"You just attract all the little jewels of the female world, dont'cha?" Asked Gabriel, preoccupied by the image of the seemingly ditzy receptionist hanging all over her partner. Not that she was the least bit jealous.

Steelbeak scarcely had time to reply when a stocky form came barreling toward them. "Oh no," he groaned.

"Steeeliiieee!" Agent Ammonia Pine grabbed Steelbeak's arm and looked up at him, her eyes sickeningly full of adoration.

"Hel-lo, Ammon-i-a." He replied through clenched teeth, trying not to let more of a wince or a sneer creep into his expression. "What kin I do fer ya?"

"Will you take me to the play tonight? All of St. Canard's talking about it!" Ammonia giggled like a schoolgirl. It was nauseating. "They say it's awfully romantic."

Gabriel looked between the other two agents and started laughing. She pointed to Ammonia's rotund physique and answered on Steelbeak's behalf, "Fat . . . Chance!"

Steelbeak, however, raised an eyebrow and tried a more diplomatic rejection. "Ammon-i-a, it's about a guy wit' a hump on 'is back an' dis gypsy girl what croaks. Everybody croaks! Dat ain't my idea of a feel-good mushy plot. B'sides . . . I'm busy."

Ammonia's face fell and she let go of Steelbeak's arm with a heavy sigh. "Oh." She said. "All right, then. See ya later, Steelie . . ."

Gabriel exhaled heavily as she watched Ammonia waddle off down the hallway. "Pathetic, isn't she? She was my training agent when I got here. You notice how much of an impact I made on her; she didn't even say 'hi' to me."

Steelbeak blinked, his eyes wide for an instant. "Her? An' you? Aw, ya poor t'ing!" He clucked. "Yeah -- we 'ad ta woik togedder for a mission once. Jest once. I made sure not to woik wit' her again."

"Maybe so, but not before she decided you were the best thing since Derek Blunt movie marathons." Gabriel remarked. "Come on . . . I think I will take you up on that ride offer. I wouldn't mind a nap."

"Fine. Let's go."

go back | return to table of contents | continue