Agent Chetiri

Chapter 6

Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open.

-John Barrymore

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(November 19, 2012- 8:52 AM)

Yesterday's events had somewhat embarrassed Q. He wanted to talk to Alexa as soon as possible and apologize for his rather questionable behaviour. Q waited patiently for her to come in but after fifteen minutes, she had not arrived. He looked at the door behind him and wondered why she was taking so long.

"She's late," he finally said.

"Eh? Who is?" William said as he looked up.

"Alexa is fifteen minutes late. Do any of you know where she is?" Q said as he drummed his fingers against the table absentmindedly. Joy realized that Alexa was attempting to avoid him and stood up.

"I can go check on her," Joy said. "Would that be alright?"

"Go ahead," he replied. Joy nodded and she walked out of the room. She hurried to her car and drove to Alexa's house in Euston Square. Joy went up the steps and rang the bell.

"Alexa, don't be a coward. Come out of there," she said as she pounded on the door.

Alexa heard Joy knocking from her position on the couch and made ready for her performance. She had put a lot of effort into making it seem like she was sick, even going so far as staying up all night to make her skin pale and sallow. There were dark circles under her eyes and she cleared her throat several times, to make her voice hoarse. Alexa had put several tissues on her coffee table, along with a bottle of cough syrup. She wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and headed to the door. She opened the door and met the eyes of Joy.

"I'm sick, Joy. Don't even bother," she said hoarsely.

"Are you serious? When I said for you to do something, this was not what I meant."

"I didn't mean to get sick!" Alexa said.

"Well, you look terrible and all, but this seems too coincidental," Joy said suspiciously.

"I can assure you that this is real. I am legitimately sick," Alexa said with a cough. "I got caught in the rain yesterday in my way home from work. I must have caught a cold."

"You have terrible luck. Well, what do I tell Q? It seemed like he really wanted to see you today," Joy said with a benevolent grin.

"Tell him that I'm taking a sick day and that I'll come back in on Monday," she said as she sat back down on the couch. Alexa spotted the box on the side table near the door and handed it to Joy. "Here, take this."

"What's this?" Joy said as she picked up the package.

"This is for Q. I got it for him yesterday," she said. "Will you give it to him for me?"

"How sweet of you! What is it?" Joy exclaimed.

"It's a secret," Alexa said, smiling despite herself.

"Well, fine. I'll go give it to him. Get well soon, okay?" Joy said as she stepped outside.

"I will. Thank you," she called as she stared at Joy's retreating figure. Alexa went back to her couch and leaned back in the chair, letting out a sigh. She hoped that Q would like his new mug and was glad that she had evaded him, at least for now.

Joy headed back to the Q-Branch and arrived several minutes later, after parking her car and passing through the security checkpoints. She set the box on Q's desk, causing him to look up.