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Previous: Upstairs Downstairs
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Thank you for keeping The Amber Odyssey free through the end of Chapter 13!
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Next: Needs Must
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drop-in center
Aggie & Rails found conversation a bit difficult in the stairwell.
"Where does this come out, anyway?" Lori had pulled her scarf away from her mouth.
Aggie indulged because the stairwells seemed empty. "Far side of the tubes from where we were, between the Men's and Women's washrooms."
Rails looked impressed. "Wow! Separate washrooms?"
Aggie looked a bit annoyed. "Yeah, Gvot Common Law."
"Okay, so we turn left, head down the ramp into the laundry then make a quick right down the ramp?" Lori was visualizing as they moved.
Aggie shook her head. "I think if we're doing something menial, it's better cover. Let's grab the laundry tub wheel it away."
Lori had seen enough laundry tubs to last her lifetime, but she had no better plan. "Ok, I'll grab an empty one first, you grab the one that's in position."
"We need to have a purpose. Nobody looks at laundry tubs quite like we do." Aggie looked grim.
"True. Ok, we're at level -3, not long now." Lori was getting into it.
Aggie wanted quiet. "Put your scarf up, we'll stay quiet until we get the tub moving down the second ramp."
They exited at the bottom of the stairs, dutifully keeping their eyes lowered as they made their left turn.
Their arms clasped together in front of them, they managed the odd shuffling walk young Gvot women affected in 'mixed' company past the tube entrance hallway and shared an uneasy glance as they approached the scene of their recent horrific experiences.
They turned left at the bottom of the ramp and Lori made her way to the first empty tub in the queue, pulling it over while Aggie waited to pull the full one out.
With Gvot-like efficiency, they swapped out the tubs.
Aggie exhaled. "So far so good."
Lori knew how she felt. "Yeah, I can't wait to get out of here."
They moved their new tub towards the downramp into Little Gvotia, where the dirty work got done.
About halfway down the ramp, Aggie held her hand up. "Did you hear something?"
Lori hadn't, but she stayed quiet. Their eyes met as she squinted slightly at the sound of one side of a conversation.
They felt the tub move, and both reflexively pulled back.
The bloodied hand on the edge of the tub wasn't encouraging.
The bloodied head of Detective Raitt as he rose in the air, vox in hand, was only slightly moreso.
He ended his conversation. "Just wanted you to know I was okay, Natasha." He managed one of his famous grins as he looked at Aggie & Lori. "Any chance you could give me a ride back to MedLab?"
Aggie looked at him, then at the astonished Rails then back again. She nodded at Raitt. "Sure, no problem, cheapest cab in the city, very clean, no smoking."
Raitt put a half-clean towel on the wound where the bullet had grazed him, smiled, and said "Thanks". He disappeared back into the tub.
As they turned to wheel him back to the tube hallway, Rails shook her head and made a face. "Yanno, I really think we're in a rut."
"Where does this come out, anyway?" Lori had pulled her scarf away from her mouth.
Aggie indulged because the stairwells seemed empty. "Far side of the tubes from where we were, between the Men's and Women's washrooms."
Rails looked impressed. "Wow! Separate washrooms?"
Aggie looked a bit annoyed. "Yeah, Gvot Common Law."
"Okay, so we turn left, head down the ramp into the laundry then make a quick right down the ramp?" Lori was visualizing as they moved.
Aggie shook her head. "I think if we're doing something menial, it's better cover. Let's grab the laundry tub wheel it away."
Lori had seen enough laundry tubs to last her lifetime, but she had no better plan. "Ok, I'll grab an empty one first, you grab the one that's in position."
"We need to have a purpose. Nobody looks at laundry tubs quite like we do." Aggie looked grim.
"True. Ok, we're at level -3, not long now." Lori was getting into it.
Aggie wanted quiet. "Put your scarf up, we'll stay quiet until we get the tub moving down the second ramp."
They exited at the bottom of the stairs, dutifully keeping their eyes lowered as they made their left turn.
Their arms clasped together in front of them, they managed the odd shuffling walk young Gvot women affected in 'mixed' company past the tube entrance hallway and shared an uneasy glance as they approached the scene of their recent horrific experiences.
They turned left at the bottom of the ramp and Lori made her way to the first empty tub in the queue, pulling it over while Aggie waited to pull the full one out.
With Gvot-like efficiency, they swapped out the tubs.
Aggie exhaled. "So far so good."
Lori knew how she felt. "Yeah, I can't wait to get out of here."
They moved their new tub towards the downramp into Little Gvotia, where the dirty work got done.
About halfway down the ramp, Aggie held her hand up. "Did you hear something?"
Lori hadn't, but she stayed quiet. Their eyes met as she squinted slightly at the sound of one side of a conversation.
They felt the tub move, and both reflexively pulled back.
The bloodied hand on the edge of the tub wasn't encouraging.
The bloodied head of Detective Raitt as he rose in the air, vox in hand, was only slightly moreso.
He ended his conversation. "Just wanted you to know I was okay, Natasha." He managed one of his famous grins as he looked at Aggie & Lori. "Any chance you could give me a ride back to MedLab?"
Aggie looked at him, then at the astonished Rails then back again. She nodded at Raitt. "Sure, no problem, cheapest cab in the city, very clean, no smoking."
Raitt put a half-clean towel on the wound where the bullet had grazed him, smiled, and said "Thanks". He disappeared back into the tub.
As they turned to wheel him back to the tube hallway, Rails shook her head and made a face. "Yanno, I really think we're in a rut."
