Mike smiled when he came around the corner and came face to face with Dr. White.
“Grimaulkin,” she said shortly, and started to walk by him.
“Dr. White, you’re just the lady I want to see.”
Dr. White pursed her lips. “I am very busy,” she said. “What is it.”
“I understand you’ve been peppering my kids.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Peppering?”
“Asking all kinds of questions about what they’re doing, where they’re going, about me, about the team.”
“I do not see anything wrong with that.”
“Why are you asking?”
Dr. White glanced in the other room. Her husband, Dr. Black, was talking to a new high-clearance hero, getting him acquainted with some of the technology being used. “You don’t need to know.”
“Dr. White,” said Mike patiently, “I think it’s our right to know.”
Dr. White crossed her arms. “You’re on a watch list, Grimaulkin.”
“Since when? I’m not on any Primus watch list–”
“You’re on my watch list.”
“Look, if this is something personal, I think that it should be between you and me. You don’t have to drag my kids into it.”
“See what you call them? ‘My kids.'”
“Is it so wrong to treat them like family?”
Dr. White finally moved, close to Mike. “Fine. Then between you and me, I don’t like you, and I certainly don’t trust you.”
“That’s all right. I don’t like you, either.”
Her nostrils flared, the only sign of anger crossing her face. “Grimaulkin, you go too far.”
“So do you. Leave my kids out of it. You got a beef, take it up with me.” He leaned back, grinning. “Maybe we can take it to the Hero Games sometime.”
“I do not fight for sport.”
Mike shrugged. “Of course not. You, and your husband, leave my boys alone. You want to give them dirty looks, that’s fine. We don’t approve much of you, either.”
“Or what?” she said, almost smirking.
“I’ll sue your ass.”
She laughed. “On what grounds.”
“Oh, discrimination for starters.”
“You couldn’t prove that.”
Mike smiled. “You don’t have the lawyer I have. Leave them alone, or I’ll drag your name through mud so deep, they’ll be calling you Dr. Brown.”
Dr. White still smirked, but Mike could almost hear the synapses in her brain working as she thought about his words. Mike finally said, “Thank you for your time,” and he sauntered back to the entrance, whistling a jaunty tune.
