SYNCHRONICITY (The Lone Wolf)

Swish, Part 2

The small club was crowded and Topher and Sebastian had positioned themselves near the bar, keeping Alison and Judy within the line of sight. When Nature's Promise took to the stage, Sebastian's eyes looked toward the percussionist Kimberly Showalter...she was dressed in a short skirt and jogger's shorts. Her white blouse was soaked in a matter of minutes, her skin glistening with perspiration. He noted that she was barefoot, her muscular legs moving almost as fast as her arms and hands, keeping perfect rhythm.

"I'll be damned," Topher yelled above the music.

Sebastian's gaze left the young woman and found Topher's. "What's that?"

Topher laughed at him as he shook his head. He motioned toward the pretty drummer.

This band was supposed to be the female version of Duran Duran, all gorgeous young women who were as talented and intelligent as they were attractive. From the interviews that he had read, he knew that Kimberly was finishing up her Masters degree in Quantum Mechanics and was already preparing for her Phd. This is what he wanted so desperately to talk to her about...how was it that she knew about magic...every single interview that he had read alluded to that fact.

Surely she understood that proving that magic actually existed, would only serve to bring about the magical war with The Mundanes...something that couldn't be allowed to happen.

Following their set, she ambled up to the bar requesting cool tap water with a bit of sliced lemon. She gratefully accepted the large glass and Sebastian and Topher watched her down the glass in a matter of seconds and hold out the glass to the bartender for seconds to which she nodded her thanks. "Well, this is interesting," she said half chuckling.

"What's that?"

Alison walked up to Sebastian and peeked around his shoulder and reached out to touch her arm. Kimberly turned her head and he watched her face register familiarity; the girl turned instantly and held out her arms. "Ali! Oh my god!"

"Hey Kimmy!"

Sebastian stood aside, watching his girl communicate verbally, as well as with her entire body.

"Saw Paula in some place in Indiana," she sighed. "Told me, cried actually, about, you know...what happened."

Alison looked toward her feet and nodded.

"Never did like that asshole," she said sharply.

Alison nodded. "I know. I remember."

She looked toward the two men now flanking her as she leaned against the bar. "So you must be Sebastian and Topher, is it? Her description of you two was spot on."

"Was it," Sebastian asked more sharply than he meant to.

She chuckled and nodded. "Got that buzzy feeling yet Ali? That's quantum physics at work. Happens when several magical people get together in a small space."

Alison took her hands in her own and shook her head. "Kimmy," she shook her head, once more silently begging her for silence.

She chuckled again pulling her fingers from Alison's grasp and shake her hands as if to remove sweat. She looked up into Sebastian's green eyes and grinned. Then she looked into Topher's blue eyes. "So what's it gonna be gentlemen, good cop, bad cop?"

"That depends on you," Sebastian said in a low voice. Alison's face lifted to look at him, completely startled, feeling the energies flowing back and forth like a tennis ball over a net, volleying for control. "It's not often that a mundane crops up on the radar, but there you are..." He gestured toward her with a nod, his eyes smiling as his gaze moved up and down her agile frame.

"Knock it off, Wolf-boy. You're upsetting Alison," she said bluntly as she took her hands and pulled her toward her closely. "And that, I simply wont have."

Alison's cheeks brightened to a lovely scarlet.

"Listen, I'd love nothing more than to chat some more but I have to get back to work." She embraced Alison as she looked up into Sebastian's eyes protectively. "I've got one more break, so we'll talk some more later, okay?"

Alison nodded.

Kimberly took her place on the stage, unbuttoning the blouse to reveal a bikini top and pounded out the time to one of their top ten hits.

Alison leaned against Sebastian and danced in place, singing their songs; she could feel him singing to them as well and that made her happy. She turned to face him and looked up at the underside of his chin. He lowered his face to hers and kissed her. "I want to invite her back to the house after the show," she said. "She and I need to catch up..."

Sebastian craned his brow high and fought the smile from his lips...he was going to suggest the same thing, but he needed to interrogate her...and it was as if Alison could almost hear his thoughts and she swatted at his chest. "What?"

"I won't have you being mean to her, Bast. I mean it."

"Oooo....Bast. I think she means business, mate," Topher laughed.

Sebastian huffed and curled his lip and rolled his eyes.

During Kimberly's next break, Alison and Sebastian invited her to their apartment and she looked up into his green eye and pointed her drumsticks at his chest. "No," she said. "I won't do it."

"Sorry?"

"I won't be your secretary."

Alison looked to her friend and then up toward Sebastian. Topher chuckled loudly as did Judy. "You're a clairvoyant," she exclaimed.

"Yes. I'm a mind reader. Hooray, for me." She gathered her belongings and moved away from the bar and then turned quickly and looked into Judy's eyes. "I'm sorry," she whined. "I really didn't mean to come across like that."

"I'd like to say that I understand, but..."

Kimberly sighed and lowered her head as she nodded. She continued her way to the door and turned toward the quartet. "Y'all coming or what? I assume y'all have mundane transport? Emergence makes me throw up."

Alison jetted ahead of the other three and escorted her outside.