“Well, Rostok’s bank held the paper on the mortgage.”
“Rostok sold the place to you?” she asked, laughing. “I get it. He wants you to stay here and play watchdog. In case they come back.”
I grimaced slightly. I had come to a similar conclusion, but didn’t want to think about it in those terms. I preferred to call the house a trophy, a prize in return for a job well done—and also as payment for the house Robert had destroyed with his lava slugs. I shrugged, not wanting to dwell on my status with the Community and Rostok in particular. They saw me as both useful and annoying. An irritant that would be tolerated only as long as was necessary. I sensed they wouldn’t move against me for now, but I knew Meng still smoldered.
A few other things lingered in my mind. I could not stop thinking about Holly and all the others who had suffered. The Community wanted to blame the Gray Men—but many of the recent deaths could not be attributed to them. Tony, for instance, had died with his innards full of sand. As far as I knew, a weapon that could perform such an odd trick wasn’t in the Gray Man arsenal.
I didn’t know much about myself either. My prior life was still a hole in my mind, but I’d decided to forge new memories and get along with what I had. Something must have showed on my face, because Jenna stopped talking and eyed me curiously. I smiled and hoped she hadn’t just asked me anything important. She smiled back, and I knew I’d lucked out.
There were still mysteries unsolved. I still had work to do, but I didn’t want to spoil this moment with Jenna. I turned the conversation to Jenna herself and her plans for the future.
“Are you going home?” I asked her quietly. She’d come fully packed. Her rental car was bursting with suitcases. She’d been on many shopping sprees with the money she’d won from the casinos.
“I have to leave soon. But I could be convinced to stay a few days longer.”
I smiled slowly. I reached out and touched her elbow. She didn’t pull away, so I touched her shoulder lightly. She still hadn’t met my gaze, so I lifted her chin and kissed her.
Soon, I was doing my best to convince her. I had fresh hopes for the rest of the evening.
End of Technomancer