Argent Glass

Chapter 12 - Tango - Robin

Sliding her stockinged feet slowly along the floor toward the bed, she stopped when the coverlet brushed her toes. She spun around to the whisper of a sound behind her and was flung to the bed. It felt like the weight of a small sedan was lying on top of her.

She struggled briefly, then went still and flipped on her flashlight. Pierce laughed and grabbed her hand to bring the flashlight under his chin and shine the light up his face.

"Bwahahaha," he mocked spookily.

"You're crushing me," Robin gasped. Pierce shifted his weight off to her side. "I think you've been working alone too long in the desert, you creep."

"A creep who's about to do wonderful things to you, so be careful what comes out of those pretty lips next." He kissed her, then rolled over and pulled her on top of him. He kept his promise in the muted glow of the abandoned flashlight.

Later, they lay stretched out side by side. Robin's head rested on Pierce's arm where it draped across the pillows.

"Do you think anyone knows?"

"About us?" asked Pierce. "Just Michael."

"You told him?"

"No, he made a comment."

"What comment?"

"I don't know. Just the way he told me about you coming here. He knows."

"Do you think he will say anything?"

"Want me to eliminate him, just in case?"

"Is that an option? Wait." Robin put a finger to Pierce's lips. "Don't answer that."

Pierce snapped at her finger and she snatched it back.

"How are you sleeping?" she asked to change the subject.

He pulled his arm from under her head and rolled to the edge of the bed. Robin admired the hard angles of the muscles that surged in his shoulders and back as he bent to pick up his pants. Her eyes lingered on the ridges of a bullet wound near the top of his shoulder.

"Are you getting enough sleep?" she repeated sitting up and running her finger lightly across the old wound.

He shrugged. "Sure."

Her hand snaked up to the back of his neck. "That doesn't sound–"

"I have to get back to work." He stood up abruptly and her hand fell away to the bed.

She sighed. "Me too."

Minutes later, Robin sat at the table in the living room. Her fingers flew over the laces of her boots as she tied them with a double knot. Pierce stood at the sink in the apartment's small kitchenette filling a glass with water.

"How are things at home? How're the boys?" Pierce asked walking in. He took a sip of the water and handed the glass to her. She took a drink before answering.

"They're okay. Evan's mom grounded him from his car again, but she already caved and gave it back. And Andrew's girlfriend broke up with him. He has no idea why, of course. You would think that would keep them out of trouble...no car, no girlfriends...but Andrew got an in-school suspension. Get this...for getting on the bus."

"I don't get it." He sat down across from her and plopped his hat on his head. It sat tilted, matching his smile.

"He and Evan saw Danny Jones walk into our house. Danny stopped by to give me the assignment for the system upgrade at the dome today. Andrew flipped out, got off the bus, and ran home to find out what was going on. I'm in Danny's car on my way to the airport. Here comes Andrew, trucking down the road. I made the bus driver take him back on the bus, but he wrote him up. And since that was his third write-up, he got a suspension."

"For getting on the bus. I get it." He lifted his cap and settled it down the right way.

She nodded. "For getting on the bus. He's not very happy about missing out on Chaco. The University has a new dig going on there. They've uncovered more Pueblo ruins and we were going to go see what they've unearthed."

"Was that a pun, Sergeant Landon?"

"Why, yes, Sergeant Pierce, it was. I'm surprised you caught that."

"Speaking of kids, I caught Jordan and Jinho sneaking in and out of the dome."

"Did you talk to them?"

"They have parents. They're not my responsibility."

"In a small community like this, they are everyone's responsibility. It takes a village."

"They aren't causing any harm. I don't need to be involved."

"You're already involved. The minute you knew they were going in and out without consent, you were involved. I'm not saying they are doing anything other than just being kids, but they could get hurt. Poisonous snakes and scorpions and God knows what else. They shouldn't be out there by themselves."

"That makes you look like a hypocrite. Andrew goes out there with his friend."

"But I've trained them. Andrew knows how to take care of himself. He knows first aid and what to do if something happens." Pierce didn't respond. "Just tell them they shouldn't go outside the dome without a guide. They'll listen to you. I see how Jordan looks at you. They both look up to you."

"I never asked for that."

"But they do. And they need you to do the right thing."

"I didn't take this job to babysit. I want to wake up in the morning, go on patrol, secure the perimeter, and then climb into my bed each night knowing I've done that job."

"Your job is to make sure everyone's safe. If they aren't, then the perimeter doesn't matter." She stood up and fastened her Beretta back onto her waist, then walked around the table and pulled the brim of his cap back so she could kiss him on the lips. "I have to run."

He pulled her onto his lap and kissed her back. She moaned behind his lips and leaned away. "I have to go."

"Gotta do what you gotta do." He lifted her by her hips and stood her up. "I have patrols to do, too. I'll walk you down."