12-28-2013, 03:50 PM
Jessika was every bit the operator Jon had expected her to be. As they sat together in the back of the taxicab on the way to wherever Jensen had directed the driver, she asked Jon questions about what life was like growing up on a reservation. The way she held that intense focus on Jon and hung on his every word, laughing even at asking follow up questions even to more mundane details, suggested she wasn't so much interested in what Jon had to say as she was in convincing Jon of her interest. And she was good at it too. Jon found himself liking her even though he was aware of the game she was playing.
The cab brought them to a university loft. Jensen led them through the lobby and to a door. Jon noticed the man had to fumble a bit before bringing light to the living area. Jon glanced around. the place was comfortably furnished if a bit Spartan. So it hadn't been intended for long term occupation, and from the looks of it -- yep, there was a suitcase with Jensen's belongings -- Jensen was indeed a recent occupant. He hadn't even unpacked.
As Jensen went to go change, Jessika found herself a comfortable seat on the couch and invited Jon to sit with her. He accepted as it would be rude not to. The couch wasn't large and they ended up sitting rather close, less than a foot between them. He leaned back just enough to give a little extra space without appearing to show that was what he was doing. It occurred to Jon that Jessika might be playing an entirely different game with Jensen at the same time -- making Jon her tool.
As Jensen emerged from the room, Jon cleared his throat. "You spoke of a war coming,"
he said to Jensen. "That should hardly be a surprise. America cannot continue to ignore the growing might of the CCD and not reposition itself to create a more balanced posture of power. This will cause a confrontation sooner or later. What America did to win the last cold war won't work this time. But I think you may mean something else."
And Jon had a idea what Jensen meant. The man couldn't ignore their mutual gift. He hoped the man had the sense not to reveal Jon's gift in front of Jessika, but what did she already know?And why did Jensen think the emergence of this new power, a thing stranger than anything dreamt up in a crazed writer's imagination, stranger than fiction indeed, would mean war? what did he know?
The cab brought them to a university loft. Jensen led them through the lobby and to a door. Jon noticed the man had to fumble a bit before bringing light to the living area. Jon glanced around. the place was comfortably furnished if a bit Spartan. So it hadn't been intended for long term occupation, and from the looks of it -- yep, there was a suitcase with Jensen's belongings -- Jensen was indeed a recent occupant. He hadn't even unpacked.
As Jensen went to go change, Jessika found herself a comfortable seat on the couch and invited Jon to sit with her. He accepted as it would be rude not to. The couch wasn't large and they ended up sitting rather close, less than a foot between them. He leaned back just enough to give a little extra space without appearing to show that was what he was doing. It occurred to Jon that Jessika might be playing an entirely different game with Jensen at the same time -- making Jon her tool.
As Jensen emerged from the room, Jon cleared his throat. "You spoke of a war coming,"
he said to Jensen. "That should hardly be a surprise. America cannot continue to ignore the growing might of the CCD and not reposition itself to create a more balanced posture of power. This will cause a confrontation sooner or later. What America did to win the last cold war won't work this time. But I think you may mean something else."
And Jon had a idea what Jensen meant. The man couldn't ignore their mutual gift. He hoped the man had the sense not to reveal Jon's gift in front of Jessika, but what did she already know?And why did Jensen think the emergence of this new power, a thing stranger than anything dreamt up in a crazed writer's imagination, stranger than fiction indeed, would mean war? what did he know?