Quoted By:
<span class="mu-g">“Oh, right! Sorry! Almost forgot.”</span>
Squirrel Girl raised her arm and thrust it down again with a sharp, cutting motion. Then, she faced her palms outward and slowly spread her arms as if to push open a door. On command, the squirrel army split vertically down the middle and pulled everyone else away from the center, leaving you a clear line of approach.
<span class="mu-g">“There you go! Now hurry, before someone else shows up!”</span>
Ember shook her head and slapped her cheeks to snap herself out of her trance. She outstretched both her hands and began assembling something complex using her pixels. Meanwhile, you were stuck trying to think of a quip that involved squirrels and Moses.
Before you knew it, Ember had created a heavy-duty vehicle with a battering ram on the front. She turned to you with glowing, golden eyes.
<span class="mu-r">“Get in!”</span>
Instead of climbing inside like she did, you latched onto the back and banged on the back window a couple of times to signal her that you were ready. The tires screeched as you rocketed forward, hurtling past the squirrel blockade and straight through the front doors of Arcadian studios.
In a shower of glass, you rolled off of the car and slid to a screeching halt alongside Ember’s car. The lobby seemed completely deserted, which was probably a good thing. The less people that were trapped in here, the less collateral damage you would have to worry about later.
<span class="mu-r">“You go on ahead. I’m gonna head on up to the top floor.”</span>
The look that she gave you wasn’t so much one of concern, but a questioning of one’s sanity.
<span class="mu-r">“You seriously want to go up <span class="mu-i">there</span>?”</span>
You gave her a shrug.
<span class="mu-r">“No choice. I’ve got a friend up there that needs my help.”</span>
Ember let out a hollow laugh.
<span class="mu-r">“Does he owe you money, or do you treat all your friends like this?”</span>
You winked at her.
<span class="mu-r">“Only the special ones.”</span>
Ember smiled slightly, and you realized that it was the first and only genuine one she’d ever given you.
<span class="mu-r">“Then I might have to rethink my policy. The benefits far outweigh the negatives.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“You might not be saying that once you get to know me...”</span>
You warned.
<span class="mu-r">“Assuming that there’ll be enough left of you to get to know after this.”</span>
She called back.
You inclined your head to the side and turned around to face the elevator.
<span class="mu-r">“Fair point.”</span>
You strode over the metal doors, dug your fingers between them and pried them open.
<span class="mu-r">“Hang on, Abe. I’m coming.”</span>
—------
(Cont.)
