supervised? It won't just happen on its own?"
Sighing again, Mandi said, "Yes, of course it would, but there are ways --
that don't involve sex -- to heighten the effect a bit."
"What ways?"
"Hard exercise and energy infusion can help."
"Energy infusion?"
"Direct transfer from one of us to you. That couldn't happen for another day
or two, though. It would kill you."
Filching his other slice of tomato, she said, "Andrea is taking a week off
to help you through this. John says you have a three-bedroom house."
"It would be if I threw out two rooms'-full of ceramic molds and computer
gear."
After a pause, Mandi said, "Oh."
Cade chuckled. "Yeah. Oh. The place is a factory, too. But don't worry about
it. If we don't get along well enough to sleep together, I'll take the couch for
a week. Think she'd like to go to Disneyworld and some of the other tourist
traps?"
Smiling, Mandi canted her head and said, "I really don't know. I do know she
shoots pool fairly well."
Returning her smile, Cade said, "Well, that's a plus."
He'd just put the last bit of steak in his mouth when Mandi said, "Slide
your plates over here. John's coming."
Shoving everything to her side of the table, Cade asked, "Why doesn't he
know about this, Mandi?"
Giving him a firm look, Mandi said, "He's not in the loop."
"I've known him for ages. He'd be cool with it."
"Okay, he probably would be, but you weren't supposed to happen for a while
yet. Quiet. Here he comes."
As John walked up to the table, Cade thought, 'Not supposed to happen for a
while yet? What the hell?'
"Hi, all," said John, taking a seat beside Mandi. "Good news. They found
Kahlil this morning. The company is saying this op is finally over."
More strangeness. John had referred to 'the company', which the NIA most
definitely wasn't. Only the CIA was referred to as 'the company' by anyone who
knew the difference, and John definitely knew the difference.
Cade said nothing and gave John a slightly puzzled look as Mandi agreed that
it was good news, indeed. John gave Cade the old-days hand sign that meant
'later' and talked to Mandi as the waiter brought the other steak dinners Cade
had ordered and asked John if he'd like anything. John ordered coffee.
'Great,' thought Cade. 'Settle one problem and up pops a new one. Get
through one puzzle and another one will fall into your lap pretty much
ins