My breath forced tiny puffs of condensed air in short bursts, timed to the percussion of my pounding feet. The intense throb of my heart pumped adrenaline-laced blood like jet fuel through my veins. Up ahead, the form of my target came into view. I was going to beat him, again.
The nip of early morning air on my sweat-slicked skin pricked gooseflesh up my neck as I slowed to a triumphant stop. With a gleeful hop, I perched on the edge of the thick wooden trail marker. When Galen finally showed up, panting like he was giving birth, I cackled with pride.
"An hour and thirty-seven minutes," I hooted. "Your personal best!"
"Don't patronize me," he huffed and folded himself over at the waist to pant through a stitch.
"I'm not!" I protested with a grin, jumping down and bending over to stretch my calves out. "A seven and a half minute mile is decent. I mean, it's no four-"
"I can't tell if it's the endorphins giving you extra moxie this morning," Galen commented, still catching his breath. "Or you're nervous for your first day on the science squad."
"Jeez!" I scoffed defensively, refusing to consider what he just said. "I take it your last-minute Valentine's day gift went really well, or spectacularly bad?"
Galen arched his sculpted back to stretch his twice-pipe arms in the cool sunlight. There wasn't an angle that man couldn't bend that wasn't enjoyable to look at. Unapologetically, I chose to ogle his fitness over facing the truth about the day ahead.
"You know, most people don't feel the need to talk this much after rigorous exercise," he informed me.
"You look tired," I countered jokingly, switching to my other leg. "What's got you twisted boo?"
The electrons in my body were awake from our vigorous run while I scanned the empty streets and decorative foliage. Galen grimaced, pulling on his left shoulder to ignore me. Eventually, he unwound and stood up to inhale the fresh air and crisp sunshine.
"I need coffee before I can think of a good comeback," he said. "Let's go."
For a while I strolled alongside him, pointing my sunglasses forward and hiding behind a fluffy scarf. We rarely saw people on this rural hiking trail at five AM, but we couldn't be too careful. The public didn't know where the government was keeping me, officially. I'd been told it was for my safety and theirs. Regardless of my location, protestors made their homochromatic opinions of my existence known all over the world.
I was either a hateful abomination or a bonafide superhero.
The rush from our exercise was converting into anxiety the closer we got to headquarters. I wasn't looking forward to today's agenda.
"So, are you allowed to have your own opinions in your department of the CIA?" I hedged.
Galen quirked a brow at my passive-aggressive implication but kept walking. "What kind of question is that?"
"I want to know what do you think of Varun, really?" I spat out, ready to hear his usual line about confidentiality and clearances.
Galen didn't slow his stride while he thought about his answer. A lone female jogger passed us on her route with absolute focus in her expression and poppy music blasting in her earbuds. Her shiny brown hair reflected the lemon of the cool sun cresting over the naked treetops.
"He's a very wealthy man with an ego to match his swollen brain," He said, matter-of-fact.
"Whoa," I laughed. "Tell me how you really feel."
"I thought I just did?"
"I thought you got sarcasm," I mocked with a sweet smile.
Galen's pulse had quickened and he was picking up speed to cover it up. Usually, our friendly banter was easy. I gave him crap for being a professional nark and fulltime nerd, while he playfully warned me whenever I stepped over the line. This morning, however, he'd been distracted and more irritatingly aloof than ever. I double-timed my steps to remind him that I was a genetically engineered Energizer Bunny.
"Why do you ask?" He spoke straight ahead to avoid my peering eyes.
"I found out last night that he's dating my mom," I confessed, which still felt weird to say out loud.
Galen shook his head with a complacent smirk as if I'd just confirmed something he'd already assumed.
"Look, he's someone your mom trusts and his lawyers are golfing buddies with big names in Washington." Galen divulged, pausing to wait for the crosswalk light to change. "He's not a bad guy to have on your side...if you see things his way. At least, that's the impression I get, but I'm always wary of guys in the private sector, it's part of my job."
A car swerved around the corner, nearly drowning out my voice. "What is your job, exactly?"
Galen perched on one foot to grab the back of his toes and stretch out his quads while we waited for the light to change.
"Right now," he answered. "It's ensuring that Project Scion doesn't lose its most valuable asset."
"Aw, I feel so special," I teased as we stepped off the ledge of the sidewalk to cross the road.
"You are special," Galen said, twisting around to look me in the face this time. "You might not see it yet, but a lot of people already do, myself included."
He kept walking backward, giving me very intense eye contact, until I had to look away into the empty intersection.
"Well now you made it weird," I remarked, trying not to laugh out loud.
"So, you're going to have time to shower and do your lady business, but I need you out of the bathroom and fed by o-nine-hundred hours, understood?"
"What kind of lady business takes three and a half hours?" I answered, baffled.
We dodged between the perfectly symmetrical mega-bushes lining the front of our dull, concrete building headed for its rambling steps. Galen pushed the unremarkable door open after pausing for a quick retina scan on the black-screened keypad.
Galen tipped his head toward the security personnel manning the other side of the desk near the metal detectors. This had been our morning ritual for the past few weeks. Most of the guards were familiar with my face by now, but not all of them were welcoming of me (or used basic manners.) This morning, however, we were in luck.
"Morning, agent Smith!" James, a plump and kindhearted blonde man waved. "Ella! Good to see your smile!"
"Morning!" I grinned at his navy blue uniform.
"Hey!" Galen breezed past their squat checkpoint desk. "How are things going with that new guy, Francis?"
Just the mention of James' crush (who happened to work in the Scion lab) made his ruddy cheeks bloom with embarrassment. He ducked his head, rubbing his neck with a reserved chuckle.
"He made double fudge brownies, for everyone, and waited in the break room to drop them off while I was there," he recounted with a twinge of hope. "So I've seen him twice this week."
"Hold up," Galen pulled his mouth into a stern line. "That man made double fudge brownies?"
"They were gooey delicious," James smiled at the memory.
"Then you're in, James," Galen explained. "He went out of his way to make gooey brownies, and made sure to leave them in the break room when you were there? He's sending you signals!"
"That's what I said!" Gloria, according to her gold nametag, exclaimed. "He also said 'hi' to James when he dropped them off."
"And what did you say?" I asked him.
"Hi?" James replied, momentarily unsure of his flirting skills.
"That's good," Galen nodded, deadly serious. "Leave him wanting more."
"Yeah?" James brightened at Galen's encouragement.
"For sure," I said, sharing a knowing smile with Gloria. "Build that sexual tension."
"Wow, guys, thanks," James was grinning from ear to ear when Galen and I turned toward a bay of seven elevators.
"Aw, I really hope those two crazy kids get together," I remarked as the brushed silver doors slid shut.
"I don't think James knows what he's getting himself into," Galen mumbled as he selected our floor. "Dating someone who works in this building? It's brutal."
"Why?"
"You never have enough time to show up for the people you love," he answered quietly.
"Then why did you ask him about Francis in the first place?"
"I'm a hopeless romantic," Galen shrugged indifferently, keeping his chin tilted above my eye line. "And James is a good man, he deserves someone like Francis, who's totally into James by the way."
"Wha-at?" I dropped my mouth to squeak. "You should have told James that, not me!"
"Naw," Galen shook his head as the elevator slowed to a gentle bobbing stop. "If you don't earn it for yourself, you'll never appreciate what you've got."
The doors parted fluidly and Galen strode out ahead of me.
"Do you think someone like Varun could appreciate my mom?" I asked his back as I scooted to catch up.
"That's a good question to ask yourself," he replied.
"But I'm asking yourself," I insisted.
"I don't know Varun," Galen huffed. "I know he built his company from the ground up and used his considerable wealth to fund the campaigns of a lot of powerful people in DC. I know his lawyers have been incredibly difficult, and requesting clearances they shouldn't even have knowledge of. And now I know, he's dating your mom. You're going to be his partner in discovery, so I suggest you keep asking smart questions like that."
I could taste the resentment simmering under the collar of his sweat-wicking athletic shirt. Up ahead, two burly men in lackluster gray suits turned to watch us approach through their reflective aviator sunglasses (which they always wore indoors for reasons unknown.)
"I'll meet you here in three and a half hours, got it?" He asked as the secret service agents opened my front door.
I don't know about y'all, but Galen is swiftly becoming one of my favorite characters because, like Mac, he's able to keep up with Ella's banter. He's got a HUGE role in this story, so hopefully, you like him too! :)