They were all cheering and jumping up and down like a bunch of freaking schoolgirls when we finally got through the wall. Other end of Xavier’s Pass was stretching in front of us, dark, round cavern. I was relieved, too, but there was this nagging feeling at the back of my neck. At six o’clock next morning, still tired to the bone, that nagging feeling woke me up. Ten past six my beeper went off.
“Don’t answer… Take a day off…”
“Would love to, darling. Maybe make up some past arguments…” Dear God. All she has to do is to stretch her legs under the covers and I’m good to go.
“But I can’t. And you know that, fucking vixen…” Stop laughing. Not fair to grope defenseless man when he’s getting up from the bed. Not fair.
“Yeah?”
“Logan?”
“It’s me. What is it this time?” Gary. Don’t like the sound of his voice. Don’t like it a bit.
“Xavier’s Pass. It collapsed again.”
“You’re shitting me.” Nope. There are many things Gary could joke about, but work isn’t one of those.
“New tunnel is okay, but the older part… It’s shot to hell. Whole fucking mountain fell down just couple of hours ago.”
“And you’re calling to me because…”
“You’re holding some sort of grudge towards that place. Thought I should let you know first. Company decided to give up the contract. It’s over. Xavier’s Pass won’t chew up our men anymore.” Just like that, Xavier’s slinking back. Back in to the shadows to wait.
“Thanks, Gary. So, I’ll see you on Monday at the new site?”
“Nope. They’re transferring me to Phobos. There’s a new foreman. He should arrive at Tuesday. I got his name on somewhere… Now where did I put those papers…” same old Gary. He would lose his head if it weren’t screwed to his shoulders.
“Gary? You still there?” I know he is. Papers rustling, can hear him breathing at the other end of the line.
“Here it is. This is some weird shit, you know…”
“What do you mean?”
“The name of the new guy. His last name’s Xavier. How about that!” Oh…
“Logan?” Fucking…
“Logan? You still there?” Shit…
“Logan?”
“Yeah. I’m here. I was just thinking… Thanks for the heads up, Gary… And take care of yourself.”
“I will. And remember to take care of your wife. She nearly chewed my balls off when she thought I was forcing you to work. Don’t want her to mutilate some poor schmuck just because of some misunderstanding.”
“Yeah. Bye.”
Xavier. Name that has been popping up throughout the centuries, at convenient and not so convenient moments. But never this close. Never in the flesh. Always something inanimate, object we could skirt past if we wanted to. This one I can’t avoid. Not if we don’t skip the boat and leave this planet.
“Who was it?”
“Gary. Xavier’s Pass… It’s over. We won’t be going back there anymore.”
“That’s great news! So you won’t be working this weekend?”
“No. You got me all to yourself.”
“Hmm… What should I do? I have this gorgeous hunk on a man in my bed, what should I do…”
“Do your worse…” It can wait until tomorrow. We can have this one day just to ourselves. I’ll break it to her tomorrow.
“Mmm… I’m hungry…”
”I’ll go and make us some breakfast.” Can’t have you starving, darling. There are still few places we haven’t tried this morning, and I don’t think you managed to wake all our neighbors when you screamed my name. I have a reputation to keep…
“I’m coming with you.”
“Sure you are… Later. Lets eat something first before you keel over.”
“Logan!” Was that a…
“Did you just threw me with a pillow?”
“Yeah. What are you going to do about it?” I do have that reputation to cover, darling…
“I think I’ll just turn you over my knee and…”
“Promises, promises… But we’ll have to leave that for later. I really am hungry.” Crap.
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