Wind-Scarred (The Will of the Elements, Book 1) Page 7

  Chapter 6

  Trouble with Tasers

  Ezra could only stare as the girl watched the video. Whatever danger he was in, she would be in too if he couldn't convince her that what she was looking at wasn't what she was looking at. He had to protect her somehow. The thought jump started his brain and his mouth began spinning out the most believable lie he could come up with on the spot.

  “That's for a... new drama coming out next season! I must have connected to the wrong storage device. Um, darn that outdated technology. If you could just give that back I'll be sure–”

  “Why are you narrating it like that?” the girl giggled.

  His recorded voice droned on, “Grass, trees, grass, more grass...” Ezra winced. How long did I go on that way?

  “I, uh, thought it would be funny. That'll get taken care of in the final cut, of course. Now if I could just see the camera for one second–”

  “This is boring,” she declared with absolute certainty.

  Ezra flinched. I didn't think it was that bad... but that's fine, maybe now she'll just give it back. He licked his lips, fingers inching closer to the recorder. Just another few centimeters...

  “But don't worry.” The girl shot him a sunny grin. “I'll give you something much better.” Just before his fingertips could touch the camera she whirled past him, depositing another lightning fast kiss on his cheek.

  And deleting the camera's footage.

  Ezra felt as if he had been punched in the gut. He just stood there, stunned. All of his careful planning, and this party-girl, this... this nobody had ruined it in a matter of seconds! He should be furious! He tried to get angry, to do something, but his cheek was tingling traitorously where her lips had brushed it. His mouth seemed to be in cahoots with his cheek, as a stupid smile fought to spread across his lips.

  “Hi! I'm having the most amazing Founder's Day here at the Eigen-Dance club! Well, I'm not actually in the club right now, because it's too loud to talk like this, but that's fine because it's amazing in there.” She had the camera on, turned toward her, recording. “I love dancing, and they always have the best music and the best atmosphere here. Let's see, what else. Oh, the Guild of Sundry event tonight was absolutely awesome. Anyone who didn't see it really missed out on one of the coolest things that's ever happened ever. I'll try to get a shot of them if they go by again, but if you missed it then shame on you!”

  Ezra was finally winning out against his libido. He hadn't had time to make a copy of his footage, but that was okay, he could plan to do this again. In fact, now that he knew about that secret underground base, he might be able to tap into their generators to relieve some of the strain on his lab. It would take a little planning, but he could make it work.

  This is just a delay, that's all. He nodded to himself. It would be even easier next time, and he'd be ready for what he saw, and he wouldn't get waylaid on his way back. Yes! And now he didn't have to worry about the secret organization either, because there was no evidence. He probably should have made this choice from the beginning.

  “Okay, now more about me,” the girl continued, “Um, I like chocolate and anything citrus-y. I love lemon meringue pie, but I'm not very good at baking. Or any cooking, really. I enjoy sports, go Knights, woo! Oh, and I also absolutely adore flirting with cute guys in back alleys.” She turned and winked at Ezra. Reason promptly lost its battle with libido. But who could blame him? She said he was cute.

  “Aaand that's about all that I'm willing to share, unless you're buying me dinner.” She let out another infectious laugh. “So that's it for me. Bye everyone! Love and kisses!” She puckered up and kissed the camera lens hard, then turned it off and tossed it back to Ezra. He fumbled it around for a second, then got a good grip on it and reattached it to the strap. It took him several tries, in which time she had closed the gap between them again.

  “Now that,” she said with an emphasizing tap of her fingers to the middle of his chest, “was much more entertaining than the other stuff.” She took a step past him, wobbled briefly, and fell into Ezra again. He caught her and managed to keep her upright.

  “Hey, are you alright?” He honestly wouldn't have minded too much if she wasn't, especially if it meant that she kept falling into him like that.

  “Guess I had a little too much to drink in there.” She managed to put a hint of chagrin into her voice while making it obvious that she wouldn't have had it any other way. “I think I may need to get home so I can sober up a little before the fun really starts out here.”

  She started to take another step and almost collapsed again. If Ezra hadn't been there, he was sure she'd be back on the ground by now. “You don't seem too steady, is there someone I can call for you?”

  “I'm just staying at the university, right over there.” She pointed back in the direction he'd come. “I don't mean to be too forward, but do you think you could help me get back there? It would really mean a lot to me.” She hit him with a full power smile, dimples and everything, huge eyes almost glowing up at him. He never had a chance.

  “S-sure,” he stammered, “I could just walk beside you and, um-”

  “Or carry me on your back”

  “O-or carry you on my back, of course.” This alleyway is really way too warm. “Sure, here, just, uh, hop on.” Once she was settled, very warm and soft and supple and... Darn it, Ezra, he thought, keep it together. “Okay, next stop... wherever it is I'm going.” He laughed nervously.

  She laid her head on his shoulder, her breath tickling his ear as she sighed, “You're a really nice guy, so I'm gonna tell you secret, okay?” Her voice had dropped back to an intimate whisper. Ezra's heart seemed to be beating in double-time.

  “Oh,” he croaked out, mouth going very, very dry, face burning, “what's that?”

  Her lips brushed his ear as she whispered ever-so-softly, “You're under arrest.”

  Something hard and cold pressed up against his throat. “There's a taser under your chin.” Her voice grew steadily more detached and formal. “Turn around and walk out to the street, then left and five blocks down to the Department of Ordinances holding facility.”

  Ezra gulped and turned to comply. Just before he got to the crowded street, he opened his mouth to ask who she was. The object at his throat pressed in harder.

  “No questions. Just follow instructions, don't make a scene, and everything will be just fine. I promise that you won't be hurt.” Ezra shut his mouth and continued on his way. Her head still resting on his shoulder, she murmured directions to him as he went.

  Was she with DOLT, or the mystery group? Was that really a taser? What would she do to him if he didn't cooperate? He could threaten to let out the secret, but she had already destroyed the recording and his leverage along with it. He could claim to have a copy! Somehow, he didn't think she would buy it. Or, worse, maybe she would. He stopped trying to think of what she would do then as his feet ate distance and hope at an alarming rate.

  His eyes darted around wildly as they made their way through the crowd. Couldn't anyone see that he had been taken hostage? People moved out of his way and he saw a number of knowing looks, and his last hope of rescue crumbled away. A young man with a young woman apparently on the verge of sleep on his back, walking through the entertainment district on Founder's Day. The last thing anyone would think was that he needed help.

  A pair of DOLT officers stood on the street, eyes slightly unfocused and twitching as they coordinated with nearby officers via a secure neural net connection. “Admit to being in the museum,” the girl whispered as they approached. “Don't say anything to anyone about you-know-what. The DOLTs are looking for whoever did it, but they don't know about the recording. They'll hold you until we can get someone by to handle this. Just sit tight, be quiet, and keep looking cute.”

  She leaned forward – an action that Ezra probably would have enjoyed only a few minutes earlier – and planted another kiss on his cheek, then hopped down and pulled his arm behind his
back, holding it just on the verge of where it would become painful. The taser vanished from his throat and was suddenly pressed up against his wrist, out of view from the DOLTs in front of them.

  “Good evening officers!” Ezra winced as her voice rang out, altogether too loud. “I found this young man fleeing the Conservatorium of Culture a few minutes ago, subdued him and, in the spirit of civic duty, have brought him to your custody.”

  The DOLT nearest them stared with his mouth hanging open, ignoring his net connection. His partner stepped forward, bumping him and giving the now open virtual interface a meaningful look. “Thank you for your enthusiasm ma’am,” he said, tone long-suffering. “But the Department of Ordinances and Lawful Temerity has everything well in hand. I'm sure that this citizen has nothing to hide and would appreciate it if you would-”

  The taser pressed meaningfully into Ezra's wrist, and he squeaked out, “No, no, it was me, I was in the museum, I triggered the alarms.” This earned him a skeptical look from the officer. The tension on his shoulder increased as the girl began twisting his arm upwards. “Also, also, I'm Ezra Hawkins! You can check my net signature right here! I believe you were notified that I would be in the university district and should be apprehended.”

  The first officer blinked, stunned, then cleared his throat, and said, “'In the university district causing trouble and should be apprehended' were the exact words, I believe.” Ezra winced again.

  “Yes, I was causing trouble, I broke into the museum, I set off the alarms, I knocked down the display cases. I admit to it all.” The pressure eased on his arm and he chanced a glance over his shoulder at the girl again. She was giving him a wide-eyed stare as her mouth tightened into a hard line. So she hadn't known who he was. Well, now she knew what she was dealing with. She had to know now that this was too big for her. He felt the beginnings of a triumphant smile as he opened his mouth to speak again.

  Her eyes narrowed into a hard look. The taser bit into his wrist, sudden pain blossoming out and coursing through his body. It hurt. It hurt. Every muscle in Ezra's body convulsed and he fought to breathe. His legs went weak and he started to fall. Someone caught him before he hit the ground and he heard the girl explaining how he might have had too much to drink tonight and of course she'd be willing to fill out any reports they needed. She was probably smiling that winning smile of hers up at them. He could almost see those adorable, evil little dimples. Damn hormones, Ezra thought as blackness washed over him.