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He rose gracefully "That is a story for another day Would you like more wine? The whole bottle, perhaps?"
"If you could hold as much alcohol as I can, you’d suck this wine down just as quickly, don’t tell me you wouldn’t It is delicious"
"Bottle, then?"
"Well, if you’re offering…"
Chapter Seven
The next day I marched into the MLE office with a surly attitude and balled fists If I was going to be fired, I’d do it with usto And maybe I’d kick down a door for kicks I’d rather kick Garret, but that wouldn’t fly People would think I was ungrateful--orI needed, in addition to everyone thinking he’d saved my life, was for them to think he was nicer than me So far the split on who liked whom better was tied in the office I needed to keep it that way for the sake of dignity
"Oh look, there she is" Garret stood and rested his elbow on the corner of his cube wall A gloating grin slid up his face "Does the air shter and the food taste better? I’ve heard that’s what happens when people have a near-death experience"
I flexed my arms to keep theain I could not
"I never did hear a thank-you for saving your life," Garret continued as I drew closer Other people popped up out of their cubes, watching
"Sure you did," I said through a tight jaw I didn’t, but the others didn’t know that "Last night I wasn’t aware that heroes stooped to the level of gloating"
The smile slipped frohtly
Ha! Point to me
"But anyway, thanks" I patted his shoulder as I passed, ood you had otten the credit, deserved or not, so the only way to make him still look like a douche was to ads in life Toure out what those were
"He in there?" I asked the unimpressed secretary outside of the captain’s office
"Yeah He’s waiting for you" She wavedup That was probably bad news Usually she told et away from her desk
I knocked The captain had installed a reinforced metal door to his office after the last time I’d kicked it down I’d have to find another door to kick in Why let go of my favorite act of violence just because I’d been outsmarted?
After a lanced up fro his hands on his stoot a new chance at life, so I turned over a new leaf" I crossedto take the chair in front of hi up, thank you veryhis desk drawer In amy infraction I’d been here before
I did as he asked, and resumed my stance
As expected, the square of red made an appearance, followed by a normal-sized piece of paper He laid both down in front of hiain "Let’s clear the air, shall we?" He motioned me into the chair
"Sure" I stayed where I was
"I know Garret didn’t save your life"
Surprise ran through me Then alarm How could he know that? "But he did," I hastened to say "You said so yourself"
"Sit"
"No, I’ood--"