Dangerous by Default

19. The protest

Snarling through the moonlit streets, a blood red mustang sped towards Ami's apartment. Janus' mind continued to weave in and out of the many thoughts she was digesting, preparing herself for the evening that lay ahead.

Janus had promised Ami weeks ago that she would take her to Caine's retrospective, despite the fact that she hated all things art with a passion. Janus had always been a seeker of truth, and from her own experiences, artists loved to lie. Swallowing these feelings, she felt inclined to put what would be a pleasant night for Ami in front of her own cynicism. She thanked her past self. Her dread for the opening had soon turned, as more cases pointed to Caine as the likeliest suspect of the weird occurrences plaguing the city. This would be the perfect chance to get some real dirt, something she actually could use against him.

It wasn't long before she found herself making the familiar turn onto Post street, skidding to a stop in front of Ami's luxe apartment building. With the stand out numbering of 666 on its large front awning, the building sprawled upwards with unmistakable flash of satanic red paint. An impish grin broke out on her face. To Ami's annoyance, Janus had always teased how cliche it was for a scientist to live in 'the house of the devil'.

Janus pulled her phone out from her suit pocket to read a text from Ami saying she'd be down in a few minutes.

Absentmindedly turning on the radio, NPR filled the car with an excited update on Caine Blue's stupid retrospective.

"With many itching to explore the almost forgotten legacy of Blue's controversial career, here's an excerpt from our interview with the genius..."

Janus snapped the dial off in disgust, preferring to look out the window instead.

Staring at the slick checkered marble that paved the building's entrance, She recalled standing in the very same place with Ami after a late dinner the previous night. Taking a leap of faith, she had asked Ami to move in with her. The look of shock on Ami's face was still emblazoned in her mind, but she had been grateful that it was soon followed by an emphatic "Yes!". Though they were both constantly working, they agreed that this would be a sure fire way to get more quality time together.

Janus knew that at the core of it all, Ami was ready to settle down. Maybe even start a family. She prayed that moving in together would be a step in the right direction towards giving her what she wanted.

Her eyes darted upward as Ami trotted over to the car. Janus was at a loss for words, feeling like the dumbfounded highschool boy in a 90's movie. She'd never seen Ami in a dress before. Ami preferred to not draw attention to herself, so t-shirts, jeans and sneakers with a lab coat were her usual get up. But not tonight. A tasteful black evening dress was the last thing expected, and she was even wearing heels.

Ami seemed to glow as she clumsily plopped herself down in the passenger seat.

"Wow, Mimi. I- you look.." Janus tried to compliment her, but Ami quickly deflected.

"Oh it's nothing. I just wanted to blend in with the scenery, really. And apparently Mina's assistant is good at one thing. Styling." She laughed, clearly embarrassed to have spent any time on her looks. "Anyways, future roomie. Ready for some danger art?"

As Janus wove her way towards SoMa, she couldn't keep from catching quick looks at Ami whenever possible. Her mind began to wander at a stop light, and she played with the idea of what Ami would look like in a wedding dress. This gave her a thrill of delight and as the light changed she pressed down on the accelerator with a sparkle in her eye.

Though she'd never admit it, Ami loved it when Janus would whisk them through the city in a rush. A nervous grin plastered on her face, Ami would grip the grab handle dramatically everytime. Janus cackled, knowing Ami was making the very same face at that moment.