BOOK THREE: ANGEL CAPTIVE
Riley
A harsh acrid smell of burning copper choked me. I had seconds before the old computer was burnt beyond repair.
"Oh, sh*t." I yanked the plug out. F*ck, I must have configured the necessary amperage wrong and my homespun battery pack was too much voltage.
"Problems, Riley?" Jeryl smirked from the other side of the warehouse.
"Not at all." I gave him my best fake smile, then went back to work. If I'd fried this computer I was going to scream, and my boss would probably dock my pay. So many extra-terrestrials were interested in old human tech. For me, it was nostalgic, and I liked tinkering with gadgets despite being the only woman in this shop. Which brought up memories of my mom and how she did whatever she could for me not to have to work at a young age, including whoring herself out. I shoved the pain back into the storage closet in my brain. Didn't need to break down at work.
"How's that new dating app going?" Jeryl teased.