the SEVEN-FIVE project

2005-06-24 - 11:36 p.m.

Nikki ran out after him, probably to ask about clothes or towels or something. I stayed on the couch where I was and closed my eyes to think.

How could something like this get so out of hand so fast? All I set out to do with this trip was to help Amy find Mary and get her away from Cyrus. Now it seems as if I'm going to end up fighting some battle with a group of trained mercenaries just to get Amy back and Mary seems to not want to come back at all. This really doesn't seem like it could get any worse.
"The Priest said there were some clothes in the bedroom that he thought would fit us and there are towels in the bathroom. So, do you want to shower first or find something to eat?" She seemed to have calmed down from our previous argument; The Priest has that kind of affect on people.
"You go find some clothes and grab a shower; I'll see what I can whip up in the kitchen." I really didn't want to cook, but I wanted to talk to The Priest privately and that was the only thought that occurred to me.
"All right." She said with a smile and bounced out of the room.
I rummaged through the kitchen and was able to come up with the ingredients for a quick stew. When The Priest said the kitchen was fully stocked he wasn't kidding. I could make an amazing four course meal here and still have enough left over for about a week.
With the stew on to simmer and Nikki in the shower I went out to find The Priest. The barn out back was empty, except for the car and a rusted truck that seemed familiar. I circled the building twice before I noticed the ladder leading to the roof of the truck stop. I don't like heights, but I figured he would be up there since it was the best place to keep watch.
"AH, you have found me Seven. I was wondering when you would search me out." He helped me off of the ladder and onto the roof.
I quickly looked around before moving away from the edge, it was just a large flat area with a ledge about eighteen inches high all around the edge. "I made some stew if you want to come in and eat while we're all still awake."
He raised his hand and shook his head no. "No thank you Seven, I am not hungry at the moment, but thank you for the offer. I feel as if that was not why you were looking for me though."
"I'm just so lost on this whole thing. All I set out to do with this trip was to help Amy find Mary and get her away from Cyrus. Now it seems as if I'm going to end up fighting some battle with a group of trained mercenaries just to get Amy back and Mary seems to not want to come back at all. I just don't know what to do."
"As I said earlier, for now you need to rest. We will go through your books and papers in the morning and see what we can figure out. After that we will make a plan of action and do what we must. I feel that is not what you wanted to talk to me about though."
I sat down facing out into the open space of the deserted area surrounding us. This building just seemed to exist out here so far from everything without a road to it; only power lines. "I wanted to talk to you about Nikki." He nodded at me as if he were just waiting for me to bring her up. "I've known the girl for about four days, give or take how long we were imprisoned by Cyrus, and I've put her in the most dangerous situation of her life. Priest, what the hell isn't wrong with this situation?
He sat down next to me, "Seven, she came on this mission of her own free will. If she didn't think she had to tools to survive this, the she wouldn't have come with you. You have to trust her."
"It's not that. I know she has the tools to survive this, I've seen her do some rather amazing things including that whole Dreamspace side-trip. I just find myself worrying about her. I'm afraid that I'm going to spend too much time thinking and worrying about her that I'm going to slip up and get one or both of us hurt."
"Have you told her about these feelings of yours?"
"I think I just did Priest." I spun around to see her sitting at the top of the steps, wet hair clinging to her face and new clothes. She smiled but didn't say anything.

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