Time Turner
. . . fiction by Odyssea
. . .Good Karma. . .
"I always let people in on the freeways, I never cut anyone off, I always hold doors open for people, and I never get in the express line at the supermarket if I have more than fifteen items!" Sydney finished her rant, drawing in a deep breath. "I don't mean to whine, but why me?"
"Syd," Vaughn's voice crackled in her earpiece. "Not to nag, but shouldn't you focus on what you're doing?"
"I am perfectly capable of multitasking, Vaughn," Sydney replied testily.
"Syd, you're hanging a hundred feet up in the air," Vaughn said. "I think I'd prefer that you not multitask right now."
"You're probably right," she said, continuing to climb up the slipper side of the building. "It just really makes me mad. I mean, I'm saving the world this very minute - I've saved the world at least a dozen times! I'd like to think I've built up some good karma." She looked up. "Could this building be any taller?"
"Only a few more floors," Vaughn replied, watching her progress on a hacked video feed. "And I don't think it works like that."
"It should. I do so much for the country already," she said, grunting as she hauled herself up the rope. "Not that I can tell anyone about it."
Vaughn chuckled. "Well, I'd believe you, but then that'd be my excuse, too. Anyone else would think you're lying - and possibly crazy."
"Okay, I'm in," Sydney said. For a few minutes, there was little sound over the headset as chaos reigned, as a number of fights broke out before the fire system was set off, leaving Sydney to grab the stolen hard drive and rappel down the building.
As sirens wailed in the distance, a drenched Sydney sprinted towards the control van, clutching the hard drive to her chest.
Vaughn looked up as Sydney slammed the door. "Let's go," she said. They peeled out of the parking lot, heading towards the Dresden airport.
After carefully packing the hard drive in a plastic box, Sydney settled into the front seat of the van. She picked up an envelope sitting on the dashboard.
"Are you all right?" Vaughn asked with a concerned look on his face.
"Yeah, I guess," Sydney said, opening the envelope. "It's just - after all we've been through, after everything we've done - to have this happen."
"It happens to everyone, Sydney," Vaughn replied, patting her shoulder.
"I know. I just hate jury duty."
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