Geometry

Chapter 15

Marina and Archangel walked back to the bullpen together, Michael ignoring his cane in favor of leaning on Mina's arm. Feeling oddly content and safe at Archangel's side, Marina felt the accusing and speculative glances of the 27th's cops slide off her harmlessly. Diefenbaker never left her side, sticking to her every step of the way.

Welsh must have been watching for their return, he came to the door of his office and watched, stone-faced, as Archangel beckoned to several of his agents. Archangel murmured a few words and the suits dispersed: one taking custody of Stella and another taking custody of Frannie as she left Welsh's office. Two more disappeared out the front doors, muttering low-voiced comments into cell phones.

Agent Bryce turned over Stella with thinly veiled scorn and walked across the bullpen to Marina, holding out her hands. As Frannie and Stella watched, feds standing at their sides in silent menace, Frannie shot Stella a positively hate-filled glare. Stella paid her no attention, occupied with watching everything Archangel was doing and saying.

"Mina," Bryce said simply, a smile lighting up her severe features and transmuting them into sudden, startling beauty.

"Andé," Marina replied, taking the outstretched hands and exchanging a warm cheek-kiss with the agent.

"We've missed you," Bryce said, her deep brown eyes warm with affection.

"I've missed you too." Mina shot Archangel an impish grin. "You been taking good care of our boy?"

"Trying," Andé Bryce sighed. "He doesn't make it easy. Sure you don't want the job back?"

Mina took a step back and held their joined hands out from their sides. "I can't even take care of myself these days," she admitted, glancing down ruefully.

"Yeah. I noticed." Andé assessed her, head to toe. "You look like shit," she said bluntly.

A half-laugh escaped Mina. "That does seem to be the general consensus."

Andé squeezed her hands, knowing how much reassurance physical connection gave her friend. "I'm sorry this has been so hard on you, Mina," she said softly. "Are you sure you don't want to come back with us? Just for a while?"

Marina looked over Andé's shoulder and some of the sadness hovering around her lifted as Ray and Fraser came through the bullpen doors and headed straight for her.

"No, things... have been getting better lately," she observed, nodding unobtrusively at the pair.

Andé followed her gaze. "Which one?" she murmured admiringly.

Mina just grinned and a faint blush highlighted her cheekbones.

"Both?" Andé gasped, grinning back in delighted realization. "What is it with you, girlfriend?"

Marina shrugged, merriment dancing in her eyes as Archangel rolled his, leaning on his cane with both hands as he listened. "Just the way I swing, I guess."

"How come guys like that never swing my way?" Andé whispered and both women burst into delighted, rosy-cheeked laughter. Even Archangel had trouble keeping a straight face and he pointedly looked away, trying to control his sardonically amused grin.

Ray's worry lightened up considerably at the sight of Marina laughing with Agent Bryce and he almost jerked to a stop at how different the tough, no-nonsense agent was with a mischievous smile lighting up her severe features. Bryce was really remarkably attractive with that angry glare off her face.