Chapter 8.1

Back at the penthouse, Alina and the others woke up early despite it being a Saturday. Emily was once again in the kitchen, Alina was sitting opposite of Alice, who was playing with a rubber ducky, while Michelle sat near them while cleaning her gun, and Asami was lazing on the sofa like a cat.

"It's Saturday, should've slept in more," muttered Alina, rubbing her puffy eyes.

"Good idea," yawned Asami while stretching. "I sleep, you and Em babysit Alice."

Alina rolled her eyes and turned to look at Alice instead. Her bright blue eyes were focused on Captain Quack, an old ducky that Jason had brought for her when she was younger. As soon as Alice found it in the spare room among a box of old toys, she had grown attached to it and didn't let it leave her hands.

"Hey Alice, I have an idea!" Alina beamed at Alice with the biggest smile she could muster. "Why don't we take Captain Quack Quack here and see if he can swim upstairs!"

Alice's eyes widened at the idea and she nodded eagerly, taking Alina's hand and heading upstairs. Emily watched them go up with a smile, thinking it was good that Alice finally accepted everyone else.

Suddenly, a large shadow flew through the window, landing on the floor near it. Asami screamed and fell headfirst off the sofa while Michelle, hearing her scream, turned towards the figure and aimed her gun. Emily, on the other hand, threw the spatula she was holding at the intruder but missed miserably.

"Jason?!" All three responded as the man in question drove forward and caught the spatula that was about to hit the ground.

"Wha-? What're you girls doing here? You know what, I don't care. I need a shower." Jason exhaustingly looked at all three of them before heading to the stairs.

"Wait a sec, did you just come through the window?!" exclaimed Asami in disbelief.

"Faster than the elevator. Besides, I was already up in the sky," replied Jason as he continued walking while Alina, hearing the commotion, ran down to check on them.

"Where have you been? I was worried!" Alina asked Jason as she came down.

"Out. Working. Doing stuff," replied Jason evasively. As he tried passing Alina, she caught a sniff of the strange smell on him with a hint of perfume.

"Oh? Does that work also concern working with a chick? Cause you stink like sex to me," Alina interrogated. A large clatter was heard from the kitchen, catching everyone's attention. Emily accidentally knocked her mug of coffee down, spilling it all over the counter.

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt," Emily apologized while cleaning her mess.

"I'm not having this conversation," Jason shook his head as he wearily stated to Alina while walking up the stairs as the latter followed him. As the two went upstairs, Asami approached Emily.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Hm? Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Answered Emily distractedly.

"Why would you be?" Asked Asami back. "Look, me and Michelle, we like looking at him. We even have a crush on him but that's all. It's just a crush. But c'mon Emily, we've all seen the way -."

"Asami," interrupted Emily quietly while walking away. "We're not talking about this."

Wowsers, she's just like him sometimes, Thought Asami when a smack came from behind and hit her head. "Ow, what was that for?!"

"Nothing," said Michelle while sitting back and dismantling her gun.

Upstairs, Alina followed Jason while probing him again about last night.

"You were with Ms. Silvia last night, weren't you?" She interrogated.

"Wha- no. Course not. Where did that come from?" Jason asked back, half exasperated and half-amused while taking his shirt off. "And don't let her hear you say things like that, it'd just make things awkward."

"You're right, it can't be her. No way would she sleep with you so quickly. Then did you go to a -"

"No," Jason firmly replied. "And stop asking."

"Fine, but you should know yesterday we -"

"Got into a fight? Went dancing with Kenny boy? I'll let it slide this time."

"No, we found a litt -"

"I told you before, you can keep it if you can take care of it. And it can only be a cat, dogs hate me, and the feeling is mutual."

"Can you let me fin-"

"Is that the sink water running? Did you not close the tap?"

Jason walked to the bathroom and opened the door. Alice was standing atop a small kid's stool and was playing with Captain Quack in the sink, which was plugged and full of water. She heard the door and turned to it beaming, thinking it was Alina, but froze when she saw Jason and started looking up at him in awe.

"Well, that's uh, one hell of kitten you brought back," said Jason.

"Like I tried telling you, we found a kid!" Alina completed, fully annoyed.