by S. E. Weir
“Hey, Smiley!”
“Hello, Mr. James.”
“Ian, Smiley. You can call me Ian.”
Phina’s mouth dropped open. Another name?
“Of course, Mr. James. And the young lady?”
Phina heard someone open the door behind them and turned to see a tall human walk in and assess the bar. She became curious as he walked over to the right side and greeted the other human with a strange handshake, then a mutual cuff on the shoulder. She heard a throat clear and looked back to see that the man of mystery, or at least the man of the changing name, had turned to her with an expectant look on his face.
“Oh, I get to talk now?”
“Of course.”
She waved her hand sharply in the air. “Fine, I’ll have a Coke.”
It wasn’t until the bartender began to move that Phina realized something strange about him. She tilted her head in confusion as she tried to puzzle it out. She caught a movement in the corner of her eye and glanced over to see her strange mentor watching her with a satisfied smile as he pushed a button on the counter and the air around them felt muffled. Apparently, that was the sound-canceling control that kept all the conversations private.
“What?”
The bartender brought her Coke over and placed it in front of her. She played with the glass as she stared at her mentor’s face, her own confused.
“You appear to be irritated.”
Phina stopped moving as she gave him a look of incredulity. “’I appear to be irritated?’ Really? I was in training this morning, then classes all day before being confronted by an arrogant fool. I leave irritated and go to meet my friend in the hope of having that irritation relieved when I’m accosted by the strangest man I’ve ever met and taken to not one, but two bars where I’m ignored by almost everyone before finally arriving at yet another bar that is the strangest place I’ve ever seen. Why would I be irritated? Being accosted by strange, arrogant men is my primary joy in life, and being ignored by everyone else is the second!”
She scowled at the man before closing her eyes and trying to shake it off. She opened them as he took a sip of his beer and savored it before swallowing. She reached for her glass and had just taken a big gulp when he casually spoke.
“Oh, right. I guess I also forgot to mention that all the regulars at Mac’s think you’re my sex kitten.”
Coke sprayed everywhere.
Chapter Ten
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Secret Bar
Phina froze in shock, Coke dripping off her, the bar, and everything else in a four-foot arc. She barely registered Smiley beginning to clean it up out of the corner of her eye. “I’m your what?”
“My sex kitten.” His eyes danced with amusement, which lit a fire inside of her.
“I most certainly am not, you pervy old man!” She stood up and glared at Greyson or Stan or whatever his name had changed to now. Phina felt entitled to her outrage at his high-handedness.
Greyson grew still, his air that of someone who’d just realized they had made a tactical error. “Well, that’s what they…”
Phina’s control snapped at his deflection. “I don’t care what they think! I care that it was what you told them!” She was so angry her face grew red. She hadn’t been this outraged in years.
He put his hands up as if to calm her. “Now, Fee...”
“Fee? Oh, did you forget who you were talking to for a minute? Or have you had so many ‘sex kittens’ you can’t remember my name?”
He opened his mouth to speak and stopped when she stepped within a foot of his face, her voice low and fierce.
“You tell me right now what’s going on here and why you are being such a flake when everyone seems to think you’re some kind of superman, or I’m walking.” Even with the apparent situation, Phina hoped there would be an explanation she could accept. Still, this incident did not make her inclined to be mentored by the irritating man.
He nodded solemnly and spoke as normal. “As you wish, my dear.”
Smiley held out a towel to her, and she grabbed it with an appreciative nod. She began to soak up the Coke that she had sprayed on herself while her assigned mentor escorted her past the gawking patrons to the back of the room, where they found a short hallway leading to several doors. He stopped at the very end on the right side and slipped a key card against the scanner. Once Greyson waved her inside, Phina walked into the room, not knowing what to expect. She was intrigued by the comfortable lounge in front of her, complete with soft chairs, a couch, and a long table with seats on either side. Against one wall lay a short bar where several bottles stood, partially empty. The air held the lingering odors of peanuts, beer, and something musky. Phina absently laid the towel on the end of the bar and turned quickly when she heard a loud noise.
Her mentor stood a few feet away clapping his hands, pride and satisfaction on his face once more.
“Brava, my young apprentice. Brava. ”
Phina was confused. Very confused. Her gaze darted around the room as she tried to process his remark before returning to his brown eyes. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about your performance out there. Nice job! I couldn’t have done better myself.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Are you telling me…”
“That everything is not what it seems? That I have been testing you and your responses? That there’s a reason for my seemingly strange actions? Correct. You have done very well, my dear.”
Phina couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “This—all of this—was just an act?”
“Yes. You see...”
Phina forgot everything that was around her, why she was there, and even common sense in her anger. She shifted her body and shot her fist toward the man’s face.
When Phina’s thoughts began to register again, she had an up-close view of the floor, a heavy, unfamiliar weight on top of her, and a soft voice speaking next to her ear.
“Are you finished?”
“Get off me.”
He moved, and she pushed herself to her feet. When she realized her irritation had decreased, she felt better until she saw his smirking face. Phina swung her fist again.
The floor did not improve the second time around. Neither did the weight on her back. Her irritation level, however, had become manageable. As Phina lay there, she began thinking about stress relievers and the need to find some that didn’t involve her face and the floor.
“How about now?” Her mentor’s voice didn’t hold much in the way of emotion, so Phina didn’t know how bothered he was about this situation. Probably not at all. Likely that takedown was as easy as pie to him. Really, that would just be her luck.
“I don’t know; this floor really improves on further acquaintance. I might want to stay a while longer.”
He snorted and moved his weight off her. She cautiously pushed herself to a crouch and warily viewed this strange man she didn’t know at all. She needed to acquire an understanding of him and his reasoning, even if it felt like an exercise in futility. He lounged in one of the comfortable chairs a few feet in front of her and slung his leg over the arm.
The man in question grinned. “Want to go for round three?”
She drew a breath and rolled her eyes before shaking her head. “No, thanks. What I really want is to have everything explained so I understand what’s going on because there seems to be more here than I would have expected with a diplomatic mentor.”
He nodded, his face serious. “True, very true. And that, young lady, is one of the reasons why you were chosen instead of the kid you thoroughly put in his place. You understand when there is more going on and take steps to figure it out, even if you haven’t the skills or knowledge to know what it might be.”
Phina shrugged; that didn’t seem like a big deal to her. Everyone should be doing that, in Phina’s opinion. “You said, ‘chosen.’ What does that mean? It sounds like more than just chosen as your mentee.”
“We will get to that.”
Phina narrowed her eyes, though her face was otherwise empty of expression. “Seriously? Are you really going to eventually tell me what’s going on? Also, what am I supposed to call you? I’ve heard three names so far. Are any of them your real name?”
Greyson nodded thoughtfully. “Call me by the name others are calling me when there are people around.”
Phina muttered. “Right. Like that’s not going to be confusing.”
He shrugged a shoulder. “Needs must, kid. You’ll let other people know something is off if you call me by the wrong name.”
Phina snorts in amusement. “I’m not stupid. I can keep track of when I need to call you a different name. And what about when it’s just us and we are training? Hey, you? Mentor Man? Stranger Danger? Peter Pervert?” Phina realized her irritation level was growing again and tried to calm herself down by breathing deeply. She stood up and walked over to sit in the chair across from him.
The man grinned. “Almost worth it to see what else you come up with. Call me Link.”
“Link?” She tilted her head and squinted at him. “As in ‘missing link’? You know, I think I might just see that.”
He barked a laugh as she watched him.
“Is that your real name?”
He shrugged, though there was a small hesitation. “It’s as good as any other.”
She shook her head as she rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Really? Please tell me what the deal is here without any more equivocation.”
He nodded and straightened in the chair so he appeared more serious than relaxed. “All right, here’s the deal. Remember just about five weeks ago now when you were sitting in General Reynolds’ office and Anna Elizabeth talked to you about your future?”
“Yes.” Phina didn’t know why he would remind her of something that happened in the past, but she wasn’t about to slow down any coming answers by asking questions.
He nodded, then gestured toward the ceiling. “Meredith, screen, please. Play back Phina’s interview with Anna Elizabeth, beginning when she’s offered a job.”
Phina saw a vid pop up on the wall several feet away. She was in the General’s office with Anna Elizabeth as it began playing the conversation.
Link leaned toward her. “Now watch what Anna Elizabeth does as she talks, particularly when she leans forward.”
Phina frowned, not certain what that had to do with anything, but studied the woman’s movements. “Is she trying to tell me something without saying anything?”
“Yes. The first time she leans forward is when she talks about side work you might find interesting, which she later tells you has to do with spying.”
“But then she said that was years away.” Phina tried not to sound sulky, but she didn’t think she managed it.
He smiled briefly. “And the next?”
“She’s saying she thinks I’ll have a satisfying career even if it’s not what I wanted.” Phina wasn’t sure what he was getting at.
He paused the vid. “Here are your first two lessons. The first is that everyone always knows and means more than they are saying. They filter the meaning depending on the situation or the audience, but there is always more going on beneath the words than is actually said. This could be called subtext. You can ascertain a lot just by paying attention and minding the subtext.
“The second lesson is to always pay attention to body language since it tells you just as much as, if not more than, the words that are spoken. Leaning forward shows that something is important or she’s serious about what she’s saying. Leaning back would imply distance from what she’s saying or that she’s finished with the serious part. Shifting position from side to side or fidgeting can often mean they are uncomfortable with the topic. Moving frequently from front to back can show passion or agitation.
“The fun part is when their posture is conflicting with their words. That could mean various things, but usually that what they really think or feel isn’t what they are saying. So, given this, what is Anna Elizabeth trying to tell you here?”
“That I’ll find more opportunities to spy than I realized?” Phina’s brain began spinning as she placed these lessons into her view of the world.
Link nodded with a grin. “Exactly.”
“Does this lesson of yours apply to aliens too, or just humans?”
“As far as I’ve seen, it applies, at least in general, to all the species we’ve come across. However, that doesn’t preclude a species where it doesn’t.”
“So, those aliens in the bar were definitely upset with you over that cargo even though they were trying to act like everything was fine.”
“Furious.”
“And Bobcat didn’t want you asking about his wife because they had a fight recently.”
“Bingo!”
“And that it was about beer.”
“Yes. Poor sap.”
Her eyes narrowed at his look of superiority. “And that Torcellan female was coming onto you.”
“Ah, what?” He looked startled.
Phina leaned forward with a gleam in her eye, “And you don’t know what you feel about her yet.”
He shifted in his chair. “Ah, well. I would say you’ve assimilated those lessons adequately.”
“In that case, tell me why you found it necessary to tell people I am your…your…sex kitten!” Phina realized that part had bothered her more than anything else that he had said or implied so far.
“In my role as Stan, some months ago, when I knew you would be coming on as my mentee, I realized I needed a reason for you to be around me. Stan wouldn’t have a mentee or a trainee, as he’s much too independently minded and likes his freedom.”
Phina raised her eyebrows. Link ignored her as he continued, “So, what to do? What reason could Stan have for a young girl to be around him? Well, the only real reason that occurred would be for some sort of lascivious relationship. So, enter Fee, the sex kitten. I talked you up the last couple of times I was there.”
She looked at him incredulously. “Seriously? That’s it? Why not say I’m your niece, and while you hate the baggage of a young kid, you didn’t want to leave me stranded? That at least would have been more palatable!”
He wagged his finger at her. “Ah, ah, but would imply Stan has a heart to care about what happens to said niece, and he does not. He’s not completely heartless, but everything for him stems back to either business or pleasure, and a young niece doesn’t fit either one.”
Phina stared at him and tried to piece it all together in her mind. “Why couldn’t realizing he had a niece dependent on him change that? It just makes Stan seem somewhat creepy. Bobcat didn’t seem the type of person to be friendly with someone like that.” She paused, then continued. “Although Bobcat knows Greyson, not Stan.”
“Excellent. Now you are thinking. You are entirely correct about Bobcat’s character, but he is also one of the few people to know about my cover as sleazy Stan. He helped me establish it.”
She scowled at him, her thoughts still whirling. “I don’t like it. A sex kitten? Ugh! That is the most opposite of me you could have imagined.”
“Needs must, my dear.” He shrugged and gave her a small smile.
Phina narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head, speaking decisively. “No. We’re doing the niece thing. It’s what makes sense, is believable if you explain it right, and I don’t need to act too out of the norm for myself. If you really want someone to act like a sex kitten, then you need to find someone else.”
He sighed as if he were really put out, but his grin belied the sentiment. “Very good, my dear. I can see we will get along famously. Yes, you are right; I can explain my niece well enough for Stan. Money is always a good motive, so he can get a chunk of money every quarter year to keep her with him. You have to admit, though, that your reaction was priceless.” He flashed her another grin.
Phina rolled her eyes but nodded in satisfaction that she wouldn’t need to do something so uncomfortable before realizi
ng there were questions she had entirely missed.
“Hold on, you said you have been talking about me for months. It hasn’t been months since I talked to Anna.” Phina looked at Link warily. “What’s going on?”
“Ah, I wondered if you would pick that up, and of course you did.” Link eyed her appreciatively. “Let’s just say that your spy skills were noticed, and I decided to seek you out. When I saw you really had some skills, I told Anna to add you to the program. You could say you’re my recruit.”
His eyebrows waggled as Phina frowned and ran over everything that had happened in this new context. “So, you were watching the entire time?”
“I was in the room when you flipped right over Todd’s back.” Link chuckled. “I’ve never seen him so surprised.”
Phina tabled the rest of the implications of that revelation as she struggled with revealing her surprise and interest. Better to move on. “You talked about Stan being a role. Why would a diplomat have a role as someone in shipping?”
Her eyes grew wider. “Hold on. Ian James? Holy crumbs! You’re Ian James, the information acquirer for the Empire?”
“The very same.” He gave a little bow. “But just use ‘spy,’ kid. It’s easier. I assume you saw my name on those documents you worked through as you assimilated those briefs about the Leath for the General? That was brilliant, by the way. Nice job.”
Phina began to smile, then frowned in confusion. “Wait. You know about that?”
“Of course. I know everything. I probably am the only person in the universe who knows just as much about you as you do, if not more. Well, close enough.” He smiled, probably meaning to be kind.
Phina’s brain stopped whirling and she paled, her face expressionless. Everything?
Link watched the girl’s face grow white, her eyes panicked. Poor kid. She was really messed up about her aunt, and he couldn’t blame her. Not at all. Especially when…
He reined in his thoughts so he could respond appropriately. “It’s all right, my dear. I know about your Aunt Faith. Don’t worry, it doesn’t change anything or what I think about you.”