Dragon Queen (Avery Rome Book 3) Page 36

  The black-haired man nodded, still holding her. His velvet outfit warping suddenly. Nearly vanishing, leaving only a thin cloth around his waist. What that meant, she didn't know. Probably that he expected her to perform sexually with him. Instead of asking for that, or doing anything that would indicate he wanted that in particular, he just took the back pack from her.

  “I’ll hide this here. When you come back, inside twenty-four days, it will be here for you. I may, or may not be around for that. After you finish that task, I’ll come to your world, and help you and your people remove the threat? If we can, of course.”

  “Thanks, Will. I’ll be back then. Possibly sooner than that, if plans change?”

  “Understood. Be well, Avery Rome. That and prepared. There are dark times coming for us all, I fear.”

  The man seemed very young then. It resonated inside of him, as he walked away, holding ten kilos of high explosive.

  Hopefully that would be all right. It was a risk leaving that kind of thing with anyone, but she didn't think that Will’s people would steal from her. That, or lose things too easily. Once he was inside the palace there, which had lights and even glowed in certain places, Avery went home, trying to not give away that she was doing anything unusual at all.

  That didn't go perfectly, since she had to make clothing for her mission. At the same time, she tried to sleep, eat and act like everything was normal in her life. To that end she picked up L. J. and Judy on the next Monday morning, and got them into place for the work week.

  Then, focusing hard, Avery tried her best to pretend to be Bethany Spires. It wasn’t difficult to do. After all, her life was a good bit simpler than Avery’s was at the moment. Which was probably sad.

  Bethany had a very hard life, indeed.

  Chapter twenty-four

  Avery’s clothing matched the color of the walls behind her, almost perfectly. She was hunched over, cutting the drywall with a hand tool designed for the task. The thing was basically a serrated knife. Its basic function was all about using the sharpened bits of metal to slowly eat away at the substance the wall was made out of. Given her strength, the metal chewed through the gypsum like butter.

  It was nearly impossible to do that quietly, but, if her observation was correct, she was working in the ten minutes that the security guard would be busy having sex with the third-floor secretary.

  The Alede on that level kept to a really hard schedule, or had over the last two days. If it was her day off, then Avery was probably in trouble. It was a risk, but not a real one. After all, the Alede Governing Body took the weekends off. They also had a meeting that day, which meant it was probably a work day for everyone in the building.

  Still, it was early in the day, being only nine in the morning. Nothing happened, other than her working quickly. Then the very powerful bomb was put in place and the timer set. It would go off at eleven-thirty-eight, a.m. Tarsus, the one inside her head, had figured out that the Alede would all be in the room at that time. Unless someone just didn't show up. That could happen. She’d had that kind of thing take place in her own life, a few times, after all.

  Alede weren’t known for being psychic, but neither were Dragons. Hopefully she’d get enough of the people involved in the evil things to stop them all. If not… Well, then they’d be taken out anyway. A single terrorist event looked better, perhaps, but she could make sure the job got done. Even if it meant hunting them all down one at a time.

  When the drywall was back in place, the cut seams covered carefully, she sighed. That was done by placing a small table in front of it. She’d used the place it normally rested against the wall, so that it wouldn’t stand out. It was possible to see the cut marks, but odds were that no one would notice anything. Not until well after they were dead.

  Then, still crouched down, matching the wall behind the table, in the part of the room that didn’t show on either of the cameras, thanks to that being pointed out to her by Lancaster, she warped space and moved, not home, but to Noram. There she changed clothing and burned the outfit that she’d had on. It took a while, but she used the camp spot near Pine Creek, since it had a fire pit. If anyone saw her there, she had a plan to simply tell them she was bringing in the late summer camping trip in a few weeks.

  To her it would be another three days, so it made sense, getting that kind of thing set up ahead of time. The place looked fine. Empty, however. The town was far enough away that no one would notice the small fire, for instance.

  She was dressed up nicely, if a bit primly, not long after the ashes were doused, all the mission essential clothing gone. It was evening, but as she walked into the back of Yoghurt World it was only six-twenty, according to the digital clock on the wall. That was fairly new, having shown up about a month before. It was a nice looking shiny silver thing, with black numbers on it.

  In the front of the shop she found Phillip, working behind the counter, as Eve and Edom sat at a table. They had Lenore Hawthorn with them, and each of them were going over paperwork. Busily and with better than average concentration, from the expressions on their faces.

  “We have the annual audit in three months. We just need to send the forms in, but it never hurts to go over… Oh, hello, Miss Rome. So nice to see you!” This all came from Lenore, who seemed pleased enough to have her there. Even if it was a work session for all the others.

  “Hi!” There was acting involved to not seem nervous, but Avery had been practicing that lately, so it kind of worked. Seeing the woman got her to nod though, then consider things for a moment. She needed to make certain that Kait and Eve had an alibi for the evening. Eve being in a meeting, in a public place would work well enough for that. “Eve, is Kait working tonight at the bookshop?”

  There was a slightly puzzled nod.

  “Um… Yes? It’s order night this week. I’m down there as well, after we get done here. Phillip is on schedule for the evening… Is there something going on?”

  “Nothing at all. I was just thinking that we could hang out. So, everyone I know is busy?” She laughed, since it sounded pretty entitled to say it that way. It also wasn’t true, really. “Well, I’ll head down that way? We should meet up, when you get off work, Phil?”

  Instead of asking why his ex-girlfriend, who was clearly neglectful and unworthy of his time or energy wanted to do that, he sighed.

  “I’m on until six in the morning tomorrow. I don’t sleep now, so it makes sense to fill the time. After that?”

  It was her turn then, to take a deep breath and let it out.

  “Except I’m shooting all day, starting then. Tomorrow night? We can get away and go someplace for dinner? I have an idea of where to go.” She glanced at Eve, who nodded, as if she were part of that kind of thing.

  “I can take your shift then, Phillip. Go and have fun. Where are you going? Or does it rhyme with Ned-room?”

  That one took Avery a few seconds to figure out. Bedroom. The others all had it faster than she did. By a lot.

  “I was thinking we’d have dinner on the Moon? As for other things… That isn’t really any of your business, is it? Not unless you’re planning to help with it and in that case, well, we probably shouldn’t be talking about that in public. That has to be rude. Especially if we aren’t going to invite everyone else.”

  She was trying to be funny. Lenore at least seemed to think she’d pulled it off, hiding a smile behind her hand.

  “I do have to agree, Miss Rome. Still, we should get back to work here. No one loves doing the accounting, but since the penalty for getting it wrong is the final death, I think we should at least attempt to do our best?”

  “That sounds like a plan, given that. Tomorrow at about this time, Phillip? We can meet here?”

  “Sounds fun, actually. I’ve missed having you around.”

  They didn't hug or anything, but she made a point of looking at him and smiling as she left through the front door of the place. Then she had to scramble, trying to find a place to be seen. Prefe
rably on camera.

  She struggled for a bit, until Tarsus suggested she go and find her other friends. Tyler, Rebekah and Scotty. Steve as well, if he wasn’t working himself. That meant going to their house, which was empty. No one was even moving around inside. Feeling a bit frustrated, she nearly gave up even trying at all. It probably wouldn’t be an issue, after all.

  Still, trying to be good wouldn’t hurt. That meant going to the last place she could think of as far as visiting went. The New Mexico Node Complex. When she got there, coming out in the back of the Shifter Embassy, she figured that it would be empty as well. Instead there was a familiar face. One topped with red hair, and thick glasses.

  Chi Hale.

  He jogged into the back space, which was far tidier than it had been the last time. There were still boxes, but those were set up in a neat stack, off to the side.

  “Avery!” The words came with a big hug. Then a bit of grinding, since he was a Bat Shifter. It was the kind of thing they liked to do. Constantly. So did the Alede, which meant that she was getting used to that sort of thing. “Did you finally come to have some sexy times with me? About time… I’ve known you for what, over half a year now? Longer than that? We haven’t done anything at all.”

  It was due to her not having a sex drive, not that she thought there was anything wrong with the Bat Shifter. He was one of the Elect, after all. Which probably meant she was being rude and unkind to him, not doing that sort of thing if he wanted her to. It was allowable, under the terms of her relationship with Phillip, even. They could each do things with anyone they wanted to, now. He was dating Georgia, after all. That wasn’t going to be free of sex. Besides, making friends with an embassy employee probably wouldn’t harm anything at all in her life.

  “Um… Sure? I need to walk around a bit first, possibly go to the food court and get dinner? Then we can, really, do anything you want? I don’t have a lot of experience, but I know the basics now.”

  Rather than think she was teasing him, there was just a smile.

  “Finally. Well, I don’t know if I can get a break that long, but you know where the food is, right? Nida is working the front, so if I let her have her dinner break first… I bet that she’d be willing to let me have mine when you get back.”

  That sounded like a plan to her. Avery made a circuit of the mall, trying to be seen on every camera she could find there. Then she went and purchased several large plates of food from a Chinese place. It wasn’t very good, but it was enough for her at the moment. About halfway through her first well filled plate several women walked up to her. They all looked fairly normal, wearing mom style clothing. Slacks and nice shirts. They were each slightly plump, but only one of them seemed to be struggling to move around due to that.

  They were staring at her though, and smiling.

  Holding cell phones, and taking her picture.

  Avery grinned back, not getting it at first.

  “Excuse me, are you Avery Rome? From Cooking: Alt-Real?”

  It was a bit surprising that it was a known thing at all, since only the first few episodes had aired yet. Two, she thought. Back to back on the same night.

  “Yes? Nice to meet you?” She looked up at them, wondering at first if they were going to attack her. Then she took a bit of noodles that had translucent red sweet and sour sauce poured on the edge of them. Being hungry wouldn’t help her in battle, after all.

  One of the women captured her eating with her camera, her eyes going wide.

  “This is so wild! Do you live near here? Also… You eat real food? I thought it was always fancy home cooked things for you cooking show types.” The look was a bit disapproving, but aimed at her plates of food, not her, personally.

  It kind of made sense.

  “I’m a Dragon Shifter, so I eat a lot. I have to. This isn’t bad, for a mall food court. The stuff at Westfield Mall is better, but don’t tell anyone I said that. I work out of there, part time. Right now, I’m shooting a show up in Vancouver B.C. Um, Red Rain? Krista Hall is directing it. That’s coming out in the fall. C.A.R. was just a vacation project. The work was mostly done by other people, really. The editing and all that?” She waved at the white chairs around the glass topped table. “Here, sit? If you have time, I mean?”

  That baffled the three women, for some reason. At first. Then they did it and seemed pretty nice, to her. They ended up talking about what their plans were for the Fourth of July, which was about two weeks away still.

  “We always do up a big party for it here. You’re welcome to come, of course, Avery.”

  That was from Cheryl. The words didn’t seem to be a real invitation though, for some reason. Probably due to the idea that famous people would be busy all the time.

  “Thanks. I don’t know what the plan is for that. I need to get with my adopted parents and see if I’m expected for that. I’ve never really done that one before. I’ve seen people doing that though. When I was a kid we traveled a lot.”

  No one questioned her too closely on the idea, wanting to talk about themselves. It was interesting, so she sat and listened to them, adding things when it came up. On camera, the whole time. Normally that would-be kind of awkward, but she milked the situation at the moment.

  “Oh. I should get your phone numbers? You can call me on this phone, if you need me for anything… here…” That didn't take long, but the women acted like it was special, for some reason.

  Then they waved to her, as she got up, clearing her tray to the side.

  No one followed her or anything when she left, heading back to Brand Village. Chi was waiting for her, and had clearly been serious about them doing sexy-time things together. That was done right there, in the store. In the node room, which they closed off. It didn’t do anything for her, but she’d learned to make it seem like she enjoyed it well enough.

  Doing anything else would leave her friend feeling like he’d failed her somehow. When they finished, and Chi opened the door, it was hours later. Nearly nine in the evening. Which, if she hadn’t screwed things up would mean that a certain office building in Wellington had just gone up rather spectacularly. Not that she was going to count on it until the deaths were finalized. After all, odds were good that a simple bomb wouldn’t take her out of play. She had to think that it could also work that way for others.

  If it went off. The fear that it hadn’t for some reason, that she’d put the time in wrong, or that the blasting cap was defective, suddenly tried to overwhelm her. Acting, she waved at Chi.

  “Hey, I need to take off. We should do this again, soon?” It was what you said. At least if you wanted to stay friends with whoever you’d just had sex with. She’s learned that from the Alede, since the nice ones always said things like that.

  He smiled hugely about it.

  “You know it. In a few days? That way I won’t seem too needy.”

  “Um… Can you get next weekend off? We have a camp out in a different reality. It’s for the IPB, but you should get in with them, if you can. Great people. You get nearly three weeks there, for forty-eight hours here.”

  It was a good plan, though she remembered that she needed to get with Gwen Harrison the day before that. Earlier than that, really, if possible. They had a movie night planned, after all.

  Chi shrugged then.

  “I’m not scheduled for it, but let me check first? That sounds kind of cool, but you know how it is, I might be expected here for things now. Presidential brother and all that?”

  It could be a thing, she knew. If nothing else they might want to keep him close enough to watch, which being in a different world could prevent. Especially with all the terrorism going around. She had to imagine that anyone willing to go after innocent Alede might be gunning for Shifters as well. Even Vampires. That didn’t get spoken of out loud, of course.

  Her friend waved at her happily, as she stepped into the node, vanishing into nothingness. Instead of heading home, she went to the bookstore. Order day was the busiest of the
week, and taking an extra shift wouldn’t hurt her, really. She could make a lot of money in a few hours there, for things that weren’t even all that hard for her.

  Zack noticed her coming in, and winked.

  “There you are. I was going to work the front. We have some transfers coming in though. Can you take them?”

  She nodded, but also smiled.

  “As long as they’re normal and I get paid for the work at regular rates? Sure. For two hours. Then I need to go home and sleep. I have work in the morning. We’ve already done my scenes for the week, but I have to be there to reinforce my unit. Just in case they need me.”

  The Greater Demon snorted at her a bit then shook his head.

  “You’re too good for them, Avery. Probably us as well. Thanks though. I’ll be next door if anything comes up?”

  That meant she got to stand there, in the node area, watching the pulsing disk that hung in the air. It was translucent and moved slowly the whole time. She jumped a bit when the first people came in to be shifted around. There were seven of them, and seemed to be in a single group. They all wanted to go to the same place, which was in the Elth lands. She’d been there before, having used the same node complex, so it wasn’t hard to find or anything.

  Then she had to take some people to Lesser Shia, which meant being careful as she came out of the void. This time she nearly walked into Kaitlyn, who seemed to be working there that day.

  It was the alternate Kait, not hers. She could tell that part, because it was both order night and they were in the wrong place.

  That didn't stop her from being hugged, even if they hadn’t really met before.

  “You’re Avery? Chris’s girlfriend?” The woman sniffed her a bit, and moved back with a smile. “You smell yummy.”