salute [h.s]

chapter 2 - tricks & (more) tricks

Two days later, Piper was back on night shift and not looking forward to it. After a day kicking ass in guided field extraction training, going back to IT felt like a step back. Okay, so maybe kicking ass was a bit of an overstatement but she hadn't failed so that had to count for something. Agent Lahiri, a senior agent working in Field Ops, had actually said that Piper had some of the best instincts that she had seen. Piper was thinking of getting that written on a mug and dropping it off on Samson's desk.

Was she looking forward to a twelve hour shift in the deserted T branch, all alone? Not really. But it did give her a lot more time to think about Two – correction, Harry. To be totally honest, she had spent way too much time thinking about him over the last couple of days. It seemed that every time she closed her eyes, his face popped into her mind. His striking green eyes, his gorgeous head of hair, and that smile that could light up the city.

If he could see into her mind, just glimpse for one moment how much she actually thought about him, she'd never see him again. She'd scare him off that fast.

Maybe a night shift would be good for her. It would give her the chance to set her mind on other things. If she focused and dedicated her time, she could probably finish that code she had been working on to block the program on the computer that tracked internet usage. Then she'd be able to entertain herself on these long nights – facebook, twitter, youtube, or maybe even the holy grail of distraction, Netflix.

Obviously she had her priorities set out.

Straightening the smart coat she had purchased the other day to celebrate being promoted, Piper locked up her flat behind her. She lived in a three story walk-up above a pub. Her flat was the middle floor which meant she was able to enjoy the sounds of both the rowdy drunks below her and her neighbour's dog above her. She loved Bertie to death but he could be so loud sometimes.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear," Piper muttered when she heard the familiar tinkle of Bertie's name tag on his collar. Within seconds, the big setter had appeared at the top of the stairs through the open door of his master's apartment. When he caught sight of her, his tail began to wag ferociously behind him and he took the stairs two at a time until he was sitting before her.

"Hello lovely," Piper muttered to him. "Who's a good boy? Sit, Bertie."

Bertie wiggled his tail a couple more times before plopping down on his bum. He looked up at her with his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. From this angle, it almost looked like he was smiling.

"Good boy, Bertie," Piper said, scratching him behind the ear quickly before holding out her hand. "How's about a handshake?"

Bertie lifted his left paw and placed it in her right hand. Piper frowned over-dramatically, playing a role for the puppy. "That's not how you give a handshake, mister."

Bertie, probably the most brilliant dog on the planet, took his left paw back and replaced it with his right. Piper shook it emphatically, using her other hand to scratch his head. "A proper gentleman, you are."

"Excuse me." Piper looked up from where she was crouched over and groaned. Standing at the top of the stairs was her upstairs neighbour, Clive. Like usual, he was dressed entirely inappropriately in a velvet dressing gown and suede loafers. Piper was almost 100% sure that Clive was naked under that dressing gown. She had been flashed one too many times to assume the man was wearing pants.

"Evening Clive," Piper said in a monotone, droning the common drivel that was expected when one greeted their mostly mad, extremely nosy upstairs neighbour.

"Yes, evening Piper," he replied shortly, storming down the steps. Piper averted her eyes as the bottom of his robe began to flap open, preventing herself from being scarred for life. "I hate to be a bother but I have to remind you once more not to play with my dog."