Weecho: First Shots

Chapter 17 - Intensive Care

All he knew was that it was late when he dragged himself into the loft. Juna was still up, sitting at the computer. Wanda took one sniff and wouldn’t go near him. They both watched him strip off his tux and leave it in a wet smelly pile on the floor. 

“That must’ve been some party.” 

Weecho wanting to say it was jumping, instead just picked up his camera he’d brought home and set it on the workbench on his way to the shower. 

Alexey and Dara had debriefed him in the car, after he’d pulled himself out of the river. He told them where he’d planted the bug, asked if they could turn up the car’s heater please, went over again how he’d given Lynch the slip by way of the harem. Left out the part about Nina. 

Dara still had his camera, passed it back. He found the pictures and video of Yoon’s opium girls, showed them to Alexey on the LCD screen.   

“Couple had runway potential,” Weecho said, “but I’m not sure they’d clear customs.” He’d offload the pictures at home, make dupes if anybody wanted.

He came out of the shower now and pulled on some clean skivvies. Juna had garbage-bagged his tux and flung the bundle over by the freight elevator, may it rest in peace. He went over to the workbench and sat with her while he toweled his hair. 

“You hungry?” she said. 

“Actually, yeah.” Except for those shrimp he’d grabbed and a couple of appetizers, he hadn’t eaten all night. 

Juna went to fix him a sandwich (the food supply had stabilized with her moving in) while he filled her in about Yoon’s yacht and the evening’s events. Kept the focus on bugging the library, which it looked like Yoon used for an office. Finished with running from Lynch and the jump from the boat. Juna had found a candle and lit it, brought it over with the sandwich and set them on the workbench.  

“Lynch didn’t just happen to be there,” Weecho said. “There had to be a reason. He wasn’t part of the party. And if he wanted to see Yoon, he could’ve done that whenever. Did you hear anything about it at work?” 

“No, but maybe it was the party.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Who was there that would have meant something?” 

“Lot’s of people, Alexey included.” 

“I mean to Lynch.” 

Weecho took a bite of sandwich. Chewed. Thought. “There was a senator.” 

“Name?” 

“Gatchel.” Spelled it from what he remembered on the program. 

Juna reached for the computer keyboard. Weecho stood up and watched over her shoulder while she Googled Gatchel’s name. Watched and couldn’t help but pick up how good she smelled. And not just because he’d smelled so bad. 

“Your senator has some muscle,” she said, pointing to the screen, to Gatchel’s Wikipedia bio.  

Senate Arms Appropriation Committee. 

She turned and looked up at Weecho. “Right?” 

Sat there looking up at him. 

Weecho nodded. “Yes.” 

Maybe it was the candle. Or that little bit of nice smell. Or maybe she’d put on some makeup. Whatever it was, he was still in his skivvies and could feel the effect starting to show. And grow. Which he knew she had to be aware of.