There was a strange sort of peace in filing paperwork. The back and forth of alphabetization and arranging files was soothing, in its own little way. Perhaps it was the simplicity of the task, the joy of correctly anticipating where Q began in the massive filing cabinet, or maybe she was simply mad. Kalyani Narang supposed the latter of the options was the true culprit. In her nearly thirty years on Earth, she didn’t think she had yet met another soul who enjoyed filing quite like she did.
“Miss Rahar,” she looked up, meeting the gaze of her employer, a stout man with a heavy beard. His sweater was rolled at the elbows, a large, battered briefcase in hand. He raised a thick brow at her. “It’s five-o-clock. Would you lock up for me when you leave?”
“Of course, Dr. Mercier,” she remarked pleasantly, brushing her dark hair out of her face. “Have a good night.”
“You as well. See you in the morning.”
Kalyani eyed her watch, then the large pile of paperwork she was in the midst of sorting. She was supposed to be meeting Jim for drinks at six, to give him advice on his latest lady friend, but she could probably finish on time and make it to the bar… she resumed working, rolling between desk and cabinet as quickly as she could manage.
Thirty five minutes later had her testing the lock on the door and running down the steps to the sidewalk. She hitched her plain black purse higher on her shoulder, heading north. It was a ten minute walk to the bar. It’d be faster to Jump, of course, but Kalyani was reluctant to do so these days. After having to go on the run for a year after the L.A. debacle, she’d avoided Jumping whenever possible. She’d grown to like Manhattan, and after nearly three years here she’d had yet to see a single Paladin. She’d found a secretarial job for a local plastic surgeon and a cute little apartment in a quiet neighborhood. She’d made friends, and for the first time in her life she didn’t feel as if she had to constantly look over her shoulder. She hadn’t Jumped in months. Life was glorious.
I have time to head through the Park, she decided. The sun hung low in the sky, but there was at least an hour until sun down and she yearned to make the most of her evenings before winter claimed the city. She cut over a block, relishing the sight of the treeline. Huddling into her black peacoat, she entered the park, breathing deep. This, she decided, was where she wanted to spend the rest of her life.
“Miss Rahar,” she looked up, meeting the gaze of her employer, a stout man with a heavy beard. His sweater was rolled at the elbows, a large, battered briefcase in hand. He raised a thick brow at her. “It’s five-o-clock. Would you lock up for me when you leave?”
“Of course, Dr. Mercier,” she remarked pleasantly, brushing her dark hair out of her face. “Have a good night.”
“You as well. See you in the morning.”
Kalyani eyed her watch, then the large pile of paperwork she was in the midst of sorting. She was supposed to be meeting Jim for drinks at six, to give him advice on his latest lady friend, but she could probably finish on time and make it to the bar… she resumed working, rolling between desk and cabinet as quickly as she could manage.
Thirty five minutes later had her testing the lock on the door and running down the steps to the sidewalk. She hitched her plain black purse higher on her shoulder, heading north. It was a ten minute walk to the bar. It’d be faster to Jump, of course, but Kalyani was reluctant to do so these days. After having to go on the run for a year after the L.A. debacle, she’d avoided Jumping whenever possible. She’d grown to like Manhattan, and after nearly three years here she’d had yet to see a single Paladin. She’d found a secretarial job for a local plastic surgeon and a cute little apartment in a quiet neighborhood. She’d made friends, and for the first time in her life she didn’t feel as if she had to constantly look over her shoulder. She hadn’t Jumped in months. Life was glorious.
I have time to head through the Park, she decided. The sun hung low in the sky, but there was at least an hour until sun down and she yearned to make the most of her evenings before winter claimed the city. She cut over a block, relishing the sight of the treeline. Huddling into her black peacoat, she entered the park, breathing deep. This, she decided, was where she wanted to spend the rest of her life.