chapter 25
TEAM 3, YEAR: 2095
Time Remaining: 151 Days
With Asher so devoted to his newfound “hobby,” Logan frequently found himself waiting for his twin brother. Tonight was no different; they had tickets for a Mental Obstruction concert and Asher, still tied up in the lab, agreed to meet his brother at the downtown venue. Having some time to kill before calling a taxi pod to take him downtown, Logan stopped in at the Starbucks across the road from his condo.
As he entered the coffee shop, the Starbucks Icomm-compatible menu began to scroll slowly across his field of vision. Mentally he dismissed it and the colourful menu disappeared. It was replaced by the words, “What can we get for you today?” beside the image of a helpful and attractive barista. He dismissed the interface entirely. With nothing but time to kill, he studied the in-store menu screens on the wall above the counter. As he looked for something he had not yet tried, he absentmindedly spun his credit-key ring around his finger.
Like a moth to a flame, his attention was drawn away from the menu and onto a group of women chatting as they placed their orders. Girls’ night, he thought, watching the elegantly dressed women. His attention was drawn to one woman in particular. She stood apart from the rest, waiting to place her order. She was taller than her friends and quite slender. Her tanned skin accentuated the muscle definition in her arms and legs, and her fitted black dress flattered her like it had been designed specifically for her body. Logan imagined running his hand caressingly along the perfect curvature of her waist. Giggles punctured his happy fantasy and he looked over to see the woman’s friends watching him ogle her.
Embarrassed for being busted so blatantly, Logan cleared his throat and concentrated again on the menu. The woman finished placing her order and turned. Logan feared being caught again but could not resist checking out the rest of her.
“Logan? What are you doing here?” asked Delaney.
Logan was speechless. He could not believe that he had essentially just undressed his boss with his eyes. He stammered. “I uh, live around here. What are you doing here?”
Delaney wrapped her arms around her waist and looked down at her shoes. “I’m out with a few girls. We’re on our way to see Mental Obstruction. They’re playing at the arena tonight. Remember that friend from university who visited a while back?” She pointed to one of the women standing in the pack. “I’m out with his sister. I met her while he was in town and we hit it off.” The woman’s metal bracelets jingled loudly as she waved and winked knowingly. He waved back weakly, preparing himself for another onslaught of whispers and suppressed giggles.
“I didn’t realize you were into Mental Obstruction. They’re my favourite group,” said Logan. He was surprised to see her so self-conscious. In all of his years working with Delaney, not once had she ever been anything but the picture of complete confidence and absolute control.
“Well, I’m not really a fan, but she insisted I come. So, here I am.”
It was Logan’s turn to order and Delaney’s order had come up. “You look really great,” he said, hoping to ease her self-consciousness.
“Thanks, Logan.” She seemed appreciative of his comment. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Logan nodded and watched the women leave. Outside the coffee shop, they circled Delaney to get the scoop on who he was and, with no doubt in Logan’s mind, to fill her in on what they saw. He felt a hard poke in the ribs and turned. An elderly woman was jabbing him from behind her walker with the point of her umbrella.
“Move it, Boy, or you’re going to get mowed over.” She pushed her walker into his knees. “Granny’s jonesing for a double-double.”
Logan took a step forward and looked back up at the menu, but all he saw were a pair of long legs and a sexy black dress.
Time Remaining: 150 Days
“So how’s the artificial vision coming?” asked Logan over the chatter and music. The twins sat in their usual booth, enjoying a few TGIF bevies with some of Logan’s co-workers.
“Good. Really good, actually. I’ve made some decent progress. You should pop by the lab and check it out,” said Asher.
“I might, just so I can drag you out of there.”
Asher sipped his beer and leaned back in the booth. “You’re not really one to talk. I’ve noticed you ’ve been lingering at work after five.” He laughed. “I see you didn’t burst into flames either.”
Logan chuckled. “It’s amazing what you can get done in just one hour after everyone leaves.”
“I know,” agreed Asher, more heartily than he planned.
“Oh my God,” said Logan. “Listen to us. Do you know who we sound like?”
“I know, I know,” said Asher rolling his eyes.
“It’s like he’s rubbing off on us or something. It’s gross really. He’d be insufferable if he knew,” said Logan laughing.
“Well, what Spence doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” They tapped their bottles together conspiratorially when they saw a familiar face approaching them through the sea of people. “Speak of the devil.”
“Hey, Misfits,” said Spencer.
“What are you doing here?” Asher stood to give his little brother a one-armed hug. “And here I thought I was wasting my breath by inviting you.” Spencer sat between the twins in the U-shaped booth.
“I thought it might be fun, plus, I haven’t seen you two in a while. What have you guys been up to?” asked Spencer, innocently. Spencer already knew about his brothers’ change in work habits from the reports given by their astonished directors at the weekly directors meeting he now attended in Jim’s absence.
Asher pulled at the label on his beer bottle. “Me?” asked Asher. “Oh, not much…” He looked at Logan.
Logan rested his arms on the back of the seat. “Same. Nothing really. The usual—drinking beer, watching rocketball. You know,” said Logan.
Spencer smiled to himself; both twins quickly took big gulps out of their beers and looked in opposite directions around the bar.
The evening was more enjoyable than Spencer had anticipated. He wondered if there really was something to what the twins had been telling him all this time. He enjoyed hearing how work was going from their perspective, but it was also nice to talk about things that had nothing to do with robots, personality applications or the NRD. He felt lighter and more free than he had in a long time, and he wondered if that resulted from socializing with his brothers or the alcohol in his system.
A tipsy Spencer was a rare sight indeed, so the twins took full advantage of his mellowed state and tried to set him up with different women around the bar. They refused to listen to his protestations as they wound their way around the room looking for potential dates. When Spencer finally got their attention and explained that he had no interest in meeting any women, they tried to set him up with men.
“We don’t care who you love little bro, just as long as you’re happy,” said Asher with a smirk.
“No, you idiots,” hissed Spencer, red-faced and mortified as the man who gave Spencer his business card and a suggestive smile walked out of earshot. “I already have someone in mind.” He regretted spilling the beans, but he knew the twins would be relentless otherwise.
“Who is it?” asked Logan with a mischievous grin. “Is it that guy in Framing and Fabrication? Don’t lower your standards Spence, you could do much better than a level two engineer.” Logan took a sip of his beer and Asher, a level two engineer, tipped up the bottom of the bottle so beer spilled down Logan’s shirt.
“It’s not a guy, you donkeys,” Spencer laughed. He had to admit, he was having a surprisingly fun time with his brothers. Their loving, brotherly abuse rolled off him easily; for that, he knew he could thank the booze. Never would he have had this conversation with them sober.
“So who is the lucky lady?” Logan’s sweet demeanour did not entirely mask his eagerness for details.
“I wouldn’t tell you guys if you threatened me with…” Spencer trai
led off as Kalen entered the bar. She crossed the room and leaned on the bar, waiting for a bartender. The twins followed Spencer’s soppy gaze and smiled at each other. Kalen scanned the room while she waited and waved to Spencer.
Logan chuckled knowingly. “Our little boy is in love.” He sniffed and wiped a pretend tear from of his eye.
“I dunno, Spence, she’s pretty cute,” said Asher.
Spencer’s dream state was punctured by a sickening thought. The last two people he wanted around a girl he liked were sitting on either side of him, grinning from ear to ear. Horrible visions came to him—the twins telling her embarrassing stories all night long, either made up, or worse, completely true. He elbowed both twins simultaneously in the ribs.
“Please don’t make asses out of yourselves,” he begged. “More importantly, don’t make an ass out of me!”
Kalen held her drink over her head as she dodged bodies, making her way toward their table. Spencer’s mind swam with his thoughts and feelings for her. Her jacket was slung over her arm and the halter tank top she wore hugged her short, curvaceous body. In Spencer’s eyes, Kalen’s sturdy build was perfect.
The three men slid over to give her room and she sat down beside Asher. Seeing Spencer’s smiling, vacant expression, Logan reached over the table, shook her hand and introduced himself and Asher. After the introductions and small talk, Spencer was relieved to see the twins actually behaving themselves, as promised.
The bar door opened and Logan glanced over to see Delaney, looking more nervous than he had ever seen her. She feverishly scanned the room for a familiar face.
“Wow,” said Logan, “it must be a full moon tonight.”
Asher followed Logan’s gaze. “Hey Loge, isn’t that your boss?”
“Yeah it is,” said Logan. A smile grew on his face. “But I’ve never known her to come out with co-workers before. I invited her, but it’s kind of like inviting Spence, you never really expect to be taken up on the offer.” Logan waved her over.
“Sweet Jesus. How do you get anything done with her around? She’s bloody hot,” said Asher, watching her long, leggy stride as she wove her way through the overfilled tables.
Logan said nothing but privately agreed. He was unsure of her exact age but knew she was in her late thirties, maybe early forties. Not that it showed; she was in superb shape and her perfect skin disguised her age. He noticed she had undone the top couple of buttons on her shirt—no doubt to loosen up after work. Remembering the Starbucks incident, he forced himself to look up at her eyes.
“Hey, Logan,” said Delaney to one of the twins. She hoped she had addressed the right one. She could not recall what Logan had worn that day and seeing them together, she was taken off guard by how similar they were, right down to the unkempt hairstyle.
Delaney slid into the booth beside Logan. There was a brief moment of awkward silence while Logan failed to locate his thoughts, but he was saved by the waitress. He ordered five Tequila Bombs—a shot of tequila with a small cube of green vodka Jell-O at the bottom. Delaney would have preferred to not drink around her co-workers, but she nearly shook with nerves and knew a drink or two would help her relax.
“I’m surprised you came out,” said Logan.
“I’m trying to spend less time at work these days. The project is on track, so there’s no point making more work for myself.”
“Wow, you sound like Spencer,” said Asher. “Except for that last part about not making work for yourself. He’d probably live there if he could.”
“I’d agree with that,” said Kalen.
The group dominated the large booth for most of the evening. Other friends and co-workers came and went from the table throughout the night. Spencer was pleased the twins had managed to behave themselves and he attributed that only to the company of Delaney and Kalen.
“Well, I guess I should hit the road,” said Delaney, sliding out of the booth. Logan noticed how after two Tequila Bombs and three Solar Sunrises her poise remained flawless, like she had drunk nothing but water all evening.
Logan scrambled gracelessly out of the booth behind her. “You’re not driving, right?” he asked quickly. Asher and Spencer immediately caught each other’s eyes, both taken aback by Logan’s display of uncharacteristic qualities: responsibility, chivalry and protectiveness. “I’d hate to see you smash that fancy new flying car. Does it have autopilot?”
Delaney nodded. “It does, but it’s still illegal to pilot it if you’ve been drinking. I’ll just leave it here and get a cab.”
“I’ll help you get one.” Logan grabbed Delaney’s jacket off the hook at the end of the booth and held it up for her to slide into.
“I had no idea you were such a gentleman,” chuckled Delaney. She slid her arms into her black leather jacket and slung her bag over her shoulder.
“Me neither,” said Asher, fighting hard to stifle his laughter. Spencer elbowed him in the ribs.
Logan followed Delaney toward the exit, his hand on the small of her back as they fought their way through the overcrowded bar. When they were out of earshot, Spencer and Asher looked at each other and laughed, though neither could explain why. Logan hitting on a woman was nothing new; perhaps because she was his boss. Spencer explained to Kalen how the twins got their reputation as ladies’ men. Both he and Kalen were in stitches when Asher told the story of how Logan had once tried to convince a girl that he had invented time travel, that he was, in fact, the famous Adam Seers. He explained away his absence by claiming he had been in hiding because he thought the fame of inventing time travel would be too exhausting.
“What are you guys laughing at?” asked Logan, returning to the booth.
“You,” said Asher. “The Adam Seers fiasco.”
Logan smiled at the memory. He remembered it fondly, even though the only thing he got out of that line was a drink in the face. However, the hours of entertainment the story had brought over the years had been well worth the price.
Asher leaned in conspiratorially. “Why didn’t you tell us you’ve got a thing for your boss?”
Logan looked genuinely surprised by the question. “I don’t have a thing for her.”
“What?” exclaimed Spencer. He was thrilled that the tables had turned on at least one of the twins, and he planned to make the most out of it. “You couldn’t stop looking at her all night. Plus, when are you ever speechless?”
Logan looked at Kalen for an ally and she shrugged apologetically. “Sorry man, I think they’re right. Spencer isn’t that perceptive when it comes to these things, trust me, and even he noticed.”
“When was the last time you flagged down a cab for a woman where you didn’t try to follow her into it?” asked Asher.
“What are you guys talking about?” Logan’s clueless expression made all three crack up again.
“Well, I think that’s my cue to leave,” said Kalen, as the laughter died down.
“Are you driving? Are you alright to drive?” Spencer asked clumsily. He pushed Asher unceremoniously out of the booth and stood up, more than a little unsteady on his feet. He fumbled, trying to get her jacket off the hook.
Kalen reached over and unhooked the jacket easily. She threw it on and chuckled at Spencer’s bumbling. “I’m fine. I only had a couple drinks and they were hours ago. The question is, how are you getting home? You’re not relying on these two are you?”
“I never thought about it. I’ve never been in this situation before.”
“What, drunk at a bar with your brothers?” she asked, laughing. He swayed a little and she grabbed his arm to steady him. “Okay Grayson, get your jacket, I’ll drive you home.”
“It’s okay, I don’t want to impose,” said Spencer, suddenly interested in the tails of his shirt that had come untucked.
“Don’t be silly. Get your jacket. I can’t leave you with these guys, you’ll wake up tomorrow in a water fountain, duct-taped to the centre piece wearing nothing but your underwear on your head.”
Logan laughed. “She’s right, you know.” He looked at Asher. “Has she met us before?”
Spencer pulled three jackets off the hook and dropped them all to the ground. Asher, laughing and shaking his head, picked them up. He handed Spencer his jacket and patted him on the back before hanging up the others. “Oh, Spence. You’re such a lightweight. Look at you. Eight drinks and you’re done.”
“You guys will thank me…when you’re old and looking for new livers!” said Spencer with a goofy grin. Kalen threaded him into his jacket and steered him toward the door. “I love you guys!” were the last words they had heard before the doors closed behind their little brother.
The twins looked at each other, tapped their beer bottles together.
“Our little boy is growing up,” said Logan.
Spencer settled into the passenger seat of Kalen’s car as she drove through the empty streets. Red streaks of light zipped overhead as the occasional flying car passed over them. He watched the rain slide down the passenger window in streams.
“I take it this isn’t a frequent pastime of yours?” she asked, concentrating on the road. Rain pounded the windshield and the wipers could barely keep up.
“No. The twins always bug me to come out, but I rarely do. They probably think I’m a stick in the mud.” He thought about it for a moment. “I know they think I’m a stick in the mud.”
“Well, I think you’re a handsome stick in the mud.” She smiled as she put her hand on his knee and squeezed. Spencer took her hand in his, kissed the top and held it as he watched sheets of rain dance in the spotlight of the street lamps.