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When she finally decides on a Thai place, I make the call and place the order. We all sit around the living room, a cozy spot with a nice, but well-used, sofa. Sloane's taste in decor is understated, but classy--neutral tones with a few pops of purple in various places. There's a photograph of she and a younger woman who looks almost exactly like her on the mantle, a peek at a life I don't know much about beyond her file.
This is the real human behind the dossier I've pored over a hundred times.
Sloane Ashford.
Thirty-two years old.
Born in Solstice Bay, fled with her sister Willa and their mother when Sloane was fourteen and discovered she was an omega.
Educated in Canada, received her juris doctorate after coming back to Solstice Bay in the wake of the Enclave's revolution.
And now...the first omega senator since the Great Mutation changed us all, in a governing body that was made up of alphas only for almost thirty years.
"So," she says, settling into the corner of the sectional sofa and curling her feet up under her. She's still in that pencil dress, and looks a little uncomfortable. "I assume all three of you know all about me...but what about you?"
Milo shrugs. "I'm not very interesting."
"I find that hard to believe," she says. "Were you all Enclave before the revolution, or did you join up later?"
I nod. "I was Enclave--with the operation for ten years before we took power back from the ACB."
Arjun clears his throat, his eyes flickering to Milo and then back to Sloane. "I wasn't Enclave," he says. "I was a freelance security consultant before the revolution. I joined up with the new government after the Enclave took over and have been working security ever since."
Sloane nods, her gaze flickering over each of us. "And you, Milo?"
Milo chuckles. "I was a bartender, actually. Before I joined up with these guys, I was working at a little dive bar down by the docks."
Sloane grins, looking more relaxed than she has all day. "That's...unexpected."
Milo gives her a wry smile. "You'd be surprised how seamless the transition is from bartending to intelligence. You get really good at learning a lot about people in a very short period of time."
Sloane's eyes twinkle with amusement. "I can imagine. Well, I suppose that makes me the odd one out. I've never been involved in anything like this before. Anything violent, I mean."
"If we have anything to say about it, you still won't be part of anything violent," Arjun says. "It's our job to keep you shielded from that."
I can sense the unease in her posture, and I reach over to take her hand. It's a bold move, but I can't resist the urge to touch her.
"Don't worry," I say softly. "We'll keep you safe. That's a promise."
She gives me a small smile, her hand tightening around mine. "Thank you," she says. "It's...really nice to have someone looking out for me."
There's a lull in the conversation as we wait for the food to arrive, but it's not an awkward silence. It's almost...comfortable. Like we've all been friends for years instead of just meeting today. Sloane gets up and turns on the TV, then gestures toward the hallway.
"I'm just going to change out of my work clothes really quick," she says. "You three can put on whatever you want."
As Sloane heads down the hallway, Milo jumps up from the sofa and starts rifling through the DVD collection. "Ooh, she's got some really good drama series," he says, holding up a box set. "Have you guys seen this? It's amazing."
Arjun raises an eyebrow. "I'm more in the mood for some mindless action. What about you, Nate?"
I shrug. "I'm good with either. Although, I will warn you guys, I'm not very good at sitting still for movies."
Milo grins. "Oh, we'll make sure to keep you entertained."
Just then, Sloane reappears from down the hallway. My eyes lock onto her, drinking in the sight of her in leggings and an oversized sweater. She looks so comfortable and cozy, and I have the sudden urge to wrap her up in my arms and never let her go.
"Or...something'll keep you entertained," Milo chuckles.
And I know he's noticed how I look at her.
