Free His Favorite Girl by Steph Sweeney Page A

would be escorting me to Level E in less in four hours, but what good would it do?  What information would I possibly gain from the experience that would help our cause?  Bringing down this company was tantamount to the concept of bringing about world peace.  A nice thought, sure, but reality argues against it.
    When the knock came, Liu displayed more excitement than I did.  She answered the door for Patton, who arrived in his usual suit with an unbuttoned collar.  I was delighted to see him peering over Liu's head, searching me out despite her attempt to steal his attention.
    We met eyes and he smiled.
    I pushed myself off the couch, ready to cry, and went to him.
    "I need to talk to you."
    "Okay."
    "Outside.  Now."
    I pushed him into the hall, closed the door behind me.
    Before I could speak, he put his arms around me.   I hugged back, but I was so weak from sleep deprivation that I hardly had the strength to hold my arms up.
    "You okay?" he asked.
    "Just tired."
    "Did you get any sleep?"
    "Not much."
    "I can tell.  What's wrong?"
    I leaned against him, trusting him to hold me up.  "Sean is taking me to Level E at noon."
    He pulled away.  I staggered.
    " What ?"  His voice echoed down the hall.
    I held onto him to balance myself.  "He's taking me up to see the soldier."
    "Why?"
    "I asked him to."
    "And he agreed."
    "Yep."
    "That's . . . unusual."
    I looked up and found a strange expression on his face, brow curled, corners of his mouth hooking slightly downward.  Confusion, concern--jealousy?  Whatever his emotional state, he was cute enough to bite.
    If only I had the energy.
    " I wanted to tell you about it first," I said, burying my face in his chest.  "To find out what you need from up there.  What are you looking for?"
    With my ear pressed against him, I could hear his lungs filling with air, then deflating.  "I don't know," he said.  "Nothing specific just yet.  I just have a feeling he's got something we can use against him.  Otherwise, why would he be so guarded?  None of us can get to Level E without his invitation, and even then our access is limited.  But now . . . now Sean gets the key to the whole floor?  Something bad is happening.  I don't think you should go up there."
    Listening to his voice lulled me into a dreamlike state, and while I caught everything he said, it took a moment for that last sentence to hit home.
    When it did, I jerked away from him.
    "Oh, I'm going," I said.  "I have to."
    "Melissa, Sean is dangerous."
    I gave him a mean look.  "I believe I fucking know that."
    He nodded and spoke softly.  "Then don't go.  For me.  Please.  If you get hurt, I don't know what I'll do."  He reached up to caress my cheek.
    I pulled away.
    "Either I'm in this or I'm not, Patton.  You need to make a decision.  Am I supposed to sit in this room all day waiting for you to come and fuck me?  Is that the role you envisioned for me?"
    "No, of course not."
    "Then you do want my help."
    "Yes."
    "Can I ask a question?"
    "Go ahead."
    "Why?"
    "Why what?"
    "Why do you want my help?  What good could I possibly do?  I have no power over anyone--besides Flora, until the money runs out."
    "You have more power than you think," he said.  "Let's just leave it at that.  I have to get to work."
    He kissed me on the forehead and stepped past me, opening the door.  "You ready, Liu?" he called.
    Liu popped out almost instantly, which meant she was probably standing on the other side of the door eavesdropping.
    "I'll come see you before noon," Patton said.
    "Good.  This conversation isn't over."
    I stood there with my arms crossed and a bulled-up expression on my face, watching Liu skip like a child next to Patton, trying to get his attention.  He didn't so much as glance at her, but then they turned the corner and suspicion swelled like a malignant tumor inside me.
    He could be pushing her against the wall and ripping her panties off right now, an earshot away.  She could have her hand on