"Me?" Noble was shocked. "What could you possibly want with me?"
Frey tipped one side of his mouth upward. He could tell that he struck a nerve. "If you want to join me and let the rest of the diners get back to their meal, I will be happy to enlighten you."
Many of the people around were gossiping and staring. If Noble wanted her question answered, she would need to comply. In the end, her curiosity got the better of her.
"Well, the Autobot already cleared my table. Seems my only choices are to join you or leave." There was a defiance in Noble's voice that amused the reporter.
"Those do seem like the only options," Frey agreed. "Allow me to make it up to you for losing your meal... Good food is not to be wasted. I am sorry. Your order can be on me…" He motioned to the chair across from him in invitation.
"No need, I was finished anyway." With a sigh, the professor slid her body over the seat and pulled it up to the table.
'What are you doing?! I am pretty sure he is about to publically out you as Queen Bee,' Sarai's frantic message only aggravated the alarm bells going off in Noble's own head.
The whole situation made the professor intensely uncomfortable.
'If he wanted to call me out in front of all these people, he would have done it when he called you Fireshing,' Noble reasoned. 'I need to hear what he has to say.'
Sarai pursed her lips and pulled out the chair beside Noble.
"Forgive me, but I think the professor would not answer quite so honestly with you here," Frey politely held up his hand.
"Forgive me, but you are a reporter. I would prefer my friend hear my words from my own mouth than read about them later," Noble shot a glance at Sarai to affirm her words.
"That is fair," Frey conceded, lowering his palm. "Please join us."
Sarai did not respond. She simply took her place alongside her friend. The two women squeezed hands under the table.
Frey looked around to make sure no one was paying attention to them anymore. Satisfied, he leaned forward in his chair to explain himself. "As I said, I promise I was not following Miss Sarai around like those half-crazed pups that like to call themselves journalists. I was waiting at the Academy since my purpose was to come to speak with you, professor. My research confirmed you were friends, but I must say I was caught off guard when you came out with none other than the illustrious Fireshing.
"Rather than speak up, I am ashamed to say I hid as you passed by. My pride wouldn't let me give up though, and I planned to approach you as soon as you two ladies parted ways. I didn't realize you would be having lunch. I should have just come back another day." The reporter rested his palms loosely on the table.
Noble knew what he said was true. There was no spike or sudden change in his emotions to indicate deception. He had not come seeking the famous Fireshing and had been actively trying to avoid her.
Which brought Noble back to her original question. "Why do you want to speak with me?"
"Ah, good question. I have some questions of my own. Are you ready to begin?" Frey pulled out his datapad and a stylus. Was he about to take notes?
'Are you going to let him interview you?' Sarai asked the question which Noble was already contemplating.
'I am not sure…' Noble answered uncertainly.
Unaware of their exchange Frey cleared his throat. "Shall we begin?"
The professor nodded slowly.
"Excellent. Thank you for your time, Professor. I know you must be very busy, so I will get straight to the point." Frey pressed a button on his datapad, activating an invisible dome around the trio.
The voices of the restaurant faded. Of course, the reporter would have spelltech to prevent being overheard. He was no amateur.
'Here it comes,' Noble braced herself.
"What is your official position with the government?" Frey eyed her evenly.
"What?" The professor could not have been more startled by the words if Frey had admitted he was Mongrel. From the emotions suddenly emanating from Sarai, she was also startled.
"My source tells me that you have been working part-time at Government Headquarters for the past month," Frey tapped his stylus lightly on the table. "I just want to know what you are doing there."
"Someone in the Government has a loose tongue, it seems." Noble narrowed her gaze.
She saw no point in denying that she was doing a project for the Government. If Frey followed her from the cafe, he would see her enter the gates himself. Noble could say she was going to see her husband, which was partly true, but the implication that Fort was taking so much work time just to see her would be a scandal all its own.
Across the table, Frey waited patiently. He was in no hurry. He had all day.
'If I get up and leave, he will assume that whatever hunch he had was correct. I could end up with a constant shadow until this man gets what he wants. No thanks.'
The professor sighed. "I don't know how much you paid your source for that information, but you should ask for your money back. I hate that they wasted your time. Public records will show I'm contracted to study Memories and compile data entries of my findings."
"Public records never lie." Frey tapped the side of his nose with his stylus.
"I am very sorry you followed me all this way for nothing," Noble ignored the reporter's implication.
He looked ready to argue for a moment, but then his face cleared and he flashed a brilliant smile. "No need to apologize. Most of my leads end up being dead ends. And I got to meet two very lovely women in the process. I would say all and all it was a lunch well-spent, wouldn't you?"
'Is he going to give up that easy?' Noble did not figure the reporter would let go if he actually had something. Perhaps he really just was on a fishing expedition, and the professor's answers had been enough to move on to another story.
"Before I leave you ladies to the rest of your day." Frey gave an apologetic smile. "I wouldn't be a good reporter if I didn't at least ask if I could have an exclusive interview with the famous Fireshing. I know you haven't done any, so I understand if you say no."
"I do not think I have anything to say at this time, thank you." Sarai pushed back her chair.
"May I at least report that you were seen at the Academy and this fine establishment?" Frey's question seemed genuine enough.
'Say no. He might do it anyway but at least then you didn't give your permission.' Noble advised.
"I would prefer that the meeting remain private," Sarai said as politely as she could.
Frey set down his datapad. "I understand. Thank you both for your time. I will just have to continue with my original story. A journalist's work is never done. If you ever change your mind…"
"Three Questions." Noble blurted. "Sarai will answer three questions about being Fireshing. So you better make them good."