heels, glamorous black hair bouncing, and stomped to her office.
Rev sauntered to Abby’s door. Fading to invisibility, he stopped at the physical boundary, artificial to a ghost, yet very real for a living person, especially one who sought privacy. Rev knew she wanted to be alone. He couldn’t help it. Something told him to go to her.
“Rev, leave her be,” Morris had to use his multi-spectrum glasses to spot the remorseful ghost. “Can’t you see she wants to be alone? Don’t make it worse.”
Ruby squawked in agreement. Rev glanced at her. She and Brutus hovered side-by-side with arms crossed. None of them wanted anything to do with what was going on, yet they all felt compelled to make a stand. The mood at Gasworks always turned black as night whenever Abby was upset. Lately it seemed she was upset with more regularity, and that had everything to do with Rev.
Still invisible , Rev smiled wordlessly then stepped through the door without opening it and, worse, without knocking. To a normal human with normal perception, he would have been unseen. Abby wasn’t normal. Right away, Rev reversed course and burst through the wood with blinding speed, just ahead of a CRACK! and the shattering of glass.
Morris flinched, throwing is hands in front of his face. Ruby and Brutus darted for cover, neither one knowing what had happened. Then it became obvious when Abby screamed.
“Don’t you ever barge in here like that, Rev! What the hell do you think you’re doing!”
CRASH! another eruption of shattering glass.
Morris shook his head and lowered his guard.
“Told you so.”
Rev smiled again. He wouldn’t let the female angst get to him. Calmly, coolly, he rapped on the door with solid knuckles.
“Go AWAY!”
“Abby, I just want to talk to you,” his voice was the exact opposite of hers. Calm, patient.
“I don’t want to talk to you . GO AWAY!”
He peeked at Morris, and then Ruby and Brutus. None of them had an encouraging word. He refused to be swayed by their negativity.
“Come on, Abby. You can’t be this mad about what I said. Besides, I didn’t mean anything by it. Really, I didn’t. I think you’re a doll,” he waved for some support. “We all do. Right, guys?” and the team backed him up with a universal vote.
The door opened a crack. Abby spoke with tranquil
Similar Books
