“Right. Staring,” Jude murmured. Gentlemanly, he turned his back on this new Zieja as she dressed. Okay, he wasn’t going to get that out of his head anytime soon.
Then she leaned in to whisper in his ear. God, she even smelled the same! He smiled. “Well, anytime you-- Wait, my sister?” Jude turned around, blinking with surprise. Of course, he didn’t know what the world was like on that...other side.
And then she just...walked away.
Jude rubbed his eyes tiredly. That was fine. He had way too much to process right now, seeing Sarah, and then Zieja, die. Even that damn annoying grackletooth. And Sammy being around was triggering all sorts of memories from Carlsbad. He had way too much to do.
A couple hours later, when Jude carried the alternate Geist up to a room and started to undress her to make her more comfortable, he jumped when the new Zieja suddenly appeared and spoke behind him.
“You, ehm, don’t need to call me sir, Z,” Jude told her. “I’m nobody special here.” He gave her a boyish, almost shy, smile. “Cantrell’s in charge of the 13th here. Do what she says.”
Jude listened to Zieja and smiled. “I’m afraid Nikky won’t be finding out anything from me,” he assured Z. “I haven’t seen my sister in years. Anyone from my family.” He shrugged, looking sad, sitting on the edge of the bed with Zieja. “I miss her.” He put his arm around Z to offer some comfort, a companionable squeeze.
“I know it will be hard, over here. But...I’ll talk to Cantrell about you taking our Zieja’s spot on the team, if you like. I don’t know if we can help you get...Veronica back, but maybe someone at the Tomorrow Legion can.”
He glanced at the unconscious woman. “Yes, our Geist did what you see outside the window,” he told Zieja. “Murdered hundreds, and may kill more. We’re going to have to stop her.”
He looked up when the strange quickflex pops his head into the room. “Wait, Viggo, too?” Jude scowled.
Jude looked between the two of them. “Look, I...don’t know either one of you,” he admitted, “but this Geist seems to be yours. But you look about as exhausted as me, Z,” he told her. “I can’t give you orders, but why don’t you two split the guard duty in here. I’m just next door if you need me. More than happy to help.” He looked at Geist again. She was rather attractive. “Everyone’s beat to shit and licking their wounds, as well as trying to rescue folks. I’ll let Cantrell know, but otherwise we’ll keep Veronica’s whereabouts between us. Don’t need some grieving civilian trying something stupid.”
Standing up, Jude cupped Zieja’s face and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “Get some rest.” He gave Jitters a pat on the shoulder. “Keep an eye on them.” Then Jude left them with their leader of the future.
Jude tracked down Cantrell. “Hey, Top Dog,” he said, not wanting this conversation on an open channel. “I’ve got the Geist that came through the time rip in the room next to mine. Door should be locked up tight, and the quickflex and the new Zieja keeping an eye on her. Apparently she’s some big, important, world savior type on their world, and they’re not keen on her getting offed by some vengeful Gloomer, or the BC or 13th. I told them we’d keep it on the DL.”
Jude sighed and ran his fingers through his mussed, dirty blonde hair. “Do you know if Zieja has any...next of kin or someone we should contact?” he asked Cantrell. “We’re down two members now. That’s a severe disadvantage if the BC decides not to come quietly when this is all over. I don’t know about this Jitters, but maybe this new Zieja wants Z’s slot? I kind of offered the Legion’s help on getting them home or something,” he said, a bit sheepishly.
***