Time Salvager (Time Salvager #1)(30)

“For you? Hard to believe.”

“That’s what I thought,” she feigned exasperation. “But two-year stints mean all the civilians they recruited have families. Not many singles sign up for this type of job knowing that they’re stuck here the entire time.”

“There are at least two of us.” He shrugged. Immediately, he regretted saying that. What was he thinking? He had work to do, and less than sixteen hours to do it.

She took her badge off her collar. “Well, I’m off duty now. Guess you can buy me dinner.”

Her directness stopped James in his tracks. On the one hand, he’d love to spend more time with Elise. On the other hand, she was a distraction he didn’t need on this job. After all, the entire place was going up in a ball of radiated fire tomorrow. Hanging out with a soon-to-be ghost was a sure way for him to screw up the assignment, or worse, get himself killed.

He was about to turn her down when he stopped again. Why couldn’t he take this woman—probably the first woman he’d ever been attracted to who didn’t make it a business transaction—out to dinner? What was the harm of spending one evening with Elise? It would probably be healthy and help preserve his sanity. He deserved a little happiness, didn’t he?

She was a dead person; that’s why not. And he had a job to do. His internal struggle continued back and forth for several more seconds.

Elise sensed his hesitation and whistled. “Wow, I totally read all the signs wrong on that one. Color me embarrassed. I’m sorry, crewman. I’ll be on my way.” She turned away abruptly and sped down the ramp.

James watched as she disappeared around the corner. It was the right thing to do, letting her go. He had a mission. He wasn’t from this time. No good could come out of this.

“She’s just a ghost. She’s just a ghost,” he muttered over and over again. “I’ll be done with this and be on Europa in a year. Done with all this shit.”

He turned in the other direction to leave, and then stopped. Her badge. She had access to the Head Repository. He’d use hers. In fact, it was almost his duty to go buy her a drink to get close to her. James’s mouth broke into an almost giddy grin as he chased after her.

“Hey, Elise, hey!” He ran after her and jumped in front of her path. “I didn’t mean … I’d love to … Let me get you a drink.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Really? You blew it, pal. I don’t need your pity drink. I’ll get my own with someone who values my time.”

“No, that’s not what…” he stammered as she walked past him. James bit his lip and cursed.

“Hey, James, is everything all right? Your heart is redlining again,” Smitt said.

“Shut up, shut up!” James thought back furiously.

“Don’t make me pull you out early. Especially this job.”

James watched helplessly as she disappeared around the corner. What was with this place and corners? His mind raced. He didn’t have a lot of experience charming women. He hurried after her again.

“Excuse me, Elise,” the words hurried out of his mouth.

She turned and studied him coolly. “I believe what you meant to say was excuse me, Colonel, or ma’am.”

“Yes, ma’am, I apologize for inconveniencing you but I’m new to the Nutris and was wondering if there was a local establishment that served drinks,” he said.

“East end of the sector. Three levels up, B15,” she said, looking away with an exaggerated expression of indifference. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have important things to do.”

“Could you take me there? I get turned around easily. Last time I got lost in this sector, I nearly starved. If it wasn’t for—”

“You’re such a dork.” She rolled her eyes and smirked. “Fine, I’ll take you, but you’re buying drinks all night. Before I was going to let you buy me just one, with your pay scale, but now you got a lot of making up to do.”

A few minutes later, they were seated in the officers’ quarters at the Crystal Proof, one of the two bars in the floating city. Elise, being of proper rank, was allowed to bring James in as a guest. Still, it did earn him a few hard looks, including one from his * commanding officer. He guessed there were more single men here than Elise thought.

“So,” she leaned toward him, “tell me about yourself. You must have an interesting story.”

James watched his words. “Why do you think that? I’m as normal as they come.”

She gave him a good-natured look of disbelief. “I don’t think so. You look to be in your midthirties, but you don’t have anything on you. I don’t know anyone this day and age without any mods, implants, or inks. You’re as ugly as the day Gaia made you.”

James paused. “Why are you having a drink with me again?”

Elise leaned in. “I like a man who’s comfortable enough not to get artificial. They just don’t make guys who aren’t plastic anymore.” She reached a hand out and tilted his face left and then right. “There’s even scars on your face that you never bothered to have removed. Which conflict were you involved in?”

James’s face froze. “Smitt, I need a war. Just feed me something.”

“There hasn’t been a real war in fifty years. The time period before World War Three was the tail end of mankind’s golden era.”