by Julia Huni
I think about what Akiko said. Angie is as mentally acute as anyone, and the explosion would have happened whether we were there or not. But Akiko was right about me. I shouldn’t have let Angie convince me. Ty and Vanti don’t need my help in their investigation, and by being here, I put them all at risk. Maybe I should get Andron and Ferrigi to take me home. Not just to the O’Neill’s compound but back to SK2.
Akiko would be thrilled by that. The thought makes me grimace. I’ve learned my lesson there. I won’t just disappear—I’ll talk to O’Neill first.
Mind made up, I tighten the belt on the robe and stride out of the room.
As I return, the blue door at the back of the room opens. Ferrigi pushes me against the wall, shielding me with his body.
“We’ve delivered the bride!” a voice calls out.
The hulk relaxes, and I peek over his shoulder. The O’Neill women surge up from the couch, swarming around Jie and Lili. O’Neill and Vanti stand a few steps behind them. I shove Ferrigi out of the way and stumble across the room. “Ty!”
His head snaps in my direction, but his eyes pass over me, searching the room. “Triana? Where are you?”
Vanti’s face crinkles into one of her rare smiles, reminding me I look nothing like myself. I stop short of throwing myself into O’Neill’s arms. “I’m right here.” I spare a glare for Vanti. “Someone slipped me a mickey.”
“What are you doing here?” He grabs my arms and peers into my face. “Wow, that is—I’ve seen you in all kinds of disguises, but this one is truly disturbing.”
“Thanks. Hopefully, someone has the antidote.” I give Vanti the evil eye. “I told you before I don’t trust these black-market mods.”
The sly grin disappears from her face as O’Neill turns toward the redhead. “What did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything.” She studies her fingernails. “Well, I might have loaned one of the mods to your grandma. They’re one hundred percent reversible, though. Just turn it off.”
“What do you mean, turn it off?” I demand. “She slipped something into my drink. You can’t turn those off; you have to wait them out. Or get them reversed.”
“No, she didn’t spike your drink.” Vanti holds out a hand. “Do you have them?”
I reach into my pocket and pull out the sleeve of capsules and a loose one. “You mean these? This red one fell out of the packet.”
O’Neill gasps.
“Yeah.” She takes them and tucks the packet away but holds up the red capsule. Her own hair whitens, and wrinkles form on her perfect skin. “They aren’t aesthetic mods. Good thing you didn’t swallow one! They form a visual cortex over your body. Kind of a hologram but anchored to your skin.” She does something to the capsule, and her face returns to normal. “Fast, easy, and non-invasive.”
I touch my hair, and a red curl flops into my face. Blinking in amazement, I turn to the mirrored wall. I’m back to normal. Well, except for the soot still engrained in my hairline. And the drawn on eyebrow. So much for the InstaFab. “Angie just slid one of these into my pocket?”
Vanti nods. “Yup.”
“If I’d taken off my jacket, then I would have changed back.” I look at the mirror again. “That would have been disconcerting in public.”
“You’re supposed to wear them as close to your skin as possible.” Vanti hands me the device. “I usually tuck mine into my bra.”
“I wasn’t given a choice. How do I activate it?”
“Squeeze.”
I squash my fingers together and watch as my face wrinkles and my hair whitens. “That’s incredible.” I squeeze again. Back to normal. “Why did Angie say she spiked my drink?”
Vanti shrugs.
O’Neill laughs. “Who knows why Grandma Angie does anything? I should have known better than to leave you alone with her. The two of you are trouble.”
“To be fair, you thought your mom would be there.” I glance at the others and lower my voice. “Did you hear about the explosion?”
“Yes.” O’Neill lowers his voice, too. “Ro and Yuri were there. They’re both fine.”
I let out a breath. “I knew Yuri was okay—Grandma Angie saved him. But we hadn’t heard from Ro.”
“A couple of the senator’s security detail were injured, but the bomb was in a weird location.” Vanti’s dispassionate tone is kind of comforting—as if she’s recounting something that happened long ago or far away. “Yuri was in exactly the wrong place. Of course, terrorists love collateral damage. But I’m sure they would have preferred to hit their mark.”
“Let the peacekeepers take care of it,” O’Neill says. “We need to focus on who’s targeting Triana.”
“If anyone really is,” Vanti says. I can tell they’ve had this discussion several times already. “That subway bombing could have been random. How would they have known she would be there at that time?”
The sharp smack of clapping hands interrupts our conversation. The chatter around the hors d’oeuvres dies, and Vera moves to the center of the room. “Will the gentlemen be staying for the fitting?”
Jie and O’Neill exchange a panicked look.
“No. Definitely not.” Serena makes shooing motions at Jie. “Go away. You can’t see the bride until tomorrow.”
Jie grabs another item from the canape tray and hurries toward us. “You heard the woman. Let’s get out of here.”
Vera looks pointedly at Ferrigi. “And you?”
He points at me. “If she stays, I stay.”
“I’m going!” I smile at the ladies on the couch. “This is a family thing. You don’t need me here. And now that Angie is safely in your hands—”
“No thanks to you,” Akiko mutters.
O’Neill takes a step forward. “Akiko.”
Her face pales, and she looks away. “Sorry.”
Vanti touches my arm. “Do you want to put some clothes on before we go?”
I look down at my robe and sigh. “But it’s so comfy.” I glare at her. “Don’t leave without me.”
“Wouldn’t think of it.”
“We’ll wait outside.” Jie kisses Lili and hurries O’Neill toward the door.
I narrow my eyes. “Better yet, why don’t you come help me.” I grab Vanti’s hand.
“Ferrigi, you can wait with O’Neill. Vanti can protect me from Vera.” Without waiting for an answer, I drag her into the bathroom.
My clothes hang inside the refresher, clean and pressed. They still look horrible, with stains, tears, and burns, but I put them on.
“I wouldn’t have left without you.” Vanti hands me a blue capsule. “Just to be safe.”
I squeeze the blue device and watch in the mirror as my red hair lengthens and turns brown with green streaks. My face elongates a bit, and my eyes turn green. “Why is my eyebrow still missing? Shouldn’t the cortex thingy hide that?”
“The cortex uses your own features to create the illusion. If you’re missing something it’s looking for—they can build customs, but I didn’t know you’d burn off something important.” She opens a drawer and roots around inside it. “Here, fix that one. What did you do, stick your head in an InstaFab?”
I look at the logo on the wall of the booth.
Vanti laughs. “Oops. They aren’t exactly the best in the business. Here, let me fix it.”
She rips the packaging off a single-use eyebrow pencil and with a few quick strokes, draws in a new one. Then she takes a couple swipes at the other side.
“Is there anything you can’t do?” I peer in the mirror. “These look better than my real ones.”
She shrugs and heads for the door. “We learn this stuff in undercover school.”
“Undercover school? Is that a real thing?” I follow her out.
“No.” She leads the way into the larger room. The men have disappeared, and Lili stands on the little stage. She’s wearing a silvery sheath that clings to her figure. The skirt has a slit on one side and a train that flares behind her. “Ooh, that�
�s lovely.”
I’ve never heard that tone of admiration and longing from Vanti before. She’s always so cool and professional. Her Techno-Inst recruiter persona was bubbly and high-energy, but it was all surface. This is different.
Vanti steps closer, reaching out to finger the fabric of the train. Suddenly, she snatches her hand back, as if the material might burn. Her face goes blank, and she straightens.
“Hey, would it be okay if Vanti and I stay?” I ask Lili. “We can send the guys home.” Without waiting for an answer, I hurry to the back door.
I poke my head outside quickly, at waist height, like I've seen Vanti and O’Neill do a thousand times. Jie and O’Neill sit at a small outdoor table. Thick vines cover an open framework over their heads, providing shade for the small courtyard. Ferrigi stands by an arched wooden doorway, watching for external threats, I guess.
I can’t believe I got all that in a single glance. Figuring the coast is clear, I stride out. “Vanti and I are going to stay here. You guys can head back.” I glance at Ferrigi. “All of you. Vanti can protect me. She’s done it before.”
O’Neill does a double take. “Not sure I like these techno-mods. I didn’t recognize you. Again.”
“That’s a good thing. I’m perfectly safe. You boys go home.” I kiss him on the cheek. “We’ll come back with your mom.”
“The hulk and the android are staying.” His eyes sparkle when he uses my nicknames. “Vanti’s good, but she can’t watch inside and out on her own. And there were terrorists in the area. Check in before you leave. I want to know where you are at all times.”
I give him a disbelieving look. “Like you aren’t tracking me?”
He grins. “You got me. But call anyway.” He kisses me more soundly on the lips then lets me go. “Come on, Jie, let’s get out of here.”
I duck back inside and come face to face with Vanti. “What was that all about?” she asks.
“I decided I’d like to stay.” I gesture at the women behind her, all still marveling over Lili’s dress. “I’ve seen lots of wedding prep on Ancient Tēvē, but I’ve never done this in person. Looks like fun.”
Vanti’s eyes narrow. “Really? Are Ferrigi and Andron staying here?”
“They’ve got the external. Your only job is to keep me safe from Vera.” I grin. “And Akiko.”
Vanti returns my grin. “That might be harder.”
Twenty-Seven
We settle back on the couch and watch the rest of O’Neill’s family try on their dresses for the big day. Lili’s traditional silver dress sparkles amid their midnight blue gowns. All of them look fantastic. The longing in Vanti’s eyes compresses my heart like a vice.
“You should try one, Vanti.” I turn to Vera. “What do you have that would fit her? She doesn’t have to match, but she needs something that will complement.”
“No, I’m working.” Vanti jumps up to stand near the door. “I shouldn’t be goofing off.”
I glare at her. “You work for me—or at least for my mother. And I want Vera to find you a dress.” I nod at the salesclerk. “I’m sure you have something that will look spectacular on her.”
Vera smiles her professional smile. She knows my credit limit would allow me to buy the whole store. “I have just the thing.”
She hurries through the white door and returns a few minutes later. “I’ve put it in the dressing room. This way, please.”
“That’s a nice thing to do,” Angie whispers to me. “I wonder if she’s—” She breaks off. “Is she seeing anyone?”
I shake my head. “She doesn’t talk about her personal life. Why do you ask?”
Angie shrugs. “I wasn’t sure if it was the dress itself she wanted or what it represents.”
When the door opens again, all conversation stops. Vanti is attractive even when she’s wearing her usual black tactical gear. But I’ve never seen her like this. Her copper hair is swept into a fancy updo, leaving a few wisps waving around her face. The emerald green dress sets off her pale skin and bright hair to perfection. It clings to her slender figure, then flares at the waist into a full skirt. The deep plunging neckline reveals a long, gold necklace.
“Wow, Vanti, you look amazing.” I push her up onto the low stage. “Look in the mirror. You look—wow.”
The other women murmur agreement. “I’m not sure she should be allowed to look that good,” Aretha says. “She’ll outshine Lili!”
“Oh, this is just for fun,” Vanti says. “I’m not getting this—I have to work.”
“Nonsense,” Lili says. “You look amazing. You should definitely get that dress.”
“Lots of room for weapons in that skirt,” Angie adds.
While they argue, I flick a message to Vera. She nods. Done.
When we get home, the men are waiting. O’Neill, Jie, Ro, Yuri, and Brad sit in the lounge, drinking beer. As Andron and Ferrigi trudge up the steps toward their room, Brad calls out, “Grab a beverage, boys. You’re off duty.”
They exchange a look with Vanti then clatter back down.
“Not completely off duty,” O’Neill says as he hands out drinks. “We’d like to do a hot wash.”
“Hot wash?” Aretha asks.
“Military term.” Vanti mixes wine and sparkling water then slouches into a chair. “Means we’re going to go over everything that happened and figure out what went wrong.”
“And how we can do better next time.” Ferrigi perches on the edge of a chair with a glass of plain water.
“If you’re going to talk work, I have somewhere else to be.” Serena grins at the group. “I’ll let you know when dinner is ready.”
“I’d better go help.” Brad downs the remains of his drink and puts the glass into the AutoKich’n. “I could use some help—got something special planned for tonight.” He rubs his hands together, looking from face to face.
Lili jumps up. “I don’t want to think about the explosion. Someone could have been killed.” Brad puts an arm around her, and they wander away.
“I’d better make sure she’s all right.” Jie grabs another beer and follows his fiancée out of the room.
“Anyone else?” O’Neill holds up a bottle.
Andron gives Ferrigi’s water a quick glance then takes the beer. “Got the Buzzkill if I need it,” he mutters, patting his pocket.
“What happened is someone tried to blow up the senator, and we didn’t get killed.” Ro clinks his beer bottle against Yuri’s. The two nod and drink.
“Right.” Ferrigi frowns. “But our response could have been better. If the ladies would just follow orders—”
“That’s not the tone of voice you should use when referring to a lady.” Angie’s face is straight, but her eyes sparkle. “Especially not one old enough to be your great-grandmother.” She looks at O’Neill. “Or who is your great-grandmother.”
O’Neill holds up both hands. “I would never.” His hands drop. “However, Lou is correct. Running toward a crowd at a political rally is not the best move.”
“We didn’t run.” Angie’s eyes narrow. “And the rally wasn’t our problem. Maybe someone should have done better recon.” She folds her arms.
“Yes,” Ferrigi says. “We would have, if we’d been given any advance notice.”
“You could have checked the location while we were in the carriage.” Angie’s tone heats up. “Or at lunch. Or while Triana was working on the surveillance thing.”
Ferrigi opens his mouth, but O’Neill cuts him off. “What surveillance thing?”
My face heats. “It was nothing. I’d left the facial recognition loop running last night, and I thought I recognized—there was another Putin look-a-like in one of the clips.”
Vanti looks up from her spritzer. “Bobby Putin?”
“It wasn’t him. I checked.” I squirm. Just thinking about him grinning at the camera makes me queasy.
“Doesn’t it seem like a bit of a coincidence that there’s an inspector named al-Petrosian involved in Bill’s
crash, and she sees a guy who looks like Bobby Putin hanging around our guys?” Vanti points at Ferrigi and Andron.
O’Neill’s jaw tightens. “When you put it that way, it does sound suspicious. And we never got to visit the local al-Petrosian.”
“I thought that’s where you all disappeared to this morning.” I give O’Neill the stink eye. “Where’d you go, if not to see the inspector?”
“We went to his office,” Vanti says. “He wasn’t available. We also checked out the scene at the transit station. Nothing new there. And we chatted with the peacekeepers investigating the explosion. They’ve got no new leads. They’re trying to track the electronic components recovered from the blast, but no luck yet.”
“How about I see if I can get al-Petrosian’s home address? We can pay him a little visit tomorrow morning before the wedding.” I glance at Angie. “There isn’t anything we have to do in the morning, is there?”
“Serena and Lili will be busy, but you’ll probably have some free time.” The old lady holds out her empty glass, and Ro grabs the whiskey bottle on the table to refill it. She grimaces. “I’m sure they’ll try to keep me out of the fun. You should break me loose to help—I’m a great spy.”
“Tha’s crazy! You’re a terrible spy!” Ferrigi complains. “You don’ follow directions. You jus’ run off, getting into trouble!”
“Are you sure that’s water he’s drinking?” I whisper to Aretha.
“Ro! Yuri! Who poured that man’s drink?” Aretha glares at her brothers.
Ro and Yuri dissolve into laughter, clicking their bottles together again. “That’s always funny,” one of them says between the giggles.
O’Neill rolls his eyes and jumps up to rummage in a cupboard in the corner. He returns and hands the Buzzkill bottle to Ferrigi. “I should buy stock.”
“We already did,” Ro says.
“It just keeps climbing.” Yuri nods at his twin. “Best investment ever.”
Vanti’s lips twitch, but she keeps her face straight. “Let’s get back to business for a few minutes, okay?” The twins nod solemnly, so she continues. “Triana will find al-Petrosian’s home address. I’d like to pay him a little visit.”