The Chemist

Daniel was in the bed before her, but he was still awake.

“Should I leave my rifle out, do you think?” he asked.

“It’s a big room, but probably a little tight for the rifle. I can go grab the shotgun.”

He gave her an exasperated look. “I was joking.”

“Oh. Right.”

He held his arms open for her. She switched off the lamp and climbed into her now usual place. The bed was absurd – some kind of soft, supportive cloud that was probably made from spun gold or unicorn mane.

“Good night, Alex,” he whispered into her hair, and then she was asleep.

She woke while it was still dark outside; the faint light glowing from around the edges of the shades was the unnatural yellow-green of city lights. She couldn’t see a clock, but she’d guess it was around four. A solid night’s rest and then some. She was glad; today would be long. For years now, all she’d been doing was running and surviving. Now she had to shift into a more proactive mode and she dreaded it. There had been her one uncharacteristic adventure in Texas, but she blamed that on the adrenaline of the moment and the unfamiliar responsibility of having a liability. It wasn’t something she would ever have planned to do.

So when Daniel, woken by her movements, started to kiss her throat, she didn’t mind procrastinating for a bit.

She wondered what it would be like to be a normal person. To be able to expect that mornings like this – waking up with someone you’d chosen – would happen over and over again. To go through the day certain that you’d lie back down at the end of it in the same bed, with that same person next to you. She doubted many people appreciated that certainty when they had it. It would be too much a part of everyday life to them, taken for granted, not something they would think of feeling grateful for.

Well, she couldn’t count on another morning like this, but she could be grateful for it now.

She yanked on his T-shirt and he pulled his hands out of her hair long enough to remove it. Alex tugged her own shirt out of the way, greedy for the feeling of his skin next to hers. His kisses, which had begun so tenderly, started to veer more toward the unrestrained, though she could almost hear him reminding himself to be careful with her. She didn’t want any of that. She kissed him back in a way designed to make him forget any other consideration.

There was no sound, no warning. She didn’t hear the lock turn or the door open. And then, suddenly, the metallic click of a gun safety sliding off, just inches from her head. She froze and felt Daniel do the same. She wasn’t sure if he’d recognized the quiet click, as she had, or was just responding to her.

From the sound, she knew the intruder was closer to the gun on the nightstand than she was. She cursed herself for neglecting basic security and worked to think of any move left to her. Maybe if she tried to spin and kick the gun away, it would give Daniel time to get around him.

And then the intruder spoke.

“Step away from the civilian, you poisonous little snake.”

She blew out the huge gasp of air she’d been holding in. “Hoo! Huh! Okay. Ah! Let’s put the gun down now, psychopath.”

“Not until you get off my brother.”

“This is so far beyond crossing the line, I don’t even know what to call it,” Daniel said in a harsh tone. “Did you pick the lock?”

“Danny, listen to me, she’s drugged you again. That’s what’s happening here.”

“As if I would waste my limited supply on recreation,” she muttered. She rolled, tugging the sheet up to cover herself, and reached for the lamp. She felt the cool barrel of the gun press into her forehead.

“You’re ridiculous,” she told him as she switched the light on.

Kevin stepped back, blinking in the light. He still had his long, silenced pistol aimed at her face.

The bed rocked as Daniel vaulted agilely over her body and placed himself between her and Kevin. “What are you doing? Don’t point that at her!”

“Danny, I don’t know what she has you on, but we’ll get it out of your system, I promise. Come with me.”

“If you know what is good for you, you will turn around and walk away now.”

“I’m saving you here.”

“Thanks, but no thanks. I was quite happy with what I was doing before you so rudely interrupted, and I’d like to return to it. Shut the door behind you.”

“What’s happened?” Alex asked, yanking her T-shirt on. There was no time for this squabbling. Kevin was wearing only a pair of pajama pants, so whatever the catalyst was, he hadn’t had time to prepare himself. It wasn’t like Kevin to let something – even something this offensive to him – distract him when there was trouble. She leaned around Daniel to grab her belt and then wrapped it around her waist as she spoke. “Do we need to move?” She reached for the SIG next and shoved it into the back of her belt.

Kevin’s gun lowered slowly, and he started to look less confident as he was confronted with her practicality.

“I didn’t believe her, so I came to check,” he admitted, suddenly sheepish. “I wasn’t planning on Danny ever knowing I was here.”

“Her?” Daniel asked.

“Val… she said you two were together. She was so sure of herself. I said there was no way in hell.” His voice was outraged again by the end.

Daniel exhaled, irritated. “Well, I hope you made some kind of bet. With a very humiliating consequence for losing.”