Chapter 204: the Unlikely Tourist Has a Question

I awoke to a heart stopping second the next day. There was Lucy sitting in my one comfortable chair. "Jesus don't ever do that again," I said "If I had been at home, I would have shot you." I said.

"Sorry I got bored, so I came to sit with you," she informed me.

"Do you ever sleep?" I asked it not because I really cared. Well I did care in a way. I didn't like the idea of her creeping around all night.

"I power down for an hour or so to let my circuits cool. Otherwise I'm always turned on," she said.

"That sounds a little risqué," I suggested. "Try to avoid saying 'turned on' around men. If not you will have them all hot and bothered."

"Ah, I see what you mean. I know that the turned on means two differen things. It just never occurred to me that anyone would take it out of context." Lucy said.

"Honey, men are always taking things out of context. It's probably the one thing they are good at, finding a sexual innuendo, where there is none. So try to use human terms, even though they really aren't quite right. For instance a human asks, "Don't you ever sleep. Your answer should be, I sleep very little maybe a couple of hours a night.'

"I see what you mean it's all part of protecting myself at any cost." she said.

"Exactly," I replied. I changed the subject. "I'm going to go take a shower."

"Very well, I will keep watch," she said.

"You are smart as hell I know, so let's make a code you and I. When you want to say, I'll stay and keep watch, instead say, "I'll be right here when you finish."

"Ah just to confuse anyone who is listening. It's a good plan," she agreed.

"Glad you like it. Now I'll be finished soon, so just wait and we will go to breakfast."

"Okay but you know I don't eat."

"Code: Fine but I'm not very hungry." I suggested.

"Ah yes, I'll get it soon, I promise," she said.

"You are doing just fine," I replied.

Except that the water never really got very hot, it was a good shower. I needed tom wash off the night sweat. I put on clean panties and bra for my the first full day in England.

I wasn't sure who would be joining us for breakfast and I didn't plan to go looking for anyone. I was hungry and I didn't mind eating alone. Well alone except for the Hoover.

Once in the lobby the Hotel's concierge had a message for us. "Ladies, would you like to join our other guests in the dining room for breakfast. Your friend is already in there waiting."

"What about it Lucy, would you like to eat in the dining room here?" I asked.

"Since I'm not very hungry, why don't you decide Maxine," she said. It was a flawless performance. I smiled warmly at her. It was a mark of approval and she knew it.

"In that case sure why not," I replied.

"The traditional English breakfast consists of eggs, bacon, sausages, fried bread, baked beans and mushrooms. We create a breakfast bar consisting of all the traditional breakfast foods. Feel free to sample them all or any part of it." the older and very proper gentleman explained. He was obviously part of the British experience we were supposed to leave with.

Lamar was sitting at a table for four nursing a cup of coffee. "So have you eaten yet?" I asked.

"No, I have been hoping you two would join me. Doctor Priest left for the airport a half hour ago." Lamar did not look happy.

"So what's wrong Lamar?" I asked.

"Doctor Priest informed me this morning that you arranged that incident last night to test me. I am not happy that you felt you needed to do that." he said.

"That's not what is bothering you Lamar. You are bothered because you didn't hit a home run last night. Like it or not, and sometimes I don't either, I have worked with giants among men over this last year and a half. Not every man, in every incident was a super hero, some like you were just good solid men. Good men who were doing the best they could in a difficult situation. There is no shame in not being a giant. The shame would have been, if I had allowed something to turn nasty and got you hurt thinking you were a giant. Last night was a situation I felt I could control, something may come along none of us can control. If that happens I have to know everybody's strengths." I intentionally left out the weaknesses part.

"I am a trained field agent," Lamar said.

"How many assignments have you been on Lamar?" I asked.

"Okay this is my first, but it is supposed to be a piece of cake. I could have handled that thing last night if it hadn't come out of nowhere," he said.

"Things usually do come out of nowhere," I said.

"Yes but since you set it up you knew what to do," he replied sharply.

"Okay, let's just have breakfast and get on with this vacation," I suggested more testy than I should have.

I left the two of them alone while I filled a plate with full sliced bacon and eggs. I would have preferred a bacon and egg biscuit from Hardee's or a sandwich from Helen's. Nonetheless the food was surprising good, in that artery clogging sense.

I watched Lucy fake the coffee drinking experience. She was very good at it. If the cup had not remained full the whole time I would have bought it. "Are you not eating this morning?" I asked her directly." She knew our conversation could be overheard so she played along.

"I seem to be a little under the weather this morning," she said smiling weakly. She seemed to be a pretty good actress, when the situation called for it.