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The first hint Emerald Eyes had that something wasn't quite right at home was the rank smell—somewhere between the decaying body of a dead rat and the thick, musty odor of human sweat. As she opened the door to her apartment, she spied the line of filthy clothes trailing off into her bedroom. Call the authorities, she thought even before she stepped into the apartment, but then remembered the last time she'd done so. It had taken them over an hour to answer her emergency call and when they arrived, they'd questioned her as though she was the criminal. No, thanks. She'd have to handle whatever this was on her own.
She stepped slowly into the apartment, her eyes and ears set on high alert. She propped the door open with a stained pair of pants from the trail, as much to start clearing the air as to give her an easier escape route. As she walked over to the next piece of clothing, she kicked a tattered shirt to one side. It looked vaguely familiar despite its filthy condition. Could it be? She followed the line of clothes into the bedroom, where she found Jason lying asleep, wearing one of her nicest silk robes, with Mu-Monk curled up beside him.
She tip-toed over to him and shook him gently. After a couple of seconds, Jason opened one eye. "Welcome home," he whispered as his eyes slowly focused on her. "Sorry about the mess. I'll be happy to pay whatever you ask for your gracious hospitality. Just let me sleep for a little longer. Not more than two or three days." He started to close his eyes.
"You've got to be kidding!" Emerald Eyes shouted, shaking him much more forcibly this time. "You disappear for close to two weeks without so much as a word to anyone, then show up here on my doorstep in the filthiest clothes I've ever seen or smelled. Are those bloodstains on them? They are, aren't they? Your blood or someone else’s? Never mind. You've got a lot of explaining to do, starting with, what the hell are you doing wearing my favorite robe?"
Jason opened first one eye, then the other. He studied Emerald Eyes' face for a moment, then pushed himself to a sitting position, glancing down at the pink robe. "Okay, I'll tell you what's going on, but you've got to promise me you won't ever tell anyone, no matter what. Promise?"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Emerald Eyes asked, the anger in her eyes still blazing.
"It's just that I don't want anyone to know that I prefer wearing women's clothes over men's."
Jason was only partially able to block Emerald Eyes' attack to his head with a pillow.
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"...AFTER MU-MONK HAD LED me back to the surface, we came straight here. Believe it or not, your robe was not my first choice of sleepwear, but I couldn't find anything else that would fit," Jason said, finishing off his tale.
Emerald Eyes slowly shook her head. "I've heard rumors all my life of people living in the Pipes, but I never thought they were true."
Jason nodded. He had decided not to say anything to Emerald Eyes, or anyone else for that matter, about Seattle's grand mission. Some things were better left unsaid. Besides, he was still trying to work out how much of it he believed himself.
"Well,” Emerald Eyes said as she stood up, "Do you want me to call the Patriarchy, or have you already reported this?"
"What?" Jason said, surprised by her question. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about reporting your kidnapping." She turned to him with her own look of surprise. "That woman held you against your will for almost two weeks. You've got to report it. Besides, if people are living down in the Pipes, the Patriarchy needs to know so the area can be cleaned up."
"You talk as though they're nothing more than a pack of rats or some other vermin."
"Well, aren't they? Living in the sewers and service ducts of the MED, robbing people, kidnapping, no telling what else. They are vermin. Hell, they could have killed you." Her Emerald Eyes’ eyes flared.
"Listen, I told you at the beginning, you can't tell anyone. I meant it. I'm not going to report them, and neither are you. Understood?" Jason stood up, facing Emerald Eyes.
The two of them glared at each other for several seconds. Finally, Emerald Eyes nodded. "If that's what you want, Jason. I just thought..."
"I know," Jason said as he reached out and grasped her arms, "but I'm fine now, and I'd rather not make a big deal out of it. I just want to get back to the rumbuc tables. Okay?
"Okay," Emerald Eyes replied and after a moment added, "It's good to have you back."
"Thanks. It's great to be back, you have no idea. Listen, do you think you could do one small thing for me?"
"What's that?"
"Do you think you could go buy me some clothes? I hate the idea of going out in public like this," Jason said as he pointed to the lacy robe.
"Well, I guess, though to be honest, I think that number looks quite good on you."