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“Actually, I snuck out,” she told IKE.
He sucked in a breath. “That bad?”
“It was actually very good. He broke my streak,” she said with a grin. It was strange that she wasn’t freaking out. She had a fucking bomb strapped to her. But despite all that, I was curious about what exactly I broke.
“Streak of what?” I asked curiously.
“Remember the ex?”
I nodded, remembering the hair job after her bastard boyfriend cheated on her. So, she hadn’t slept with anyone since then. In a sense, I popped her cherry.
“So, you left him in the middle of the night,” IKE continued.
“Well, I had a flight to catch. It turns out I might have wanted to miss that flight. Then I wouldn’t be strapped in, ready to explode.”
“We’ll get you out,” I said reassuringly.
IRIS stopped what he was doing and looked up at me. “We? I’m sorry, what are you doing other than distracting me?”
“I’m distracting her so she doesn’t freak out on you,” I pointed out.
“Oh, I won’t freak out. Simon told me it would be quick.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, not wanting to ask the next question. “Simon?”
“The bomber,” she grinned. “He was very nice.”
“He strapped you to a bomb!” I exploded. “That doesn’t make him nice!”
“Well, he was just doing his job, trying to survive. I can’t blame him for that.”
I stared at her incredulously. I didn’t get it. What kind of person didn’t panic when they were about to die? “You do realize that if IRIS can’t dismantle this bomb, you’re going to be blown to bits.”
“Way to keep her calm,” IRIS muttered.
“Yes, I’m aware of what will happen. And it sucks, but what are you going to do? Oh, by the way, if things do go south, can you go back to my apartment and get my cat and goldfish?”
There were no words left. Either she had a death wish, or something was missing inside that beautiful head of hers. “Sure.”
“Thanks,” she smiled sweetly at me. “I really appreciate it. My cat’s name is Horatio, after Horatio Hornblower.”
“Who?” I asked, not sure I wanted the answer.
“You know, the Horatio Hornblower books? They’re amazing. See, he’s this midshipman in the beginning and he works his way up through the ranks in the 1700’s around the Napoleonic wars. They really are very exciting books.”
I just stared at her. I had nowhere to go with this conversation. “How long?” I asked IRIS.
“Uh, ten minutes.”
So, I had ten minutes more of her insanity, and then she’d either blow up or I’d have to spend more time with her. I wasn’t sure what was preferable at the moment.
“And Leonidas is my fish. Make sure you take extra special care of him. He’s been with me for two years.”
I nodded, not asking another question. I didn’t want to know the answer to anything else. But IKE didn’t keep his damn mouth shut.
“I’m guessing Leonidas was named after King Leonidas?”
“Yes!” she exclaimed. “Three hundred Spartans! It’s an amazing story.”
