Chapter 72 (1/2)

”So that's the situation,” Dan said to Abby, after summarizing the events of his latest Academy class. ”Thoughts?”

They were sat together in the kitchen of an Austin condominium, while Abby nursed a cup of hot coffee. The place was a rental, just large enough to be called extravagant, and tastefully decorated. Dan doubted that Abby even noticed. She was dressed in lounge-wear and slippers, with her hair pulled into a lazy bun. Dan's question was answered with a sleepy hum, and a lazy dip of her head. The cup raised up, and caffeine was ingested.

”Well, you gotta go,” she mumbled into her mug. ”No telling what she'll do if you don't. Not worth the risk.”

Dan nodded in agreement. ”Probably true.”

Abby took another draw from her cup, then sat back with a sigh. She turned towards Dan, biting her lip. ”Are we being too paranoid here?”

”About Matilda?” Dan asked for clarity.

She nodded nervously. ”I mean, would cooperating with her really be so bad? If your professor's story is true, then she might just be genuinely be interested in natural powers.”

”You're waffling again, sweetheart,” Dan observed dryly. They'd been back and forth on this topic since it had first come up weeks ago. Abby's opinion tended to violently swing between advocating Matilda's utility for Dan's growth, and wanting to strangle the woman for having the audacity to blackmail him.

Abby groaned into her coffee mug. ”I know! This is so annoying!” She set down her beverage, sliding the cup away from herself, then let her head fall onto the table with a thump.

”Ugh.”

Dan snickered at her dramatics, his tension being chased away by her mere presence.

Abby's face turned so that her cheek laid flat against the wood. Her eyes found Dan, and narrowed accusationally. ”This is serious, Danny!”

He held up his hands defensively. ”I know, I know.” Though, he couldn't quite stop his own giggles. ”Why— snerk! Why do you think we're overreacting? Matilda's been nothing but shady from the very moment I spoke to her.”

”It's just...” Abby sat up, flailing for an explanation. ”Look.” She reached over to him, snagging his hand with her own. Her fingers wound through his. ”You're amazing, Danny. Really.”

”I don't like the direction this is going,” Dan announced quickly.

”But,” Abby pressed on, ”you're not really all that important.” A moment passed, then her eyes widened. She tugged harder on his hand, quickly exclaiming, ”You're important to me, of course! Just, not to, uh,” her free hand gestured frantically, ”to others. Really.” Her rambling explanation was punctuated by a large wince.

Well, that was quite the blow to Dan's pride. She wasn't wrong, but still.

”So what you're trying to say,” Dan attempted to translate her disjointed explanation, ”is that she can't be lying about only being interested in my power, because my power is the only thing for her to be interested in?”

”Not exactly how I'd phrase it, but yes. Basically,” Abby agreed, with another wince. ”I mean, nobody else on Earth knows about your special circumstances, so it can't be that. I guess it could be some sort of convoluted plot to get access to me through you, but I don't know why anyone would use such a roundabout strategy. Or maybe a retaliation for interfering in those bombings a while ago? I don't know, it just seems like we're overthinking this.”

”Well, putting aside the fact that she's gone about expressing her interest in the most sinister way possible, admitting that I'm a Natural gives her a certain amount of leverage over me,” Dan pointed out. Leverage that he didn't want in the hands of a complete stranger, especially one who seemed as untrustworthy as Matilda.

”So never admit it,” Abby replied with a shrug. ”You've already said that you aren't. Just keep playing the mutate card, but pretend you're an idiot who hadn't noticed certain parts of your mutation.

”And, in the meantime, let her coach me?” Dan questioned incredulously. Seems they'd come full circle, and Abby had talked herself back into supporting a fragile accord with Matilda.

She shrugged, confirming Dan's thoughts. ”She uses you, you use her. Everyone's happy. Or, at least, everyone gets what they want.”

It wasn't a terrible plan. He might even have to follow it.

But he couldn't shake the uncertain feeling in his gut.

”This would be so much easier to swallow if she didn't act like a bad horror movie trope,” Dan said, trying to explain his feelings. ”I don't want to be that moron in a slasher movie who ignores the obvious serial killer.”

Abby giggled, squeezing his hand affectionately. ”I don't think things actually work like that, here in reality, Danny. If all the evil people in the world spent their time cackling and acting creepy, life would be a lot simpler.”

Maybe she was right. Maybe it didn't work that way. Not always, at least.

But Dan wasn't about to start second-guessing himself. If he was wrong, then he was wrong, but for now, he'd rather trust his gut and keep the upgrade analyst at arm's length. He could find a compromise, between Abby's suggestion and his own intense desire to to have nothing to do with the woman. And if his decision resulted in a less cordial relationship with Matilda than he might otherwise be able to achieve?

Fuck it, he had never liked the woman anyways.

Dan returned Abby's smile and pulled her close. ”I guess we'll see.”

Dan ended up scheduling his appointment with Matilda for later that week. The devious upgrade analyst had cheerfully provided him a time, a date, and an emailed picture of a small office. The photo was accompanied by a not-at-all subtle hint for him to simply teleport in at the arranged hour.

Dan called Fred, got the address of where she'd held his meeting, then took a cab.