Quickly slipping her turtleneck on over her head, Erin checked herself
in the mirror to make certain that she looked presentable, and went to
answer the door. Even though she still had a couple of hours left
before her 'shift' was over, the Club wasn't all that busy and unless
someone else arrived soon, she would permitted to leave early.
"Yes?" she asked, pulling the screen back all the way. She was
surprised to find Agent Sandoval standing there, his previously
ruffled hair and suit in perfect order. "Agent Sandoval. Um, I thought
you would have left."
"I was going to. But I'd rather spend some more time in your company,"
the Implant informed.
"Oh. Um, just give me a minute, I have to change back out of these
clothes."
"No, that's all right. I actually had something else in mind."
"Oh? You'd rather I didn't wear anything at all?"
Sandoval chuckled at that. "No, I didn't mean it like that," he
assured her with a surprisingly soft smile that made his dark eyes
gleam. "Would you like to join me for a late dinner? I know a great
little Italian place not far from here."
Erin's full lips curved slightly into a small smile. "I would like
that very much. Let me just get my coat."
As the young woman retrieved her things, Ronald found himself smiling
with relief, and admiration once again. She was no longer wearing her
silk dress but the outfit she currently had on was just as flattering,
if not more so. She looked much less exotic, without the make-up and
half of her cleavage showing, but still very attractive. In fact, Ron
liked her better this way. Erin was the kind of woman that didn't need
to flaunt her body to be appealing to the opposite sex.
* * *
Florence, Italy
"You call this "not far" from D.C.?" a surprised Erin asked with a
smile, sitting down in the seat Sandoval was holding out for her.
"Well, by Portal it's not very far at all," the Agent replied, going
around to the other side of the table as a waiter handed them their
menus.
"Well I hope you speak Italian, Agent Sandoval, because I certainly
don't." Opening the menu, Erin frowned at the unfamiliar words.
"Don't worry, I do. And, please, call me Ron."
Erin graced him with her enticing smile again and nodded. "Ron it is."
After ordering, the pair sat and talked while waiting for their food.
Erin was astonished to find that Sandoval visited the restaurant on a
regular basis and was famous for often showing up in a Taelon shuttle
craft that made the patrons take pause and look to the sky at the
sound of the craft's re-entry into normal space.
Not surprising, though, was how the agent was able to understand and
speak fluent Italian, as well as many other languages, some of which
had long since been forgotten. He offered a demonstration of one of
the benefits of a CVI, memorizing all the entries in Erin's address
book in mere seconds.
"That's very impressive," she complimented, in mild awe. "Although I'm
not too sure if I like the idea of you knowing everything that's in
that book."
"Don't worry, I would never abuse that information," Ron assured her.
"So, er, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"
"I'll be 22 in three weeks. I suppose you'd also like to know why a
girl like me is working in a place like the Kobe Club?"
"I have been wondering."
"Well, I'm putting myself through my last year at college and I needed
to find a new job that would allow me to do that. The Club was the
only place that offers the kind of money and hours that I wanted. So,
if you don't mind me asking, why did you ask me to dinner? I thought
that you only wanted to... you know?"
Sandoval looked a little uncomfortable - even ashamed - at that
implication. He looked down at the table, toying with his fork. "At
first, I did. And if we hadn't been interrupted, I wouldn't have
stopped, even if you wanted to," he admitted reluctantly, looking back
up at her.
"Then why didn't you?" Erin asked quietly. "We could've stayed at the
Club and whatever you did to me in there wouldn't matter to anyone
else. There are a lot of men in that place that get away with things
no man has a right to do to a woman. One of the other girls told me
that you could be a little rough at times. Why didn't you treat me
like that?"
"Because you remind me of someone I used to know. And because I want
to get to know you, the real you, not the complaisant, servile, woman
you have to be at work. That and casual sex can get a little tiresome."
"Well I'm glad that you didn't take advantage of me back there. You
know, I'm not actually supposed to sleep with the clients, it's not in
my contract."
"Then why did you...?"
"Honestly, I don't really know why. I guess I was afraid of what you'd
do to me if I refused. But I don't think that was the only reason... I
wanted you."
A slight smile touched Ron's lips as Erin gave him a shy smile.
"So, who's this person that I remind you of?" Erin asked, feeling the
need to change the subject slightly.
Ron hesitated for a moment, then answered quietly, "My late wife. She
looked very much like you. You even wear the same perfume."
"Oh."
"But you're also very different," he was quick to assure the young
woman. "She was shy, a few inches shorter than yourself and a school
teacher."
"Well, me, I could never be a teacher, I can't really tolerate other
peoples children, unless they're well-behaved. Did you and your wife
have any children?"
Sandoval shook his head sadly. "No. We were unable to conceive. But I
do have a son. I've never met him and I have no idea who his mother
is, but I'm determined to find him." He paused for a moment, sighing
as he realized just how much he was telling this woman that he hardly
knew. At least his suspicions of her age were unfounded, but he still
didn't know what her views on the Taelons and the Resistance were.
"It's strange, I don't know why I feel so comfortable with you or why
I'm telling you these things."
"Maybe because I'm listening," said Erin with a gentle smile.
Ron returned the smile just as their meal arrived.
"You know, this is weird for me, too," Erin added once the waiter had
left. "You're not at all anything like what the Resistance claims you
to be."
Don't be so sure of that. For the most part, I'm not a nice person,
Ron answered silently.
Out loud, he made no reply, as they got started on their dinner.
* * *
One hour later, Washington, D.C.
The streets of downtown Washington were eerily quiet and empty when
Sandoval and Erin emerged from the Portal Gate.
Shivering slightly from the change in temperature, Erin pulled her
jacket tighter around her lean frame and stepped down from the
platform. "I had a really nice time tonight. Thank you," she told the
agent.
"As did I. Perhaps we could do it again some time?" he suggested
hopefully.
Erin nodded, smiling at him again . "I'd like that."
"Well, er, can I give you a ride back to your apartment? It's rather
cold for you to walk."
"Um, thanks for the offer but my room mate's not expecting me back for
another hour. She's got her boyfriend over and I usually like to give
them some space. The walls in our apartment aren't too thick, if you
know what I mean? I think I'll just walk around for a while."
"That's not a very wise idea. A young woman walking the streets alone
at night can attract all sorts of trouble," Ron pointed out. Then,
almost timidly, he added, "You're quite welcome to come home with me
for awhile. We could, er..."
"Finish what we started?" Erin completed for him.
"Yes."
Erin sighed in defeat and considered it for a brief moment. "I might
regret this tomorrow, but I would like to spend the night with you,"
she informed quietly, almost sheepishly.
Ron smiled and took her by the hand, leading her towards his car...
* * *
Last Part
Next Part RATED R