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SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

Haskell

Thirteen hours and a jump over the international date line later, the group was deplaning in Melbourne, Australia, to meet with a contact for the things Cerberus needed, as well as to collect the rest of Mythos. Loki met them at the airport. It would only be a short ride to the hotel where the group would be staying overnight before going to collect Cerberus in Colombo in Sri Lanka, then heading on to Vilanculos in Mozambique. The plan was to use a beach house there as their home base for a few days while they planned their final steps.

Before heading to the hotel, the group split into pairs so that they attracted as little attention as possible.

Medusa and Waters took the waiting truck and drove to pick up Cerberus’ supply order. Once that was done, they would take it back to the airport, where Loki and the copilot would be waiting to load the items into the cargo hold for takeoff and pay off customs. Scheherazade would be staying with the copilot on the plane so that she didn’t end up quarantined.

Steel and TB went to a local bar and stayed for a meal and the bulk of a football match so that they would arrive later than the others.

Demon disappeared toward the beach for the night—surfing with Midas as his guard, having dinner, and connecting to the local WiFi at a beachside café.

Haskell and Nemo headed straight to the hotel, where Gilgamesh met them in the bar and passed them their room key.

Haskell was torn on whether she wanted to protest the rooming arrangement. On the one hand, she felt that it was presumptuous on everyone’s part that she would room with Nemo. On the other hand, she knew she wouldn’t be allowed her own room, given their circumstances. Being a part of a couple helped them blend in a little bit. She knew Medusa would be rooming with Loki under the guise of being a couple as well, so she felt trapped in the situation, but she had to admit… deep down, she wanted to stay with Nemo. This gave her permission to do so without guilt, although why she felt guilty about it in the first place, she wasn’t sure.

’Cause you know he’s just using you, child. That’s all that boy’s ever done. You’re only convenient to a loser like him.

“I am not,” she whispered to herself, trying to brush the voice aside.

“What did you say?” Nemo asked as he used the key to open their door.

“Nothing. Sorry. So tired I’m talking to myself.”

Nemo raised an eyebrow at her, blocking the door.

“I’m fine, Nemo. Nothing a shower and some food won’t solve. ”

After searching her eyes for a moment, he nodded. “Then that’s what we’ll do. Follow right behind me. Once you’re in the room, step immediately to the left of the doorframe and put your back to the wall. Do not move until I’ve cleared the room. Got it?”

“Got it,” she replied.

He gave her a smile, drew his weapon from under his shirt, then stepped into the room. After doing a rapid check behind the door to the hallway, he checked behind the curtains, out on the balcony, and inside the closet. He followed that with a look under the bed and inside the bathroom. Once he was satisfied no one was hiding, he told her, “All clear.”

He grabbed both of their bags, placing his on the bed. Holding out his hand to her, he tilted his head in the direction of the bathroom. She laced her fingers with his, her heart thumping erratically as she followed him into the stark whiteness.

He placed her bag on the double vanity, then let go of her hand to reach into the shower and turn it on. After closing the shower door, he grabbed two towels from the alcove under the vanity and placed them on the closed toilet seat. It wasn’t until then that he turned back to her and let go of her hand. The loss of contact was short-lived, as immediately both hands went to frame her face. Nemo stepped into her personal space, their bodies barely brushing against one another. His lips met her hairline in the center of her forehead.

He sighed. Against her skin, his hushed voice said, “As much as I want to get into that hot water with you and make you so clean you’re dirty, I’m going to be a very good boy and go in the other room. Take as much time as you need. When you come out, I’ll clean up, and then we'll find some food.” With another chaste kiss to her hairline, he turned and left the bathroom, closing the door behind him, leaving a stunned Haskell standing in the center of the room, her skin already starting to bloom in the steaming heat of the shower.

Clean and clothed in something she hadn’t been in for almost twenty-four hours, Haskell emerged from the bathroom and into the dark hotel room to find Nemo standing in front of the sliding glass door, legs spread shoulder-width apart, hands on hips, staring out into the night. Before she had a chance to even consider her actions, she walked up behind him, slid her arms around his waist, pressed a kiss between his shoulder blades, and laid her cheek against his back where her lips had been. His hands dropped and covered hers.

“Feel better, sugar cat?” he whispered.

Haskell nodded, knowing he’d feel the action against his body. Slowly, he turned in her arms and wound his arms around her shoulders, pulling her tight to his body. He rested his chin atop her head and breathed in heavily.

Nemo held her like that for several minutes. His first words to her when he broke the silence were nearly her undoing. “You always smell like sugar.” He buried his nose in her curls. “Even your hair. Everything about you is so fucking sweet. All I want to do is warm you up and make you melt on my tongue.” Nemo pulled back from her, breaking the circle of their arms. “I promised you food. Give me five minutes to clean up. I found an Indian restaurant that’s open late, about two blocks away. That sound good?”

She nodded, incapable of speaking.

He smiled, grabbed his bag, and on his way past her to the bathroom, he placed a kiss on her star tattoo.