Levi's Microscopic World

He stopped talking; waiting for another blow across the face, but it didn't come. What came surprised him like he's never been surprised before. Linda walked forward and put her arms around his neck pulling him close to her. She started sobbing into his shoulder.

"What makes you think I'm going to leave you?" She blurted out between sobs. "Someone needs to take care of you and I guess I'm foolish enough to want the job."

"You aren't mad at me?"

"Oh I'm plenty mad at you alright," she said sniffling and wiping her tears across his shirt. "And you're going to pay big time before I'm not mad at you any longer. But Levi, baby, I love you and can't live without you. These last couple days I've felt the most miserable I've ever felt in my life, and I've been dumped on by some experts. But these last couple days have also shown me what I would be like without you. I would be, as Sue says, a basket case. I can't live without you."

"Linda, I'm not going to get into a competition with you about who feels the worse because I think I'll win hands down, but I'm willing to do whatever is necessary to get past my mistake so we can be together again. I was so scared that I lost you and even more scared that I had destroyed you. I'm glad you're stronger than me."

They moved into the living room and sat down on the couch sitting silently for a long time. She just wanted to feel his heartbeat again and he just wanted feel her warmth. No one had to say a word. Then...

"Oh, and Levi, I don't hate you. I just needed to get your attention. I think I got it. I read your letter and that's why I'm here. I took to heart what you said and believe you truly are sorry. Is your cheek okay?"

"There was this bully in school, an older guy that loved to humiliate me in front of everybody else. His name was Russ and he would pull me aside and slap my face until it was beet red and then make me walk to class like that. You slap harder but I've got a lot of experience with bullies."

"Ah, so now I'm a bully am I?" Linda said sitting back and staring him down.

"Yeah, I guess you are. You can bully me any time you want."

She put her head back on his shoulder. "Ummmmm, that sounds nice."

They went back to their silent communication for a while, just nestling and touching fingers, feeling the reality that they were together again.

"Levi, when can you get these little buggers out of me? I know they're turned off and all that but I just want to feel without having someone watching from the inside."

"We can do that at our next project status meeting. You are coming back to work aren't you?"

"I'll call tomorrow and tell them I'll be back on Wednesday. I've got a couple things to do before then. I need to move back into my place and we need to get married. I'm going to keep you very close in case you get another hair-brained idea like that again. Oh, and I want my ring back."

"Crap! It's on my desk at work."

"Well we can pick it up on the way to the courthouse tomorrow. Are you okay with that?"

"Absolutely! I love you Linda Channing and I promise to always tell you about any hair-brained ideas before I implement them."

"You'd better buster, because I'll be watching you very closely. And I love you too."

********

Federal Bureau of Investigation Email
To: Stussman Observation Team
From: Special Agent Aaron Maxwell
Subject: End of Surveillance Task Force
Date: January 30, 2022

DOD-NWA has informed the Agency that Dr. Levi Stussman is no longer under consideration as head of their Nano/Microbot Symbiont Infiltration and Control Project. It seems his little 'experiment' with Dr. Channing gave them enough information and technical progress for DOD scientists to build their own microbots without recruiting outside help. It also seems that Dr. Stussman is "too immature and brings with him a lot of baggage." The Agency will terminate task force 21-670 as of this email.

Each of you will receive a commendation in your employee folder for outstanding performance of duty. You all deserve it. Along with it goes my thanks and the thanks of the Director.

For those of you that don't know the end of Dr. Stussman and Dr. Channing's tale here is a short synopsis.

The day after Dr. Channing showed up at Dr. Stussman's house they drove to the county courthouse and were married. Both are back at work now and the microbots have been removed from Dr. Channing. We were able to acquire several of the discarded microbots for research and analysis. The Director at Princemont Laboratories has given the newlyweds an all expenses paid week long vacation to Hawaii, generously funded by the Agency. They are currently in Oahu enjoying the sun and surf on their honeymoon.

The entire task force documentation has been sealed and placed in the top secret vault. Anybody who has video, audio, photo, or data remnants from any aspect of the task force's activities would be in violation of the Official Secrets act, which you all signed when you were hired. I would urge you to delete any such files now.

We are done with the surveillance of Dr. Stussman and Dr. Channing and wish them well.

The End.