Eve On Station

Chapter Eleven

Eve stopped first at Medical when she got back to the hub to see how Fitzgibbons was doing. Dr. Lee, still in his charming mood, assuming you defined charming as a grizzly bear with a toothache allowed her a full minute with the red haired Sergeant before shooing her out. In the main security office, she went straight for Jasleen's desk. "By any chance, do I actually have some living quarters where I can clean up?" she asked.

Jasleen had been busy working on her computer and gasped when she got her first look at Eve. "You are covered in blood, you should be in Medical."

"The good news is that most of this isn't mine," replied Eve. "The even better news is I don't have to spend another second around Dr. Lee. I've met rattlesnakes with a better bedside manner than he has."

"I'm sure he has a good heart inside," said Jasleen, who had a tendency to look for the good in everyone.

"Maybe we can cut him open and take a look then" suggested Eve. "Just kidding," she added when she saw the horrified look on Jasleen's face. "Back to the part about my quarters," she prompted.

"Oh right," replied Jasleen, tapping a few keys on her keyboard. "You are in 4138, which is on level plus four. Your security ID will get you in."

"I do hope that I haven't inherited Captain Demery's apartment after seeing what his office was like."

"Oh no," Jasleen assured her quickly. "Maintenance still has a bio hazard lock on his quarters. The rumour is they are trying to bribe people to go in and do the clean-up by giving danger pay, but Administrator Reynolds is refusing to authorize it."

"I know everyone liked Captain Demery," replied Eve, "but his personal habits seem to have left a lot to be desired."

"He just concentrated all his time and energy on work I guess," replied Jasleen a little defensively.

Eve decided to forego further comment on Saint Demery, "Ok, I am going to go shower for my date and everything can wait until morning and hopefully a good night's sleep. Singh has the overnight watch, so if he asks, just let the prisoners cool their heels and I will talk to them in the morning."

"Wait, who have you got a date with?" asked Jasleen as Eve turned to go. "I mean when did you even have time to meet someone?"

"That's for me to know and no one to find out," said Eve heading for the door.

"But I need to know," Jasleen cried. "I'm the office gossip you know which means I have a reputation to maintain." Eve didn't reply and Jasleen sank back down into her chair. "Damn, I will have to make something up then. Dr. Lee?," and she shuddered. "Administrator Reynolds?" and she shuddered again. "Damn that woman anyway!"

*

4138 turned out to be only slightly larger and better equipped than the transient quarters where the murdered man had been found. Thinking of him made Eve pause for a moment, as she reflected on the fact that she hadn't made much progress in solving that case. There were extenuating circumstances such as a bomb and a riot, but Eve was sure Kathy wasn't going to see it that way. Returning her thoughts to the room, Eve decided it would do, as in many ways it was similar to her room back in Limbo where she spent time between missions for her employers. It had a bed and beyond sleeping here, Eve didn't contemplate spending much time in this room. Her only small regret about that was that the room did have a nice sized screen on one wall that would be good for watching movies.

There was a small attached washroom and after checking the time, Eve realized she was going to have to hurry to make the appointed time that Null had sent her via a text message. Accordingly, Eve quickly stripped and showered and then considered her wardrobe options. Ok, there were none. She had brought a single duffel bag with her and it contained one change of clothing, a pair of jeans and an identical white top to the one she had been wearing and which now was splattered with blood. In the shower, Eve had discovered a few minor cuts and scrapes that she had picked up in the brawl, but they were all well on the way to healing already, another benefit it seemed of her weird genetics. There was a waste reclamation unit in the room and Eve tossed her old clothes, except for her jean jacket into that. She would have to find out where she could buy more clothes in the morning, but the jacket only had a small blood stain on it that just added to its character Eve decided as she put it on and hurried out the door to her first ever date. She hoped it wouldn't be as awkward as it was often portrayed in movies.