Fic: Triangulations, L/V, NC-17 WIP 5/?
Title: Triangulations, WIP 5/?
Author:gertinator
Pairing/Character: Logan/Veronica, ensemble and OCs
Word Count: 5021
Rating: NC-17
Summary: The epic continues. Sequel to Full Circle which can be found at my index.
Spoilers/Warnings: I went AU from 2.22, and now it is about 9 years in the future. Graphic smut, and possible violence once the mystery gets started.
A/N 1: Prompts - Etch-aSketch, quill,Argentine Mate. (Full prompt list.) Awesome header by spikeshunny I forgot to put it on the last one. Thanks, dear!
A/N 2: For those of you worrying that I am as evil as RT and I would actually write VD, let me assure you it will never never happen. I just bought a new laptop and my keyboard would never recover from the vomit coating. The Donut will be in this fic, but no way will he be getting it on with Veronica, except maybe in his fantasies. There. Do you feel better?
A/N 3: Happy Birthday to my bestest gal, synful_trixx the big day is tomorrow, and all she wants is pr0n. Can any of ya'all help out?
part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4
Part 5
"So where's Wallace? I though he was supposed to be our rear guard." Logan looked over to Veronica in the passenger's seat trying to restrain fifteen pounds of squirming puppy on her lap.
"He and Alicia are out shopping for accessories - food bowl, collar, leash, bed, chew toys, that sort of thing." The little pup bounced and rolled at the thought of toys, then covered half of Veronica's cheek with his sloppy tongue, making her giggle. "He told her the plan a week ago since we knew a veto from her would kill the program."
"For once I'd rather be in on the shopping," Logan said pulling up into the driveway. "Wallace is a girly man and a coward. I still don't see why Keith couldn't pick his own D-O-G."
"You don't have to spell, Felicia's not in the car," smirked Veronica. "And we had to make the decision because he would have gotten all sentimental and teary about Back-up and then decided to 'think about it' and then he would have put it off forever. He did the same thing after Marlowe died, and Mom and I had to get the jump on him and just bring Back-up home and settle him in. Dad seems tough, but he is all marshmallow filling."
Logan glanced at Veronica. She never, ever mentioned her mom, but she had just done so quite casually. Dogs clearly ran deep in their family history. He sighed. "So we just show up at the door and say? 'Most people bring wine to dinner, but we thought a doberman would be a nice change,'?"
Veronica laughed. "You are being so weird about this. Just because Felicia is your soul mate and you had to pay a dowry and fight a duel with her other suitors to get her doesn't mean the rest of the world is so freaky. Dad will protest for about five minutes, the little guy here will lick his face a few times, Alicia and Wallace will show with the accouterments," she gave the word a French emphasis, "and then we'll all have dinner. Including the little guy here. Trust me."
Logan eyed her skeptically, but admitted that he had taken a rather unusual route to Felicia's adoption. Poor Liberty Finn had given his life to bring Felicia and Keith to Logan. And eventually Veronica. Veronica didn't know the story... it edged too closely into the addict years, and Logan didn't like her to know just how bad that had been sometimes.
"Someday, I'll have to tell you the story of Felicia..." Logan mused. "It's really how I ended up... friends with your Dad." Logan recalled Keith's clear baritone singing "Amazing Grace" and smiled. Felicia had changed his world. No wonder he couldn't take it lightly.
Veronica gave him a strange and measuring look. "I'd like to hear it. I'm sure it involves her saving you from a burning building or something. Right before she declared her eternal love and then left a pile of mouse entrails at your feet." The puppy let out a sharp bark. "But for the moment, we need to concentrate on this furball. Can you come around and open the door for me so he doesn't bolt?"
"Sure thing," Logan agreed, sweeping the door open and bowing with a flourish. veronica just rolled her eyes and tightened her grip on the puppy.
The next ten minutes followed pretty much exactly as Veronica had predicted, with Keith protesting and backing away, only to be lured in by the wiggling warm fun of a baby animal. The little guy licked his new daddy's face and gave him the deep sad eyes, and Keith was lost.
"What are we going to name it?" Keith asked, patting the fast moving behind. Veronica flashed Logan a triumphant look.
Logan eyed the puppy as it snuffled around Keith's feet then ran back to Veronica to lick her hands, before turning back to wriggle up against Keith's leg. The dog seemed to sense Logan's heart had been given to a creature of the feline nature, and barely took notice of him, choosing to circle Veronica and Keith instead.
"Seems destined to orbit a Mars, why don't you name him after a moon... Phobos or Deimos?" suggested Logan with a smirk.
"That's cute," Veronica said bending down to pick up the puppy, her words muffled by avoidance maneuvers as an excited tongue started lapping at her cheek. "I'd go for Phobos, since we've banished all of our demons. Right, Dad?"
"What do you say little guy? You're not particularly scary now, but someday, you might be able to strike fear in the hearts of man. Phobos sound okay to you?" Keith leaned in to Veronica, speaking directly to the pup.
The puppy barked in response, trying to get his tongue on both Keith and Veronica at the same time.
"I think that's a yes," Logan said dryly. "Phobos it is."
"Oh, my little Phobie Wobie," cooed Veronica. "Phobie Wobie the Dobie. Aren't you a big scary boy?"
"Veronica Mars talking baby talk. Never thought I'd live to see the day." Logan shook his head. "You do realize he was supposed to be a gift for your Dad, and you have barely let go of him," observed Logan. "There is a certain grumpy girl at home who would eat little Phobie here up like ice cream, so don't get any idea."
"I can't believe you turned out to be a cat person," grumbled Veronica, passing the puppy to her father. "I may have to reconsider this marriage."
"Hmm, yes, it's hard to believe I like small, bossy, prickly females who like to rip the heads off the helpless creatures that aren't smart enough to run when they see 'em coming," teased Logan with a faux innocent grin. "I'm sure no one would ever guess that about me." Veronica opened her mouth to reply, then settled for punching his shoulder instead.
Keith buried his face in Phobie's fur so Veronica wouldn't see his smirk. Logan really was her perfect match, Keith thought, and not for the first time. Logan Echolls was one of the only people in the world who could render Veronica Mars speechless in a verbal sparring match.
"Smart ass," she finally sputtered.
"You love my ass, in all its incarnations," he taunted, grabbing from behind and pulling her to his chest, then tickling wet sloppy kisses down her neck.
"You're only slightly better than the puppy, you know," Veronica pointed out, laughing. "You got me all wet!"
"Oh, I am much better than a puppy," Logan growled in her ear, too low for Keith (who had become quite adept at blocking out his daughter and son in law's innuendo filled banter) to hear. "If we are done with the gift giving, I can take you home and show you. And trust me, I will get you really wet."
"After dinner..." Veronica promised, her heart rate accelerating as it always did with Logan in the vicinity. "I just have to text Wallace that it's safe to come home. We'll fill up and run."
"Humf. After dinner," pouted Logan. "Food always comes first for you."
"Oh, yes." Veronica agreed, not the least bit ashamed. "They are picking up Luigi's while they are out. You're tasty, but you are no manicotti."
********
"Roberts? What are your plans for this summer?" Veronica had spent the last several days scoping out Kane Software and she didn't like what she saw. It was clear that something was up at the company, and Veronica needed an ace in the hole. Mac was too busy with her job, and anyway, too many people in town would connect her to Mars Investigations. Veronica had been stumped until she remembered her other tech genius, and gave Matt Roberts a call.
"Um. Well, I'm enrolled in the Academy in the fall. So I was just going to temp at Google for the next couple of months. Why? Do you have a better offer?" Roberts could tell from the tone of Veronica's voice that she had something going on, and whatever it was had to be more interesting than another summer working for his mom. The taste of intrigue he had gotten interning for Veronica at the FBI had given him a thirst for more adventure.
"I want you to go undercover as a programmer at Kane software."
"Well, uh. That sounds fantastic, Agent Mars." The thought of being part of one of Veronica's cases was really exciting, but Roberts hesitated. Kane Software was legendary. "But Kane Software is a tight place to get into. I'm not sure they'd hire me, and if they did, it would only be in a code monkey position."
"You know I'm not an agent anymore, Roberts. You should call me Veronica, or um, Mars. Though technically, I guess I'm an Echolls now." Veronica still puzzled over the name thing. She wanted to take something of Logan, but she wasn't sure she wanted to be an Echolls. She tended to go by her maiden name, except when they were joking around. "Tori calls me Mrs. E, which is a little weird and makes me feel old, but it's better than most of the other options." Tori had spontaneously started on the initials, after deciding it was too weird to call her teacher's friends, especially the famous Logan Echolls, by first names, but also too weird to call Veronica by her last name, especially since she couldn't seem to decide what it was. "Some of my friends call me V."
"Um." Roberts gulped. "Veronica. Uh, Mrs. E. Or uh, V. Oh God. Can't I just call you Agent Mars?" Roberts had a hard time letting go of the image of Veronica as his supervisor. He considered her an awe inspiring agent and something of a hero; it was difficult to address her so familiarly.
Veronica was amused. "Agent Mars is fine, Roberts. And I think you are underestimating yourself. You have a degree from MIT and a background at Google. That gives you the creds. My contact will put you on the short list, and it won't look odd at all when you are hired."
"If you already have an in there, why do you need me?" Roberts was becoming more curious by the minute. Kane Software had been a major player in the market back in the day, but lately they had tightened down and dug in. They weren't on top, and they weren't at the bottom, and they defended their niche furiously.
Veronica wasn't sure how much she wanted to tell Roberts, at least over the phone. She actually had two ins: Duncan, and Will Blathers, Weidman's assistant in security. Will was Weidman's right hand, and he knew Veronica had been hired by Duncan to find his boss, among other things. Duncan had no idea she and Weidman had made friends over the years, and she had no intention of sharing that tidbit. Better to keep her contacts in the company a secret for now.
"My contact doesn't know anything about programming and neither do I," she explained. "I need somebody who won't be connected to me, who has the tech chops to figure out what's afoot. You in?"
"Always. Do you know a place I can stay?" Roberts was mentally packing his bags. The temp position he was in could be quit with very little notice, and he hoped to be down in Neptune in a few days time. His mom would grumble, but wouldn't make trouble.
"Hmmm. I'd offer you a room, but we want to keep your connection to me hush hush. We'll put you up in the Neptune Grand for now, and then I'll work something out." Wallace had just lost a roommate, and maybe Matt could "answer an ad" on craigslist. The connection would be a little risky, but it might also push things to a head a little faster. It was worth a try.
*********
"Something here for you, Big Guy," said Tori, knocking on the door to Logan's office. Veronica jumped off his lap with a blush and straightened her skirt. Tori checked her out and smirked.
"Lipstick's smeared, Mrs. E," she said in an innocent, chipper voice. "But the shade looks lovely on you, Mr. E." Logan grinned, unabashed, and puckered his lips to blow a kiss at the midget.
"What was the message, Tori?" asked Veronica, trying to get herself in order. Tori held up a padded envelope.
"Came by courier," she said.
"Ooh. The cover to Aphodite's Overcoat!" Logan rubbed his hands together. He started to stand, then realized Veronica had left him with partially undone pants and a completely solid erection. Not something he wanted to show off to the munchkin. Tori had just recently gotten over being scared by him, he didn't want to flash her and make her think he was a perv. "Um, maybe you should retrieve it for me, sweetie," he said pointedly to Veronica and he tried to tuck himself in. Logan Junior was stubbornly still meditating on Veronica's thong and refused to squeeze back into the tight denim.
Veronica realized his problem and grinned. She grabbed the package from Tori and then held it above Logan's head so he had to tussle a little to get it, restricted by the need to keep the area below his waist hidden by the desk. He finally won by grabbing at Veronica instead of the package and tumbling her back into his lap.
She kicked and struggled, but the flush on her cheeks was more from arousal than embarrassment, if Logan was any judge. And by now, he knew every shade of blush to tint her skin and what it meant. He blew a raspberry on her neck and felt her shiver under his hands. Oh, yes, she was turned on.
"You two can cut out early if you need to," grinned Tori, amused. "No appointments for the rest of the afternoon." She winked. "I can tell Mr. E wants to celebrate." She closed the door to give them some privacy.
"I knew I liked that girl for a reason," joked Logan, tickling the nape of Veronica's neck with a light touch and feathering kisses along her jaw. "Whaddaya say, Mrs. E?"
"I say I want to see the cover, Mr. E. Quit stalling." Veronica smiled expectantly, though her hand was tiptoeing its way back to the throbbing prize in Logan's lap.
Logan opened the envelope and pulled out the production test print of his newest book cover. It showed an arty sketch of a pixieish woman on a brilliant red background. She was wearing a trench coat and not much else, with long legs tucked together at the knee.. Her tiny hands held the trench coat shut, as she flashed the reader a naughty grin from cupid's bow lips.
"It looks like you've changed sections," snorted Veronica. "You didn't tell me you were writing romance novels now..."
"Since I met up with you, my life has been all romance," leered Logan, scooting her hand the mere inches required to put it squarely on his erection. "I can't help if a little spills into my novels."
"Seriously," Veronica studied the picture and giggled. "Is this supposed to be Rita? The tough detective? As I recall, you were the one who dressed up in the flasher outfit."
"We could go home and remedy that problem right now. I've been meaning to pay my friend Rita a visit..." Logan rubbed Veronica's hand over his hard on, moaning a little as she squeezed. "I have something special to give her," he hinted provocatively.
"You'd better watch out," Veronica laughed as she caressed the solid length, tucking her fingers into the slit of his boxers so she could stroke bare skin. She smiled triumphantly at his shudder and moan. "If Rita gets much more action, you are going to end up with Fabio on the cover of your next book."
"I'm willing to take that risk," Logan said, sucking at her neck and grinding against her. "Do you think we'd freak the midget out if we told her to put the phone on voicemail, lock the door, and go take a half hour coffee break?"
"Logan," Veronica said, pretending to be shocked. She wriggled on his lap, making him groan, then whispered huskily in his ear. "Do you really think half an hour will be enough?"
**********
"So what did Mr. F tell you about me?" Tori had been on a few stakeouts with Veronica by now, and she knew they were in for a long wait. She had been expecting her boss to say something to her, try to counsel her somehow, ever since she had joined the work force at Athena. The fact that no interrogation had come made her very suspicious.
The more she got to know Veronica, the more she became familiar with the older woman's quirks, the more she realized Veronica was never happy to just let things be. If she wasn't directly investigating something, she was secretly investigating it. Or she already thought she knew all of the answers. It was the last possibility that disturbed Tori the most.
Veronica measured the teenager with her glance. It was strange to be in the role of the all-knowing adult and Veronica wasn't sure she liked it. She decided to be completely frank, to be the person no adult had been for her back in those dark days at Neptune High.
"He said you've changed a lot recently. And that you remind him of me at your age. He figures having Madison Sinclair as a step mom is pretty traumatic, but not enough to account for the total change in your personality." Veronica hesitated, decided to lay all of her cards on the table. "And since he knows about the - " Veronica paused, searched for an appropriate euphemism, "'Unpleasant party experience' that inspired my own lifestyle change, he worries about what happened to you."
Tori stared at Veronica, absorbing her revelations in stunned silence. So Veronica knew and not just the facts. Veronica, this spunky, powerful woman who she had come to idolize, had suffered through something similar. Tori blinked back tears as she tried to get her bearings. Finally she ventured to say, "Wow. Mr. F is a lot more perceptive than I gave him credit for."
"Yep. That's my Wallace. Always hiding his light under a bushel." Veronica hesitated a minute. "Do you want to talk about it? I know it's a cliche to say it's better if you talk about it, but I have found that to be true." It had taken her years to make peace, and very few people were in her confidence, but Veronica still remembered how that first bit of weight had lifted when she told Wallace.
"Um." Tori looked away, bit at her nails, tried to distract herself. It was easier to blow off people like the school counselor, people who clearly didn't have a clue. Veronica had held out the tantalizing possibility of real understanding, and Tori was almost afraid to believe it. "It sort of sounds like you've figured it out."
"You were raped?" Veronica asked gently, watching Tori's reaction carefully. Tori swallowed and stared out the window.
"His name is Jared Ryes. His dad used to be the ambassador to Sweden." Tori turned back to Veronica, and the brittle, disillusioned expression on her face was like looking in a mirror to the past. It gave Veronica a chill. "He's a rich bastard who doesn't think any of the rules apply to him. His best friend, Tim, used to be my boyfriend." Tori stopped speaking and stared at the dashboard for a while. Veronica gave her room to continue, or to stop, and let it be her choice. Tori picked up the story after a minute or two.
"Tim and I broke up, it doesn't matter why. It was mostly mutual, but I sort of instigated it. I guess Jared thought he needed to get revenge." She sighed, clenching her fist. "Tim wasn't part of it, but he's... he's pretty much checked out since then, pretended he doesn't know what happened. He treats me like a ghost." That was the biggest betrayal of all, the cold dead silence from Tim as Jared raked her across the coals. Tim knew her, he should have known what Jared was doing. He should have defended her. Tori firmly believed that anyone who wasn't with her was against her, and since she had called Jared a rapist, it seemed that the whole school was against her.
Tori looked Veronica in the eye, her face bleak. "Jared spiked my drink at a party. He made a public show of making out with me, then took me off to a room. He and a couple of his minions had some fun, took some pictures, then spread around what a slut I was." Tori shook her head, biting her lip and clenching her whole body to hold back the tears. She would not give Jared Reyes any more of her tears. She paused to regain control and then continued.
"If I would have just let him call me a slut, it might have passed. Hell, it might have even upped my social standing. But I wasn't, I'm not, and I fought back. I tried filing a rape complaint against him, but nobody would stand with me and I couldn't prove I had been drugged. Too many people said they saw me drinking and partying and it was just assumed that I was willing. After that, the entire crowd cut me. No one wants to be friends with the girl who tells the ugly truth. And trust me, the truth about Jared is really ugly. We never really got along, even when Tim and I were dating. There is just something... off about him."
Veronica felt her own anger rising. This was exactly the reason Logan had started Athena, to make sure girls like Tori had an outlet. It sounded like Tori had pursued her legal options and been rebuffed, but that didn't mean her rapist got to keep hazing her.
"Son of a bitch. Some things never change, do they?" She bit her lip thoughtfully. "Tell me, this Jared kid? He do a lot of illegal things?" At Tori's nod, she continued. "Are they mostly petty, or do you think there is some big stuff, too?" Veronica knew the type, and she figured theyd be able to nail him for something. Although, even with Sheriff Nichols in office, it'd have to be big to counter a former ambassador's pull.
Tori laughed sardonically. "He wouldn't consider an activity fun if it was legal. There has to be a felony in there somewhere."
"What say we track him a little, compile a file, and then pass it on to some friends I have in the PD? It won't be a rape conviction, but it might shut his mouth for a while." If the little shit hadn't committed any felonies, she might even be able to rustle up some kind of temptation to suck him in. Veronica made a note to check in with Weevil on how many connections he still had. Guys like Jared couldn't resist the adrenaline thrill of getting away with murder or the metaphorical equivalent, and Veronica was more than willing to use that against him.
Tori smiled, and again Veronica saw the reflection of herself. The cold deadly look she got before taking down an enemy. "I think putting him away sounds like a lovely hobby," Tori said. "I have a lot of spare time now that I am considered a social disease."
Veronica returned Tori's smile, but inside she wondered if turning Tori into her shadow would be the best thing for the girl. It wasn't like Veronica had fond memories of high school or anything. Had turning hard at a young age helped Veronica in any way? Wouldn't she have been better off with something closer to a normal teen experience? But clearly, Jared had already made sure Tori wouldn't have a happy high school existence. He was the one who started this. And surely he deserved a little something in return.
Veronica noticed some movement behind the curtains. "Show time." She handed the camera she was holding to her assistant. "You want to try for the money shot this time?"
"Sure thing, boss." Tori looked a little surprised and pleased to take the camera. She aimed carefully and began snapping off a round of shots.
Maybe she wasn't giving Tori the usual teen experience, Veronica thought, but she was giving her something to hold onto, just like Keith had given Veronica at the same age. That couldn't be a bad thing.
**********
Veronica slurped her latte and tried not to look too familiar with Roberts. They had agreed a casual meeting at the counter of Java the Hut was the easiest way to have a quick chat and trade some bugs. Roberts had nixed the idea of staying with Wallace; he knew tech people, and conspiracy theories ran in their blood. He had found himself a cheap sublet instead. It was probably for the best, but it made contact difficult. "So have you noticed any suspicious people? Any strange behavior?"
Matt Roberts gawked at Veronica. "Have you ever been in a creative tech department?? Programmers are all loonies. There's the guy who's cubicle is like some weird nest, with stuffed animals stacked floor to ceiling. He talks about himself in third person. Very Bob Dole. Rumor has it he hacked Bank of America's computers when he was thirteen, gave himself a trust fund and transferred the cash to the Caymans before they caught the error. He's only working at Kane because he got bored in the Tropics." Roberts scratched his head.
"One guy only writes with quill pens. Another has a large Etch-a-Sketch collection, and periodically fakes laryngitis, insisting that the only way he can communicate is through his knobs and screen. There's the 'Layoff Desk' with 'Dead Bob' the skeleton seated in front of a Dell dating back to '98. Velvet Elvis paintings that cry under black-light, an indoor golf course, a foozball table... One of those creepy cat clocks with the eyes that move." Roberts took a breath, continued his listing of oddities.
"They all drink their weight in thick, cheap coffee each day... well except the guy from Argentina who has a very strange little drink with a metal straw... it's called mattee, matay, mate, something like that. Solid caffeine from the way he twitches... " Roberts laughed. "Anybody acting sane and rational and not hopped up on caffeine would be considered weird. It's standard issue. Google was the same way." He paused thoughtfully.
"There is a rift, though. Of the twelve or so major players, seven are old school originals, five are boy wonder newbies like me. The Fogies think I must be in with the Wonder Boys... I certainly am trying, since they seem the best bet for criminal behavior. They all have previous connections, which seems a little suspicious, though the elite programming world is pretty small. Two are MIT alums, graduated a couple of years ahead of me, so that's my in. I actually know someone they pranked." At Veronica's look, Matt explained.
"It's tradition to pull pranks on your 'friends' or competition for class standing. These two, Daniels and Lipner, pranked this guy Souci. They drywalled over the door to his dorm while he was home for Christmas. Flawless. Then they hacked the school computer and deleted his records." Roberts chuckled. "It was impressive, really. He came back and there was no evidence he had ever existed. Souci got even by hacking the LED billboards on the Turnpike and linking them to a secret shower cam." Roberts chuckled. "Massachusetts at rush hour got to see the Daniels and Lipner family jewels in all their lukewarm dorm shower glory. I heard Daniel's even did a little recreational tugging..."
"Sounds vicious," commented Veronica, wincing at the image. "Poetic justice though - they wiped him out, so he showed the world their stuff. Nerd revenge is the worst." She smiled as she remembered some of the stunts Mac had helped her pull. There had been a particularly good one involving Lamb and Governor Schwartzenegger... Veronica chuckled at the memory, then brought her attention back to Roberts.
"Oh, for sure. A lot of hostility that isn't quite sublimated, and way too much time and brain power to be devious," agreed Roberts, with a twinkle in his eye. "Daniels and Lipner are prime examples, which is why I'm trying to get invited for a play date."
"Let me know when to pack the diaper bag," teased Veronica. Weevil walked through the door, a small girl with pigtails perched on his hip. Veronica raised her hand in greeting and stood up, grabbing her coffee. "There's my date. I'd offer to double, but she's a little old for you."
Roberts watched Veronica hug the Latino man and kiss the girl's cheek before settling into a free table. He shook his head. He'd bet anything the man was an ex-con, maybe even a former gang member judging by the tats. Veronica Mars had some interesting friends all right.
Author:gertinator
Pairing/Character: Logan/Veronica, ensemble and OCs
Word Count: 5021
Rating: NC-17
Summary: The epic continues. Sequel to Full Circle which can be found at my index.
Spoilers/Warnings: I went AU from 2.22, and now it is about 9 years in the future. Graphic smut, and possible violence once the mystery gets started.
A/N 1: Prompts - Etch-aSketch, quill,Argentine Mate. (Full prompt list.) Awesome header by spikeshunny I forgot to put it on the last one. Thanks, dear!
A/N 2: For those of you worrying that I am as evil as RT and I would actually write VD, let me assure you it will never never happen. I just bought a new laptop and my keyboard would never recover from the vomit coating. The Donut will be in this fic, but no way will he be getting it on with Veronica, except maybe in his fantasies. There. Do you feel better?
A/N 3: Happy Birthday to my bestest gal, synful_trixx the big day is tomorrow, and all she wants is pr0n. Can any of ya'all help out?
part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4
Part 5
"So where's Wallace? I though he was supposed to be our rear guard." Logan looked over to Veronica in the passenger's seat trying to restrain fifteen pounds of squirming puppy on her lap.
"He and Alicia are out shopping for accessories - food bowl, collar, leash, bed, chew toys, that sort of thing." The little pup bounced and rolled at the thought of toys, then covered half of Veronica's cheek with his sloppy tongue, making her giggle. "He told her the plan a week ago since we knew a veto from her would kill the program."
"For once I'd rather be in on the shopping," Logan said pulling up into the driveway. "Wallace is a girly man and a coward. I still don't see why Keith couldn't pick his own D-O-G."
"You don't have to spell, Felicia's not in the car," smirked Veronica. "And we had to make the decision because he would have gotten all sentimental and teary about Back-up and then decided to 'think about it' and then he would have put it off forever. He did the same thing after Marlowe died, and Mom and I had to get the jump on him and just bring Back-up home and settle him in. Dad seems tough, but he is all marshmallow filling."
Logan glanced at Veronica. She never, ever mentioned her mom, but she had just done so quite casually. Dogs clearly ran deep in their family history. He sighed. "So we just show up at the door and say? 'Most people bring wine to dinner, but we thought a doberman would be a nice change,'?"
Veronica laughed. "You are being so weird about this. Just because Felicia is your soul mate and you had to pay a dowry and fight a duel with her other suitors to get her doesn't mean the rest of the world is so freaky. Dad will protest for about five minutes, the little guy here will lick his face a few times, Alicia and Wallace will show with the accouterments," she gave the word a French emphasis, "and then we'll all have dinner. Including the little guy here. Trust me."
Logan eyed her skeptically, but admitted that he had taken a rather unusual route to Felicia's adoption. Poor Liberty Finn had given his life to bring Felicia and Keith to Logan. And eventually Veronica. Veronica didn't know the story... it edged too closely into the addict years, and Logan didn't like her to know just how bad that had been sometimes.
"Someday, I'll have to tell you the story of Felicia..." Logan mused. "It's really how I ended up... friends with your Dad." Logan recalled Keith's clear baritone singing "Amazing Grace" and smiled. Felicia had changed his world. No wonder he couldn't take it lightly.
Veronica gave him a strange and measuring look. "I'd like to hear it. I'm sure it involves her saving you from a burning building or something. Right before she declared her eternal love and then left a pile of mouse entrails at your feet." The puppy let out a sharp bark. "But for the moment, we need to concentrate on this furball. Can you come around and open the door for me so he doesn't bolt?"
"Sure thing," Logan agreed, sweeping the door open and bowing with a flourish. veronica just rolled her eyes and tightened her grip on the puppy.
The next ten minutes followed pretty much exactly as Veronica had predicted, with Keith protesting and backing away, only to be lured in by the wiggling warm fun of a baby animal. The little guy licked his new daddy's face and gave him the deep sad eyes, and Keith was lost.
"What are we going to name it?" Keith asked, patting the fast moving behind. Veronica flashed Logan a triumphant look.
Logan eyed the puppy as it snuffled around Keith's feet then ran back to Veronica to lick her hands, before turning back to wriggle up against Keith's leg. The dog seemed to sense Logan's heart had been given to a creature of the feline nature, and barely took notice of him, choosing to circle Veronica and Keith instead.
"Seems destined to orbit a Mars, why don't you name him after a moon... Phobos or Deimos?" suggested Logan with a smirk.
"That's cute," Veronica said bending down to pick up the puppy, her words muffled by avoidance maneuvers as an excited tongue started lapping at her cheek. "I'd go for Phobos, since we've banished all of our demons. Right, Dad?"
"What do you say little guy? You're not particularly scary now, but someday, you might be able to strike fear in the hearts of man. Phobos sound okay to you?" Keith leaned in to Veronica, speaking directly to the pup.
The puppy barked in response, trying to get his tongue on both Keith and Veronica at the same time.
"I think that's a yes," Logan said dryly. "Phobos it is."
"Oh, my little Phobie Wobie," cooed Veronica. "Phobie Wobie the Dobie. Aren't you a big scary boy?"
"Veronica Mars talking baby talk. Never thought I'd live to see the day." Logan shook his head. "You do realize he was supposed to be a gift for your Dad, and you have barely let go of him," observed Logan. "There is a certain grumpy girl at home who would eat little Phobie here up like ice cream, so don't get any idea."
"I can't believe you turned out to be a cat person," grumbled Veronica, passing the puppy to her father. "I may have to reconsider this marriage."
"Hmm, yes, it's hard to believe I like small, bossy, prickly females who like to rip the heads off the helpless creatures that aren't smart enough to run when they see 'em coming," teased Logan with a faux innocent grin. "I'm sure no one would ever guess that about me." Veronica opened her mouth to reply, then settled for punching his shoulder instead.
Keith buried his face in Phobie's fur so Veronica wouldn't see his smirk. Logan really was her perfect match, Keith thought, and not for the first time. Logan Echolls was one of the only people in the world who could render Veronica Mars speechless in a verbal sparring match.
"Smart ass," she finally sputtered.
"You love my ass, in all its incarnations," he taunted, grabbing from behind and pulling her to his chest, then tickling wet sloppy kisses down her neck.
"You're only slightly better than the puppy, you know," Veronica pointed out, laughing. "You got me all wet!"
"Oh, I am much better than a puppy," Logan growled in her ear, too low for Keith (who had become quite adept at blocking out his daughter and son in law's innuendo filled banter) to hear. "If we are done with the gift giving, I can take you home and show you. And trust me, I will get you really wet."
"After dinner..." Veronica promised, her heart rate accelerating as it always did with Logan in the vicinity. "I just have to text Wallace that it's safe to come home. We'll fill up and run."
"Humf. After dinner," pouted Logan. "Food always comes first for you."
"Oh, yes." Veronica agreed, not the least bit ashamed. "They are picking up Luigi's while they are out. You're tasty, but you are no manicotti."
********
"Roberts? What are your plans for this summer?" Veronica had spent the last several days scoping out Kane Software and she didn't like what she saw. It was clear that something was up at the company, and Veronica needed an ace in the hole. Mac was too busy with her job, and anyway, too many people in town would connect her to Mars Investigations. Veronica had been stumped until she remembered her other tech genius, and gave Matt Roberts a call.
"Um. Well, I'm enrolled in the Academy in the fall. So I was just going to temp at Google for the next couple of months. Why? Do you have a better offer?" Roberts could tell from the tone of Veronica's voice that she had something going on, and whatever it was had to be more interesting than another summer working for his mom. The taste of intrigue he had gotten interning for Veronica at the FBI had given him a thirst for more adventure.
"I want you to go undercover as a programmer at Kane software."
"Well, uh. That sounds fantastic, Agent Mars." The thought of being part of one of Veronica's cases was really exciting, but Roberts hesitated. Kane Software was legendary. "But Kane Software is a tight place to get into. I'm not sure they'd hire me, and if they did, it would only be in a code monkey position."
"You know I'm not an agent anymore, Roberts. You should call me Veronica, or um, Mars. Though technically, I guess I'm an Echolls now." Veronica still puzzled over the name thing. She wanted to take something of Logan, but she wasn't sure she wanted to be an Echolls. She tended to go by her maiden name, except when they were joking around. "Tori calls me Mrs. E, which is a little weird and makes me feel old, but it's better than most of the other options." Tori had spontaneously started on the initials, after deciding it was too weird to call her teacher's friends, especially the famous Logan Echolls, by first names, but also too weird to call Veronica by her last name, especially since she couldn't seem to decide what it was. "Some of my friends call me V."
"Um." Roberts gulped. "Veronica. Uh, Mrs. E. Or uh, V. Oh God. Can't I just call you Agent Mars?" Roberts had a hard time letting go of the image of Veronica as his supervisor. He considered her an awe inspiring agent and something of a hero; it was difficult to address her so familiarly.
Veronica was amused. "Agent Mars is fine, Roberts. And I think you are underestimating yourself. You have a degree from MIT and a background at Google. That gives you the creds. My contact will put you on the short list, and it won't look odd at all when you are hired."
"If you already have an in there, why do you need me?" Roberts was becoming more curious by the minute. Kane Software had been a major player in the market back in the day, but lately they had tightened down and dug in. They weren't on top, and they weren't at the bottom, and they defended their niche furiously.
Veronica wasn't sure how much she wanted to tell Roberts, at least over the phone. She actually had two ins: Duncan, and Will Blathers, Weidman's assistant in security. Will was Weidman's right hand, and he knew Veronica had been hired by Duncan to find his boss, among other things. Duncan had no idea she and Weidman had made friends over the years, and she had no intention of sharing that tidbit. Better to keep her contacts in the company a secret for now.
"My contact doesn't know anything about programming and neither do I," she explained. "I need somebody who won't be connected to me, who has the tech chops to figure out what's afoot. You in?"
"Always. Do you know a place I can stay?" Roberts was mentally packing his bags. The temp position he was in could be quit with very little notice, and he hoped to be down in Neptune in a few days time. His mom would grumble, but wouldn't make trouble.
"Hmmm. I'd offer you a room, but we want to keep your connection to me hush hush. We'll put you up in the Neptune Grand for now, and then I'll work something out." Wallace had just lost a roommate, and maybe Matt could "answer an ad" on craigslist. The connection would be a little risky, but it might also push things to a head a little faster. It was worth a try.
*********
"Something here for you, Big Guy," said Tori, knocking on the door to Logan's office. Veronica jumped off his lap with a blush and straightened her skirt. Tori checked her out and smirked.
"Lipstick's smeared, Mrs. E," she said in an innocent, chipper voice. "But the shade looks lovely on you, Mr. E." Logan grinned, unabashed, and puckered his lips to blow a kiss at the midget.
"What was the message, Tori?" asked Veronica, trying to get herself in order. Tori held up a padded envelope.
"Came by courier," she said.
"Ooh. The cover to Aphodite's Overcoat!" Logan rubbed his hands together. He started to stand, then realized Veronica had left him with partially undone pants and a completely solid erection. Not something he wanted to show off to the munchkin. Tori had just recently gotten over being scared by him, he didn't want to flash her and make her think he was a perv. "Um, maybe you should retrieve it for me, sweetie," he said pointedly to Veronica and he tried to tuck himself in. Logan Junior was stubbornly still meditating on Veronica's thong and refused to squeeze back into the tight denim.
Veronica realized his problem and grinned. She grabbed the package from Tori and then held it above Logan's head so he had to tussle a little to get it, restricted by the need to keep the area below his waist hidden by the desk. He finally won by grabbing at Veronica instead of the package and tumbling her back into his lap.
She kicked and struggled, but the flush on her cheeks was more from arousal than embarrassment, if Logan was any judge. And by now, he knew every shade of blush to tint her skin and what it meant. He blew a raspberry on her neck and felt her shiver under his hands. Oh, yes, she was turned on.
"You two can cut out early if you need to," grinned Tori, amused. "No appointments for the rest of the afternoon." She winked. "I can tell Mr. E wants to celebrate." She closed the door to give them some privacy.
"I knew I liked that girl for a reason," joked Logan, tickling the nape of Veronica's neck with a light touch and feathering kisses along her jaw. "Whaddaya say, Mrs. E?"
"I say I want to see the cover, Mr. E. Quit stalling." Veronica smiled expectantly, though her hand was tiptoeing its way back to the throbbing prize in Logan's lap.
Logan opened the envelope and pulled out the production test print of his newest book cover. It showed an arty sketch of a pixieish woman on a brilliant red background. She was wearing a trench coat and not much else, with long legs tucked together at the knee.. Her tiny hands held the trench coat shut, as she flashed the reader a naughty grin from cupid's bow lips.
"It looks like you've changed sections," snorted Veronica. "You didn't tell me you were writing romance novels now..."
"Since I met up with you, my life has been all romance," leered Logan, scooting her hand the mere inches required to put it squarely on his erection. "I can't help if a little spills into my novels."
"Seriously," Veronica studied the picture and giggled. "Is this supposed to be Rita? The tough detective? As I recall, you were the one who dressed up in the flasher outfit."
"We could go home and remedy that problem right now. I've been meaning to pay my friend Rita a visit..." Logan rubbed Veronica's hand over his hard on, moaning a little as she squeezed. "I have something special to give her," he hinted provocatively.
"You'd better watch out," Veronica laughed as she caressed the solid length, tucking her fingers into the slit of his boxers so she could stroke bare skin. She smiled triumphantly at his shudder and moan. "If Rita gets much more action, you are going to end up with Fabio on the cover of your next book."
"I'm willing to take that risk," Logan said, sucking at her neck and grinding against her. "Do you think we'd freak the midget out if we told her to put the phone on voicemail, lock the door, and go take a half hour coffee break?"
"Logan," Veronica said, pretending to be shocked. She wriggled on his lap, making him groan, then whispered huskily in his ear. "Do you really think half an hour will be enough?"
**********
"So what did Mr. F tell you about me?" Tori had been on a few stakeouts with Veronica by now, and she knew they were in for a long wait. She had been expecting her boss to say something to her, try to counsel her somehow, ever since she had joined the work force at Athena. The fact that no interrogation had come made her very suspicious.
The more she got to know Veronica, the more she became familiar with the older woman's quirks, the more she realized Veronica was never happy to just let things be. If she wasn't directly investigating something, she was secretly investigating it. Or she already thought she knew all of the answers. It was the last possibility that disturbed Tori the most.
Veronica measured the teenager with her glance. It was strange to be in the role of the all-knowing adult and Veronica wasn't sure she liked it. She decided to be completely frank, to be the person no adult had been for her back in those dark days at Neptune High.
"He said you've changed a lot recently. And that you remind him of me at your age. He figures having Madison Sinclair as a step mom is pretty traumatic, but not enough to account for the total change in your personality." Veronica hesitated, decided to lay all of her cards on the table. "And since he knows about the - " Veronica paused, searched for an appropriate euphemism, "'Unpleasant party experience' that inspired my own lifestyle change, he worries about what happened to you."
Tori stared at Veronica, absorbing her revelations in stunned silence. So Veronica knew and not just the facts. Veronica, this spunky, powerful woman who she had come to idolize, had suffered through something similar. Tori blinked back tears as she tried to get her bearings. Finally she ventured to say, "Wow. Mr. F is a lot more perceptive than I gave him credit for."
"Yep. That's my Wallace. Always hiding his light under a bushel." Veronica hesitated a minute. "Do you want to talk about it? I know it's a cliche to say it's better if you talk about it, but I have found that to be true." It had taken her years to make peace, and very few people were in her confidence, but Veronica still remembered how that first bit of weight had lifted when she told Wallace.
"Um." Tori looked away, bit at her nails, tried to distract herself. It was easier to blow off people like the school counselor, people who clearly didn't have a clue. Veronica had held out the tantalizing possibility of real understanding, and Tori was almost afraid to believe it. "It sort of sounds like you've figured it out."
"You were raped?" Veronica asked gently, watching Tori's reaction carefully. Tori swallowed and stared out the window.
"His name is Jared Ryes. His dad used to be the ambassador to Sweden." Tori turned back to Veronica, and the brittle, disillusioned expression on her face was like looking in a mirror to the past. It gave Veronica a chill. "He's a rich bastard who doesn't think any of the rules apply to him. His best friend, Tim, used to be my boyfriend." Tori stopped speaking and stared at the dashboard for a while. Veronica gave her room to continue, or to stop, and let it be her choice. Tori picked up the story after a minute or two.
"Tim and I broke up, it doesn't matter why. It was mostly mutual, but I sort of instigated it. I guess Jared thought he needed to get revenge." She sighed, clenching her fist. "Tim wasn't part of it, but he's... he's pretty much checked out since then, pretended he doesn't know what happened. He treats me like a ghost." That was the biggest betrayal of all, the cold dead silence from Tim as Jared raked her across the coals. Tim knew her, he should have known what Jared was doing. He should have defended her. Tori firmly believed that anyone who wasn't with her was against her, and since she had called Jared a rapist, it seemed that the whole school was against her.
Tori looked Veronica in the eye, her face bleak. "Jared spiked my drink at a party. He made a public show of making out with me, then took me off to a room. He and a couple of his minions had some fun, took some pictures, then spread around what a slut I was." Tori shook her head, biting her lip and clenching her whole body to hold back the tears. She would not give Jared Reyes any more of her tears. She paused to regain control and then continued.
"If I would have just let him call me a slut, it might have passed. Hell, it might have even upped my social standing. But I wasn't, I'm not, and I fought back. I tried filing a rape complaint against him, but nobody would stand with me and I couldn't prove I had been drugged. Too many people said they saw me drinking and partying and it was just assumed that I was willing. After that, the entire crowd cut me. No one wants to be friends with the girl who tells the ugly truth. And trust me, the truth about Jared is really ugly. We never really got along, even when Tim and I were dating. There is just something... off about him."
Veronica felt her own anger rising. This was exactly the reason Logan had started Athena, to make sure girls like Tori had an outlet. It sounded like Tori had pursued her legal options and been rebuffed, but that didn't mean her rapist got to keep hazing her.
"Son of a bitch. Some things never change, do they?" She bit her lip thoughtfully. "Tell me, this Jared kid? He do a lot of illegal things?" At Tori's nod, she continued. "Are they mostly petty, or do you think there is some big stuff, too?" Veronica knew the type, and she figured theyd be able to nail him for something. Although, even with Sheriff Nichols in office, it'd have to be big to counter a former ambassador's pull.
Tori laughed sardonically. "He wouldn't consider an activity fun if it was legal. There has to be a felony in there somewhere."
"What say we track him a little, compile a file, and then pass it on to some friends I have in the PD? It won't be a rape conviction, but it might shut his mouth for a while." If the little shit hadn't committed any felonies, she might even be able to rustle up some kind of temptation to suck him in. Veronica made a note to check in with Weevil on how many connections he still had. Guys like Jared couldn't resist the adrenaline thrill of getting away with murder or the metaphorical equivalent, and Veronica was more than willing to use that against him.
Tori smiled, and again Veronica saw the reflection of herself. The cold deadly look she got before taking down an enemy. "I think putting him away sounds like a lovely hobby," Tori said. "I have a lot of spare time now that I am considered a social disease."
Veronica returned Tori's smile, but inside she wondered if turning Tori into her shadow would be the best thing for the girl. It wasn't like Veronica had fond memories of high school or anything. Had turning hard at a young age helped Veronica in any way? Wouldn't she have been better off with something closer to a normal teen experience? But clearly, Jared had already made sure Tori wouldn't have a happy high school existence. He was the one who started this. And surely he deserved a little something in return.
Veronica noticed some movement behind the curtains. "Show time." She handed the camera she was holding to her assistant. "You want to try for the money shot this time?"
"Sure thing, boss." Tori looked a little surprised and pleased to take the camera. She aimed carefully and began snapping off a round of shots.
Maybe she wasn't giving Tori the usual teen experience, Veronica thought, but she was giving her something to hold onto, just like Keith had given Veronica at the same age. That couldn't be a bad thing.
**********
Veronica slurped her latte and tried not to look too familiar with Roberts. They had agreed a casual meeting at the counter of Java the Hut was the easiest way to have a quick chat and trade some bugs. Roberts had nixed the idea of staying with Wallace; he knew tech people, and conspiracy theories ran in their blood. He had found himself a cheap sublet instead. It was probably for the best, but it made contact difficult. "So have you noticed any suspicious people? Any strange behavior?"
Matt Roberts gawked at Veronica. "Have you ever been in a creative tech department?? Programmers are all loonies. There's the guy who's cubicle is like some weird nest, with stuffed animals stacked floor to ceiling. He talks about himself in third person. Very Bob Dole. Rumor has it he hacked Bank of America's computers when he was thirteen, gave himself a trust fund and transferred the cash to the Caymans before they caught the error. He's only working at Kane because he got bored in the Tropics." Roberts scratched his head.
"One guy only writes with quill pens. Another has a large Etch-a-Sketch collection, and periodically fakes laryngitis, insisting that the only way he can communicate is through his knobs and screen. There's the 'Layoff Desk' with 'Dead Bob' the skeleton seated in front of a Dell dating back to '98. Velvet Elvis paintings that cry under black-light, an indoor golf course, a foozball table... One of those creepy cat clocks with the eyes that move." Roberts took a breath, continued his listing of oddities.
"They all drink their weight in thick, cheap coffee each day... well except the guy from Argentina who has a very strange little drink with a metal straw... it's called mattee, matay, mate, something like that. Solid caffeine from the way he twitches... " Roberts laughed. "Anybody acting sane and rational and not hopped up on caffeine would be considered weird. It's standard issue. Google was the same way." He paused thoughtfully.
"There is a rift, though. Of the twelve or so major players, seven are old school originals, five are boy wonder newbies like me. The Fogies think I must be in with the Wonder Boys... I certainly am trying, since they seem the best bet for criminal behavior. They all have previous connections, which seems a little suspicious, though the elite programming world is pretty small. Two are MIT alums, graduated a couple of years ahead of me, so that's my in. I actually know someone they pranked." At Veronica's look, Matt explained.
"It's tradition to pull pranks on your 'friends' or competition for class standing. These two, Daniels and Lipner, pranked this guy Souci. They drywalled over the door to his dorm while he was home for Christmas. Flawless. Then they hacked the school computer and deleted his records." Roberts chuckled. "It was impressive, really. He came back and there was no evidence he had ever existed. Souci got even by hacking the LED billboards on the Turnpike and linking them to a secret shower cam." Roberts chuckled. "Massachusetts at rush hour got to see the Daniels and Lipner family jewels in all their lukewarm dorm shower glory. I heard Daniel's even did a little recreational tugging..."
"Sounds vicious," commented Veronica, wincing at the image. "Poetic justice though - they wiped him out, so he showed the world their stuff. Nerd revenge is the worst." She smiled as she remembered some of the stunts Mac had helped her pull. There had been a particularly good one involving Lamb and Governor Schwartzenegger... Veronica chuckled at the memory, then brought her attention back to Roberts.
"Oh, for sure. A lot of hostility that isn't quite sublimated, and way too much time and brain power to be devious," agreed Roberts, with a twinkle in his eye. "Daniels and Lipner are prime examples, which is why I'm trying to get invited for a play date."
"Let me know when to pack the diaper bag," teased Veronica. Weevil walked through the door, a small girl with pigtails perched on his hip. Veronica raised her hand in greeting and stood up, grabbing her coffee. "There's my date. I'd offer to double, but she's a little old for you."
Roberts watched Veronica hug the Latino man and kiss the girl's cheek before settling into a free table. He shook his head. He'd bet anything the man was an ex-con, maybe even a former gang member judging by the tats. Veronica Mars had some interesting friends all right.