Gabriel had been giddy when she'd left Tegwen with the cryptic missive. Tegwen, being rightfully suspicious, had every intention not to go there. For all she knew, Gabriel was setting up some elaborate trap to snare her F.O.W.L.'s talons. She had such a feeling of foreboding about going there. At the same time, she wanted to believe Gabriel's change of heart was genuine. She wanted to trust her.

She wanted a friend.

But knowing about Negaduck's meeting clinched the deal for Tegwen. "I can't go. I made other plans. If Stupid-head Jerk-face really cared about everyone being in attendance, he would give a week's notice prior to the meeting. It's just proper business etiquette." She flashed a conniving smile at her roommate. "Be a dear and relay that message to the boss?"

"Tell him yourself!" Megavolt followed that up with an astute -- if not immensely unflattering -- observation about her.

"I'll go ahead and pretend I didn't hear that," said Tegwen, gathering her new pajamas from one of the shopping bags. She'd purposefully picked the most frumpy ones she could find, hoping it would deter any of her new associates should they get any funny ideas about her. Or non-funny ideas. Any unwelcome ideas.

With more grace and dignity than anyone should have had in her particular situation, Tegwen went to the bathroom to change for the night.

Megavolt watched her go in silence, utterly bewildered by her, as well as the fact that he was even putting up with someone like her. And for what? Nothing he could easily think of.



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