01-11-2025, 09:04 PM
(This post was last modified: 01-11-2025, 10:18 PM by Connor Kent.)
She trusted him. It might not be how she might have wanted to handle it. And yet, she trusted him. Simple as that. Just another reason to fall in love with her all over again.
And to make sure that Ayden was and stayed safe. Also, simple as that. And now that they were committed to his hail Mary, he needed to make sure it stayed that way.
There were two sides to this. The one blackmailing, threatening them. And the one who literally had done nothing to them, had indeed made sure they had been safe from the Atharim.
The math seemed simple enough. Not that he was naive. Situations changed. People changed. But the bottom line was that they had been yanked out of their safe home and aimed at Nox by people who would never let them go.
The calculus changed, but in the end, it really came down to the simple question of who did he trust more. The data was limited. But again, their best chance seemed to be Nox.
There wasn't much to do in the way of actual planning, now they were committed to his idea. They'd talked it to death, but it was just talking. In the end, it was just a simple matter of showing up.
She did squeeze his hand and looked whistfully at the roof she had planned to set up on as they walked through the jingling door, the aroma of freshly fired pies filling the air. He was hungry.
He saw him and froze even as she spoke. Nox, with a baby on his legs. It wasn't held in that alien package way normally associated withe people without experience. Indeed, he appeared to be playing with it.
His mind immediately considerd possibilities. A human shield? Nox was probably not stupid. He was sure the Atharim files on Ayden said what their profession was. He may have suspected her being perched in some nest, looking through a scope. She wouldn't have fired with the baby in the booth.
Part of him felt anger at the thought, but he tamped it down as he took in the gentle way he held the blanket swaddled baby. Not that that proved anything. But they were here now. Not really much but continue.
And in truth, the sight of the child gave maybe a reason for a sliver of hope.
He walked with Ayden, her hand tight in his grip- though he moved so that he was slightly in front of her- toward the table, watching Nox's face. He looked....older. Tired in the way that said it was deep. Weary. Tough look for a kid. And in truth, he really did look like a kid. It made him sad.
Connor gave a friendly smile, as they approached and then sat down. "Good to see you. Thanks for meeting us." He looked at Ayden reassuringly, before turning back to Nox. "I know the call was out of the blue and raised suspicions...." His eye drifted down to the child, eyebrows furrowing as he made the effort to remember Hayden.
Jesus, but the baby was a newborn! He looked again to make sure. It had been over 20 years since Hayden had been born, so it took a moment to realize. His eyes went back to Nox, puzzled, reasessing the situation. "This your baby?"
And to make sure that Ayden was and stayed safe. Also, simple as that. And now that they were committed to his hail Mary, he needed to make sure it stayed that way.
There were two sides to this. The one blackmailing, threatening them. And the one who literally had done nothing to them, had indeed made sure they had been safe from the Atharim.
The math seemed simple enough. Not that he was naive. Situations changed. People changed. But the bottom line was that they had been yanked out of their safe home and aimed at Nox by people who would never let them go.
The calculus changed, but in the end, it really came down to the simple question of who did he trust more. The data was limited. But again, their best chance seemed to be Nox.
There wasn't much to do in the way of actual planning, now they were committed to his idea. They'd talked it to death, but it was just talking. In the end, it was just a simple matter of showing up.
She did squeeze his hand and looked whistfully at the roof she had planned to set up on as they walked through the jingling door, the aroma of freshly fired pies filling the air. He was hungry.
He saw him and froze even as she spoke. Nox, with a baby on his legs. It wasn't held in that alien package way normally associated withe people without experience. Indeed, he appeared to be playing with it.
His mind immediately considerd possibilities. A human shield? Nox was probably not stupid. He was sure the Atharim files on Ayden said what their profession was. He may have suspected her being perched in some nest, looking through a scope. She wouldn't have fired with the baby in the booth.
Part of him felt anger at the thought, but he tamped it down as he took in the gentle way he held the blanket swaddled baby. Not that that proved anything. But they were here now. Not really much but continue.
And in truth, the sight of the child gave maybe a reason for a sliver of hope.
He walked with Ayden, her hand tight in his grip- though he moved so that he was slightly in front of her- toward the table, watching Nox's face. He looked....older. Tired in the way that said it was deep. Weary. Tough look for a kid. And in truth, he really did look like a kid. It made him sad.
Connor gave a friendly smile, as they approached and then sat down. "Good to see you. Thanks for meeting us." He looked at Ayden reassuringly, before turning back to Nox. "I know the call was out of the blue and raised suspicions...." His eye drifted down to the child, eyebrows furrowing as he made the effort to remember Hayden.
Jesus, but the baby was a newborn! He looked again to make sure. It had been over 20 years since Hayden had been born, so it took a moment to realize. His eyes went back to Nox, puzzled, reasessing the situation. "This your baby?"