(6 Days Before the Switch)
Location: Downtown San Francisco, California, on Earth
The moment Vivian slid into the passenger seat of Ben's car, the air crackled with unspoken questions. Ben didn't even wait for her to buckle up before he pulled away from the curb with a controlled, yet abrupt, acceleration. He kept his eyes fixed on the road, but his jaw was tight, and the silence in the car was anything but comfortable.
"So," Ben finally began, his voice low, almost a growl. "Alex Greyson. THE Alex Greyson. What in the actual hell, Viv?"
Vivian sighed, leaning her head back against the headrest. "It's a long story, Ben. And can you please relax? You're going to give me whiplash."
"Relax?" Ben scoffed, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "I see you jogging out of the most exclusive restaurant in the city, practically being watched by the city's most notorious corporate shark, and you want me to relax? What was that whole exchange in there, Viv? Why did you even go to dinner with him?"
Vivian closed her eyes for a moment, picturing Alex's lingering gaze. "He's not all that bad. He was just being... Alex was starting to ask some non-work-related questions," she said, trying to sound nonchalant. "And the restaurant had a 'tasting menu.' No cost, so no ethics violation. Barely a gray area."
"A 'tasting menu' at The Ember & Vine?" Ben's voice rose incredulously. "Viv, people sell their houses for a reservation there, let alone a private tasting. What did he want? What did you tell him?" He slowed slightly, taking a sharp turn onto a quieter street. "And why was he looking at you like that? Like he'd found a new toy.
"Ben..." Vivian sounded exhausted. "He's helping with an arson investigation. That's it. He owns some properties that I need access to for my work. And he thinks my methods are... interesting." She deliberately kept her tone flat, professional.
"Your 'methods'?" Ben echoed, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "Or you? Come on, Viv. You can't be that naive."
Vivian felt a fresh wave of irritation. "He's a resource, Ben. A very powerful, very curious, very overzealous resource." She threw her hands up in exasperation. "It's not a conspiracy, it's just... work!"
Ben's expression softened slightly, though the worry lines around his eyes remained. "Okay, okay. My bad. But still, Viv. Alex Greyson doesn't do 'tasting menus' for just anyone. He's a predator."
Vivian took a deep breath. "It wasn't his. It was Julian's, and I still owe him feedback. I just… felt a little cornered, so I thought it was best to get out of there." She looked over at Ben, who was still gripping the steering wheel like he would break it at any moment. She decided to share a little more to ease some of his overprotectiveness. "I shared with him a theory I was exploring after he insisted on a ride-along while I was at a property he gave access to."
"The theory?" Ben asked, his tone shifting to genuine interest in the case, momentarily distracting him from Alex.
"Yes," Vivian confirmed. "It was the whole reason I was with Alex this evening. I needed access to a warehouse he owned to follow up on a theory I had for an investigation. And the warehouse was... interesting. Even after two years, the deep charring, spalling on the concrete, specific V-patterns indicating the fire started from the exterior and moved inward… And there were a few oddities, like an area that was too clean compared to the rest, which I'm still trying to rationalize scientifically." She paused, then added, "It was frustrating not to have all the answers for that one."
Ben nodded, processing the details. "And he wants to know more about your 'testing phase' theory?"
"It was a tasting. And he's intrigued," Vivian admitted. "He called it an 'intricate story' and wants to discuss it further. Which is why he invited me to the tasting." She left out Alex's insistence on his inclusion in future site visits, and she couldn't actually disclose to Ben that it was only Alex's properties being investigated.
"And the dinner?" Ben prompted, his gaze flicking back to her. "Besides the fact that it was at The Ember & Vine, which is practically a fortress of exclusivity, how was it?"
Vivian couldn't help but smile faintly at his ongoing description of a restaurant in an almost jealous kind of way. "The food was incredible, Ben. Truly. From the amuse-bouche to the dessert, Chef Julian is a genius. And the place itself is not flashy at all. It's intimate and, objectively, classically appealing. Like Alex, in a way." She immediately regretted the last part.
Ben rubbed the back of his neck. "Like Alex," he repeated, his voice flat. "Right. So, he gets you to let him tag along to an investigation, takes you to one of the most exclusive restaurants that's supposedly 'not flashy', and now he wants what? Viv, this guy is playing you."
"He's not playing me, Ben. He's genuinely curious about fire science," Vivian insisted, though even to her own ears, it sounded a little weak. "And I'm getting access to sites no one else has touched. It's valuable data."
"Valuable for him, maybe," Ben countered, pulling into the parking space of his own apartment building. He cut the engine, plunging the car into a sudden, heavy silence. He turned in his seat to face her, his expression serious, almost pleading. "Viv, I'm worried about you. This guy... he's not like us. He's got an agenda, and I don't like the way he looks at you. You're too good, too trusting…" Ben rubbed the back of his neck and groaned. "You're too damned naive. And he's clearly got some kind of interest in you that goes beyond 'professional curiosity'."
Vivian met his gaze. There was no anger. There was only the familiar warmth of his concern washing over her, even as his overprotectiveness chafed. "I can handle myself, Ben. You know that. And I know what I'm doing."
"Do you, Viv?" Ben asked softly, his eyes searching hers. "Because it feels like you're walking into something bigger than just work. You really need to be more careful."
Vivian looked away, out the windshield at the concrete wall of the garage. "I'm fine, Ben. Really. Just... a lot to process. It was a long day."
Ben sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alright, Viv. Just…" Ben let out a frustrated groan. "Just promise me you'll be safe. And you'll tell me everything. No more surprises, okay?"
Vivian managed a small, tired smile. "Deal. Now, can we go inside? I'm exhausted."
Ben nodded, and they got out of the car. As they walked towards the elevator, Ben pulled out his keys. "Marmalade will be happy to see you. You know how he gets when it's been too long."
Vivian's face lit up. "Oh, I missed that fluffy monster! I haven't seen him since I cat-sat for you last month."
They stepped into the elevator, and what seemed like only a moment later, Ben was unlocking his apartment door. A soft, contented purr greeted them from the living room, followed by a flash of orange fur as a large, fluffy cat rubbed against Vivian's legs. Vivian immediately knelt down, scratching Marmalade under his chin.
"See?" Ben said, a small, exasperated smile on his face. "Someone missed you." He watched Vivian as she picked up Marmalade, a flicker of relief in his eyes as she buried her face in the cat's soft fur. He still didn't like Alex Greyson, but at least for tonight, he knew where she was. And he knew Vivian was safe here in his guest room with Marmalade as her fluffy, purring bodyguard.
At least, that was what it seemed at the time.