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Post By Al B. Harper Sun Nov 26, 2006 at 08:10:26 pm EST |
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Al B. Harper Chapter 18: Pre-Wedding Jitters | |
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| Al B. Harper Chapter 18: Pre-Wedding Jitters Yuki Shiro noticed the bright fluorescent glow of the lights glaring out of the open doorway leading into Al B. Harper’s lab in the Lair Mansion sub-basement. She noted her internal Global Positioning System put the time at exactly 2:14am. "Al?" she asked as she walked through the solid door frame. Al B. Harper didn't look up from the complex equation he was working on. Papers, chocolate bar wrappers and coffee cups were scattered everywhere, the place was a mess. Al was a mess. His eyes were bloodshot. His hair was even more tousled than usual. He was muttering something incoherent. There were crumbs on his shirt. "Al?" Yuki asked again, concern growing in her voice, “Have you had any sleep, it will be light again soon…” her voice trailed off. Al B. looked up at her, his eyes focusing and refocusing, for a second, Yuki was not sure that he recognised her. “Ah, Yuki,” he said at last. “All recovered I see? Getting used to the new specs in your new body?” Yuki moved closer to the arch-scientist. “The new body is working out fine Al,” she placed her hand on his arm, “It’s not my body I’m worried about. Amy tells me you’ve been spending every waking hour down here, and every sleeping hour as well it seems.” Al B. looked at her for a moment, and then slumped back into his chair. “There is just so much to do,” he said at last, “The situation in China is worsening, I’m no closer to finding a way to rescue Miss Framlicker, or the missing Juniors, or Cody for that matter.” He paused before stating softly. “After Liu Xi, I don’t want us to lose another.” Yuki rubbed her hand tenderly on Al’s arm for a moment, before asking “Tell me, have you had any ideas for a wedding present for Dream? I admit I’m at a loss.” Al looked up “I err...didn’t think it would be appropriate to attend, what with all this,” he motioned around to the mess in the lab. “Ridiculous!” Yuki expressed. “You’ll be no help to anyone if you keep going without a break. Dream is your friend, he will expect you to attend. Al, we have to take these small lights in these dark times and embrace them. Come on, it’s late, or early I guess, but you can help me choose a costume to wear.” As Yuki pulled Al out of his chair, he allowed himself the first smile he’d had in a while and was dragged along with her. Later, after the neon glow of the lights had faded, a small piping sound was heard from the communications consul in the lab. A woman’s voice, so soft it was barely audible, spoke: “Al..Al are you there? It’s me, Muffy. Damn it Harper, I don’t have much time. Where are yo–“ Abruptly, the voice cuts off, and the lab returns to its silence once more. |
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