Slim Chance

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When Dane pulled in to pick Sean up, he looked pissed. Sean zipped his coat as he walked down his sidewalk to the Decrypter’s car, the sky darkening above. It was already past six and Sean was ravenous.

“If you picked a fast food place,” he began as he buckled and Dane pulled out.

“Calm down, professor, we’re going to a waffle bar.”

Sean didn’t think he’d heard right.

“What?”

“Damn. Thought you’d be happy,” said Dane, and sped to make a yellow light before it turned red.

“That’s not it,” said Sean, cringing. How Dane continued to drive like this when the roads were still snowy, he didn’t understand. “Bleu Falls has a waffle bar?”

“How long have you lived here?” asked Dane, stopping short of asking if Sean’s memory was going. “I gotta keep up with the competition. They do coffee too.”

“So we’re going to spy on them.” And not because Sean had an outrageous sweet tooth. “And here I thought you were thinking about me for once.”

“I am. They do beer and waffle pairings.”

Sean was surprised and impressed when they walked into Bad Waffle Awful. The place was dimly lit, the smell of batter and coffee heavy in the air. It turned out the place did everything from savory cornbread waffles topped with chili to chicken and waffles to an array of sweet options. By the time Sean had a decent look at the menu he had no idea what he wanted. Dane, however, seemed to have no such problem, skimming the menu once and setting it back down before leaning back and fixing Sean with a frown.

“This asshole you want me to look into,” he said. “Really worth a whole f*****g favor?”

Sean waved at him with a hand to get him to shut up.

“Just get the beer and waffle sampler platter.”

Sean sighed. It did look good, but there was a sweet and a savory option and he couldn’t make up his mind. When the waitress arrived and Dane ordered the savory version, Sean opted for the sweet. They sat there in silence after that, Sean glancing at the décor to keep from seeing Dane’s expression.

“We’re good, right?” asked Dane. He was crossing his arms, face set.

It occurred to Sean that Dane might be worried and he didn’t know what to think of that. He hadn’t dumped Dane over the situation with his parents, which made Sean figure he couldn’t do it until it was long past the point where he should. Still, he didn’t want to have this discussion now. He sighed and unrolled the silverware from his napkin.

“I’m here to eat waffles with you, and I’m here to discuss how you’re going to make things up to me. If that’s good, then we’re good.”

Dane relaxed.

“You know, professor, you’ve changed. Didn’t think you were the kind of asshole to force me to do s**t for you.”

“Must be your influence,” said Sean, annoyed. “And you said you’d make it up to me. I put up with a lot of crap for you.”

Dane smiled smugly. He opened his mouth but thankfully their food arrived then, two platters laden with four small waffles each, two boards with four sample-sized beers paired to the individual waffles. Sean forgot what they’d been talking about and dug into the first waffle, filled with lemon curd and topped with berries. A berry shandy accompanied it.

“Moan any louder and someone will report you,” said Dane.

Sean swallowed and composed himself. He could believe now Dane had been thinking of him when he decided to eat here. Dane knew him too well already and they hadn’t even been together a year. Admittedly Sean could get used to going out for apology waffles.

“A Lithe Fellow,” said Dane, cutting into Sean’s thoughts.

The new, horrifying image of Seth filled Sean’s mind and turned his skin cold. He set his fork down, sinuses aching, and reached for the shandy.

“You think your boss is one of those why?” Dane paused to fork cornbread waffle topped with chili into his mouth. “Hold the hell up—how do you know what a Lithe Fellow is?”

“He matches the description,” said Sean.

“Which is?”

Sean swallowed hard and forced himself to finish off the waffle. He could handle reliving the experience. He’d handled a lot of other s**t before; Seth couldn’t have unsettled him more than run-ins with Order Agents or members of the Family. Sean dug into a cherry cheesecake waffle and related to Dane what he’d seen when he’d gone to meet the head of the department.

“You could look more interested,” said Sean.

Dane was nearly done with his waffles at this point and seemed completely unimpressed with what Sean had said. He shrugged, finished off one of the beers, and picked his fork back up.

“Look, professor, there’s probably another explanation. That Guild been asking you to do any weird-ass mind rituals?”

Sean glared at him.

“There’s also the magic wells. Who knows the after effects of the dose you were given,” said Dane.

Sean wanted to strangle him.

“That has nothing to do with it, asshole, and thanks for bringing that one up.” Sean started the next beer even though he still had waffle that went better with the previous glass. Weeks ago, while captured, he’d had his arm forced into a stream of severely concentrated magic by someone who’d wanted to see whether he’d die from it. He hadn’t. But he still dreamt about it sometimes, early in the morning.

“I don’t think there’s been an Order sighting of a Lithe Fellow in decades,” said Dane.

“The hell? I thought you wanted to hunt down monsters. You complain all the time about being on ghost duty or having to map magic wells.”

Dane pushed his platter away. Sean frowned at him, examining him, trying to figure him out. Sometimes, Dane seemed so laughably simple, and now Sean got the feeling Dane wasn’t telling him something.

“It doesn’t matter. You’re looking into him for me.”

“For you? How could I say no,” said Dane. His voice was flat. “I’ll tail him for a week, we’ll call it good.”

“No, Dane,” said Sean, not about to let him off that easily. “You’re going to do more than that.”

“Like what? And anyway, the f**k do you want me to do about him if he is one?”

Sean blinked and looked up at Dane. He had his arms crossed again and was scowling.

“Doesn’t the Order have some policy…”

“I’m not technically supposed to kill non-human persons unless it’s self-defense, and handling a Lithe Fellow…It’s complicated. I’m only a friggin’ Decrypter.”

Every word sounded just shy of bitter, and it struck Sean why Dane was being so difficult on this. He wasn’t authorized to deal with something like a Lithe Fellow, or at least he wasn’t allowed to confront one. Lynne had implied Dane could do something, which Sean guessed was more along the lines of observation—exactly what Dane had offered. He frowned.

“I don’t understand Order regulations.”

“It’s over my damned pay grade,” said Dane.

“And you don’t want to call in anyone who’s allowed to handle it.” Sean nodded in understanding, but Dane glared away when he tried to make eye contact. “They’ll probably send Agent Simmonds.”

Neither of them voiced the thought the man was likely still in the area. After everything, the asshole wouldn’t have left. Dane gestured to the waitress and then pointed at one of his empty beer glasses.

“I’d really like one of these full size,” he said.

Sean picked up his fork again.

“I don’t understand why you suddenly care about the rules,” he said, mouth full.

“I don’t,” said Dane through gritted teeth. He still wasn’t saying everything.

“Did they put you on some sort of final warning?”

At first Dane looked like he wasn’t about to answer, then his beer arrived. After a few gulps he relented.

“Apparently breaking Simmonds’ nose twice was too f*****g far, and if you say you told me so, I’ll break yours.”

Sean raised an eyebrow at him. He understood. If Dane was kicked out of the Order, they’d strip him of everything, including his memories. He’d lose a huge chunk of his life, personal development—and Sean. Not to mention the process was painful, which Sean knew from previous experience. Just another thing he didn’t want to think about. Sean sighed.

“Unfortunately, you’re going to have to tell them something about it. I…asked Lynne to help me identify him. She’s going to report in.”

“Oh, f**k you.”

“But the good news is, if you’re allowed to tail and observe, the Order can get you closer, can’t they? Well, I want you close.”

“Really screwed with your head that much? After all you’ve been through?”

“And most of it was your fault,” said Sean, setting his fork down on his empty plate. “Rich coming from you, too, Dane. I’ve seen what some of the s**t has done to you.”

Dane bristled, had a drink.

“How close?” he asked.

“At the college. In the humanities building. As close as you can get to him.”

“And you think the Order can just make that happen.”

“I’m teaching an eight-week class,” said Sean. He tried to hold back a smile. Dane was going to hate this. “There’s one or two more in the building. Ever wanted to be a transfer student?”

“Hell no,” said Dane.

“But the Order can do that?”

Dane finished his beer, all the answer Sean needed.

“Great. I can take you notebook shopping this weekend.”

“f**k off, dad.” Dane pulled out his wallet, clearly itching to leave.

“It’s not going to be that bad.” None of the classes were particularly difficult that Sean knew. “Unless he tries anything with you. But as you said, self-defense.”

Dane opened his mouth to say something, then shut it. He knew he had to go along with Sean, at least if he wanted a chance at them staying together. Sean didn’t even feel all that sorry for him—dealing with Dane’s parents had been just shy of traumatic and as far as favors, he could have found something worse. Dane paid and drove them back to Sean’s, but didn’t shut off the car when he pulled in the driveway.

“What, not coming in for seconds?” asked Sean.

“Yeah, I’m not feeling that into you right now,” said Dane.

“Bed instead of bags of coffee,” said Sean, almost shocked. Turning down s*x was not something Dane made a habit of. “My ass.”

“Go the f**k home to your snake.”

Sean opened the door.

“See you tomorrow,” said Dane, and pulled out immediately after Sean slammed the door shut.