Free Pathline by Kaede Lazares Page B

round of drinks. 
    "So, Rook seems nice, I just don't think he trusts us much" Suri said, as they sat at a table awaiting their drinks. 
    "He's an AP super, I doubt trust comes easy. H ell, I don't trust easy and I've been working here for years" Blythe responded. 
    Suri nodded thoughtfully. "I guess spending most of your life hiding who you are would make anyone skeptical of others, still I think there's hope in winning him over, what do you think Rune?" 
    Rune smiled. "I think there's a chance, Rook is pretty good at giving people an opportunity to prove themselves." She chucked. " W as there another reason you were asking Suri?" 
    Blythe laughed . "Oh, she's been eyeing him since he walked into the training room , as soon as we were dismissed for the night she immediately volunteered to show him around." 
    Suri turned to glare at him, Rune laughed.  "I have not been eyeing him, I was just being friendly." 
    Blythe laughed. " Y ou've never looked at me with those kind of 'friendly' eyes . " 
    Suri threw a coaster at him as the drinks arrived.  After they'd all drank from their glasses, Suri turned to Rune ag ain. "So, is he even single?" 
    They all laughed. 
    "As a matter of fact, he is.  His best friend is also a R unner, and he regularly works with all kinds of supers, both mainstream and anomalous, so that shouldn't be an issue.  Although he's not a big fan of what he dubs ' media supers ' , but don't let h im get away with that crap. You just have to work your magic in the time it takes to finish this job, because he won't be sticking around afterwards.  The only reason he took the job in the firs t place was as a favor to me."
    Malik met her gaze for a moment; she gave him a small smile and padded his leg under the table reassuringly . 
    Suri nodded to herself. " O kay, good to know . " 
    Blythe laughed. " H ere comes the scheming.  So how long have you two known each other Rune, if I may be s o bold to ask?" he said. 
    "We worked together when we were younger , but we parted ways when I decided to join the agency ." 
    Blythe nodded . " S o he really doesn't like the government does he?" 
    Rune chuckled. " T o put it lightly . " 
    They finished their drinks and then Rune and Malik left them. 
    While they were waiting for the elevator Malik turned to her and asked, "Your room or mine?  Paperwork still hasn't gone thr ough ." 
    Rune shrugged. " W hatever's easiest, what floor are you on?" 
    They stepped into the elevator.
    "I'm on the fifth, but I stayed in your room last night as well, it seems like most of the team is on third, except apparently for Serk and me." 
    Rune pressed the button for the third floor. " Y ou two are more important, so you get a higher floor" she said jokingly. 
    Malik laughed. " S o what does it mean that I've been staying on the third floor?" 
    Rune turned to face him as they stepped off the elevator . " I t means you've been slumming it with the rest of us commoners . " 
    He laughed again as they walked down the hall.  He opened the door and let her in first.  S he smiled, all his things were there .  As soon as the door was closed he pulled her to him and kissed her deeply, running one hand along her back. 
    "Okay," he said pulling away, "about that talk" .  
    Rune stretched. " W ill you take the abridged version for now?" she asked , pulling off her jacket and tossing it aside. 
    "Depends on how abridged" Marcus said. 
    She took off her boots and grabbed her bag to change into her nightgown.  "I'll tell you a bedtime story; you can sleep on it then decide if you need to know more, how's that?" 
    He chuckled . " D o I have a choice?" 
    Rune grinned back at him. 
    Once they'd both changed and settled in the bed, Rune took a deep breath gathering her thoug hts.  She turned to face Marcus.
    "Ok ay .  Appreciation D ay has only existed for fifteen years, but supers have been around longer than that, and most people resented them back then.  My father