Answers and surprises

"Hello?", James called into the phone.

Lee's voice sounded concerned, and also hurried. "James, I gotta know where it came from."

James felt his heart beat faster and faster. He tried to play it cool. "Where did what come from?"

"That brain of yours, James! That engine design? What in the world were you thinking?"

He took a deep breath and started packing nervously, "Look, Lee, here's the thing-"

"Pressurized salt water and a single ignition switch?"

"Lee, I just-"

"I thought you had gone nuts or something!"

"No, I didn't I just-"

"Well of course you didn't!", James stopped moving. Lee continued, "I had some of the r&d people test it out, and it's brilliant! Zero emission fuel! How did you figure out that salt water burns so explosively in mist form?"

James glanced at Aurora. "I just uh...I had a friend help."

"Is it your friend in the hospital?", Lee asked excitedly.

"Y-yeah."

"Is she there now?"

James glanced at Aurora again. "...Yeah."

"Well let me say thanks, we're going to be making a lot of money once this gets out!"

"You are?"

"We, James. We. Once the government and big oil find this they'll offer any price we put on the table to keep it quiet!"

"And you're okay with that?", James asked with a hint of disgust.

"We have to be, James, the guy who patented the engine that ran on hydrogen disappeared when he didn't settle."

"Oh...shit."

"Yeah "oh shit", so look at the bright side. We live, and they give us each a check with anywhere from two to four commas on it to keep our lips shut. Now put your friend on, I'm almost out of time to say thanks."

"Okay, but she's still healing so keep it short.", James held out the phone, obviously nervous. "Aurora? My boss, Lee, wants to say hi."

She flickered yellow, and copied the way she'd seen James hold the phone to the side of his head. "Hell-low?"

"Hello? Hey! Aurora, was it? Beautiful design, just gorgeous, thanks for giving James credit, we couldn't have legally kept it otherwise. Are you the reason James sent in a request for Adenosine?"

James put both his thumbs up while whispering, "Yes. Just say yes."

She echoed his whispering into the phone as clearly as she could. "Yuesz."

"Great, consider it done. Anything else you need for whatever it is, have James send a request. Just let me see whatever it is when you finish!"

Before James could put his hands down or instruct otherwise she repeated, "Yuesz."

Shit.

Lee's excited voice rang back, "Excellent! Maybe I can talk to you again some time soon. Hand me back to James, please."

She thrust the phone back at James, who took it quickly. "Hey, Lee."

"James, I can't tell if she's French or Japanese but whatever happens with this Adenosine you show me first, alright? God this is so exciting! Look, I gotta go, big wigs upstairs want to know where this came from and what the plan is with it. Don't worry, I'll cover for you and they'll never know there was outside help."

"Thanks, Lee. I appreciate it."

"Not as much as I do, James. Take care of that girl, and tell her if she ever wants a job here she's got one. I gotta go, bye!"

James stared at his phone when Lee hung up. Aurora stayed on his bed, still flickering yellow across her whole body. Eventually she broke the silence. "...Bäd?"

James breathed slowly. "...I don't know...there's a lot happening now."