SHIELD [Book 1 of Alex & Allie Save The World]

Chapter 15 Back To Work

III Monday III   

"Are you sure you're ready to go back to work?" Alex asks for what must be the hundredth time and Allie chuckles.

"Yes, I'm 100 percent positive," Allie reassures. "Alex it's not like my job involves that much movement. I spend most my time at a desk."

"But the stress! Stress isn't good for you especially not now," Alex points out and Allie shakes her head.

"I won't do anything too stressful I promise." Allie flashes her puppy eyes along with her two doubles and Alex cannot resist. "Pretty please Alex!"

"Bruce is going to suffer by your hands," Alex grumbles to herself and then sighs begrudgingly. "Fine, let's go to work."

"Thank God! I've been going stir crazy in this house," Allie exclaims and her copycats echo the sentiment. "Besides I have to interview for the expose on my experience in Metropolis, do damage control on all the photos and videos of me, as well as find John Mulaney's number so I can get him to swear an oath of secrecy."

"Why not the old lady?'

"Does the old lady have a Twitter account with over a million followers?"

"Fair," Alex accepts. "Now I think we need to discuss the elephant in the room."

"What elephant?" three voices ask in staggering time. The faces all snap to realization and then echo, "Oh that elephant."

"Obviously," Alex deadpans. "What do we do with the two extra walking talking versions of you?"

"Why not just leave them? They're copies of me, how much harm can they do?"

"I guess we'll have to find out because I don't have any other plan," Alex decides with a shrug. "You ready?"

"I've been ready this entire conversation." Allie is sitting in her wheelchair, bag in her lap, hair and makeup done, a shoe on her non-booted foot, and a blanket slung over her legs. "Take me to work."

"You remember I'm the boss right?" Alex questions as she pushes Allie's chair towards their garage door.

"You remember I'm the person holding all the strings to your schedule and the moon of your life right?" Allie retorts and Alex goes quiet. She knows a biting response but she's caught off guard by the doubles pursuing them with the assistance of invisible limbs.

"Allie, can you do something about this?" Allie cranes her head to see the issue and frowns.

"Uhm, stay?" Allie demands in a questioning tone. The doubles pause so Allie continues. "Stay in the house and don't break anything." They still and the working girls take that as obedience.

"To the Gotham City Sentinel!" Allie dramatically calls and points up to the sky.

"I will leave you here," Alex threatens but even still helps her friend to the van.

Once Allie is settled in the passenger's seat and her chair stowed in the back they begin their twenty-minute trek to the Sentinel building.

III

"Has anyone missed me at work?" Allie queries as they cross the bridge connecting them to the mainland.

"They all do! We have barely gotten anything done without you," Alex replies and Allie beams.

"That's because I schedule everything," Allie laughs.

"It hasn't been the same," Alex murmurs, a faraway look in her eye. Nothing is the same without Allie, yet nothing will be the same with Allie anymore either.