These Boots Were Made for Stomping by Julie Kenner Page B

woman than you deserve.”
    “I deserve you.”
    “You say that now, but—”
    A loudspeaker crackled, and Nikko searched the area for something to throw at it. Not because that would help his mission,
     but because he was so damn frustrated.
    “Touching, touching, touching,” Ruthless’s voice crackled over the speaker. “But I’m afraid you’re going to be dying alone
     and apart. No time to make up before the end of the world as you know it. Unless perhaps you’d like me to teleport you back
     to Manhattan? You can live your life the size of bacteria in the snow globe on my desk. No fake snow, of course. That wouldn’t
     be healthy for my little inhabitants.”
    “Do you mean that, Ruthless?” Nikko shouted.
    “I—what?” Some of the confidence had left Rex’s voice, replaced by confusion.
    Nikko hid a smile. “I said, do you mean that?”
    “Eh . . . er . . . what exactly?”
    “That you’ll teleport us to Manhattan? Shrink us? Let us live together forever.”
    “Nikko!”
    “I don’t care,” he said to her. “I just want to be with you.” He looked her in the eyes, hoping she was understanding his
     message. “Come on, Lydia. Toss caution to the wind and come with me.”
    “But—”
    “She’ll do it,” he shouted to the room. “She’ll do it because she loves me. Let her go, and she’ll leave the shoes behind.
     That’s my offer, Rex. Take it, or suffer the consequences.”
    A snort blasted over the loudspeaker. “You’re hardly in a position to bargain.”
    “It’s the best deal you’ll get. You need her shoes, and you don’t know that the machine will work with her in them. Give her
     freedom. Give her to me. The game is yours for the winning.”
    “And how do I know this isn’t some trick?”
    “Um, hello? I’m trapped in your lair, remember? Just me and the girl, both of us essentially helpless. And no Council to come
     to my rescue.” He looked around to illustrate the point, his eyes falling on the dozens of technicians who’d pulled weapons
     out from under their lab coats and were now pointing them at him.
    “It is true,” Ruthless said, thoughtfully. “That ridiculous tracking device embedded in your arm won’t work in here. My exterior
     walls have all been specially treated to block the beam emitted by your tracker.”
    “See? And, honestly, if you’ve done your homework, you should know that the Council isn’t exactly number one on my favorite
     persons list. The chance to live my life in peace—even inside a snow globe—well, that’s damned appealing.” He frowned, considering.
     “Guess there’s no chance of you shrinking some of Florida’s beaches and moving them in with—never mind. The point is that
     you’re the one with the power here.”
    “Actually, I believe that honor resides with your girlfriend. You may be happy to negotiate on her behalf, but I have seen
     no evidence that she is willing to remove the shoes.”
    “She will,” he said, turning to look her in the eye. “Come on, Lydia. Throw caution to the wind. Hell, throw your insecurities to the wind. To the sky, even,” he added, glancing up. “We don’t need to worry about saving the world. Just
     ourselves,” he lied. “Get rid of them and come with me. I want you with me forever. Tell me,” he said, and though the words
     were a ploy, his heart meant every word. “Tell me you want to stay with me forever, too.”
    For a moment, he thought she was going to protest. That she didn’t understand his ruse. She licked her lips, looking up at
     the largest loudspeaker. Then she nodded. “All right,” she said. “Because I do want to stay with you, Nikko. I want that more
     than anything.”
    “We’ll make it work,” he said, meaning a life together more than the unspoken plan of escape.
    “The shoes,” Ruthless shouted. “Take them off.”
    “Unstrap my arms,” she said. “And my waist so I can bend over.”
    “Hang on,” Nikko said. “Unstrap all of her.