Tropical Storm - DK1

by Melissa Good

  236 Melissa Good Dar’s eyes briefly followed Kerry toward the washroom, and then she returned her attention to her phone call. “Look, Jim, I don’t care what it’s going to take, I need the building back online.” She leaned forward and cradled her head in her hand. “They can’t go on backup power because the fire department won’t certify the electrical substructure as safe. That means I need an electrical engineer in there, and I need them now, not tomorrow or Monday. Got me?”

  Kerry got her system going, then she stood up. “Bet you could use some coffee,” she guessed, getting a pathetically grateful look from her boss.

  “Thought so. I’ll go make some.” Okay, I can do this. We’re functioning. Kerry felt a little relieved, her initial nervousness fading as she rattled around the kitchen, setting up the coffee maker and starting it going. She returned to the doorway and leaned against it, watching Dar as she persistently threatened, cajoled, and harangued a series of people, finally resulting in a string of curses in two languages that caused Kerry’s eyebrows to lift as the executive slammed down the handset.

  Dar glowered at the phone, then looked up, to meet warm, green eyes looking back at her. “Idiots.”

  Kerry disappeared, then reappeared a minute later with a cup of steaming coffee, which she handed over before taking a seat next to Dar on the couch. “No luck, huh?”

  Dar sighed and leaned back. “I have an electrical engineer headed there from South Carolina, and two backup machines being prepped in Houston, but…it’s not enough.” She took a sip of the coffee, then gave Kerry a look.

  “You remembered how I like it.”

  Kerry laughed. “Dar, c’mon. You add enough cream and sugar so that it stops tasting like coffee, and there you are.” She patted her companion’s leg, feeling the subtle shift of muscle under her hand as Dar stretched a little.

  “Eh, that’s true,” Dar admitted, giving her an affectionate look. “God, what’s next?”

  Kerry was searching the database. “Jesus, that board looks like a frigging Christmas tree.” She pulled her laptop back onto her lap as she settled deeper into the soft leather and sat cross-legged next to Dar. She glanced up. “Hey, Beauty and the Beast, I love those candlesticks.” She grinned and shook her head, not seeing the startled look in Dar’s blue eyes. “Yeesh, Dar, this is terrible. We really don’t have a backup if we lose that facility.” She looked up at her boss, who nodded slowly. “Wow.”

  “I know. Three years ago in executive committee, we made a decision not to duplicate that center. I fought it like crazy, but no one wanted to allocate the budget for it. I wanted to split the processing, but they just wouldn’t go for it.” Dar sighed. “This is one of those times when I wish I wasn’t being proven right.”

  Kerry shook her head. “Well, we can shift critical stuff here and here, but they’ve got all the routers up there, Dar. We don’t have enough alternate routes to get around that.”

  “Yeah, that’s why I’ve been putting my efforts into getting the building back up,” Dar acknowledged glumly. The phone rang, and she picked it up.

  “Yeah?”

  Tropical Storm 237

  “Dar, it’s José.” Montarosa’s voice was excited. “Do you know what’s going on?”

  “Yeah. We’re down,” Dar replied tersely. “Now get off my goddamn phone so I can do something about it.”

  Kerry glanced at her, then disengaged a hand from her keyboard and rubbed the taller woman’s back in gentle circles. She could feel the tension in the tight muscles, and she let her fingers probe the knots she found in her neck.

  There was a slight pause before Dar’s voice resumed. “I’m sorry, José.

  What was that you asked?” Her tone had relaxed a little. “No, there was a fire in the building. The mainframes are fine, but we don’t have power because the fire department won’t let us put juice in from the generator.” Dar closed her eyes as strong, sensitive fingers probed muscles sore from painting. “What?

  Oh, yeah. No, we don’t have a backup location. You know that, you voted it down, remember?”

  Kerry put down her laptop and crawled up onto the back of the couch, going to work with both hands.

  “Uh, I don’t…I’ve got an electrician coming down to certify the building, so yeah, probably. But I’m going to keep pushing on the fire department anyway. Maybe they’ll get tired of hearing my voice and give up. … No. …

  Okay, I’ll let you know. Bye.” Dar let her hand drop with the phone in it and groaned. “You are very good at that.”

  “Thanks,” Kerry murmured. “You’re really tense.” As the dark-haired woman leaned forward, she worked her way down Dar’s back, then started back up. “There. Better?”

  Blue eyes gazed back at her as Dar half turned. “Much.”

  Kerry grinned and slipped back down onto the couch. “So, what’s next?”

  Dar draped an arm across her shoulders. “Just stay here and keep me company while I yell at people, okay?”

  Okay? Kerry squirmed closer, settling against Dar’s warm body with a little sigh of contentment. “Sure.” She let her legs join the taller woman’s, propped up on the coffee table, her green socks an odd contrast to Dar’s bare feet, then pulled her laptop over, resuming her search for resources. “We could shift these routers and get some of the bank traffic up, or…wait…here, and get Interline back.”

  Dar peered over her shoulder. “Mmm. Do it. I’d rather have NOTAMS

  and the weather service back for the airlines. It’s the weekend, the banks can wait.”

  Kerry almost didn’t hear the last part of that, since Dar’s breath was tickling her ear very distractingly. “Uh, okay…erf…uck, I forgot I can’t use…

  Oh, wait, I can route the request through the Houston backbones. Hang on.”

  “You’re very good at that, too.”

  Dar’s voice almost made her accidentally reconfigure a master router.

  “Dar?”

  The executive peered at the screen. “Hmm?”

  “Unless you want me to reroute the NBC satellite feeds to Iran, could you just be quiet for a minute?”

  Pale blue eyes winked at her mischievously. “Sorry.”

  238 Melissa Good

  “No problem.” Kerry tried not to think about how close those nice, inviting lips were. “What was I doing? Oh yeah…” She worked at the keyboard for a minute. “Okay. Yeesh, that’s awkward.”

  The phone rang, and Dar picked it up. “Yes? … Oh, right. Okay, good.

  … Let me know.” She hung up, then stretched. “The electrician just got there.

  Hey, want some ice cream?”

  Kerry didn’t think twice. “Sure.” She continued her browsing. “Oh, I can get ATMs back up in the Northeast. Hang on.”

  Dar got up and ambled into the kitchen, musing on how much more fun a disaster was with Kerry around. She thought about that as she dished out the frozen treat. How much more fun everything was with Kerry around. She carried the dishes back and handed Kerry hers, then settled back in her spot and picked up the phone again.

  It was almost five AM before the electrician finished his inspection, and Dar had to argue with him for fifteen minutes before he agreed to issue his report then and there. “Look, I didn’t have you get out of your god-damn bed at one AM so you could write a report tomorrow. Just do it!” she snarled. “Put Gregory on the phone.”

  The deep, rumbling voice of the Netops chief came on. “Yeah, Dar?”

  “Get that report. I’ve got that damn fire chief on his way to you now.

  Give it to him, and tell him to take it and shove it.” She stopped abruptly as Kerry stuck a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth. “Mfufh…” She swallowed.

  “Sorry, I mean, tell him to please open the seals, and let you in the control room to get the power cut over.”

  “Sure. Hang on, here he comes now.” Gregory chuckled. “You wanna talk to him?”

  “No.” Dar sighed. “He doesn’t want to hear my voic
e again, I can tell ya that.”

  “Okay, he’s doing it. We’re in.” Gregory’s voice faded, and several clanks and sharp pops came clearly through the phone. “Hold on… Yow, it’s dusty in here. Thank god we test this thing once a week. Okay, hold your ears.” The overwhelming rumble of the generator was easily heard. “Stabilizing…

  Coming up to voltage… Okay…”She could hear the muffled voice of Gregory on another phone. “Yaz! Hit the switches, eh?” He came back. “Power’s up, Dar. I’m going to give it ten minutes to peak and spike, then kick the dogs in the ass and get them back online.”

  “Whoops, here come the routers,” Kerry informed her, watching the top-level map. “Do they autoboot?”

  Dar nodded “Routers just came back, Greg.” She watched as the red lights slowly mapped to green. “Backbones are up.” She felt a tired smile twist her lips.

  “Packets are passing,” Kerry reported, with a grin. “The overseas link just came up.” She pointed at the multiline gateways that passed data over the Atlantic.

  Dar ruffled her hair, then draped an arm over her shoulders as they watched. “Okay, looks good, Greg.”

  “Uh huh. Thanks, Dar. Couldn’t have done it without you, that’s for damn sure.” Gregory cheerfully told her. “Later. Go get some sleep, eh?”

  Tropical Storm 239

  “ ’Night, Greg.” Dar replied, and cut off the line. “Damn, that was a bitch.”

  Kerry nodded, then turned her head to regard Dar. “You’ve got ice cream on your lips,” she observed, peering at the offending spot.

  Dar eyed her quietly. “I do?”

  Kerry leaned over and gently, deliberately, removed it, tasting the surface with a tentative tongue. She felt the soft intake of breath, then a steadying touch against the back of her neck sent tingles down her spine as Dar returned the favor, taking a leisurely bit of time doing so. Kerry could feel the warm closeness of her body, and breathed in the pleasant scent of her as she let herself respond, enjoying the simple, undemanding pleasure of it.

  They were both too tired to go further, she knew, but it felt very good to spend a few minutes in this gentle exploration, giving them both a chance to get used to each other. She drew in a breath as Dar pulled back a little and rubbed noses with her. It brought a smile to her face, and she let her head fall back against the couch, with a sigh. “That felt nice.”

  Dar nodded, brushing back her hair with idle fingers. “Mmm-hmm.

  C’mon, you can find out first hand what a waterbed feels like.”

  Kerry must have looked a little startled, because Dar laughed a little, and put a hand up, patting her cheek. “Easy, easy. Just to sleep in. We’re taking this nice and slow, remember?”

  Kerry returned the smile. “It’s just all a little new to me,” she explained.

  “But a bed of any kind sounds really good to me right now.”

  Dar nodded in quiet understanding. “Is this your first time, Kerry?” She knew the answer, but waited.

  The green eyes dropped, and a soft flush colored Kerry’s neck. “Um.

  Not…with a woman, yes.” she finally got out, glancing up. “I, um…”

  “Shhh, it’s okay. I kind of guessed that.” Dar gave her a reassuring pat on the arm. “Take it easy—no rush, no pressure.” Stifling a yawn, Dar got up and then held out a hand in invitation. “C’mon, time for bed. I’m really bushed.”

  It’s… Kerry put down her laptop and stood up, having changed into her pajamas earlier. It was scary, and at the same time, exhilarating . She took Dar’s hand and followed her into the cool, blue-walled bedroom, feeling the calmness of the place with a sense of anticipation. She glanced at the bed.

  “You ever get seasick?”

  The executive chuckled. “No.” She pulled back the covers and got in, moving over to the center of the bed. “See? Big enough for six.”

  Kerry laughed and accepted the invitation, surprised at the gently moving surface. “Oh, I thought it would move more.”

  “It’s semi-waveless,” Dar explained. “There are these little foam baffles inside, and the water gets trapped in there, so it doesn’t move around much.”

  She patted the surface. “See?”

  Kerry settled down. “Mmm. Wow, this is comfortable.” She had plenty of space around her and a nice soft pillow. Her anxiety eased and she relaxed, watching as Dar reached up and turned off the overhead lamp.

  “You okay?” The low, vibrant voice cut through the darkness.

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” Kerry answered sleepily. “G’night.”

  Dar put her hands behind her head and gazed up at the unseen ceiling.

  240 Melissa Good

  “G’night.” A peaceful silence fell, and Dar waited for sleep to claim her, tired, but very conscious of the warm body nearby. What a day. She shook her head in mild disbelief. Her life was changing, shifting so fast she hardly knew what to do about it. In the space of a single day, of a single night, really, she’d suddenly acquired a facet in her life she never would have expected, but now that she had it, she was wondering how she’d ever lived without it.

  The bed shifted gently; she felt Kerry’s warmth move closer, and a grin appeared. It took another ten minutes, then she felt a touch against her and she sidled over, closing her arm around the sleeping woman, who nestled closer immediately, tucking an arm around her waist, and relaxing with a sigh as she nuzzled Dar’s shoulder.

  It felt wonderful. Dar’s eyes closed, and this time, she welcomed the dreams.

  THEY WERE OUTSIDE a waterfall this time. She was looking out over a small ledge thick with moss, above a deep pool that caught the falling water with a dull roar.

  It was mid-afternoon, and the weather was perfect—nice and cool, but sunny. Other than the water, the only sounds she could hear were birds, and a few small rustles that might have been squirrels around them. Otherwise it was quiet enough to hear the leaves growing.

  Warmth stirred against her, and she glanced down to see a blonde head tucked against her shoulder and one tanned hand resting on her stomach, a surface a good deal more toned than she could recall herself being since she’d stopped competing in tournaments a few years back.

  It was Kerry...and yet, it wasn’t. The hair, though disheveled, was styled differently, and the hand resting on her bore a small scar in the half moon between forefinger and thumb that wasn’t familiar. The body resting against her was darker, and more muscular as well. She could feel the solid weight of it and the rippled curves under the arm she had wrapped around the smaller woman.

  Strange. And not. A roughly woven blanket covered them from the hips down, and despite the uneven surface, she felt very comfortable and totally relaxed.

  She watched a butterfly flutter down, its yellow and black wings in a stark contrast to the green around them. It lighted on a flower, pale pink and salmon, that swayed gently under the weight of the insect. Its wings were spread for balance, and she watched them almost hypnotically as they opened and closed, seeing the odd, dark eyes on each one.

  She looked straight up and saw a hawk, coursing through the upper canopy and arching its body to land. A feather floated down, wisps of brown and tan, and landed on the blanket over her thigh.

  Then the sound of the water lulled her back into sleep.

  Dar slowly became aware of her surroundings, a mixture of the familiar and the unfamiliar, as the well-known comfort of her waterbed combined with the wonderful sensation of someone hugging her. She let her eyes drift open, and saw the muted reflection of sunlight coming through the drawn blinds, sending tiny stripes across her body as well as Kerry’s.

  The blonde was in the same position in which she’d fallen asleep last Tropical Storm 241

  night, or, to be more precise, earlier that morning, curled up tightly against her left side with one arm thrown across Dar’s middle. Just like the dream, she mused. Except they were in a bed, in an apartment in Miami, fully dressed, of course, not naked somewhere in the forest outsid
e a damn waterfall.

  What a strange dream. Dar shook her head faintly, then craned her neck to examine Kerry’s hand, where she’d seen the scar in the dream. Nothing but smooth skin met her eyes, and her brows creased in puzzlement. What was that all about? Why would she imagine something like that? Weird. Very weird.

  She dismissed the images and turned her attention to the present. Where their bodies met, she could feel Kerry’s living warmth, and she almost stopped breathing when the younger woman’s hand moved, lightly stroking her stomach through the fabric that separated them. She closed her eyes, savoring the touch and trying not to think about how long it had been since she’d allowed herself to want what she wanted with Kerry.

  Not sex. Well… Her lips twisted a little. Not sex, but closeness, that trust between two people she’d only known twice in her lifetime, and twice…twice she’d learned a hard lesson. Everyone has their own agenda, Dar. Nobody gives for giving’s sake, just to get something back. Something they want. Something from her. After that, she’d stopped trusting. You wanted sex? Sure, she could do that. It didn’t mean a goddamn thing one way or the other. But nobody got inside, nobody got to where it would hurt if they turned out to be scum, or if they walked away, or if they told her thanks, but they’d gotten what they wanted and now she meant nothing. No. Twice was enough. And yet here she was, after all those years, thinking about trusting again. About letting Kerry inside, letting her get hold of the little bits and pieces of vulnerability that were left in there, and trusting her not to scrape them raw again.

  She hardly even knew Kerry. What am I thinking of? Hell, she didn’t even know if she was capable of it anymore, never mind if it was a good idea. She sighed, and looked at the clock. Eleven. Well, I got a few hours of sleep, anyway.

  Better get up and see what’s going on at the office, and…

  Kerry nestled closer, making a soft sound of contentment, her breath warming Dar’s skin through the cotton. It felt so good—the touch of her skin, the smell of her. It was like drowning. She tightened her arm around Kerry and exhaled softly. Unexpectedly, she found her eyes drifting shut as her body relaxed against Kerry’s, the younger woman’s peaceful somnolence coaxing her back into sleep. No sense in forcing the kid to wake up. She worked hard last night, right? A few more minutes won’t hurt.