up his nose when my Light hit him. Then, to prove the transfer was successful, he started answering people on the other side of the reinforced concrete wall.
It had taken the entire session to get to that point, and now I was exhausted, drained, and starving. Karen kept our chat brief and shooed me out, sending me in the direction of the cafeteria on the fifth floor.
The elevator stopped on the ground floor, and I found myself face-to-face with Dana. Her blonde hair was up in a neat ponytail, her curvy physique covered, but not hidden, by the signature black uniform.
“Hey,” she mumbled around a mouthful as she stepped in. She had a giant burrito clasped in both hands.
“Hey,” I told her burrito and licked my lips. It smelled amazing. The elevator doors closed again, and we started moving up.
“Research sesh?” she asked, taking another giant bite.
My mouth filled with saliva, and I had to swallow before answering. “Yup.”
“How was it?”
“OK. Long and draining. I’m fucking starving.”
Finally she realized I was giving her burrito looks that would make even Ethan blush, and she paused with it halfway to her mouth.
“You’re on your way to the cafeteria, right?” She took another bite, protectively angling her body away from me.
“Mmhmm.” We were already passing the third floor. Food was minutes away. But all I wanted was that damn burrito.
Dana sighed and rolled her eyes, then wordlessly handed over the burrito.
I snatched it out of her grasp and took a giant bite. It tasted just as good as it looked and smelled—tender beef, crunchy lettuce and corn, and she’d doused it in guacamole and salsa. I moaned right as the elevator doors opened on the busy fifth floor.
Several people paused and turned toward my decidedly sexual noises. I couldn’t care less. I took another delicious bite as we stepped off the elevator.
Marcus and Jamie stood a few feet away, shoulder to shoulder, barely containing their grins. Marcus’s black hair and dark skin couldn’t have contrasted more with Jamie’s red hair and pale complexion, but their posture and the slant to their smiles were so similar it was clear they spent a lot of time together.
“You doing chicks now, Dana?” Marcus teased.
“I might be.” She shrugged. “What’s it to you?”
They laughed, and Jamie answered, “Nothing at all, but her Bond members might have something to say about it.”
I rushed to swallow my bite. “Knock it off, or I’m telling Dot you were making rude jokes.” They just grinned wider. They knew she wouldn’t care—Dot loved a dirty joke. “And anyway, I’m all about the burrito.”
I took an exaggeratedly slow bite, moaning and rolling my eyes into the back of my head.
All three of them laughed, and Dana slung an arm over my shoulders. “Keep the fucking burrito. That was gold!”
They got food from the cafeteria, and the four of us sat together as we ate, chatting. Judging by some of the questions Jamie and Marcus asked Dana, they didn’t seem to know her that well, which was odd considering she and Alec had seen each other for some time. But Alec and Dana could both be standoffish.
Dana didn’t seem to mind the questions and even joked around with us. I hoped this would be the beginning of some new friendships for her; I had a feeling she was lonely, not that she’d ever admit it.
“OK. Back to the strategy meeting. Kyo will have our asses if we’re late.” Marcus got to his feet.
Jamie groaned. “Why do we have to go to that again?”
“Because Ace can’t, and we’re stepping in for him.”
“What’s Alec doing?” Dana asked, picking up everyone’s rubbish and dropping it in a nearby trashcan.
Marcus and Jamie looked at me, wary.
“It’s OK.” I waved them off and held up my shiny badge. “I have clearance now.”
“It’s not that.” Marcus rubbed the back of his neck.
“Come on. We really can’t be late.” Jamie tugged him along, and they rushed off.
“That was weird.” I frowned after them.
Dana shrugged. “Men.”
“You heading up? I think I’ll have to wait for Tyler to finish some stuff before we can go home.”
We stopped at the elevators, and she pushed the down button. “Nah. Heading down.”
She gave me a tight smile. Other than the labs, the only thing below ground level were the holding cells. Dana was on Zara duty.
I’d spoken to the guys at length after my chat with Harvey. None of them particularly wanted me around Zara for fear of my physical and emotional safety, but they were