Yes. I'll help Jordyn.

“Yes.”

“Thanks,” Jordyn says. “I owe you one. I mean it. I’m sure our paths will cross again, either in Spring when we’re all hauling booty out of Montana or Summer when we’re getting ready to spiral somewhere else.”

“You’re done with this, though, aren’t you?”

“Done with what?”

“Being at TC1, uh, Tiger Cub, or smuggler. Whatever.”

Jordyn sighs, leaning into her palm. “I don’t know. Smuggling is all that I know. I could probably pick up one of my hobbies and make a career out of it. Settle in Utah or find a way into Florida to get away from all this. It’s a big step away from everything I know.”

“I get that.”

“What about you? How much longer are you going to be a criminal?”

You snort, thinking of a reply. Your mind conjures something up in a couple of seconds, and your mouth begins bobbing. “Tell you what. If our paths cross next year, maybe I’ll hitch up with your crew and bounce out with you.”

“Really?” Jordyn says, sounding surprised.

Not really. You had a lot on your plate right now, and there were loose strings all over the place. You lie, however, covering your tracks so no one could somehow stumble over or overhear what you are talking about. “No, I plan on contracting until I’m not able to do it anymore.”

“Workhorse,” Jordyn says with her brows knitted. “I knew a couple of guys like that. The thing is, it’s like, well, they lost something. Their humanity, a leg, an arm, all the above– it sucks, and if you’re not careful, you’ll lose something. I sound like a broken record by now, I’m sure, but you’re a really cool guy, Warren. Don’t turn into something you’re not supposed to be, OK?”

You return to idly poking your food. Your eyes drift down, and you move your mouth. “I’ll be sure to pin that to a list of mental recollections.”

“You do that now,” Jordyn laughs under her breath and pushes away from the table, and regards the room. “OK. Well. I’m going to go before any awkward silence builds. Get some sleep, and I’ll find you in the morning.”

“Have a good night, Jordyn.”

“Thank you! You as well.”

You are walking around the tunnel network for the rest of the night to keep yourself active since there aren’t many options to keep yourself busy. The hours tick slowly, but the night does fall on top of you, and you gladly accept the rest that comes with it.

The sounds come at night echo in the cave. Snores, shuffling, and the rocky ceiling as pebblings drop. You lay on your side, listening to everything around you. It’s oddly relaxing, allowing you to filter through your thoughts. Since going to the letter, the events have been crazy, and, surprisingly, you haven’t been put in more dire situations since joining the ARS.

You roll to your back, let all the air in your lungs through your mouth, and take a deep intake through your nose. You can feel the sleep starting to hit your system, so you close your eyes and pull the blankets covering you closer…

…

…

You wake up in a warm bed and brightly lit room. You exhale once and feel all the tension in your body melt. You shuffle under the sheets and lay flat on your back. When was the last time you felt this good waking up? Your thoughts are clear, collected, and all good. You gradually become more awake no matter your best efforts in trying to go back to sleep.

Finally, you open your eyes and explore your new boundaries. Everything is futuristic looking. Black and white furniture stand in perfect positions, so there is no wasted space. A bookshelf full of black leather-bound books fill every spot, flashing golden gothic letters whenever the sun reflects its brilliant light from them.

You blink a few times and then yawn, spreading your arms and legs like a cat out of its nap. You’re partly naked, but that doesn’t seem to be a problem. You reluctantly roll yourself out of bed and walk over to the window. The world outside is…nothing. You’re above the clouds. Lumpy, pink, and blue cotton clumps create a landscape that you can’t phantom— it’s too beautiful to describe. A picture would insult it. A poem would abuse it. An artist could only stare. You’re just a man, so you can only admire it.

Somehow, you find a chair and sit down. If those clouds were a whole woman, you’d try to marry it. But, too lost in thought, you fail to hear the door open behind you. It isn’t until Astrid sits beside you that you return to what’s happening around you. The vague scent of coffee spills into your nostrils, and you turn to face her—your angel.

“Good morning,” she beams at you with a smile. Her blue eyes sparkled in the gentle white light. “You look terrific this morning.”

Her compliment is met with an awkward smile and warmed lips. You look down and let out a small laugh before peaking at Astrid. She’s wearing white pajama shorts and a tank top, complimenting her figure with innocent teases of her skin. Her lips are naturally pink, and the makeup applied is negligible. Her blonde hair is set in a messy ponytail that elegantly cascades from behind her.

Astrid hands you a cup of coffee. It is the color of caramel. The smell is bitter and sweet. You bring the coffee to your lips and sip it, finding it to the perfect temperature. The flavor is hard to describe; it’s all your favorite food combined and melded together, but it doesn’t taste gross. “This is really good,” you say, looking at the coffee.

Astrid nods, regarding you with sugar blues. “I made it, especially for you.”

You take another sip and “mmm” at the taste. “Thank you. I’ll never have something as good as this in the real world.”

Your comment makes Astrid raise an eyebrow at you. “This… is technically a real world too, you know? You just haven’t gotten here yet.”

It’s hard to imagine being in any world that’s as beautiful as this one. “Am I really going to place like this when I die?”

Her expression darkens somewhat. She forces an ugly smile to taint her otherwise perfect face. “I…you have to play your cards right. But I’ll try my best to ensure you end up on the right side.”

“Well,” you say, looking at her. “If I all have to do is believe in God to be with you, that shouldn’t be hard. Look at everything… look at you!”

Astrid opens her mouth to say something, but her words trail off, and she shuts up entirely. “It isn’t that simple, but I am happy to hear you’re trying.”

“Oh,” you lean back in your chair and drink your coffee. “So, why am I here? I’m not complaining, but I would like to know what I did to earn such a treat.”

“That’s easy,” Astrid giggles, walks and sits on your lap. Then, seated on your lap, she tilts her down and stares directly into your eyes. You didn’t expect Astrid to look so sexy somehow, but as she stared at you could feel a lump building into your throat…and somewhere else. “I missed you, is all.”

Your face feels warm when she says this. Yet, you still didn’t feel worthy enough to be in her presence. She tilts her side to another side and sighs. “I really missed you Warren, and I just wanted to be with you.”

The look Astrid gives you is more innocent than lust. It’s love in its raw form. Carnal, almost selfish love overtakes her eyes, but she manages to maintain her personality and emotions in perfect condition.

“Now that we’re together again was there anything you wanted to do?” Her voice is low and suggestive. The sense of peace you have is now joined by the presence of being with an intimate lover you’ve only ever known. But, though her question was suggestive, you know she won’t be disappointed with whatever your answer might be.

Astrid senses conflict in your thought process, so she leans in and kisses you on the lips. The taste of *her* coffee flows into your mouth. It’s much different from yours. All traces from her drink are vague hints of her favorite foods too. They’re savory, tangy, sweet, and fruity all at the same time. It’s a full-course meal that makes your mouth water.

When she pulls away, her usual features are now painted pink, highlighting her already vibrant eyes in a lewd light. Your mind runs a blank, and you stare hopelessly into her eyes. She bites her lower lip, looking down as she reaches for your chest. “I don’t mean to choose for you, but I’m hoping that my blatant suggestions are enough to push you to the right choice.” She smiles slightly, tilting her head again. “So, what is it you want to do?”