― Jim Butcher
Lise
It was pleasant. lying on the couch having eaten my fill of pizza and sipping a glass of yellow Tail cab sav.
I was warm and secure and almost hoping Sage or one of her confederates would try snooping around the property, unaware of my electronic fence.
I had Lise on speed dial and the monitoring company would phone 911 if I couldn't respond.
Yeah, as I said when Naz completed presenting the features of the alarm system, life was good.
I slowly drifted off to sleep, content I no longer had to stand guard, listening for every thump or creak.
Just before midnight my cell phone began pulsing and skating on the coffee table and the backyard motion lights came on.
I checked my cell and the cameras caught a still picture of an intruder clad in dark clothing―a lithe, female figure. It was Sage!
I was about to dial Lise when she called me.
"It's only me in your yard. I wanted to check in on your house and update you on the case. Nice alarm system―it picked me up even though I just skirted the edges of your property."
I breathed a sigh of relief. "Good to know it works, " I laughed, "you feel like coffee?"
"Always," she chuckled. "I'm coming round to the front door."
I opened it to her dressed in black jeans and sweater and her de rigueur leather jacket. She looked dark and mysterious and incredibly alluring. For a moment, she took my breath away.
"Nice video doorbell too," she laughed, "What did you do, get Brinks to install it?"
I waved her in, "Naw, Henry referred me to a techie friend who assessed my needs and completed it in one day."
"I'm impressed, " she said, examining the monitors and noting the sensors on all the entry points. "And you have a monitoring company too?"
"When I want something, I go all the way."
She smiled mischievously, "I don't doubt it for a second."
I blushed as usual. * I have to get control of this,* I moaned to myself.
"Now that I see you're so well protected," she frowned, "maybe I don't have to drop by as frequently."
"Actually, I feel better when you do," I blurted out.
"In that case," she smirked, "you better make sure you always have coffee on and lots of croissants."
She picked up one from the platter on the counter and nibbled on it. Her eyes were dancing, but I didn't care. I felt safe when she was around me―hell, I just liked staring at her.
I realized that's exactly what I was doing and went back to making the coffee. From the expression on her face, I could see she made her point. She won her little victory.
"You're my last call tonight," she said when we were seated in the den before the fire. "Actually, I'm technically off-duty, but never really am."
I nodded. "I understand. It's the same with me―even when I'm not in the lab, I'm living the project."
"You are actually able to regress people to half their age?" she asked, in awe at the thought.
"We are. And they can be permanently maintained there. Eventually, people will just pass from accidents...or suicide, if their life goes south."
She frowned, as if picturing a memory. "Yeah, I remember a Greek myth where the hero asked for eternal life instead of eternal youth―and just got older and older."
"That's our main concern now," I sighed, "dealing with the psychological implications. It may not be for everybody."
"It probably isn't―someone wants to stop you."
"Or, get in on the action," I added. "But I already intend to make the procedure available to everyone for free."
"That's really admirable, Eli," she said touching my arm.
The gesture stirred something in both of us. She seemed to struggle, recover and then, abruptly change the subject.
"I wanted to update you on what we found about the attack on the lab."
"Did you identify the perpetrators?"
"We lifted pictures from security cameras in the area and are running facial ID and submitting it to various data bases. If we get a hit, we'll track down the two men and bring them in for questioning."
"That's encouraging," I enthused.
"Don't get your hopes up―it's still just circumstantial, but we'll see what happens if we find and interrogate them."
The rain suddenly started to come down in earnest and thunder rocked the house.
"So much for my plans of an early home and sleep," she sighed.
"You call this early? It's nearly 1 a. m."
"Believe me, it's early for me."
I hesitate a moment and then suggest, "You're welcome to crash here―the couch is comfortable. I usually fall asleep on it every night."
"Is that because you're being vigilant?"
I nod. "Haven't had a good night's sleep in weeks."
"Well, that's why I better leave," she smiles and brushes her lips across my cheek. "I really need to sleep," she whispers and heads out to her car.
I feel my body flushed with warmth and a shaking in the pit of my stomach.
Maybe she's right, I smile, as I arm the alarm and head to bed, ostensibly to sleep, although I know I'll lie awake tonight ...and not because I'm afraid.
Fin