Chapter 4 Part 5

Nathan escorted Harriet back to the club where she worked and they ordered the best on the menu. "How did you know I was with MIRA?" he asked.

"You have the disposition of a MIRA agent," she explained. "You are quiet, reserved, ask a lot of questions and watch everything. What else could you be?"

Nathan laughed. "I can't argue with logic like that. But what made you associate those characteristics with MIRA operatives?"

"I wasn't always a dancer," Harriet informed him. "I used to work for MIRA as well, as a manpower deployment director."

Nathan smiled broadly. That explained her quick mind and attitude. "Why did you leave?"

"I got tired of the same old routine, and had enough investments to fall back on if dancing went sour. It hasn't."

"Where were you assigned?"

"Twilight Station," she answered. "I got tired of the sun filling half the sky so I moved here."

"Didn't you miss your friends?"

"I don't make many friends. The only ones I do make know ahead of time that I may up an leave at a whim. You know a rolling stone gathers no moss."

Nathan grinned and nodded. "Yes I do understand how...." Nathan froze in mid sentence. What she had said struck a nerve in his mind and he fought to capture the connection.

"Nathan?" Harriet was getting worried after a minute of silence.

"Please, I just caught the tail end of a thought," Nathan asked for silence. Something he had seen earlier added to what she had said seemed important. The rolling stone, and the kids bowling kept whirring in his brain.

"Ah-ha!" Nathan exclaimed. he stood hurriedly and kissed Harriet on the cheek. "I have to go," he explained. "I just realized something important that can't wait. I'll call on you later."

Harriet sighed. "I'll be here," she said as he left the table.