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Tech prided himself on being immune to distractions.
Explosions? Expected.
Mission complications? Routine.
Rev Runner talking at approximately three hundred words per minute while hanging upside down from the ceiling? Annoying, but manageable.
So when he found himself distracted by a stranger at a charity gala, he was understandably irritated. Tech was not staring. At least, that was the conclusion he had reached after the first twenty minutes of watching the roadrunner in blue from across the ballroom.
She stood near the stage, laughing politely at something one of the guests had said. The long skirt of her gown swayed around her legs whenever she shifted her weight, catching the light beneath the chandeliers. Her hair fell neatly around her shoulders, and despite the crowded room, she seemed strangely separate from everyone else.
The event itself was some kind of interplanetary charity gala that Zadavia had insisted the Loonatics attend. Normally, Tech would have found a quiet corner and spent the evening avoiding unnecessary social interaction. Instead, his gaze kept wandering back to the same roadrunner.
“Whatcha lookin’ at, Doc?” Ace leaned against the table beside him, following Tech’s gaze toward the woman across the ballroom.
Tech nearly choked on his drink. “I am observing. There is a significant difference.” He adjusted his glasses and deliberately turned his attention toward the nearest conversation.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night.” Ace’s grin widened as he folded his arms.
“I sleep perfectly well.” Tech took another sip of his drink.
“Sure you do.” Ace snorted, clearly unconvinced.
“Statistically speaking, I sleep averagely for seven-point-two hours per night.” Tech glanced at him over the rim of his glass.
“And statistically speaking, you’ve looked at the same lady twenty-seven times in ten minutes.” Ace tilted his head, looking far too pleased with himself.
Tech immediately looked away. “That number cannot possibly be accurate.”
“I counted before I approached you.” Ace shrugged as though this were the most reasonable thing in the world.
Tech gave him an unimpressed look. “I hate that you counted.”
He glanced around the ballroom, finally noticing something else.
“Where is everyone else?” Tech asked, looking around for the rest of the team.
“Duck and Lexi are somewhere near the dance room, Slam’s probably found something to eat at the buffet, and Rev...” Ace trailed off as he scanned the crowd. After a moment, he shrugged. “I dunno. I’m not sure. It’s pretty crowded here. You know how he is.”
Tech nodded absentmindedly. “I suppose.”
His attention drifted back toward the ballroom.
The woman in blue was still there.
“Honestly, Tech. I think you're really into her.” Ace’s grin became unbearably smug.
“I do not.” Tech kept his eyes firmly on his drink.
“Then stop staring.” Ace nudged him lightly with his elbow.
Tech adjusted his glasses again. “I am not staring.”
“You’re doing it again." Ace nodded toward the woman before reaching over to pat Tech’s shoulder. "We've been friends for years now, and my advice? Just go talk to her and ask her out. Well then, I'll go check up on Rev. See ya!” He gave him a quick grin before turning away and disappearing into the crowd.
Tech watched him leave, already regretting every decision that had led to this conversation. The suggestion was absurd. He didn't even know her. Technically, he knew almost nothing about her beyond the fact that she attended charity events, preferred quiet corners at crowded gatherings, and possessed an irritating ability to make him smile.
That was hardly enough information to justify asking someone on a date. At least, that was what Tech told himself. He tried to return his attention to the conversation happening around them, but his eyes wandered back almost instinctively. The woman really was beautiful. Not in the obvious way.
There were plenty of beautiful people at the gala—famous actors, celebrities, high-status figures, all dressed in expensive fabrics and polished accessories. She simply seemed to possess something the others didn't. Something softer.
Her movements were graceful without appearing deliberate, and whenever she laughed, there was something almost boyish beneath the elegance. Familiar. That was the irritating part. There was something about her that Tech knew but he simply couldn’t determine what.
Across the ballroom, the roadrunner in blue glanced in his direction. Their eyes met. She smiled. Tech immediately looked away. A few minutes later, the woman excused herself from the small group surrounding her and slipped through the nearest set of doors.
Tech watched her disappear. After two minutes of hesitation, he followed. The balcony outside was considerably quieter than the ballroom. Cool evening air drifted between the buildings of Acmetropolis, carrying the distant sounds of traffic and music from below.
The roadrunner stood by the railing, one hand resting against it as she looked out over the city. Tech stopped several feet away. He immediately questioned his decision to come outside. This was irrational. There was no reason for him to follow a stranger simply because he found her interesting, yet he turned to leave.
“You know, most people usually say hello first.” The woman turned her head, looking over her shoulder at him with an amused smile.
Tech froze. “I was merely checking whether the balcony was occupied,” He straightened his posture, trying to make the explanation sound reasonable.
“Right.” She turned back toward the city, her smile growing. “And I’m sure that’s exactly why you followed me out here.”
Tech frowned. “You noticed?”
“I noticed you staring from across the room.” She rested her elbows against the railing. “You’re not exactly subtle. I mean, there aren't many coyotes in Acmetropolis. Also, what are the odds of a coyote who's invited to this charity gala?”
“I was observing.” Tech replied and she laughed softly.
There it was again. That laugh. The sound was light and effortless, carrying easily through the cool evening air. It wasn't loud enough to draw attention, yet somehow Tech found himself focusing on it anyway. That strange sense of familiarity.
His memory was usually reliable. Faces, voices, names, statistics—he remembered them with frustrating accuracy. If he had met her before, he should have known exactly where.
Yet every attempt to place her came up empty. The woman tilted her head slightly when she noticed him staring. Tech's eyes narrowed. He knew that gesture. He had seen it before. Too many times. The problem was that every time he thought he had grasped the memory, it slipped away before he could identify it. Now that he thought about it, she was almost like a woman version of Rev Runner.
The thought was immediately dismissed as ridiculous. Rev was loud, impulsive, and physically incapable of standing still for longer than thirty seconds. The woman standing in front of him was composed, elegant, and carried herself with an effortless confidence that Rev lacked entirely.
And yet... The feeling remained.
Tech stepped closer, studying her expression. “I'm sorry but.. Have we met before?”
The woman looked at him for a moment then she smiled. “Maybe you’ve got one of those faces.”
“That is statistically unlikely.” Tech frowned.
She laughed again, covering her mouth with one hand. Tech narrowed his eyes slightly. There was something about her voice. Something about the way she laughed. Something about the way she tilted her head when she was amused.He knew it. He was certain of it. But from where?
“You’re the scientist guy, right?” she asked, turning toward him.
“Scientist guy?” Tech repeated.
“Yeah.” She waved a hand vaguely. “The genius one from the Loonatics.”
Tech raised an eyebrow. “You know who I am?”
“I know of you.” She smiled innocently. “Your friend Rev has mentioned you. It seems like you guys are pretty close.”
Tech immediately looked suspicious, his ears stood up after his best bud is mentioned. “What exactly has Rev said?”
“Mostly embarrassing things.”
Tech sighed. “Of course.”
She laughed again, and Tech found himself watching her despite himself. “You seem disappointed.”
“I am attempting to determine how much misinformation Rev has distributed about me.”
“Probably enough to fill a book.”
“I would not be surprised.”
"Several books actually." She nodded thoughtfully, as though she were making a serious estimate.
"That's even less assuring.." Tech pinched the bridge of his nose. “I will be having a conversation with him." The woman laughed again before she talks again. For a moment, the sound was so familiar that Tech almost thought—
No.. It's impossible. There was no conceivable scenario in which the woman standing before him was Rev Runner. The idea itself was extremely absurd. Rev was probably somewhere inside the gala, talking someone's ear off, eating half the buffet, or getting himself into trouble. Most likely all three simultaneously.
And yet... The laugh lingered in his mind. Tech found himself studying her again. Objectively speaking, she was attractive. Very attractive. The observation was immediate, undeniable, and entirely reasonable. The comparison that followed was considerably less reasonable.
For one deeply unfortunate moment, Tech's brain supplied the completely unsolicited thought that Rev was, in his own way, equally attractive. Tech immediately regretted having the thought.
Where had that come from? Rev was Rev. Loud. Chaotic. Chronically incapable of remaining still. A menace to everyone's ears. An absolute disaster of a person. Tech stared blankly at the city skyline.
Why had his brain chosen now to evaluate Rev's appearance? And more importantly, why had it reached a conclusion? He silently cursed himself.
The woman was still talking. Tech had absolutely no intention of unpacking whatever had just happened inside his own head.
“Are you alright?” she asked, watching him with growing amusement. “You kind of zoned out.”
Tech adjusted his glasses a little too quickly. “I am perfectly fine.”
“Uh-huh.” The woman raised an eyebrow.
“I am.” Tech insisted.
“Your face says otherwise.”
“My face says nothing.”
“Your face says you're having a crisis.”
“I am not having a crisis.”
The woman smiled.
Tech immediately disliked how unconvinced she looked. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence wasn't uncomfortable. If anything, Tech found it strangely pleasant. The woman looked back over the city. “You don't like parties, do you?”
“No.”
She smiled faintly. “I thought so.. I'm not really a fan of gathering in this crowded place either.”
Tech glanced at her. “Then why are you here?”
“Same reason as you are. I was required to attend.”
“What is your name?”
She went still for just a moment. Her eyes shifted toward the city as she considered how she was going to answer. Then she smiled again. “You can call me Blue.”
“That's not a name.” Tech sighed. “You're avoiding the question.”
“Maybe.” She smiled innocently.
He considered that. “That is not particularly informative.”
“I know, I just like being secretive.”
Tech almost smiled. Almost. She caught it anyway. “You almost smiled.”
“I did not.”
“You did.”
“I assure you, I did not.”
She laughed under her breath. “You're funny.”
“I have never been accused of that before.”
“Then they aren't paying enough attention.” She smiled. “At least Rev has that kind of vision of you.”
Tech looked at her again.
For some reason, that sentence stayed with him, they stood in silence.
Tech found himself looking at her again.
This close, he could notice little details he had missed from across the room. The careful way she held herself. The slight nervous movement of her fingers against the railing. The way she occasionally glanced toward the ballroom as though making sure no one had followed them.
“You're hiding from someone,” Tech said.
She looked at him. “What?”
“You keep checking the door.”
She immediately looked toward the door again.
Then she laughed.
“Maybe I am.”
“Who?”
“Wouldn't you like to know?”
“I would.”
She turned toward him, clearly amused by his straightforward answer.
“You're not very good at pretending not to be curious.”
“I never claimed to be.”
She smiled.
“Fair enough.”
Tech studied her for another moment. There it was again. That strange familiarity. He couldn't place it.
“You know..” she said, breaking the silence, “You've been staring at me all night. Why is that?”
Tech adjusted his glasses. “I assure you, I have not.”
“You just can't admit it, don't ya?”
“I was merely observing.”
“That's what you said earlier.”
“And it remains accurate.” Tech kept insisting.
She laughed.
“You're cute when you get defensive.”
Tech froze. The woman seemed to realize what she had said. Her cheeks turned slightly pink.
“I mean—” She looked away. Tech raised an eyebrow.
“Forget it.”
Tech folded his arms, watching as she stubbornly avoided looking at him. The woman groaned softly and covered part of her face with one hand. “Can we pretend I never said that?”
“No.”
“That was a surprisingly quick answer.”
“You asked a question.”
“You were supposed to think about it first.”
“I did.”
“For how long?”
“Approximately half a second.”
She laughed despite herself. Tech felt a strange sense of satisfaction at being the reason for it. An alarming realization.
The woman lowered her hand and finally looked back at him. “You know, for someone who's supposed to be a genius, you're kind of a menace.”
“I have also never been accused of that before.”
“Then your friends aren't paying enough attention either.”
“Considering my friends regularly launch each other into walls, I suspect they pay attention to very little.”
That earned another laugh.
The city stretched endlessly beneath them, lights glittering across the skyline like stars trapped beneath glass. Somewhere inside the ballroom, the music changed to a slower song. The woman glanced toward the doors.
“Looks like they're starting the dancing.”
Tech followed her gaze. “I noticed.”
“You dance?”
“No.”
The answer came so quickly that she blinked.
“Not even a little?”
“No.”
“You sure?” She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
“Yes.”
“You're lying.”
“Tell me ten reasons I should be lying over dancing.”
“There's no way someone attends this many formal events without learning at least one dance.”
“I spend most formal events avoiding people.”
“That's honestly kind of impressive.”
“Thank you.”
“That wasn't a compliment.”
“I chose to interpret it as one.”
The woman shook her head. “See? Funny.”
“I continue to believe you are mistaken.”
“Sure.” Her smile softened as she looked out over the city again.
The wind caught a loose strand of hair and brushed it across her face.
Without thinking, she tucked it behind her ear.
The motion struck Tech with another wave of familiarity.
Not because it was unusual.
Because he had seen it before.
Many times.
He just couldn't remember where.
The thought lingered in the back of his mind.
Annoying.
Persistent.
Like a puzzle with one missing piece he can't solve it.
“Can I ask you something?” she said quietly.
“You already have.”
“You know what I mean.”
Tech nodded. “Go ahead.”
The woman hesitated.
Longer this time.
As though she was carefully deciding how much she wanted to say.
“What do you do when people expect things from you?”
Tech blinked.
“That is an unusually broad question.”
“I know.”
“You seem fond of those.”
She smiled faintly.
“Humor me.”
Tech considered it.
“What sort of expectations?”
“Any kind.”
The answer came too quickly.
Too personally.
Tech noticed.
“You are asking about yourself.”
The woman looked away.
“Maybe.”
For some reason, that made him answer more honestly.
“I attempt to ignore expectations that are unreasonable.”
“And the reasonable ones?”
“I fulfill them.”
“Even if you don't want to?”
“Usually.”
She was quiet for several seconds.
“That sounds exhausting.”
“It is.”
The admission surprised both of them.
The woman turned toward him.
“You don't seem like the type to admit that.”
“Most people do not ask.”
A faint smile appeared on her face.
“Then maybe they should.”
Tech looked at her.
The conversation had shifted somewhere unexpected. The playful teasing was still there, but beneath it was something else. Something more genuine. The woman seemed to notice it too. For the first time all evening, she wasn't smiling to hide something.
She simply looked... relieved. As though she had been carrying a weight for a very long time. Her smile softened as she looked out over the city again. The wind tugged gently at the loose strands of hair framing her face. Neither of them spoke. The music drifting from the ballroom was faint but steady, carried through the open doors along with the distant murmur of conversation.
Then the woman pushed herself away from the railing. “Well..”
Tech looked at her. “Well what?”
“Come here.” She offered a hand for him to take.
Immediately suspicious, Tech folded his arms. “Why?”
“Because I'm teaching you how to dance.”
“Nope.”
“Yes.”
“No thanks.”
“Yes.”
“I have already informed you that I do not dance.”
“And I've already decided that's a terrible excuse.”
Tech stared at her and she stared back.
Neither moved.
After several seconds, the woman sighed dramatically.
“You're impossible.”
“I have been informed of that.”
“Repeatedly, I assume.”
“Frequently.”
The woman extended her hand again toward him.
“Come on.”
Tech eyed the offered hand as though it might explode.
“You are aware that I possess absolutely no experience in this area.”
“Good thing I do.”
“That is not reassuring.”
“It wasn't supposed to be.”
Tech hesitated. This was ridiculous. Objectively ridiculous. He had followed a stranger onto a balcony, spent nearly an hour talking to her, and was now apparently considering accepting dance lessons from her.
And yet...
He found himself placing his hand in hers anyway. The woman's smile brightened immediately.
“See? That wasn't so hard.”
“I reserve the right to regret this.”
“Denied.”
Before he could argue further, she gently guided him away from the railing. The music was easier to hear here, drifting through the open doors in a slow, elegant rhythm.
“Okay.” She positioned herself in front of him. “Put your hand here.”
Tech glanced down. Then immediately looked away.
“This feels unnecessarily complicated.”
“You're overthinking it.”
“I assure you, I am thinking the exact appropriate amount.”
“You're definitely overthinking it.”
She took his hand and placed it lightly against her waist.
Tech froze.
The woman noticed instantly.
“Oh my stars.”
“I fail to see what is amusing.”
“You look terrified.”
“I am not terrified.”
“You absolutely are.”
“I am unfamiliar with the procedure, I'd rather take ten abstract algebra exams.”
That only made her laugh harder.
“There it is again.”
“What?”
“That face.”
“What face?”
“The one where you're trying very hard to pretend you're not panicking.”
“I am not panicking.”
“Sure.”
The woman rested her other hand against his shoulder. The contact was light. Harmless. Entirely innocent, so why was Tech suddenly aware of every single place they were touching?
“Relax,” she said softly.
“I am relaxed.”
“No, you're not.”
“I am.”
“Tech.”
He blinked.
Then blinked again.
The fact that she had used his name caught him completely off guard.
The woman seemed equally surprised by it.
For a brief second, something nervous flashed across her face.
Then it disappeared.
“Just follow my lead,” she said quickly.
Tech narrowed his eyes.
Again.
Familiar.
The way she recovered from mistakes. The way she changed the subject whenever she was uncomfortable. The way she smiled when she didn't want someone asking questions.
He knew these habits. He knew them. Yet somehow he still couldn't place them. The music continued.
Slow.
Steady. The woman guided them through a simple step. Tech immediately stepped on her foot.
She winced. “Ow.”
“I'm sorry, I'm terribly sorry.” The apology came so quickly that she stared at him.
“You actually apologized.”
“I apologize when it's appropriate.”
“Mark the calendar.”
Tech rolled his eyes.
The second attempt went considerably better. The third better still. Eventually his movements became less awkward. Eventually he stopped watching his feet every few seconds. Eventually he found himself paying more attention to her than the dance itself.
The realization arrived quietly. Dangerously. The woman smiled whenever he got something right. She laughed whenever he got something wrong. She was patient. Encouraging and entirely too easy to talk to.
“You're improving.”
“That seems statistically improbable.”
“And yet.”
“I suspect your standards are simply very low.”
“That's definitely part of it.”
Tech huffed.
The woman laughed again. Tech could keep listening that laugh even if the sun were to explode. The sound lingered in his thoughts. Pulling at memories he couldn't quite reach. A hundred conversations. A hundred mission briefings. A hundred moments spent listening to someone talk far too quickly about absolutely everything. Tech frowned. The feeling vanished before he could grasp it.
“What's that look for?” the woman asked.
“What look?”
“The thinking look.”
“I always have a thinking look.”
“Exactly.” She grinned.
“That explanation is entirely unhelpful.”
“Maybe I just like seeing you confused.”
“I am not confused.”
“You followed a stranger onto a balcony.”
“That does not make me confused.”
“It makes you suspiciously brave.”
“Or irrational.”
“Maybe both.”
For a moment, neither spoke. The music swelled softly around them. The city lights shimmered beneath the night sky. The woman looked up at him and Tech looked down at her. For the first time all evening, the teasing faded. Something quieter settled between them. Neither seemed entirely sure what to do with it.
The woman looked away first. A faint blush touched her cheeks. Tech immediately noticed. He also immediately pretended not to. A wise decision. One that lasted approximately three seconds.
“You're blushing.”
The woman groaned.
“You were doing so well.”
“I merely made an observation.”
“You really can't help yourself, can you?”
“Help myself with what?”
“Being a menace.”
“I continue to maintain that this accusation lacks supporting evidence.”
Then the ballroom doors suddenly opened. Both of them looked up. A crowd of guests spilled onto the balcony, talking loudly amongst themselves. The moment shattered instantly. The woman stepped away from him so quickly that Tech almost stumbled from the sudden absence.
“Well,” she said, smoothing out her dress, “looks like our hiding spot has officially been discovered.”
Tech glanced toward the growing crowd. For reasons he preferred not to examine, disappointment settled heavily in his chest. “Yes.”
The woman looked at him for a moment. Long enough that it felt deliberate before she smiled. A softer smile this time. One that somehow felt more genuine than all the others.
“I had fun tonight, scientist guy.” Tech stared at her.
“I... also found the experience surprisingly enjoyable.”
The woman's smile widened, her eyes shined under the bright moon shone on her.
“There it is.”
“There is what?”
“A normal compliment.”
“I believe that's the first one you've gotten out of me.”
“Then I'll treasure it forever.”
Tech was reasonably certain she was teasing him. Unfortunately, he found that he didn't mind. Not even a little. The woman's smile lingered for a moment longer. Then someone inside the ballroom called her name. Or at least, Tech assumed it was her name. The music and chatter swallowed most of it before he could make it out. The woman's eyes widened briefly.
Then she looked away. "That's my cue."
Tech immediately frowned. "You are leaving?"
"I was planning on it, yes."
"You still have not told me your actual name."
She laughed softly.
"Maybe next time."
"That implies there will be a next time."
"I'd like there to be." The answer came so naturally that it caught both of them off guard. For a second, neither spoke.
Then the woman cleared her throat.
"Goodnight, Tech."
"Goodnight... Blue." Her smile returned. Then she disappeared back into the crowd.
Tech remained on the balcony for several moments after she was gone. Watching the doorway. Thinking. Analyzing. Overanalyzing. The usual. Eventually he returned to the ballroom. Unfortunately, Ace immediately spotted him.
"Uh oh." Tech stopped walking.
Ace pointed dramatically. "That is the face of a man who just talked to a pretty lady."
"I despise you."
"YOU DID!" Several guests turned to look the voice.
"Lower your voice!" Tech considered throwing Ace off the balcony.
"Oh my stars, you actually did."
"Ace."
"You talked to her."
"Ace."
"You liked talking to her."
"Ace."
"You got her name?"
Tech hesitated.
"You didn't get her name?" Ace's jaw dropped.
"It's complicated."
"You followed a mysterious woman onto a balcony and forgot to ask for her name?"
"I asked."
"And?"
"She refused to answer."
Ace stared at him.
Then burst into laughter.
Tech immediately regretted sharing any information.
The laughter continued for an unreasonable amount of time.
Finally Ace wiped a tear from his eye.
"That's incredible."
"It is not."
"It absolutely is."
Tech pinched the bridge of his nose. "I do not understand why I continue speaking to you."
"Because I'm charming."
"No."
"Handsome?"
"No."
"Your good adviser?"
Tech sighed.
"Unfortunately."
Ace grinned triumphantly. "Thought so."
Before the conversation could continue, a familiar blur shot past them. A streak of blue and yellow raced through the ballroom carrying an entire tray of desserts. Several guests yelped. One waiter nearly fainted.
"Sorry! Sorry! Coming through!" A familiar voice shouted beyond the sea of crowds. Tech turned automatically.
"Rev?" The roadrunner skidded to a stop beside them.
"Hey guys!" Tech blinked. Rev looked exactly like Rev always did. Feathers slightly messy. Bow tie crooked. Grinning like he'd consumed enough sugar to power a small city.
"Where have you been?" Ace asked.
"Everywhere."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"It does if you don't think about it."
"It really doesn't." Rev shoved an entire pastry into Ace's mouth. Tech stared and thought about the elegant woman from the balcony before looking at Rev again. Then immediately wondered why his brain kept comparing them. The comparison made no sense. None whatsoever. One was graceful. The other had somehow gotten frosting on his forehead.
One carried herself with effortless elegance. The other was currently trying to balance three éclairs on his arm. The similarities were nonexistent. Was it because both of them are Roadrunner? And yet. Something tugged at the back of his mind.
A familiar laugh.
A familiar smile.
A familiar tilt of the head.
"Tech?" Rev was staring at him. Tech was frowning before he looked up.
"When was the last time you blinked?"
"I blink regularly."
"You were staring at me."
"I was not."
"You totally were."
Ace suddenly looked between them. Then a grin spread across his face. A dangerous grin. The sort of grin that usually preceded disaster.
"Oh no." Tech immediately became suspicious.
"Oh no what?"
Ace folded his arms. "Nothing."
"That response inspires zero confidence."
"Just thinking."
"Do not." Tech narrowed his eyes.
"Too late."
Rev looked equally confused. "What are you guys talking about?"
"Nothing."
"That sounds suspicious."
"It is." Ace's grin somehow widened. Tech felt an immediate sense of dread. Fortunately, before Ace could elaborate, Zadavia appeared near the stage and called for everyone's attention.
The charity auction was beginning. Guests slowly gathered around the ballroom. The conversation dissolved. But as Tech moved toward the crowd, he found himself glancing over his shoulder. Searching. The woman was nowhere to be seen.
He checked near the stage.
Nothing.
Near the refreshments.
Nothing.
Near the entrance.
Nothing. Gone.
An oddly disappointing realization. Tech nearly walked into a table.
"Looking for someone?" Ace appeared beside him again like a curse.
"I do not know what you mean."
"Sure."
"I don't."
"Sure.."
Tech considered several highly detailed methods of making Ace disappear. Most involved explosives.
Hours later, the gala finally ended. The Loonatics gathered near the transport platform outside. Lexi looked exhausted as she's carrying Duck who's unconscious. Slam was carrying enough leftover food to feed a small army. Ace was still insufferable. And Rev—
Rev was unusually quiet.
Tech noticed immediately, not because it was strange. Because it was impossible. Rev being quiet was like gravity taking a day off. The roadrunner stood a short distance away from the others, one hand occupied by a duffel bag slung over his shoulder while the other scrolled through something on his communicator.
The roadrunner stood slightly apart from the group, looking down at his communicator. Tech frowned. The bag caught his attention first. Rev rarely carried luggage. If he needed something, he usually stuffed it into a pocket, balanced it on his head, or forgot it entirely. Yet now he was carrying a fairly large navy-blue duffel bag that Tech was certain he hadn't brought with him earlier that evening.
His eyes lingered on it. The bag looked oddly full. Not heavy enough to contain equipment. Not large enough to contain mission gear.
He looked tired. More tired than Tech remembered seeing him in a long time. Before Tech could think too much about it, Rev glanced up. Their eyes met. For a split second, something passed across Rev's face. A Relief then it vanished beneath his usual smile. "Ready to head home, Techy?"
Tech blinked, since when have Rev called him that way? Rev had cycled through approximately two hundred different nicknames over the years. Most had been terrible.
Techster. Professor. Doc. Brainiac. Egghead. Several names that Tech had permanently erased from memory for the sake of his own sanity. But Techy? That one felt strangely new. And strangely familiar. His brain immediately supplied an image of a woman in a blue dress smiling across a balcony.
"Yes." Tech nodded.
"Cool." Then, without another word, he hopped into the transport. Tech watched him disappear inside. That strange feeling returned.
"Oh, wow." Ace immediately appeared beside him.
Tech sighed. "What."
Ace pointed toward the transport. "No dramatic entrance. No random story. No attempting to steal the decorative centerpieces. Rev's running out of batteries."
"That is not how biology works."
"You know what I mean."
Tech glanced back toward the transport door. The duffel bag was sitting beside Rev's seat now. For some reason, his eyes drifted toward it again. Ace followed his gaze.
"What're you looking at?"
"Nothing."
"You were staring."
"I was observing." Tech immediately turned away.
"That's literally the same excuse you used for the pretty lady." Ace's grin widened.
"Oh my stars, you're still thinking about her."
"I am not."
"You're totally thinking about her."
"I am not."
"You got her number?"
"No."
Ace looked horrified. "You talked to a pretty girl for like an hour and didn't get her name?"
"Like I've said before, only a name."
Ace brightened. "See? Progress."
"It was almost certainly false."
Ace looked confused. "What?"
"She told me her name was Blue."
"...Okay?"
"That is not a name."
"Says who?"
"Says language."
Ace stared at him for several seconds before he laughed again. "Oh, you're doomed." Tech decided not to respond. Mostly because he wasn't entirely certain Ace was wrong.
The ride back to headquarters was quieter than usual. Duck remained unconscious. Lexi looked moments away from joining him. Slam was busy protecting his collection of leftover food from imaginary thieves. Ace eventually fell asleep. Which left Tech and Rev sitting on opposite sides of the transport.
Rev had his head resting against the window. The duffel bag sat between his feet. Every now and then, Rev glanced down at it. Almost absentmindedly. Like he was checking to make sure it was still there. Tech noticed. And once he noticed, he couldn't stop noticing. Odd. Very odd.
When the transport finally landed at headquarters, everyone slowly filtered out. Rev grabbed the duffel bag before anyone else could touch it. A perfectly normal action. One that Tech immediately found suspicious. He watched Rev sling it over his shoulder.
"What's in the bag?" The question slipped out before Tech could stop himself. Rev froze, only for a fraction of a second. Then he smiled.
"Oh, you know... Nunya."
Tech blinked. "What's a Nunya?"
"Nunya business."
Tech stared at him, unamused. "That answer contains no information."
"Correct."
Rev adjusted the strap on his shoulder. "Top-tier answer, right?"
"No."
Rev laughed. Bright. Effortless. Familiar. For a fraction of a second, Tech's thoughts jumped backward. A balcony overlooking Acmetropolis. City lights beneath a dark sky. A woman in blue covering her mouth as she laughed at one of his comments. The memory surfaced so suddenly that it caught him off guard. Then it vanished again.
Tech frowned. Coincidence. It had to be. Plenty of people laughed similarly. Statistically speaking, there were only so many ways for a roadrunner to laugh.
"Anyway, I'm gonna head to my room."
Tech blinked.
"You are going to sleep?"
"Yep."
"You?"
"Me." Rev pointed dramatically at himself.
"Sleep?"
"Yes."
"Voluntarily?"
Rev pretended to think about it. "Yes."
"Huh."
Then he grinned. "Guess miracles do happen."
Before Tech could continue questioning him, Rev disappeared down the hallway with the bag still hanging from his shoulder. Tech watched him go. The duffel bag bounced lightly against Rev's side as he walked away.
Odd. The entire evening had been odd. Blue. The bag. Rev's unusually quiet behavior. That familar laughter. Tech remained standing in the hallway long after everyone else had dispersed. Which, unfortunately, only made the problem worse.
The feeling that he was overlooking something obvious. Something directly in front of him. Something important. Every time he thought he was close to an answer, it slipped away before he could grasp it.
He couldn't explain it. Couldn't prove it. Couldn't identify it. All he knew was that a mysterious woman named Blue and his best friend kept occupying the same space in his thoughts. That particular problem would only become more complicated in the weeks ahead.