In Pursuit of a Diamond [On Hold]

In Pursuit of a Diamond (Chapter 17)

Brief word from the author:

Dear Reader,

Well, it's been a productive week for me.  With snow days giving me some spare time, I've started a new story, made progress on another, and am now posting another chapter of In Pursuit of a Diamond.  Of course, the support I've been receiving from my readers has been nothing short of superb, and for that I thank you sincerely.

In fact, I'm so grateful, I'm going to stop ranting to you.  You don't care about the author's note; you just want to read the story, right?  Well, the floor's all yours!

Yours in spirit,

RaeF1994

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Aubrey and Genny crossed over the threshold, Aubrey casting Leslie a glance that looked almost apologetic.  Genny was supporting him slightly, and when the two of them dropped onto her sofa, he immediately placed his right leg onto her coffee table.  Genny set the file folder she had been carrying on the table next to his foot.

"Thanks," she said, apparently as a stab at politeness.  "Look, I'm sure you're pretty confused and all right now--"

"That," Leslie said, closing the door, "would be the understatement of the century."

Aubrey grimaced.  "Just to make it clear, it was Genny's idea to come here, not mine."

Genny shot him a potent glance.  "Not without good reason," she said, turning back to Leslie.  "It's a bit difficult to explain it all."

"I have time," Leslie replied grimly, crossing her arms.

After another glance at Aubrey, who shrugged in response, Genny took a deep breath and began.  She told Leslie about how Aubrey had ended up at the base in Rockies, while he corrected her on a few details, earning him dirty looks for having interrupted her.  She finally got to explaining their journey from the mountains to Aurora, when Leslie held up her hand to stop her.

"Wait," she said pensively, trying to sort out in her mind everything Genny had just told her, "I'm not sure I understand.  I thought I was rid of all this sorcery business, and it just walked back in to my own apartment.  My question is, why?  I don't see why you chose to come here, of all places."

"Yeah, Genny," Aubrey said, turning to her with one eyebrow raised, "you ready to tell me that part yet?"

Genny sighed.  "It's a bit complicated.  More than a bit, actually.  But you see, when Aubrey told me about how he Vaniported all the way from Kansas to Germany, I grew a bit... suspicious.  No offense to you, Aubrey, but I had trouble believing it to even be possible."

"None taken," he mumbled, averting his eyes to stare at the floor.

"Well, he had mentioned that you had been holding onto him at the time.  According to him, that's the reason he fainted along the way.  But I think differently.  I think that he fainted only because of the great distance he traveled in such a short time.  I also think that if Leslie hadn't been holding onto him as she was, he never would have made it out of that plane."

Aubrey and Leslie both stared at her, Leslie relieved to see that he was no less confused than she.  "Genny, what on earth are you talking about?"

"Here, I think it'd be easier to show you than tell you," Genny said, rising from the sofa.  "Leslie, do you have anything wooden, that you don't mind losing?"

"Erm, I think there's a recipe holder in the kitchen," Leslie replied incredulously.

"That'll work," Genny nodded, rushing to the kitchen and dumping the cards out of the holder.  Leslie turned her stare over to Aubrey, who shook his head in confusion.