Much to Thea’s dismay, Carlene opened the coffee shop later that day. Carlene knew that the busy afternoon rush would keep her mind from exploding.
When Carlene flipped the open sign over, she was saddened to see no sign of Thea waiting for her.
Leaving the door unlocked, Carlene went out the back and started something to eat. Carlene almost leapt to the front of the store when the doorbell rang but came to a crashing halt when she spotted Quinn, standing awkwardly by the open door.
“What are you doing here?”
“Just checking in on you, making sure you haven’t blacked out in an alleyway and rats were taking apart your body.”
Carlene let out a little chuckle and pulled down an extra chair.
“Do you want anything?”
“I thought you could read minds?”
Carlene rolled her eyes and headed out to the kitchen when the microwave beeps. She cuts up Quinn’s favourite pastry, one she saves for him every day. She poured another glass and headed back out. Carlene stood there for a moment, unseen by Quinn. She wanted to forget everything that she saw when she touched him, sometimes she can, but other times there is something that will stick with her forever, another core memory added. She didn’t want to think of the scene, but it was familiar in so many ways, like she had seen those people in the memory before.
Carlene chuckled to herself slightly. She felt like she was going crazy. Shaking her head, she placed the tray on the table, putting the plate in front of Quinn. He seemed surprised that she got the order right, just like always.
“I save this pastry for you every day, it’s the best seller but there is always one for you whenever you come in.”
“Why? You have no idea who I am or even to trust me.”
“You have given me no reason to not trust you, well except for peeping outside of my apartment door this morning.”
Quinn’s face turned a bright red and he turned away from Carlene. She chuckled ever so softly, melting Quinn’s heart and they sat in a comfortable for the remainder of the meal.
“Are the ripples I see dangerous?”
“I have no idea. Jeanie seems oblivious to them, and I can’t contact anyone from my Earth without raising any red flags. Plus, I doubt Jeanie wants any more soldiers here.”
“There might be someone here that we can ask. I’m not sure how to find him, because Thea found him last.”
“Who?”
“Someone from the library. He gave Thea an actual paper book.”
“I’ll help you finish closing up and then we can head over and check tonight.”
Carlene stared at Quinn, contemplating why Quinn wants to help her. He seems to know some answer, but she was still unsure of why she should fully trust him. Quinn could see the questioning written all over her face. She is right, he really hasn’t given her any reason why she should follow him through the night.
“That’s only if you want me to help.”
“Of course.”
Carlene gave Quinn a small smile and let him finish cleaning out the back. It was quite dark by the time Carlene locked the front door. Quinn led Carlene to his car, both missing the fuming Thea standing on the corner, watching the pair giggle as if they had no worries in the world.
To say Thea was angry was beyond anything she was feeling. It was a mixture of anger, sadness, and frustration. She was frustrated that all her hard work seems to be going down the drains. Sadness over the fact that this will be the hardest rest she will ever have to do.
“Your love for the AI will distract you from the task at hand.”
“I know how to do my job Jeanie. Why on Earth was Quinn sent here? I thought we had kept all of this under wraps.”
“She must have surged without us knowing.”
The two stood in the silence of the street for a while. Jeanie poked Thea’s shoulder and pointed towards the starry sky. Tonight was a lovely night. Thea frowned as she thought of all the ways she and her wife could be spending the night together.
“Love has made you soft sister. I don’t blame you, this mission made you love one person for sixty years. I would have gone soft too.”
Thea rolled her eyes at her sister and checked her phone, she wanted to know what Carlene and Quinn are up too. She didn’t want Quinn digging up the truth or corrupting Carlene’s core with lies.
Carlene and Quinn have been wandering the halls looking for the man Thea was talking about, but they have spotted nothing.
“Maybe he’s not here tonight?”
“Are you even sure this person exists?”
Carlene looked up from the book she was flipping through and glared at Quinn. She didn’t like what he was insinuating.
“I’m just saying, even with the advancements on this earth, you guys are too advanced for old homeless guys walking around with a paper book.”
“Are you saying that Thea is lying about where she found the book?”
“I’m not saying anything.”
Quinn pushed the book he was reading back into its spot on the bookshelf, put his hands in the air in defence and walked away from Carlene. He did not want to start that argument in the middle of the library. Carlene huffed and placed her book back on the shelf. Quinn was right of course. No one has paper books anymore. Every book in this library was replaced by electronic books, not long after the great war. In Carlene’s life she had never touched a physical book, well the one Thea got for her is the only exception.
Carlene was confused, she wanted to believe that her wife was given that book, but everything Quinn was spouting also made sense. Carlene’s mind ripped into too, she had no idea who she should trust anymore.
Carlene turned into another isle, only to be pulled into the dark of a library corner, hand over her mouth. She turned to struggle, only to see Quinn put a finger over his lips. The stern look in her eyes made her quiver quiet. Quinn pulled Carlene closer to him, so they were both enveloped by the darkness.
“Please try to be quiet. I don’t want you giving away our positions.”
Carlene tried to squeeze herself away from Quinn but the tight grip on her back made it hard for her to move. Quinn didn’t know what scared him more. The two guys in black suits that had followed them from the coffee shop or how hard his heart was beating from how close Carlene was squeezed against him.
Her hair smelt of green apples and she still had a light trace of her sweet floral perfume. Quinn hadn’t been this close to a female in a very long time. Quinn hates to admit it, but he very much liked Carlene. Everyone on his Earth looked like a lie, he can never gage the correct age of anyone around him. That’s why he studied so hard and took the job, he just wanted out.
Carlene didn’t want to say that she enjoyed how close she was to Quinn, but the smells and his open aura seemed to calm her down. The smell of the last cigarette mixed with his soft aura, made her brain seem still for a peaceful moment. He made her feel safer than Thea has ever made her feel. This thought made Carlene frown.
Quinn watched the men leave the area and looked down at the frowning girl. He tightened his grip on her back, making her stare at him. Quinn was just about the same height, so their eyes almost lined up. Quinn’s heartbeat rapidly against his chest and he was sure he could feel Carlene’s beat just as fast.
Quinn moved his hand up the curve of Carlene’s spine and smirked at the flush that appeared on her cheeks. He trailed the rest of her spine, and his hand cupped her cheek. Without thinking of the consequences, Quinn lent down and pressed his lips to hers.
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