Guardian Angels – Ambivalent - 32

As Mike had predicted, he, Paddy, and Link walked into chaos when they entered the shelter. It was controlled chaos, but still enough that the two young men manning the admissions counter were definitely relieved when Mike and company took over.

The rain finally let up an hour later. Many of the teens left at that point. Those that remained took advantage of the sudden calm to try to get some sleep while there were empty beds in the dorm. 

Mike bent to touch his toes then stretched. "I didn't need this today," he grumbled.

"Sit and I'll rub your back," Link told him.

"Great. But first I need to hit the john." He headed to the door to the employee's area, asking one of the others to buzz him through.

"I'll go with you," Link said.

Mike started to protest that he was quite able to use the restroom on his own then realized what he meant. "Okay, but you get to wait outside."

"After I check it out."

They both looked at Paddy, waiting for him to buzz them through, which he did. When they got to the small employee restroom, Link went in first. He came back, telling Mike it was empty.

Mike chuckled. "Good. I don't like voyeurs."

A couple of minutes late he rejoined Link in the hall, saying with a trace of amusement, "I half expected Mister… Okay, he's not Keefe, he's McKim. Either way, I half expected him to drop down through the ceiling tiles and try to drown me in the toilet."

"Now there's an interesting image. It would be hard to make that look like an accident though. 'Honest, officers, he must have slipped on the wet tile and gone in face first, hitting his head'."

Mike laughed as they headed back to join Paddy in the front room. "Somehow I doubt anyone would buy that."

"No kidding."

When they got to the counter, Paddy was dealing with a couple of kids, telling them they were too early to sign up for a bed for the night. They muttered a few words about his parentage and ancestry and left. He chuckled, then said, "It's slow enough right now that if you want to go somewhere more comfortable for your back rub, Mike, have at it."

"You sure?" Mike asked.

"No, I said it just to entertain myself. Yes I'm sure."

            "We can use the employee lounge. It's got a sofa," Mike told Link.