Page 93 of Gates of Tartarus

Cocking my head, I take her in. Nothing but hope, desperate, first-love kind of hope, pushes out from her, and she continues. I can tell how hard it is for her to ask, so I listen carefully. “I… he’s really talented… I didn’t know... does he ever do, like, classes or an internship or anything?” Her face is so red it’s painful, and the hope is painful too, like she’s expecting me to snap at her or turn her down.

“I don’t think he has before...” I say slowly and thoughtfully. She nods, staring at the ground.

“No problem,” she mumbles, “Sorry for bothering you. I’ll go get that plate.”

Reaching out, I tap her gently on the arm, and she looks back at me. “I’ll talk to him. Maybe a once-a-week thing to start, helping around the shop? It would get me out of my sweeping duties in there.”

Eyes lit up like sparklers, she smiles tremulously at me, feeling like she’s going to fly apart from the possibility before her. “Thank you,” she says quietly, “You don’t know... just, thank you. If you find out you can call here and ask for Charity.” She points at her name tag, rolling her eyes a little, then grabs my hand and squeezes it quickly before letting go. “Thank you so much. For even being willing to try.”

Turning, she grabs another plate, drops it off, then goes. Smith watches me through frowning eyes. “Why did you do that?” he asks quietly, and I look at him, confused.

“Do what?”

“That.” He points towards Charity, now back at the front of the cafe, guiding an older couple to the windows on the far side. “Why not just say no? I know you don’t like people out in your little oasis there. You really want to have some unknown come out and spend time there?” He shakes his head. “Or did you just say that to get rid of her?” he asks slowly.

Sitting up, I take a deep breath, Hideo reaching out to touch my back gently for a moment, knowing how angry Smith’s words have made me. “I wouldn't do that,” I say, words slow and measured. “If I tell someone I’m going to do something, I do it. Iespeciallydon’t make promises to kids who need someone, or something, and go back on them. That girl is struggling behind that smile, and she needs someone to hold out a hand and help her. It won’t cost me much to be the one holding out my hand, and it’s not for forever. But what kind of person would I be to not help a kid out who needs it?”

Smith looks at me for a long time, then sighs. “You can’t help everyone, Reed. No one ever helped you, and you’re doing okay. You’re giving up your space here, and I know how valuable that is to you. I just want you to think about it.”

His words surprise a bark of laughter from me. “You think I’m doing okay?” The thought gives me actual giggles – slightly maniacal giggles – but giggles nonetheless. Still, no one else is laughing, so I make an effort to calm down. “Well, thank you. Actually, really thank you, because in your own way, you’re just looking out for me. But it’s only going to be one small part of every week, and I’ll probably be at work anyway. And,” I say gently, “Ididhave someone help me. Deo. And Gemma. And Lachy. I was barely human before them, Smith. I didn’t know what family meant, or friendship. I didn’t know what it was to have people who look out for you and look after you. And they taught me that. Taught me that... I don’t know. Therearepeople who... who are for you. Not because they want something, or for some ulterior motive. Just because… theylikeyou. You know?” Smith looks unutterably sad at my little speech, and I smile at him. “Aw, come on now, Smith. Don’t get all soft on me.”

The table is still oddly silent, and I turn towards Deo, whose eyes are closed, jaw clenched, sharp lips pressed tightly together, and I reach out to lay a hand on his face. It’s unusual for me to do, and his eyes fly open as they focus on me. Putting his own hand over mine, he presses it against his face, fingers curling around my own. “Hey, D,” I say softly, concerned now. “It’s okay now. You know that. I’m okay now. All that other stuff is past.”

Deo’s eyes are glistening, and he juts his jaw forward to keep them from overflowing. Shaking his head slightly, he opens his mouth but is interrupted by Smith clearing his throat.

“Ah. Well.” He fumbles for words, and Walker watches him through narrow, green-gold eyes that are fixed on the miniscule motions of Smith’s face. Head tilted at a considering angle, Walker taps the folders in front of Smith, the moment seemingly bringing him back to himself.

“Shit. Right. We’ve been passed some information we think could be a breakthrough into Kronos. Amassivebreakthrough.”

Talk about burying the lede.We all lean forward as one, focused on Smith’s hushed voice, but his phone buzzes, and he looks at it, then groans. Looking around the table, he focuses on Jonah and sighs. “Sorry, Shotridge,” he says quietly. “Duty calls. Gomez is back in town and with Cruise at the station asking for a meeting with our team. Someone needs to be there, and you’re that someone today.”

Jonah frowns. “We can’t put her off?”

“We don’twantto put her off, Shotridge. We need her on our side for as long as possible to give us as much information as possible. If she’s aligning herself with Tennireef, we could lose all access to the CDS database, and we can’t afford to do that. We have no reciprocity with Russia or China on their research at the moment, and Babylon depends on the conglomeration of others’ research to support and flesh out our own. And we need someone who can play nice with Gomez – clearly Donovan and I are out on that count, and Reed is necessary for our planning. That leaves you and Tanaka.”

Deo and Jonah lock eyes.

“You want to go kiss ass for a bit?” Jonah says, voice unusually tight, and Deo shakes his head, smirking slightly, not a look that normally crosses his features.

“Unless you know how to ground Kai and can do it on a consistent basis, I think you’re on Gomez-duty.”

“Just keep her busy, Shotridge.” Smith sighs. “Distract her. Okay? Make her dance to your tune while she’s trying to have you dance to hers. Just… be amenable.”

Jonah looks at me, sees something on my face that makes him sigh, and stands up abruptly. “Fine,” he bites out. “I assume you’ll fill me in later?”

Smith nods, and Jonah pushes out of the corner, past the guys, then pauses by me. “See ya, Kai!” he says, voice sweet now, and he leans over and gives me a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek, surprising me. Then, glaring at the others, he stands back up, steps back, and leaves.

“Friday late afternoon we received an anonymous tip, called into the station, about a group of women seen being unloaded at a warehouse near the docks on the outskirts of Seattle. The person calling in refused to give any identifying information other than the location. Didn’t have any details regarding the number of women, their condition... nothing. Just said it looked strange to have these women being led out of a truck.”

“Shit…” Walker says on a breath. “Friday?”

Smith nods. “Friday.”

“Why didn’t we move then?” he asks, and Smith studiously avoids looking at me.

“The area has been under constant surveillance since then – SPD wasn’t willing to give up control of the site to us initially – and Babylon didn’t want us to move on it without certain members of our team, in case we missed anything.”

I groan. “And a member of your team was incapacitated, right?”

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