Chapter 16: The Conference Romance - Part 1
POV: Kole Martinez
Friday evening arrived with the particular anxiety that came from preparing for a date that mattered, complicated by the weight of deceptions that had accumulated since their last meeting. Kole stood before his bathroom mirror, adjusting his tie for the seventh time while his photographic memory replayed every conversation he'd had with Jessica Day.
Real date. First real date since transmigration.
With someone who thinks she knows who I am.
The restaurant he'd selected—a quirky Brooklyn establishment specializing in "experimental comfort food"—felt perfectly calibrated to Jessica's personality. Creative without being pretentious, warm without being clichéd, the kind of place that encouraged conversation while providing enough ambient interest to fill awkward silences.
If there are awkward silences. Which there shouldn't be, since I know her personality from years of television episodes.
Which is exactly the problem.
His phone buzzed with a text: "Just left hotel. See you in twenty minutes! Excited nervous energy activated."
She texts exactly like her character would. Enthusiastic, honest, endearingly self-aware.
Kole arrived at the restaurant fifteen minutes early, claiming a table where he could observe the entrance while appearing casually confident. The Friday evening crowd provided perfect cover for nervous anticipation while his enhanced perception tracked every detail of the environment.
Control what I can control. Let everything else develop naturally.
Jessica appeared exactly on time, scanning the restaurant with nervous energy that transformed into brilliant smile when she spotted him. Her approach carried the particular grace of someone who'd learned to navigate social situations despite chronic overthinking.
Beautiful. She's actually beautiful, not just television beautiful.
"Detective Martinez," she said, settling into the seat across from him. "Thank you for being patient with my ridiculous conference schedule."
"Kole," he corrected automatically. "And thank you for making time between teaching obligations and cross-country travel."
Already more natural than our first meeting. Good sign.
They ordered drinks—wine for her, beer for him—while conversation flowed with easy rhythm that suggested genuine compatibility rather than forced politeness.
"Tell me about the conference," Kole said, leaning forward with interest that was only partially performed.
Jessica's face lit up with the passionate enthusiasm that made her such an effective teacher.
"It was incredible. Three days of workshops on creative literacy techniques, art integration, trauma-informed teaching—everything I've been trying to implement but never had proper training for."
She loves this work. Really, genuinely loves it.
"One session was specifically about reaching students who feel invisible or disconnected," Jessica continued, tucking hair behind her ear in the gesture his memory had catalogued. "The presenter talked about creating classroom environments where every child feels seen and valued, even the ones who struggle with traditional academic measures."
Every child feels seen and valued. The irony is that she's sitting across from someone who isn't real but desperately wants to be seen.
"That sounds like exactly what those kids need," Kole said honestly.
"I think so too. I keep a mental list of students who seem lost or overwhelmed, and I try to find ways to connect with them individually. Sometimes it's the only positive adult interaction they get."
Individual connection. Making invisible children visible.
She has no idea she's having dinner with someone who doesn't technically exist.
Kole shared carefully edited stories about his detective work, focusing on successful investigations while omitting supernatural abilities and borrowed expertise. But even the sanitized versions revealed genuine satisfaction with helping people and solving complex problems.
"Do you like it?" Jessica asked. "Being a detective, I mean. It seems like the kind of job that could either be incredibly rewarding or completely soul-crushing."
Honest question deserves honest answer. As much as I can manage.
"It's both," Kole said thoughtfully. "There's genuine satisfaction in solving cases and helping victims find justice. But there's also a lot of bureaucracy and human tragedy and situations where the best you can do isn't nearly enough."
And there's the constant stress of hiding impossible abilities while maintaining professional competence.
"That sounds similar to teaching, actually. Most days I feel like I'm making a real difference in kids' lives, but then there are days when I can't reach someone who really needs help, or when systemic problems are bigger than anything I can address individually."
Systemic problems bigger than individual solutions. Story of my life.
Their conversation continued through appetizers and main courses, topics flowing naturally from professional challenges to personal histories to observations about Brooklyn versus Los Angeles culture. Jessica's natural curiosity drew out details about his life that felt dangerous to share, but her genuine interest made honesty irresistible.
She asks questions like someone who actually wants to know the answers.
Which makes every lie feel heavier.
"Can I ask you something personal?" Jessica said as they shared dessert.
Dangerous territory.
"Sure."
"You mentioned feeling out of place when we first met. Is that still true, or are you starting to feel more settled here?"
How do I answer that honestly without revealing that I'm permanently displaced from my original reality?
"I'm starting to feel more at home," Kole said carefully. "The people at work have been... welcoming. More than I expected."
"Good. You deserve to feel like you belong somewhere."
You deserve to feel like you belong somewhere.
The words hit harder than Jessica could possibly know.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "That means more than you realize."
POV: Jake Peralta
Two tables away, hidden behind menus and wearing sunglasses that made them look like the world's least subtle undercover officers, Jake Peralta and Charles Boyle conducted "protective surveillance" on Detective Martinez's first official date.
This is definitely professional interest and not just nosiness.
"Target appears relaxed and engaged," Jake whispered into his phone, pretending to take an important call while actually documenting Martinez's behavior patterns.
"Jake," Charles hissed, "you're not supposed to call him 'target' when we're protecting him from potential romantic manipulation."
Right. Protective surveillance, not investigative surveillance.
"Subject appears relaxed and engaged," Jake corrected. "Date subject is animated, using expressive hand gestures, appears genuinely interested in conversation rather than performing for effect."
Although with Martinez, the question is always whether apparent authenticity is actually sophisticated deception.
Charles had brought binoculars, which was completely unnecessary given their proximity but perfectly characteristic of his approach to any mission involving Jake's welfare.
"She's making him laugh," Charles observed through the ridiculous spy equipment. "Genuine laughter, not polite social response."
That's actually suspicious. Martinez doesn't laugh easily.
"Maybe he's just funny?" Charles suggested when Jake voiced this concern.
"No one's that funny naturally, Charles. Humor requires either practice or natural charisma, and Martinez is too serious for charisma."
Unless he's been hiding yet another skill along with the combat training and supernatural observational abilities.
Their surveillance was complicated by the need to avoid detection while maintaining visual contact and trying to eat dinner without appearing suspicious. The result was a comedy of errors involving dropped utensils, misdirected conversation, and increasingly ridiculous attempts to appear casual.
"She just touched his hand," Charles reported with the intensity of someone announcing breaking news.
Physical contact. Either genuine attraction or sophisticated manipulation.
"Duration and context?"
"Brief, during conversation about her students. Appeared spontaneous rather than calculated."
Jake made mental notes about Martinez's response to romantic interest. His body language remained relaxed, suggesting either genuine comfort or exceptional acting ability.
Everything about this guy could be either genuine or performance. That's what makes him so suspicious.
"Jake," Charles said suddenly, "what if we're wrong about Martinez?"
"Wrong how?"
"What if he's actually just a good detective with some unusual skills who happens to be genuinely interested in a nice teacher from Los Angeles?"
Charles suggesting I might be paranoid. That's... actually concerning.
"Then we're protecting a good guy from potential romantic disaster," Jake said diplomatically. "Win-win scenario."
But I don't think we're wrong. Martinez is hiding something significant, and until I know what, everyone around him is potentially at risk.
Their surveillance was interrupted by Jake's phone ringing with genuine police business—active robbery in progress, all hands required for response.
Shit. Real emergency during fake surveillance.
Jake watched Martinez's face change as he answered his own phone, professional obligation immediately overriding personal preference. The conflict was visible—genuine disappointment about leaving Jessica, but no hesitation about responding to duty.
That reaction looked real. Hard to fake that kind of internal conflict.
Martinez stood, offering what appeared to be sincere apologies to Jessica while gathering his things with practiced efficiency. She smiled sadly but understandingly, the response of someone who'd dated public servants before and understood the demands of the job.
She's handling this well. Either very understanding or very experienced with interrupted dates.
"Go," Jessica said, and even from their distant surveillance position, Jake could see the genuine warmth in her expression. "I get it. Teachers have emergencies too, just less exciting ones."
She kissed Martinez's cheek—brief contact that carried obvious affection—and Jake watched his partner's reaction carefully.
He's genuinely affected by that kiss. Unless he's an even better actor than I thought.
Martinez left the restaurant with obvious reluctance, and Jake realized he and Charles needed to abandon their surveillance to respond to the same emergency call.
Which means our cover is definitely blown.
They stood to leave, but Charles managed to knock over a decorative plant while gesticulating about whether Martinez had seemed genuinely disappointed or just professionally frustrated about the interruption.
Subtle, Charles. Really subtle.
As they hurried toward their car, Jake found himself grudgingly impressed by what he'd observed. Martinez's behavior throughout the date had appeared authentically nervous, genuinely interested, and appropriately conflicted about the emergency interruption.
Either he's innocent of whatever I suspect him of, or he's a much better actor than anyone has a right to be.
Time to find out which.
POV: Kole Martinez
The robbery call pulled Kole back to reality with jarring efficiency, reminding him that his carefully constructed personal life existed at the mercy of professional obligations and criminal activity. He left the restaurant with genuine regret, Jessica's kiss still warm on his cheek and her understanding smile etched in photographic memory.
She gets it. She actually understands the demands of the job.
Which makes the deception even worse.
His phone buzzed with a text as he headed toward the crime scene: "Rain check? I'm here all weekend. No pressure if work gets crazy."
Rain check. Hope amid chaos.
If only she knew how chaotic everything really is.
The robbery scene demanded immediate attention—multiple suspects, civilian casualties, the kind of complex investigation that would consume the next several hours. But even as Kole processed evidence and interviewed witnesses, part of his mind remained focused on Jessica's understanding expression and the possibilities that existed in the space between professional obligation and personal desire.
She's here all weekend.
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