PHENOMENAL GIRL 5 Page 6

  “Thank you for taking care of Miss Dupree for me.”

  “Well, I don’t think I scared her off for good,” I said, not liking the mention of the society chick in our fading moment. “She said she was going to arrange a private dinner for you to discuss things away from your uppity servants. Or something to that effect.”

  “I will just be too busy for her calls. Mayhew will have to take a message.”

  “That’s cold.”

  “To Miss Dupree?”

  “To Mayhew.”

  He laughed. “I need something to keep me busy so I do not have to speak with her. Would you like to go into town with me?”

  “We don’t have to teleport, do we?” I asked, cautious.

  “No, I still need to let my powers rest after last night.”

  I frowned. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

  “Fine, fine.” He waved away my concern. “You will be glad to know that since you do have a spark of magic, your body should adjust to teleportation travel quicker.”

  “I’ll wait to test that theory. Can we take one of your cars?”

  “How about the Roadster?”

  I did a little bounce. “You don’t have to ask me twice. Let’s go!”

  “I will tell Mayhew we will eat dinner in town.”

  “Great!” I said. That sounded a bit like a date. Okay, it was probably more like two coworkers grabbing a bite at some local diner, but still…he was turning down an invitation with the skinny rich girl to have dinner with me. It wasn’t like that happened all the time.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “This car is awesome,” I said, running a hand along the dashboard.

  “Thank you,” he said, flashing me a quick grin. “It is one of my favorites.”

  “So, let me ask you something,” I said, eying him. “You’ve lived for hundreds of years, and you retain the knowledge of the ages…”

  “Knowledge of the ages, eh?” he repeated with a soft chuckle. “Is that what the public relations representatives for the Elite Hands of Justice say?”

  “It’s what the textbooks say, my friend,” I replied, reaching back to pull the ponytail holder out of my hair, letting it fly loose in the wind. (Yes, it tangles, but it is an exhilarating sensation.) I turned to catch him staring at me as if transfixed.

  He snapped his eyes back to the road. “So, is there a question in there?”

  I turned my head, feeling a self-satisfied smirk cross my face at catching him watching me. “I just want to know if the ‘I have no social skills or tact’ line is an act, or have you really learned nothing about people in all those years?”

  “Well, what do you think?” he asked, turning on to the town’s main drag.

  “I think it’s more of a test. I think you like to see how people react.”

  “You think I am manipulative?”

  I laughed. “I’ve known you for about a day now, and I know you’re manipulative!”

  “Let us just say, I have had years experience of suffering fools, and I do not do so lightly anymore. If that is lack of tact…I would suggest that people who act a certain way deserve to be called on it.”

  “Interesting. So you were feeling me out?”

  “Pardon?”

  “Yesterday. Were you just making all those snarky comments to get a rise out of me?”

  “Snarky?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Never mind. It’s like pulling teeth!”

  He laughed, and I smiled in spite of myself. We already had an easy, comfortable way of being together, and after everything we had been through, it seemed like we had known each other for weeks instead of a measly twenty-four hours.

  “Thanks for taking me into town,” I said. “It’s nice to be able to go somewhere without having to fly in. Or teleport, for that matter.”

  “Well, you can borrow one of my cars whenever you want. My former partners liked to use the ’67 Mustang.”

  “Really?” I tried to keep my car giddiness internal, yet couldn’t help but grin. “I’ll hold you to that promise.”

  “I am sure you will.”

  “So, where are we going?”

  “My favorite restaurant. Tuscani’s.”

  Okay, so this wasn’t a quick bite at a diner with a coworker.

  I was glad his quirk of always dressing up had compelled me to do the same before we left the mansion. “I’ve heard about it but never been.”

  “I am surprised you have not.”

  “It’s a little out of my price range.”

  “Then are you not glad you have a wealthy partner footing the bill?”

  “You’re a generous date,” I joked. Then I realized what I’d said and tried to backtrack. “Not that this is a date. I just meant that you’re not cheap like the guys I’ve actually dated.” I snapped my mouth shut before more damage could be done.

  Either he didn’t notice my embarrassment or he chose not to acknowledge it.

  “So if you do not go to good restaurants, where does your usual date take you?”

  “Out for pizza, I guess,” I said. “It’s been so long since I’ve dated, I don’t remember. My focus has been on the work lately.” Okay, so my focus had always been on work, but he didn’t need to know that.

  “A focus on work is not a bad thing. Look where it has gotten you.”

  “True. My friend Selena always said I have tunnel vision. I set my sights on a goal and ignore everything else to achieve it, and I’ve wanted to be in the EHJ since I discovered I had powers.”

  “Determination and drive can both be good qualities,” he observed.

  “I just don’t want them to overtake me completely. I want to meet someone eventually. I don’t want to become one of those reclusive heroes who only live for the job and barely come out of their secret hideout.”

  He gave me a pointed look as he pulled up in front of the restaurant. “Ouch.”

  I knew I could babble on and get myself in deeper, or I could be brutally honest. He was one who liked to dish it out, so I hoped he could take it.

  “I don’t mean to be insulting, but no, I don’t want to end up like you. My father died before I was born and my mother shortly after, so I’ve never had a family. I’d like to have one someday. Not now,” I quickly amended. “I want my career first, of course. But I know I need to set my tunnel vision sights on that at some point, or I’m going to spend my whole life alone.”

  “I have had a family many times over,” he said. “And I am still alone.”

  He opened the door and got out, but not before I caught a glimpse of the sadness and pain in his eyes. I felt a wave of sympathy for him. It must be hard to lose everyone you care about and still continue on.

  A valet opened the car door for me, and I got out and followed Robert. The doorman held the restaurant door open for us to pass through, and then we were inside the dark mahogany of Tuscani’s. People came for the cozy atmosphere of this current “it” restaurant—which was heightened by the fires burning in hearths in every corner—and of course to be seen.

  “Mister Elliot, so good to see you.” The maître d’ glided up to us. “Right this way to your table.”

  “After you,” Robert said, putting a light hand on the small of my back. Was he finding excuses to touch me, or was it innocent? I couldn’t tell. I wished this were one of those moments when he was brutally honest.

  We were escorted to a cozy little table in the back, near one of the fireplaces, but not near enough that we would roast. The waiter came to take our drink orders. I deferred to the voice of experience, and Robert ordered us a bottle of wine I assume was a vastly good year, considering the way the waiter’s eyes lit up.

  He returned with the bottle and glasses. They went through the whole rigmarole with the cork, tasting the wine, all while I studied the menu and tried to figure out what to order. No prices were listed; I guess if you needed to know, you couldn’t afford to eat there, so it was impossible to tell what the most expensive item on the menu was an
d avoid it. There’s an assumption about the woman who orders the lobster on the first date—Oh, but this wasn’t a date. The romantic atmosphere was making me forget.

  The wine was pronounced drinkable, and I sipped it while Robert ordered his food in Italian. He could cast spells in the language and order dinner; he was handy to have around.

  The waiter turned his attention to me. I looked at Robert. “You’ve been here before, order me something good.”

  He nodded, spouted off something in rapid-fire Italian, and the waiter disappeared, menus in hand.

  “You will take a chance on my tastes?” he asked.

  “I trust anyone with such fantastic taste in cars.”

  He smiled. “So, tell me something about one of your teams. The adventures you have had so far.”

  “Only if you’ll tell me about working with the EHJ.”

  “Alright. You go first.”

  I was hesitant at first, but as he nodded and laughed at appropriate times, seeming genuinely interested, I got more into the storytelling. I never thought my life was all that exciting, especially to someone like him, but somehow I managed to blab straight through the several courses.

  “…And then, Ignition and Titantrix start throwing cars at each other. Cars! We’re all trying to calm them down before more collateral damage is done, and then they pick up the team leader Ripshot’s car,” I said as the waiter removed our plates and gave us salads. Salad after appetizers and two main courses? Fancy restaurants confuse me.

  “So, then what happened?”

  “Well, of course he’s mad, but there’s not much he can do about it because his power is more battle strategy-based than strength. So he tells me to go get it. I didn’t want to get in the middle of a lovers spat, but what could I do?”

  “What did you do?”

  “Well, I grabbed the car away from them and they both turn on me—How dare I get involved in their business?—and then the police show up, guns out, and that’s when everyone else takes advantage of the distraction to tackle Ignition and Titantrix to the ground. The police are all just staring, like, ‘What the hell is this?’ We’re heroes, we’re not supposed to be acting like children! Although the median age of the Red Knights was about seventeen, so we weren’t that far out of kid-range, though we were all super-geniuses or had been sidekicks for years. Anyway, Ignition and Titantrix are hauled off to jail, and the whole time I’ve been holding the car up. I finally get to set it down, and as soon as I do, Ripshot’s all over it, checking to see if his baby’s been injured. And he turns to me and says, ‘You scratched the hood, Phenomenal Girl Five.’ ”

  “I can imagine how that was concluded.”

  “So, yeah. I punched him.” I took a nibble of salad, wanting to save room for dessert. “And so now everyone’s mad at me, big surprise, and we spent the ride back home in the Knight Jet in utter silence.”

  “Why was it not a surprise they were all mad at you?”

  I shrugged. “I was always the odd man out. My teammates all wanted to save the world, of course, but they also wanted to gossip about who was dating whom and go to the clubs in their off-time. I was Brainy Lainey with her nose stuck in a book who wanted to be in the EHJ when she grew up. I didn’t fit in with the regular kids at my public school because I lived in a foster home; then it was because I had powers, and once I got to the School, it was because I was younger than most of them, a bit on the chunky side, and a big nerd.” I sighed. “You ever feel like you don’t fit in anywhere?”

  He stared at me. “What do you think?”

  I gave a soft, humorless laugh. “Oh, yeah. Forgot who I was talking to, the king of loners.”

  He took a drink of wine. “Sometimes it is better to be apart.”

  “That doesn’t make it any less lonely.”

  “No, it does not,” he agreed.

  I eyed him over the rim of my wine glass. “Okay, let’s not ruin this good food with brooding. Now it’s your turn. Tell me about working with the EHJ.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Well, for starters, why’d you quit?”

  “I did not quit, obviously, since you are here.”

  “Why were you taken off the active members list, then?” I rolled my eyes. “Mister Literal.”

  “That is not necessarily a less brooding topic of conversation. And I do not know if I should explain it to you.”

  “Why not?”

  “It might discourage you from joining.”

  “Are you kidding? I’m already in, Robert. I’ve been working toward this my whole life.”

  “That is exactly why I do not want to ruin it for you.”

  “It’s not going to ruin it for me, I promise.”

  He sighed and took another sip of wine. “Well then, to tell you the truth, the fun went out of it.”

  “That’s it?” I leaned back in my chair. “I was expecting a big revelation and you just tell me that you were bored?”

  “That is all, but that is enough. The Elite Hands of Justice became very political. It became more about helping the right kind of people, making the right impression, hiring the right hero who would get noticed and bring some connection to the team, than about helping people. And when there were not enough high-profile cases in America to suit them, they started doing work overseas. When they got bad press about interfering and trying to take over the world or some sort of rubbish, they decided to opt for space travel.”

  “Aliens aren’t going to say ‘Those weird Earthlings are interfering’?”

  “I am sure they do, but their press releases and opinion polls do not reach us.”

  I laughed. “And I can tell you aren’t into politics.”

  “You live long enough, you find out that politics are a meaningless waste of time and energy. Karl Marx once said that religion is the opiate of the masses. Now he would say our publicized political system is the opiate of the masses: people parroting the rhetoric of their designated side, never bothering to check the facts for themselves or allowing anyone to disagree with them, because their side is always right.”

  “Oh, did I set off a rant?”

  He laughed. “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay. I’m very anti-partisan too. I think both sides are equally ridiculous.”

  “I have fought in one too many wars over the years—some that were actually trying to stop evil, and some that were not. And some worthy causes and soldiers were spit upon because of politics. I thought the Elite Hands of Justice were the last bastion of good faith—of people trying to right wrongs, regardless of what others thought, just to make the world a better and safer place. And the people respected them for it.”

  “But not anymore.”

  “I am not saying they are not still seeking to make the world a better place, just that they care now about what others think. And now no one respects them for it.”

  “Well, you’re not discouraging me,” I said, taking a forkful of the delicious cheesecake that had appeared at some point during his tirade.

  “Well, I am glad, then. I think someone of your determination and idealism would be good for the team.”

  “Thanks.” My cheeks warmed at the compliment and the way he looked at me when he said it. “And you know something else? I think you should go back, too.”

  “What ever for?”

  “To change it. You’ve had a hand in picking and training these new recruits; you probably know them better than their teammates. You know who’s decent and who’s not. Get rid of the waste and turn the team back to what it stood for.”

  He laughed. “You make a convincing argument.”

  “But you should finish training me first. Then you should come with me.”

  “You want me to come with you?”

  “Well! This is the last place I expected to find you!”

  We both jumped as a huffy tornado stood by our table, fuming. It was Victoria Dupree.

  “Good evening, Miss Dupree, and how are you?” Robert said.
His tone was pleasant and yet still conveyed that he couldn’t possibly care.

  “I thought you were unavailable for dinner.” Victoria’s tone was shrill. “And then I find you out with some little tramp young enough to be your daughter!”

  I stared at her in shock. Wow, talk about overreacting.

  “My assistant and I had matters to go over in town and we decided to stop to eat before returning home.”

  She gaped at me. “You’re that rude girl? Never mind, I don’t care. Robert, I need to speak to you.”

  “Well, I am busy, but if you would like to call the house tomorrow, I am sure Lainey can set up an appointment for you.”

  “And you’ll show up this time?”

  “If it is about that trifling party, then no. Lainey is taking care of that.”

  “I’ll take care of all of that,” she hissed. “I need to speak to you about private matters.”

  I was uncomfortable watching this exchange. She was just a little too wound up to only be bent on snagging him. That was more the tone of an ex.

  “Fine, then. Call the house tomorrow. Lainey will check my schedule and pick a convenient time.”

  I nodded. “First thing on the agenda tomorrow. Robert.”

  She shot me a nasty look at the use of his name. I maintained a bored expression that only seemed to irritate her more.

  “Fine. I will,” she snapped, stomping away.

  Robert and I looked at each other. And then burst out laughing.

  “That was dinner and a show,” I said, trying to stifle my giggles before I started snorting.

  “Get her an appointment for fifteen minutes, no more. That is about all I can stomach.”

  “She’ll love the ‘rude girl’ even more.”

  “She needs to give up the idea of ever landing my money.”

  “Well, I hate to tell her this, but coming over and throwing high drama all over the place is not a way to win friends and influence people,” I said with another laugh, tossing my hair back. “Wow, I’ve never been ‘some little tramp’ before. It’s kind of exciting.”

  He leaned forward to speak in my ear. “Do you think you could have this much fun with the Elite Hands of Justice?”