Part 21 (2/2)
The black-haired nerd moved beside the machine. ”Are you here for the movie convention too?” He pushed the gla.s.ses up his nose.
Ross nodded, trying to keep his face turned downward. ”I was there today.”
”Dude. Great make-up. You look exactly like that Stephen Dagger character,” Curly said.
”Thanks.” The jeans and t-s.h.i.+rt did not in any way resemble any of the wardrobe items from SpyMatrix. Cla.s.sic. Even in a t-s.h.i.+rt from Bubbaland he looked like Stephen Dagger.
”Although the hair isn't exactly right. You need more of a curl over your forehead.”
”I appreciate the tip,” Ross replied, eyes on the machine.
”I suppose the big gun is in your room,” the redhead remarked.
”Yeah.”
”Too bad. I bet it's great.”
Ross turned back toward them. ”You have no idea.”
”Maybe we'll see you at the convention tomorrow.”
Ross nodded.
Each nerd held up a hand with a 'v' between their fingers. ”Live long and prosper.”
Ross tried to return the gesture. ”Go with the force.”
The nerds snickered and ambled down the hallway before they turned the corner and disappeared out of sight.
Examining his munchy choices, Ross considered the relative nutritional merits of peanuts versus crackers covered with some sort of cheesy substance. ”Wow,” he muttered as he spotted the package of condoms offered on the last row.
”Y'all gonna be there all night?” A male voice said behind him in a southern drawl.
Fab. ”I shan't be a moment.” Forcing his eyes away from the condoms, Ross considered the 'food' choices. Perhaps a bag of crisps -er, potato chips. Potatoes were a vegetable. Oh Lord, Mo's illogic had turned contagious.
”Huh?”
”What I'd really like is some greasy bangers and mash,” Ross mumbled to himself, still staring into the machine.
”What did you say to me? Did you say you want to bang me?”
Ross turned to see a familiar figure with a t-s.h.i.+rt that proclaimed ”DeWayne does it better”. Ross didn't want to think about what it the s.h.i.+rt referenced. Another encounter with North Carolina DeWayne was bad enough. Savannah must be the smallest big town on earth.
”I was talking about food. I most certainly did not say I wanted to bang you.”
”It's you.” DeWayne obviously recognized Ross in return. ”The famous super spy that likes to insult folks.”
”I don't insult anyone.”
DeWayne looked back as if to check whether his wife had witnessed the conversation. ”If you were talking about food then what was that about banging.”
”I'm speaking the Queen's English, my dear man.”
”Queen. That's a gay guy, aint it? Are you sayin' I'm gay?”
”Your mental acuity is astonis.h.i.+ng.”
DeWayne stood there with his mouth hanging open for two full seconds before speaking. ”I never woulda thought you swished that way.” DeWayne smiled. ”Ya know, I gotta admit that it's kinda nice that a big celebrity thinks I'm a cutie. I'm sorry to disappoint ya, but I don't play for that team, if ya know what I mean.”
”I'm devastated,” Ross said as he tossed some coins into the machine and then punched in his selection. When the bag of crisps fell, he grabbed them from the dispenser. He had just obtained a candy bar for Mo, when one more item in the vending machine caught his eye. He couldn't resist, so Ross punched in the number for the condoms.
As Ross walked away, DeWayne still had a silly smile on his face.
”I can't believe Stephen Dagger thinks I'm a cutie. Too bad I can't tell Marvelene.”
That guy was seriously insane. Unfortunately, DeWayne and his Marvelene weren't the worst he and Mo had to cope with. Gigantor and his boss loomed as bigger threats to contend with.
When Ross arrived back at the room, Mo was nowhere in sight. She must still be in the bath. After Ross placed the candy on the bedside table, he walked over to the bathroom door to knock on its particleboard surface.
”Are you all right in there?” he asked. He heard a splash. Images of Mo emerging from the bath flashed through his mind, shooting fire through his body.
”Yes. I'll be out in a minute.”
There were two full sized beds in the room. Looking at them led his mind to wander to some unsavory possibilities. Things he and Mo could do on one of those beds... or maybe both of them. Ross fought to reign in his thoughts. That was the sort of behavior Mo didn't need after the stress of the day. Some Neanderthal jumping on her the second she left the bathroom would definitely be unwelcome.
Ross sat down on one of the beds. Then it struck him. He'd never even thought of ringing Heather. She at least deserved a warning about Gigantor lurking at the hotel, if he wasn't too late already. And beside that, if he could reach her, she might be able to provide answers to some very pertinent questions.
He picked up the motel room phone and then dialed for an outside line. He punched in Heather's cell phone number. A pad of paper with the motel logo and a pen lay beside the phone. Ross picked up the pen and doodled. One ring, two, three, four. Dammit the thing had gone to voicemail. He heard a click, then the familiar message in Heather's sultry voice.
”You know what to do. If you're anyone I want to speak to, I'll call you back. If not, I won't.”
He waited for the beep and then spoke. ”Heather, it's Ross. Don't go back to the hotel. I don't know what's going on, but one of the guys you and Clarence seem to be involved with is there. We need to talk about all this.”
His message was interrupted by a beep, which signaled the end of the allowed recording time. b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l. She wouldn't even be able to call him back since his cell phone had died and wouldn't be resurrected without the charger in his hotel room-the four star room.
After a few seconds, Ross dialed out to Heather again. This time she answered.
”It's Ross.” He scratched the word ”Heather” in block letters over and over on the pad.
”Ross? Where are you? This isn't your cell phone number.”
”Where I am is immaterial.”
”And who are you with?” she demanded. ”Are you with that woman? The one that reporter asked me about? The one you were kissing?” She didn't pause for him to answer. ”Don't bother denying it. Stewart showed me the photo on his digital camera.”
”I'm not denying anything,” Ross started.
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