“I can’t help you,” I said lamely. “I’m not a pet person.” I thought about it. “I’m actually not a people person, either, so don’t think I’m discriminating against you.”
I turned to leave, and another whimper froze me in my tracks. I turned to see him trotting over to me, the single most pitiful look in his eyes that I have ever seen. “I can’t help you,” I said, readjusting my box of possessions. My bonsai tree was probably frozen to death already. “Look, I can barely take care of myself. If they didn’t feed me in the cafeteria, I would have died of ramen poisoning years ago.”
I tried to pull away from those dark eyes, that cute little face, but it was like a black hole that dragged me closer. In fact, I was standing still and he slowly edged toward me, head down, eyes just barely looking up. Like he was … begging. Like some poor, piteous soul looking for a pat on the head.
I adjusted my box of stuff and granted him the pat on the head. He was just sitting there, waiting for it. He rubbed against my hand, and then against my leg. He was panting, and I had a sudden fear his tongue was going to freeze while we were standing there.
“Oh, all right,” I said, giving in on that internal tug of war. “Come with me. I’ll get you something to eat. But you’re going to the Humane Society first thing.” He followed me back to the dormitory building walking at my side, the only friend I felt like I had right then.
17.
“What’s up with Benji?” Reed asked as he stepped into my quarters. He caught sight of the dog curled up in the corner immediately, of course. I’d given the poor guy a bath, which he seemed okay with, and got him toweled off. He’d chosen a spot on the living room’s heating vent for a nap after devouring some bacon I’d had left in the refrigerator and cooked up for him. It was pretty much all I had.
“He was wandering the campus, looking pitiful,” I said as I shut the door behind my brother.
“You’re taking in strays now?” Reed asked, one eyebrow higher than the other. “For real? You?”
“I have a heart, you know,” I said, brushing past him. “It may be buried under a layer of permafrost, but it’s there.”
“Well, okay then,” Reed said, working his way over to my living room to sit on the couch. “What’s up with the new boss?”
“You heard about that?” I shouldn’t have been surprised. Reed was better connected around here than I was.
“Be hard to miss,” he said, glancing at the dog, which was now up and trotting over to him. He stood next to Reed while my brother stroked his head gently, like a natural. “The whole place is in rumorous upheaval.” He seemed to reconsider that phrasing for a few seconds, then shrugged. “You know what I mean.”
“Yeah,” I said. “What’s the pulse?”
Reed’s face went guarded. “Depends on the branch. Security and Ops are not happy, because they like you and your rampant badassery. Makes them feel safe.” He frowned. “Which is surprising, given their casualty numbers. Admin’s divided, because Ariadne was tough on them, but she delivered results. Also, they were apparently afraid of you.”
I frowned. “What the hell, did you commission a poll? How do you know this?”
“I talk to people,” he said with a shrug, still petting the dog. “I’m connected to others.”
“You’re connected at the crotch to a certain il dottore ,” I said, glaring at him.
“Aghhh,” he said, drawing it out. “When will you let it go already?”
“Half a dozen more ill-timed cracks, and I promise I will.”
He gave it a moment’s consideration. “I can live with that.”
I headed to the fridge and opened it to find it rather spare. Still. “I’d offer you something to drink, but you already know where to find the tap.” I swung the door wide so he could see. “Would you care to partake of our fine selection of ketchup and mustard?”
“What are you gonna do?” Reed asked,
I turned to leave, and another whimper froze me in my tracks. I turned to see him trotting over to me, the single most pitiful look in his eyes that I have ever seen. “I can’t help you,” I said, readjusting my box of possessions. My bonsai tree was probably frozen to death already. “Look, I can barely take care of myself. If they didn’t feed me in the cafeteria, I would have died of ramen poisoning years ago.”
I tried to pull away from those dark eyes, that cute little face, but it was like a black hole that dragged me closer. In fact, I was standing still and he slowly edged toward me, head down, eyes just barely looking up. Like he was … begging. Like some poor, piteous soul looking for a pat on the head.
I adjusted my box of stuff and granted him the pat on the head. He was just sitting there, waiting for it. He rubbed against my hand, and then against my leg. He was panting, and I had a sudden fear his tongue was going to freeze while we were standing there.
“Oh, all right,” I said, giving in on that internal tug of war. “Come with me. I’ll get you something to eat. But you’re going to the Humane Society first thing.” He followed me back to the dormitory building walking at my side, the only friend I felt like I had right then.
17.
“What’s up with Benji?” Reed asked as he stepped into my quarters. He caught sight of the dog curled up in the corner immediately, of course. I’d given the poor guy a bath, which he seemed okay with, and got him toweled off. He’d chosen a spot on the living room’s heating vent for a nap after devouring some bacon I’d had left in the refrigerator and cooked up for him. It was pretty much all I had.
“He was wandering the campus, looking pitiful,” I said as I shut the door behind my brother.
“You’re taking in strays now?” Reed asked, one eyebrow higher than the other. “For real? You?”
“I have a heart, you know,” I said, brushing past him. “It may be buried under a layer of permafrost, but it’s there.”
“Well, okay then,” Reed said, working his way over to my living room to sit on the couch. “What’s up with the new boss?”
“You heard about that?” I shouldn’t have been surprised. Reed was better connected around here than I was.
“Be hard to miss,” he said, glancing at the dog, which was now up and trotting over to him. He stood next to Reed while my brother stroked his head gently, like a natural. “The whole place is in rumorous upheaval.” He seemed to reconsider that phrasing for a few seconds, then shrugged. “You know what I mean.”
“Yeah,” I said. “What’s the pulse?”
Reed’s face went guarded. “Depends on the branch. Security and Ops are not happy, because they like you and your rampant badassery. Makes them feel safe.” He frowned. “Which is surprising, given their casualty numbers. Admin’s divided, because Ariadne was tough on them, but she delivered results. Also, they were apparently afraid of you.”
I frowned. “What the hell, did you commission a poll? How do you know this?”
“I talk to people,” he said with a shrug, still petting the dog. “I’m connected to others.”
“You’re connected at the crotch to a certain il dottore ,” I said, glaring at him.
“Aghhh,” he said, drawing it out. “When will you let it go already?”
“Half a dozen more ill-timed cracks, and I promise I will.”
He gave it a moment’s consideration. “I can live with that.”
I headed to the fridge and opened it to find it rather spare. Still. “I’d offer you something to drink, but you already know where to find the tap.” I swung the door wide so he could see. “Would you care to partake of our fine selection of ketchup and mustard?”
“What are you gonna do?” Reed asked,
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