Total words for whole Novel = 18,403
“That’s why we use cornorbots.” Zy leaned against him. She would fall down if she didn’t, at least, that’s what she kept telling herself. “They can process and we can talk, and talk, and talk. I have to get this murderer.”
“You need a break. At least an hour.”
“Can we get away from D’pa while we take a break?”
“A request for privacy is not what I expected from you.”
“If you let go of me, I fall down. That would be bad in front of D’pa.”
“Good point.” Xeryl shifted his hold a little. “Did you eat before starting this?”
“Knew I forgot something in my hurry. Don’t want to eat now.”
Xeryl made an exasperated sound. He leaned her against the stone block and held onto her shoulders. “You have to eat something.”
Zy pondered that “I can drink, something with gluclose. Can we get some hospitality or do we have to go to my saucer?”
He let go of her but waited a moment before going out the door. She was okay, she could walk. Besides, she needed another set of clothes. Her head spun, but she grabbed the door jamb. No slipping nor stumbling. Xeryl and D’pa spoke in undertones; she ignored them. “Mylte?”
Mylte straightened off the wall. “Yes, Mistress Zy?”
“Please go to the saucer and get me a clean jumpsuit like this one.” She gestured down, and saw the blood smeared on her knees. He looked doubtfully at the two whisperers. “It’s okay, the last thing they want is something to happen to me. Not when IGA knows I’m here.”
D’pa heard that and glared at her. Zy leaned against the door and started pulling off the gloves.
Mylte snapped his teeth together once. “Yes, Mistress Zy.” And moved down the corridor.
Xeryl took her arm. “There is a suite we can use. It’s this way.”
The shower had felt wonderful. Zy rubbed her scalp vigorously with the towel. She sat down before she tripped on the dusky purple bathrobe that was a smidge too long for her. “Can you fix me another drink?”
“Sugary concotions seem to bring out the best in you.” Xeryl’s voice moved across the room and glasses clinked.
“It’s only temporary, but I’d rather get the interviews done before eating.” She pulled the towel off her head and saw his bemused expression as he offered the glass. “What?”
“Nothing. I’m just admiring you in my bathrobe. Remarkable the way you two match, like you were fated to be.”
“Take a pic, it’ll last longer.”
“I would, but we sent the vidrecorder to the lab with the rest of your samples. Don’t worry, D’pa promised their technician was quite thorough. Apparantly, he gets a lot of practice on Ecan 2.”
She sipped the drink, feeling more awake as it slid down her throat.
“I heard something in your voice back in the crime scene that I never thought I would.” Zy looked up. So much for skipping serious flirting. But he wasn’t looking directly at her and his expression was grim. “Desperation. What’s wrong?”
“Wrong? Nothing’s wrong.”
“You can lie better than that.”
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