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“I just crashed,” Sophie admitted.
“I’m so sorry to hear about Agent Guerrero,” Beth said, looking over to Maia, who nodded solemnly.
Will came back to take the newcomers’ drink orders.
Plopping down on the chair beside her, Beth asked, “So what are you going to do with the lab?”
“The damage is mostly in the hallways. It will probably be a couple of days before I’d let Polly and Jan go back.” Sophie looked at Stephen. “Have you heard from Divergent?”
“Yes, they’ll be cleaning up and assessing any structural damage from the little explosion you caused. Forensics was still at Silver Fire Research today.”
“The lab and offices were locked, right?”
Stephen nodded. “By the way, Sophie. I got you a new phone, same number.”
When her friend handed her the device, Sophie got off her chair and hugged him. “I’m so sorry I nearly got us killed yesterday.”
“Hush, sweetie,” Stephen murmured into her hair. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“It’s mine more than you know.”
“It wasn’t, Sophie,” Maia said firmly. “Do not blame yourself for the work of others.”
“Listen to Maia, baby girl,” Beth said softly.
“Well, now,” Stephen said as he lifted his head to stare at Sophie mischievously. “How did the evening with Lockwood go?”
“I slept with him.”
Maia snorted her drink and it spewed everywhere. Sophie started patting the Guardian’s back. Stephen and Beth were staring at Sophie in disbelief.
“He said nothing happened!” Maia said furiously when she had recovered.
“I said we slept together. Slept. Nothing happened,” Sophie declared merrily, enjoying the brief shock on their faces.
Beth’s brow shot up. “Well, I’ll be damned. Lockwood losing his touch or something?”
“Hardly,” Sophie said enigmatically. “But I’m finding out I don’t like to kiss and tell.”
“Sophie Leroux!” Beth said in mock anger. “How dare you keep things from your best friend.
The four of them continued exchanging banter as a second and then a third round of drinks were ordered. The bar got packed as Friday night got into full swing. Every seat at the bar was taken and it was pushing two people deep all around. Sophie should have stopped at two drinks; the third martini was making her feel woozy.
“You doing OK?” asked a pleasant-looking man who was seated beside her. Sophie squinted her eyes and looked closely at him. He was plain-looking, but his spectacles gave him that intelligent nerdy look that Sophie always found so adorable and safe to be around.
“Yes,” Sophie replied and smiled.
“Justin,” the man introduced himself and held out his hand.
“Sophie.” They shook hands.
“You a student around here?”
“No. Just hanging out with some friends. You?”
“Third year, Political Science. So what do you do?”
Sophie hesitated. “I’m a nuclear physicist.” Gosh, she hoped she didn’t come off too snobby.
