Page 8 of Astrid
“Yes, I’ve got spare parts, and am waiting for the fabrication machine to come in to make mesh cages to put over the back lights, then I’ll figure out something to put over the headlights. The only thing I didn’t plan on was getting the back windshield blown out. I think Alex and I might scout around and find someone that does auto glass and have them on retainer.” She grinned when Astrid snorted a laugh. Together they turned and headed back to the house, but not before Astrid grabbed John’s screwdriver and carried it up with her.
“Before you put that guy on retainer, get a business card from him and I’ll check him out.”
“Thank you, I was hoping you’d say that.” Joyce laughed as they entered the house, but Astrid paused outside. “What’s wrong?”
“Where are my things?”
“I brought them in,” John said from the stairs that he’d just come down. “I hope you don’t mind, but I put them in your room.”
“Thank you,” Astrid said, and walked over and gave him his screwdriver with a smirk. “You didn’t do any damage, it just stuck into the outside tread, no biggie.”
“Thank god,” John sighed in relief. “Let me know when you want or need help unboxing those packages that are in the office.”
“I will, but I think I’ll run up and unpack and take a shower first. Is there a washer and dryer here?”
“Two sets, one on the first floor, one in the basement.”
“Thanks, John,” Astrid said as she started up the stairs. As she became abreast of him, she giggled as she leaned in and kissed his cheek. Without saying a word, she hustled up the stairs, and into the peach bedroom she’d picked out.
CHAPTER4
The next morning,John made sure he’d opened his eyes as the alarm went off, and gingerly tossed the covers back before reaching up and turning off the alarm. When he didn’t hit his hand on the nightstand, nor get his feet tangled in the sheet, he nodded to himself, then went into the bathroom. After his shower, he stood at the mirror shaving when Chuck walked in, and grinned when he paused and didn’t cut himself as the other man climbed into the shower.“So far, so good,”he thought to himself as he dressed and made his way upstairs.
Knowing he was the only one up, he frowned when the coffee pot was on, and it looked like some was missing, taking the last of it, he made another pot, and because it was Saturday, he got out the large pot and began to make that. As it perked, he took his cup and walked down the hall, thinking he heard something. At one of the offices, he leaned against the doorjamb, and crossed one ankle over the next as he studied the woman sitting in the middle of the floor surrounded by a stack of electronics, and empty boxes. He waited until she’d taken a sip from her own coffee cup, before he spoke, “Morning.”
“Crap,” Astrid said as she whipped around and glared at John. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“Sorry,” John grinned as he entered and squatted down beside her. “What’s all this?” He pointed to the electronics.
“TV monitors and laptops.” She grinned at him. “With these babies...” She ran her hand over the monitors lovingly, and John actually felt jealous of those inanimate objects. Shaking his head, he frowned at her, but didn’t have to wait long for her response.
“These can be set up downstairs in the war room, and I can hook up the cameras I’m going to be installing on the outside of these buildings in order to monitor them.” She laughed at his expression, and reached up and placed her hand over his. “Don’t worry, I’ll be able to give you and the others a crash course on how to look at things. You know, in case I’m not here, or unable to get to them in time.”
“Why wouldn’t you be here?” John scowled at her as he sipped his coffee and stood. When she held her hand out to him, he automatically took it to help her up.
“If I’m out on a mission. I won’t always be stuck here monitoring the comms. If I have the proper setup, I can do that from anywhere.”
“Oh, are you going to be needing more things?”
“I will, some I can go to the local electronics store to purchase, others I’d like Morgan to contact her Uncle Chip, and see if he can hook me up with some things.”
“Like?”
“Tracking devices, button cams—” She grinned, and leaned in to whisper, “—spy stuff. Things your local electronics store won’t have.”
“Ah.” John nodded, and looked at his watch. He saw it was after seven in the morning, but he went over to a desk, picked up a pen, and wrote on a pad of post-it notes. After he ripped it off, he came back and handed it to her.
“What’s this?”
“Uncle Chip’s number. It’s a little after nine there, so I’m sure if you called him now, he could get started on what you’d need.”
“But, it’s Saturday.”
“True, but the faster you call him, the faster he can get you what you need. I’ve learned in these last few weeks, Uncle Chip is a man of action. Who knows, if you call him now, maybe you’ll get the stuff as early as Monday or Tuesday.”
“Thanks, Johnny,” Astrid laughed as she stood on tiptoe, kissed his cheek, and went over to the same desk John had used. “Can you get me another cup of coffee?” She pointed to her cup still in the middle of the chaos on the floor. Without saying a word, John picked up her cup, looked at it, then mouthed one word as she dialed the phone. At her nod, he went out to pour her a fresh cup, liking that she took it black, the same as him.
Astrid sat in the desk chair, pulled her pad of paper closer, and listened to the phone ring in her ear.
