"Under these circumstance, " he quipped, catching her gallows humor like a contagion. "definitely not kittens. "
"I just mean, " laughed the vixenish special ops officer. "the party is above us, and we only have one way to get there ... "
"Unless you wanna call back your special friend? " he couldn't resist the dig, impressed that not even a blush touched those flawless cheeks as Jill endured the joke, though not the indecision. "I think, while it is a potential trap, we take the elevator. " advised the buxom hero sagely
The towering black man nodded with a resigned dignity, stepping into the lift without further hesitation. Jill followed right on his heels, waving brightly to the still shell shocked Surfer boy guard. Though he would soon get his act together, and likely set off the internal security measures, in this case it was better to secure the horror until outside help could arrive ...
"I hope it's an indoor party. "
Where had she heard that? Ms Valentine couldn't quite remember, but she grabbed Rodney's right wrist to check his chronometer. It had been set to the atomic clock in LA, accurate to the micro-second, and her hefty companion raised a thick brow in honest curiosity. "We late for an appointment? "
"Not yet, thank God for small favors. " Jill whispered, almost under her breath. "But it's 11:15, and we need to find some way to keep this nightmare inside for at least two, no .. three more hours. "
"That long? " his incredulous stare almost cut the tension between them, almost, but some instinct deep inside his smaller partner told her that this odd idea was a good one. "And what happens if we succeed? "
"The genie stays in the bottle. "
"And if we fail? "
"Heh. " short, succinct, to the point, and Jill's nervous giggle let Rodney know exactly what would happen. Hell on Earth.
The air of Unreality settled about the odd couple, unlike the lighter atmosphere outside as they swiftly ascended the side of the Canopy tower. Where once Jill could hear the revelry from inside the building, now there was mostly silence, save for a subliminal squishy sound at the lower edge to her auditory range. Rodney must have keyed into the sly activity, just beyond the door, for he easily disengaged the safeties to his impressive arsenal, the long suppressive muzzles pointed at the unknown on the other side. Breathlessly, Jill felt the moment open expansively, as uncomfortable as that advancing darkness which slipped unbidden into the elevator compartment.
With no further delay ...
Wed Sep 06 13:48:55 2006