## Chapter 1 — We Want to Try It Thursday morning had reached that rare, dangerous stage at the Safehouse where nobody was actively trying to kill anybody, nobody was bleeding, and Ace had been awake long enough to become everybody else's problem. Mai knew this because the coffee machine had already made its second complaint. Not beeped. Complained. There was a difference. Ace stood in front of it in shorts and a loose black top, one bare foot hooked behind the opposite ankle, staring down into her mug as though personally offended by the amount of empty space remaining above the coffee. "It stops there on purpose," Mai said from the table. Ace looked over her shoulder. "I know." "Then stop looking at it like you're considering bypassing the limiter." "I wasn't." Shammy, curled sideways at the far end of the couch with a tablet balanced against one knee, did not look up. "She was." Ace turned. "Traitor." A faint static lift passed through Shammy's silver-white hair as she smiled at the screen. "Accurate witness." Mai took another sip of her own coffee. "Different profession." "Still rude." The Safehouse was waking around them in layers. Light from the upper windows had begun replacing the softer overnight illumination. Somewhere deeper in the building, ventilation changed pitch as the daytime cycle took over. The garage below remained quiet. No one was expected through the lower door yet. Which was probably why Mai noticed Brenda and Iris almost immediately. Not because they entered the room together. That was normal. Not because Brenda had one hand resting briefly against Iris's lower back. Also normal. It was the pause. They came in, saw all three of them, and stopped for half a second. Ace noticed too. Her mug lowered. "Oh, fuck." Brenda blinked. "What?" "You have a thing." "We don't have a thing." "You absolutely have a thing." Iris sighed. "We have something we wanted to discuss." Ace pointed at her without looking away from Brenda. "See?" Mai put her mug down. "Ace." "What? I was right." Shammy finally lowered her tablet. Brenda looked from one of them to the next. "Can we get through the first thirty seconds before she turns this into whatever she's turning it into?" "No promises," Ace said. Iris walked to the table and pulled out a chair. "Coffee first." "Good decision," Mai said. Brenda headed for the machine. Ace moved protectively in front of it. "No." Brenda stopped. "What the hell?" "You said you had something to discuss. I need that functional." "I'm getting coffee, not dismantling it." "You touch things." "I'm an engineer." "Exactly." Brenda stared at her. Mai closed her eyes briefly. Shammy's shoulders moved once. Brenda pointed toward Ace's mug. "Did you modify it?" "No." "The machine." "No." "Recently?" Ace hesitated. Brenda's eyes narrowed. Mai said, "Get your coffee, Brenda." "Thank you." Ace moved aside with considerable reluctance. By the time Brenda joined Iris at the table, the atmosphere had changed. Not dramatically. That was what made Mai pay attention. Brenda was usually capable of beginning a conversation halfway through a thought and trusting everyone else to catch up. Iris tended to be more deliberate, but even she was not normally this careful around the people in this room. Mai leaned back slightly. "All right." Brenda wrapped both hands around her mug. Iris looked at her. That look lasted long enough to be a conversation. Then Brenda looked back at Mai. "We want to try something." Ace's eyebrows went up. Mai did not look at her. "What?" Brenda drew a breath. "Joytoy work." Silence. Not shock. Just silence. Ace's eyebrows climbed a little higher. Shammy's tablet slowly came down onto the couch beside her. Mai looked first at Brenda, then Iris. Iris met her eyes steadily. "We've been talking about it for a while." Ace opened her mouth. Mai raised one finger without looking at her. Ace closed it again. Brenda noticed. "Wow." "Don't encourage her," Mai said. "I didn't say anything." "You were about to." "I might have had a useful contribution." "No." Ace picked up her coffee and drank instead. Shammy's electric-blue eyes had brightened subtly with interest. Mai turned back to Brenda and Iris. "Both of you?" "Yes," Iris said. "Together?" Brenda tilted her head. "That depends what you mean by together." "That's why I'm asking." Brenda glanced at Iris again. "We want to try it at the same time. Same place. Same framework. But we're not saying we have to do everything together." Iris nodded. "I want the option to work independently." "And I want the option to work independently," Brenda said. "But—" She stopped. Ace was smiling now. Brenda saw it. "Don't." "I didn't say anything." "You have a face." "I've always had one." "Unfortunately." Shammy laughed softly. Mai ignored them. "But?" Brenda's expression changed. Not embarrassed. More like she was deciding how directly to say something in a room where directness had never exactly been in short supply. "I like watching her." Iris's mouth curved. Mai waited. Brenda gestured toward Iris with her mug. "I mean, I really like watching her." "Yes," Ace said immediately. Mai looked at her. "What?" "You weren't supposed to talk yet." "You didn't say that." "I raised the finger." "That has a timeout." "It does not." Brenda laughed. Iris reached across and briefly touched her wrist. "I like her watching me." That removed the comedy from the center of the conversation without making the room serious. Mai looked between them again. This, at least, was familiar. Not the proposed work. The dynamic. Brenda could watch Iris walk into a room and somehow look simultaneously proud, entertained and hungry. Iris knew exactly when Brenda was watching her and had never demonstrated the slightest inclination to discourage it. "So that's part of this," Mai said. "Definitely," Brenda said. "But not all of it," Iris added. Brenda nodded. "I don't want to just sit in a corner every time Iris takes somebody." Ace coughed into her coffee. Brenda pointed at her. "See? This is why I was trying to phrase it carefully." "Please don't start now." "Fuck you." "There she is." Mai pinched the bridge of her nose. Shammy's hair had developed the faintest pale-blue gradient near the ends. "I think," she said, "they're saying they don't want fixed roles." Brenda looked at her. "Exactly." Iris nodded. "Sometimes I might want Brenda there. Sometimes I might not. Sometimes she might want someone herself. Sometimes neither of us will." "And sometimes," Brenda said, "I might just want to watch." Ace managed not to speak. Barely. Mai watched her struggle for two seconds. "Go ahead." Ace put her mug down. "Thank you." Brenda groaned. Ace leaned forward against the counter. "Have either of you actually thought about what happens if one of you loves it and the other one doesn't?" "Yes," Iris said. Ace stopped. Brenda smiled. "That wasn't what you were going to say." "No, but it was better." Mai's mouth twitched. Ace continued. "Seriously." "We have," Iris said. "If Brenda hates it, she stops. If I hate it, I stop." "If one of us wants to do it again and the other doesn't," Brenda added, "we deal with that when it happens." "No obligation to stay together?" "No." "No obligation to take the same people?" "No." "No obligation to take anyone?" Brenda stared at her. "Ace." "I'm checking." "You sound like Mai." Ace recoiled. Mai looked offended. Shammy laughed. "Both of you should probably survive that." Ace pointed at Brenda. "Fine. One more." "Go on." "Are you doing this because you've watched us do it and it looks exciting, or because you actually want strangers touching you?" That landed differently. Mai let it. It was blunt, but it was the right question. Brenda looked down into her coffee for a moment. Then back up. "Both." Iris answered without delay. "Same." Ace's expression softened. Not into concern. Recognition. "Okay." Mai looked at Iris. "You've discussed boundaries?" "Some." "Enough?" "No," Iris said. Brenda shook her head. "Probably not." "Good answer." Brenda raised an eyebrow. "Good that we haven't?" "Good that you know you haven't." Mai folded her hands loosely on the table. "There's a difference between talking about wanting to try this here and deciding what you actually want when someone is standing in front of you asking." "We know." "I know you know intellectually." Iris gave a small nod. "Fair." Mai continued. "And I want one thing clear before we get anywhere near practical planning." Brenda waited. "You don't owe the experiment anything." Neither woman spoke. "If you build covers, go out, get all the way there, and one of you decides she doesn't want to work that night, then she doesn't work." "Obviously," Ace said. Mai glanced at her. Ace shrugged. "It is." "It is," Mai agreed. "I'm saying it anyway." Shammy rose from the couch and came toward the table. Her silver-white hair settled gradually as the static faded. She stopped behind Ace and rested her hands lightly on Ace's shoulders. "I don't think they're asking whether they're allowed." Brenda smiled. "No." Iris looked at Shammy. "We aren't." "You're asking how." "Pretty much." Ace tipped her head back far enough to look upside down at Shammy. "That's what I thought." "You thought they had a thing." "They did have a thing." Shammy bent and kissed the top of her head. "Brilliant deduction." Ace looked smug anyway. Mai studied Brenda and Iris for another moment. They were not nervous now. That mattered. Whatever hesitation had followed them into the room had been about saying it aloud, not about the decision itself. "When did you start talking about this?" Brenda glanced at Iris. "Properly?" "Yes." "A while ago." "That's not a unit of time." "It's an excellent unit of time." "Brenda." Iris rescued her. "It wasn't one conversation. It kept coming back." Mai nodded. That sounded more like them. Brenda leaned back. "We've watched Ace and you come back from Jig-Jig actually happy." Ace smiled. "Sometimes very happy." Mai's eyes moved toward her. Ace lifted both hands. "What? That's accurate." Brenda continued. "And Mandi isn't something Ace tolerates." That quieted Ace. Only slightly. "No," she said. "Dalia isn't either," Iris said to Mai. Mai held her gaze. "No." "We know there are risks," Iris continued. "We're not romanticizing it. But we've also watched all of you talk about it like work that can actually be enjoyable when it's done on your terms." Brenda nodded. "And I keep wondering what it feels like." There it was. Not thrill-seeking. Not imitation. Curiosity. Personal, physical, adult curiosity. Ace understood that language particularly well. "So try it," she said. Mai looked at her. Ace met her eyes. "What?" Mai considered it. Then looked back at Brenda and Iris. "Yes." Brenda blinked. "That easy?" "No." Ace grinned. "That's Mai for yes." "I know what her yes sounds like." "Apparently not." Iris smiled. "What comes before trying it?" Mai answered immediately. "Boundaries." Ace answered at exactly the same time. "Covers." They looked at each other. Shammy laughed. Brenda pointed between them. "And this is why we asked all three of you." Mai conceded the point with a small tilt of her head. "Both." Iris looked thoughtful. "We can't use Jessie and Ms. B." "No," Mai said immediately. Ace was already shaking her head. "Absolutely not." "Too much history?" Brenda asked. "Too many other contexts," Mai said. "And if you're doing this," Ace added, "you want identities that belong to this." Brenda looked interested. "Like Mandi." "Yes." Iris looked at Mai. "And Dalia." "Yes." Shammy moved around the table and took the empty chair beside Ace. "Which means you're not just choosing clothes." Brenda groaned. "Oh, fuck." Ace's smile became dangerous. "Faces." Iris leaned back. "Voices." Mai nodded. "Hair." "Contacts," Brenda said. Ace's eyes were getting brighter with every item. "Names." Brenda pointed at her. "You are enjoying this way too much." "I haven't even started." "That's what worries me." Iris looked from Ace to Mai. "If we're doing it, I don't want something halfway." Mai smiled faintly. "Good." Brenda nodded. "Same. I don't want to walk around looking like Brenda in a wig." "Also good." Ace picked up her mug. "And if you're going anywhere near Jig-Jig, there's another part." Brenda's expression sharpened. "The Mox." "Exactly." Iris looked at Mai. "Would Suzie Q even agree?" Mai glanced toward Ace. Ace took a slow drink. Then smiled over the rim. "You're not asking Suzie Q cold." Brenda frowned. "No?" "No." Ace put the mug down. "Mandi asks." A beat. Mai sighed softly. Brenda's grin began. Ace pointed at Mai. "And Dalia." Mai's eyes narrowed. "You volunteered me remarkably quickly." "You were coming anyway." "Was I?" "Yes." Shammy looked between them. "She's right." Mai turned toward her. Shammy's expression was angelic. Ace looked delighted. Iris laughed. Brenda leaned back in her chair, coffee forgotten. "So Mandi and Dalia introduce us." "If we get that far," Mai said. Brenda looked at her. "We're getting that far." Mai's mouth curved. There it was. Not permission. Not approval. Recognition. "Then first," she said, "you need two women for them to introduce." Ace hopped down from where she had been leaning against the counter. At one hundred and forty-five centimeters, the movement barely changed the vertical balance of the room, but somehow everyone looked at her anyway. She rubbed her hands together. Brenda immediately looked suspicious. "Oh no." Ace smiled. "Oh yes." Iris laughed under her breath. Shammy's electric-blue eyes brightened again. Mai reached for her coffee. "Names first." Ace stopped. "Faces first." "Names." "Faces." "You can't tell Victor to build 'woman number one.'" "We absolutely could." "We're not." Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked back. The same silent conversation passed between them again. Only this time there was excitement in it. Brenda slowly smiled. "Okay." Iris's fingers found hers on the table. "Okay." Ace looked between them. "So." Her grin widened. "Who the hell are you two going to be?" --- ## Chapter 2 — New Faces For several seconds, nobody answered Ace. That did not discourage her. It encouraged her. She walked around the end of the table and dropped into the empty chair opposite Brenda and Iris, pulling one leg up beneath herself. "Okay," she said. "Rules." Mai looked at her. "We haven't established rules." "I'm establishing them." "No." "Fine. Suggestions." "Better." Ace pointed at Brenda. "No ridiculous names." Brenda stared at her. "You just volunteered yourself as the person setting that boundary?" Shammy covered her mouth. Ace looked wounded. "I have excellent judgment." "You named a coffee blend Death's Coffee." "It earned that name." "It nearly killed Elisa." "Correlation." "She vibrated for half a day." "Still alive." Mai took Ace's coffee mug away from her. Ace turned. "What the fuck?" "You've had enough." "That is unrelated." "It rarely is." Iris watched Mai move the mug safely to her own side of the table. "Can we establish one actual rule?" "Please," Mai said. "I don't want another Ms. B." Ace's attention returned immediately. "Meaning?" "Not visually." Iris shook her head. "I mean as a concept. Ms. B has become useful for too many different things. She has history." Mai nodded. "Agreed." Brenda leaned forward. "Same with Jessie." "Definitely," Ace said. Jessie O'Sullivan had started as a useful identity. Then, like most useful identities around them, she had accumulated relationships, recognition, context and expectations until taking her into an entirely different professional world would create more problems than it solved. Mai folded her arms. "So we build clean." "Completely clean," Iris said. "No connection to O'Sullivan SAS?" Shammy asked. Brenda looked at Iris. "Preferably none." "Good," Mai said. Ace nodded. "Very good." Brenda raised an eyebrow. "You sound almost responsible." "I contain multitudes." "You contain trouble." "Also true." Iris smiled, then became thoughtful. "What about personality?" Ace leaned back. "What about it?" "How much do we change?" That quieted the table. It was the more interesting question. A face could be manufactured. Hair could change. Eyes could change. A voice could change. But the covers that lasted were rarely the ones built entirely from invention. Mandi worked because some part of Mandi had always been Ace. Dalia worked because Mai had not manufactured her from nothing either. Amber and Maeve had accumulated enough lived experience to become something more complicated than disguises. Mai looked at Brenda. "What do you want to change?" Brenda considered that. "I don't know." "Then don't start with change." Iris looked at her. "What do you mean?" "Start with what you want the cover to let you do." Brenda's expression sharpened. Mai continued. "If you build a personality around what you think a joytoy is supposed to act like, you'll spend the entire night performing." Ace nodded. "And you'll hate it." "Probably." Shammy rested her forearms on the table. "What do you normally stop yourselves from doing?" Brenda laughed. "That's a dangerous question." "That's why I asked." Iris looked at Brenda. Brenda looked back. Something passed between them. Ace noticed immediately. "Oh, there it is." Brenda sighed. "What?" "Another thing." "We're having a conversation." "You keep having silent conversations inside the conversation." "We've been together a while." "So have Mai and I." Mai looked at her. "And you still say everything aloud." "Efficient." "Exhausting." Ace smiled at her. Mai failed to hide hers completely. Iris looked down at her hands for a moment. "I think I know." Everyone waited. She looked up. "I don't want to be polite about wanting something." Brenda's eyes moved toward her. Iris continued. "Not rude. Just..." She searched for the word. "Filtered," Shammy offered. "Yes." Brenda slowly nodded. "That." Mai watched them. "Give me an example." Iris looked almost amused. "Right now?" "Right now." Iris glanced toward Brenda. Brenda's eyebrows rose. Then Iris looked back at Mai. "If I think someone is attractive, I usually don't walk over and tell them I'd like to take them to bed." Ace's grin appeared instantly. Mai ignored it. "And the cover would?" "Maybe." Brenda shook her head. "Not maybe." Iris turned toward her. Brenda smiled. "If we're doing this, why the hell would you build a cover who still dances around the point?" Iris's smile widened. "Fair." Ace pointed at Brenda. "That's yours too." "What is?" "You want to stop softening everything." Brenda laughed. "I don't soften everything." Five seconds of silence followed. Brenda looked around the table. "Fuck all of you." Shammy laughed first. Ace followed immediately. Even Mai gave up. Brenda sat back with her arms folded. "I hate this house." Iris leaned over and kissed her cheek. "No, you don't." "No, I don't." Ace watched them. "Actually..." Brenda looked at her suspiciously. "What?" "That." "What about it?" Ace gestured between them. "Don't remove that." Brenda frowned. "The kissing?" "The way you are together." Mai understood first. "A professional duo." Ace looked at her. "Close friends. Long-time working partners." Iris went still. Brenda turned toward her. Ace leaned forward again. "Think about it. You're already going to want to stay close. You're going to check on each other. You're going to keep looking at each other across rooms. You're probably going to touch each other without thinking." "Definitely," Brenda said. "If people know you have worked together for years, the closeness already has an explanation." Iris nodded slowly. "A working duo..." "Explains proximity," Mai said. Shammy added, "And coordinated styling." Brenda looked at Iris again. This silent conversation lasted longer. Then Iris smiled. "A duo." Brenda's answering smile was immediate. "Yeah." Ace sat back, pleased. Mai raised a finger. "No family story." Brenda laughed. "God, no." "Connected," Iris said. "Through the work." "But different." "Exactly." Shammy tilted her head. "That gives Victor something useful." Ace nodded. "Two independent faces that conceal who you really are." "Not copies," Mai said. "Obviously." Mai looked at her. Ace sighed. "Fine. Explicitly not copies." Brenda was warming to the idea visibly. "We could make the voices complement each other too." Mai looked at her. "That's possible." "Distinct?" "Very." Iris leaned forward. "But not identical." "No." Ace smiled. "That's actually fucking good." Brenda pointed at her. "See? Engineer." "Don't ruin it." Shammy's electric-blue eyes brightened faintly. "So two working partners with distinct faces and voices, who stay close naturally..." "And have almost no filter," Brenda finished. Iris laughed softly. Mai looked at her. "Almost?" Iris considered. Then: "Fine. Considerably less filter." Ace leaned across the table. "How much less?" Brenda answered before Iris could. "A lot." Ace's grin widened. "How much is a lot?" Brenda met her eyes. "Suppose someone asks if I'm working." "Okay." "I don't want to smile sweetly and say something coy." "What do you want to say?" Brenda shrugged. "Yes or no." Ace nodded. "Good." "And if the answer is yes, and I think they're attractive, I don't see why I can't say that." "You can." "And if I want something specific?" "Say it." Brenda looked at Iris. Iris was smiling now. "That's exactly what I mean." Mai watched the two of them settle into the concept almost in real time. The covers were not becoming different women. They were becoming permission structures. Brenda without the instinct to make the room comfortable before saying what she wanted. Iris without the instinct to wrap desire in elegant ambiguity. That could work. More importantly, it could survive. Mai tapped one finger against the table. "One caution." Brenda looked at her. "Direct doesn't mean careless." "No." "Especially professionally." "We know." "You can say exactly what you want. You also need to be able to say exactly what you don't." Iris nodded. "That's part of the appeal." Ace looked at her. "Good answer." Brenda smirked. "You really are turning into Mai." "Stop saying that." Mai reclaimed Ace's abandoned coffee and took a drink. Ace stared at her. "You stole my coffee." "You abandoned it." "You confiscated it." "Details." "You bitch." Mai smiled into the mug. Shammy looked at Brenda and Iris. "So. A duo. Independent faces. Distinct voices. Less filtering." "We still need names," Iris said. Ace immediately reached for a tablet. Mai slapped her hand down before she got there. "No." Ace looked personally betrayed. "Why?" "Because I saw your face." "What face?" "The one you make immediately before naming something that the rest of us have to live with." Brenda nodded. "She's right." "This is discrimination." "This is pattern recognition." Shammy's hair lifted faintly around her shoulders. Ace looked at her. "You're supposed to support me." "I do." "Poorly." "Selectively." Iris reached for the tablet herself. "Let's start with the surname." Brenda nodded. "Something that sounds real." "Radical concept," Mai said. Ace glared at her. Mai drank more of Ace's coffee. Brenda began scrolling through a blank note as though surnames might spontaneously populate it. "We want something that sounds good as a pair." Iris looked at her. "A shared stage name." "Exactly." Ace leaned sideways, trying to see the screen. "Blackwood." "No," four voices said simultaneously. Ace sat back. "Fine." Brenda typed nothing. "Vale?" Iris considered. "Too deliberate." "Cross?" Mai shook her head. "Sounds constructed." Shammy said, "Marlow." The table went quiet. Ace looked at her. Brenda repeated it. "Marlow." Iris tried it next. "The Marlow duo." That changed something. Brenda smiled. "Oh, that's good." Mai nodded slowly. "It sounds like people could already know who you're talking about." "Exactly," Iris said. Ace looked at Shammy. "You've been holding out on us." Shammy smiled. "I contain multitudes." Mai nearly choked on the coffee. Ace stared at her. "That was mine." "Apparently not anymore." Brenda typed it. **Marlow. A shared stage name, not a family name.** For a moment, that was all there was. Two blank spaces above it. Brenda Marlow was wrong. Iris Marlow was wrong. They all knew it immediately. The surname worked because it belonged to women who did not exist yet. Ace leaned closer. "Okay. First names." Mai gave her a warning look. Ace held up both hands. "I'm participating democratically." "No weapons." "What?" "No weapon names." "I wasn't going to—" "No gods." "Mai." "No demons." "You're taking all the good categories." Brenda laughed. Iris stared at the blank screen. "Something short." "Definitely," Brenda said. "Something that works when somebody calls it across a room." "Good." Ace tapped the table. "Vega." Silence. Ace froze. Then slowly looked around. Nobody had rejected it. Her eyes widened. "Oh." Brenda tried it. "Vega Marlow." Iris looked at her. Again, the silent conversation. Brenda's smile appeared. "I like that." Ace sat up straighter. "I named one." Mai sighed. "Apparently." "I fucking named one." "Don't make us reconsider." Brenda pointed at Ace. "No. Mine." Ace's grin became incandescent. "Vega." Brenda repeated it once more, testing the shape of it through her own voice. "Vega Marlow." Iris smiled. "It fits." Brenda typed it. **Vega Marlow.** One blank remained. Ace was already vibrating with ambition. Mai pointed at her. "Do not force a matching theme." "I wasn't." "You absolutely were." Shammy looked at Iris. "What feels right beside Vega?" Iris read the name on the screen. Vega Marlow. The answer did not come immediately. They tried several. None stayed. Some sounded too theatrical. Some too soft. Some names sounded too theatrical for two working women who had simply chosen a shared stage name. Ace, to her credit, rejected two of her own suggestions. Then Brenda frowned. "Wait." Iris looked at her. "What?" Brenda's eyes narrowed as though following a thought somewhere only she could see. "Vega." "Yes." She started laughing. Ace blinked. "What?" Brenda looked at Iris. "Nova." Iris stared at her. Then understood. "Oh, fuck." Mai looked between them. "What?" "Vega and Nova." Ace was still waiting. Shammy got there first. Her eyes brightened. "Chevrolet." Ace's mouth fell open. Mai closed her eyes. Brenda was laughing properly now. "Chevy Vega. Chevy Nova." Iris covered her face with one hand. "That's terrible." "It's perfect." "It's ridiculous." "Also perfect." Ace slapped both palms onto the table. "Nova Marlow." Iris lowered her hand. Ace pointed at her. "Say it." "No." "Say it." Iris tried not to smile. Failed. "Nova Marlow." There it was. Not because of the automotive joke. Despite it. The names belonged together without rhyming, matching too neatly or sounding manufactured. Vega and Nova. The Marlow duo. Brenda typed the second name. **Vega Marlow.** **Nova Marlow.** They all looked at the screen. Shammy was the first to say it aloud. "The Marlow duo." Brenda leaned against Iris. Iris turned her head and gave her a quick kiss against the temple. Ace watched them. "Yeah." Mai nodded. "Yeah." Brenda looked down at the two names again. "So now what?" Ace answered immediately. "Victor." Mai shook her head. "Call Victor." "That's what I meant." "No. You said—" "Mai." "What?" Ace smiled sweetly. "Give me my coffee back." Mai looked down at the mug in her hand. It was empty. Ace stared. Mai stared back. Brenda made a choking sound. Shammy's hair lifted. Iris started laughing. Ace slowly pointed at Mai. "You drank my entire fucking coffee." Mai looked into the empty mug as though this development had somehow occurred independently of her. Then she looked at Ace. "Apparently." "You absolute bitch." Mai stood, kissed the top of Ace's head on the way past, and carried the mug toward the machine. "Call Victor." Ace watched her go. Then turned toward Brenda and Iris. "Remember this." Brenda was still laughing. "What?" Ace pointed after Mai. "That's the woman who's supposed to teach you professional ethics." From beside the coffee machine, Mai said calmly: "And the first lesson is protecting your assets." Ace stared at her. Shammy folded forward against the table. Vega and Nova Marlow had existed for less than five minutes. And already, Brenda suspected, creating them might have been the least dangerous decision they made all weekend. --- ## Chapter 3 — Distinct, Not Copies Victor looked at Brenda. Then Iris. Then Ace. Then Mai. Then back at Brenda and Iris. "A professional duo." "Yes," Brenda said. "A shared work name." "Correct." "Two independent faces. No family resemblance." "Yes." "And no matching copies." "Definitely not." Victor nodded once. Then looked at Ace. "And this was whose idea?" Ace pointed immediately at Brenda and Iris. "The joytoy thing was theirs." "I didn't ask about the joytoy thing." "The duo thing was collaborative." Mai leaned against the wall beside the examination chair. "Mostly Ace." Ace turned. "Excuse me?" "You suggested a duo." "I said maybe a duo." "And then they chose it." "Exactly. Democracy." Victor looked at Shammy. Shammy had taken the chair nearest the wall and was watching the exchange with quiet amusement, her silver-white hair resting smoothly over one shoulder. "Why are you here?" She smiled. "Entertainment." "At least one honest answer." Ace folded her arms. "I'm always honest." Victor stared at her. Ace stared back. "Fine. Frequently." Mai coughed. "Selectively frequently." "You stole my coffee this morning." "And apparently we're still processing that trauma." "It was a full mug." Brenda looked at Victor. "Can we start before they get divorced?" Ace and Mai answered simultaneously. "We're not married." Victor closed his eyes. "Right." Shammy laughed softly. Ace pointed at Brenda. "Amber and Maeve are married." "I know." "We aren't." "I know." "Important distinction." "Apparently." Mai looked at Victor. "Please continue." Victor drew a slow breath. "Faces first." Ace immediately looked smug. Mai saw it. "Don't." "I didn't say anything." "You don't need to." Victor turned toward Brenda and Iris before another domestic dispute could develop around him. "How distinct do you want the faces?" Brenda glanced at Iris. "Enough that nobody confuses us." "And nothing that points back to our real faces," Iris added. "Then the connection between you comes from styling and how you work together." "Exactly." Victor nodded. That, at least, was a useful specification. He brought a display to life and pulled up two neutral facial models. "Then I need two independent designs." Brenda frowned. "Meaning?" "Different brow structures. Eye spacing. Cheek shapes. Jaw transitions. Mouth proportions. Each face needs to work naturally on its own, without borrowing the other's architecture." Ace moved closer to the display. "Can you make them feel natural?" "That's the idea." Victor enlarged the models. "If I make everything too similar, you will look like copies. The faces should conceal you individually. Lena can connect the presentation without making you look related." Iris nodded. "We want that distinction." "Good. That is a useful specification." Brenda smiled. "I like him." "You've known him for years," Ace said. "I can continue liking him." Victor ignored them. "Do you want either face to resemble your real face at all?" "No," Mai said immediately. Victor looked at her. Brenda nodded. "She's right." Iris agreed. "Clean covers." "Good." Victor turned back to the display. "Then I'm not modifying Brenda into Vega and Iris into Nova." Ace tilted her head. "What are you doing?" "Building two independent cover faces, each suited to the woman wearing it." That got everybody's attention. Shammy's eyes brightened faintly. "Oh." Victor glanced at her. "Exactly." Brenda leaned forward. "So neither face is a variation on the other." "Exactly." "And each has its own structure." "Yes." Ace looked impressed. "That's clever." Victor gave her a dry look. "I occasionally know what I'm doing." "I never said you didn't." "You've implied it extensively." "Affectionately." Mai moved closer to the display. She knew the mesh technology intimately enough from Dalia that there was nothing useful to ask about the fundamentals. What mattered here was not whether Victor could build another convincing face. He could. The interesting part was whether he could build **two** convincing faces that fully concealed their owners while preserving their individual expression. She studied the models. "How do you keep both faces expressive without making them alike?" Victor considered the question. "There is no single template. I fit each mesh independently. Different structures, the same standard of natural movement." "Meaning?" "Independent facial architecture, equally convincing results." Mai nodded. "That's what we want." Victor pulled two stools toward the imaging rig. "Sit." Brenda sat first. Iris took the second. Victor moved between them, positioning the scanners. Ace started toward them. Victor pointed without turning. "No." Ace stopped. "What?" "Over there." "Why?" "Because you're going to start suggesting things while I'm scanning." "I can suggest things from over there." "Further." Mai caught Ace gently around the waist before she could object and moved her backward. Ace looked up at her. "Betrayal." "Survival." Shammy patted the empty chair beside her. Ace sat with exaggerated resentment. Victor started the scan. Fine light moved across Brenda's face. Then Iris's. The room became quiet for nearly thirty seconds. Ace lasted twenty-three. "Can Vega have sharper cheekbones?" Victor did not look up. "No." "Why?" "Because I haven't designed Vega yet." "But when you—" "Ace." "What?" "Twenty-three seconds." Mai smiled. "Better than expected." "Fuck you." "Later." Ace's head snapped around. Mai's expression remained perfectly calm. Brenda started laughing and ruined the scan. Victor stopped. He stared at Mai. Mai lifted one shoulder. "What?" Victor looked toward the ceiling. "I could have become a dentist." Shammy's silver-white hair lifted faintly with static. Ace looked delighted. "You started that." Mai's mouth curved. "I know." "Menace." "Focus." Victor reset the scan. "Again. And this time nobody says anything." He looked directly at Mai. Mai placed one hand over her own mouth. Ace whispered, "Coward." Victor pointed toward the door. Ace mimed locking her lips. The second scan completed. Victor transferred the geometry into the workstation and began stripping away identifying features. The first models looked vaguely human and deeply unsettling. Brenda stared at them. "Those are horrible." "They're scaffolds." "They look dead." "They don't have skin yet." "That isn't helping." Victor began adjusting structural relationships. Two different brow geometries appeared first. Not identical. Distinct. Then the orbital proportions. Cheek transitions. The bridge of the nose. The general relationship between mouth width and jaw. Every time the faces began drifting too close together, Victor separated them somewhere else. Nova's face gradually became a little longer. Vega's slightly more compact. Vega's cheek structure carried a touch more angularity. Nova's jaw transitioned more smoothly toward the chin. Neither face looked like Brenda. Neither looked like Iris. And increasingly, each looked like a coherent person in her own right. Ace had stopped joking. She leaned forward with her elbows on her knees. Mai noticed. That was Ace's real cover-builder attention. Not the jokes. Not the colors. The moment an identity began becoming internally coherent. Victor rotated the models side by side. "Now." Brenda stared. Iris leaned closer. Shammy stood. Nobody said anything for a moment. Victor looked at Brenda. "What do you see?" She narrowed her eyes. "Two different women." "Good." Iris studied Nova's face. "But clearly different." "Why?" She looked between the models. "The brow shapes. The cheeks. The way the jaws taper." Victor smiled. "Better." Ace got up and walked closer. This time Victor allowed it. She studied the faces from several angles. "If I saw those two at different ends of a room..." "You would not mistake either for the other," Victor said. Ace nodded. "But if I saw them together?" "Still two different women. Lena can give them a shared professional style." Mai joined her. "And once someone thinks it?" "They'll start finding more evidence for it." Brenda laughed softly. "Human pattern matching." "Exactly." Shammy looked at Victor. "Can you push it one step further without making them twin-like?" Victor considered. "Probably." He changed the brow relationship by barely anything. Then adjusted the shape around the outer corners of the eyes. The effect was tiny. The result was not. Ace smiled. "There." Victor looked at her. "You see it?" "Yeah." Iris did too. "So do I." Brenda nodded. "That's us." The words slipped out before she seemed to realize what she had said. Victor glanced at her. Brenda stared at Vega's unfinished face on the screen. "Well. Not us." Iris smiled. "You know what you meant." "Yeah." Victor saved the geometry. "Then we build." The fabrication itself took longer than the conceptual work. Victor printed the dermal-conforming structures in stages, checked material behavior, adjusted edge transitions and tested the mapping before either mesh went near a face. Ace eventually found Victor's coffee. Victor caught her reaching for it. "Don't." Ace froze. "I was moving it." "Why?" "Dangerous location." "It's beside my hand." "Exactly." Victor moved the cup farther away. Ace looked offended. Mai murmured, "Karma." Ace turned. "You're still on probation." "For drinking your coffee?" "For grand theft." "It was coffee." "It was mine." Shammy looked at Brenda. "They'll do this all day." "I know." "I think it's foreplay," Iris said. Ace pointed at her. "See? Less filter already." Iris blinked. Then smiled. "Oh." Brenda laughed. "We haven't even got the faces yet." "Promising start," Shammy said. Victor eventually turned from the fabrication unit holding the first finished mesh. He looked at Brenda. "Vega first." Brenda stood. The room changed. The jokes did not disappear. They simply moved aside. Victor prepared her skin and fitted the mesh with the practiced efficiency of something everyone in the room had seen before in one form or another. There was no need for a lecture. The interesting part came when the face settled. Vega opened her eyes. Ace went absolutely still. Brenda looked toward the mirror. She smiled experimentally. The unfamiliar face smiled with Brenda's unmistakable amusement. She lifted one eyebrow. Still Brenda. Entirely Vega. Iris stood slowly. "Holy shit." Brenda looked at her. Ace walked around her. "Turn." Brenda turned. "Again." "Ace, I'm not a rotisserie chicken." "There she is," Shammy said. Ace grinned. Victor checked the fit once more. Mai stepped closer and studied Vega from several angles. She knew exactly what a good mesh looked like in motion. After a moment she nodded. "Good." Victor looked mildly offended. "Just good?" "Very good." "Better." Iris stepped beside Brenda. For the first time, she was looking at Vega Marlow. Not a model. Not a name on a tablet. A woman standing in Victor's clinic wearing Brenda's clothes and Brenda's posture and none of Brenda's face. Iris smiled slowly. "Hi, sis." Brenda stared at her. Then Vega's unfamiliar face broke into Brenda's unmistakable grin. "Oh, fuck you." Ace doubled over laughing. Victor shook his head. "Nova." Iris sat. Her fitting went faster. Preparation. Placement. Adjustment. Wait. Then Victor stepped back. Iris opened her eyes. Brenda's grin disappeared. Not because anything was wrong. Because there she was. Nova. The second face belonged beside the first. Iris looked into the mirror. Then at Brenda. Vega and Nova stood side by side. Nobody needed a family story. That was the first victory. They simply looked like two different women comfortable standing together. Not copies. Not matching templates. Two women whose ease with each other came from familiarity, not from sharing a face. Shammy moved behind them, studying their reflections. Her electric-blue eyes brightened. "That's disturbingly convincing." Victor nodded. "Good." Ace stood between Mai and Shammy, staring at the mirror. "Names fit better now." Mai glanced down at her. "They do." Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked back. Their expressions were familiar. Their faces were not. Brenda reached out and took Iris's hand. Vega's mouth curved. Nova answered with the same small smile Iris had always given Brenda when words were unnecessary. Ace saw it. So did Mai. So did Shammy. Victor looked satisfied. Then Brenda ruined the moment. "So." Victor's expression changed immediately. "What?" "When do we get the voices?" Ace made an excited noise. Victor sighed. "I knew peace wouldn't last." Iris turned toward him. "You said you could make them distinct." "I can." "Clearly distinct?" "Yes." Brenda smiled. "How close?" Victor looked from Vega to Nova. Then toward the voice-biosculpt equipment. "Close enough that somebody hearing you from another room might need a second sentence." Ace's eyes widened. "Oh, that's fucking evil." Mai looked at Brenda and Iris. Both unfamiliar faces were smiling now. Victor saw it too. He sighed again. "Before we start, I want one promise." Brenda tilted her head. "What?" "When I ask you to test the voices, you say normal sentences." Silence. Vega looked at Nova. Nova looked at Vega. Ace slowly covered her mouth. Shammy's hair began lifting. Mai looked away. Victor's eyes narrowed. "No." Brenda had not said anything. "I can already see it." Iris's new face remained perfectly innocent. "See what?" "Whatever the two of you just decided." "We didn't decide anything." "Normal sentences." Brenda smiled. "Define normal." Victor stared at her. Ace lost the fight first. Her laughter filled the clinic. Victor looked toward the voice-biosculpt equipment again. For the first time that afternoon, he appeared genuinely worried. The faces had been the easy part. --- ## Chapter 4 — Two Voices Victor looked at Brenda. Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked at Brenda. Victor pointed at both of them. "Normal." "We heard you," Brenda said. "That wasn't agreement." "You didn't ask for agreement." Ace made a strangled sound behind one hand. Victor turned toward her. "Don't help." "I haven't said anything." "Your face is helping." Ace immediately arranged her expression into exaggerated innocence. Victor looked at Mai. "Can you control her?" "No." Ace's innocent expression vanished. "Correct answer." Shammy's silver-white hair had acquired the faintest static lift around her shoulders. Victor turned back toward the equipment. "I am surrounded by professionals." "Technically," Brenda said. "That's somehow worse." The voice-biosculpt setup occupied a separate section of the clinic from the face work. Victor had already captured Brenda and Iris's baseline vocal profiles before beginning. Now two derived profiles floated side by side on the display. Ace wandered closer. This time Victor let her. "Those look really close." "They are." "How close?" Victor adjusted one of the overlays. "Complementary without suggesting the same family. Different enough that nobody confuses you once they know you." Mai studied the profiles over Ace's shoulder. "And both far enough from Brenda and Iris." "Completely." Brenda touched her throat. "How much of that is physical?" "Enough that you're not relying on software." "Good." Iris nodded. "That's important." Victor looked at her. "You'll still sound like yourselves in the ways that matter." Brenda frowned. "Meaning?" "Cadence. Habit. How you construct sentences. Where you pause. What you emphasize. Voice biosculpt changes the instrument. It doesn't rewrite the musician." Ace smiled. "That's a good line." "I occasionally have those too." "I'm stealing it." "No." "Too late." Mai looked at Brenda and Iris. "That's probably exactly what we want." Iris nodded. "If the voices were too different in behavior, we'd have to remember how to speak." "Exactly," Victor said. "And then the cover becomes work." Brenda smiled. "The other work is enough." Victor stared at her. Brenda's unfamiliar Vega face remained perfectly composed. "What?" "Nothing." "You made a face." "I am reconsidering my wording from this point forward." "Smart." Victor adjusted the first biosculpt profile. "Vega first." Brenda stood. "Why do I keep going first?" "Because you keep volunteering by standing closest." Brenda looked down. She was, in fact, standing closest. "That's annoyingly reasonable." Victor prepared the biosculpt. Unlike the face mesh, there was nothing visually dramatic about the process. That made it stranger. Brenda still looked like Vega. Still stood like Brenda. Still had Brenda's habitual half-amused expression. Victor finished the initial application and waited. Then he looked at her. "Say something." Brenda's eyes moved toward Iris. Victor immediately raised one finger. "A normal sentence." Brenda looked back at him. "Fine." She cleared her throat. Then said: "I would like a cup of coffee." Everyone froze. The voice was wrong. Not distorted. Not synthetic. Wrong. Lower than Brenda's ordinary voice, but not dramatically so. Smooth, slightly smoky around the edges, with a warm resonance that seemed to belong naturally to Vega's unfamiliar face. Ace's mouth opened. Brenda's did too. "Oh, holy shit." The second sentence destroyed the clinical test completely. Vega's voice saying _oh, holy shit_ was somehow more convincing than the coffee. Brenda touched her throat. "That's me?" Victor nodded. She said it again. "That's me." Ace grinned. "Fuck." Brenda looked at her. "Yeah." "Say my name." Victor sighed. "Ace." "No, her." Brenda looked directly at Ace. "Ace." Ace's grin disappeared. She stared. Then slowly turned toward Mai. "Oh, that's good." Mai nodded. "Very." Brenda tried Mai's name. Then Shammy's. Then Iris's. Each time, the new voice became less like an effect and more like a person. Iris watched her with growing fascination. Brenda noticed. Vega smiled. "Like it?" Iris answered automatically. "Very much." Brenda's eyebrows rose. The directness had begun before anyone formally invited it. Ace noticed too. "Oh, this is going to be a fucking disaster." Mai put one hand on Ace's shoulder. "For whom?" "I don't know yet." Victor pointed toward Iris. "Nova." Iris stepped forward. Brenda moved aside. The second biosculpt followed the same process. Victor had built Nova's voice independently, giving it a smoother character while keeping it clearly distinguishable from Vega's. He finished. Waited. Then: "Normal sentence." Iris looked at him. Victor looked back. She glanced toward Brenda. Victor's expression hardened. "Do not." Iris smiled. Then, perfectly obediently: "The weather is pleasant today." Ace stared. Brenda stared. Shammy's eyes brightened. Nova's voice was close to Vega's. Very close. Not identical. Where Vega carried a slightly rougher warmth, Nova was smoother and marginally cleaner through the middle register. But the relationship was immediate. If Brenda had spoken from one side of a closed door and Iris from the other, someone unfamiliar with them could easily have needed another sentence. Brenda walked closer. "Say something else." Nova looked at her. "What would you like me to say?" Vega's mouth opened. Then closed. Ace whispered: "Oh, fuck." Mai smiled. There it was. Not merely two altered voices. Two women with distinct, complementary voices. Brenda stepped closer still. "Again." Iris's white-void contacts were not there yet — Lena's work would come later — but Nova's face and voice together were already enough to make the moment uncanny. "What would you like me to say?" Brenda laughed. "That's fucking weird." Nova smiled. "You're one to talk." Ace moved between them. "Okay, turn around." Victor frowned. "Why?" "Science." "That word has suffered enough around you." Ace ignored him. "Both of you. Turn around." Vega and Nova exchanged a glance, then faced away. Ace pointed randomly. "One of you say something." Silence. Then: "Something." Ace spun toward Brenda. "Vega." Brenda turned. "Yep." Ace looked delighted. "Again." They faced away. A voice said: "Something else." Ace hesitated. "Nova." Iris turned. "Yep." Ace threw both hands up. "Ha!" Victor nodded. "Once you know the differences, they're easy enough." Shammy tilted her head. "Let me." The working partners turned away again. One spoke. "Something." Shammy answered immediately. "Vega." Brenda turned. "How?" "Your endings are a little rougher." Victor nodded. "Exactly." Mai tried next. She identified both correctly. Then Victor. Then Ace again. Ace missed one. Brenda looked triumphant. "Ha." "You cheated." "How?" "I don't know yet." "Excellent accusation." Victor looked at the clock. "The biosculpt needs time to settle. Don't strain your voices unnecessarily." Ace looked at him. "What counts as unnecessary?" Victor stopped. Mai covered her mouth. Shammy looked down. Brenda and Iris both became very still. Victor slowly turned toward Ace. "Speaking." Ace blinked. "That's going to make testing difficult." Victor realized the trap half a second too late. "Normal conversation is fine." Brenda smiled. There it was. The specification. Victor saw it. "No." "What?" "I know that smile." "You've known Vega for approximately forty minutes." "I know Brenda." Brenda looked offended. "Vega is a completely different woman." Iris looked at her. "No, she isn't." "Thank you, sis." The word landed differently in the new voice. Iris's smile widened. Victor checked the biosculpt readings again. "All right. Test conversation. Keep it conversational." Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked back. Ace physically backed away. Mai noticed. "What are you doing?" "Creating safe distance." Shammy joined her. Mai stared at both of them. "Cowards." Victor folded his arms. "Go ahead." Brenda considered. Then looked at Iris. "So, sis." Iris answered in Nova's smooth new voice. "Yes?" Brenda maintained a perfectly neutral expression. "Would you like to have sex with me later?" Victor closed his eyes. Ace made a noise like somebody had stepped on her. Mai turned away. Shammy's hair lifted sharply with static. Iris did not hesitate. "Absolutely." Brenda nodded. "Good." "Was that the entire conversation?" "I had a follow-up." Victor opened his eyes. "No." Brenda looked at him. "You said conversational." "I did." "That was conversational." "Technically," Iris said. Victor pointed at her. "Do not say technically." "Why?" "Because Brenda is an engineer and every time one of you says technically, my day gets worse." Ace had both hands over her mouth. Her shoulders were shaking. Mai leaned toward her. "Don't." Ace shook her head violently. Brenda looked at Iris again. "Different subject." Victor relaxed by approximately one millimeter. "Good." Brenda thought. Then: "If a customer asked whether you were working right now, what would you say?" Victor's relaxation disappeared. Iris tilted her head. "Depends." "On?" "Whether I wanted them." "Suppose you did." Nova's unfamiliar face smiled. "Then I'd say yes." "And if you wanted me there?" "I'd ask." "Ask what?" Iris looked directly at Brenda. "Do you mind if my sis comes to watch?" The room went quiet. Not because it was shocking. Because it worked. Mai's expression changed first. That was the cover. Not the hair they did not have yet. Not the contacts. Not Lena's wardrobe. That sentence. Direct. Comfortable. No coyness. No apology. No performance of embarrassment. Brenda smiled. "Exactly." Ace lowered her hands. "Okay." Victor looked at her. "What?" "That one was actually useful." "Miracles happen." Shammy came closer. "And if the customer says no?" Iris shrugged. "Then Brenda doesn't come." Brenda nodded. "No problem." "If Brenda wants to take someone and you don't want to be involved?" "She takes them." "If you want to watch and they don't want you there?" "I don't watch." Shammy smiled. "Good." Brenda looked at Iris. "And if I think they're hot?" Nova's smile returned. "Tell them." "Directly?" "Why not?" Brenda turned toward Ace. "What do you think?" Ace stared. "About what?" "Suppose I walk up to someone and say, 'You're hot. Want to fuck?'" Victor pinched the bridge of his nose. Ace considered the question with absurd seriousness. "Professionally?" "Professionally." "Needs context." Mai nodded. "Definitely." Brenda looked disappointed. "So not direct enough?" "No," Ace said. "Potentially too efficient." Iris laughed. Vega's face turned toward her. Brenda's eyes narrowed. "What?" "Nothing." "You laughed." "You're trying to optimize propositioning." "I'm an engineer." Ace slapped the counter. "See? That's the Marlow brand." Mai looked at her. "No brands yet." "Fine. Behavioral characteristic." "Better." Brenda turned back to Iris. "Okay. Your turn." "My turn for what?" "Test sentence." Iris thought for a moment. Victor watched her warily. Nova looked toward Mai. "Would you object if I told a customer I wanted to watch my working partner fuck them?" Victor stared at the ceiling. Mai answered calmly. "Professionally?" "Professionally." "No." Iris nodded. "Good." Ace whispered to Shammy: "Victor should've specified weather." Victor heard her. "Yes." Ace grinned. "Sports scores." "Yes." "Clinic opening hours." "Yes." "Recommended daily fiber intake." "Anything except this." Brenda looked genuinely puzzled. "You said normal sentences." Victor pointed at her. "These are not normal sentences." There was a pause. Then Mai said: "For them?" Victor looked at her. Mai's expression was innocent. Ace collapsed against Shammy. Shammy caught her while laughing hard enough that faint blue-white static danced through the ends of her silver hair. Victor stared at Mai. "You are supposed to be the responsible one." "I am." "That makes this worse." Iris looked at Brenda. "Should we test volume?" Victor immediately snapped his attention toward her. "Normal volume." Brenda smiled. "What about whispering?" Victor hesitated. That was enough. Ace saw it. "Oh no." Victor pointed at her. "No." "I didn't say anything." "You were about to." Brenda leaned close to Iris. Victor's eyes narrowed. Vega whispered something into Nova's ear. Nobody else could hear it. Iris's eyebrows rose. Then Nova whispered something back. Brenda's expression changed. Ace was nearly climbing onto the examination chair trying to see their faces. "What did she say?" "Private," Brenda said. "That's not testing." "It tested whispering." Victor looked at the biosculpt readouts. Unfortunately, Brenda was correct. "Whispering is fine." Ace stared at him. "You're enabling them." "I'm collecting data." "Same thing." Iris laughed. The sound stopped everyone again. Not because it was loud. Because even her laugh had changed. Still Iris's rhythm. Still Iris's timing. But through Nova's voice. Brenda laughed in response. The sounds were different too. Victor watched the readouts. Then smiled despite himself. "There." Mai heard it. "So they're stable?" "Settling well." "How long?" "The voice changes will persist for several days. They'll gradually return toward baseline after that." Brenda touched her throat again. "So even after we take the faces off..." "You'll still sound like Vega." Iris looked at her. "And I'll still sound like Nova." Ace's smile became immediate. "Oh, Sunday is going to be hilarious." Mai sighed. "She's right." "Thank you." "That wasn't praise." "I'll take it." Victor saved the final profiles. "Done." Brenda blinked. "That's it?" "For me." Ace turned toward him. "Already?" Victor pointed first at Vega's face. "Face." Then Nova's. "Face." Then at Brenda's throat. "Voice." Then Iris's. "Voice." He spread his hands. "My job is finished." Ace smiled. "We still need—" Victor raised one finger. "No." Ace stopped. "What?" "Hair is Lena." "I know." "Contacts are Lena." "I know." "Clothes are Lena." "I know." Victor looked at Mai. "Make sure she knows." Mai nodded solemnly. "I'll supervise." Ace stared at both of them. "I know the fucking division of labor." Shammy walked past her and kissed her temple. "Of course you do." "Why did that sound patronizing?" "Because you're perceptive." Brenda stood beside Iris in front of the mirror. Two unfamiliar faces. Two distinct voices. Their ordinary clothes were now the only visibly unfinished part of the illusion. Vega looked at Nova. Nova looked back. Brenda smiled. "So, sis." Victor visibly tensed. Iris noticed. Her smile became wicked. "Yes?" Brenda paused just long enough. "Want to go see Lena?" Victor exhaled. "Thank God." Iris laughed. "Absolutely." Ace headed for the door. Victor called after them. "Wait." Ace turned. Victor pointed at Brenda and Iris. "One last instruction." Both waited. "Try not to spend the next several hours deliberately finding the filthiest possible sentences just because I told you to speak normally." Silence. Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked at Brenda. Ace looked at Mai. Mai looked at Shammy. Shammy's hair began to lift. Victor saw all of it. "Oh, fuck." Vega smiled sweetly. In her new warm, smoky voice, she said: "Victor." "Yes?" "You really should have said that first." Nova took her working partner's hand. "Way too late now." They walked out together. Ace followed them, laughing. Shammy went next. Mai paused at the doorway and looked back at Victor. He was standing alone beside the biosculpt equipment with the expression of a man reviewing every decision that had led him to this career. Mai took the menthol lollipop from her pocket, looked at it thoughtfully, then put it back. "Dentistry?" Victor sighed. "Dentistry." Mai smiled. Then followed the others out. Behind her, Victor muttered: "Normal sentences. What the fuck was I thinking?" --- ## Chapter 5 — Mirror Work Lena opened the door. She looked at Ace. Then Mai. Then Shammy. Then the two women standing behind them. Her attention returned to Ace. "Who are they?" Ace's face lit up. Brenda made a small triumphant noise. Iris smiled. Mai simply said, "Good." Lena looked between them. "What?" "That was the test," Ace said. "What test?" "You know Brenda and Iris." "Yes." "Those are Brenda and Iris." Lena looked back at the two strangers. Silence. Then Vega smiled. "Hi." Lena's eyes narrowed. Nova lifted one hand. "Hello." Lena stared at them. The voices made it worse. Not because they sounded artificial. Because the two voices complemented each other. Lena stepped closer. She looked at Vega. Then Nova. Then Vega again. "Oh, fuck off." Ace doubled over laughing. Brenda grinned. "Victor did good." "Apparently." Lena moved directly in front of Vega and studied her face at close range. "Brenda?" "Yep." Then Nova. "Iris?" "Yep." Lena took one step backward. "Those voices." "Also Victor." "I gathered that." Ace pointed toward the working partners. "They're working partners." Lena stared at her. "No, they're not." "The covers." "Obviously." "The Marlow duo." That made Lena pause. "Marlow." Brenda nodded. "Vega Marlow." Iris followed. "Nova Marlow." Lena looked from one to the other. "The Marlow duo." Ace pointed at her. "See?" "See what?" "It works." Lena ignored her. She walked a slow circle around Brenda and Iris. Their clothes were still entirely ordinary. Their hair was still their own. Their eyes were still their own. Everything from the neck down belonged to the women Lena knew. Everything about the faces and voices said otherwise. The mismatch was almost offensive. Lena stopped. "No." Brenda blinked. "No what?" "This." Lena gestured at both of them. "You're unfinished." Ace smiled. "That's why we're here." "I know why you're here." Mai leaned against the wall. "Do you?" Lena looked at her. "Hair. Contacts. Clothes." Ace pointed excitedly. "Exactly." Lena turned toward her. "And before you say anything, I choose the hair." Ace's hand slowly lowered. "I wasn't—" "You were." "I had ideas." "I'm sure you did." "They were good ideas." "They may even survive." Ace looked toward Shammy. "Hostile work environment." Shammy's electric-blue eyes brightened. "You came voluntarily." "Still hostile." Lena looked at Brenda and Iris. "What are you trying to look like?" Brenda answered first. "Coordinated." "I can see that." "Not matching." "Good." Iris added, "We want people to notice us together." Lena nodded. "Better." Brenda glanced at Iris. "And we're going to be working as joytoys." Lena did not react for a second. Then: "Both of you?" "Yes." "Together?" "Sometimes." "Separately?" "Sometimes." "Watching each other?" Brenda smiled. "Sometimes." Lena looked at Iris. Iris's new face remained composed. "I like being watched." Lena turned toward Brenda. "And you?" "I like watching her." A beat. Brenda added: "And I intend to work too." Lena looked toward Ace. Ace lifted both hands. "Their idea." "I wasn't blaming you." "You looked like you were blaming me." "I frequently look like that around you." "Fair." Lena returned to the working partners. "How bold?" Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked back. That silent exchange again. Lena noticed. Ace noticed Lena noticing. Brenda answered. "Mandi." Lena went still. Ace's eyebrows rose. "Excuse me?" Brenda looked at her. "You heard me." "That's a high bar." "Good." Iris nodded. "We don't want cautious." Lena's interest sharpened. "That's different." Mai smiled faintly. "Now you've got her." "I had her at hair," Ace said. "No," Lena said. "You had my attention. They have my interest." Ace looked wounded. Shammy patted her shoulder. "There, there." "Everyone is horrible today." Mai smiled. "Only today?" Ace pointed at her. "You are still on coffee probation." "I don't think you understand how probation works." "I understand theft." Lena clapped once. "Enough." Ace stopped. Lena pointed toward two stools in front of the large mirrors. "Sit." Brenda and Iris obeyed. Lena stood behind them. For several seconds she simply looked at their reflections. Two independent faces. Two completely unrelated heads of hair. She gathered Brenda's hair loosely with one hand, hiding part of it from the mirror. Then Iris's. "Mirrored." Brenda's eyebrows rose. "What?" "Not identical." Lena moved one hand through the air, dividing Brenda's reflected head vertically. "Two colors." Then Iris's. "Same structural idea." She reversed the direction. "Opposite sides." Ace leaned forward. "Oh." Mai saw it too. "That'll reinforce the pair without making them copies." "Exactly." Lena looked at Vega's face. "Chrome." Then Nova's. "Chrome." Brenda tilted her head. "Both?" "One half." Iris smiled. "And the other?" Lena considered. Not for long. She looked at Brenda. "Brass-yellow." Brenda stared at herself in the mirror. "Chrome and brass." "Brass-yellow. Bright enough to read deliberately against the chrome." Brenda smiled slowly. "I like it." Lena turned toward Iris. "Gold." Iris's smile appeared almost immediately. "Chrome and gold." "Yes." Ace walked closer. "So chrome on opposite sides." "Yes." "Which side?" Lena looked at her. "I haven't decided." Ace opened her mouth. "No." "I didn't—" "No." "You don't even know what I was going to say." "You were going to pick sides." "I was going to suggest sides." "Same problem." Ace looked at Mai. "She's abusing me." Mai nodded solemnly. "Terrible." "Thank you." "I support her completely." "You bitch." Lena stepped back from the mirrors. "I want to see it before I lock the split. Faces matter. How you stand together matters. Your natural head positions matter." Brenda glanced toward Iris. Immediately, both leaned subtly toward one another. Lena pointed. "That." "What?" "You do that." Brenda straightened. "Do what?" "Lean toward each other." Iris laughed. "We do?" "Constantly." Ace nodded. "You do." Mai nodded too. Shammy smiled. "Definitely." Brenda looked around the room. "How long has everybody known this?" "Years," Ace said. "Traitors." Iris leaned toward her again deliberately. "Better?" Lena watched the geometry. "Actually, yes." She moved around them. "Chrome inward might make the pair visually collapse toward the center." Mai considered. "Chrome outward?" "Maybe." Ace stared at the reflections. "What if one is inward and one outward?" Lena looked at her. Ace froze. Then slowly smiled. "You didn't say no." "I haven't decided." "That's practically praise." "It isn't." Lena began bringing up virtual color blocks over the reflected image. Chrome. Brass-yellow. Gold. Different splits. Different sides. Different ratios. Not perfectly half-and-half at first. Then closer. Brenda watched Vega change on the mirror. One version looked too decorative. Another looked accidental. Another made the two women look like members of the same gang rather than a professional duo. Lena rejected them rapidly. "No." Swipe. "No." Swipe. "Absolutely not." Ace tilted her head. "I kind of liked that one." "That's why it's gone." "Rude." Then Lena stopped. Vega had chrome occupying one clean half, brass-yellow the other. Nova mirrored her with gold and chrome reversed across the pair. The colors did not match. The logic did. Brenda leaned toward Iris again. The reflected working partners suddenly looked intentional. Lena stared. Mai saw it. "There." Lena nodded. "There." Ace looked between them. "Okay, that's fucking good." Shammy rose and came closer. Her silver-white hair shifted lightly as she moved. The electric blue of her eyes brightened while she studied the pair. "They look more coordinated somehow." "Because your brain is reading the repetition," Lena said. "But nothing actually matches." "Exactly." Brenda looked at Iris. "Keep it." Iris nodded. "Definitely." Lena locked the hair geometry. "Good." Ace rubbed her hands together. "Eyes." Lena looked at her. "Yes." Brenda smiled. "We had an idea." Ace immediately pointed at them. "Their idea." Lena stared at her. "You are remarkably defensive." "I've been oppressed all afternoon." Mai leaned toward Shammy. "Should we feed her?" "Probably." "I can hear you." "We know." Lena ignored them. "What eyes?" Brenda looked at Iris. Iris gave the smallest nod. Brenda turned back. "Full-eyeball." Lena's eyebrows rose. "All of it?" "All of it." "Color?" Brenda smiled. "Black." Lena looked at Iris. "Then white?" Iris's new face smiled. "Exactly." Lena went quiet. That was a very different proposition from conventional contacts. Not subtle. Not natural. Not intended to pass unnoticed. She brought up two quick visual overlays. Vega's eyes disappeared into complete black. Not dark irises. Not oversized lenses. Black void from edge to edge. Nova's became the opposite. Complete white. The effect was immediate. Ace stopped moving. Mai's eyebrows rose. Shammy's hair gave a tiny static lift. Brenda stared at the mirror. "Oh." Iris stared too. "Oh, yes." Lena looked at the pair. "That's aggressive." Brenda's black-void simulation turned toward Nova. "Good." Nova's white-void eyes turned toward her. "Very good." Ace stepped between the chairs, staring into the mirror. "You two are going to scare the shit out of someone." Brenda smiled. In Vega's warm, smoky new voice: "Only if they're lucky." Silence. Victor's request for normal sentences was already dead and buried. Ace slowly turned toward Mai. Mai looked at Brenda. Then at Iris. Then back at Ace. "Don't." "I didn't say anything." "You were going to." "I was going to compliment her." "With your face?" "I have an expressive face." "Unfortunately." Iris looked at Lena. "Can you do them?" "Of course." "Comfortably for a full shift?" "Yes." "Then those." Lena locked the eye design. Black void. White void. The Marlow duo on the mirror no longer looked unfinished from the neck up. They looked impossible to ignore. Brenda studied them. "Fuck." Iris smiled. "What?" "I'd approach us." Ace choked. Lena closed her eyes. Shammy's hair lifted again. Mai looked toward the ceiling. Brenda glanced around. "What?" Iris answered in Nova's smooth voice. "So would I." Ace made a helpless noise. Lena pointed at both women. "You realize the public story is working partners." Brenda blinked. Then started laughing. "Not each other, Lena." Iris was laughing too. "We meant professionally." "Specify." Brenda pointed at her. "See? Victor made the same mistake." Ace had to sit down. Lena stared at them. "Do I want to know?" Mai answered. "No." "Good." Lena pulled the physical contact cases from storage. "Let's make the eyes real before Ace dies." "I am fine." Shammy looked down at her. "You are sitting on the floor." "I chose this." "Of course." The contact fitting took considerably less time than the hair planning. Lena handled Vega first. Brenda blinked several times. Then opened her eyes. The room went quiet. Black. Completely. No visible iris. No visible sclera. Just Vega's unfamiliar face looking back through two seamless black voids. Ace stood again. "Jesus." Brenda turned toward her. "Too much?" "No." Ace walked closer. "Absolutely not." Mai inspected them. "Comfort?" "Fine." "Vision?" Brenda looked around. "Fine." Lena nodded. "Good." Then Nova. White replaced everything. When Iris opened her eyes, the effect was even stranger beside Vega. Not horror. Not monstrous. Deliberate. Designed. Two working partners who had chosen opposite impossibilities. Brenda looked at her. For a second neither spoke. Then Vega smiled. "Hi, sis." Nova's white eyes narrowed slightly with amusement. "You're staring." "I like your eyes." "I like yours." Ace pointed at Victor's absence. "See? Those are normal sentences." Mai laughed. Lena stared at her. "You've been with them too long." "Probably." Now the hair. ChromeLock V2 transformed the process from ordinary coloring into design engineering. Lena worked carefully through sectioning, boundary placement and the mirrored geometry she had already tested. Vega first. Chrome spread through one side with a metallic depth that moved naturally with the strands rather than sitting on them like paint. Brass-yellow took the other. Not blonde. Not gold. Brass. Bright, industrial, warm against the colder chrome. Brenda watched the transformation in silence. Then Nova. The mirror reversed. Gold. Chrome. Same language. Different result. When Lena finished and released both women from the chairs, Brenda and Iris stood automatically. Then automatically moved beside each other. The effect was stronger standing than seated. Distinct faces. Distinct voices. Mirrored hair. Opposing void eyes. Nothing identical. Everything connected. Ace slowly walked around them. For once she had nothing smart to say. Brenda noticed. "Well?" Ace stopped in front of them. "You look fucking incredible." Iris smiled. "That sounded almost sincere." "It was sincere." "Should we be worried?" "Fuck you." "There she is," Mai said. Shammy came closer. Her own silver-white hair caught a faint cool gradient near the ends as she studied the working partners. "They don't look like Brenda and Iris anymore." Mai nodded. "No." Brenda looked at her reflection. Neither did she. And yet when Iris reached for her hand, she took it without thinking. Vega and Nova stood together in the mirror. For the first time, the illusion reached all the way from face to movement. Lena let them look for a while. Then she said: "All right." Brenda turned. "What?" Lena's gaze dropped slowly from Vega's mirrored hair to her ordinary clothes. Then crossed to Nova. Her expression became deeply dissatisfied. "We have a problem." Ace smiled immediately. "Oh, I know that face." Iris looked down at herself. "The clothes." "The clothes," Lena confirmed. Brenda looked at her own entirely ordinary outfit. Then at Iris. Then at the mirror. The contrast was absurd. Vega Marlow had black voids for eyes, chrome-and-brass hair, a face Brenda had not possessed that morning and a warm smoky voice that had already discovered profanity. She was wearing Brenda's clothes. Nova was no better. Brenda looked at Lena. "We said Mandi-level." Lena folded her arms. "You did." "No backing out." "I wasn't planning to." Iris tilted her head. "How much skin?" Lena's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Ace's grin returned. Shammy saw it. "Oh no." Mai saw Lena's expression. Then Brenda's. Then Iris's. "Oh, definitely no." Ace looked at her. "What?" Mai sighed. "Nothing." Brenda smiled. In Vega's new voice, the words came out smooth and warm. "Come on, Lena." She spread her arms. "Make us indecent." Lena stared at her for one second. Then smiled. Not kindly. Ace whispered: "Oh, fuck." Nova looked at Vega. Vega looked back. And for the first time since they had arrived, Lena looked genuinely happy. "Take those clothes off." Ace's eyebrows shot upward. Mai caught the back of her shirt before she could move. "Not you." "I knew that." "No, you didn't." "I absolutely did." Brenda started laughing. Iris followed. Lena was already pulling up design space on the main display. "Both of you. Fitting room. Base layers. Then get back out here." Vega looked at Nova. Nova's impossible white eyes met Vega's black ones. "Ready, sis?" Brenda grinned. "Fuck yes." They disappeared into the fitting room. Lena began working. Ace stared at the first empty silhouette appearing on the display. Then at Lena. "How indecent?" Lena did not look away from her work. "Mandi." Ace's grin became enormous. Mai sighed. Shammy's electric-blue eyes brightened. From inside the fitting room, Vega called: "We can hear you." Lena smiled. "Good." A second silhouette appeared beside the first. Mirrored. Coordinated. Very, very unfinished. "Because I'm going to need opinions." --- ## Chapter 6 — Clothes for a Duo Lena had rejected the first design before Brenda and Iris came back out of the fitting room. Ace watched it disappear from the display. "Why?" "Too symmetrical." "It existed for twelve seconds." "Eleven too many." A second design appeared. Two silhouettes. Coordinated cuts. Opposite structural lines. Lena stared at it. Deleted it. Ace frowned. "I liked that one." "I know." "You keep saying that like it's a reason to destroy things." "Sometimes it is." Mai sat on the edge of a worktable, watching Lena build. Shammy stood beside her, silver-white hair falling smoothly down her back now that the earlier amusement had settled. "You haven't even seen them in it," Ace complained. "I don't need to." "How do you know?" "Because I designed it." "That's circular reasoning." "That's experience." Ace looked at Mai. "Tell her." "No." "You're useless." "Comfortably." The fitting-room door opened. Brenda came out first. Then Iris. Both wore simple fitting base layers. That should have reduced the impact of the covers. It did not. Vega's black void eyes turned toward Ace. Nova's white ones followed. The mirrored chrome, brass-yellow and gold hair made the otherwise minimal presentation look even more deliberate. Brenda spread her arms. "Well?" Ace stared. "What?" "You're staring." "I am evaluating." Mai smiled. "Professionally?" Ace glanced at her. "Fuck off." Brenda laughed. Vega's smoky voice still made the laugh sound just unfamiliar enough to be fascinating. Iris walked toward the display. "What have you got?" "Nothing." Lena deleted another design. Iris stopped. "That's reassuring." "I've got requirements." "Which are?" Lena finally turned away from the screen. "You're working partners." Brenda nodded. "Apparently." "You need to look like you're wearing clothes designed together." "Okay." "But not uniforms." "Good." "You need enough coordinated styling that people connect you immediately." Iris nodded. "But not enough that we look matched." "Exactly." Lena pointed at Vega. "Brass and black." Then Nova. "Gold and white." Ace tilted her head. "With chrome?" "In hardware and details. Not enough to compete with the hair." "Good." Lena looked at her. "I know." Ace smiled. "Just validating." "I didn't ask." "You needed it." Mai reached out and caught Ace by the waistband before she wandered any closer to Lena. Ace looked down at the hand. Then up at Mai. "What are you doing?" "Preventive maintenance." "On what?" "The room." Shammy laughed. Lena turned back to Brenda and Iris. "And you said Mandi-level." Brenda nodded. "Yes." Lena looked at Iris. "Still yes?" "Absolutely." "Do either of you have a problem with being stared at?" Brenda answered first. "No." Iris's smile appeared. "Quite the opposite." Ace made a tiny noise. Mai tightened her grip on Ace's waistband. "I heard that." "I said nothing." "You emitted something." "Not language." "Still commentary." Lena ignored them. "Good. Because if I do this correctly, people are going to stare." Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked back. "Good," they said together. Lena smiled. "Now we're getting somewhere." She brought up the first serious design. Vega appeared on the left. Nova on the right. The silhouettes shared a design language immediately. High boots. Exposed legs. Very short lower structures that were technically more elaborate than shorts and considerably less interested in behaving like them. Upper pieces built from narrow tailored panels rather than conventional tops. The asymmetry ran in opposite directions. Vega's design climbed over one hip and crossed upward in a hard diagonal. Nova's reversed it. Brass-yellow structural accents defined Vega. Gold defined Nova. Black anchored one. White anchored the other. Ace leaned forward. "Oh." Brenda stared at the display. "That's..." Lena waited. Brenda's smile grew. "...a start." Ace turned toward her. "A start?" Brenda looked at her. "You said Mandi-level." "I know what I said." "Then don't get conservative now." Ace put one hand dramatically against her chest. "I have never been accused of that before." Mai raised her hand. "Repeatedly." "By you." "Still counts." Iris stepped closer to the display. "The upper structure is too much." Lena looked at her. "Too much skin?" "Too much fabric." Silence. Ace slowly turned toward Mai. Mai closed her eyes. Shammy's hair began lifting. Lena smiled. "Good." She removed a panel. Nova's design became dramatically simpler. Brenda pointed at Vega. "Same." "Mirrored?" "Not exactly." Lena paused. Brenda stepped closer. "Nova loses that side." She indicated the screen. "Vega loses the opposite side, but not in the same shape." Lena studied her. "Why?" "So it doesn't look like someone pressed mirror-copy." Lena nodded once. "Correct." Ace looked at Brenda. "Okay, that's annoyingly good." Brenda smiled. "Engineer." "Fashion engineer now?" "No. I know when symmetry looks lazy." Lena changed Vega. The result was immediately stronger. The two outfits now echoed one another without explaining how. Shammy came closer. "That's better." Lena nodded. "But still wrong." Ace sighed. "Of course it is." "Vega's too elegant." Brenda's black eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?" "Nova can carry elegant." Iris smiled. "Thank you." Lena pointed at Brenda. "You need something meaner." Brenda's expression changed. "Now we're talking." Iris laughed. Ace looked at Mai. "I love this project." "I know." Lena altered Vega's lower silhouette. One side rose higher. A narrow brass structural line appeared along the hip. Black fabric wrapped the opposite side in a cut that looked engineered rather than draped. Brenda stared. "Yes." Lena adjusted the upper half. Less graceful. Sharper. More confrontational. Vega looked like someone had taken an expensive evening garment, removed every unnecessary concession to modesty, then taught what remained to bite. Ace whistled. Mai looked at her. "What?" "Nothing." "That was definitely commentary." "Appreciative commentary." Brenda turned slightly toward Ace. "Good?" Ace looked from the design to Brenda. "Very." "Would you approach me?" Mai sighed. Ace answered immediately. "Yes." Brenda grinned. Iris looked at Ace. "Me?" Ace looked at Nova's design. "Also yes." Mai tapped Ace lightly on the shoulder. Ace turned. "What?" "You're enjoying market research too much." "I'm the target demographic." Shammy laughed. Brenda pointed at Ace. "Useful." "Thank you." Lena looked at Mai. "Your turn." Mai blinked. "What?" "Would you approach them?" Ace's grin became dangerous. Mai looked at Vega. Then Nova. She took the question seriously. "Yes." Brenda smiled. Iris did too. Ace leaned toward Mai. "Both?" Mai looked down at her. "Behave." "That's not an answer." "It's the only one you're getting." Ace looked smug. Lena turned back to the screen. "Good enough." She started constructing physical prototypes. Not finished garments. Not yet. Sections. Fast attachment points. Structural straps. Tailored panels. Boot interfaces. Hardware. Everything placed on the table looked impossibly small when separated. Brenda picked up one black panel. "This is clothing?" "Part of it." "Which part?" Lena took it from her. "You'll find out." "Threatening." "Correct." Iris lifted a white section. "This one's mine." "Obviously." "How?" "Because if Brenda wears white with those eyes and that hair, I'll throw both of you out." Brenda looked at herself in the mirror. "Fair." Ace picked up a brass fitting. Lena took it from her hand without looking. Ace stared. "How did you know?" "I always know." "That's creepy." "Stop touching things." "I wasn't touching it." "It was in your hand." "Temporarily." Mai reached out. Ace immediately moved both hands behind her back. Mai smiled. "Learning." "Bite me." "Later." Lena stopped working. Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked at Shammy. Shammy looked toward the ceiling. Ace realized what she had said. Then looked at Mai. Mai's expression remained calm. Ace narrowed her eyes. "You did that deliberately." "I answered you." "You knew." "Probably." Lena resumed working. "I hate all of you." "No, you don't," Shammy said. "No. Unfortunately." The first Vega prototype took twenty minutes. Lena handed Brenda a collection of pieces. Brenda looked down at them. Then up. "Instructions?" "Put them on." "That's not instructions." "You're an engineer." Brenda stared at her. "That's cruel." "Fitting room." Brenda took the pieces and disappeared. Iris received Nova's. She examined them. "Is there a front?" "Yes." "Helpful." She followed Brenda. Ace immediately moved toward the fitting-room door. Mai caught her again. "What?" "No." "I was walking." "Toward the door." "The room continues in that direction." "It stops at the door." "I know geometry." Shammy put an arm around Ace's shoulders and redirected her. "Come annoy me." "I wasn't annoying anyone." Lena laughed. "That's adorable." Several minutes passed. Then Brenda called from inside. "Lena." "What?" "I think I've done something wrong." "Probably." "Can you come here?" Lena walked toward the fitting room. Ace brightened. Mai pointed at her. "Don't." Ace sat down. "I hate this dictatorship." Lena disappeared inside. A moment later: "No." Brenda said something too quiet to hear. "No." Another pause. Then Lena: "How the fuck did you even get that through there?" Ace folded over laughing. Mai covered her face. Shammy's hair lifted. Iris called from the other fitting room: "Do I want to know?" Brenda answered: "No." Lena emerged carrying one misplaced strap. She stared at Ace. Ace looked innocent. "What?" "Nothing." "Why are you looking at me?" "Association." "Unfair." Lena returned to Brenda. Two minutes later, Vega stepped out. Nobody spoke. Brenda stopped. Black void eyes moved across the room. "Well?" Ace's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. Mai slowly stood. Shammy's electric-blue eyes brightened. Lena came out behind Brenda and folded her arms. The outfit was unmistakably luxury work. Nothing accidental. Nothing cheap. Every narrow piece existed because Lena had chosen exactly where it would sit and exactly what it would reveal around it. Black formed the foundation. Brass-yellow hardware and structural accents caught the light. The asymmetrical upper design crossed Vega's body in sharp, deliberate lines, leaving far more skin uncovered than covered without losing the impression of tailoring. The lower structure sat extremely high and extremely short, cut harder on one side than the other. The boots rose high enough to become part of the silhouette rather than accessories. Vega's chrome-and-brass hair completed it. The black void eyes made the entire presentation impossible to mistake for ordinary clubwear. Ace finally spoke. "Fuck." Brenda smiled. "Good fuck?" "Very." Mai walked around her once. Brenda watched her. "Professional opinion?" Mai stopped. "It works." "That's all?" Mai looked at her. Then smiled. "It works extremely well." "Better." Brenda looked at Ace. "Your turn." "What?" "Walk around me." Ace did. Slowly. She noticed the asymmetry from every angle. The way the straps changed the silhouette when Brenda moved. The way one side showed more from the front and the opposite relationship appeared from behind. Nothing simply ended. Every line handed the eye to another. Ace stopped. "Lena." "What?" "You bitch." Lena smiled. "I'll take that." Brenda laughed. Then the second fitting-room door opened. Nova stepped out. Vega turned. And froze. Iris stopped opposite her. Nova's design was unmistakably from the same collection. But where Vega cut, Nova flowed. White formed the structural base. Gold hardware and narrow accents shaped it. Her asymmetry reversed Vega's without duplicating it. The upper structure used longer, cleaner lines. The lower design was just as unapologetically minimal, but the geometry made it look almost elegant. Almost. The white void eyes destroyed any possibility of innocence. Brenda stared. Iris's new face smiled. "What?" Vega's smoky voice came out quieter. "Nothing." "You're staring." "I know." Iris looked down at herself. "Good?" Brenda nodded. "Very." Nova smiled. "I like yours." "I like yours more." Ace pointed. "That's going to become a problem." Brenda looked at her. "What?" "You're supposed to sell attention to other people." Iris laughed. "We can multitask." Mai made a small sound. Ace turned toward her. "What was that?" "Nothing." "Commentary." "Not language." Ace stared. Mai smiled. "Sound familiar?" "You absolute—" Shammy caught Ace around the shoulders before she could finish. "Focus." Lena moved Vega and Nova side by side in front of the mirror. Then she began adjusting. Because neither outfit was finished. Vega's upper line shifted two centimeters. Nova lost one gold connector. Vega gained a narrower brass one. One boot height changed slightly. Nova's lower structure moved higher on one side. Brenda looked down. "Really?" Lena looked at her. "You asked for Mandi-level." Brenda considered. "Fair." Ace folded her arms proudly. "My influence." Mai looked at her. "On civilization?" "Fashion." "Debatable." Lena adjusted the back of Vega's outfit. Brenda looked over her shoulder. "That feels dangerously minimal." "It is." "Secure?" "Very." "Then fine." Iris watched in the mirror. Brenda caught her looking. Vega smiled. "Enjoying yourself?" Nova answered immediately. "Yes." No hesitation. No softening. Brenda's grin widened. There it was again. Not a different Iris. Iris without the extra layer between thought and speech. Lena noticed too. "You two are settling into these disturbingly fast." Iris looked at her. "Is that bad?" "No." Brenda adjusted one strap experimentally. "I like Vega." Ace leaned against the table. "Because?" Brenda thought. "She doesn't make me want anything different." Mai watched her. "She just says it faster." Brenda pointed at her. "Exactly." Iris nodded. "Same." Shammy smiled. "Then we got that part right." Lena stepped back. "Move." Brenda blinked. "What?" "Both of you. Walk." They did. Across the workspace. Turn. Back. Lena watched the clothes rather than the women. "Again." They walked again. "Sit." They sat. "Stand." They stood. "Reach up." Brenda raised both arms. Iris followed. "Turn." They turned. Ace smiled. "Joytoy calisthenics." Lena ignored her. "Bend." Ace's eyebrows went up. Mai put one hand over Ace's eyes. "Hey." "Preventive maintenance." "I need to evaluate." "Lena is evaluating." "I am quality assurance." "You are a menace." "True, but—" Brenda laughed. "Can she see again?" "No," Mai said. "Yes," Ace said simultaneously. Lena sighed. "Everybody here has seen everybody else with less clothing than this." Mai removed her hand. Ace looked smug. "Thank you." "That wasn't permission to be unbearable." "No promises." Lena made another adjustment. Then another. The fitting continued. Not glamorous. Not quick. A strap that looked perfect standing pulled incorrectly when Vega sat. Changed. A gold element on Nova caught against her own hair when she turned sharply. Removed. One section on Vega moved too much while walking. Rebuilt. Nova's boot fastening interfered with the line Lena wanted. Redesigned. Brenda and Iris stopped looking like models and started becoming participants in the engineering. "This pulls." "Where?" "Here." "Move again." Iris lifted one leg. "That edge." "Good catch." Brenda twisted. "This one shifts." "How much?" "Enough that I'd notice after an hour." "Then it's wrong." Ace watched Lena remove the entire section without hesitation. That was why Lena's clothes worked. Bold was easy. Reliable bold was engineering. Eventually Vega and Nova stood before the mirror again. This time Lena did not immediately move. Neither did anyone else. The working partners looked finished. Almost. Vega: black void eyes, chrome and brass-yellow split hair, an individually distinct face, warm smoky voice, black and brass luxury joytoy design built around aggressive asymmetry. Nova: white void eyes, mirrored chrome and gold hair, an independent face, a smoother distinct voice, white and gold design built around controlled elegance and exactly as little modesty. Brenda leaned toward Iris. Iris leaned back. The hair geometry connected. The outfits answered one another. The eyes opposed. The faces belonged together. Lena finally nodded. "That's the duo." Ace smiled. "The Marlow duo." Brenda looked at Iris in the mirror. Iris smiled back. Then Brenda frowned. "What?" Iris glanced down at Vega's outfit. "You know what Victor said?" Brenda's smile returned. "Normal sentences?" "Yeah." Ace immediately started laughing. Lena looked confused. "What about them?" Brenda turned toward her. "Long story." Iris stepped closer to Brenda. Nova's white void eyes moved deliberately down Vega's finished outfit and back up again. Then she said, in that smooth, unmistakably Nova voice: "Your outfit is extremely attractive, sis." Victor could not possibly object. Every word was normal. Brenda looked down at Nova's outfit. Then back up. "So is yours." Ace slapped both hands over her face. Mai laughed. Shammy's silver-white hair lifted in a visible static halo. Lena looked between them. "That's it?" Brenda turned toward her. "What?" "After that setup, I expected worse." Iris's white eyes moved toward Brenda. Brenda's black ones met them. That silent conversation happened again. Ace saw it. "Oh no." Brenda smiled. "Fine." She looked directly at Iris. "Your ass looks fantastic in that." Lena closed her eyes. Mai coughed into her hand. Ace nearly fell against the table. Iris inspected Brenda with exaggerated seriousness. "Yours too." Brenda nodded. "Thank you." "You're welcome." Shammy was laughing hard enough that blue-white static danced visibly through the ends of her hair. Lena stared at the ceiling. "Victor said normal sentences." "Yes," Brenda said. "Why?" "He failed to define normal." Lena slowly looked at Ace. Ace was crying with laughter. "Of course he did." Mai shook her head. "He's learned since." "Too late," Iris said. Brenda nodded. "Way too late." Lena looked at the two finished working partners. Then at the design display. Then back at them. "You're not taking these out tonight." Brenda blinked. "Why not?" "Because they're prototypes." "Oh." "I want another fitting tomorrow morning after you've worn them here for a while." Iris nodded. "Reasonable." "Walk around. Sit. Move. Find anything annoying. Anything that rubs, shifts, catches or makes you think about the garment instead of whatever else you're doing." Brenda smiled. "Whatever else." Lena pointed at her. "Don't." "I didn't say anything." "You're all infected." Ace looked delighted. Lena continued. "Tomorrow I finish them." Mai checked the time. "Then coffee." Lena looked at her. "Coffee?" Ace's smile became immediate. "The test." "What test?" Brenda turned toward Lena. "We're going out in ordinary clothes." Lena looked at the full Marlow covers. "Like that?" "Faces, voices, hair, eyes," Iris said. "Normal clothes." "To see whether strangers read us as a working duo." Lena nodded slowly. "That's actually useful." Ace stood straighter. "And I'm going with them." Lena looked at her. "As Ace?" Ace's expression became scandalized. "No." Mai already knew what was coming. "Mandi." Lena stared. Shammy smiled. Brenda's black eyes brightened in a way the contacts themselves could not show. Iris laughed. Lena looked from the outrageous Marlow covers to Ace. "Full Mandi?" Ace grinned. "Full Mandi." Mai rubbed her forehead. Lena considered the image. Then smiled. "That's ridiculous." Ace nodded proudly. "I know." "And you're just getting coffee." "Exactly." Brenda stepped down from the fitting platform. Vega's boots struck the floor with a crisp sound. "Tomorrow?" Mai nodded. "Tomorrow." Iris joined Brenda. Their hands found each other naturally. Lena watched the Marlow duo stand together in outfits she had built for a professional world they had never entered before. Tomorrow, they would not wear them. Tomorrow was simpler. Ordinary clothes. Public space. Coffee. One question. Would anybody read Vega and Nova Marlow as a professional duo before anyone told them? Ace looked at the pair. Then toward her own reflection. Her smile slowly widened. Mai saw it. "No." Ace turned. "What?" "Whatever you're thinking." "I'm thinking about coffee." "You're thinking about Mandi's wardrobe." "That too." Mai sighed. Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked back. Then both looked at Ace. Ace grinned. "Tomorrow we find out whether the Marlow duo actually work." Nova's white void eyes turned toward Vega. Vega's black ones met them. Brenda smiled. "Oh, they work." Iris squeezed her hand. "Definitely." Lena looked at their outfits. Then at their faces. Then at the mirrored hair. For once, she did not disagree. --- ## Chapter 7 — The Second Fitting By Friday morning, Brenda had a list. Lena looked at it. Then at Brenda. "You made notes." "Of course I made notes." "At what time?" Brenda considered. "Do you actually want to know?" "No." "Good." Iris stood beside her, already wearing Nova's face, her mirrored chrome-and-gold hair restored to exactly the geometry Lena had established the day before. The white void contacts made the expression harder to read at first glance. Only at first glance. Lena had already discovered that Iris could communicate an alarming amount with a tiny movement of Nova's mouth. Brenda was no better. Vega's black void eyes followed Lena as she scrolled through the notes. "Left boot pressure after forty-three minutes," Lena read. "Yes." "Upper brass connector rotates approximately three degrees during repeated sitting." "Yes." "You measured it?" "Yes." Lena looked at Mai. Mai shrugged. "Engineer." Lena returned to the list. "Lower rear strap becomes noticeable after prolonged sitting." Brenda nodded. "Not painful." "But noticeable." "Exactly." "Then it's wrong." Ace, sitting on the edge of Lena's worktable, pointed at her. "See? That's what I said yesterday." Lena looked at her. "You said, and I quote, 'That strap looks fucking hot.'" "It did." "That is not the same observation." "It can be both." Mai handed Ace a coffee. Ace accepted it with both hands. Then narrowed her eyes. "Is this mine?" Mai stared at her. "I just gave it to you." "Establishing chain of custody." Brenda laughed. Vega's voice still carried that strange moment of wrongness before the brain accepted it. Mai looked at Ace. "Drink your coffee." Ace took a cautious sip. "Fine." Shammy sat nearby, one leg crossed over the other, watching Lena work. Her silver-white hair showed a faint cool gradient where the morning light caught it. Iris handed Lena her own notes. Lena stared. "You too?" "Of course." Ace looked delighted. "Two bug reports." Brenda pointed at Iris. "Hers has reproduction steps." "It does not." Lena scrolled. "'Gold hip element catches hair when turning head sharply left.'" Brenda looked at Iris. "You absolutely wrote reproduction steps." Iris smiled. "One." Lena continued. "'Occurs consistently when hair is forward over left shoulder.'" Ace nearly spilled her coffee. "That's a bug report." Iris folded her arms. "It was useful." "It is useful," Lena said. Iris looked smug. Brenda looked betrayed. "You're encouraging her." "I'm fixing clothes." Lena moved Nova onto the fitting platform first. The gold hip element disappeared entirely. Iris watched it go. "No replacement?" "No." "I liked it." "So did I." "Then why—" "Because you noticed it." Lena looked up. "You shouldn't be thinking about your clothes while you're working unless you deliberately want to." Iris nodded. That ended the argument. Lena replaced the detail elsewhere, higher and narrower, preserving the visual rhythm without the practical problem. Then Vega. The rotating brass connector was rebuilt. The boot pressure point disappeared after a small structural adjustment. The rear strap changed angle by barely enough to see. Brenda sat. Stood. Sat again. Twisted. Walked. "Better." "Notice it?" "No." "Good." Ace watched with genuine concentration. She was dressed ordinarily as Ace for now: short black hair with its faint violet sheen, violet eyes, shorts, familiar collar, all 145 centimeters of her balanced on the edge of the table with her boots swinging slightly above the floor. Mai caught her staring at Vega's lower structure. "Professional?" Ace did not look away. "Actually yes." Mai followed her gaze. "What?" "Left side moves differently now." Lena turned. Brenda walked again. Ace pointed. "There." Lena watched. Then nodded. "You're right." Ace looked unbearably pleased. Brenda stopped. "Problem?" "No," Lena said. "Improvement." She adjusted the opposite side to preserve the asymmetry in motion. Ace sipped her coffee. "Quality assurance." Mai sighed. "One successful observation and she'll be impossible all day." "Too late," Shammy said. Ace looked at her. "Betrayal before breakfast?" "We ate two hours ago." "Technicality." By the time Lena finished, both outfits had undergone more changes than anyone unfamiliar with her work would ever notice. That was the point. Nothing about the final garments looked repaired. They simply worked. Vega and Nova walked side by side. Turned. Separated. Sat. Crossed their legs. Stood again. Reached. Bent. Moved quickly. Nothing shifted that should not. Nothing caught. Nothing demanded attention. Lena finally said: "Done." Brenda looked down at herself. "Done done?" "Done." Iris smiled. "Can we wear them tonight?" Lena folded her arms. "Yes." Ace raised her coffee. "Victory." Mai looked at Brenda and Iris. "Not tonight." Brenda blinked. "What?" "Orientation tonight." "Oh." "We introduce you properly. You learn the environment. You don't go in assuming you're taking a full shift because the clothes work." Brenda nodded. "Right." Iris did too. "Saturday is the full shift." "Exactly." Ace looked at Mai. "Can they work tonight if they want to?" Mai looked at Brenda and Iris. "Yes." Then back at Ace. "But there is no target." "Agreed." "No booking count." "Agreed." "No proving anything." "Agreed." Brenda smiled. "You two do this a lot." Ace looked at her. "Do what?" "Negotiate at machine-gun speed." Mai smiled. "Years of practice." Shammy stood. "And now?" Ace's expression changed immediately. "Now..." Mai closed her eyes. "...coffee." Lena looked at her. "You already have coffee." Ace held up the mug. "This is preparatory coffee." Brenda stared. "For coffee?" "Yes." "That explains Elisa." Ace pointed at her. "Low blow." Iris laughed. Lena looked between them. "The duo test." Mai nodded. "Faces, voices, hair, contacts stay." "Joytoy clothes don't," Brenda said. "Correct." Lena studied them. "What are you wearing?" "Ordinary clothes," Iris said. Lena immediately shook her head. "No." Ace smiled. Brenda frowned. "Why?" "Because your definition of ordinary is going to be contaminated by knowing what you're testing." Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked at Brenda. "She's right," Iris said. Lena walked toward a clothing rack. "I choose." Ace raised one finger. Lena pointed at her without turning. "Not you." "I was going to ask a question." "No." "What if it was important?" "It wasn't." Mai took Ace's empty coffee mug before Ace could use it as a prop in her defense. Ace watched it leave. "Again?" "It's empty." "Still mine." "Chain of custody established." Shammy laughed. Lena chose clothes that did almost nothing to reinforce the Marlow presentation. That was deliberate. Vega received dark fitted trousers, low boots and a simple soft top beneath a short jacket. Nova got jeans, ankle boots and a light knit top under a different jacket. No mirrored styling. No brass-and-gold signaling. No deliberate duo coordination. The only cover elements remaining were the ones already physically established. Faces. Voices. Hair. Eyes. Brenda looked at herself. "This feels weird now." Ace nodded. "You've had Vega for less than a day and you're already complaining she isn't showing enough skin." Brenda looked down. "Huh." Iris laughed. "She's right." "Don't encourage her." Ace smiled. "Too late." Lena turned toward Ace. "And you." Ace hopped down. "Yes." "How much Mandi?" Ace stared at her. "All of her." Mai made a quiet sound. Ace turned. "What?" "Nothing." "You knew." "Of course I knew." Brenda looked interested. "Full cover?" Ace grinned. "Full cover." Iris leaned against the fitting platform. "To get coffee." "Yes." "Why?" Ace looked genuinely confused by the question. "Why not?" Mai answered for her. "Because Ace believes experimental controls should be fluorescent." "Neon-orange," Ace corrected. "Thank you." Lena was already opening Mandi's storage. The transformation was familiar enough that nobody treated it as ceremonial. ChromeLock. Neon-orange. Black contacts. Voice. Collar. Wardrobe. But Brenda and Iris watched differently now. Yesterday, they had been the ones changing. Now they watched Ace disappear into a cover she had inhabited enough times that the transition carried almost no uncertainty. Mandi did not emerge as an act. She settled. Ace's posture shifted subtly. Not dramatically. Not theatrically. Just enough. The clothes mattered. They always did to Ace. She adjusted the line of the shorts herself, checked the fall of the upper garment, turned sideways to inspect the silhouette, corrected one tiny strap position and looked at Lena. "This one sits better than last time." "I altered it." "Two millimeters?" "Three." Ace smiled. "I knew it." Mai watched her. That was Ace. Even inside Mandi. Especially inside Mandi. The clothing was never merely something placed on her. She knew where every line sat and what every line did. Brenda watched the process. "You really notice all of it." Mandi turned. "Of course." "I thought that was exaggerated." Ace looked offended. "Why?" Brenda gestured at the outfit. "Because there's not much of it." Mandi stared at her. Iris covered her mouth. Shammy's hair lifted. Mai turned away. Lena froze. Brenda realized what she had said. Then Vega's black void eyes widened slightly. "Oh, fuck." Mandi slowly walked toward her. At 145 centimeters, she had to look considerably upward at Brenda. Somehow that did not help Brenda. "Not much?" Brenda started laughing. "I meant fabric." "I know what you meant." "Do you?" "Yes." "You look homicidal." "I'm evaluating whether you're ready for direct speech." Iris lost the fight and laughed. Mandi turned toward her. Nova immediately said: "Your outfit is extremely efficient." Ace stared. Mai made a choking sound. Shammy leaned against the wall. Lena covered her face. Mandi pointed at Iris. "You're worse." Nova smiled sweetly. "Thank you." Mai walked toward the door. "We're leaving." Ace turned. "Already?" "Before somebody improves the vocabulary." Brenda took Iris's hand. "Coffee." "Coffee," Iris agreed. Lena called after them. "Do not contaminate the test." Ace looked back. "What does that mean?" "Don't introduce them as a duo. Let us see what people notice." "Obviously." "Don't call either of them sis." "Obviously." "Don't deliberately stand them together." Ace looked offended. "I understand experimental design." Lena stared at her. Ace paused. "Mostly." "Let them behave naturally." Mai nodded. "That was already the plan." Shammy stayed behind. This was not a Triad outing. It was a cover test. And adding another person would only add another variable. At the door, Brenda stopped. She looked at Iris. Not as Brenda. Vega. Nova looked back. No joytoy outfits. No professional setting. No Mox. No customers. Just two women going for coffee with Mandi. Brenda squeezed Iris's hand. "Ready?" Iris smiled. "Yep." Ace immediately pointed at them. "No sis." "We didn't say sis." "You were thinking it." Brenda stared. "You cannot police thoughts." "Watch me." Mai opened the door. "Mandi." Ace turned. "What?" "Outside." Mandi grinned. "Yes, ma'am." Mai stopped. Ace walked past her before she could respond. Brenda whispered to Iris: "Normal sentence." Iris whispered back: "Completely normal." Mai heard both. She closed the door behind them. "This is going to be a very long weekend." --- ## Chapter 8 — Three Women Getting Coffee The café was close enough to the Safehouse that Ace had passed it hundreds of times. Mandi had never been inside. That distinction mattered. The woman who opened the café door was not visually connected to Ace at all. Neon-orange hair. Black contacts. Luxury joytoy clothes worn with the absolute lack of apology that came from having worn far less subtle things in far more demanding places. The discreet collar completed the identity. Vega followed her. Nova followed Vega. Ordinary clothes. Impossible eyes. Mirrored hair. Distinct faces. Nothing else announcing a relationship between them. Mai had separated before the café. That was deliberate too. Three was enough. Mandi opened the door. "After you." Brenda looked at her. "Why?" "Courtesy." "You've never done that for me." Mandi smiled. "Vega has higher standards." Brenda stared at her. Then walked inside. Nova followed. "She's got you there." Mandi entered behind them. The café was moderately busy. Not crowded. Enough people to provide noise and observation without turning the experiment into theatre. Nobody stopped talking when they entered. That would have been absurd. But several people looked. Mandi got the first looks. Of course she did. Ace had expected that. Neon-orange hair and luxury joytoy presentation did not disappear into a Watson café. Then some of those eyes moved toward Vega and Nova. Black void. White void. Mirrored chrome. Brass. Gold. Ace noticed. She did not react. The three women joined the queue. Brenda and Iris stood naturally close. Not touching at first. Then Brenda leaned slightly toward Iris to read the menu board. Iris leaned back. Mandi noticed. Said nothing. A man ahead of them glanced backward. Once. Then again. His eyes went from Mandi to Vega. Then Nova. Then back to Vega. No visible conclusion. Useful. The line moved. Brenda looked at the menu. "What are you getting?" Iris studied it. "Probably tea." Mandi turned. "Tea?" Nova looked at her. "Yes." "In a coffee shop?" "They sell it." "That's not the point." Brenda looked at Mandi. "What are you getting?" "Coffee." "What kind?" "Coffee." "That's not an order." "It is philosophically." Iris smiled. "You really are Ace." Mandi's black eyes moved toward her. Brenda froze. Iris froze. Mandi smiled. Quietly: "Careful." Iris's expression changed. "Right." No harm done. Nobody nearby seemed to have noticed. The line moved again. At the counter, the barista looked first at Mandi. Then at Vega. Then Nova. Professional neutrality held for approximately two seconds. The void eyes were difficult to ignore. "What can I get you?" Mandi ordered first. Coffee. Actual coffee. No elaborate construction. Brenda looked almost disappointed. "That's it?" Mandi turned. "Yes." "I expected something ridiculous." "I'm working." "We're getting coffee." "Exactly." The barista looked at Brenda. "And for you?" Vega ordered. Then the barista's attention shifted toward Iris. She glanced once at Brenda. Then back at Iris. "And for your working partner?" Silence. Not much. Half a second. Maybe less. But inside that half second, Ace experienced an almost religious desire to punch both fists into the air. She did not. Vega did not react. Nova did not react. Iris simply ordered her tea. The barista entered it. "Anything else?" "No, thanks," Brenda said. They paid. Walked away. Reached a table. Sat. Nobody spoke. Mandi looked at Vega. Vega looked at Nova. Nova looked at Mandi. Mandi placed both hands flat on the table. Very quietly: "Fuck yes." Brenda's entire face broke. Iris covered her mouth. Mandi leaned forward. "She did it." Brenda whispered: "She fucking did." "Without prompting." "I know." "No introduction." "I know." "No matching clothes." "I know." Iris was laughing silently now. "Stop." Mandi looked at her. "Why?" "Because I'm going to lose it." "Scientific result." "You're enjoying this too much." "Scientific result." Brenda leaned back. "The faces work." Mandi nodded. "The whole thing works." Iris looked toward the counter. The barista was already serving someone else. No interest. No suspicion. No awareness that she had just validated hours of work by Victor and Lena. Brenda looked at Iris. "Hi, sis." Iris smiled. "Hi." Mandi pointed at them. "Now you can say it." "Thank you for permission." "You're welcome." Their drinks arrived at the pickup counter. Brenda stood. "I'll get them." Iris started to stand too. Then stopped. Brenda went alone. Mandi watched. Not Brenda. The room. A woman at another table looked toward Nova. Then toward Vega at the counter. The woman's eyes moved between them twice. Mandi filed it away. Brenda returned carrying the drinks. She set Iris's tea down first without asking which one it was. Another tiny behavior. Natural. Unplanned. Mandi smiled into her coffee. Brenda saw it. "What?" "Nothing." "That means something." "You gave her drink first." "So?" "Nothing." Iris looked at Brenda. Then understood. "Oh." Brenda looked around. "Do we really look that much like we work together?" Mandi nearly inhaled coffee. "Apparently." "We haven't even started working yet." "Excellent observation." Iris took a sip of tea. "We've lived together long enough." "That's probably part of it." Brenda looked at Iris. "And we've been together long enough." "Also part of it." Mandi nodded. "Victor gave strangers the visual explanation. You're supplying the behavior." Brenda considered that. "That's actually kind of perfect." "Yep." They settled. The experiment stopped feeling like an experiment. That was useful too. They talked. Not about covers. Not about work. Not about whether anyone was watching. Ordinary conversation. Brenda complained about a piece of equipment. Iris disagreed with her diagnosis. Mandi took Brenda's side without understanding enough of the problem to deserve an opinion. Iris told her so. Mandi defended herself aggressively. At one point Brenda reached across and stole a piece of pastry from Iris's plate. Iris slapped her hand. Brenda stole it anyway. Mandi watched. "That." Both looked at her. "What?" "Working partners." Iris laughed. "Partners do that." "Yes. But nobody here knows you're partners." Brenda ate the stolen piece. "Good point." At another table, two women were talking quietly. One of them had looked at Mandi several times. Not suspiciously. Recognition. Mandi noticed on the third glance. She knew the difference. Ace's instincts sharpened underneath the cover. The woman leaned toward her companion and said something too quiet to hear. Her companion looked. First Mandi. Then Vega. Then Nova. Interesting. Mandi drank her coffee. Did nothing. Brenda was explaining something to Iris. Iris interrupted. Brenda told her not to. Iris did it again. Mandi smiled. The woman at the other table looked once more. Then returned to her conversation. Filed away. No threat. No problem. Just memory being formed. Exactly what covers needed. Not every outing had to accomplish something. Sometimes existing somewhere was enough. Mandi had learned that long ago. People remembered seeing her. People built assumptions. They connected sightings. Invented relationships. Invented reasons. Most of those stories were harmless. Some were useful. The Marlow duo had just entered that same ecosystem. Brenda looked at her. "You went somewhere." Mandi blinked. "What?" "Your face." "My face is right here." "Mentally." "Oh." Iris tilted her head. "What?" Mandi glanced toward the other table without making the motion obvious. "Someone recognizes me." Brenda's black void eyes almost moved. Mandi caught it. "Don't look." Brenda stopped. "Right." Iris continued drinking her tea. "From where?" "No idea." "Problem?" "No." Mandi smiled. "Actually, it's good." Brenda frowned. "Why?" "Because now someone has seen Mandi having coffee with the Marlow duo." Iris understood first. "And they'll invent why." "Maybe." Brenda smiled slowly. "Oh." "Don't feed it." "I wasn't going to." "Just exist." Brenda leaned back. "That I can do." Mandi looked at her outfit. "You're doing it very modestly." Brenda stared at her. "You picked these clothes." "Lena picked them." "You approved." "I supervised." "You're impossible." Iris smiled into her tea. Mandi pointed at her. "Don't encourage her." "Normal conversation." Mandi groaned. Victor was going to haunt them for weeks. They stayed another twenty minutes. Long enough that nothing felt staged. Long enough for the first surprise of being Vega and Nova in public to fade. Long enough for Brenda to stop checking whether anyone was looking. Long enough for Iris to forget to monitor her voice. That was perhaps the most important result. The voices held. The faces held. The behavior held. The working partners existed without active maintenance. Eventually Mandi finished her coffee. "Ready?" Brenda looked at Iris. Iris nodded. They stood. Brenda automatically collected Iris's empty cup along with her own. Mandi watched. Said nothing. As they crossed the café, the same woman who had been watching Mandi glanced up. Her eyes moved to Brenda and Iris. Then she smiled faintly at Mandi. Recognition without familiarity. Mandi returned the smallest smile. They walked outside. The door closed behind them. Brenda immediately turned. "Well?" Mandi looked at her. "You heard the barista." "I want the professional assessment." Mandi folded her arms. "Professional assessment?" "Yes." Ace considered making them suffer. For approximately one second. Then Mandi grinned. "You two are a fucking team." Brenda laughed. Iris threw an arm around her. "Fuck yes." Brenda kissed her temple. Mandi pointed. "And that." "What?" "That." Iris looked at Brenda. Brenda looked at Iris. Then both shrugged. Mandi laughed. "Victor did the faces. Lena did the visual language. You two are doing the rest without trying." Brenda looked through the café window. Nobody inside cared about them anymore. Perfect. "So test passed." "Completely." Iris looked down at her ordinary clothes. "Now can we become indecent again?" Mandi stared at her. Brenda started laughing. Mandi slowly smiled. "Nova." "Yes?" "I like you." Iris's white void eyes met Mandi's black contacts. "Thank you." Brenda hooked an arm through Iris's. "Come on, sis." Mandi started walking. "Where?" Brenda looked at her as though the answer were obvious. "Lena." Iris smiled. "We have proper clothes waiting." Mandi followed. Behind them, the café door opened and someone else walked inside. The morning continued. Nobody ran after them. Nobody questioned them. Nobody had uncovered anything. But somewhere behind that window was at least one person who now remembered seeing Mandi with two striking women who looked unmistakably comfortable together. Ace smiled beneath neon-orange hair. That might become useful later. Or funny. With their lives, usually both. --- ## Chapter 9 — Now Make Us Indecent Lena looked up when the door opened. Mandi walked in first. Vega and Nova followed. Lena took one look at their faces. "Well?" Mandi closed the door behind them. "Your test methodology was excellent." Lena stared at her. "That's not how you normally talk." "I'm being professional." "Stop it." Mandi grinned. "The barista called them working partners." Brenda's composure broke immediately. "Without prompting." Iris pointed at herself. "'And for your working partner?'" Lena smiled. "Good." Mandi stared at her. "Good?" "What did you expect?" "Celebration." "I designed them to work." "Victor designed the faces." "And I designed everything people noticed after the faces." Brenda folded her arms. "She's got you." Mandi looked betrayed. "Again?" Nova smiled. "It's becoming a pattern." Lena looked at Brenda and Iris. "Anything else?" Mandi's grin returned. "Someone recognized me." That got more attention. "From where?" Lena asked. "No idea." "Certain?" "Yes." "Problem?" "No. She just knew Mandi." Iris leaned against the worktable. "And now she knows Mandi apparently has coffee with the Marlow duo." Lena considered that. "Good." Mandi pointed at her. "See? That's what I said." Brenda looked at Iris. "She did." "Almost exactly." Mandi folded her arms. "I feel insufficiently appreciated." Lena walked toward the garment storage. "You can survive." "I don't know." Mai's voice came from behind them. "She can." Mandi spun around. Mai entered with Shammy. Ace stared. "You followed us." "We came here." "Same thing." Shammy smiled. Her silver-white hair shifted softly around her shoulders as she closed the door. "How did it go?" Brenda turned toward her. "Apparently we're working partners." Iris nodded. "Officially." "One barista," Mandi said. "Independent peer review." Mai looked at her. "That's not peer review." "Don't ruin this." Mai smiled. "Fine." Shammy looked at Vega and Nova. "Did either of you have to think about it?" Brenda shook her head. "Not really." "The voices?" "Stopped noticing mine." Iris nodded. "Same." "The faces?" "Fine." "The eyes?" "Also fine." Lena nodded. "Good." Brenda looked down at the ordinary clothes Lena had chosen. Then at Iris. Then toward the garment storage. Her black void eyes returned to Lena. "Can we stop looking respectable now?" Mandi immediately covered her mouth. Lena smiled. "There she is." Iris stepped beside Brenda. "We were promised indecent." "You were promised nothing." Brenda pointed toward the fitting room. "Our clothes are in there." "Your clothes are finished." "Excellent." Lena held up one hand. "But." Brenda's shoulders dropped. "Why is there always a but?" "Because you're about to wear them somewhere that matters." Iris's expression became more serious. "Lizzie's." "Yes." Mandi leaned against the table. "And Jig-Jig." Lena looked at her. "Tonight?" "Maybe." Mai answered instead. "Tonight is orientation first. Lizzie's, Suzie, Mox framework. After that they decide what they want." Brenda nodded. "Saturday is the real shift." Lena looked between the working partners. "So tonight isn't about proving the outfits." "No." "Good." She opened the garment storage. "Because they're not armor." Mandi tilted her head. "Technically—" "No." "I was going to say—" "I don't care." Shammy laughed. Lena took Vega's outfit out first. Then Nova's. The ordinary clothes suddenly looked even more ordinary. Brenda stared at hers. It was different seeing the finished garment hanging still. Black and brass. Minimal. Expensive. Aggressive. Entirely Vega. Iris's beside it was white and gold, its lines cleaner and more elegant but no more interested in modesty. Nova stepped closer. "Mine." Brenda looked at her. "You sound possessive." "I am." "Good." Lena handed them over. "Fitting rooms." Brenda took Vega's outfit. Then paused. "Lena." "What?" "Thank you." The room quieted slightly. Lena looked at her. "Wait until you've worn it for six hours." "I already like it." "That's not the same thing." "I know." Iris took hers. "Still. Thank you." Lena's expression softened by perhaps half a degree. "Go change." They disappeared. Mandi watched the fitting-room doors close. Then looked at Lena. "Mine needs anything?" "No." "You sure?" "Yes." "Check?" "No." "Maybe the shorts—" "Ace." Mandi stopped. Mai smiled. Mandi turned slowly. "You used the wrong name." "We're alone." "Still." "You were becoming Ace." "I am Ace." "Exactly." Shammy's eyes brightened. Lena pointed at Mandi's shorts. "They're fine." Mandi looked down. She adjusted the waistband by a fraction. "Now they're fine." Lena stared. Mai laughed. "You knew she was going to do that." "Yes." The first fitting-room door opened. Vega stepped out. The difference from Thursday was immediate. Not because the outfit had changed dramatically. Because Brenda had. Yesterday she had been trying on Vega's clothes. Today Vega walked out wearing her own. Black void eyes. Chrome and brass-yellow hair. Distinct Marlow face. Warm smoky voice. Black-and-brass luxury joytoy outfit. She stopped in front of the mirror. Turned once. Adjusted one narrow line at her hip. Then looked at Lena. "Nothing moved." "Good." Brenda sat. Stood. Twisted. Reached. "Still nothing." "I know." "Engineer-approved." "Fashion-approved first." Mandi walked around her. Brenda looked down at the much smaller woman. "Again?" "Quality assurance." "Do I pass?" Mandi looked deliberately serious. "No." Brenda blinked. "What?" "You look far too respectable." Silence. Then Vega smiled. "Fuck you." Mandi nodded. "Now you pass." Mai covered her face. Shammy laughed. Lena simply said: "Children." The second fitting-room door opened. Nova stepped out. Brenda turned. And once again forgot whatever she had been about to say. Iris noticed. She stopped beside the door. "You're doing it again." Vega's black eyes moved slowly over her. "Doing what?" "Staring." "Yes." Nova smiled. "Good." Mandi looked at Mai. Mai was already looking at her. "No." "I didn't say anything." "You don't need to." Shammy's hair lifted faintly. Nova crossed the room and stopped beside Vega. The pair reassembled. Black and white. Brass and gold. Opposite voids. Mirrored hair. Distinct faces. Different silhouettes. Lena walked around them once. Then twice. She adjusted Vega's shoulder line by less than a centimeter. Nova's gold detail by even less. Then stepped away. "Now." Brenda looked at herself. "Now what?" "Now you're finished." For several seconds neither working partner joked. They simply looked. Brenda reached for Iris's hand. Iris took it. Vega and Nova Marlow stood in the mirror. Not Brenda and Iris dressed strangely. Not Jessie and Ms. B reworked. Not borrowed identities. New women. Reusable women. And very obviously women who had dressed for work. Brenda broke the silence first. "So." Iris looked at her. "So." "Working?" Nova's smile appeared. "Maybe." Mandi laughed. Mai shook her head. Brenda looked at Mandi. "What?" "Nothing." "You laughed." "I know what's coming later." Brenda's eyebrows rose. "You do?" "Someone is going to ask one of you that for real." The humor softened. Iris looked at herself in the mirror. "Working?" "Yep." Mandi's tone changed with it. Simple. Experienced. No ceremony. "And you can say yes." Iris nodded. "Or no." "Exactly." Brenda looked at Mandi. "And if I say yes and change my mind later?" "Then it's no." "Even after we go somewhere private." "Yes." "Even after money changes hands." "Yes." "Even if—" "Vega." Brenda stopped. Mandi looked straight into those black void eyes. "You don't owe completion." Brenda held her gaze. Then nodded. "Okay." Mai stepped closer. "Same for both of you. And the customer gets the same right to stop. Nothing about professional context removes mutual choice." Iris nodded. "Understood." Shammy leaned against the table. "And watching?" Brenda glanced at Iris. "Same." "If they don't want me there, I'm not there." Iris added, "And if I don't want her there for a particular customer, I tell her." Brenda nodded without hesitation. "Yep." Mandi smiled. "Good." The seriousness lasted another second. Then Nova looked at Vega. "And if I very much want my working partner there?" Brenda's smile returned. "Ask." "Directly?" "Normal sentence." Mandi made a helpless noise. Lena looked between them. "That joke is never going away, is it?" Mai answered. "No." "Victor deserves it," Mandi said. Shammy smiled. "Probably." Lena began packing a small repair kit. Brenda noticed. "What's that?" "Emergency garment fixes." "Do we need it?" "Probably not." "Then why—" "Because if you do, you'll need it immediately." Brenda nodded. "Engineer-approved." Lena handed it to Mai. Mai took it. Mandi held out her hand. "No," Lena said. "I didn't even ask." "You were going to carry it." "Yes." "No." "Why?" "Because you'll lose it." "I do not lose things." Mai looked at her. Mandi looked back. Mai said nothing. Mandi lowered her hand. "Fine." Shammy laughed. Then the upper doorbell notification appeared on Mai's agent. Everyone looked. Mai checked it. "Reyes." Mandi's expression changed immediately. "Already?" "Right on time." Brenda looked toward the door. "Elisa?" Mai nodded. "And then Reyes has her own gig." Iris smiled. "Bea." Mandi's grin returned. "Bea." Lena looked at Brenda and Iris. "You've seen her cover?" "Not properly," Brenda said. "We know it," Iris added. "But not like this." Mandi laughed. "Oh, you're going to enjoy this." Brenda looked suspicious. "Why?" Mandi started toward the door. "Because Bea is fucking good." Mai followed. "Understatement." Shammy's eyes brightened. "Very." Lena stayed where she was. "I'll see all of you later." Mandi looked back. "You're not coming?" "No." "Why?" "Because I have work." Mandi pointed at Vega and Nova. "This is your work." "My work is finished." Brenda smiled. "Until tomorrow when I bring another bug report." Lena stared at her. Brenda's smile widened. "Kidding." A beat. "Probably." Lena pointed toward the door. "Out." They left laughing. --- Reyes was waiting at the upper door when Shammy opened it. Elisa stood beside her. Not Bea. Elisa. That mattered. Reyes looked past Shammy. Then stopped. Her eyes moved to Vega. Then Nova. Then Mandi. Then Mai. Back to Vega. "What the fuck?" Brenda smiled. "Hi." Reyes stared. Iris raised one hand. "Hi." Reyes looked at Shammy. "Brenda and Iris?" "Yep." "Fuck." Mandi leaned against the wall. "Successful test number two." Reyes stepped inside. Elisa followed her. The upper door closed manually behind them. Elisa had already passed the lower-door recognition without difficulty. Her access there was personal now, independent of Reyes, but the security handoff remained exactly what it was supposed to be. Reyes had brought her through. Reyes would leave. Reyes would return Sunday. No shortcuts merely because everyone involved trusted one another. Elisa looked at the working partners. Longer than Reyes had. Not because she was confused. Because she was studying. "Okay." Brenda folded her arms. "Okay good?" Elisa walked closer. "Okay, that's fucking impressive." Vega smiled. "Better." Elisa looked at Nova. Then Vega. "Coordinated." Mandi pointed. "Yes." "Two different women." "Yes." Elisa looked at their hair. "Mirrored." "Yes." Then the eyes. "Jesus." Brenda smiled. "Black." Iris smiled. "White." Elisa nodded. "I noticed." Reyes finally recovered enough to walk around them. "Voices too?" Brenda answered: "Obviously." Reyes stopped again. "Fuck." Mandi grinned. "That's becoming the standard review." Reyes looked at her. Then at Mandi's neon-orange hair. "You're working tonight too?" "Orientation." "Meaning yes." "Meaning maybe." Mai corrected from behind her. "Mandi and Dalia are introducing them." Reyes turned. "Dalia too?" Mai smiled. "Apparently." Mandi's grin became unbearable. Reyes looked at Shammy. "Did she volunteer?" "No," Shammy said. Mai stared at her. Shammy's silver-white hair lifted delicately. "Eventually." Mandi laughed. Elisa looked between them. "And me?" Mai looked at her. "Only if you still want to." Elisa's answer was immediate. "Yes." Brenda tilted her head. "You've already done this." Elisa looked at her. "Yes." Iris smiled. "We heard." Mandi's expression became dangerous. "Oh, they haven't heard the best part." Elisa looked at her. "Mandi." "What?" "No." Brenda looked interested. "What best part?" Elisa pointed at Mandi. "Do not." Mandi held both hands up. "Fine." Reyes smiled. That was worse. Iris saw it. "What?" "Nothing," Reyes said. Brenda looked between them. "Everybody keeps saying nothing when it's clearly something." Elisa sighed. Then looked at Vega and Nova. "My first evening already happened." Brenda nodded. "We know." "So tonight isn't me learning beside you." Iris nodded. "Good." Elisa smiled. "It's me knowing enough to tell you when Mandi is full of shit." Mandi stared. "Excuse me?" Brenda laughed. Nova's white void eyes turned toward Mandi. "This is going to be useful." "You two have known her for thirty seconds." Elisa smiled. "Bea has excellent instincts." Mandi pointed toward the hall. "Fine. Go become Bea." Elisa looked at Mai. "See?" Mai nodded. "She's becoming defensive." "I am not." Shammy kissed the top of Mandi's neon-orange hair as she passed. "Of course not." Mandi stared after her. "Why is everyone like this?" Reyes answered immediately. "You." Mandi opened her mouth. Stopped. Looked around. Nobody helped. "Fuck all of you." Brenda smiled. In Vega's warm smoky voice: "Normal sentence." Mandi closed her eyes. Elisa burst out laughing. And Reyes, already checking the time before leaving for her own job, looked around the Safehouse at Mandi, Vega and Nova and shook her head. "I'm almost sorry I'm missing tonight." Mandi opened her eyes. "Almost?" Reyes smiled. "I know all of you." Then she pointed at Elisa. "Sunday." Elisa nodded. "Sunday." "I come back, we do the same handoff in reverse." "Yep." "No improvising." "Reyes." "Say it." Elisa smiled. "No improvising." "Good." Reyes turned toward the door. Then stopped. She looked at Vega. At Nova. One last time. "Seriously." Brenda waited. Reyes shook her head. "You two look fucking ridiculous." Brenda's smile vanished. Iris blinked. Then Reyes grinned. "In the best possible way." Vega's black void eyes narrowed. "Asshole." "Have fun." Nova called after her: "We intend to." Reyes opened the upper door manually. "That is exactly what worries me." The door closed behind her. For a moment, the Safehouse became quiet. Then Elisa turned toward Brenda and Iris. "All right." She looked at Vega. Then Nova. Then Mandi. A smile spread across her face. "Show me the clothes again." Brenda grinned. Iris took her hand. Mandi started laughing. And somewhere beneath the amusement, Friday evening finally began to feel real. --- ## Chapter 10 — Five Covers Elisa looked at Vega. Then Nova. Then Mandi. Then back at Vega. "I want to see the clothes first." Brenda smiled. "You already are." Elisa frowned. Then looked down. Vega was still wearing Lena's finished black-and-brass joytoy outfit. Nova stood beside her in white and gold. Elisa stared at Brenda. "Right." Mandi folded her arms. "Excellent observational skills." Elisa pointed at her. "You shut up." "Experienced professional guidance." "You've been unbearable since I got here." "I've been unbearable much longer than that." Shammy nodded. "Can confirm." Mai walked past them toward the storage room. "So can I." Mandi looked around the Safehouse. "Hostile environment." Brenda's black void eyes moved toward Iris. "Normal sentence?" Nova considered. "Probably." Mandi pointed at both of them. "That joke dies tonight." "No," Iris said. "No," Brenda agreed. Elisa laughed. Then she stepped closer to Vega. This time she looked properly. Not at Brenda. At the cover. She walked around her once, slowly enough that Brenda turned her head to follow. "The hair is ridiculous." Brenda smiled. "Good ridiculous?" "Very." Elisa stopped behind her. "Chrome and brass?" "Brass-yellow." "Mirrored with Nova." "Yep." Elisa moved to Iris. Nova turned slightly. Elisa studied the white void eyes. "I thought these would look creepy." "They don't?" "Oh, they do." Iris laughed. "Thanks." "But intentionally." "Better." Elisa looked between them. "That's what makes it work. If only one of you had them, I'd wonder why. Together..." She gestured. "Choice." Mandi nodded. "Exactly." Brenda looked at her. "You're agreeing with someone?" "I do that." Mai returned carrying part of Dalia's cover kit. "No, you don't." Ace stared at her. "I agree with you." "After negotiation." "That's still agreement." "Eventually." Shammy's silver-white hair shifted gently as she laughed. Elisa looked at Nova's outfit next. Then Vega's. "Lena?" "Obviously," Brenda said. "How much did you tell her?" Iris answered. "Mandi-level." Elisa looked at Mandi. Then back at them. "Oh." Mandi smiled proudly. "Exactly." Elisa studied the construction. The clothes were revealing enough that calling them bold barely described the intention, but nothing looked improvised. Every strap belonged somewhere. Every piece had structure. Every exposed line was deliberate. Nothing suggested accident. Nothing suggested uncertainty. "Can you actually work in these?" Brenda nodded. "We tested them." "For how long?" "Long enough to file bug reports." Elisa stared. Mandi started laughing. Iris folded her arms. "They were useful." "You filed bug reports on clothes?" "Brenda did." "You did too." "One." "With reproduction steps." Elisa looked at Iris. Iris sighed. "Fine." Elisa grinned. "Of course you did." Brenda looked pleased. "See?" Mai set Dalia's kit down. "Enough fashion review." Elisa turned. "Now me?" Mandi's grin appeared. "Now you." Elisa looked at her. "You're enjoying this." "Very much." "Why?" Mandi's black contacts gave nothing away, but the smile did. "Because they haven't seen it." Brenda looked between them. "Seen what?" Elisa sighed. "Apparently me getting dressed is entertainment now." "Not dressed," Mandi said. "Covered." That changed the tone slightly. Elisa looked at her. Mandi was still smiling. But underneath it was recognition. She knew exactly what she meant. Cover construction was not just clothing. Not when it worked properly. Elisa nodded. "Fine." She went to retrieve Bea. Brenda watched her leave. Then looked at Mandi. "How good is it?" Mandi smiled. "Wait." Iris looked at Mai. Mai was beginning her own transition nearby. Dalia did not require Victor. That work already existed. Face mesh. Voice. Hair. Contacts. Wardrobe. Menthol lollipop. A practiced identity assembled from familiar components. Iris watched Mai fit the face mesh without hesitation. No curiosity about the technology. No examination of something unfamiliar. Just the efficient handling of equipment she knew intimately. Brenda noticed too. "That is weird." Mai glanced toward her. "What?" "Watching you do that now." "Why?" "Yesterday Victor put ours on for the first time." Mai smiled. "And?" "You make it look like putting on a jacket." "Experience." Iris stepped closer. "Does it ever stop feeling like another face?" Mai considered the question. "Yes and no." Mandi looked over. Mai continued. "You stop thinking about the mesh." She settled the last edge. "But you don't stop knowing which face you're wearing." Brenda nodded. That made sense. Mai checked the expression mapping in the mirror. Not because she doubted it. Because professionals checked equipment. One smile. A frown. Jaw movement. Eyes. Done. Then the ChromeLock. Neon pink replaced Mai's usual hair. The contacts came next. Reflective neon green. The visual transformation accelerated. Then the clothes. Premium joytoy wardrobe. Thigh-high boots. Finally the menthol lollipop. Mai unwrapped it. Put it into her mouth. Turned. Dalia looked at them. Vega stared. Nova stared. Mandi smiled. "There she is." Dalia removed the lollipop. Her voice came lower. Whiskey. Smoke. Nothing like Mai. "Happy?" Mandi's grin widened. "Always." Dalia's mouth moved by perhaps a millimeter. Then the lollipop returned. Brenda looked at Iris. "Okay." Iris nodded. "Yeah." Mandi folded her arms. "What?" Brenda looked at Dalia. "I knew the cover." "But?" "Seeing Mai disappear into it from three meters away is different." Dalia leaned against the wall. "Mai didn't disappear." Brenda looked at her. Dalia smiled faintly. "She's wearing better boots." Mandi made a delighted noise. "See?" Dalia looked at her. "Don't." Mandi immediately became innocent. Shammy stood near the center of the room watching all of them. Her eyes had taken on a subtle electric brightness. Not alarm. Atmosphere. The Safehouse had seen cover preparation before. A lot of it. But this was different. Two new identities were standing inside it for the first time. And they were about to go outside together. Vega. Nova. Mandi. Dalia. Four. Footsteps came from the hall. Mandi turned first. Then Brenda. Then Iris. Elisa walked into the room. Except she did not. Bea did. Vega went completely still. Nova's white void eyes widened. Mandi watched them instead of Bea. That was more fun. Brenda looked once. Twice. Then at Shammy. Then back. "No." Bea smiled. "What?" Brenda pointed at her. "No." Iris stepped closer. "Elisa?" Bea's smile widened. "Hi." Vega stared. "Fuck off." Mandi burst out laughing. Bea looked at her. "Exactly the reaction I was hoping for." Brenda walked around her. Unlike the theatrical examination they had given each other earlier, this one contained genuine disbelief. She knew Elisa. She had seen Elisa minutes ago. She knew intellectually who stood in front of her. The visual system disagreed. Nova moved to Bea's other side. "This is ridiculous." "Thank you." "That's not your face." "No." "Not your hair." "No." "Not your eyes." "No." Brenda stopped in front of her. "Voice?" Bea answered in Bea's voice. "What do you think?" Brenda closed her eyes. "Oh, fuck you." Mandi leaned against Dalia, laughing. Dalia calmly sucked the menthol lollipop. A tiny smile appeared. Shammy's hair lifted around her shoulders in faint static. Iris stared at Bea. "I know it's you." "Useful." "But if I didn't..." She stopped. Bea waited. Nova shook her head. "No chance." Mandi pointed at her. "Now you understand." Brenda looked at Mandi. "The security manager." Bea's expression changed. "Mandi." Mandi immediately looked innocent. "I said nothing." "You were about to." "I was thinking." Brenda pointed at her. "You cannot police thoughts." Mandi stared. Vega smiled. "Watch me." For half a second there was silence. Then Shammy laughed first. Mai nearly lost the lollipop. Mandi looked personally wounded. "That was mine." Brenda smiled. "Not anymore." Bea walked toward the mirror. She checked herself. Small movements. Hair. Face. Clothing. Nothing elaborate. Nothing uncertain. Brenda watched. "You really have done this before." Bea looked at her through the mirror. "Yes." "I mean..." "I know what you mean." She turned. "The first time I was thinking about everything." Brenda listened. "How I stood. Whether I sounded right. Whether someone was looking too long. Whether the cover was holding." Iris nodded. "Now?" "Now I'm mostly thinking about whether I remembered everything I wanted to bring." Mandi pointed at her. "That's where you want to get." Brenda looked at her. "With Vega?" "Yep." Nova looked down at herself. "Already closer than yesterday." "Exactly." Dalia removed the lollipop. "The goal isn't forgetting you're covered." She looked at Vega. Then Nova. "It's not spending the whole evening checking whether everybody else believes it." Bea nodded. "Because if you're doing that, you're not actually present." Brenda absorbed that. Then smiled. "So stop worrying." Mandi immediately said: "No." Brenda frowned. "No?" "Don't worry stupidly." Dalia looked at her. Mandi shrugged. "There's still security." Mai's lower Dalia voice answered. "Better." "Thank you." "Don't become smug." "Too late." Shammy moved closer. Now she could see all five together. And for once, even she said nothing immediately. Mandi stood at one end. Small. Neon orange. Black eyes. Luxury joytoy presentation worn with absolute confidence. Dalia beside her. Taller. Neon pink dreadlocks. Reflective green eyes. Thigh-high boots. Menthol lollipop resting at the corner of her mouth. Bea stood near the center. A cover strong enough to survive close personal contact with someone who knew Elisa professionally. Then Vega. Chrome and brass-yellow. Black void eyes. Black-and-brass lines. And Nova. Mirrored chrome and gold. White void eyes. White-and-gold structure. Five women. Five deliberate identities. None visually connected to the people who had eaten breakfast together in the Safehouse. Shammy's hair rose slightly. A faint ionized gradient touched the ends. Mandi noticed. "What?" Shammy smiled. "Nothing." "That is never nothing." "You look..." She paused. Dalia raised one eyebrow. Shammy looked across the entire group again. "...expensive." Bea laughed. Vega smiled. Nova looked pleased. Mandi put one hand on her hip. "That's it?" Shammy's electric-blue eyes brightened. "And dangerous." Mandi smiled. "Better." Dalia took the lollipop from her mouth. "Professionally." Shammy looked at her. "Obviously." Vega turned toward Nova. "Do we look expensive?" Nova inspected her. "Very." "Would you approach me?" Mandi immediately pointed. "No." Brenda looked at her. "What?" "We did this yesterday." "I wasn't asking you." "You were asking your working partner." Brenda froze. Iris froze. Bea looked between them. Dalia slowly returned the lollipop to her mouth. Shammy's hair lifted higher. Vega recovered first. "Professionally." Nova nodded with immense seriousness. "Professionally." Mandi folded her arms. "Sure." Brenda stared. "Don't make it weird." "I'm not making anything weird." "You are." "You asked your publicly established working partner if she'd approach you." "To evaluate the outfit." "Normal sentence." Bea broke. She laughed hard enough to bend forward. Brenda pointed at her. "You don't even know the joke." "I don't need to." Dalia's shoulders moved once. Barely. Mandi saw it. "You laughed." Dalia looked at her. "No." "You did." "Prove it." Mandi stared. Dalia sucked the lollipop. Mandi turned toward Shammy. "Did you see it?" Shammy smiled. "I saw nothing." "Betrayal." Bea straightened. "Okay." She looked around. "Are we actually going?" The room settled. The question mattered. Dalia looked at Vega and Nova. "Your decision." Brenda nodded. "Yes." Iris nodded too. "Yes." "No obligation to work tonight." "We know." "No obligation to stay if you decide you've had enough." "We know." Mandi smiled. "And if someone asks 'Working?'—" Nova answered before she could finish. "I decide." Mandi nodded. "If yes?" "Yes." "If no?" "No." "And if you want Vega there?" Iris looked at Brenda. Then back at Mandi. "I ask the customer." Brenda added: "And if they say no, I don't go." "Good." Bea looked between them. "That's basically it." Brenda turned. "Seriously?" "For the important part?" "Yeah." Bea shrugged. "People make professional sex sound more mysterious than it is." Mandi nodded. "Boundaries. Choice. Communication. Protection." Dalia added: "And knowing the environment." Brenda smiled. "Which is why Lizzie's first." "Exactly." Shammy looked toward the upper door. "Then Suzie." Mandi nodded. "Suzie." "At the bar?" "At the bar," Dalia confirmed. Routine introduction. Nothing secret yet. If identity-sensitive details needed discussion, the soundproof back room existed. But the first contact belonged where Lizzie's normal business belonged. At the bar. Brenda took Iris's hand. Vega's black void eyes met Nova's white ones. "Ready, sis?" Iris smiled. "Absolutely." Mandi looked at Bea. "Ready?" Bea nodded. Then Mandi looked at Dalia. Dalia removed the lollipop. "Don't." Mandi grinned. "I didn't say anything." "You were going to." Mandi turned toward Shammy. "Everybody keeps doing that to me." Shammy stepped close. She kissed Mandi gently. Then Dalia. Long enough to be affectionate. Short enough not to delay them. She hugged Bea. Then Vega. Then Nova. When she stepped back, her silver-white hair settled around her shoulders. "Have fun." Vega smiled. "Planning to." Nova nodded. "Definitely." Bea looked amused. Mandi looked delighted. Dalia simply put the lollipop back into her mouth. Then Shammy added: "And come home." That changed something. Only slightly. Mandi's expression softened first. "Always." Dalia touched Shammy's hand. Bea smiled. Brenda squeezed Iris's fingers. Iris squeezed back. Five covers headed toward the upper door. Shammy opened it manually. Mandi stopped in the doorway. Turned. "What?" Shammy asked. Mandi looked at all of them. Then at Shammy. A grin slowly appeared. "You realize what Lizzie's is about to get?" Shammy looked past her at Dalia, Bea, Vega and Nova. Her eyes brightened. "Yes." Mandi waited. Shammy smiled. "I almost feel sorry for Suzie." Dalia walked past Mandi. "No, you don't." Shammy laughed. "No." Mandi followed. Vega and Nova came next. Bea last. The upper door closed manually behind them. Shammy stood alone for a moment in the Safehouse. Then she looked at the suddenly quiet room. Five women had just left. Not Ace. Not Mai. Not Elisa. Not Brenda. Not Iris. Mandi. Dalia. Bea. Vega. Nova. Shammy's hair lifted once in a faint crackle of static. "Oh, this is going to be a disaster." She smiled. "In the best possible way." --- ## Chapter 11 — Mox Ground Lizzie's noticed them. Not all at once. That would have been theatrical. The club was too alive for that. Music occupied the room without owning it. Voices crossed over one another. Glass touched glass. Somebody laughed loudly near the bar. A pair of Mox were arguing about something that appeared serious until one shoved the other with her shoulder and both started laughing. People were drinking. Talking. Working. Flirting. Watching. Being watched. The five women entered that existing current rather than stopping it. Mandi went first. That was enough. Recognition happened in pieces. A glance. A second glance. A smile from someone who had seen her before. Someone else saying her name to a friend. Not Ace. Mandi. Exactly as it should be. Dalia came beside her. Neon-pink dreadlocks. Reflective green contacts catching the changing light. Thigh-high boots. Menthol lollipop. She received a different kind of recognition. Less immediate noise. More certainty. Mandi announced herself merely by existing. Dalia seemed to let the room notice her on its own schedule. Bea walked with them comfortably. Not leading. Not hiding. Already familiar enough with Lizzie's that she did not need to look around to understand where she was. Then came Vega and Nova. That produced the interesting part. Nobody knew them. Yet. Brenda felt the looks. She had expected them. Expecting them did not make the sensation smaller. Black void eyes probably contributed. So did the chrome-and-brass hair. So did Lena's outfit. So did Nova beside her. Iris's hand brushed hers. Not gripping. Not reassurance. Just contact. Vega looked at her. Nova's white void eyes met hers. "You okay, sis?" The question came naturally. Brenda smiled. "Yep." And because the cover permitted it—because the gesture fit what strangers believed they were seeing—she leaned over and kissed Nova briefly on the temple. Nothing in the room reacted. Why would it? Two working partners. Close. Affectionate. Mandi saw it. Her smile became dangerous. Vega caught it. "Don't." "I didn't say anything." "You were going to." Dalia removed the lollipop. "Now you understand my life." Mandi looked up at her. "Excuse me?" Dalia put the lollipop back. Bea laughed. Nova leaned toward Vega. "I think we're learning a lot tonight." "Mostly about Mandi." "Everybody learns about Mandi eventually." Mandi stopped walking. "Hostile work environment." Bea pointed ahead. "Bar." Mandi turned. Suzie Q was already there. She had seen them. Of course she had. She did not wave. Did not summon them. Did not perform surprise. She finished what she was doing first. That mattered too. Mandi and Dalia were known professionals here. They did not require ceremonial handling. Suzie said something to the Mox beside her, slid a glass across the bar to somebody waiting, then finally looked at the approaching group. Her eyes passed over Mandi. Dalia. Bea. Stopped at Vega. Moved to Nova. Back to Vega. Then to Mandi. "You multiplying?" Mandi grinned. "No." Suzie looked at Dalia. Dalia calmly removed the menthol lollipop. "Not my fault." Suzie's eyes moved toward Bea. "Yours?" Bea shook her head. "I've been here fifteen minutes." "Plenty of time with this group." Brenda laughed. Suzie's attention returned to her. That was the first real assessment. Not the hair. Not the outfit. Not the impossible black eyes. Brenda. Whoever Suzie believed was underneath Vega, she was looking at the person now. Then Iris. Same thing. Suzie leaned one forearm against the bar. "Names." Brenda answered first. "Vega." Iris followed. "Nova." Suzie waited. Brenda smiled. "Marlow." Iris tilted her head toward Brenda. "Working partners." Suzie looked between them again. "I got that." Mandi made a tiny triumphant sound. Suzie's eyes moved toward her. "What?" "Nothing." "Then keep doing it." Dalia's mouth moved around the lollipop. Mandi looked at her. "You too?" Dalia's expression remained perfectly composed. Suzie pointed at Vega and Nova. "New?" "Very," Mandi said. "How new?" Vega answered herself. "Yesterday." Suzie's eyebrows rose slightly. "Yesterday." "Faces and voices yesterday. Clothes finished today." Suzie looked at Mandi. "Victor?" "For the first half." "Lena?" "For everything Victor knows better than to touch." Suzie nodded. Correct division. Then: "Why are they here?" Mandi did not answer. Neither did Dalia. Brenda noticed. The question belonged to her. Vega rested one hand lightly against the bar. "Because we want to try working." Suzie's expression did not change. "Both of you?" "Yes," Nova said. "Together?" "Sometimes." "Separately?" "Sometimes." Suzie looked at Vega. "Which?" "Both." "That's not what I asked." Brenda paused. Then understood. "Separately too." Suzie nodded. Nova added: "We don't need to take the same clients." "Good." "And neither of us needs to work because the other one does." "Better." Suzie looked at Brenda. "Watching?" Brenda blinked. Then looked at Mandi. Mandi's face was innocent. Too innocent. "You told her." "No." Suzie looked at Brenda. "She didn't." Dalia removed the lollipop. "We told Suzie we were bringing two new professionals to meet her." Suzie nodded. "That's it." Brenda looked at her. "Then how—" Suzie glanced at the way Brenda and Iris were standing. Close. Brenda's body slightly turned toward Iris even while speaking to Suzie. Iris relaxed beside her. "Wild guess." Brenda laughed. "Right." Suzie waited. Brenda answered. "Yes. Sometimes I want to watch her." Nova added: "And sometimes I want her there." "Customer knows?" "Always." "Customer says no?" "Then she doesn't come." Suzie looked at Vega. "And if Nova says no?" "I don't come." "If you want your own client?" "I take my own client." "If she doesn't want involvement?" "She isn't involved." Suzie looked at Nova. "Same?" "Same." Suzie nodded once. No speech. No congratulation. Just: "Good." Mandi leaned slightly toward Brenda. Quietly: "That means good." Suzie heard her. "I know what it means." Mandi straightened. "Professional interpretation." "Drink something." Mandi looked offended. "I had coffee." "That wasn't what I said." Bea laughed. Suzie pointed at her without looking. "You too." Bea stopped laughing. "Why me?" "Because I remember you." Bea stared. Mandi's grin appeared instantly. Bea saw it. "Don't." "I didn't say anything." Suzie looked at Bea. "She's going to." "I know." "Welcome back." Bea smiled. "Thanks." That exchange registered with Vega and Nova. Small. Ordinary. But real. Bea had not arrived as another beginner. She had history here. Not enormous history. Enough. Suzie turned back to the Marlow duo. "Tonight?" Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked back. "Orientation," Brenda said. "Mostly," Iris added. Suzie caught the word. "Mostly." Nova smiled. "If I want to work, I might." Suzie looked at Vega. "Same?" "Same." "Good." Again. Just good. Then Suzie's gaze shifted toward the room behind them. "Lisa." Mandi's posture changed by almost nothing. Brenda noticed because she knew Ace. Suzie had not said anything sensitive. She would not. A woman detached herself from the moving club environment and approached the bar. Lisa. Her attention landed on Mandi first. Recognition. Professional. Familiar. "Mandi." "Hi." "Dalia." Dalia lifted the lollipop slightly. "Lisa." Then Bea. "Bea." "Hey." Lisa looked at Vega and Nova. She had no reason to know them. Suzie supplied only what she needed. "Vega and Nova Marlow. New. They're with us tonight." Lisa looked at the working partners. "Working?" Vega and Nova glanced at each other. The word landed differently here. Not proposition. Status. Nova answered: "Maybe." Vega nodded. "Same." Lisa accepted that immediately. "Tell us before you take anyone private." Brenda nodded. "Okay." "Not permission." Vega waited. Lisa continued. "Security state." Nova smiled faintly. "We've heard that distinction." Lisa glanced at Mandi. "From her?" Brenda said: "Several times." Lisa looked sympathetic. "She repeats herself." Mandi stared. "Excuse me?" Dalia removed the lollipop. "Constantly." Mandi turned. "You are supposed to be on my side." Dalia looked down at her. "I am." A pause. "Unfortunately." Bea covered her mouth. Nova's white void eyes widened. Vega made a strangled sound. Lisa smiled. There was no identity leak in any of it. Mandi was Mandi. Dalia was Dalia. Lisa knew those women. That was enough. Suzie nodded toward the room. "Show them how it works." Mandi looked delighted. "Finally." Suzie held up a finger. "Not how you work." Mandi stopped. Suzie looked at Vega and Nova. "How here works." Mandi's grin softened. "Yeah." That distinction mattered. Suzie looked at the working partners. "You don't need a tour speech." Brenda smiled. "Good." "You need to know who to find." She indicated Lisa. "Security." Lisa nodded. Then Suzie touched the bar with two fingers. "Me." Nova nodded. "Problems?" "Anything you don't want to solve alone." Brenda looked around. "And private rooms?" Suzie answered without hesitation. "Available when they're appropriate." No mystery. No coyness. No implication that the room itself meant consent. Just infrastructure. "If you're working here and taking someone back, security knows." "Before," Brenda said. "Before." "Client too." "Yes." "Rates?" "If money changes hands." "Anything else?" Suzie looked directly at her. "Know what you're agreeing to." Brenda nodded. "And if I change my mind?" "You stop." Simple. Iris leaned lightly against the bar. "And if somebody doesn't like that?" Suzie looked toward Lisa. Lisa smiled. "They discover why this is Mox ground." Mandi's smile appeared. There. Not a threat for theater. A fact. Suzie looked at Nova. "Anything sensitive about you two that needs saying?" That was the line. Mandi's expression changed. Dalia's did too. Not dramatically. Just enough. Brenda understood. Their actual identities. Their relationship. The reason these covers existed. None of that belonged in the public room. Vega looked at Nova. Nova nodded. Brenda turned back to Suzie. "Yes." Suzie pushed away from the bar. "Then finish your drinks." Mandi blinked. "Drinks?" Suzie looked at her. "You still haven't ordered one." "I had coffee." "Congratulations." Bea laughed. Mandi looked at Lisa. "No help?" Lisa shook her head. "None." Dalia calmly ordered water. Mandi stared at her. "Traitor." Dalia removed the lollipop. "You'll thank me later." "I won't." "You will." Suzie looked at Vega and Nova. "Want anything?" Brenda ordered water. Iris did the same. Bea sighed. "Water." Mandi looked around at all four of them. "This is joyless." Suzie put a glass in front of her. Water. Mandi stared at it. Then at Suzie. "I didn't order." "Professional judgment." Dalia's lower laugh almost disappeared beneath the music. Mandi took the glass. "Fine." Suzie moved away to deal with someone else. Conversation over. For now. No grand welcome. No initiation. No lecture about the Mox. Vega stood at the bar with Nova beside her and watched the room. A Mox worker moved past and touched Lisa's shoulder. Lisa listened. Nodded. Left. Two women near the far side of the public space were laughing with a man between them. At another point in the room somebody said no to something Brenda could not hear. The answer was accepted. Conversation simply continued. Nothing dramatic happened. That was perhaps the point. The rules were not decoration. They were ordinary. Nova leaned toward Vega. "So." Brenda turned. "So." Iris looked around. "I like it." Brenda smiled. "Yeah." Mandi heard. "Wait until you see Jig-Jig." Dalia looked at her. "Later." "I said later." "You meant now." "I can mean two things." "Frequently." Bea drank her water. Brenda looked at her. "You really are comfortable here." Bea nodded. "I knew Lizzie's before Bea." That caught Brenda. Bea continued. "But professionally?" She shook her head. "That part was new." Nova looked at her. "And now?" Bea smiled. "Less new." Mandi raised her glass. "Progress." Suzie's voice came from farther down the bar. "Drink it." Mandi looked toward her. "How do you even know?" Suzie did not turn. "I know you." Mandi froze for one fractional beat. Not Ace. Not here. The sentence meant Mandi. That distinction landed. Then she drank. Dalia smiled around the lollipop. Brenda saw it. This place knew the cover. Not the woman underneath. That was not a weakness. It was part of what made the cover real. Vega looked down at her own hands. Then at Nova. Nobody here knew Brenda. Nobody here knew Iris. Not unless they were specifically told. People saw the Marlow duo. Two new women in extraordinary clothes with impossible eyes who had arrived beside established professionals and been accepted onto Mox ground. That was enough. Suzie returned. "Ready?" Brenda knew what she meant. The sensitive part. She looked at Iris. Nova nodded. "Ready." Suzie looked at Mandi and Dalia. "You two." Then Bea. "You stay." Bea nodded immediately. No offense. No curiosity. Compartmentalization. Mandi finished the water and set the glass down. "See?" Suzie looked at it. "What?" "I drank it." "Do you want applause?" Mandi considered. "Yes." Suzie walked away. "No." Vega laughed. Dalia followed Suzie. Mandi looked at Brenda. "Hostile work environment." "Normal sentence." "Fuck you." Vega smiled. "Also normal." Nova hooked her arm lightly through Vega's. The Marlow duo followed. They crossed only a short part of the public environment before Suzie opened a door. Music still existed behind them. Voices. Glasses. Laughter. Lizzie's alive around them. Suzie went through. Dalia followed. Mandi. Vega. Nova. The door closed. And the club vanished. Not faded. Vanished. The sudden acoustic absence was so complete that Brenda stopped walking. "Whoa." Suzie glanced back. "Soundproof." Mandi smiled. "Told you." Brenda looked at Iris. Nova's white void eyes seemed even stranger under the steadier light. "This is weird." Iris smiled. "Normal room." "That's what makes it weird." Suzie waited until everyone had settled. No prestige. No audience. No social theater. Just a room where words stayed inside. Then she looked at Vega. "All right." Brenda exhaled. And for the first time since they had entered Lizzie's, she answered with her real name. "Brenda." Suzie nodded. Then looked at Nova. "Iris." Another nod. Suzie looked between them. "Now tell me what I actually need to know." --- ## Chapter 12 — What Mox Needs to Know "Brenda." Suzie nodded. Then Nova. "Iris." Another nod. Suzie looked between them. "Now tell me what I actually need to know." Brenda glanced at Iris. The silence in the room was almost distracting. Only minutes earlier Lizzie's had surrounded them with music, conversation, glasses, movement. Now nothing came through the walls. No bass. No voices. No reminder that the club existed immediately outside. Iris answered first. "We live with Ace, Mai and Shammy." Suzie's eyes moved once toward Mandi. Then Dalia. No surprise. "Okay." "We're together," Brenda added. Suzie looked back at her. "As in?" "Engaged." That earned the first visible reaction. Small. Suzie's eyebrows rose. "To each other." "Yes." Suzie looked at the women she had met outside. Vega and Nova Marlow. Working partners. Then back to Brenda and Iris. "Right." Mandi's mouth twitched. Suzie saw it. "Don't." "I didn't—" "You were going to." Dalia calmly removed the menthol lollipop. "Everyone can do that now." Mandi looked at her. "This is becoming abusive." Suzie ignored her. "So the professional-duo relationship is the public cover." "Yes," Iris said. "Publicly?" "Always." "No exceptions?" Brenda shook her head. "No." "Good." Suzie leaned back against the edge of the table. "And the affection?" Brenda smiled faintly. "Real." "Obviously." "But publicly it reads as affection between close friends." "That's the idea." Iris added: "We aren't going to make our real romance part of the public cover." Suzie nodded immediately. "Good." Brenda looked at Iris. "We can kiss each other on the cheek, hug, stay close. Things close friends and long-time working partners can naturally do." "But our romantic intimacy stays outside the public professional presentation," Iris finished. "Exactly." Suzie looked at Mandi. "Whose idea?" Brenda answered before her. "Ours." Suzie nodded. That mattered. "And the work?" "Ours too." "Nobody recruited you." "No." "Nobody needs you working for operational reasons." "No." "Nobody is paying you to be here tonight." "No." Suzie looked at Iris. "You want to do this." "Yes." Then Brenda. "You?" "Yes." Suzie waited. Brenda understood the pause. "Actually yes." "Good." Mandi shifted her weight against the wall. Suzie looked at her. "You've been quiet for almost a minute." Mandi blinked. "I can do that." Dalia's lower voice came beside her. "Technically." Mandi looked upward. "Et tu?" Dalia put the lollipop back into her mouth. Suzie returned to Brenda. "Who knows the identities?" Brenda thought. "The people who needed to build them. Victor. Lena. The Safehouse group. Reyes. Elisa." "Mox?" "Nobody yet except you." Suzie looked at Mandi. "Lisa?" "No." "Good." "Rina?" "No." "Keep it that way unless there's a reason." Mandi nodded. "That was the plan." Suzie looked at Brenda and Iris. "Out there, you're Vega and Nova." "Yes." "If you need help, you use those names." Brenda nodded. "If there's a medical emergency?" "Then Mox needs whatever information keeps you alive. Cover stops being more important than the person." "Fair." "If law gets involved?" Mandi's expression sharpened. Suzie noticed. "Depends on what happened." Dalia nodded. "We handle that case by case." "Exactly." Suzie folded her arms. "Anything about either of you physically that security needs to know tonight?" "No," Brenda said. Iris shook her head. "No." "Implants, reactions, medication, anything likely to become relevant?" "No." Suzie accepted it. "Good." Then: "Rates." Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked back. Mandi remained silent. Again. Suzie noticed that too. "You've discussed them?" "A little," Brenda said. "With?" "Mandi and Dalia." Suzie looked at Mandi. "Recommendation?" Mandi finally spoke. "Don't start them at Mandi and Dalia pricing." Brenda laughed. "No shit." Suzie almost smiled. Dalia removed the lollipop. "They need room to discover what kind of work they actually like before pricing starts defining expectations." Suzie nodded. "Better." Mandi looked offended. "I was getting there." "No, you weren't." "I absolutely was." Suzie ignored her. She looked at the working partners. "You don't need one permanent number tonight." Brenda nodded. "Okay." "You do need to know the number before you agree." "Obviously." "And the client knows before anything starts." "Yes." "No improvising price after." "Understood." Iris tilted her head. "What if one of us is watching?" Suzie looked at Brenda. "Working?" Brenda considered. "If I'm only there because Iris wants me there..." Suzie waited. Brenda looked at Iris. Iris answered. "Then she's part of my conditions." Suzie nodded. "That's one way." Brenda understood. "Not automatically a second booking." "Correct." "But if the customer specifically wants both of us involved—" "Then that's different work." "And a different price." "Yes." Brenda smiled. "Simple." "Usually." Suzie paused. "And not tonight." Both working partners looked at her. Suzie continued. "You've never worked before. You haven't even taken one client separately. Don't turn your first evening into designing pair rates." Brenda nodded immediately. "Fair." Iris did too. "We weren't planning to." "Good." Mandi looked pleased. Suzie glanced at her. "What?" "Nothing." "You agree." "Yes." "Then say that." Mandi stared. "I agree." Suzie nodded. "See? Growth." Dalia made a sound around the lollipop. Mandi turned. "You laughed again." Dalia's reflective green eyes remained calm. "No." "Yes." Suzie looked at Brenda. "Anything else?" Brenda thought. Not searching for the right answer. Actually thinking. "If I take someone and Iris doesn't." "Fine." "If Iris takes someone and I don't." "Fine." "If one of us changes our mind about working for the whole night." "Fine." "If one of us wants to leave." Suzie looked at both. "Then you decide whether you leave together." Brenda nodded. "Right." "You're partners. Mox doesn't manage that part for you." Iris smiled. "Good." Suzie looked at her. "What?" "Nothing. I like that answer." "It's not complicated." "No." Suzie studied them for another moment. Then: "What do you think Mox protection means?" Brenda answered first. "If someone ignores a boundary, we can call security." "Yes." Iris added: "If something feels wrong before there's an actual problem, we can call security." "Better." Brenda looked at Suzie. "We don't need to wait until somebody does something." "No." "And if we just don't like the situation?" "You leave it." "Even if there's no specific reason." "Especially then." Suzie's tone remained matter-of-fact. "You don't need courtroom evidence to stop fucking somebody." Mandi smiled. "There she is." Suzie looked at her. "What?" "Nothing." "Good." Iris laughed. Suzie continued. "Mox protection doesn't mean you stop paying attention because somebody else is watching." Dalia nodded. "It gives you backup." "Exactly." "It doesn't replace judgment." "No." Brenda looked at Iris. "That makes sense." Suzie looked between them. "Then that's most of what I needed." Mandi blinked. "That's it?" Suzie stared at her. "What were you expecting?" "I don't know." "An initiation?" "No." "A speech?" "No." "Blood oath?" Mandi smiled. "That could be fun." "No." Dalia pulled the lollipop from her mouth. "Thank you." Mandi looked at her. "You're no fun." Dalia's eyes moved slowly down Mandi's outfit. Then back up. "Incorrect." Brenda choked. Iris covered her mouth. Suzie closed her eyes. For one second. "Are you finished?" Mandi looked delighted. "I didn't say it." "You didn't have to." Dalia returned the lollipop. Brenda whispered: "Normal sentence." Mandi pointed at her. "No." Suzie looked at Vega. "One more thing." Brenda straightened. "If you're in cover, stay in cover." The humor vanished. Not because the instruction was frightening. Because it was obvious and important. Suzie continued. "Not just names. Don't talk across identities in public. Don't assume somebody can't hear you because they're three meters away. Don't tell stories that only make sense if Vega is Brenda." Brenda nodded. The café mistake came back immediately. Iris saying Ace's name. Small. Harmless. Still a mistake. Iris remembered it too. Her expression changed. Suzie saw that. "Already happened?" Mandi answered. "Almost." "Where?" "Coffee shop." Suzie looked at Iris. "What?" Iris sighed. "I said Ace's name to Mandi." Suzie waited. "Nobody reacted." "Good." "I caught it immediately." "Better." Suzie did not scold. That was worse in a useful way. She simply said: "Don't do it here." "I won't." "Because here people remember Mandi." Iris nodded. "Understood." "And soon they'll remember you." That landed differently. Brenda looked at Iris. Vega and Nova were not disposable. Not after tonight. Not after the café. Not after Lizzie's. They were beginning to acquire history. People would remember their faces. Their voices. The way they stood together. The impossible eyes. The mirrored hair. That was the point. Suzie pushed away from the table. "Anything else?" Brenda shook her head. Iris did too. Suzie looked at Mandi and Dalia. "You?" Dalia shook her head. Mandi thought. Suzie stared. Mandi smiled. "No." "Miracle." Suzie went to the door. Brenda looked at Iris. Iris squeezed her hand. Then Suzie opened it. Lizzie's hit them all at once. Bass. Voices. Laughter. Glass. Movement. The sudden return of sound felt almost physical. Brenda blinked. "Jesus." Mandi smiled. "Yep." They stepped back into the club. The door closed behind them. The private room disappeared into the architecture. And Brenda disappeared with it. Vega walked beside Nova. Not pretending. Not performing harder. Just returning to the identity the room knew. Bea was still at the bar. She saw them coming and raised her glass. Water. Mandi pointed. "See? Everyone is being oppressed." Bea looked at her. "What?" "Water." "You have issues." "Correct." Lisa had returned too. Suzie approached her first. "All good." Lisa nodded. That was all. No real names. No explanation. No unnecessary information. Lisa looked at Vega and Nova. "Still maybe?" Brenda smiled. "Still maybe." Nova nodded. "Definitely still maybe." Lisa smiled. "Then enjoy yourselves." She moved away. Suzie returned to her work. Also done. No announcement. No ceremony. No public declaration that two new joytoys had been approved. Mox ground simply absorbed them. Mandi looked at the working partners. "Now." Brenda looked at her. "Now what?" Mandi spread her hands. "Now you exist." Brenda stared. "That was profound." "Thank you." "It wasn't a compliment." "I accepted it anyway." Dalia leaned against the bar. "She does that." Bea nodded. "Noticed." Nova looked around. "So we're not doing anything?" Mandi smiled. "Exactly." Iris frowned. "That's orientation?" "Part of it." Dalia removed the lollipop. "If we walk you around explaining everything, you'll spend the night listening to us." Bea added: "And everybody will know you're being trained." Brenda looked at her. "Bad?" "Not necessarily." "But unnecessary," Dalia said. Mandi nodded. "You know the important rules." She pointed casually toward Lisa without actually extending the gesture enough to draw attention. "You know security." Then toward the bar. "You know Suzie." "Private rooms," Brenda said. "Available." "Tell security before taking someone." "Yep." "Price agreed first." "Yep." "Stop means stop." "Always." Nova looked at her. "And now?" Mandi smiled. "Have a fucking drink." Suzie's voice arrived instantly from behind the bar. "Not you." Mandi turned. "Why?" "You've had enough coffee to power Kabuki." "I had two." Dalia looked at her. "Three." Mandi stared. "How do you know?" "I was there." "The first one barely counts." "It was coffee." "It was preparatory coffee." Bea looked at Vega. "Do not learn from her." Brenda laughed. "Too late." They ordered. Nothing dramatic. Nothing strong enough to turn the evening into a bad decision. Then they moved away from the bar. Not as a formation. That happened naturally. Mandi and Dalia were recognized enough that people intercepted them. A greeting. A comment. Someone complimenting Dalia's hair. Someone else asking Mandi whether she had been away. Mandi answered without giving a schedule. Bea drifted beside Vega and Nova. "You feel weird?" Brenda looked at her. "Yes." Iris nodded. "Very." Bea smiled. "Good." Brenda frowned. "Why good?" "Because ten minutes ago you were in a soundproof room telling Suzie your real names." She looked around. "And now nobody here knows them." Nova followed her gaze. People saw Vega. People saw Nova. That was all. Brenda smiled. "Okay." Bea leaned closer. "Wait until somebody talks to you." "That's reassuring." "It should be." "It isn't." Bea laughed. They stopped near the edge of the social flow. Not hidden. Not presenting themselves. Just there. A woman passed and looked directly at Nova. White void eyes met ordinary ones. The woman smiled. Nova smiled back. She kept walking. Brenda looked at Iris. "That count?" "No." "Good." "You disappointed?" "No." "Sure?" Brenda smiled. "Maybe." Iris laughed. Mandi appeared beside them as if summoned by bad judgment. "What are we discussing?" "Nothing." Mandi looked at Brenda. "That means something." Brenda stared. "You cannot keep stealing our lines." "They were mine first." Dalia approached behind her. "Nothing belongs to you anymore." Mandi turned. "Except my coffee." Dalia stared at her. Mandi reconsidered. "Usually." Nova looked at Bea. "Is this what working with them is like?" Bea nodded. "Pretty much." "How does anything get done?" Dalia answered: "Mai." Mandi stared. Brenda lost it. Even Iris had to look away. Dalia calmly put the lollipop back into her mouth. Mandi pointed upward at her. "I am going to remember that." Dalia smiled by a millimeter. "I hope so." A man approaching from behind Mandi slowed. Not because of the argument. Because he recognized her. "Mandi?" Mandi turned. "Hey." He smiled. "Haven't seen you in a while." "I've been busy." His eyes moved toward Dalia. "Dalia." "Hi." Then Bea. Then the two unfamiliar women. His attention stayed there for an extra second. Mandi noticed. So did Brenda. He looked at Mandi again. "Friends?" Mandi smiled. "Vega and Nova." Brenda gave him a small wave. "Hi." Nova smiled. "Hey." He looked between them. "Working partners?" Brenda answered: "Yep." Easy. No thrill this time. No internal celebration. Just fact. Cover fact. The man nodded. "Thought so." Then his eyes returned to Mandi. And something changed. Recognition became recollection. He looked at Vega again. Nova. Then Mandi. "Wait." Mandi tilted her head. "What?" "I've heard about this." Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked back. Mandi smiled carefully. "Heard about what?" "You recruiting." Silence. Dalia slowly removed the menthol lollipop. Bea's eyes moved to Mandi. Brenda's black void eyes widened. Nova managed not to laugh. Mandi stared at the man. "Recruiting." "Yeah." He gestured lightly toward Vega and Nova. "The working partners." There it was. Not exactly the woman from the café. Not necessarily directly. But the story had already moved. Someone had seen Mandi with them. Someone had spoken. Someone else had connected Mandi, two striking new women, and the obvious professional presentation they now wore. A story had formed without anyone creating it. Mandi looked at Vega. Vega looked at Nova. Nova's white void eyes were shining with suppressed laughter. Dalia watched Mandi. Waiting. Mandi could correct it. Probably should. Instead she looked back at the man. A tiny smile appeared. "People talk." He laughed. "Apparently." Mandi shrugged. "I brought them here." Technically true. Brenda bit the inside of her cheek. Dalia's lollipop returned to her mouth. The man smiled at Vega and Nova. "Welcome to Lizzie's." "Thanks," Brenda said. "Thank you," Iris added. He moved on. Five seconds passed. Mandi remained perfectly still. Then Brenda whispered: "You recruited us." Mandi turned. "No." Nova leaned toward her. "Apparently." "I did not." Bea smiled. "People talk." Mandi pointed at her. "Don't." Dalia's shoulders moved. Once. Mandi spun. "You laughed." Dalia calmly sucked the lollipop. "No." "You absolutely fucking laughed." Vega broke first. Then Nova. Bea followed. Mandi stood in the middle of them looking betrayed. "This is misinformation." Brenda managed: "You didn't correct him." "I clarified." "You said you brought us." "I did bring you." Nova wiped at the corner of one white void eye. "Recruiter." Mandi stared. "No." Dalia removed the lollipop. "Congratulations on your expanding business." Mandi's mouth fell open. Brenda bent forward laughing. Bea covered her face. Nova leaned against Vega. And somewhere behind them, Lizzie's continued exactly as before. Nobody cared. Nobody knew the joke. Nobody knew Brenda. Nobody knew Iris. They knew Vega and Nova Marlow. The working partners. And apparently, thanks to one coffee trip and Night City's unstoppable ability to invent a better story than reality— Mandi had recruited them. Mandi looked around at the laughing women. Then at Dalia. "This dies tonight." Dalia smiled. "No." Vega straightened. "No." Nova nodded. "Absolutely not." Bea raised her glass. "Not a chance." Mandi closed her eyes. "Fuck." Dalia put the lollipop back into her mouth. "Normal sentence." Mandi opened her eyes. The other four broke all over again. --- ## Chapter 13 — Working? It took twelve minutes for the rumor to get worse. Mandi would later insist it had been eleven. Dalia would insist that distinction proved the problem. They had moved farther into Lizzie's, no longer clustered together. That had happened naturally. Mandi knew people. Dalia knew people. Bea had already found someone she had met during her previous evening. Vega and Nova remained close without staying attached at the hip. That mattered. They were working partners. Not a matched set requiring joint operation. Brenda was beginning to understand how quickly the distinction became practical. A woman had spoken to Nova for several minutes without including Vega at all. Brenda had stayed nearby. Not listening deliberately. Not hovering. Just existing. Iris had looked comfortable. So Brenda had let her be comfortable. Simple. Then the woman left. Nova returned. "She liked my eyes." Vega looked at them. "They're impossible to miss." "She asked where I got them." "What did you say?" "Lena." Mandi appeared beside them. "No surname?" Nova looked at her. "No." "Good." Vega smiled. "See? We're learning." Mandi nodded solemnly. "I'm proud of my recruits." Silence. Brenda stared. Iris stared. Mandi's expression collapsed. "No." Nova's smile began. "You said it." "No." "You absolutely said it." "I was mocking the rumor." Vega folded her arms. "Sounded like an admission." Mandi pointed at her. "Do not." Dalia appeared behind Mandi. Menthol lollipop in place. "What did she do?" Nova answered immediately. "Called us her recruits." Mandi spun. "I did not mean—" Dalia removed the lollipop. "Interesting." "Fuck you." Dalia put it back. "Later." Mandi stopped. Vega made a noise. Nova's white void eyes widened. Bea, approaching from the other direction, caught only the last two words. "What did I miss?" Mandi pointed at everyone. "Nothing." Bea looked at Dalia. Dalia's mouth moved by a millimeter. "Everything." Mandi closed her eyes. "This evening is hostile." A voice behind Brenda said: "Excuse me." Vega turned. A man stood a respectful distance away. Maybe forty. Well dressed without looking corpo-polished. Not drunk. Not visibly nervous. His attention moved briefly to Nova, then returned to Vega. "Can I ask you something?" Brenda nodded. "Sure." He glanced toward Mandi. Then back. "Do you two pay her a percentage?" Silence. Absolute. Perfect. Mandi opened her eyes. Brenda stared at the man. Iris's lips pressed together. Bea turned her head away. Dalia became completely still. The lollipop stopped moving. Brenda knew exactly what the man meant. Unfortunately, so did everyone else. Mandi spoke first. "No." The man looked at her. "Oh." "No." He nodded. "Flat management fee?" Bea made a strangled sound. Mandi stared at him. "I do not manage them." The man looked at Vega. Brenda could have ended it. Immediately. Easily. No ambiguity. No problem. Instead she became Vega Marlow. And Vega Marlow had substantially less social filtering than Brenda. "We don't discuss our contract terms." Mandi's head turned. Slowly. Very slowly. Nova looked at Vega. Vega looked at Nova. Iris understood. The white void eyes became innocent. Dangerously innocent. The man nodded. "Fair." Mandi pointed at Brenda. "There is no contract." Nova spoke calmly. "Madame." Mandi froze. Dalia removed the menthol lollipop. Bea walked away. Not far. Three steps. Enough to put one hand against the wall. Her shoulders were shaking. Mandi stared at Nova. "What did you call me?" Nova smiled. "Nothing." "You called me Madame." "I was trying to calm you down." "You were trying to kill me." The man looked increasingly uncertain. Vega smiled professionally at him. "She's very passionate about the business." Mandi made a sound that had no linguistic classification. Dalia turned away. Mandi saw it. "You are laughing." Dalia's shoulders moved once. "No." "YOU ARE." The man looked at Vega. Then Nova. Then Mandi. "I didn't mean to cause trouble." Brenda smiled. "You didn't." Mandi pointed at her. "She did." Nova nodded toward Vega. "She's always been difficult." Mandi's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. Dalia returned the lollipop to her mouth. The man looked at Brenda. "Anyway. Welcome." "Thanks." Then he looked at Mandi. "Sorry." Mandi stared at him. "I don't take a cut." "Understood." "I don't manage them." "Got it." "They are not my employees." "Absolutely." Mandi narrowed her eyes. The man's expression had the unmistakable politeness of someone agreeing with a dangerous woman because he wanted to survive the conversation. Mandi saw it too. "Oh, for fuck's sake." He left. Not running. But efficiently. The moment he was out of earshot, Bea collapsed against the wall laughing. Vega joined her. Nova lasted another two seconds. Then she leaned against Vega. Dalia remained composed. Almost. Mandi turned toward her. "Say it." Dalia looked down at her. "No." "Say whatever you're thinking." Dalia removed the lollipop. "Madame Mandi." Mandi stared. Bea slid down the wall by several centimeters. Brenda covered her face. Iris was making no sound at all now. Which was worse. Mandi pointed at Dalia. "You." Dalia calmly returned the lollipop. Mandi pointed at Vega. "You." Then Nova. "Especially you." Nova straightened. "Yes, Madame?" Mandi lunged one step toward her. Vega immediately stepped between them, laughing. "Protect the talent!" Bea lost whatever remained of her composure. Even Dalia had to look away. Mandi stood in the middle of Lizzie's, 145 centimeters of incandescent professional outrage. Nobody outside their little group understood why. Several people noticed anyway. That was probably unfortunate. Suzie Q looked up from behind the bar. Her eyes found Mandi. Then the laughing women around her. Mandi saw Suzie see them. "No." Suzie was too far away to hear. She raised an eyebrow. Mandi pointed at her. "NO." Suzie stared. Then went back to work. Mandi exhaled. "Good." Dalia sucked the lollipop. "Very subtle." "Shut up." Eventually the laughter weakened. Bea wiped her eyes. "Fuck." Vega breathed out. "Okay." Nova leaned against her. "That may have been a mistake." Mandi stared. "May?" Iris smiled. "Small one." "Small?" Brenda put an arm around Nova. "Come on. It was funny." Mandi pointed at her. "You told him we had contract terms." "No." "You said you don't discuss them." "Correct." "That implies they exist." Vega considered. "Does it?" "YES." Nova tilted her head. "Madame seems upset." Mandi closed her eyes. Dalia took the lollipop out. "You're making it worse." Mandi looked at her. "Thank you." "I meant them." Mandi blinked. "Oh." Dalia smiled faintly. "But you're helping." "Fuck you." "Later." This time Mandi did not react. She merely stared at Dalia for several seconds. Then: "Fine." Dalia's eyebrows rose. Mandi walked away. Brenda watched her go. "Where's she going?" Bea smiled. "Probably to tell Suzie she doesn't run a joytoy empire." Nova looked toward the bar. "Which will definitely help." Vega nodded. "Completely." Dalia returned the lollipop. "She's doomed." Bea looked at her. "You sound happy about that." Dalia's smile appeared by a millimeter. "I love her." Brenda laughed. Then the laughter settled. Again. The room reclaimed them. Music. Conversation. Movement. Professional life continuing around one absurd rumor. Mandi reached the bar. Suzie looked at her. Mandi said something. Suzie stared. Mandi gestured toward Vega and Nova. Suzie looked at them. Then back at Mandi. Said something. Mandi's shoulders dropped. Suzie smiled. Very slightly. Brenda narrowed her eyes. "What do you think she said?" Nova watched. "No idea." Bea smiled. "I hope it was Madame." Dalia said nothing. Which answered the question. Brenda laughed again. Then someone stepped into Nova's field of view. Not the same man. Different. Younger. Maybe early thirties. He did not approach the whole group. He approached Iris. That difference was immediately obvious. He stopped at a comfortable distance. Nova looked at him. He smiled. "Hi." "Hi." "I'm Daniel." "Nova." His eyes flicked once toward Vega. Recognition of proximity. Then returned to Nova. "Working?" There it was. No ceremony. No music stopping. No internal fanfare audible to anyone else. One word. A normal question. Iris looked at him. Actually looked. Not at Mandi. Not at Dalia. Not at Bea. Not even immediately at Brenda. Daniel waited. No pressure. No assumption. Just a question. Was she working? Iris felt the answer before she constructed it. "Yes." Simple. Daniel smiled. "How much?" There it was too. Just as ordinary. And just as necessary. The second question did something the first one had not. Working had established availability. Price made it professional. Nova did not look toward Mandi for an answer. They had discussed this. Suzie had made the point again in the back room. Know the number before agreeing. Make sure the client knows the number before anything starts. No improvising afterward. Nova named her price. "Eight thousand for the hour." Daniel took perhaps half a second. "Okay." No bargaining. No surprise. No assumption that saying yes to the price bought anything beyond what Nova herself agreed to. A price. Accepted. Now they had the beginning of a booking. Nova smiled. "Can I buy you a drink?" Daniel asked. "Sure." Then she looked at Vega. Brenda had gone quiet. Not worried. Present. Iris smiled at her. Vega smiled back. Daniel noticed. "Your working partner?" "Yeah." Nova turned back to him. And there was the next question. The one they had rehearsed. The one that had sounded almost comically simple inside Victor's clinic. Now it was real. Nova did not rush it. "Do you mind if my sis comes to watch?" Daniel looked at Vega. Not offended. Not immediately enthusiastic either. He actually considered it. Good. Brenda waited. No smile designed to influence him. No invitation hidden in posture. His decision. Finally: "No." For half a second Brenda thought he meant no to her presence. Then Daniel continued. "I don't mind." Nova smiled. "Good." He looked at Vega. "That okay with you?" Brenda appreciated the question. "Yes." "You're just watching?" Vega glanced at Nova. Then answered: "Yes." Clear. No ambiguity. No accidental expansion of the booking. Daniel had agreed to Nova's price for Nova's work. Vega was present because Nova wanted her there and Daniel had agreed to an observer. That was all. If anyone wanted that arrangement to change later, it would require a new conversation and everybody's agreement. Not assumption. Daniel nodded. "Okay." Dalia watched from a short distance away. Mandi had returned from the bar and stopped beside her. Neither intervened. Bea remained nearby. Nova looked at Daniel. "Drink first." "Absolutely." They headed toward the bar. Vega walked with them. Not between them. Not attached to Iris. Beside. Mandi waited until they were far enough away. Then looked at Dalia. "Well." Dalia removed the lollipop. "Well." Bea stepped closer. "She said yes." Mandi smiled. "She did." "And named her price." "Without looking at us." Dalia nodded. "Good." No cheering. No joke. Not yet. Something about the ordinariness of it made all three experienced women quieter. Nova had been asked whether she was working. Nova had wanted to. Nova had answered. Daniel had asked the price. Nova had stated it. Daniel had accepted. Only then had they continued. Vega had been included only after everyone involved had agreed. Exactly as intended. Mandi watched them reach the bar. Daniel ordered. Nova spoke to Suzie. Vega said something too. Suzie looked at Daniel. Then Nova. Then Vega. Security state. Not permission. Lisa appeared shortly afterward. A few words. Nothing dramatic. Then she left again. Mandi nodded. "Good." Dalia looked at her. "Stop supervising." "I'm not." "You're staring." "I'm observing." "Madame." Mandi turned. Dalia's face remained perfectly composed. Mandi narrowed her black eyes. "You want to die tonight." Dalia put the lollipop back into her mouth. Bea laughed quietly. At the bar, Nova looked over. Found them. Mandi did not give a thumbs-up. Did not nod. Did not make it into a milestone. She simply met Nova's eyes. Then looked away. Iris smiled. That was better. Daniel and Nova talked. Vega joined when conversation naturally included her. They finished their drinks slowly. No rush toward the private rooms. No sense that an agreed price created an obligation to hurry. Brenda found herself relaxing. Daniel was funny. Not brilliantly. Enough. He asked Nova about her hair. Nova told him Lena had done it. He asked whether Vega's was deliberately mirrored. "Yep." "Whose idea?" Vega answered. "Lena's." "She good?" Both working partners said: "Very." At exactly the same time. Daniel laughed. "Okay. Working partners." Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked back. Neither reacted beyond a smile. They were getting used to that too. Eventually Daniel looked at Nova. "Still interested?" Iris answered without hesitation. "Yes." The price had been agreed. The drink had changed nothing. Nova still had a choice. Then she looked at Brenda. Vega nodded. Daniel looked at her too. "Still okay?" "Yep." Nova set down her empty glass. Then the three of them found Lisa. Again. Explicitly. Lisa listened. Looked at all three. Confirmed the room. Confirmed that Vega was attending as an agreed observer. No raised eyebrow. No joke. No moral interpretation. Just professional state. When it was done, Nova looked at Daniel. "Ready?" He nodded. Vega walked beside them. They crossed Lizzie's. The private-room door waited ahead. For the first time since Brenda had become Vega, the cover stopped feeling like the most important thing she was wearing. Her attention moved elsewhere. To Iris. Not because Iris needed rescue. Because Brenda wanted to watch her. Because Iris wanted Brenda there. Because the man walking with them had been asked. And had said yes. Nova reached the door first. She looked back. White void eyes found black. "Coming, sis?" Vega smiled. "Yep." Daniel opened the door. Nova went through. Vega followed. The door closed behind them. And out in Lizzie's, Mandi stood beside Dalia and Bea. For several seconds nobody spoke. Then Bea looked at Mandi. "You're proud." Mandi glanced at her. "Yeah." Dalia's lollipop moved slowly between her lips. "So am I." Mandi smiled. Then Bea's expression changed. "Oh, no." Mandi frowned. "What?" Bea looked toward the far end of the room. A woman was approaching them. She looked familiar. Mandi searched her memory. Nothing. The woman smiled when she saw Mandi. Then looked toward the private-room door Vega and Nova had just used. Her expression brightened with recognition. "Oh." Mandi immediately disliked that particular syllable. The woman looked at her. "So it's true." Mandi closed her eyes. "No." "You don't even know what I was going to say." "Yes, I do." The woman laughed. "Madame Mandi." Bea folded in half. Dalia turned away. Mandi opened her eyes. "FUCK." --- ## Chapter 14 — My Sis Is Watching The door closed behind Vega. Lizzie's did not disappear completely this time. This room was private. Not the soundproof back room. The club remained somewhere beyond the walls as a softened pulse, distant enough to stop being part of the conversation without pretending the rest of the building had ceased to exist. Brenda noticed that first. Then the room. Then Iris. Nova had already turned toward Daniel. No hesitation. But no rush either. That mattered. The room was comfortable without being theatrical about its purpose. A place intended for privacy. Nothing more mystical than that. Daniel looked around once. Then at Vega. "You can sit wherever you want." Brenda smiled. "Thanks." He had remembered. Observer. Not participant. She chose a chair with a clear view without placing herself directly beside them. Nova watched her choose it. Their eyes met. White void. Black void. Iris smiled. There. That was why Brenda was here. Not protection. Not supervision. Not because Iris needed somebody to make decisions for her. Because Iris wanted to look across the room and see Brenda watching. Brenda sat. Daniel turned back to Nova. For a moment nobody moved. Then Nova asked: "You still good?" Daniel smiled. "Yeah." "You know the price." "Eight thousand." "And she's staying." He glanced at Vega. "Yep." Nova nodded. "Good." Daniel tilted his head. "My turn?" Nova smiled. "Go ahead." "You still good?" "Very." Brenda felt herself smile. There was something almost absurdly satisfying about that exchange. No assumption that crossing the door had completed the decision. No assumption that money had completed it either. They had entered. They checked again. Then they moved on. Daniel stepped closer. Not all the way. Nova closed the remaining distance herself. Their first kiss was brief. Exploratory. It ended. Nova looked at him. Apparently liked what she found. The second lasted longer. Brenda watched Iris's posture change. Not dramatically. A shoulder relaxing. One hand settling against Daniel. Her body becoming less concerned with the room and more concerned with the person in front of her. Daniel touched her waist. Nova accepted it. Then guided his hand slightly. Not away. Where she wanted it. "Here." Daniel nodded. "Okay." The directness sounded natural in Nova's voice. Brenda remembered Victor's clinic. Less filtering. That had been the design. Not a new woman. Not somebody performing shamelessness. Iris without the reflex to soften every clear desire before giving it language. Daniel kissed her again. Nova responded more immediately this time. Brenda leaned back. She had wondered what this would feel like. Not abstractly. She already knew she liked watching Iris enjoy herself. That was hardly a discovery. But this was different from watching Iris with someone they already knew. Different from intimacy inside their established circle. Daniel was a stranger. Or had been twenty minutes ago. He had walked up to Nova. Asked whether she was working. Asked how much. Accepted the price. Accepted Vega's presence. And now Brenda was watching Iris choose him one step at a time. That was the part that caught her. Choice. Not spectacle. Not the fact of another body. Iris choosing. Nova broke the kiss. Daniel stayed close. "You okay?" he asked. "Yep." Then she looked past him. At Vega. Brenda smiled. Nova's expression changed immediately. Not much. Enough. Daniel noticed. He glanced toward Vega. "She likes watching." Nova answered before Brenda could. "Very much." Vega folded one leg over the other. "I do." Daniel smiled. "Good." Brenda tilted her head. "Don't perform for me." He blinked. Then understood. "Right." Nova looked at Vega. There was warmth behind the impossible white eyes. "She's serious." "I figured." Brenda nodded. "I want to watch her enjoy this. That's different." Daniel looked back at Nova. "Got it." And then, importantly, he stopped looking at Brenda. Good. He returned his attention to Nova. Exactly where Brenda wanted it. Iris smiled. Then kissed him again. This time she began it. Brenda watched the change. Nova was no longer testing whether she wanted him. She had decided that. Now she was exploring what she wanted with him. Hands moved. Clothing shifted. Nothing hurried. Lena's design revealed another advantage immediately. The outfit had been built for this. Not merely to survive standing under club lights. Nova knew how it moved. She had spent enough time in the fitting to understand every closure and line. Daniel reached toward one part of it. Nova caught his wrist gently. "Not that one." He stopped. "This?" She guided him elsewhere. "This." "Got it." Brenda smiled. Bug reports. Of course. Lena would have been insufferably pleased. Nova glanced toward her. Brenda mouthed: _Bug report._ Iris almost laughed into Daniel's shoulder. He pulled back. "What?" "Nothing." "Your working partner?" Nova looked at Vega. "Unfortunately." Brenda raised one hand. "Professional observer." "Professional menace." Mandi would have been proud. That thought nearly ruined Brenda too. She suppressed it. Daniel smiled. Then Nova's attention returned fully to him. The humor faded naturally. The distance between them disappeared again. Brenda watched. The progression was unmistakable without needing to become mechanical. A kiss becoming certainty. Touch becoming invitation. Invitation becoming a more intimate choice. Nova spoke when she wanted something changed. Short sentences. Direct. A little lower. "Slower." Daniel adjusted. "Yeah." Later: "Closer." He followed. Then: "Don't stop." Brenda felt that one. Not because of what Daniel was doing. Because of Iris's voice. No ambiguity. No polite wrapper. No instinct to make the request prettier. Just what she wanted. Brenda's smile softened. This was Nova. And it was Iris. Both things true at once. Daniel paused at another transition. Looked at her. Nova nodded. "Yes." He still waited half a beat. Nova took his hand and completed the decision herself. Brenda exhaled. There. The moment after that was quieter. Not silent. Just concentrated. Iris's expression changed. The white void contacts made her eyes impossible to read in the usual way, which forced Brenda to notice everything else. Her mouth. Her breathing. The way her fingers tightened. The small involuntary shift when pleasure stopped being theoretical and became immediate. Brenda knew those signs. She knew Iris. No face mesh could hide that from her. And she loved seeing them here. On Nova. With someone else. Iris looked across the room. Found her. Brenda did not look away. Nova's lips parted in a smile. Daniel noticed the smile. Not its cause. Not completely. He kept his attention where it belonged. Brenda felt warmth spread through her. This. Exactly this. She had tried to explain it Thursday morning. _I like watching her._ Simple sentence. Inadequate sentence. Watching Iris receive pleasure was part of it. But there was more. Brenda liked seeing Iris wanted. Liked seeing Iris decide. Liked watching the moment Iris stopped thinking about whether she was allowed to enjoy attention and simply enjoyed it. And Iris liked knowing Brenda saw all of that. The circuit closed across the room. Nova's breathing changed. Daniel slowed. Nova immediately shook her head. "No." He stopped. She smiled. "Not stop." Understanding appeared. "Same?" "Yes." He resumed. Brenda almost laughed. Not at Iris. At how perfectly Nova's directness fit her. No frustration. No awkward attempt to communicate through implication. Just correction. Daniel responded. Good. The room settled into a rhythm. Brenda stayed where she was. Present. Watching. Sometimes Iris looked at her. Sometimes she forgot Brenda existed for a minute. Brenda loved both. The second surprised her. She had expected to want Iris's attention. Instead there was something deeply satisfying about seeing Iris become absorbed enough to stop checking. Then Iris would remember. Look over. See Brenda still there. Smile. And disappear into the moment again. No jealousy arrived. Brenda had not expected much. Still, she noticed its absence. What came instead was almost pride. Not ownership. Recognition. _Look at her._ Daniel said something too quiet for Brenda to catch. Nova answered: "Yes." Then laughed softly. The laugh changed halfway through. Brenda knew that sound too. Her posture straightened slightly. Iris's hand reached out blindly for support and found Daniel. Her breathing lost its rhythm. Then returned. Then broke again. Daniel slowed instinctively. Nova shook her head. "Keep going." He did. Brenda watched Iris cross the threshold from pleasure into something that took the room away from her for several seconds. No performance. No exaggerated declaration. Just a body no longer capable of pretending nothing significant was happening. Her head tipped back. Her fingers tightened. A sound escaped her that Brenda had heard before in entirely different rooms. And then she went still. Not completely. Enough. Daniel stopped. This time Nova did not correct him. Good. For several seconds nobody spoke. Brenda remained seated. Camera present. No rush to turn the moment into a joke. Iris breathed. Daniel stayed close without immediately asking questions. Nova's hand rested against him. Her eyes remained closed. White void hidden behind ordinary eyelids. Then she opened them. The first person she looked at was Daniel. Good. She smiled. "Hi." He laughed quietly. "Hi." Then she looked at Brenda. Vega was still there. Still watching. Brenda's expression must have given something away. Nova smiled differently. Softer. "You okay, sis?" Brenda laughed under her breath. "Very." Daniel glanced toward her. "You weren't kidding." "No." Nova rested her forehead briefly against him. "Told you." The stillness lasted. Nobody rushed past it. Eventually Nova shifted. Not away entirely. Enough to change the shape of the moment. Daniel looked at her. "Want a minute?" "Yeah." He nodded. Brenda appreciated that too. No attempt to maximize every second because money existed. No clock suddenly becoming the most important object in the room. Nova sat beside him. Brenda stayed where she was. Then Iris patted the space on her other side. Brenda raised an eyebrow. Nova smiled. "Come here." Daniel looked at Vega. No objection. Still, Brenda asked: "Okay?" "Yeah." Only then did she move. She crossed the room and sat beside Iris. Not Daniel. Iris. Nova immediately leaned against her. Brenda put an arm around her shoulders. The gesture was completely natural. To Daniel, working partners. To Brenda and Iris, something else entirely. But not sexualized through the cover. Just closeness. Brenda kissed Nova's temple. "Happy?" Iris answered in Nova's voice. "Very." "Good." Nova looked at her. "You?" Brenda smiled. "Very." Daniel laughed softly. "You two really are close." Vega looked at Nova. Nova looked back. "Yep," they said together. That nearly broke them. Brenda felt Iris shake with suppressed laughter. Daniel smiled. "What?" "Nothing." "Apparently working partners have secrets." "Many," Nova said. Brenda squeezed her shoulder. The room remained quiet for another moment. Then Nova looked at Daniel. The hour was not over. Neither was her interest. That mattered. She had already reached one satisfying endpoint. Nothing required another. Nothing required stopping either. She checked herself. Then him. "You still good?" Daniel smiled. "Yeah." Nova looked at Vega. Brenda understood before she asked. "I'm good." Iris sat up. The observer moment had become affectionate stillness. Now it could become professional space again. Brenda stood. Returned to her chair. Daniel looked slightly amused. "You really have a system." Vega sat down. "We're improvising." Nova smiled. "Professionally." Brenda groaned. "Don't start." Iris laughed. Then she turned back to Daniel. The second stretch felt different. Less tentative. They already knew enough about each other to skip the exploratory awkwardness. Nova was more direct. Daniel understood her cues faster. Brenda found herself relaxing deeper into the observer role. She did not need to track every boundary because Iris was handling her own boundaries perfectly well. That realization mattered too. Brenda could simply enjoy watching. And she did. Nova chose. Daniel listened. Pleasure accumulated again. At one point Iris looked directly at Brenda while saying: "Yes. Like that." Brenda's entire body reacted to the deliberate eye contact. Iris knew exactly what she was doing. White void eyes. A stranger's face. Nova's voice. Iris underneath all of it. Brenda smiled slowly. Nova saw. Her own smile appeared. Then Daniel reclaimed her attention. Good. Brenda let him. The hour did not become a competition. There was no need. Nova enjoyed herself. Daniel clearly did too. When the second high point came, it arrived less suddenly. Brenda saw it building. Iris did not look at her this time. Not until afterward. Brenda liked that too. The stillness returned. Longer. Softer. Then practical reality gradually came back. Clothing. Breathing. Water. Time. Nova checked the clock. Daniel did too. Neither looked disappointed. The booking had been an hour. An hour remained an hour. No artificial extension. No awkward negotiation at the end. Nova stood. Adjusted Lena's work with practiced hands. Vega watched critically. One strap. Nova noticed her looking. "What?" Brenda pointed. "Left." Iris checked. Adjusted it. "Thanks." Daniel smiled. "Professional observer." Vega nodded. "Extremely." Nova looked at herself. Hair still deliberate. White void eyes unchanged. Face mesh perfect. Lena's outfit returned to its intended geometry. Not untouched. Restored. Ready to leave the room as Nova Marlow. Daniel stood too. "That was good." Nova looked at him. "Yeah." No fake enthusiasm. No coyness. Then: "I had fun." "So did I." He hesitated. "Can I ask you again sometime?" Nova smiled. "You can ask." Daniel laughed. "Fair." She kissed him once. Brief. Finished. Then looked at Vega. "Ready, sis?" Brenda stood. "Yep." Before they reached the door, Nova stopped. Looked at Daniel. "One thing." "Yeah?" "My working partner being here was part of what I wanted." He nodded. "I figured." "Thanks for being normal about it." Daniel smiled. "Wasn't difficult." "Good." Vega opened the door. Lizzie's returned. Music first. Then voices. Then light and movement. Nova stepped through. Vega followed. Daniel came behind them. The private room became just another closed door. Lisa saw them emerge. One glance. Nova nodded. All good. Lisa accepted it. Daniel said goodbye and moved away. Brenda and Iris stood beside each other. For perhaps three seconds neither spoke. Then Iris turned. Black void met white. "Well?" Brenda stared at her. "Well what?" Iris smiled. "You watched." "Oh, I watched." The smile widened. "Liked it?" Brenda leaned close enough that anyone watching would see one working partner whispering to the other. Her voice stayed low. "Way too fucking much." Nova's expression lit up. "Good." Vega kissed her cheek. Light. Public. Discreet. Then they turned. Mandi, Dalia and Bea were waiting several meters away. Mandi looked at Nova. Then Vega. She did not ask for details. Not here. She simply raised an eyebrow. Nova smiled. "Eight thousand." Mandi nodded. "And?" Nova looked at Vega. Vega smiled. "Worth every eddie." Mandi's grin appeared. Dalia removed the menthol lollipop. "Good." Bea looked at Iris. "You okay?" "Very." Then a passing woman slowed beside them. She looked at Vega. Nova. Then Mandi. Recognition dawned. "Oh." Mandi's smile vanished. "No." The woman looked confused. "I haven't said anything." "I know." She looked at Vega and Nova again. Then back at Mandi. "So do they pay you before or after they get paid?" Vega made a choking sound. Nova turned away. Bea covered her face. Dalia closed her eyes. Mandi stared at the ceiling. "No." The woman blinked. "No percentage?" "I DO NOT TAKE A PERCENTAGE." A couple nearby looked over. Mandi realized her volume. Too late. Vega whispered: "Madame." Mandi's head snapped around. Nova added quietly: "Clients." Mandi stared at both of them with murder in her black eyes. Dalia took the lollipop from her mouth. "Mandi." "What?" "Professionalism." Mandi looked at her. Dalia's face was serene. Bea was visibly dying. The woman slowly backed away. "Sorry." Mandi pointed after her. "THERE IS NO CONTRACT." The woman nodded rapidly. "Of course." "NO MANAGEMENT FEE." "Got it." "I DIDN'T RECRUIT THEM." "Absolutely." She escaped. Mandi stood motionless. Vega looked at Nova. Nova looked at Vega. Then Brenda made the mistake. A catastrophic one. She put one hand lightly on Mandi's shoulder. "Madame." Mandi looked up at her. Brenda smiled. "Your talent had a successful first booking." Dalia lost the lollipop. For the first time all evening, it actually fell out of her mouth. Silence. Everyone looked at it. Dalia looked down. Mandi looked down. Then up. Slowly. A smile spread across Mandi's face. "Oh." Dalia's reflective green eyes narrowed. Mandi forgot Madame entirely. "You dropped it." Dalia said nothing. "You fucking dropped it." Bea started laughing. Vega and Nova followed. Dalia bent down, retrieved the lollipop, looked at it, and sighed. Mandi was radiant. "I win." Dalia looked at her. "One." "ONE IS ENOUGH." "No." "Historical event." "Mandi." "I'M PUTTING THE DATE IN MY CALENDAR." Vega leaned against Nova. Nova could barely stand. And just like that, Iris's first professional booking became part of the evening. Not hidden behind a closed door. Not reduced to an aftermath. Seen. Chosen. Completed. Remembered. And immediately buried under the much more urgent historical fact that Dalia had finally dropped the fucking lollipop. --- ## Chapter 15 — Still Working Dalia stared at the lollipop in her hand. Mandi stared at Dalia. Vega and Nova were still laughing. Bea had one hand over her mouth. For several seconds, the entire professional future of the Marlow duo was irrelevant. Something far more important had happened. Dalia had dropped the lollipop. Mandi pointed at it. "Evidence." Dalia looked at her. "No." "Physical evidence." "You watched me pick it up." "Which proves it existed." "It still exists." "Exactly." Dalia's reflective green eyes narrowed. Mandi smiled. "I want witnesses." Bea raised one hand. "Witness." Vega immediately raised hers. "Witness." Nova followed. "Definitely witness." Dalia looked at all three. "Traitors." Mandi folded her arms. "Independent live witnesses." Nova blinked. Then looked at Vega. Vega looked back. The Crystal Palace memory landed simultaneously. "Oh, fuck," Brenda said. Mandi's smile became enormous. "Exactly." Dalia put the lollipop away. Mandi stopped smiling. "What are you doing?" "Removing the problem." "You can't." "I just did." "But that's your thing." Dalia reached into her kit. Unwrapped another one. Put it into her mouth. Mandi stared. "Backup?" Dalia smiled by a millimeter. "Professional." Bea laughed. Vega leaned toward Nova. "I think that's terrifying." "Very." Mandi pointed at Dalia. "This isn't over." Dalia sucked the lollipop. "It is for me." Mandi muttered something in Japanese. Brenda did not understand it. Mai's tone translated perfectly well. Dalia looked pleased. Then the evening resumed. That was the strange part. Nova had just completed her first professional booking. Brenda had watched. They had come back into the club. Everybody who mattered had checked that everything was fine. And then Lizzie's simply continued. Nobody rang a bell. Nobody announced anything. Suzie did not come over to ask for a report. Lisa did not interrogate them. The room did not care that Iris had crossed some private psychological threshold. People drank. Talked. Flirted. Worked. The ordinary machinery of the place kept moving. Brenda liked that. It prevented the experience from becoming bigger than Iris wanted it to be. Nova leaned against the bar and drank water. Vega stood beside her. "Still good?" Iris smiled. "Still very good." "Want to leave?" "No." "Want another?" Iris considered. "Not right now." Brenda nodded. "Okay." Nova looked at her. "You?" "What about me?" "You've spent the evening watching." Brenda smiled. "Excellent use of time." "I'm serious." "So am I." Iris nudged her with one shoulder. "Do you want to work?" There it was. Not jealousy. Not obligation. Not symmetry. Iris had taken someone. Therefore Brenda did not have to. But she could. Brenda looked around Lizzie's. The question felt different now. Before Daniel, joytoy work had still been a concept. Something they had decided to try. Something Mandi and Dalia knew how to do. Something Bea had already done. Something Suzie had agreed they could do under Mox protection. Now Iris had actually done it. And returned smiling. Brenda looked at her. "You'd be okay?" Nova stared. "Brenda." The real name was barely audible. Only for her. Brenda's black void eyes met white. Iris continued quietly. "I meant what I said Thursday." Brenda knew. No obligation to take the same people. No obligation to work at the same time. No obligation for one to stop because the other stopped. Brenda smiled. "Yeah." Nova smiled back. "Good." Then, louder: "Go earn your keep, sis." Vega stared at her. "Excuse me?" Nova's face became innocent. "Madame will want her percentage." Mandi heard it from four meters away. "No." Brenda broke. Dalia looked toward the ceiling. Bea walked away again. Mandi approached. "No percentage." Nova nodded solemnly. "Of course." "No management fee." "Naturally." "No contract." "Confidential." Mandi stared at her. "You are enjoying this too much." Nova smiled. "Yes." "At least you're honest." "Less filtering." Mandi looked at Dalia. "This is your fault." Dalia removed the lollipop. "How?" "You encouraged them." "When?" "At some point." "Compelling." Mandi looked back at Vega. "You're thinking about working." Brenda nodded. "Yeah." "Good." Mandi stopped there. No instruction. No sales technique. No advice about how to stand or where to look. Brenda noticed. "That's all?" Mandi frowned. "What do you want?" "I don't know." "Then neither do I." Brenda laughed. Mandi shrugged. "You know how it works." "Working." "Price." "Agree." "Security state before private." "Boundaries." "Choice." Mandi nodded. "And you already know how to say no." Brenda smiled. "Fair." "So now stop looking like you're waiting for somebody to authorize you." That one landed. Vega straightened. Mandi smiled. "There." Then she walked away. Brenda watched her. Nova leaned closer. "She's good at this." "Don't tell her." "Obviously." Across the room, Mandi turned. "I heard that." Brenda stared. "No, you didn't." "I felt it." Dalia passed behind her. "Madame senses dissent." Mandi spun. Dalia continued walking. Brenda laughed. Then she looked around again. This time differently. Not searching for a client. Not exactly. Allowing herself to be available. There was a distinction. She talked to Nova. Then Bea. Then someone Bea knew. A woman complimented Vega's hair. Brenda thanked her. The woman asked whether she and Nova had chosen their coordinated styling together. "Yes." "Working partners?" "Yep." "Thought so." The woman moved on. Brenda barely noticed the confirmation anymore. Good. The cover was becoming ordinary. A man approached Mandi. They spoke. He clearly knew her. Another person greeted Dalia. Bea disappeared into a conversation near the bar. Nova stayed close to Vega for a while. Then deliberately moved farther away. Not leaving. Creating space. Brenda noticed. Iris caught her looking. Raised her glass. Smiled. _Go._ Brenda shook her head, amused. Then someone said: "Working?" She turned. A woman. Late thirties, perhaps. Short dark hair. Confident without pushing into Brenda's space. Her eyes went once to the black void contacts. Then back to Vega's face. Brenda smiled. "Yes." The woman nodded. "How much?" This time Brenda had the answer ready. "Eight thousand for the hour." "Okay." Immediate. No negotiation. Brenda felt something settle. Not excitement exactly. Something cleaner. Professional certainty. The woman offered her hand. "Leah." "Vega." "I know." Brenda raised an eyebrow. Leah smiled. "People have been talking about the Marlow duo." "Oh, God." "Good things." "That's not necessarily reassuring." Leah laughed. Then her eyes moved toward Mandi. Brenda saw it. "No." Leah looked back. "I didn't say anything." "Trust me." A smile. "Madame?" Brenda closed her eyes. "Fuck." Across the room Mandi shouted: "I HEARD THAT." Leah started laughing. Brenda looked toward Mandi. "Professionalism!" Mandi stared at her. Dalia nearly lost the second lollipop. Nearly. Mandi saw. Pointed. Dalia steadied it. "No." Mandi looked devastated. Leah watched the exchange. "I like this place." Brenda laughed. "Yeah." Then Leah's expression returned to the question that mattered. "Drink?" "Sure." They moved toward the bar. Nova saw them. Her attention sharpened for one second. Then relaxed. Brenda caught her eye. Iris smiled. No problem. At the bar, Vega told Suzie she had agreed an hour with Leah. Eight thousand. Suzie acknowledged it. Nothing more. They ordered drinks. Talked. Leah worked in logistics. Brenda did not ask where. Leah did not volunteer. Good. They talked about Night City instead. Music. A terrible restaurant in Charter Hill. The absurdity of parking anywhere near Japantown. Lena's work came up because Leah wanted to know who had designed Vega's outfit. Brenda told her. "Lena." "She does private commissions?" "Sometimes." "I might need her number." "You'll have to ask her." Leah smiled. "Protecting your designer?" "Protecting myself from Lena." "That bad?" "Worse." They laughed. Brenda relaxed. This was easier than she had expected. Not because she had forgotten what the conversation could become. Because it did not have to become that immediately. The booking existed. Price agreed. Interest established. Nobody needed to sprint toward the room. Then Leah looked toward Nova. "Your working partner working too?" Brenda smiled. "She was." "Done?" "For now." Leah nodded. No follow-up. No attempt to turn one working partner into access to the other. Brenda liked her more for that. They finished most of their drinks. Then Leah asked: "Still interested?" Brenda thought. Actually checked. Yes. "Yes." Leah smiled. "Good." Vega found Lisa. Security state. One client. Vega Marlow. One hour. No observer. That last part mattered. Lisa did not assume Nova would come. Brenda did not ask her to. Iris remained at the bar with Bea. Exactly as they had planned. Separate meant separate. When everything was set, Brenda looked at Nova. Iris raised her glass again. Vega walked over. "Hey." "Hey." "I'm going." Nova smiled. "I noticed." "You okay?" "Yes." Brenda nodded. Then Iris caught her hand. Only briefly. She leaned in and kissed Vega on the cheek. Public. Easy. Discreet. "Have fun." Brenda smiled. "Planning to." Then, because Vega Marlow had less filtering: "And if she's good, I plan to have a lot of fun." Iris laughed. "That's my sis." Brenda turned away before the sentence could become dangerous. Leah was waiting. Together they crossed Lizzie's. No Vega looking back for approval. No Nova following. No Mandi supervising. No Dalia evaluating. No Bea giving experienced advice. Vega had made the booking. Vega had named the price. Vega had decided she wanted it. That was enough. The private-room door opened. Brenda went through. Leah followed. The door closed. At the bar, Iris watched it happen. Bea came beside her. "You okay?" Nova smiled. "Very." Bea followed her gaze. "You like this too." Iris considered. "Different." "How?" Nova looked toward the closed door. "I liked Brenda watching me." Bea nodded. "But this..." Iris smiled. "I like knowing she's in there because she wanted to be." Bea looked at her. "That's probably healthier than half the relationships in Night City." Nova laughed. Mandi appeared. "What's healthy?" "Nothing involving you," Bea said. Mandi stared. Dalia arrived beside her. "Accurate." Mandi looked between them. "Why does everyone hate me?" Nova raised her glass. "Management." Mandi closed her eyes. "Please stop." Dalia removed the lollipop. "Madame." Mandi opened her eyes. "Et tu again?" Dalia smiled faintly. "Still." Nova laughed. Then she looked toward the private-room door again. Not worried. Not counting minutes. Just aware. Brenda was working. For herself. Good. The evening continued. Mandi eventually disappeared with a client she already knew. Dalia was approached shortly afterward. Bea talked to two different people and declined one proposition without explanation. The man accepted it. Conversation continued. Nova watched that too. No drama. No offense. Just no. Later, someone asked Nova if she was working. "Not right now." "Okay." That was the entire exchange. The man moved on. Iris smiled to herself. She liked that almost as much as the yes. Time passed. Then Vega's private-room door opened. Leah emerged first. Relaxed. Smiling. She said something back into the room. Brenda answered. Leah laughed. Then walked away. Vega appeared. She paused in the doorway. Black void eyes found Nova immediately. Iris stood. Brenda smiled. That was enough. Nova waited until Vega reached her. "Well?" Vega looked at Bea. Then Dalia, who had returned. Then Mandi, who had somehow also returned and was drinking water under Suzie's supervision. Finally Nova. Brenda's smile widened. "Eight thousand." Mandi nodded. "Good." Nova folded her arms. "That's not what I asked." "I know." "Well?" Brenda leaned toward her. Her voice dropped. "Very good." Nova smiled. "Good." Brenda kissed her cheek. Then she looked at the group. "I understand it now." Mandi tilted her head. "What?" "Why you keep doing this." The humor softened. Mandi looked at Dalia. Dalia looked back. Bea smiled. Brenda continued. "It's not one thing." "No," Mandi said. "Not the money." "No." "Not the sex." "No." "Not the cover." Dalia removed the lollipop. "No." Brenda looked around Lizzie's. "All of it." Mandi smiled. "Yeah." Brenda nodded. "Yeah." That was enough. No debrief. Not tonight. Nova put an arm through Vega's. "Ready to go home?" Brenda thought. Looked around. Then smiled. "Yeah." Iris nodded. "Me too." Mandi blinked. "Already?" Dalia looked at her. "They said they were done when they were done." "I know." "Then?" "I was asking." Vega smiled. "We're done." Mandi nodded immediately. "Okay." No persuasion. No disappointment. Done meant done. Bea looked at them. "I'm staying a little longer." Nova smiled. "Have fun." "Planning to." Dalia looked at Mandi. Mandi looked at Dalia. "Stay?" Dalia considered. Then nodded. "A while." Mandi smiled. Vega pointed at her. "No recruiting." Mandi stared. "Get out." Nova smiled. "Good night, Madame." "OUT." The working partners laughed. They said goodbye to Suzie. Lisa knew they were leaving. Nothing complicated. Then Vega and Nova walked toward the exit together. No dramatic transformation. No sudden return to Brenda and Iris. The covers stayed on. The voices stayed Marlow. The impossible eyes still drew glances. Outside Lizzie's, Night City received them as the same two women who had entered. Only now the covers had history. Vega Marlow had worked. Nova Marlow had worked. Separately. By choice. One with her working partner watching. One without. And both were leaving because they had decided they were finished. Brenda looked at Iris. "Coffee?" Nova stared. "Now?" "Yes." "You've learned nothing from Ace." "Apparently." Iris laughed. Then leaned closer. "Sis?" "Yeah?" "Tomorrow?" Brenda smiled. "Absolutely." They walked into the city together. Behind them, inside Lizzie's, somebody approached the bar. Suzie Q looked up. The woman gestured toward the exit. "The Marlow duo?" Suzie nodded. "What about them?" "They really work for Mandi?" Suzie stared at her. Then slowly looked across the room. Mandi was visible near Dalia. Suzie looked back. "No." The woman nodded. "Right." Suzie narrowed her eyes. "Why did you say it like that?" "Like what?" "Like you don't believe me." The woman smiled. "No reason." She walked away. Suzie remained still for a moment. Then looked at Mandi again. Mandi noticed. "What?" Suzie said nothing. Mandi frowned. "What?" Suzie's mouth twitched. "Madame." Mandi's scream was audible over the music. --- ## Chapter 16 — Saturday Saturday morning began with Iris saying: "Morning." Brenda opened her eyes. And immediately started laughing. Iris stared at her. "What?" That made it worse. There was absolutely nothing wrong with Iris. That was the problem. Her face was her own again. The white-void contacts were out. The face mesh had been removed before bed. She was wearing almost nothing that belonged to Nova Marlow. Almost. Her ChromeLock remained. Chrome and gold crossed her hair in Lena's carefully designed split, still vivid after a night of sleep. And Nova Marlow's voice had just asked Brenda what was funny. Brenda pulled the blanket over her face. "Stop." Vega Marlow said it. Silence. Then Iris started laughing too. Brenda lowered the blanket. "You're an asshole." Nova laughed harder. "So are you." "Coffee." "Definitely." Brenda got out of bed. The mirror made everything worse. Her own face looked back at her. Her own eyes. Her own body. Chrome and brass-yellow hair. Then she opened her mouth. "Jesus Christ." Vega. Behind her, Iris leaned against the doorway. Nova said: "Very convincing." Brenda turned. "Shut up." "Come on, sis." "Don't." Iris grinned. "Coffee, sis." Brenda pointed at her. "Keep going. See what happens." Nova's voice became sweet. "Yes, sis." Brenda walked past her. "You're making the coffee." "I was going to anyway." "Then I'm drinking yours." "Now that's war." They reached the kitchen still arguing. Then stopped. Ace was already there. Neon orange. Not Mandi. Ace. Her black contacts were out, leaving her violet eyes uncovered. No joytoy wardrobe. No professional presentation. Just ordinary Safehouse clothes and Ace's small familiar face underneath hair that remained violently, unapologetically Mandi orange. She looked up. Mandi said: "Morning." Brenda lost it. Ace frowned. "What?" Vega tried to answer. Couldn't. Mai was at the counter. Her Dalia face mesh was off. Her reflective green contacts were out. Her clothes were Mai's. Her hair was still neon-pink ChromeLock, unmistakably Dalia's. She turned. Dalia's low whiskey-and-smoke voice said: "Don't encourage her." Brenda grabbed the back of a chair. Iris made it three steps farther before Nova's laugh escaped. Ace looked offended. "This isn't funny." Mandi saying it nearly put Brenda on the floor. Then Elisa entered from the other side of the kitchen. Her visible overnight cover had been reduced exactly the same way. No need to sleep in contacts. No need to sleep in a full professional presentation. But ChromeLock did not care about bedtime. Neither did the multi-day cover voice. Elisa looked around at the others. Bea said: "Oh, good. We're all doing this." Silence. Five women looked at each other. Ace. Mai. Elisa. Brenda. Iris. Five uncovered faces. Five heads of unmistakable cover hair. Five completely wrong voices. Ace looked slowly around the room. Mandi said: "This is stupid." Mai nodded. Dalia replied: "Extremely." Elisa sat down. Bea said: "I like it." Brenda managed: "Of course you do." Vega. Iris leaned against Brenda. Nova whispered: "We paid for this." That started Brenda again. Shammy walked in. Stopped. Her silver-white hair lifted faintly around her temples. Her electric-blue eyes moved from one woman to the next. Orange Ace. Pink Mai. Chrome Bea. Chrome-and-brass Brenda. Chrome-and-gold Iris. Nobody spoke. Shammy stared. Ace made the mistake. Mandi asked: "What?" Shammy's hair lifted higher. "No." Ace blinked. "No what?" "Whatever this is." Elisa smiled. Bea said: "Breakfast." Shammy covered her mouth. Mai calmly poured coffee. Dalia said: "Don't." Shammy's shoulders moved. Ace pointed at her. "You live with us. You should be used to this." Mandi made the sentence impossible. Shammy folded against the counter. Brenda sat down. "I think she's broken." Vega. Iris nodded. Nova. Shammy tried to answer. Nothing came out. Ace looked at Mai. "Help." Mai carried her coffee to the table. Dalia answered: "No." "You are a terrible partner." "Yet you keep me." "Questionable judgment." "Clearly." Elisa accepted coffee from Mai. Bea said: "Thanks." Mai nodded. Dalia replied: "You're welcome." Shammy finally managed: "Stop talking." All five women looked at her. Shammy's electric-blue eyes brightened. "Please." That was when Iris remembered. Brenda saw the exact instant it happened. The smile. "Oh no," Ace said. Iris looked innocent. Nova said: "I haven't done anything." "Don't." Brenda smiled too. Ace looked between them. "Absolutely not." Shammy noticed. "What?" "Nothing," Ace said quickly. Brenda leaned back. Vega said: "Morning, Madame." Ace closed her eyes. Shammy stared. "What?" Iris added: "Madame Mandi." Shammy looked at Ace. Then Brenda. Then Iris. Then back at Ace. "Madame Mandi?" Mandi exploded: "I AM NOT THEIR MADAME." Shammy sat down very suddenly. Brenda was laughing again. Elisa put both hands around her coffee and stared downward with enormous concentration. Mai's mouth moved by perhaps a millimeter. Ace saw it. "You too?" Dalia answered: "No." "You're smiling." "No." "You are." "Prove it." Shammy wiped at her eyes. "Why are you a Madame?" "I'm not!" Brenda answered for her. "Apparently Mandi recruited the Marlow duo." "I DID NOT." Iris continued: "People wanted to know what percentage we pay her." "ZERO." "Then they asked about a management fee." "THERE IS NO MANAGEMENT FEE." Shammy's hair was developing a visible static halo. Elisa finally failed. Bea laughed. Ace looked at her. "Traitor." "Sorry." She wasn't. Mai drank coffee. Dalia said: "Your expanding business appears to be attracting attention." Ace stared at her. "You are sleeping somewhere else tonight." Mai considered. "Whose room?" Ace opened her mouth. Stopped. Brenda saw the trap. So did Iris. So did Elisa. Shammy's eyes brightened. Mai waited. Ace pointed at her. "Fuck you." Dalia replied: "Later." That ended breakfast for several minutes. --- Eventually they managed to eat. The absurdity didn't disappear. It simply became normal enough to function around. Ace asked for coffee. Mandi asked. Mai told her where something was. Dalia told her. Elisa complained about somebody taking the last piece of toast. Bea complained. Brenda and Iris had an entirely ordinary argument about whose turn it was to replace something in their bathroom. Vega and Nova conducted it. Shammy watched all of them with growing delight. "This is going to last how long?" Mai answered. "The voices?" "Yes." "Days." Brenda nodded. "Victor said two to four before ours even start to soften." Iris lifted her coffee. "So Nova is staying." "Vega too." Elisa smiled. "Bea isn't going anywhere." Ace sighed. "Neither is Mandi." Mai looked at her. "Nor Dalia." Shammy smiled. "Excellent." Five women glared at her. Her silver-white hair lifted faintly. "Absolutely excellent." There was no Friday-night debrief. Nobody needed one. Eventually Shammy simply asked: "Good?" Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked back. Nova said: "Very." Brenda smiled. Vega added: "Very." Shammy nodded once. That was enough. Later, while Iris and Brenda were alone for half a minute near the counter, Iris touched Brenda's hand. "You really liked watching." Not a question. Brenda looked at her. "A lot." Iris smiled. "I liked knowing you were watching." Brenda squeezed her fingers. "Good." For a moment, neither cover mattered. Then Ace walked past. Mandi said: "Get a room." Brenda looked at her. "Yes, Madame." Ace turned around. "Fuck off." --- By early afternoon, five covers did not need rebuilding. They needed completing. The hair was already there. The voices were already there. Everything else returned around them. Contacts. Meshes. Makeup. Clothing. Small adjustments. Familiar checks. Ace covered violet with black. Mandi looked back from the mirror. She adjusted the line of her shorts. Stopped. Looked again. Two fingers moved the waistband slightly. Better. Mai watched. "Done?" "Almost." Ace turned sideways. Checked the silhouette. Adjusted one closure. "Now." Mai's own transformation finished beside her. Dalia's familiar face mesh settled where Mai had worn it many times before. Reflective neon-green contacts replaced her natural eyes. Thigh-high boots changed her posture. Her neon-pink ChromeLock hair and lower cover voice had been waiting all morning for the rest of Dalia to catch up. Finally: Menthol lollipop. Mandi looked at it. Dalia looked down at her. "No." "I didn't say anything." "You were going to." "I was going to ask how many you brought." "Enough." "You dropped one yesterday." "Once." "Historical fact." "Trivial historical fact." "Still history." Behind them: "Madame keeps excellent records." Mandi closed her eyes. Vega was complete. Black void eyes. Chrome and brass-yellow. Black and brass wardrobe. Sharp. Bold. Beside her stood Nova. White void. Chrome and gold. White and gold. Mirrored without becoming identical. Bea joined them last. Five complete covers. Five voices that had sounded absurd at breakfast now belonged perfectly to the women standing there. Shammy waited by the upper door. Her gaze passed over them. "That's disturbing." Mandi frowned. "What?" "You sound normal now." Bea smiled. "We sounded normal this morning." "No. This morning you sounded like somebody had installed the wrong audio tracks." Dalia removed the lollipop. "Technically inaccurate." "Emotionally accurate." Mandi nodded. "I'll allow it." Vega smiled. "Madame has ruled." Mandi pointed at the door. "Outside." Shammy laughed. Then her expression softened. She looked at Vega. Nova. Then all five. Friday had been different. Friday Vega and Nova had gone to Lizzie's to find out whether this was something they actually wanted. Saturday they already knew. Mandi was going to work. Dalia was going to work. Bea was going to work. Vega was going to work. Nova was going to work. Five joytoys. Not three escorts and two experiments. Shammy smiled. "Come home." Mandi answered first. "We will." --- Lisa spotted them soon after they entered Lizzie's. "Full shift?" Mandi smiled. "That's the plan." Vega nodded. "Yep." Nova: "Yep." Bea smiled. Dalia sucked her lollipop. Lisa looked specifically at Vega and Nova. "Same rules." Nova answered: "Same rules." "Good." At the bar, Suzie Q saw them. Her gaze stopped on Mandi. Mandi immediately pointed at her. "No." Suzie hadn't spoken. "I said nothing." "Your face did." "What did my face say?" "Madame." Suzie considered. Then: "Afternoon, Madame." Mandi looked at Dalia. "See?" Dalia's lollipop moved slowly. "Excellent threat detection." Mandi muttered something and kept walking. Suzie looked at the working partners. "You two good?" Vega nodded. "Yes." Nova: "Yes." "Still eight?" "Eight," Vega said. "Eight," Nova confirmed. "Know when you're done?" Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked back. Vega answered: "When we're done." Suzie nodded. "Good." That was the entire Saturday briefing. No lesson. No tour. No one assigned to watch them. Saturday simply began. Mandi got the first offer. A man recognized her before she had moved far from the bar. "Mandi." She smiled. "Hi." "Working?" "Yes." "How much?" "Twenty-five thousand for the hour." No hesitation. "Done." "Drink first?" "Absolutely." Vega heard it. So did Nova. Mandi never looked toward them. She wasn't demonstrating the process. She was doing her job. They talked over drinks. Mandi clarified one boundary. The man agreed. No drama. No coyness. No hidden terms. When they were ready, Mandi checked in with Lisa. One client. Twenty-five thousand. Private room. Lisa acknowledged it. Mandi disappeared through the door with him. Vega watched it close. Nova leaned toward her. "Management seems busy." Vega nodded solemnly. "Good leadership delegates." Dalia heard them. Her mouth moved around the lollipop. "You're going to die." "Probably." A woman approached Dalia. "Dalia?" "Yes?" "Working?" Dalia smiled. "Yes." "How much?" "Twenty-five thousand for the hour." The woman nodded. "Fine." Dalia removed the lollipop. "Then buy me a drink." She went with her. A few minutes later Bea was approached. "Working?" "Yes." "How much?" "Twenty-five thousand for the hour." "Okay." Bea smiled. "Let's talk first." Three experienced joytoys. Three visible prices. Three independent choices. Nobody supervising anybody. Then Nova got hers. A man approached. "Working?" "Yes." "How much?" "Eight thousand for the hour." He frowned. "Five." Nova smiled. "No." "Six?" "Eight." He looked at her. Nova waited. "No." "Okay." "Have a good night." "You too." He left. Nothing happened. No insult. No argument. No discount. Vega raised her glass from several meters away. Nova raised hers back. Then a woman approached Vega. "Working?" "Yes." "How much?" "Eight thousand for the hour." "Okay." Vega smiled. "Want a drink first?" "Sure." Saturday was underway. --- Hours acquired rhythm. Vega worked. Returned. Water. Food. Conversation. Nova worked. Returned. Stole one of Vega's fries. Vega slapped her hand. "Get your own." "These are better." "They're identical." "Yours taste stolen." Mandi returned from a private room looking entirely satisfied with her afternoon. Vega saw her. "Successful management meeting?" Mandi kept walking. "Fuck you." Nova smiled. "Twenty-five thousand in management revenue?" Mandi stopped. Turned. "No." "We're just asking." "No percentage." Vega nodded. "Of course." "No management fee." "Naturally." "No contract." Nova smiled. "Confidential." Mandi stared at them. Then somebody behind her said: "Mandi?" She turned. A woman smiled. "Working?" Mandi's attention changed instantly. "Yes." "How much?" "Twenty-five thousand for the hour." "Okay." Mandi smiled. "Drink?" "Sure." Vega called after her: "Go make us proud, Madame." Mandi's black eyes promised consequences. Then she turned back to her client. Professional. Interested. Working. Dalia returned later. The lollipop was gone. Mandi noticed. Stopped. Dalia noticed Mandi noticing. "New one." "Did you drop it?" "No." "Can anyone verify?" Dalia walked past her. "I require independent witnesses." Bea laughed. Saturday continued. Nova was approached again. "Working?" "Yes." "How much?" "Eight thousand for the hour." "Okay." Vega later got another. "Working?" "Yes." "How much?" "Eight thousand." "Fine." No abstraction. No mystery. Eight meant eight. Twenty-five meant twenty-five. People accepted. People declined. The work continued. Vega refused one man before price ever came up because she didn't like how he spoke to her. Later she refused another after: "Working?" "Maybe." "How much?" "Eight thousand for the hour." He accepted. Vega looked at him for another few seconds. Then: "No." He blinked. "You just said—" "I said the price. I didn't say yes to you." A pause. Then he nodded. "Fair." He left. Brenda watched him go. That mattered. The price wasn't consent. Agreement wasn't obligation. The decision remained hers until she made it. Across the room, Lisa had noticed. She did nothing. Because nothing needed doing. Vega smiled. That mattered too. --- Bea became completely still. Vega noticed first. Not because Bea looked frightened. She didn't. Because for perhaps half a second Brenda saw Elisa underneath her. Recognition. Brenda followed her gaze. A man had entered Lizzie's. Well dressed. Controlled. The posture gave him away before Brenda consciously remembered why. Security. He looked around. His gaze passed Vega. Nova. Mandi. Dalia. Then Bea. Stopped. Recognition. Of Bea. Brenda looked at Bea. Bea looked back. One tiny smile. Oh. No. Iris realized who he was. Her white-void eyes widened. The man approached. "Bea?" Bea smiled. "Hi." Brenda bit the inside of her cheek. Nova turned slightly away. The man smiled. "Didn't expect to see you here." "Likewise." His gaze moved over Bea once. Back to her face. "Working?" "Yes." Brenda's nails dug into her palm. Mandi noticed. Followed Brenda's attention. Saw him. Saw Bea. Recognition hit. Her black eyes widened. Dalia arrived beside her. Mandi whispered something. Dalia looked. Her lollipop stopped moving. The man asked: "How much?" Bea answered without hesitation. "Twenty-five thousand for the hour." He nodded. "Okay. I'm in a mood for two hours tonight." Bea held his gaze. "Two hours is fifty thousand eddies." "Accepted." Only then did Bea's smile change. "Want a drink first?" "Sure." They moved toward the bar. The instant they were safely out of earshot, Vega leaned toward Nova. "That's him." Nova whispered: "I know." "Her actual security manager." "I know." Mandi appeared beside them. "Do not." Vega looked down at her. Mandi was already fighting a losing battle. "Do not laugh." Nova's shoulders moved. "Stop." That made it worse. Dalia joined them. Perfectly composed. Almost. Vega whispered: "He recognizes Bea." Dalia nodded. "Correct." "Not Elisa." "Correct." "His own boss." "Correct." Nova made a tiny noise. Mandi pointed at both working partners. "If either of you blows her cover because you can't control yourselves, I will personally throw you outside." Vega nodded seriously. "Understood, Madame." Mandi closed her eyes. Dalia turned away. Her mouth moved by one millimeter. Mandi saw it. "You too?" "No." "You're laughing." "No." "Your face moved." "Unproven." At the bar, Bea was having an entirely ordinary conversation with a man who knew Elisa in a completely different life. He looked directly at her. Listened to her. Heard her voice. Recognized her. Bea. Only Bea. Everything agreed. Face. Hair. Eyes. Voice. Clothing. Posture. Context. Expectation. There was no reason for him to see Elisa. So he didn't. Eventually they finished their drinks. Bea found Lisa. "One. Private room." Lisa glanced toward the man. "Price?" "Fifty thousand eddies for two hours." "Accepted?" "Yes." Lisa nodded. "Good." Bea returned to him. "Ready?" "Yeah." She smiled. "Come on." Then Bea walked away with her own security manager. The private-room door closed behind them. Four women remained looking at it. Vega. Nova. Mandi. Dalia. Silence. Vega finally whispered: "How the fuck does that work?" Mandi answered: "Bea." Vega looked at her. "That's not an answer." Dalia removed the lollipop. "It is." Nova looked at her. Dalia nodded toward the closed door. "He isn't looking for Elisa." Nova breathed: "Jesus." Mandi smiled. "Good cover." Vega stared. "Good cover?" "Extremely good cover." They lasted perhaps three seconds. Vega started laughing. Nova followed. Mandi tried not to. Failed. Dalia's mouth moved. One millimeter. Mandi pointed at her. "HA." Dalia raised an eyebrow. "You laughed." "I did not." "You absolutely did." "Prove it." Vega leaned against Nova. "This fucking city." Nova nodded. "Yep." Mandi looked at the private-room door. Then at them. "Wait until she comes back." Vega's smile widened. Nova's did too. Dalia calmly put the lollipop back into her mouth. And somewhere behind that door, Elisa's own security manager remained blissfully unaware that four women outside were waiting for the funniest possible end to his twenty-five-thousand-eddie hour. --- ## Chapter 17 — Still Damn Good Two hours turned out to be a very long time when four women were waiting for one door to open. Not continuously. That would have been ridiculous. They had jobs. Mandi was approached again less than ten minutes after Bea disappeared. "Working?" "Yes." "How much?" "Twenty-five thousand for the hour." "Okay." Mandi looked once toward Bea's private-room door. Then at Vega. "Behave." Vega looked offended. "Always." Nova nodded. "Absolutely." Mandi stared at them. Dalia sucked her lollipop. "Go." Mandi pointed at her. "You're responsible." Dalia's eyebrows rose. "For them?" "Yes." "No." Then Mandi's client laughed and Mandi went to work. Vega watched her leave. "Terrible management." Nova nodded. "No delegation skills." Dalia looked at both of them. "You understand she owns swords." Vega smiled. "Mandi doesn't." A pause. Dalia considered that. "Disturbingly valid." Then someone approached Nova. "Working?" "Yes." "How much?" "Eight thousand for the hour." "Okay." Nova glanced at Vega. Vega smiled. "Go." Nova went. Which left Vega and Dalia at the bar. For perhaps thirty seconds. Then: "Dalia?" She turned. A man smiled. "Working?" "Yes." "How much?" "Twenty-five thousand for the hour." "Fine." Dalia removed the lollipop. "Drink first." "Sure." Vega watched her leave. Then looked around. Alone. She looked toward Bea's door. Still closed. "Fuck." Lisa heard her. "Problem?" "No." Vega pointed vaguely toward the room. "Waiting." Lisa followed the gesture. "Bea?" "Yeah." "Two hours." "I know." Lisa smiled faintly. "Then stop watching the door." Vega looked at her. "Was I?" "Yes." "Shit." Lisa walked away. Vega deliberately turned her back to the door. A woman approached five minutes later. "Working?" Vega smiled. "Yes." "How much?" "Eight thousand for the hour." "Okay." Vega forgot about the door. For a while. --- Mandi returned first. Her client left smiling. Mandi stopped at the bar, got water, drank half of it, then looked toward the private rooms. The door was still closed. Vega wasn't there. Nova wasn't there. Dalia wasn't there. Mandi stared at the door. Lisa passed. "Don't." Mandi looked at her. "I wasn't." "You were." "I'm allowed to look at doors." "Apparently." Mandi drank more water. "How long?" Lisa checked the time. "Not two hours." Mandi sighed. "Fuck." Suzie Q heard that from behind the bar. "Your employee running overtime?" Mandi turned. "I don't have employees." "Independent contractor?" "No." "Subsidiary?" "No." "Franchise?" "Fuck you." Suzie smiled. "Madame." Mandi walked away. --- Nova returned. Found Mandi. Looked toward the door. Still closed. "Seriously?" Mandi pointed at her. "Don't start." "I didn't say anything." "Your face did." Nova smiled. "Who taught you that?" Mandi stared. Nova remembered. "Oh." Mandi sat down. Nova joined her. "Good booking?" Mandi asked. Nova nodded. "Very." "Good." "You?" "Very." Nova smiled. Then both looked toward the door. Still closed. Mandi caught herself. "Fuck." Nova laughed. "Lisa told you not to?" "Yes." "She told Vega too." "Of course she did." A few minutes later Dalia returned. She replaced her lollipop. Mandi watched carefully. Dalia noticed. "What?" "Nothing." "You are inspecting the lollipop." "Quality control." "No." Dalia looked toward Bea's door. Still closed. Her eyebrows rose slightly. Nova saw. "See?" Dalia looked at her. "What?" "Even you." "I merely observed the door." Mandi smiled. "HA." Dalia sucked the lollipop. "Child." Vega returned last. She found all three women at the bar. Looked at them. Then looked toward the private rooms. Still closed. "Oh, come on." Mandi pointed. "Exactly." Nova nodded. "It's been forever." Dalia said: "It has been approximately—" "Don't," Mandi said. Dalia stopped. Vega sat down. "How much longer?" Mandi looked at Lisa. Lisa saw it. Shook her head. Mandi muttered: "Tyrant." Lisa smiled. --- The door eventually opened. All four women noticed immediately. None of them wanted to admit it. Bea came out first. Her security manager followed. Nothing about either of them suggested anything except a very successful two-hour booking. He said something quietly to Bea. She smiled. He touched her arm briefly. Then: "See you around?" Bea tilted her head. "You know where to ask." He smiled. "Fair." Then he left. Bea watched him go. Turned. And saw them. Four women. Mandi. Dalia. Vega. Nova. All staring at her. Bea stopped. "Oh, for fuck's sake." Vega stood. "Was that who I think it was?" Bea walked toward them. "Yup." Nova's white-void eyes somehow managed to look enormous. Brenda had been waiting nearly two hours for this. The question still nearly defeated her. "And?" Bea reached the bar. Suzie silently placed water in front of her. Bea drank. Five people waited. Even Suzie was listening now. Elisa put the glass down. Bea smiled. "Still damn good in bed." Vega folded. Nova grabbed the bar. Mandi made a sound Brenda had never heard from Ace before. Then Mandi broke completely. Not a polite laugh. Not a cover laugh. Not anything remotely controlled. She doubled over against the bar. Dalia's lollipop stopped. Her mouth moved. One millimeter. Then two. Vega pointed at Bea. "You—" Nothing else came out. Nova leaned against her. "You did two hours." Bea nodded. "Yes." "With him." "Yes." "Who has no idea who you really are." Bea took another drink. "Correct." Mandi managed to straighten. Barely. "He paid you fifty thousand eddies." Bea looked at her. "Yes." That killed Mandi again. Suzie turned away. Her shoulders moved once. Vega saw it. "Suzie." "No." "You're laughing." "No." "Your face moved." Suzie looked back. "Careful." Dalia finally removed the lollipop. "Did he recognize anything?" Bea shook her head. "Nothing." "Voice?" "No." "Mannerisms?" "No." "Anything?" "No." Nova stared. Bea shrugged. "He knows Bea." That quieted them for a second. Because there it was again. The answer Mandi had given before. Bea. Not Elisa wearing Bea. Not Elisa pretending to be someone else badly enough that a familiar person might eventually assemble the pieces. To him, Bea was a woman he had met before. A woman he liked. A woman he had just willingly paid fifty thousand eddies to spend two hours with. Elisa existed somewhere else. Different face. Different hair. Different eyes. Different voice. Different context. Different expectation. Vega looked toward the door he had left through. "That is fucking terrifying." Bea smiled. "It's useful." Mandi finally recovered enough to speak. "Fifty thousand." Bea looked down at her. "Yes, Madame." Mandi's expression collapsed. Nova grabbed Vega. Dalia put the lollipop back into her mouth. Suzie said: "Strong quarter." Mandi stared at her. "YOU TOO?" Suzie walked away. --- The laughter eventually died. The work didn't. That mattered. Bea drank water. Ate something. Sat for a while. Nobody treated the two-hour booking as a stunt. Nobody treated it as something she had endured for the joke. She had chosen it. Her client had chosen it. The price had been explicit. Fifty thousand eddies. And from the way Bea had described the result, neither side appeared to have regrets. Twenty minutes later someone approached her. "Working?" Bea considered. Then shook her head. "Not right now." "Okay." The person left. No explanation required. Vega watched. Friday she might have interpreted the pause. Saturday she didn't. Bea simply didn't want another booking yet. That was enough. Then the room changed. Not dramatically. Not at first. A man approached Nova. Brenda noticed because Iris's posture changed. Not fear. Attention. The man was already too close. "Working?" Nova looked at him. "No." He smiled. "Didn't ask the price yet." "I said no." "Come on." Nova's expression remained calm. "No." Vega put down her drink. Mandi saw that. So did Dalia. Neither moved. Not yet. This was Nova's interaction. The man leaned closer. "I've got money." Nova's white-void eyes remained on him. "Good for you." "Ten thousand." "No." "Twelve." "No." "Fifteen." Nova's voice hardened. "I'm not working with you." That should have ended it. It didn't. His hand moved toward her waist. Nova stepped back before he touched her. "Don't." Lisa was already moving. The man either didn't see her or didn't care. "Jesus, I'm offering almost double." Nova looked at him. "You could offer eighty." He smiled. "Now we're talking." "No. We're not." Lisa arrived. "She said no." The man turned. "I was talking to her." "Now you're talking to me." His expression changed. "This is a business." Lisa nodded. "Yes." "I have money." "Congratulations." "I offered fifteen." Nova corrected him. "You offered fifteen after I told you no." Lisa looked at him. "Door." He stared. "What?" "You're leaving." "For asking?" "For not listening." "I didn't do anything." Lisa's expression did not change. "Good. Let's keep it that way." He looked around. Maybe expecting support. He found none. Suzie Q was watching from behind the bar. Mandi stood several meters away. Dalia beside her. Bea at the bar. Vega near Nova. Nobody looked alarmed. Nobody needed to. The Mox had already made the decision. The man looked back at Lisa. "This is bullshit." "Door." He muttered something. Lisa's face changed by almost nothing. Two other Mox appeared anyway. The man noticed. That ended the argument. He left. Not thrown through a window. Not beaten. Not humiliated for entertainment. Simply removed from Lizzie's because Nova had said no and he had decided that money should change the answer. The door closed behind him. The club continued. Lisa looked at Nova. "You good?" Nova nodded. "Yes." "Sure?" "Yes." Lisa looked at Vega. Brenda nodded too. Lisa glanced once toward Mandi. Then Dalia. Neither had moved. Good. Lisa looked back at Nova. "Want him flagged?" Nova considered. "Yes." "Done." That was it. Lisa walked away. Nova exhaled. Vega stepped closer. "You okay?" Iris looked at Brenda. "Yeah." Brenda touched her arm. Nothing more. Then Mandi appeared beside them. Not Madame. Not manager. Just Mandi. "You sure?" Nova nodded. "Yes." Mandi looked at her for another second. Accepted it. "Okay." Dalia arrived. The lollipop moved once. "Drink?" Nova smiled. "Yes." Bea raised her glass from the bar. "Excellent idea." They went together. Not because Nova needed rescuing. Because somebody had been an asshole and a drink with friends sounded better. Suzie put five glasses down. Vega looked at them. "Five?" Suzie nodded toward Mandi. "Management meeting." Mandi stared. Nova laughed. Bea nearly choked. Dalia calmly took her glass. Mandi looked around at all of them. "I hate this place." Suzie smiled. "No, you don't." Mandi picked up her drink. "No." A pause. "Unfortunately." Vega lifted hers. "To Madame." Mandi pointed at her. "Don't." Nova raised hers. "To professional management." Bea joined them. "Strong quarterly performance." Dalia raised her glass last. Her mouth moved by one millimeter. "Fifty thousand in new revenue." Mandi looked at her. "You bitch." Dalia smiled. They drank. And Saturday continued. --- ## Chapter 18 — Her Sis Is Staying Saturday continued. For a while, nobody worked. That was fine too. Nova stayed at the bar with Vega beside her. The five glasses from Suzie's alleged management meeting had been cleared away. Bea had food in front of her. Dalia leaned against the bar with a fresh menthol lollipop. Mandi had finally stopped threatening everybody over the Madame jokes. Mostly. Brenda watched Iris. Not because she was worried. That distinction had become important. Iris looked completely comfortable. The difficult customer had irritated her. Nothing more. Lisa had dealt with him. The Mox had done exactly what the Mox were supposed to do. And now Iris was laughing at something Elisa had said while Nova's white-void eyes made the expression look considerably stranger than it actually was. Brenda smiled. Iris noticed. Of course she did. "What?" Nova asked. Vega shook her head. "Nothing." "You're staring." "I know." That changed Iris's smile. Small. Private. Brenda knew that smile. So did Iris. Mandi appeared between them. "Whatever that is, stop." Vega looked down at her. "What?" "That." "Very specific." "You two are doing the thing." Nova's eyebrows rose. "What thing?" Mandi stared at her. "You know exactly what thing." Dalia removed her lollipop. "They're looking at each other." "Thank you, Dalia." "You're welcome." "That wasn't gratitude." "I know." Bea looked between Vega and Nova. Then smiled. "Oh." Vega pointed at her. "Don't." Bea raised both hands. "I didn't say anything." "Your face did." Mandi made an offended noise. "That's mine." Nova laughed. The moment broke. Not disappeared. Just folded itself back into the space between Brenda and Iris. It could wait. They weren't in a hurry. That was another thing Saturday was teaching them. Working did not mean filling every available minute. --- The woman noticed Nova before Nova noticed her. Brenda saw that happen. She was standing near the edge of the bar, talking to another woman. Older than Iris by perhaps a decade. Dark hair. Elegant jacket. No obvious rush. Her attention moved to Nova once. Away. Then back. Not staring. Considering. Brenda recognized the pattern now. She had seen it directed at Mandi. At Dalia. At Bea. At herself. The small calculation before somebody decided whether to approach. The woman finished her conversation. Waited until Nova wasn't speaking. Then came over. She stopped at a comfortable distance. "Nova?" Nova turned. "Yes?" The woman smiled. "I'm Linda." "Hi, Linda." Her eyes moved briefly toward Vega. "Partner?" Nova smiled. "Vega." Vega gave her a small wave. "Hi." "Hi." Linda looked back at Nova. Then asked the question. "Working?" Nova didn't answer automatically. Brenda noticed that too. Iris looked at her. Not long. Just enough. Attraction mattered. Interest mattered. The question wasn't a switch. Then Nova smiled. "Yes." Linda's smile changed slightly. "How much?" "Eight thousand for the hour." "Eight thousand." "Yes." "Okay." Price accepted. Nothing else assumed. Linda glanced toward the bar. "Can I buy you a drink?" "I'd like that." They moved a few places down. Vega stayed where she was. No invitation yet. No assumption. Brenda watched them begin talking. Not the words at first. The shape of it. Nova turned slightly toward Linda. Linda listened when she spoke. No crowding. No immediate attempt to touch. A question made Nova laugh. Then another. Linda said something Brenda couldn't hear. Nova's white-void eyes moved toward Vega. Linda followed the glance. Then looked back. Brenda felt the possibility arrive before Iris said anything. Nova leaned a little closer to Linda. This time Brenda could hear. "There's something else." Linda waited. "My working partner likes to watch sometimes." No coyness. No embarrassment. Just information. Linda looked toward Vega again. "Watch?" Vega let Nova answer. "Stay in the room. Watch me." Linda considered. "Only watch?" "Unless we all explicitly agree otherwise." Vega spoke then. "Tonight, I'd only be watching." Linda looked directly at her. Not Nova. Good. "Because you want to?" Vega smiled. "Very much." Linda looked back at Nova. "And you want her there?" Nova didn't look at Brenda this time. She didn't need to. "Very much." Something warm tightened low in Brenda's body. There. Not surprise anymore. Recognition. Iris wanted this. Not merely tolerated it because Brenda liked watching. Wanted it. Linda smiled. "Then yes." Nova's smile deepened. "Good." Linda took a drink. "I admit I'm curious now." Vega laughed softly. "About which part?" "Both of you." Nova leaned against the bar. "That's fair." Linda looked at Vega. "Do you work too?" "Yes." "Same price?" "Eight thousand for the hour." Linda nodded. "But this isn't a booking with you." "No." "And I don't owe you eight because you're in the room." "No." Vega smiled. "I'm there because Nova asked, you agreed, and I want to be there." "Good." Brenda liked her. Not enough to change the arrangement. Enough to be comfortable with it. The conversation continued. Ten minutes. Maybe fifteen. Long enough for price to stop being the only thing they knew about each other. Long enough for Nova to touch Linda's hand once and leave hers there when Linda turned it palm-up. Long enough for Linda to make Nova laugh again. Long enough for Brenda to realize she was already anticipating the room. She looked at Iris. Nova was looking back. There it was again. Iris knew. Brenda smiled. Nova's white-void eyes made the look alien. Nothing else about it was unfamiliar. --- Lisa was near the private-room corridor when Nova approached her. Linda beside her. Vega a step behind. Lisa looked at all three. "Booking?" Nova nodded. "One hour." "Price?" "Eight thousand." Lisa looked at Linda. "Accepted?" "Yes." Lisa looked at Vega. "Observer again?" "Yes." "Client agreed?" Linda answered. "Yes." "Nova wants you there?" Nova answered: "Yes." Lisa nodded. "Same arrangement as yesterday?" Vega glanced at Nova. Not quite. Yesterday they had been discovering something. Tonight they knew. But operationally: "Yes." Lisa checked the room. "Four." Nova smiled. "Thanks." Linda looked toward the corridor. Then at Vega. "You coming?" Vega looked at Nova. Nova held out her hand. Brenda took it. "Yeah." The three of them went inside. The door closed. --- The softened pulse of Lizzie's followed them into the room. Not silence. Privacy. Linda looked around once. Then at Vega. "Where do you want to be?" Brenda liked the question. Not where Nova wanted to put her. Not whether she was really staying. Where did she want to be? Vega looked at the chair she had used with Daniel. Then at the room. "Not there." Nova looked at her. "No?" "No." Yesterday, the chair had been useful. Distance had helped Brenda understand what she was feeling. Tonight she didn't need distance. She chose a place closer. Still outside the space Nova and Linda would use. Still unmistakably observer rather than participant. But close enough that Iris would never have to search for her. Vega sat. "Here." Linda looked at Nova. "Good?" Nova's gaze remained on Vega for another second. "Perfect." Brenda felt that one. Linda noticed. Her smile was faint. "I think I'm beginning to understand." Nova turned toward her. "Maybe." Linda touched her waist. Paused. Nova closed the remaining distance herself. Their first kiss was slow. Not tentative. Measured. Linda's hand stayed at Nova's waist. Nova's fingers found the front of Linda's jacket. Brenda watched Iris decide how much pressure she wanted. Watched her deepen the kiss. Watched Linda respond rather than lead through it. This was already different from Daniel. Good. It should be. Nova stepped back just far enough to speak. "Jacket." Linda smiled. "Mine or yours?" "Yours." "Bossy." Nova's mouth curved. "You can leave it on." Linda removed it. Vega laughed quietly. Linda looked at her. "She's like this?" Brenda answered before Iris could. "Worse." Nova looked at her. "Careful, sis." There was nothing erotic in the word. The look was another matter entirely. Not because they were using a shared stage name. Because beneath the cover, Iris knew exactly what Brenda was seeing. Linda saw only the public shape of it. A working partner watching with permission. The truth belonged to Brenda and Iris. Linda returned her attention to Nova. Good. Brenda didn't want a performance. She wanted Iris. The next kiss lasted longer. Nova's hands became more certain. Linda found one of Lena's closures. Stopped. "That?" Nova smiled against her mouth. "Yes." This time the clothing cooperated. Lena had designed it to. Nova helped rather than waiting to be undressed. A release. An adjustment. Fabric moved. Skin met skin where both women had deliberately chosen it to. Brenda watched Iris's breathing change. That was what she wanted. Not a catalogue of what Linda was doing. Iris responding. Iris choosing. Iris enjoying. The kisses slowed as they moved together toward the bed. Nova sat first. Linda stopped in front of her. For the first time since they had entered the room, neither woman moved. Linda touched Nova's cheek. "You still want this?" Nova answered immediately. "Yes." "With me?" A small smile. "Yes, Linda." Linda smiled back. Nova shifted farther onto the bed and drew her with her. They found the position together rather than one woman simply placing the other there. A knee moved. A hand guided. Nova adjusted herself once, then looked directly at Linda. "Here." Linda understood. She moved closer. Paused again at the final moment. Nova's hand settled against her. "Yes." The distance disappeared. Nova inhaled sharply. Her fingers tightened. Linda stopped. Not retreating. Waiting. Nova's eyes closed for one second. Then opened. White void found Vega immediately. Brenda saw the first unmistakable reaction cross Iris's face before she could smooth any of it away. Surprise. Pleasure. Then recognition that Brenda had seen both. Nova smiled. "Okay." Linda's voice stayed quiet. "Okay?" "Very." Only then did they begin moving together. Slowly. Nova set the pace first. Linda followed. One rhythm. Then another. Nova corrected it. "Slower." Linda listened. Nova's eyes closed. White void disappeared behind her lids. Brenda leaned forward slightly. Iris opened them again. Found her. Immediately. The reaction was tiny. A breath. A smile that barely existed. But Brenda knew. Iris knew she was watching. And Iris liked it. A lot. Linda noticed the glance. She didn't stop. "Want her closer?" Nova looked at Vega. Brenda waited. Iris considered. "Yes." Vega stood. Linda shifted enough to make space without changing the nature of the booking. Brenda came closer. Nova reached for her hand. That was all. No participation. No change in price. No renegotiated service. Brenda stood beside them and let Iris hold her hand. Linda looked at Vega once. "Still okay?" Vega nodded. "Very." Nova laughed softly. "I told you." Linda smiled. "You did." Then her attention returned fully to Nova. Exactly where Brenda wanted it. Nova guided. Linda listened. When something worked, Iris's body told Brenda before her voice did. When she wanted a change, Nova said it. "Closer." A little later: "Stay there." Then, sharper: "Don't stop." Brenda's fingers tightened around hers. Iris tightened back. No embarrassment. No uncertainty about whether Brenda wanted to see this. They had answered that yesterday. Tonight they were using the answer. Nova's breathing lost its rhythm. Linda stayed with her. Brenda watched Iris stop managing anything except sensation. That was the moment. Not because of what Linda was doing. Because Iris let Brenda see her stop controlling it. Nova's grip tightened hard around Vega's hand. Her eyes opened. Found Brenda again. Then pleasure broke through her. Not hidden. Not summarized. A sharp breath became a broken sound. Her body tightened and then released through it, holding Brenda's hand the entire time. Linda stayed close. Brenda did too. And when the peak passed, nobody moved immediately. Stillness. Iris breathing. Linda breathing. Brenda standing beside them with Iris's hand still wrapped around hers. Nova finally laughed once. Quietly. "Fuck." Linda smiled. "Good?" Nova opened her eyes. "Very." Then she looked at Vega. Not Linda. Brenda smiled. "Very." Linda looked between them. Again, only seeing part of the truth. Enough of it. She touched Nova gently. "Now I definitely understand." Nova's smile became lazy. "No, you don't." Linda laughed. "Fair." Brenda bent and kissed Iris lightly on the forehead. A gesture the cover could carry. The meaning underneath it belonged entirely to them. Then Vega returned to her place nearby. Because the hour wasn't over. And Nova wasn't done. Neither was Linda. --- Later, the shape changed again. Not into anything more complicated. Just another rhythm. Linda and Nova talked. Touched. Laughed. Found each other again. Vega watched from closer than yesterday. Sometimes Nova looked at her. Sometimes she didn't. That mattered too. Iris didn't need to perform her pleasure for Brenda. Brenda didn't need constant acknowledgment. She simply loved being there when Iris wanted her there. At one point Linda glanced at Vega and smiled. "You're very quiet." Vega shrugged. "I'm busy." "Doing what?" Brenda looked at Iris. Nova was already smiling. "Watching." Linda laughed. "Right." Vega leaned back. "You're doing fine." "High praise." "I have standards." Nova said: "She does." Linda looked between them. "Eight thousand and a performance review." Vega smiled. "Observer services are complimentary." Nova laughed hard enough that the moment dissolved completely. Linda joined her. So did Brenda. Then they found their way back. Not urgently. They had time. The second rise was slower. Less surprising. Nova remained more verbal this time. More Nova. "Yes." "Like that." "Again." And later, with her eyes on Vega: "Stay." Brenda stayed. Of course she did. --- When the hour finally ended, nobody rushed the exit. Linda put her jacket back on. Nova restored Lena's clothing with practiced hands. Vega waited. Linda looked at her. "Thank you." Vega blinked. "For what?" "For making that not weird." Brenda smiled. "I wanted to be here." "I noticed." Nova stepped beside Vega. Linda looked at both of them. "I'd ask again." Nova smiled. "You can." Linda looked at Vega. "And if she's watching?" Vega answered: "Ask." "Fair." Linda opened the door. The club reached them again. Lisa saw all three emerge. Her gaze went first to Nova. Nova nodded. Good. Then Vega. Vega nodded too. Good. Linda left them near the corridor. "Night." Nova smiled. "Night." Vega watched her disappear into the crowd. Then looked at Iris. For several seconds neither spoke. Nova finally said: "You moved closer." Vega smiled. "You asked." "I wanted you closer before I asked." Brenda's smile disappeared into something warmer. "Yeah?" Iris nodded. "Yeah." Brenda touched her hand. "Next time, ask sooner." Nova's white-void eyes widened slightly. Then she smiled. "Okay." A pause. Vega added: "I really fucking like watching you." Iris moved closer. Not enough to make the professional-duo cover strange. Enough for Brenda. "I really fucking like you watching me." There it was. No discovery anymore. No question. A thing they knew about themselves. Together. Then Mandi appeared. She looked at them. Looked toward the private-room corridor. Looked back. "Good?" Nova nodded. "Very." Vega nodded. "Very." Mandi smiled. "Good." She started to walk away. Vega called: "Madame?" Mandi stopped. Slowly turned. Vega smiled. "Your talent had another successful booking." Mandi stared at her. Nova broke first. Mandi pointed at both of them. "I swear to fucking God—" Dalia passed behind her, lollipop between her lips. "Strong management." Mandi spun. "You stay out of this." Dalia kept walking. "Impossible." Vega looked at Nova. Nova looked at Vega. Saturday was nowhere near finished. --- ## Chapter 19 — Your Turn, Sis Saturday was nowhere near finished. Mandi disappeared into the crowd before Vega could find another reason to call her Madame. Dalia followed at a considerably more dignified pace. Bea had reclaimed her place at the bar. Vega and Nova stayed where they were for a moment. Close. Not touching. The Marlow duo again. Iris looked at Brenda. "You meant it." Brenda knew exactly what she meant. "Every word." "You wanted to be closer." "Yes." "I liked that." "I noticed." Nova's white-void eyes narrowed. "Smug." "Very." Iris smiled. Then looked toward the club. Brenda watched the shift happen. Not withdrawal. Not embarrassment. The private moment simply settled. They were still working. Nova looked back at her. "Your turn." Vega raised an eyebrow. "For what?" "Work." "I've worked." "So have I." "More recently." "Technicality." Brenda laughed. Then Iris's expression changed. Only slightly. "Unless you're done." There was no challenge in it. Brenda checked. Actually checked. Tired? Some. Enough to stop? No. Interested? Yes. "Not done." Nova smiled. "Good." Then Brenda caught something else. "You want me to get a booking." Iris's smile became suspiciously controlled. "Maybe." "Why?" "No reason." "Bullshit." Nova looked away. Vega stared at her. Then understood. "Oh." Nova looked back. "What?" Brenda's smile widened. "You want to watch." Iris didn't answer immediately. That was answer enough. Vega laughed. "Seriously?" Nova folded her arms. "You've been watching me." "Because I love watching you." "I know." "And?" Iris held Brenda's gaze. "And apparently I'd like to know." That landed somewhere deeper than Brenda expected. "Know what?" "What it's like from the other side." Brenda went quiet. Iris continued. "Not because I suddenly have your thing." "My thing?" "You know what I mean." "Watching you enjoy yourself?" Nova's mouth moved. "Yes." Brenda smiled. "That's absolutely my thing." "I noticed." "So what do you want?" Iris glanced toward the private-room corridor. Then back. "To watch you." Direct. No joke around it. Brenda felt her own breathing change. "Okay." Nova's smile returned. "Okay?" "Yeah." Then Vega leaned closer. "But I'm choosing the client." Iris laughed. "Obviously." "And you ask." Nova blinked. "What?" "The observer part." That surprised her. Brenda liked that it did. "You asked Linda for me." Iris understood. "You want me to ask your client." "Yes." "Why?" Brenda considered. "Because I want to hear you say you want to watch me." The white void hid Iris's pupils. It did absolutely nothing to hide the rest of her reaction. "Oh." Brenda smiled. "Yeah." Nova moved slightly closer. "Okay." "Okay." Then Mandi appeared beside them. Again. Vega stared down at her. "Do you teleport?" "No." "You keep doing that." "I'm short. You fail to notice me." "Murderbeaver." Mandi froze. Nova made a choking sound. Mandi slowly looked up at Vega. "What did you call me?" Vega's smile became enormous. "Nothing." "I heard it." Dalia arrived behind Mandi. "What happened?" Mandi pointed at Vega. "She called me a fucking murder beaver." Dalia's lollipop stopped. Bea heard from the bar. Turned. Nova folded against Vega. Brenda tried to remain upright. Failed. Dalia looked down at Mandi. Considered her. Mandi saw the calculation. "No." Dalia removed the lollipop. "I said nothing." "Your face did." Bea laughed. Mandi pointed at all of them. "I hate every single one of you." Then she walked away. Dalia watched her go. "Fast little thing." That destroyed what remained of Brenda. --- It took several minutes before Vega was capable of professional interaction again. By then Mandi had deliberately moved to the other side of Lizzie's. Probably wise. The woman who eventually approached Vega had noticed the laughter. That was obvious from her smile. She was tall. Dark-skinned. Close-cropped hair. Maybe mid-thirties. Comfortable clothes rather than corpo display. She stopped in front of Vega. "You always have this much fun at work?" Vega smiled. "Not always." "Shame." "Tonight's been unusually stupid." The woman laughed. "Good stupid?" "Mostly." "I'm Claire." "Vega." "I know." That caught Brenda's attention. Claire saw it. "I've been here a while." "Ah." "And apparently everybody knows the Marlow duo now." Vega closed her eyes briefly. "Madame Mandi?" Claire's smile widened. "Something about a recruitment empire." "Fuck." "I take it that's not accurate." "Not remotely." "Shame. It's a good story." "It is." Claire looked toward Nova. "Partner?" "Nova." Nova gave a small nod. Claire returned it. Then looked back at Vega. "Working?" Brenda took her time. Claire had made her laugh. Hadn't crowded her. Hadn't begun with money. Brenda liked her voice. Liked the way she stood. Liked that she had looked at Nova without treating her as part of the purchase. "Yes." Claire smiled. "How much?" "Eight thousand for the hour." "Okay." Immediate. No bargain. No performance. Vega smiled. "Drink first?" "I was hoping you'd say that." They moved toward the bar. Nova stayed behind. For now. --- Claire drank slowly. So did Vega. They talked. Not about work at first. Claire had been at Lizzie's before. Often enough to know Suzie. Not often enough for Vega to remember seeing her Friday. She asked about the Marlow look. Vega told her the hair was intentional. Claire looked at the black-void eyes. "Those too?" "Very." "They're unsettling." "Thank you." "That was a compliment." "I know." Claire laughed. Brenda liked her more. Then Claire touched Vega's forearm. Lightly. Enough to ask without words. Brenda didn't move away. Claire left her hand there for a moment. Removed it. Good. Across the room Nova was talking with Bea. But Iris kept looking over. Brenda caught her twice. The third time, she smiled. Nova immediately looked elsewhere. Brenda laughed. Claire noticed. "Your working partner checking on you?" Vega looked at Nova. "No." Claire waited. Vega smiled. "She's watching me." Claire followed the glance. Nova looked back this time. Claire turned toward Vega again. "Different thing?" "Very." Something in Brenda warmed at being able to say it. Claire nodded. "Okay." Then Nova approached. Not summoned. Not dragged into it. She stopped beside Vega. Claire smiled at her. "Hi again." "Hi." Vega said nothing. This part belonged to Iris. Nova looked at Claire. "Can I ask you something?" "Sure." Nova glanced at Vega once. Then: "Do you mind if I come with you?" Claire's eyebrows rose slightly. "With us?" "To watch." There. Brenda felt it immediately. Iris had said it. Not _my working partner likes to watch._ Not an established cover script. I want to come. Claire looked at Vega. "You want her there?" Vega smiled. "Yes." Claire looked back at Nova. "You'd only be watching?" "Yes." "Because you want to?" Nova's voice softened. "Very much." Brenda loved hearing it. Claire considered for perhaps two seconds. Then smiled. "Okay." Nova's shoulders changed. Tiny. Enough for Brenda to see. Claire looked between them. "Is this a Marlow thing?" Vega laughed. "Apparently." Nova smiled. "We're still figuring that out." "Fair." Claire lifted her drink. "Then I'm curious." Nova sat beside them. Not intruding. Joining the conversation because now she would share the room. The next fifteen minutes mattered. Claire talked to Iris too. Asked what watching meant. Nova answered honestly. "I'm there to watch Vega enjoy herself." Claire looked at Brenda. "That's specific." "Very." Nova continued: "I'm not there to supervise you." "Good." "If she wants something, she'll tell you." Claire nodded. "And if either of you changes your mind?" "We say so." "Also good." Vega looked at Claire. Still interested. More now. The price had been agreed. The observer had been agreed. The chemistry had survived both conversations. Brenda finished her drink. "Ready?" Claire smiled. "Yes." Nova stood. "Me too." --- Lisa saw them coming. Her eyebrows rose. "Reverse?" Vega laughed. "Apparently." Lisa looked at Claire. "One-hour booking?" Claire nodded. "Yes." "Eight thousand?" "Yes." Lisa looked at Vega. "Accepted?" "Yes." Then at Nova. "Observer?" "Yes." "Vega wants you there?" Brenda answered: "Yes." "Client agreed?" Claire: "Yes." Lisa nodded. "Room two." Then, because Lisa had apparently developed a sense of humor: "Enjoy the research." Nova stared at her. Lisa walked away. Vega laughed. "I like her." Nova muttered: "Everybody's an asshole." "Welcome to my life." --- The door closed behind them. The pulse of Lizzie's softened. Claire looked around. Then at Nova. "Where?" Iris looked at the room. Yesterday Brenda had chosen distance. Tonight Brenda had chosen closer. Iris knew that. She selected the chair. The original distance. Brenda immediately understood. Nova sat. Vega looked at her. "Sure?" Iris nodded. "I want to see it from here first." First. Brenda caught the word. So did Iris. Neither commented. Claire smiled. "You two really are figuring this out." Vega looked at her. "Apparently." Then Claire stepped closer. Brenda's attention moved fully to her. Good. That was important too. This wasn't a demonstration for Iris. Claire had paid eight thousand eddies for an hour with Vega. Brenda had chosen Claire. Wanted Claire. Nova being present didn't make Claire secondary. Claire touched Vega's waist. "Still good?" "Yes." Their first kiss answered the rest. Claire kissed differently from Iris. Different pressure. Different rhythm. Different confidence. Brenda liked it immediately. Her hands moved to Claire's shoulders. Claire drew her closer. The second kiss was deeper. Vega made a quiet sound against her mouth. Then remembered. Not deliberately. Simply became aware of Nova again. Brenda opened her black-void eyes. Iris was watching. Still. Focused. Brenda almost laughed. Not because it was funny. Because now she understood something. The knowledge changed the sensation. Not the desire. Not the consent. The awareness. Iris was watching her enjoy this. And Iris wanted to. Claire noticed Vega's glance. "Good?" Vega looked back at her. "Very." "Want me to stop?" "No." Immediate. Claire smiled. "Good." She kissed her again. Brenda stopped thinking for a while. --- Nova learned quickly that watching Brenda was nothing like being watched by her. Brenda was less still. More openly physical. She touched Claire constantly. Shoulders. Back. Face. She laughed once when Claire found one of Lena's deliberately inconvenient-looking but actually practical closures. "Other side." Claire found it. "That's evil." "Lena." "Who's Lena?" "Someone with opinions." Claire laughed. Fabric shifted. Vega helped. No awkward wrestling. No disappearing camera. Brenda chose what came away and what stayed. She checked herself once automatically. Adjusted one line of the outfit even now. Claire noticed. "You care about that?" "Very much." "Even now?" "Especially now." Nova smiled. That was Brenda. Not Vega. Not entirely. Brenda. Claire kissed her again. The room narrowed. Nova watched. And began to understand. It wasn't the sight alone. It was recognition. She knew Brenda's ordinary reactions. Knew the little inhale when something surprised her. Knew the way her shoulders changed when she stopped thinking. Knew when laughter was cover and when it escaped. Watching somebody else bring those reactions out of her was— Interesting. More than interesting. Nova shifted in the chair. Vega saw. Smiled. Claire followed the glance. "Want her closer?" Vega looked at Iris. This time Brenda answered differently. "Not yet." Iris's white-void eyes widened slightly. Then Nova smiled. "Okay." Brenda liked that too. The choice. She wanted Iris watching from there. For now. Claire turned back to Vega. "What do you want?" Brenda answered. "Come here." Claire did. The next stretch belonged to them. Kissing. Touch. Brenda directing without turning every direction into an instruction. Claire learning her. Vega learning Claire. Nova watching both. Eventually Brenda moved toward the bed. Claire followed. They settled together. Adjusted. Found comfort. Found intent. Then Claire paused. "Still yes?" Vega looked at her. "Still yes." Claire moved closer. Brenda guided her. A final adjustment. Then the decisive distance disappeared. Brenda's breath caught. Claire stopped immediately. Vega's hand tightened against her. "Don't stop." Claire searched her face. "Sure?" "Yes." Then they began moving together. Slowly first. Brenda found the rhythm with her. Claire responded. Changed when Brenda changed. Stayed when Brenda wanted her to stay. Across the room, Iris had gone completely still. Brenda saw her. And this time she didn't merely like knowing. She used it. Held Iris's gaze. Let her see the first wave of pleasure arrive. Let her see Brenda's expression change. Nova inhaled. Vega smiled. There. Now Iris understood. At least part of it. Claire noticed. "She likes watching you." Brenda's voice was less steady than before. "I know." Nova answered from the chair. "Very much." Claire smiled. Then returned all her attention to Vega. Exactly right. The rhythm built. Brenda stopped trying to watch Iris continuously. That wasn't the point. She let herself enjoy Claire. And every time her eyes opened and found Nova still there, something tightened pleasantly through her. Iris stayed. Watched. Learned. Brenda's voice became less controlled. Claire listened to it. Adjusted. Vega gave her what she needed. "Yes." Then: "Stay." And later: "Don't fucking stop." Nova's breathing changed. Brenda heard it. That nearly undid her before Claire did. The peak arrived hard enough to steal the rest of the sentence Brenda had been trying to form. Her body tightened. Her eyes closed. A broken laugh escaped with the first sharp breath. Claire stayed with her. Then Brenda opened her eyes. Iris. Still watching. Nova's white-void eyes were fixed on her. Brenda let her see everything she could. The loss of control. The pleasure. The release. Then the stillness afterward. Claire stayed close. Brenda breathed. Nova didn't move. Finally Vega smiled. "Well?" Iris blinked. Claire laughed softly. Nova found her voice. "Oh." Brenda laughed. "That's what I said." "No, you didn't." "I thought it." Claire looked between them. "Research successful?" Nova's expression changed slowly. "Very." Brenda reached one hand toward her. Not asking her to join the booking. Just asking. Iris stood. Crossed the distance. Took Brenda's hand. Claire watched. Comfortable. Vega squeezed Nova's fingers. "Closer now." Iris smiled. "Yeah." She stayed beside them. Watching. Learning. And this time Brenda understood exactly why she wanted her there. --- The hour didn't end with one climax. It didn't need to rush. Claire and Vega found another rhythm later. Nova remained close. Sometimes seated. Sometimes standing near enough for Brenda to touch her hand. Never participating. Never becoming part of the paid encounter. But no longer pretending she was merely curious either. At one point Claire looked at her. "You really like this." Nova answered without embarrassment. "Apparently I do." Vega laughed. "Welcome to the club." Iris looked at her. "Yours is worse." "Absolutely." "How do you know?" "Experience." Claire laughed. Then kissed Vega again. Nova watched. And stayed. --- When the hour ended, Claire dressed slowly. Vega restored the parts of Lena's outfit that needed restoring. Checked herself in the mirror. Adjusted one line. Then another. Nova noticed. "Seriously?" Vega looked at her reflection. "What?" "Now?" "Especially now." Claire laughed. "I asked the same thing." Vega turned. "And I was right both times." Claire looked at Nova. "She's difficult." Nova smiled. "You have no idea." Claire picked up her jacket. Then looked between them. "That was fun." Vega smiled. "Very." Nova nodded. "Very." Claire looked at Iris. "Would you watch again?" Nova didn't need to think. "Yes." Then Claire looked at Vega. "Would you want her to?" Brenda looked at Iris. "Yes." That answer came just as easily. Claire smiled. "Good." She opened the door. The noise of Lizzie's returned around them. Lisa looked over. Vega nodded. Nova nodded. Claire left after one last smile. The Marlow duo remained near the corridor. For a few seconds neither moved. Then Iris looked at Brenda. "I get it." Brenda smiled. "All of it?" "No." "Good." Iris laughed. "But more." Brenda stepped closer. "Liked it?" Iris's answer was immediate. "Way too fucking much." Brenda's smile widened. "Oh, that's dangerous." "Probably." "And?" Iris looked toward the private room. Then back at Brenda. "And I want to do it again." Brenda touched her hand. "So do I." Mandi's voice arrived from behind them. "I don't want to know." Both turned. Mandi stood there. Black eyes narrowed. Vega smiled. "Nobody asked you, Madame." Mandi sighed. "I walked into that." Nova nodded. "Terrible management." Mandi pointed at them. "One day you're going to run out of jokes." Dalia passed behind her. "No evidence supports that hypothesis." Mandi turned. "Why are you always fucking there?" Dalia removed her lollipop. "Operational oversight." Vega folded. Nova followed. Mandi stared at Mai. "You are enjoying this entirely too much." Dalia's mouth moved by one millimeter. "Unproven." Mandi looked at the ceiling. "Fuck my life." Vega recovered first. "Twenty-five thousand for the hour." Mandi looked at her. Silence. Then Dalia actually laughed. And Saturday kept going. --- ## Chapter 20 — Two Hours Saturday kept going. Mandi went back to work. Actually back to work. No management. No recruitment empire. No commentary from the Marlow duo. That last part almost failed. Ace saw it happen. She was standing near the bar when she caught Brenda looking at her. Vega's black-void eyes gave away absolutely nothing. Her mouth did. It moved. Barely. Nova saw it too. Iris touched two fingers to Brenda's arm. Brenda looked at her. Iris shook her head once. Brenda closed her mouth. Ace stared at both of them. Suspicious. Vega smiled innocently. Nova suddenly found something fascinating elsewhere in the club. Ace waited. Nothing. "Huh." Then she turned away. Behind her, Brenda exhaled. Iris whispered: "Good choice." "That hurt." "I know." And that was the end of it. --- The couple had been watching Mandi for almost twenty minutes. Not continuously. That would have been easier to notice. They talked. Had drinks. Moved once when somebody left two seats together at the bar. But every few minutes one of them looked toward her. First the woman. Then the man. Then both. Ace noticed on the fourth cycle. Mandi noticed immediately. There was a difference. Ace could have wondered what they wanted. Mandi already had a reasonable hypothesis. She didn't approach. They were interested. Interested people could decide what they wanted to do with that interest. Mandi was working. She was also perfectly capable of waiting. The woman was perhaps forty. Dark auburn hair, cut just below her jaw. Tall enough that almost everybody in Mandi's immediate world qualified as tall, but genuinely tall even allowing for that. Her clothes were expensive without advertising the fact. Her partner was a little older. Broad shoulders. Grey beginning at his temples. Relaxed posture. Neither had the nervous energy of people considering something they hadn't discussed. That interested Mandi. The woman caught her looking. Mandi didn't look away. Neither did she. Then the man noticed. The woman said something to him. He smiled. Looked at Mandi. Mandi raised one eyebrow. That did it. They laughed. Not at her. At themselves. Then they came over together. The woman stopped first. "You're Mandi." Mandi smiled. "I am." "I'm Rachel." She indicated the man beside her. "Tom." "Hi." Tom smiled. "Hi." Rachel looked Mandi over openly. Not crudely. No pretending she wasn't doing it. Mandi returned the favor. Rachel noticed. Her smile changed. Good. Tom noticed too. Also good. Rachel asked: "Working?" "Yes." "How much?" "Twenty-five thousand for the hour." No hesitation. Rachel looked at Tom. Tom looked at Rachel. There was the check. Silent. Familiar. Not one asking permission from the other. Both confirming the same answer. Tom looked back at Mandi. "Two hours." Mandi's eyebrows rose slightly. "Fifty thousand." "Yes." Rachel nodded. "Fifty thousand." Mandi smiled. "Okay." The booking existed. Nothing else did yet. She looked toward the bar. "Drink?" Rachel smiled. "Please." Tom nodded. "Definitely." Mandi turned. "Then let's talk." --- Suzie saw the three of them arrive. Her eyes moved from Rachel to Tom. Then to Mandi. Two fingers appeared on the bar. Mandi looked at them. Suzie smiled. Mandi narrowed her black-contact eyes. Suzie's smile became wider. Ace understood. Two hours. Apparently nothing at Lizzie's remained private from Suzie for longer than thirty seconds. Mandi ignored her. Rachel ordered a drink. Tom did the same. Mandi chose something light. Then they found enough space at one end of the bar to talk without having to raise their voices. Rachel looked at Mandi. "Have you worked with couples before?" "Yes." That answer was easy. Tom leaned one elbow against the bar. "Good experience?" "Some very good." Rachel laughed. "And the diplomatic answer means some weren't." Mandi smiled. "People are people." "Fair." Tom looked at Rachel. Rachel nodded almost imperceptibly. Another check. Mandi saw it. "You two do that a lot." Rachel looked at her. "What?" "Check each other." Tom smiled. "Twenty-three years." Mandi blinked. "Together?" "Married for nineteen." Rachel lifted her glass. "He took four years to figure it out." Tom looked offended. "I was being thorough." "You were being slow." "Same result." Mandi laughed. She liked them. That didn't settle anything. But it helped. Rachel looked at her. "What do you need to know?" Direct. Good. Mandi rested against the bar. "What you're actually looking for." Rachel glanced at Tom. This time Tom answered. "Something we do together." "Meaning?" "Neither of us is bringing you along for the other." That was a useful answer. Rachel continued: "We're both interested." "In me?" Rachel's eyes moved deliberately over Mandi again. "Very." Mandi smiled. Tom laughed. "I think that part was obvious." "It was." "Then why ask?" "Because obvious and said aren't the same thing." Tom considered that. "Fair." Mandi took a drink. "What else?" Rachel thought. "We don't want you managing us." Mandi nearly inhaled her drink. She recovered. Barely. Rachel frowned. "Something wrong?" "No." Mandi put the glass down. "Absolutely nothing." Tom looked between them. "We said something?" "No." "You're sure?" "Very." Across the room, Vega saw Mandi's expression. Brenda turned immediately toward Iris. Iris was already looking at her. No. Brenda pressed her lips together. Hard. Mandi did not see this. Fortunately for everybody. Rachel continued. "We know each other. We don't need somebody orchestrating every second." "Good." "But we also don't want you passive." "Also good." Tom added: "If you want something, say it." Mandi nodded. "If I don't want something, I'll say that too." "We'd expect you to." "And either of you can stop anything at any time." Rachel nodded. "So can you." "Yes." Tom lifted his glass. "Sounds uncomplicated." Mandi looked at both of them. "Usually the best kind." They talked longer. Not five minutes. Not a checklist. Rachel wanted to know what Mandi enjoyed about working with couples. Mandi answered honestly enough to matter. Different chemistry. The fact that two people who already knew each other could create something a stranger alone couldn't. Tom asked whether being considerably taller than her was a problem. Mandi looked up at him. Then farther up. Then deliberately farther still. Rachel laughed first. Tom followed. "No," Mandi said. "I cope." "Good." Rachel asked: "Anything you don't like?" Mandi answered. They listened. Tom gave two boundaries of his own. Rachel gave one. Nobody negotiated against them. Nobody treated a boundary as the opening position of a sale. The conversation wandered after that. Music. Night City. A restaurant Rachel hated and Tom inexplicably loved. Mandi discovered that Tom told terrible jokes with complete confidence. Rachel had apparently spent nineteen years suffering them. By the time Mandi finished her drink, the fifty-thousand-eddie booking no longer felt like an agreement between three strangers. They were still strangers. But they knew enough. Mandi looked at Rachel. "Still interested?" Rachel smiled. "Yes." Tom nodded. "Very." Mandi checked herself. Not the booking. Herself. Still interested? Yes. "Then let's go." --- Lisa met them near the corridor. Her eyes moved across the three. "Mandi." "Two hours." "Rate?" "Twenty-five thousand an hour. Fifty thousand total." Lisa looked at Rachel. "Accepted?" "Yes." Tom nodded. "Yes." Lisa looked back at Mandi. "Both clients?" "Yes." "Everybody clear?" Mandi looked first at Rachel. Then Tom. "Yes." Rachel answered: "Yes." Tom: "Yes." Lisa checked the room assignment. "Six." Mandi started toward it. Lisa added: "Two hours." Mandi looked back. "I know how numbers work." Lisa's expression remained perfectly neutral. "Just checking." Mandi stared at her. Lisa walked away. Rachel whispered: "Does everybody here give you shit?" Mandi opened the door. "You have no idea." --- The door closed. Lizzie's became a softened vibration beyond the walls. Rachel looked around the room. Tom looked at Mandi. Mandi looked at both of them. Nobody moved immediately. Good. The conversation at the bar mattered. So did this moment. Talking about wanting something in public was one thing. Standing inside the room where it could actually happen was another. Mandi leaned lightly against the edge of the bed. "Still good?" Rachel answered first. "Yes." Tom nodded. "Yes." Mandi smiled. "Me too." Rachel stepped closer. She stopped in front of Mandi. Close enough that their height difference became almost ridiculous. Mandi looked up. Rachel looked down. "You're tiny." Mandi narrowed her eyes. "You knew that outside." "I did." "And yet you seem surprised." "I think you're somehow smaller in here." Tom laughed. Mandi pointed at him. "Careful." He raised both hands. "I said nothing." Rachel smiled. Then the humor softened. She touched Mandi's cheek. Paused. Mandi turned slightly into the touch. That was enough. Rachel kissed her. Slowly. Mandi responded just as slowly. No performance. No rush to prove the booking was worth fifty thousand eddies. Rachel's hand moved to Mandi's waist. Mandi drew her closer. The second kiss had more certainty in it. Tom stayed where he was. Watching. Not impatient. Mandi noticed. She broke the kiss. Looked at him. "You're very far away." Tom smiled. "I was waiting." "For?" "You." Mandi held out one hand. "Come here." He did. Rachel shifted naturally. Not leaving. Making room. Tom stopped close to Mandi. She looked from him to Rachel. There. Three people. Not a couple plus an accessory. Not Mandi servicing two separate bookings in one room. One encounter. Rachel understood first. Her hand remained at Mandi's waist. Tom touched Mandi's shoulder. Paused. Mandi nodded. His hand settled there. Mandi smiled. "Better." Tom leaned down. Mandi met him halfway. His kiss was different. Rachel had been exploratory. Tom was gentler than his size suggested. Mandi liked the contrast. When the kiss ended, Rachel was still touching her. Mandi looked at her. Rachel smiled. "Good?" Mandi answered: "Very." Then she kissed Rachel again. Tom's hand remained warm against her shoulder. The first several minutes unfolded that way. No urgency. One person entering the moment, then the other. Hands asking before assuming. Kisses changing shape. Mandi directing when she wanted something different. Rachel laughing once when Mandi physically turned her by the hips. "Bossy." Mandi smiled. "You complained about management." Rachel froze. Mandi froze. Tom looked between them. Rachel started laughing. Mandi closed her eyes. "Fuck." "What?" "Nothing." Rachel was laughing harder now despite having no idea why. Mandi shook her head. "No. Absolutely not. Moving on." Tom smiled. "I feel like there's a story." "There isn't." "There definitely is." Mandi kissed him before he could continue. Effective. --- Clothing changed gradually. Not all at once. Mandi noticed every part of hers. Of course she did. Lena had designed this version of her work wardrobe to be looked at. Mandi knew exactly what remained visible when one fastening released. Exactly how the silhouette changed when another piece moved. Exactly what Rachel was looking at when her attention dropped. Mandi smiled. Rachel caught it. "What?" "You like the outfit." "I really like the outfit." "I noticed." Tom looked at Rachel. "She hasn't been subtle." Rachel ignored him. Mandi didn't. "You like it too." Tom smiled. "I wasn't trying to be subtle." "Good answer." Mandi adjusted one strap. Deliberately. Rachel watched. That was part of the pleasure too. Not merely being undressed. Choosing the presentation even while it changed. Mandi reached for Rachel next. Rachel let her. Tom helped when Rachel asked him to. Nothing automatic. Nothing assumed because they were married. That mattered to Mandi. They still asked each other. Even after twenty-three years. Especially after twenty-three years. Eventually the three of them reached the bed. Sat first. Still talking. Still touching. Mandi between them for a while. Then not. Positions changed because somebody wanted something else. Not because there was a script. Rachel kissed Mandi while Tom touched her. Mandi broke away long enough to say: "Slower." Tom changed immediately. "That?" Mandi breathed. "Yes." Rachel smiled against her cheek. Mandi looked at her. "Don't look so pleased with yourself." "I haven't done anything." "Exactly." Rachel laughed. Then did. Time stopped behaving normally. --- The decisive change came later. Not accidentally. Not hidden between paragraphs. Rachel was beside Mandi. Tom close. Mandi had already stopped thinking about whether they were clients. Not because they weren't. Because the professional structure had done its job. Price agreed. Boundaries known. Choices still active. Everything after that could simply be wanted. Tom looked at Mandi. "Still want to?" Mandi knew exactly what he meant. She checked herself. Yes. Then looked at Rachel. Not for permission. For inclusion. Rachel understood. "You want this?" Mandi smiled. "Yes." Rachel touched her face. "Then yes." Mandi looked back at Tom. "Come here." They adjusted together. No disappearing transition. Mandi chose the position. Changed it once. Tom followed. Rachel stayed close enough that Mandi could feel her beside her. At the final moment Tom stopped. Mandi looked at him. "Yes." He moved closer. The last distance disappeared. Mandi's breath caught. Her eyes closed. Tom stopped immediately. Mandi's hand tightened against him. Rachel touched her gently. "Mandi?" Black eyes opened. Mandi breathed once. Twice. Then smiled. "Don't stop." Tom searched her expression. "Sure?" "Very." Only then did movement begin. Slow. Controlled. Mandi set the first rhythm. Tom followed it. Rachel remained beside her. Kissing her. Touching her. Part of the moment rather than watching from outside it. Mandi reached for her. Rachel came closer. That changed everything. The rhythm continued. Three people adapting to each other. Mandi's voice became less playful. More immediate. "Yes." Then: "Stay there." Tom stayed. Rachel kissed her again. Mandi broke the kiss with a sharp breath. "Fuck." Rachel smiled. "Good?" Mandi looked at her. "Very." Then the room narrowed further. No club. No jokes. No other four women working somewhere beyond the walls. Just Rachel. Tom. Mandi. And enough time that nobody needed to hurry. --- Much later, Rachel was lying beside her. Tom had gone to get water from the small room cooler. Mandi was staring at the ceiling. Rachel turned her head. "Still good?" Mandi laughed softly. "Very." "Good." Tom returned with three bottles. He handed one to Mandi. She drank half of it immediately. Tom sat. "We've used an hour?" Mandi looked toward the time display. A little over. Rachel smiled. "Good." Mandi looked at her. "Good?" "We booked two." Tom lay back beside them. "Would've been embarrassing to finish early." Mandi laughed. "Twenty-three years and that's your best material?" Rachel sighed. "You see what I live with." "I do." Tom looked offended. "She married me." "After four years." "Thorough." "Slow." Mandi laughed again. The first hour settled around them. Warm skin. Water. Conversation. Nobody rushing to manufacture a second act simply because they had paid for one. That mattered too. Rachel traced one finger lightly along Mandi's arm. "You want to keep going?" Mandi turned toward her. There was no professional reason she had to answer yes. The time had been bought. Her consent had not. She smiled. "Yes." Tom looked at her. "Same?" Mandi thought about it. Then shook her head. "No." Rachel's eyebrows rose. "What do you want?" Mandi's smile changed. "Something different." --- The second hour belonged more to Rachel. Not exclusively. But enough that the balance changed. Mandi chose that. Rachel checked anyway. Tom checked too. Then they found another shape. Another rhythm. Different from the first. More laughter at the beginning. Less once they settled into it. Mandi discovered Rachel liked being told exactly what Mandi wanted. Rachel discovered Mandi was very good at doing that. Tom discovered that sometimes the correct contribution was to wait until somebody reached for him. Nobody mistook waiting for exclusion. Nobody mistook participation for entitlement. The room kept changing. Mandi remained at the center of her own choices. And when pleasure began building again, it came differently. Slower. Layered. Rachel noticed first. Her voice softened. "There?" Mandi nodded. "Yes." Rachel stayed. Tom watched Mandi's face. Mandi caught him. "Don't you dare stop." He smiled. "Wasn't planning to." "Good." Rachel laughed quietly. Then Mandi stopped having spare attention for either joke. The rise took its time. No sudden jump. No summary. Mandi's breathing changed. Her hands became less deliberate. The confidence remained. Control didn't. Not completely. She wanted that too. Rachel stayed exactly where Mandi had asked. Tom did the same. Mandi's eyes closed. Opened. Found Rachel. Then Tom. Then closed again. The release arrived gradually until suddenly it wasn't gradual at all. Mandi went still. A sharp sound escaped her. Then another. Rachel stayed close. Tom didn't change anything. Mandi held on through the peak. Then slowly softened. Nobody moved. Stillness again. Longer this time. Mandi breathed. Rachel rested her forehead against hers. Tom's hand remained where Mandi had left it. Eventually Mandi opened her eyes. Rachel smiled. "Hi." Mandi laughed weakly. "Hi." Tom asked: "Still good?" Mandi turned her head. "Ask me something difficult." He smiled. "Restaurant recommendations?" "Fuck off." Rachel laughed. The room became ordinary again by degrees. --- They used nearly all of the two hours. Not because anybody watched the clock. Because nobody had needed to. Eventually clothes returned. Mandi restored her outfit carefully. Rachel watched her do it. Again. Mandi caught her. "Still?" Rachel smiled. "Still." Tom adjusted his jacket. "I understand." "You weren't supposed to." "I've had two hours." "Fair." Rachel stepped close to Mandi. No assumption. She waited. Mandi smiled and kissed her. Then Tom. Warm. Unhurried. Done. Rachel looked at Mandi. "Fifty thousand well spent." Mandi laughed. "I'll take that." Tom nodded toward the door. "Would you work with us again?" Mandi didn't give them a professional non-answer. "Yes." Rachel smiled. "Good." Mandi opened the door. Lizzie's came back all at once. Music. Voices. Movement. Lisa looked toward them. Her eyes went to Mandi first. Mandi nodded. Good. Rachel nodded too. Tom followed. Good. No drama. No story for security. Exactly how it should be. Rachel touched Mandi's arm once. "Night." "Night." Tom smiled. "Night, Mandi." "Night." They disappeared together into the club. Mandi stayed near the corridor for a moment. Two hours. Fifty thousand eddies. And, more importantly, a booking she would happily take again. She headed toward the bar. Vega and Nova were there. So was Bea. Dalia leaned against the counter with another menthol lollipop. Four faces turned toward Mandi. Mandi stopped. Waited. Vega opened her mouth. Nova looked at her. Vega closed it. Mandi narrowed her eyes. Nothing. Bea smiled. Nothing. Dalia removed her lollipop. Mandi pointed at her. "Don't." Mai's expression remained perfectly calm. "I was going to ask whether you wanted water." Mandi considered. "Oh." Dalia slid a bottle across the bar. Mandi took it. "Thanks." "Good booking?" Mandi drank. Then smiled. "Very." That was all. No punchline. No management. No Madame. Dalia's millimeter smile appeared. "Good." Mandi looked at the others. Vega smiled. Nova smiled. Bea smiled. And for once, every single one of them had the survival instinct to leave it there. Mandi took another drink. Saturday continued. --- ## Chapter 21 — Five Professionals Saturday continued. Mandi finished half the bottle of water. Then she looked around. "Where's Lisa?" Bea pointed toward the entrance. "Why?" "I want to know how much longer we're staying." Vega looked offended. "We're professionals." Mandi looked at her. "Yes." Nova nodded solemnly. "Highly trained." "Sure." "Disciplined." "Obviously." Bea joined in. "Focused." Mandi stared at all three. Dalia slowly removed the menthol lollipop from her mouth. "Efficient." Mandi turned toward her. "You too?" Mai's face remained perfectly composed. "I was supporting your assessment." "No, you weren't." "No." Mandi sighed. Suzie put another bottle of water on the bar. Mandi looked at it. Then at Suzie. Suzie said: "Hydration." "Why does that sound threatening?" "Experience." Mandi took the bottle. "Fine." Suzie looked at the five women occupying an increasingly ridiculous amount of her bar. "Also, some of you could consider working." Five heads turned toward her. Suzie stared back. "This is still a business." Vega pointed toward the private-room corridor. "She just did two hours." Suzie looked at Mandi. "Congratulations." Mandi closed her eyes. Nova said: "I did an hour." Vega: "So did I." Bea raised one hand. "Two." Dalia sucked thoughtfully on her lollipop. Suzie looked at her. Dalia said: "One." Suzie considered the numbers. Then nodded. "Fine." Mandi looked at her. "Fine?" "Strong quarter." Mandi pointed at the door. "I'm leaving." Suzie laughed. "No, you're not." Mandi looked at the others. Nobody helped. Traitors. Every one of them. --- They did work. That was the absurd part. For all the laughter, the drinks, the interruptions, the private jokes and the occasional moments when five highly capable women collectively possessed the maturity of unsupervised teenagers— they worked. Dalia was approached first. The man knew what he wanted. More importantly, he knew how to ask. "Working?" Dalia looked at him. Mai took perhaps three seconds. Interested. "Yes." "How much?" "Twenty-five thousand for the hour." He nodded. "One hour." "Twenty-five thousand." "Accepted." Dalia smiled. "Then buy me a drink." He did. They stayed at the bar afterward. Talked. Dalia asked questions. He answered without trying to impress her. When he touched her hand, he waited for her to leave it there. She did. Ten minutes later they were still talking. Fifteen. Mandi passed them once on her way back from the restroom. Dalia looked at her. Mandi looked at Dalia. The man looked between them. "You know each other?" Dalia put the lollipop back between her lips. "Unfortunately." Mandi stopped. "You bitch." The man laughed. Dalia's expression did not change. Mandi kept walking. Comedy survived. --- Bea declined a client. Not because anything was wrong with him. She simply wasn't interested. "Working?" "Yes." "How much?" "Twenty-five thousand for the hour." "Okay." Bea studied him for another moment. Then shook her head. "No." He blinked. "But I said okay." "I know." "You just said you're working." "I am." He looked genuinely confused rather than angry. Bea smiled. "That means you can ask. It doesn't mean I have to say yes." He thought about that. Then nodded. "Fair." "Thank you." He left. Vega had watched the entire exchange. She looked at Bea. "What was wrong with him?" "Nothing." "Nothing?" "Nothing." "Then why no?" Elisa shrugged. "Didn't want him." Brenda smiled slowly. "Oh." Bea looked at her. "What?" "Nothing." "That's twice tonight somebody has said nothing while obviously meaning something." Nova appeared beside Vega. "It's contagious." Bea pointed at both of them. "Go work." Vega smiled. "Yes, ma'am." Bea stared at her. Brenda wisely departed. --- Nova got approached next. A man. Late twenties. Nervous. Very nervous. He stopped approximately two meters away from her. Nova waited. He opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. "Are you—" He stopped. Nova smiled. "Am I what?" His eyes briefly flicked toward her white-void contacts. Then her chrome-and-gold hair. Then somewhere safely above her shoulder. "Working?" "Yes." He visibly relaxed. "Okay." Nova waited. He waited. Nothing happened. After several seconds Iris tilted her head. "There's another question." "Oh." He swallowed. "Right." A pause. "How much?" "Eight thousand for the hour." His eyes widened. Not in horror. In calculation. Nova waited. He looked down. Then back up. "Okay." "Okay what?" He blinked. Nova's expression stayed kind. "Eight thousand for an hour?" "Yes." "You're accepting?" "Oh. Yes. Sorry. Yes." Nova smiled. "Good." He exhaled. Then said: "I've never done this." There. That changed the conversation. Not negatively. Just honestly. Nova's posture softened. "Never hired a joytoy?" He shook his head. "No." "Never been to Lizzie's?" "Twice." "Okay." He looked around. "Am I doing this badly?" Nova smiled. "You're doing fine." "Really?" "You asked." "Eventually." "You accepted the price." "Eventually." "You haven't touched me." His hands immediately moved farther from her. Nova laughed. "You don't have to hold them behind your back." He looked down at his hands. Then laughed too. Good. That helped. "What's your name?" "Evan." "I'm Nova." "I know." "Good start." Evan smiled. Then looked toward the private-room corridor. The nervousness returned. Nova noticed. "We don't have to go anywhere yet." "We don't?" "No." "But the hour—" "Hasn't started." He stared at her. "Oh." Nova smiled. "Drink?" "Please." --- Vega found Iris twenty minutes later. Still at the bar with Evan. Still talking. Brenda slowed. Evan saw her. Looked at Nova. Then at Vega. "Partner?" Nova smiled. "Vega." Brenda waved. "Hi." "Hi." Evan looked suddenly alarmed. Brenda recognized it. She stopped farther away. "Relax. I'm not coming with you." Nova's white-void eyes moved toward her. Brenda smiled. Not this time. That was important too. The observer dynamic was theirs. Not mandatory. Not every booking. Not something that turned the Marlow duo into a package. Iris understood immediately. Her smile warmed. Evan looked between them. "Coming with us?" Nova shook her head. "No." "Oh." Then, because apparently his brain had decided honesty was the only available strategy: "Is that a thing?" Vega laughed. Nova covered her mouth. Evan went red. "I didn't mean—" "It's okay," Nova said. Vega leaned against the bar. "Sometimes." Evan looked at her. "Sometimes what?" Nova answered. "Sometimes one of us watches." His eyes widened. Vega added: "With everybody's permission." "Oh." He absorbed that. Then: "But not tonight." Nova looked at him. "Not unless I ask you and you say yes." Evan considered. Then looked at Vega. Then back at Nova. "I don't think I could survive that." Brenda laughed. Hard. Nova followed. Even Evan started laughing. Vega raised both hands. "Excellent. Decision made." She walked away. Behind her Evan said: "Your working partner is terrifying." Nova answered: "You get used to it." Brenda called over her shoulder: "Liar." --- Dalia eventually left with her client. Lisa performed the room check. "One hour?" "Yes." "Twenty-five thousand?" "Yes." "Accepted?" The man nodded. "Yes." Lisa looked at Dalia. Mai nodded. "Yes." "Room five." Dalia started away. Lisa looked at the lollipop. Dalia stopped. Slowly removed it. Lisa held out one hand. Mai stared at her. Lisa waited. Dalia placed the lollipop in her palm. "Evidence." Lisa looked at it. "Biohazard." Mandi, unfortunately, was close enough to hear. She made a noise. Dalia looked at her. Mandi turned the noise into a cough. "Nothing." Mai's eyes narrowed. Mandi immediately walked away. Lisa looked at the lollipop. Then at Dalia. "You want this back?" "No." "Smart." Dalia went into room five. Lisa dropped the lollipop into a bin. --- Vega was laughing when the next client approached her. This time a man perhaps fifty. Neat clothes. Calm manner. He waited until she finished laughing. "Vega?" "Yes?" "Working?" Brenda looked at him. Something about him clicked immediately. Not attraction alone. Ease. "Yes." "How much?" "Eight thousand for the hour." He nodded. "Eight thousand. Accepted." Better. Vega smiled. "Name?" "Michael." "Drink first, Michael?" "I'd like that." "Good." They moved toward the bar. No observer discussion. No rush. Just another booking beginning properly. Nova saw them. Smiled once at Brenda. Then returned her full attention to Evan. The working partners were working separately. Together when they wanted. Apart when they wanted. Exactly as they should. --- Mandi was free. For approximately four minutes. Then a woman stopped in front of her. "Working?" Mandi looked at her. Tall. Again. Ace looked toward the ceiling. The woman frowned. "What?" "Nothing." "Did I do something?" "No." Mandi looked back at her. "I'm beginning to suspect the universe has a type." The woman laughed. "I have no idea what that means." "Good." Mandi looked at her properly. Interested. "Yes. I'm working." "How much?" "Twenty-five thousand for the hour." "Okay." Mandi waited. The woman smiled. "Twenty-five thousand. One hour. Accepted." Mandi's smile appeared. "Excellent." "I'm Sophie." "Mandi." "I know." "Apparently everybody does tonight." Sophie looked toward the bar. "Drink?" Mandi nodded. "Absolutely." They started walking. Halfway there Sophie asked: "Do you always look that suspicious when someone hires you?" "No." "Good." "Sometimes I look worse." Sophie laughed. Mandi liked her already. --- The five women moved through Lizzie's on separate trajectories. Dalia behind a closed door with a client she'd chosen. Vega at the bar learning Michael. Nova still patiently dismantling Evan's nerves. Mandi laughing with Sophie. Bea eating something Suzie had put in front of her while deciding whether she wanted another booking at all. No formation. No supervision. No leader. No recruitment operation. Five professionals. Suzie stood behind the bar and watched the whole ridiculous machine somehow function. Lisa returned from the corridor. "Everything quiet." Suzie nodded toward the room. "Give it five minutes." Lisa looked. "Which one?" Suzie considered. Then shook her head. "Impossible to predict." Bea heard her. "Hey." Suzie looked at her. "What?" "We're doing fine." "You are." "Then why five minutes?" Suzie smiled. "Experience." Bea narrowed her eyes. Then somebody behind her asked: "Bea?" Elisa closed her eyes. Suzie laughed. Bea turned. "Yes?" The woman smiled. "Working?" Elisa looked back at Suzie. Suzie raised both hands. "I said nothing." Bea turned back to the woman. Studied her. Then smiled. "Yes." "How much?" "Twenty-five thousand for the hour." The woman nodded. "Accepted." Bea's smile widened. "Then let's talk." Suzie watched them move a little farther down the bar. Lisa stood beside her. For several seconds neither said anything. Then Lisa asked: "Five minutes?" Suzie looked toward Mandi. Toward Nova. Toward Vega. Toward the corridor where Dalia had disappeared. Then at Bea. "Three." Lisa nodded. "Fair." They waited. Exactly two minutes and forty-one seconds later, a burst of Mandi's laughter carried across Lizzie's. Suzie looked at Lisa. Lisa looked at Suzie. "Does that count?" Suzie considered. "No." "Why not?" "Nobody's running." "Good standard." "Years of refinement." Across the room, Mandi laughed again. Saturday kept going. And somehow— against all available evidence— the professionals remained professional. --- ## Chapter 22 — Apparently This Is Normal Evan was still nervous. Less nervous. But definitely nervous. Nova had learned the difference. At first he had been nervous about everything. Lizzie's. Her. The price. The fact that he had actually said yes. The private rooms. Probably breathing. Now he was only nervous about what came next. Progress. They had finished their drinks. Nova put hers down. Evan immediately noticed. "Is it time?" Iris smiled. "Do you want it to be?" He thought about that. Actually thought. "Yes." "Then yes." He nodded. Then stood. Too quickly. His knee hit the underside of the table. Hard. "Fuck." Nova winced. "You okay?" "Yes." He sat down again. Held his knee. "No." Iris covered her mouth. "I'm sorry." "You're laughing." "I'm trying not to." "That's worse." "It probably is." Evan started laughing. That fixed more than another ten minutes of careful conversation would have. He stood again. Slowly. Nova stood with him. "Better?" "My dignity is dead." "Good." He blinked. "What?" "One less thing to worry about." Evan stared at her. Then laughed again. "Okay." Nova smiled. "Come on." --- Lisa saw them. "Nova." "One hour." Lisa looked at Evan. "Eight thousand?" He nodded. "Yes." "Accepted?" "Yes." Lisa looked at Nova. "Good?" "Good." Then Lisa looked back at Evan. "First time?" His eyes widened. "How the hell did you know?" Lisa's expression didn't move. "Professional instinct." Nova looked away. Lisa continued: "Room three." Evan nodded. "Okay." Lisa looked at his knee. "Try not to fight the furniture." Nova lost it. Evan stared at Lisa. "She told you?" "No." Lisa walked away. Evan looked at Nova. "How?" Iris was laughing too hard to answer. --- Room three was quiet. The door closed. Evan stood just inside it. Nova walked farther in. Then realized he hadn't followed. She turned. "You can come in." "I am in." "Technically." He looked around. Bed. Chair. Small table. Water. Nothing particularly threatening. His brain apparently disagreed. Nova didn't approach him. "What's happening in your head?" Evan gave her a helpless smile. "Everything." "Useful." "I know." "Pick one." He breathed out. Then: "I don't want to be bad at this." Iris's expression softened. "At what?" He gestured vaguely. "This." "Sex?" His face went red. "Among other things." Nova leaned against the table. "Evan." "Yeah?" "You hired me for an hour." "I know." "Not to grade you." That stopped him. Nova continued: "I'm not expecting you to perform." "Okay." "And I'm not expecting you to know what I want before I tell you." "Okay." "And if you don't know what you want, you can tell me that too." He nodded. Then looked at her. "What do you want?" Better. Nova smiled. "Right now?" "Yeah." "Come closer." He did. Slowly. Stopped too far away. Nova held out her hand. He looked at it. Then took it. She drew him the rest of the distance. "There." Evan breathed. "Okay." "Still want to be here?" "Yes." "Good." Nova kissed him. Briefly. Then stopped. Evan's eyes opened. Iris smiled. "Still alive?" "Apparently." "Good sign." He laughed. Then surprised her. "Can I kiss you?" Nova's smile changed. "Yes." The second kiss was his. Still cautious. But his. Better. Much better. --- Across Lizzie's, Vega had discovered that Michael was dangerous. Not physically. Conversationally. He was funny. Quietly funny. The worst kind. He waited until Brenda had taken a drink before saying: "So Nova is the newer member of the duo?" Brenda swallowed. "More experienced." Michael nodded. "How much?" Vega stared at him. "What?" "How much more experienced?" "Oh." "That sounded bad." "Very." Michael laughed. Brenda pointed at him. "You're trouble." "I've been called worse." "Recently?" "This morning." "Promising." Michael smiled. They had been talking for nearly half an hour. No urgency. Eight thousand already agreed. Neither cared. Brenda liked that. Michael looked toward the corridor Nova had disappeared into. "She seems nice." "She is." "You seem less nice." Vega stared at him. Michael took a drink. Brenda slowly smiled. "I like you." "Good." "That wasn't necessarily a compliment." "I'll take the risk." He touched her hand. Brenda let him. "Ready?" Michael asked. Vega considered. Then nodded. "Yeah." They stood. Michael looked at the chair. Then at Vega. "Should I avoid that?" Brenda frowned. "What?" "Apparently furniture is attacking clients tonight." She followed his gaze. Then realized he had seen Evan. Brenda started laughing. "You're an asshole." "Still coming with me?" "Absolutely." --- Mandi had a problem. Sophie knew exactly how funny she was. That was unacceptable. "You keep looking at my hair." Mandi touched the neon-orange ChromeLock. "It's difficult not to." "Good." "Do you choose it?" "Yes." "Every time?" Mandi paused. Interesting question. "For this identity." Sophie caught the wording. "Identity?" "Presentation." "Ah." Close. Mandi smiled. Sophie didn't push. Also good. Instead she looked at Mandi's black contacts. "And those?" "Also intentional." "They make you look dangerous." Mandi smiled. "I am dangerous." Sophie laughed. "No, seriously." "I was serious." Sophie studied her. Then smiled. "I believe you." That was somehow funnier. Mandi took another drink. Sophie leaned closer. "Twenty-five thousand buys an hour." "Correct." "Does it buy answers?" "Depends on the question." "Real name?" "No." Immediate. Sophie nodded. "Fair." "Real hair color?" Mandi considered. "No." "That wasn't an answer." "It was exactly an answer." Sophie laughed. "Age?" Mandi smiled. "Old enough to charge twenty-five thousand." "Very professional." "Thank you." "Height?" Mandi stared at her. Sophie started laughing before Mandi said anything. "No." "You don't know?" "I know." "Then?" "Classified." Sophie laughed harder. Mandi narrowed her eyes. "This booking is deteriorating." "We haven't even gone anywhere." "Exactly." "Want to cancel?" Mandi looked at her. Sophie wasn't joking now. Good. "No." "Still interested?" "Yes." Sophie smiled. "Me too." Mandi finished her drink. "Then before you ask any more classified questions, let's go." --- Bea's new client was named Anna. Anna was uncomplicated. Elisa appreciated uncomplicated. They had agreed on twenty-five thousand eddies for one hour. Then spent ten minutes arguing about music. Not seriously. But with commitment. "That song is terrible." Anna looked offended. "It's a classic." "It's six minutes of somebody abusing a synthesizer." "That's why it's good." "No." "You're wrong." "I'm charging you twenty-five thousand and you're spending the hour insulting my taste." Anna smiled. "Worth it." Elisa laughed. "Okay. I like you." "Finally." "Don't get confident." "Too late." Anna leaned closer. "Room?" Bea considered. "Room." They stood. Suzie watched them go. "Music?" Bea looked back. "Don't." Suzie smiled. "I said nothing." "You were going to." "Probably." Anna looked between them. "Does everyone here know everyone?" Bea sighed. "Unfortunately." Suzie called after her: "Have fun." Bea raised one hand without turning. Anna laughed. "This place is weird." "Yes." "You like it." Elisa smiled. "Yes." --- Dalia returned first. One hour almost exactly. The door opened. Her client came out beside her. Relaxed. Smiling. He touched Dalia's arm. "Again sometime?" Mai considered him. Then nodded. "Yes." His smile widened. "Good." He left. Dalia remained. Lisa looked at her. "Good?" "Yes." "Client good?" "Yes." "Room good?" Mai looked at her. Lisa waited. "Yes." "Excellent." Dalia held out her hand. Lisa looked at it. "What?" "My lollipop." Lisa stared. "I threw it away." Mai's face went completely still. Lisa looked back. Dalia's hand remained extended. "Mox policy." Mai said nothing. Lisa's confidence began to weaken. "It was in your mouth." Still nothing. "Then in my hand." Nothing. "Then in the trash." Dalia lowered her hand. Slowly. Lisa swallowed. Mai reached into a small pocket. Produced another menthol lollipop. Unwrapped it. Put it in her mouth. Walked away. Lisa watched her. Suzie had seen everything. "She has spares." Lisa looked at her. "Apparently." "You looked scared." "I wasn't." Suzie smiled. "Sure." Lisa stared toward Dalia. "How many does she have?" Suzie shrugged. "Classified." --- Nova had stopped thinking about Evan's nerves. Because Evan had. That was the important part. They had spent enough time kissing that he no longer looked like he expected an examination afterward. He touched her carefully. Asked when uncertain. Listened when she answered. Once, Nova moved his hand herself. "Here." He nodded. "Okay." Then remembered. "Better?" "Much." He smiled. There. Confidence. Not performance. Not swagger. Just confidence that asking wasn't failure. They moved toward the bed eventually. No rush. Evan sat first. Nova beside him. He looked at her. "I still can't believe I'm doing this." "Want to stop?" "No." Immediate. Iris smiled. "Then believe it later." He laughed. Nova kissed him again. The next progression happened naturally. Clothing changed. Nova guided. Evan followed. When uncertainty returned, they talked. When desire returned, they followed that instead. Eventually they settled together. Closer. The humor faded. Not because anything became solemn. Because attention replaced it. Nova touched his face. "Still yes?" "Yes." "You?" Evan asked. Iris smiled. "Yes." They adjusted together. Found the position. Nova changed one thing. "Like this." "Okay." Then the final pause. Evan looked at her. Nova nodded. "Yes." The distance disappeared. Nova inhaled sharply. Evan stopped. "Okay?" Iris breathed. Checked. Then smiled. "Yes." "Sure?" "Yes." She touched his shoulder. "Slow." He moved. Slowly. Nova's eyes closed for a moment. Opened again. "Good." Evan exhaled. Some last piece of tension left him. They found the rhythm together. No performance. No test. Just two people paying attention. Nova guided when she wanted change. Evan listened. When he asked: "Like that?" she answered honestly. "No. Slower." He slowed. "There." Better. "Yes." The white-void eyes made her impossible to read from a distance. Evan wasn't at a distance. He learned her another way. Voice. Breath. Hands. The way she pulled him closer when she wanted more. The way she became still when something was exactly right. Iris realized she liked that too. Being learned. Not assumed. The pleasure built slowly. She didn't look for Brenda. Brenda wasn't here. That mattered. This was hers. A Nova booking. Not Marlow observer research. Not something shared. Just Iris choosing someone and enjoying him. When the first peak arrived, Evan noticed before she said anything. He stopped changing. Stayed. Nova's breath caught. "Yes." He stayed. Her hands tightened. The rise finished. Then broke. Iris went still. A soft sound escaped her. Then she breathed. Again. Again. Evan waited. Nova opened her eyes. He looked worried. She smiled. "That was good." His face transformed. "Really?" Nova laughed. "Don't ruin it." "Sorry." She pulled him down and kissed him. --- Vega and Michael passed Nova's door on their way to room one. They heard nothing. Of course. Soundproof. Michael looked at the numbered door. "Your working partner?" "No idea." "Fair." Lisa stopped them. "One hour?" Michael nodded. "Yes." "Eight thousand?" "Accepted." Lisa looked at Vega. "Good?" "Very." "Observer?" Brenda shook her head. "Not this one." Lisa nodded. No reaction. Exactly right. "Room one." Michael looked at Vega. "Not this one?" Brenda smiled. "You heard about that." "Hard not to." Vega stopped. "Problem?" Michael considered. Then shook his head. "No." "Curious?" "Extremely." Brenda laughed. "Maybe another time." Michael's eyebrows rose. "There's going to be another time?" Vega opened the door. "Don't get confident." He followed her inside. --- Mandi and Sophie arrived next. Lisa looked at Mandi. "One hour?" "Yes." "Twenty-five thousand?" Sophie answered: "Accepted." Lisa looked at Mandi. "Good?" Mandi nodded. "Good." Lisa checked. "Room four." Sophie looked toward it. Then at Mandi. "Ready?" Mandi smiled. "Yes." They started away. Then Sophie said: "I still want to know your height." Mandi stopped. Lisa looked down. Very slowly. At Mandi. Ace saw it. "No." Lisa looked away. "I didn't say anything." "You thought something." "I don't have jurisdiction over thoughts." Sophie laughed. Mandi pointed at the room. "Inside. Now." "Bossy." "Move." Sophie went. Lisa waited until the door closed. Then looked toward Suzie. Suzie was already laughing. Lisa called: "How tall is she?" From behind the bar: "Classified." --- Five minutes later Bea and Anna entered room seven. For the first time that evening, all five joytoys were behind closed doors at the same time. Suzie noticed. Lisa noticed. They stood at the bar. Looked toward the corridor. Seven doors. Five occupied by the same ridiculous extended social orbit. Silence. Lisa said: "Huh." Suzie nodded. "Huh." Another silence. "Quiet," Lisa said. Suzie immediately looked at her. Lisa realized. "Oh, fuck." "Why would you say that?" "I didn't mean—" "You never say that." "I know." "You work security." "I know." "You should know better." Lisa looked toward the doors. Nothing happened. Ten seconds. Twenty. Thirty. Lisa relaxed. "See?" Suzie stared at her. "You're making it worse." "Nothing is happening." "Stop talking." A minute passed. Then Lisa's comm pinged. She looked down. Suzie closed her eyes. "What?" Lisa read it. Then looked toward room four. Suzie followed her gaze. "Mandi?" Lisa shook her head. "No." Suzie blinked. "Then?" Lisa looked at the message again. "Room three." "Nova?" "Yes." Suzie straightened. "What happened?" Lisa listened to the comm. Then her expression changed. Not alarm. Confusion. "What?" Suzie waited. Lisa touched the comm. "Repeat that." Another pause. Then Lisa slowly looked at Suzie. "Evan wants to know if the room has an ice pack." Suzie stared. "For what?" Lisa listened. Then: "His knee." Suzie's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. "The chair?" "Table." Suzie folded over the bar. Lisa covered her face. Inside room three, Nova's laughter was faintly visible only as a vibration on the room-status audio meter. Lisa looked at it. Then at Suzie. "Apparently this is normal." Suzie wiped her eyes. "No." She looked toward the corridor. "With these people?" Another burst registered on the meter. Suzie smiled. "Apparently." --- “Mine.” “Of course.” --- Sera reached for Panam again. This time Panam came without making her ask. Sera's smile changed. Smaller. Warmer. Panam noticed. “Don't get sentimental.” “Wouldn't dream of it.” “Liar.” “Yes.” Panam kissed her. --- Jack B remained where Panam had left him. Close enough to be included. Far enough that Panam still controlled the distance. When she separated from Sera, she looked at him. “You're still being annoyingly patient.” “I was told that's usually considered a virtue.” “Not today.” He smiled. “Good to know.” --- Panam caught his shirt again and pulled him closer. Their second kiss had nothing experimental about it. The red paint answered before Panam could pretend otherwise. Gold spread through it. Sera watched. Panam knew. That mattered more than she had expected. --- When Panam looked back, Sera was openly enjoying herself. “You like this.” Sera nodded. “Yes.” “Watching me.” “Yes.” Panam glanced at Jack B. Then back at Sera. “That's unfairly hot.” Sera's hair lifted. “Good.” --- Jack A leaned toward Imani. “Do they always do this?” Imani whispered: “You have no idea.” Panam heard. “Imani.” “Yes?” “Airlock.” “Noted.” --- Panam took Jack B's hand. Then Sera's. For one strange second she stood between them. Sera on one side. A man she'd met barely hours ago on the other. Imani watching. Elisa grinning across the room. The Palace beyond the walls continuing to exist as though any of this was normal. Panam started laughing. “What?” Sera asked. “This.” “Useful clarification.” “This whole fucking afternoon.” Sera squeezed her hand. “Want to stop?” Panam answered immediately. “No.” --- That was enough. They moved farther into the room. Not following Sera's earlier arrangement. Panam made her own. Sera stayed close because Panam wanted her there. Jack B followed Panam's cues. Jack A remained nearby but did not automatically join. Panam noticed that too. She appreciated it. --- The red-and-gold paint became a traitor. Every new reaction appeared across Panam before she could bury it beneath sarcasm. Sera found this endlessly entertaining. “You're glowing.” “Shut up.” “More.” “Fuck you.” Sera kissed her. Panam kissed back. --- Elisa called from across the room: “I think the paint likes Sera.” Panam separated just enough to answer. “The paint can get in line.” Sera laughed against her mouth. Imani nearly spilled her drink. --- Jack B touched Panam. She turned toward him. Sera stayed beside her. Watching. Sometimes touching. Sometimes kissing her. Sometimes doing nothing at all. Panam discovered that the last one could be just as intense. She would look up and find Sera's electric-blue eyes on her. Happy. Interested. Completely unashamed. And the red paint would flare again. “Stop doing that.” “Doing what?” “Looking at me.” Sera blinked innocently. Panam groaned. --- Her first verified point arrived without anybody mentioning the game. Panam's body tightened. The joke disappeared from her face. She reached for Jack B. Then Sera. Sera caught her hand immediately. Panam came with both of them close and Sera watching every second. Jack B remained with her through the trembling stillness afterward. Nobody counted aloud. Nobody needed to. --- Panam opened her eyes. Sera kissed her forehead. “Hi.” Panam breathed out. “Hi.” “You okay?” A smile slowly appeared. “Very.” --- Imani waited. Only when Panam had settled did she touch the ledger. One notification. Verified. No commentary. Panam saw anyway. “One?” Imani nodded. “One.” Panam smiled. Then looked at Sera. “Six?” “Yes.” “Bitch.” Sera laughed. --- Elisa raised her glass. “Welcome to the scoreboard.” Panam looked across the room. “How many are you on?” Elisa hesitated. Panam's eyes narrowed. “Elisa.” “Two.” “You're smiling like that's temporary.” Elisa took a drink. “I have no idea what you're talking about.” Jason laughed. Jack C said: “She absolutely does.” --- Panam pointed at them. “You two are encouraging her.” Jason looked offended. “She doesn't need encouragement.” Sera and Imani said simultaneously: “Exactly.” Silence. Then everyone laughed. --- Panam rested. Actually rested. No rush. No immediate attempt to turn one point into two. Sera sat beside her. Jack B brought water. Panam accepted it. “Thanks.” He sat on her other side. Panam looked between them. “This is weird.” Sera leaned against her. “Bad weird?” Panam thought. “No.” “Then we're good.” --- Across the room, Elisa had returned to talking with Jack C. Jason listened. Occasionally corrected something. Occasionally made it worse. The violet paint kept reacting to both of them. Imani watched for a while. Then looked at Panam. Panam followed her gaze. “Oh.” Sera followed. “Oh.” Jack B looked too. “Oh.” Panam frowned. “Why are we all saying oh?” Sera smiled. “Elisa.” --- Elisa had stopped discussing cyberware. That much was obvious even from across the room. Jason had said something near her ear. Jack C had answered. Elisa looked from one to the other. Then toward Imani. Imani lifted both hands. “I am not helping.” Elisa smiled. “I didn't ask.” “Good.” --- She looked toward Panam and Sera next. Panam raised her water. “Don't look at me.” Elisa laughed. “Wasn't going to.” “Liar.” “Maybe.” --- Jason stood. Jack C followed. Elisa remained seated for another moment. Thinking. Then stood between them. Panam watched the violet paint brighten. Sera watched Elisa's face. Imani watched all three. --- Elisa said something too quiet for the others to hear. Jason smiled. Jack C answered. Elisa laughed. Then took one hand from each. --- Panam slowly lowered her water. “Oh, she is absolutely doing it.” Sera grinned. “Yes.” “Why do you sound proud?” “I am.” --- Elisa led them farther away. Not out of sight. Not onto a stage. Simply into their own part of the room. The conversation became private. The choices remained visible. And Elisa stopped looking toward anyone else for permission, confirmation or guidance. --- Panam watched for a while. Then looked at Sera. “You were right.” Sera's eyebrows rose. “Please say that again.” “Absolutely not.” “About what?” “Elisa.” Sera smiled. “She needed to stop taking care of everybody.” “Yeah.” “And enjoy herself.” Panam nodded. “Yeah.” --- Imani heard. “She is.” Panam looked at her. “You've got that face again.” “What face?” “The one where you know something.” “I know many things.” “Annoying things.” “Especially those.” --- The next ledger notification came later. Imani glanced at it. Then deliberately put the display down. Panam saw. “What?” “Nothing.” “Bullshit.” Sera leaned forward. “Elisa?” Imani smiled. “Three.” --- Panam stared across the room. Elisa was laughing. Jason beside her. Jack C close. Violet still bright. Completely unconcerned with the ledger. “Three.” “Yes.” Panam looked at her own single point. Then Sera's six. Then Elisa again. “This game is bullshit.” Sera kissed her cheek. “You love it.” Panam sighed. “Unfortunately.” --- Jack B looked at her. “Do you want to keep going?” Panam considered him. Then Sera. Then the room. The answer came easily. “Yes.” --- Sera started to stand. Panam caught her wrist. “Where are you going?” “To give you space.” Panam stared. “Did I ask for space?” Sera's smile returned. “No.” “Then sit your ass down.” Sera sat. Immediately. --- Jack A laughed from nearby. Sera pointed at him. “You too.” He blinked. “Me?” “Yes.” Panam looked at Sera. Then Jack A. Then Jack B. Her eyebrows rose. “Sera.” “What?” “That is two.” “Yes.” Panam stared at her. Sera's electric-blue eyes were positively wicked. “You seemed interested.” Panam looked at the two men. Then at Sera. Then at Imani. Imani took a drink. “I have no opinion.” “Bullshit.” “Enormous opinion. No vote.” --- Panam laughed. Long and helpless. Then shook her head. “You are all terrible.” Sera leaned closer. “Still want to stop?” Panam looked at her. “No.” --- Sera kissed her. Panam answered. When they separated, Panam looked at Jack A. Then Jack B. The red-and-gold paint brightened. “Okay.” Jack A raised an eyebrow. “Okay?” Panam smiled. “Let's see what all the fucking fuss is about.” --- Sera's hair rose sharply. Imani closed her eyes. Jack B laughed. Across the room Elisa looked over. “What happened?” Imani answered: “Panam made a decision.” Elisa saw the arrangement. Her eyes widened. Then she grinned. “Oh.” Panam pointed at her. “Not. One. Word.” Elisa mimed locking her mouth. Jason whispered something to her. Elisa immediately started laughing. Panam groaned. --- Sera leaned close to her. “Ready?” Panam looked at Sera. At Jack A. At Jack B. Then at Imani, who was still very clearly an independent witness. Finally at Elisa, happily creating her own entirely different catastrophe across the room. Panam smiled. “Yeah.” --- And that was when Quartet H stopped being Sera's ridiculous afternoon. It became Panam's too. --- ## Chapter 23 — Not This One Room one was quiet. Michael closed the door behind them. Then looked at Vega. "Not this one." Brenda laughed. "You really held onto that." "It seemed significant." "It wasn't." Michael raised an eyebrow. "It sounded significant." Vega walked farther into the room. "It means Nova isn't watching this booking." "I understood that part." "Congratulations." "Thank you." Michael smiled. Brenda liked that he didn't immediately follow her. He stayed near the door. Waited. The room changed people. She was beginning to notice that. Outside, conversation could remain theoretical almost indefinitely. Inside, every decision became closer. More immediate. Michael looked around. Then at her. "So." "So." "Do I get instructions?" "No." "Rules?" "We already talked about those." "True." "Exam?" Michael considered. "Written or practical?" Brenda laughed. "You're an asshole." "I've been told." "This morning." "Exactly." He moved closer. Stopped. "Still interested?" Brenda looked at him. "Yes." "Good." "Still funny?" "Unfortunately." "We'll work on that." Michael smiled. "Threatening." "Promise." He held out his hand. Not toward her waist. Not toward her face. Just his hand. Brenda looked at it. Then took it. Michael drew her closer. Not all the way. Enough. "Okay?" "Yeah." Then Brenda kissed him. --- Michael kissed exactly like he talked. No hurry. No unnecessary flourish. He seemed perfectly comfortable letting a moment exist without trying to improve it. Brenda wasn't used to how much she liked that. The first kiss ended. Neither spoke. The second lasted longer. Michael's hand settled at her waist. Paused. Vega moved closer. Permission given. His other hand stayed where she could see it. Brenda smiled against his mouth. Michael pulled back slightly. "What?" "Nothing." "That's apparently dangerous tonight." Vega laughed. "You're learning." "Fast learner." "We'll see." She kissed him again. The humor stayed. But it stopped occupying the whole room. That was good. Brenda had chosen him because he made her laugh. She hadn't chosen him only for that. She touched his face. Grey at the temples. Warm skin. Michael turned slightly into her palm. That tiny response changed something. Vega looked at him. He looked back. "Still good?" "Very." "Me too." Then Brenda started exploring. --- There was something wonderfully uncomplicated about not having Iris in the room. That surprised her. Not because she wanted Iris absent. Quite the opposite. Brenda had loved watching her. Loved being watched by her. Already knew she wanted both again. But this— this belonged only to Brenda. No part of her attention needed to remain aware of where Iris sat. No delicious knowledge that Nova's white-void eyes were following her. No hand reaching toward hers. No shared discovery. Just Michael. Just Vega. Brenda could learn what she wanted when nobody she loved was watching. Apparently the answer was: Quite a lot. Michael discovered this gradually. He kissed her neck. Brenda made a quiet approving sound. He did it again. "That." Michael stayed there. "Good?" "Yes." His hand moved. Brenda caught it. Not stopping him entirely. Redirecting. "Here." He followed. "Better?" "Much." Michael smiled. "Fast learner?" "Acceptable." "High praise." "Don't ruin it." He laughed. Then Brenda stopped him laughing with another kiss. --- Lena's wardrobe became involved. As Lena's wardrobes tended to. Michael found the first closure. Brenda watched him. He found the second. Stopped. Looked at the garment. Then at Brenda. "Trap?" "Possibly." "Do I lose a finger?" "Only if Lena dislikes you." "Has she met me?" "No." "Then I'm safe." "That's not how Lena works." Michael stared at her. Brenda's face remained completely serious. He looked back at the closure. "You're enjoying this." "Immensely." He tried the obvious direction. Nothing. The other. Nothing. Brenda waited. Michael narrowed his eyes. "This is clothing." "Technically." "It shouldn't require engineering." "Skill issue." Michael looked at her. Vega smiled sweetly. "Need help?" "No." "Sure?" "I have principles." "You're wasting your hour." Michael immediately held up both hands. "Help." Brenda burst out laughing. She reached down. One movement. Release. Michael stared. "That's bullshit." "Lena." "I don't know Lena and I'm already angry at her." "Common reaction." The garment shifted. Michael's attention shifted with it. Brenda noticed. The laughter softened. "Better?" Michael looked at her. "Much." "Good answer." He touched her again. This time there was less talking. --- Eventually they reached the bed. Not because either had rushed there. Because the rest of the room had gradually stopped mattering. Michael sat. Brenda stood between his knees. He looked up at her. The black-void contacts made Vega's gaze impossible. Her smile did not. Michael touched her waist. "You like being in control." Brenda considered. "Sometimes." "Now?" She thought. "No." That surprised him. Brenda liked that. "What do you want?" Michael asked. "Not to have to decide every fucking thing." He nodded. "Okay." No joke. No clever answer. Just acceptance. He stood. The height difference changed. Not absurd like Mandi and practically everybody. Enough. Michael kissed her. Then guided rather than waited. Still checking. Still listening. But taking some of the decisions away because Brenda had explicitly asked him to. She discovered she liked that too. A lot. Clothing continued changing. Touch became less exploratory. More certain. Michael learned quickly. Brenda corrected him when necessary. Praised him when deserved. At one point: "Yes." Michael stayed. Brenda's eyes closed. Then: "Don't change that." He didn't. Simple. Useful. Very effective. Eventually the direction became obvious. Neither pretended otherwise. Michael stopped before the final transition. "Still want this?" Brenda opened her eyes. "Yes." "Anything different?" She considered. Then adjusted herself. Adjusted him. "That." Michael waited. Vega looked at him. "Yes." The last distance disappeared. Brenda inhaled. Hard. Michael stopped. No question immediately. Just stillness. Brenda breathed. Then her hand tightened against his shoulder. "Good." "Sure?" "Yes." Michael moved. Slowly. Brenda let him choose the first rhythm. That was what she'd wanted. She followed. Tested it. Then smiled. "Okay." Michael's mouth moved. "Acceptable?" "Shut up." He laughed. The rhythm broke. Brenda laughed too. "Fuck." "Your fault." "How?" "You started it." "Professional assessment." "Asshole." "Still?" Brenda pulled him closer. "Definitely." They found the rhythm again. This time neither ruined it. --- Brenda learned something. Being watched intensified her awareness. Being alone with a client did almost the opposite. She disappeared farther into the experience. No second perspective. No awareness of Iris watching her face. No thought of what somebody else was seeing. Michael occupied all of it. That was good too. Different. Not lesser. Brenda's breathing changed. Michael noticed. He didn't ask questions she had already answered with her body. He stayed attentive. Changed only when she asked. Brenda stopped making jokes. For a while. Pleasure accumulated. Steady. Then less steady. Michael kissed her. Brenda caught his lower lip briefly between hers. Released it. "Stay." He stayed. The next rise sharpened. Brenda's hand found his. Held. Not because she needed grounding. Because she wanted contact. Michael squeezed once. Vega's eyes closed. Her breath broke. Then the peak reached her. Brenda went tight. Silent for the first second. Then very much not silent. Michael remained exactly where she had told him. The release moved through her. Strong. Long enough that when it finally loosened its grip, Brenda was laughing quietly. Michael stopped. Stayed close. "Okay?" Brenda breathed. "Yeah." Another breath. "Fuck." Michael smiled. "Positive fuck?" She opened one black-void eye. "Do not make me kill you." "Positive." Brenda laughed again. "Very." Stillness. No rush. Michael lay beside her. Brenda stayed close. For several minutes they simply existed. Then Michael said: "I have a question." "Mm?" "Your working partner." Brenda opened both eyes. "What about her?" "The watching thing." "Yeah?" "You said maybe another time." "I did." Michael looked at the ceiling. "Would you actually want that?" Brenda considered the question seriously. "With you?" "Yes." Another pause. "Maybe." Michael nodded. No disappointment. No push. Brenda turned her head toward him. "You curious?" "Yes." "Why?" He thought. "Because of the way you said 'not this one.'" Brenda smiled. "You noticed." "Hard not to." "I wanted this one to be mine." Michael looked at her. "Meaning without her." "Yes." "Did you get what you wanted?" Brenda smiled. "Yes." Michael smiled back. "Good." Then Brenda added: "But another time?" He waited. "I might want her there." Michael nodded. "Then ask me another time." That was it. No fantasy negotiation. No attempt to turn Nova into an automatic extra. Brenda liked him even more for that. "Deal." --- The hour had plenty left. They used it. The second stretch was different. Less discovery. More confidence. Michael knew more about Brenda. Brenda knew more about him. The humor returned around the edges. At one point Michael found another Lena closure. He stopped. "No." Brenda laughed. "What's wrong?" "I'm not touching it." "Coward." "I've learned." "It's easy." "That's what you said last time." "I didn't." "You implied it." "Come here." "No." Brenda stared at him. Michael stared back. Vega started laughing. Michael held out the offending piece of fabric. "You do it." "Pathetic." "Alive." Brenda released it. Michael shook his head. "Witchcraft." "Lena." "Same thing." That one nearly ruined them both. --- When they finally dressed, Brenda checked herself in the mirror. Michael watched. She adjusted one line. Then another. He smiled. Brenda saw him in the reflection. "Don't." "I didn't say anything." "Good." She turned. Michael had his jacket on. Hair slightly less orderly. Otherwise composed. "Again?" he asked. Brenda didn't need long. "Yes." His smile appeared. "With or without Nova?" Brenda pointed at him. "You were doing so well." Michael laughed. "Sorry." "Ask me when you book me." "Fair." "And if I want Nova there, I'll ask." "Fair." "And she'll decide whether she wants to." "Also fair." Brenda nodded. "Good." Michael looked toward the door. "Ready?" Vega looked at herself once more. Then smiled. "Now." --- Room one opened. Lisa looked over. Vega came out first. Michael followed. Both smiling. Good. Lisa nodded once. Michael gave Vega a final: "Night." "Night." Then he disappeared into Lizzie's. Brenda watched him go. She liked him. That had been a very good eight thousand eddies. She turned. Lisa was looking at her. "What?" "Nothing." Brenda narrowed her black-void eyes. "You're all terrible at saying nothing." Lisa smiled. "Good booking?" "Very." "Again?" "Probably." Lisa nodded. Then looked toward the other occupied rooms. "You're first." Brenda blinked. "First what?" "Back." "Oh." Brenda looked down the corridor. Rooms three, four, five and seven still occupied. "Seriously?" "Seriously." A grin began forming. Lisa saw it. "No." Brenda looked at her. "What?" "Whatever you're thinking." "I'm not thinking anything." "That's worse." Brenda walked toward the bar. --- Suzie saw her coming. "One survivor." Vega stopped. "Survivor?" "Figure of speech." Brenda climbed onto a stool. "Water." Suzie put one in front of her. Brenda drank. Then looked toward the corridor. "Everybody still in?" "Yep." Brenda nodded. Quiet. Almost suspiciously quiet. She drank again. Then: "Can I bet on who comes out next?" Suzie stared at her. Brenda smiled. "No." "Why not?" "Because I'm not running a betting pool on my private rooms." Lisa arrived. "Bea." Suzie looked at her. "What?" "Next out." Brenda pointed. "See?" Suzie stared at Lisa. Lisa realized. "That wasn't a bet." "Sounded like one." "Professional assessment." Vega leaned forward. "Twenty says Mandi." Suzie slapped one hand on the bar. "No." Lisa considered. "Dalia." "Lisa." "What?" "You are security." "Yes." "You cannot gamble on clients leaving private rooms." "I'm not." Brenda smiled. "Twenty on Mandi." Suzie pointed at her. "No." "Twenty." "No." Lisa looked toward the corridor. "Ten on Dalia." Suzie stared at both of them. "You are unbelievable." Vega put twenty eddies on the bar. Lisa put ten beside it. Suzie looked at the money. Then at them. Slowly. "Fine." She reached into her pocket. Added twenty. "Bea." Vega's mouth fell open. "You hypocrite." "I'm the owner." "That doesn't make it better!" "It makes the rules mine." Lisa nodded. "Fair." Brenda looked toward the corridor. "Wait. What about Nova?" Suzie considered. Then shook her head. "First-time client. They'll take their time." Lisa nodded. "Agreed." Brenda pointed at both of them. "That's insider information." Suzie looked offended. "This entire betting pool is insider information." "Fair." They turned toward the corridor. Four doors. Forty eddies. Absolutely no dignity. Nothing happened. Ten seconds. Twenty. A minute. Brenda drank water. Lisa folded her arms. Suzie cleaned a glass. Then room five opened. Dalia stepped out. Lisa punched the air. "Yes." Suzie stared at her. Vega shouted: "Fuck!" Mai stopped. Her neon-green reflective eyes moved toward the bar. Three women froze. Dalia looked at the pile of eddies. Then at Lisa. Then Suzie. Then Vega. Silence. Her client emerged behind her. Looked toward the bar. "What happened?" Mai continued staring at them. "I don't know." Lisa quietly swept thirty eddies toward herself. Dalia's eyes followed the movement. Mai looked back at her client. "Good night." He smiled. "Good night." He left. Dalia walked toward the bar. Slowly. Vega immediately drank water. Suzie cleaned the same glass with extraordinary concentration. Lisa pocketed her winnings. Dalia stopped in front of them. Looked at Brenda. "What?" Vega swallowed. "Nothing." Dalia looked at Suzie. "What?" "Nothing." Then Lisa. "What?" Lisa maintained eye contact. "Professional assessment." Dalia stared. Lisa lasted three seconds. "We bet on who came out next." Mai said nothing. Brenda covered her mouth. Suzie looked at the ceiling. Lisa continued: "I won." Dalia's gaze moved to Brenda. "You bet against me?" Vega lowered her hand. "Twenty on Mandi." Mai considered this. Then looked at Lisa. "How much?" "Ten." "Odds?" Lisa blinked. "What?" "What were the odds?" "There weren't any." Dalia looked disgusted. "Amateurs." Suzie made a strangled noise. Brenda folded over the bar. Lisa stared at Mai. Dalia reached into her pocket. Put twenty eddies on the counter. "Nova next." Suzie lost control completely. Lisa laughed. Vega slapped the bar. "You can't bet now!" Mai put another menthol lollipop into her mouth. "Why?" "You already came out!" "That is irrelevant." "It's absolutely relevant!" Dalia looked toward the corridor. "Nova." Lisa immediately put ten down. "Mandi." Suzie was laughing too hard to speak. Brenda looked toward room seven. "Bea." Suzie finally managed: "No." Vega stared at her. "You started this!" "I absolutely did not!" "You put money down!" "That was after you corrupted my security!" Lisa pointed at herself. "Excuse me?" Dalia calmly sucked her lollipop. The pile of eddies grew. Somewhere behind three soundproof doors, Mandi, Nova and Bea remained completely unaware that their professional working partners had turned the order of their return into a sporting event. Saturday continued. Professionally. --- “Let's see what all the fucking fuss is about.” Panam had barely finished saying it when Sera started laughing. Panam looked at her. “What?” “Nothing.” “You're doing it again.” “Doing what?” “That face.” Sera smiled. “The proud face?” Panam stared. “I'm leaving.” “No, you're not.” “No.” --- Jack A sat down on Panam's other side. Jack B remained where he was. Neither moved closer immediately. Panam noticed. She looked from one to the other. “Okay.” Jack A smiled. “Okay.” “That patience thing is getting annoying.” Jack B said: “You complained when I was patient.” “I know.” “And now you're complaining because both of us are.” “Yes.” Jack A nodded solemnly. “Clear instructions.” “Fuck you.” Sera leaned against Panam. “She's nervous.” Panam turned. “I will throw you into space.” “You're nervous and horny.” “Sera.” “And glowing.” Panam looked down. Red and gold had spread brightly across her stomach and thighs. “Goddammit.” --- Elisa laughed from across the room. Panam pointed without looking. “You stay out of this.” “I didn't say anything.” “You laughed.” “I am allowed to laugh.” “Not today.” Jason murmured: “Apparently laughter requires independent verification.” Elisa folded forward laughing harder. Jack C looked impressed. “That was terrible.” “Thank you.” --- Panam looked at Sera. “Can I borrow your trick?” “What trick?” “The one where everybody else shuts the fuck up.” Sera considered. “I don't have one.” “Figures.” --- Then Sera kissed her. And the room stopped mattering. Not disappearing. That wasn't the same thing. Panam still knew Imani was there. Still knew Elisa was somewhere across the room. Still knew Jack A and Jack B were beside her. But Sera was familiar. Sera was the center point. The person Panam could return to whenever everything else became new. --- When they separated, Panam rested her forehead against Sera's. “Stay.” Sera's expression softened. “Yeah.” --- Panam turned toward Jack B first. That choice was deliberate. He had been her first step into the afternoon. She kissed him. Then Jack A. Different again. Jack A smiled against the kiss. Panam immediately pulled back. “What?” “Nothing.” “You laughed.” “I didn't.” “You almost did.” “Can almost-laughter be verified?” Imani said: “Yes.” Panam looked over. “Traitor.” --- The tension broke. Good. Panam laughed. Then pulled Jack A back toward her. --- Sera stayed close. Sometimes Panam reached for her. Sometimes Sera touched her first. Jack A and Jack B gradually stopped feeling like two people waiting for instructions and became two distinct presences around her. Jack A playful. Quick to react. Jack B quieter. Watching Panam carefully enough that she stopped having to explain every change. And Sera— Sera knew her. --- That was the part Panam had underestimated. Not two men. Not novelty. Not even being watched. It was being watched by Sera while Panam chose something new. Seeing pleasure rather than jealousy in Sera's face. Seeing curiosity. Affection. A little wicked amusement. Panam found that devastating. --- Sera noticed. Of course she did. “You keep looking at me.” Panam breathed: “Shut up.” Sera smiled. “No.” --- The red-and-gold paint became brighter. Panam stopped caring. --- Her second orgasm built slowly enough that everyone near her knew where she was going. Panam knew too. She could have looked away from Sera. She didn't. Jack A and Jack B remained with her. Sera held her gaze. Then Panam's body tightened. Her breath caught. She reached blindly and found Sera's hand. The red paint flashed gold. Panam came with Sera watching her. --- For several seconds nobody spoke. Panam stayed exactly where she was. Breathing. Sera's thumb moved across the back of her hand. Jack A stayed close. Jack B did too. No one treated the moment as a finish line. --- Eventually Panam opened her eyes. Sera was still there. “Hi.” Panam laughed weakly. “You need new material.” “No.” --- Imani waited another moment. Then: “Two.” Panam closed her eyes. “Fuck.” Sera kissed her temple. “Verified.” “I heard her.” “You're catching up.” Panam opened one eye. “You have six.” Sera smiled. “For now.” “Bitch.” --- Across the room: “Four.” Everyone turned. Elisa froze. Imani was looking at the ledger. Elisa stared at her. “Four?” “Four.” Jason laughed. Jack C looked at Elisa. “You really weren't keeping track.” “No.” Elisa considered. Then smiled. “I like this method better.” --- Panam stared at her. “You've got four?” “Yes?” “You had two approximately five fucking minutes ago.” “It was longer than five minutes.” “That isn't helping.” --- Sera laughed. Panam looked between Sera and Elisa. Six. Four. Her own two. Then at Imani. “This leaderboard is turning into bullshit.” Imani smiled. “You're all doing it to yourselves.” --- Elisa pointed toward Sera. “She started it.” Sera looked offended. “I did not invent the game.” “No. You just broke it.” “That seems unfair.” Panam looked at her. “You got six points in an afternoon.” Sera thought. “Fair.” --- Jack B handed Panam water again. She drank. Then offered it to Sera. Sera drank from the same bottle. Panam watched her. “You're really going again, aren't you?” Sera handed it back. “Eventually.” “Of course.” --- Jack A looked at Sera. “Six is unusual?” Panam laughed. “You have no fucking idea.” “How many does the leader have?” Silence. Sera looked at Imani. Imani looked at Panam. Panam looked at Elisa. Elisa shrugged. “I don't remember.” Jack A blinked. “You're competing and none of you know the current standings?” Panam said: “We had priorities.” --- Imani laughed. “I can check.” “No.” Panam said it immediately. Everyone looked at her. She shrugged. “I don't want to know.” Sera smiled. “Why?” “Because then this becomes strategy.” --- That quieted them. Imani nodded. “Good answer.” Panam pointed at her. “Don't sound surprised.” “I wasn't.” “You sounded surprised.” “I was impressed.” “Worse.” --- Panam looked at Jack A. Then Jack B. Then Sera. “I'm not done.” Sera smiled. “I know.” “But I'm also not chasing six.” “Good.” “I mean it.” “I know.” --- Panam pulled Sera into another kiss. Then turned back toward the two men. The afternoon resumed. --- Across the room, Elisa had reached exactly the same conclusion by a completely different route. She didn't ask her score again. She didn't ask what counted. She didn't ask Imani whether the next configuration was valid. She simply chose. Jason sometimes stayed close. Sometimes Jack C did. Sometimes both. The technical conversation had become a running joke between them. Elisa would pause, look thoughtful and say: “Interesting.” Jason would ask: “Data?” Elisa would answer: “Insufficient.” Jack C would sigh. “More testing.” “Obviously.” --- Imani heard it every time. By the fourth repetition she threw a cushion at Elisa. Elisa caught it. “Violence against science.” “Shut up.” --- Then something changed near Sera. Not suddenly. Jack B noticed first. Sera had been watching Panam. Quietly. Too quietly. Jack A followed her gaze. Panam was laughing at something Imani had said. Relaxed. Flushed. Happy. Sera's paint began glowing blue again. Jack A leaned closer. “Her?” Sera looked at him. Then at Panam. “Yes.” --- Panam caught the exchange. “What?” Sera smiled. “Come here.” Panam stared. “I am here.” “Closer.” --- Panam came closer. Sera kissed her. The kiss lasted. Jack A stayed beside Sera. Jack B stayed beside Panam. Nobody needed to decide whose arrangement it was anymore. It belonged to the four of them for as long as they wanted it. --- Panam separated first. She looked at Sera's paint. Then her face. “You're getting worked up again.” “Yes.” “Because of me?” Sera's smile answered before she did. “Yes.” Panam laughed softly. “Well, shit.” --- She kissed Sera again. This time Panam became the familiar point. The anchor. Jack A and Jack B remained part of what Sera had discovered she liked so much. But Panam stayed closest. Sera kept reaching for her. Kept looking at her. And Panam understood. --- “Oh.” Sera breathed. “What?” “I get it now.” “What?” Panam smiled. “Why you liked watching me.” --- Sera's eyes brightened. Panam stayed with her. The others followed Sera's reactions. And the blue became brighter. --- Sera's seventh point arrived with Panam holding her. It was unmistakable. Sera went still against her. Then trembled. Panam held on. Jack A and Jack B stayed close through the peak. Sera buried her face against Panam's shoulder. The paint flashed electric blue. Then slowly softened. --- Panam didn't count. She kissed Sera's hair. Waited. Only after Sera lifted her head did Imani speak. “Seven.” --- Panam stared at her. Then at Sera. “Seven.” Sera smiled. A little dazed. “Yes.” “You've had seven orgasms.” “Yes.” “Today.” “Yes.” Panam looked at Imani. “She's a fucking machine.” Imani shook her head. “No.” Panam raised an eyebrow. Imani looked at Sera. “She's having a very good day.” --- Sera started laughing. Panam did too. Then Jack A. Then Jack B. Eventually even Imani. --- Across the room, Elisa looked over. “What happened?” Panam called: “Seven.” Elisa's eyes widened. “Sera?” “Who else?” Elisa looked at Sera. Sera lifted one hand weakly. Elisa applauded. Sera laughed harder. --- Jason looked toward Imani. “Is seven a lot?” Imani opened her mouth. Panam answered first. “Do not encourage her.” --- Jack C looked at Elisa. Elisa looked back. Neither said anything. Panam saw. “No.” Elisa smiled. “What?” “That fucking look.” “I have no idea what you mean.” “You're thinking about seven.” “No.” Jason looked at her. “You absolutely are.” Elisa laughed. “Maybe a little.” --- Panam pointed at Imani. “You created this.” “I painted three women.” “You introduced four men.” “Yes.” “You knew what they could do.” “Yes.” “You knew what Sera is like.” Imani smiled. “Yes.” Panam stared. “You absolutely created this.” --- Imani considered the accusation. Then looked around the room. At Sera laughing between Panam, Jack A and Jack B. At Elisa glowing violet between Jason and Jack C. At seven adults who had long since stopped caring about the stupid competition except when somebody reminded them. And at herself. Still watching. Still verifying. Still enjoying the consequences enormously. “Okay.” She smiled. “Maybe a little.” --- Panam threw another cushion at her. Imani caught it. --- The next notification appeared several minutes later. Imani glanced down. Her eyebrows rose. Elisa saw. “No.” Imani looked up. “No?” “Don't tell me.” Imani smiled. “Okay.” Panam looked between them. “What is it?” Elisa pointed. “Don't.” “But—” “No.” Panam stared. Then smiled. “Oh, now you don't want to know.” Elisa settled back between Jason and Jack C. “I'm busy.” --- Panam looked at Sera. Sera looked at Panam. Both started laughing. --- Imani quietly verified the claim. Elisa: five. She closed the ledger. And for the first time that afternoon, nobody asked. --- ## Chapter 24 — House Always Wins The betting pool reached seventy eddies. Suzie stared at it. "This is stupid." Vega nodded. "Completely." Lisa agreed. "Deeply." Dalia sucked her menthol lollipop. "Nova." Suzie looked at her. "We know." Mai pointed at the money. "Twenty." "We know." "Good." Suzie stared at her. "You became invested remarkably fast." Dalia considered. "No." "You put money down." "Investment and emotional investment are different things." Vega looked at Lisa. "She's going to be unbearable if Nova comes out next." Lisa nodded. "Absolutely." Mai looked at both of them. "I am already unbearable." Brenda blinked. Then pointed at her. "See? That's confidence." Dalia's millimeter smile appeared. Suzie shook her head. "Why do I allow any of you in here?" Lisa answered: "Revenue." Suzie looked at her. "You're fired." "No, I'm not." "No." Silence. All four looked toward the corridor. Nothing. Vega drummed her fingers against the bar. Dalia looked at them. Brenda stopped. Another thirty seconds. Then room seven opened. Bea appeared. Suzie slapped the bar. "YES." Elisa froze. Everyone looked at her. Anna stepped out behind her. Bea looked from Suzie to Lisa. Then Vega. Then Dalia. Then the pile of money. Anna followed her gaze. "Did something happen?" Elisa narrowed her eyes. "I have absolutely no idea." Suzie collected the pot. Dalia removed her lollipop. "Unfortunate." Vega stared at Suzie. "You bet on Bea." "I did." "Twenty." "Correct." "And you won seventy." Suzie swept the eddies into her hand. "House always wins." Lisa frowned. "You're not the house." Suzie slowly looked around Lizzie's. Lisa paused. "Right." Anna started laughing. Bea looked at her. "You understand this?" "No." "Good." Anna touched Bea's arm. "Again sometime?" Elisa's attention returned to her. The stupidity at the bar disappeared from her expression immediately. "Yes." Anna smiled. "Even with my taste in music?" "Let's not make promises we can't keep." Anna laughed. "Fair." She kissed Bea once. Brief. Warm. Then: "Night." "Night." Anna left. Elisa watched her go. Then turned toward the bar. Four faces were waiting. Bea pointed at them. "No." Vega smiled. "You don't even know." "I don't need to." Dalia put the lollipop back into her mouth. Suzie pocketed her winnings. Lisa said: "We bet on who came out next." Bea stared. Silence. Then: "How much?" Vega's smile widened. "Seventy." Bea looked at Suzie. "You won?" "Yes." "Who'd you have?" "You." Elisa considered. Then held out her hand. Suzie frowned. "What?" "Commission." Suzie laughed. "Fuck off." "You couldn't have won without me." "That's not how gambling works." "Then go back in time and come out yourself." Lisa made a choking sound. Vega folded over the bar again. Even Dalia's mouth moved around the lollipop. Suzie stared at Bea. Then put one eddie into Elisa's palm. "There." Bea looked at it. "One?" "Professional fee." Elisa closed her fingers around the eddie. "Accepted." --- Bea sat beside Vega. Suzie gave her water without being asked. Elisa drank. "Good booking?" Brenda asked. "Yes." "Again?" "Probably." "Music?" Bea looked at her. "Don't." Vega smiled. "That bad?" "She thinks six minutes of synthesizer abuse is art." Dalia said: "It can be." Elisa slowly turned. "No." Mai looked at her. "Your objection lacks specificity." "You're defending her?" "I have not met her." "Then why?" "Your definition of music is excessively narrow." Bea stared. Vega looked between them. "Oh, excellent." Suzie immediately said: "No." Brenda looked at her. "What?" "No music argument." "We weren't—" "No." Lisa nodded. "Good policy." Bea pointed at Dalia. "She started it." Mai's lollipop moved slightly. "Incorrect." "You literally—" Room four opened. Everyone stopped. Mandi stepped out. Sophie followed. Mandi was smiling. Then she saw the bar. Five people looking directly at her. Her smile disappeared. "What?" Nobody answered. Sophie looked at them. Then at Mandi. "Friends?" Mandi looked at the bar. "Debatable." Vega smiled. Ace immediately pointed at her. "No." Brenda raised both hands. "I didn't say anything." "You were about to." "I wasn't." "You absolutely were." Nova's door was still closed. Dalia looked toward it. Then at the empty place where the betting pool had been. "Technically—" Suzie pointed at her. "No second pool." Mai stopped. Lisa said: "I'd have taken Mandi." Mandi stared at her. "What the fuck are you talking about?" Suzie closed her eyes. "Lisa." "What?" Mandi walked toward them. Sophie came with her, openly curious now. Mandi stopped at the bar. "Explain." Vega looked at Suzie. Suzie looked at Lisa. Lisa looked at Dalia. Dalia calmly sucked her lollipop. Bea drank water. Mandi's eyes narrowed. "Somebody." Sophie leaned against the bar. "I'd also like to know." Suzie sighed. "They were betting on who came out of the rooms next." Mandi stared. "Who was?" Suzie pointed sequentially. "Vega. Lisa. Me. Dalia." Mandi looked at Mai. Dalia met her gaze. "You?" "Yes." "Who?" "Nova." Mandi looked at Vega. "Bea." Lisa: "Dalia." Suzie smiled. "Bea." Mandi processed this. Then looked at Sophie. Sophie was trying very hard not to laugh. Mandi looked back at Suzie. "Who won?" "I did." "How much?" "Seventy." Mandi nodded slowly. Then: "I want ten." Suzie stared. "For what?" "Emotional damages." Sophie lost it. Vega nearly fell off the stool. Bea put her head down on the bar. Suzie pointed toward the door. "Your client is still here." Mandi looked at Sophie. Sophie was laughing helplessly. "She thinks it's funny." "That makes it worse." Sophie wiped her eyes. "It really doesn't." Mandi looked back at Suzie. "Ten." "No." "Five." "No." "One." Suzie sighed. Reached into her pocket. Put one eddie in front of Mandi. Mandi picked it up. Bea silently opened her hand. One eddie. Mandi looked at it. Then at Bea. "You too?" "Professional fee." Mandi nodded. They tapped the two eddies together. "Solidarity." "Always." Dalia stared at both of them. Vega whispered: "What the fuck is happening?" Lisa answered: "Unionization." Suzie looked horrified. "Absolutely not." --- Sophie eventually recovered. She looked at Mandi. "I should probably go." Ace's attention returned fully to her. "Yeah." Sophie smiled. "That was a very good hour." Mandi smiled back. "It was." "Again?" Mandi considered. Then nodded. "Yes." "Good." Sophie glanced toward the others. "I might come back just for this." Mandi followed her gaze. "No." Sophie laughed. "Night, Mandi." "Night." A kiss. Then Sophie disappeared into the crowd. Mandi watched her leave. Good booking. Very good booking. Twenty-five thousand eddies. And somebody she'd happily see again. She turned back. Bea had taken her stool. Mandi stopped. Elisa looked down. Then at Mandi. Then down again. "Oh." Mandi stared upward at her. "Move." "There are other stools." "That one is mine." "You were gone." "I was working." "So was I." "And?" Bea considered. Then moved one stool to the side. Mandi climbed onto the reclaimed one. Vega watched. "Territorial." Mandi looked at her. Brenda immediately drank water. Good choice. --- Only Nova remained behind a door. The comedy settled. Not vanished. Settled. Mandi drank water. Bea ate the rest of whatever Suzie had given her. Dalia leaned against the bar. Vega looked occasionally toward room three. Not worried. Just aware. Iris was still inside. With Evan. First-time client. Taking their time. Good. Brenda smiled. Mandi caught it. "What?" "Nothing." Mandi looked suspicious. "It's actually nothing." "Impossible." Brenda laughed. "No. Just thinking." "About?" "Iris." Ace's expression softened. "Good?" "Yeah." Brenda looked toward the corridor again. "Really good." Mandi nodded. No joke. Dalia watched Brenda for a moment. Then: "You liked watching." Brenda looked at her. "Way too much." "And Nova liked watching you." Brenda smiled. "Apparently." Bea leaned closer. "Wait." Vega looked at her. "What?" "You reversed it?" "Yep." Elisa's eyebrows rose. "How was that?" Brenda laughed softly. "Hot." Suzie looked over. Brenda corrected: "Educational." Suzie nodded. "Much better." Lisa said: "Research." Vega pointed at her. "Exactly." Mandi looked at Brenda. "And solo?" Brenda knew what she meant. "Michael?" "Yeah." Brenda smiled. "Also very good." "Different?" "Completely." Mandi nodded. That mattered. Vega continued: "I wanted that one alone." Bea smiled. "Good." Brenda looked at her. "Yeah." No competition. No implication that one mode needed to replace another. She could love watching Iris. Love Iris watching her. And still want a room where Iris wasn't present at all. All true. All theirs. Dalia said: "Useful weekend." Vega laughed. "That's one way to put it." Suzie muttered: "Profitable weekend." Mandi looked at her. Suzie raised both hands. "Observation." Bea held up her single eddie. "Thanks again." Suzie glared. --- Room three finally opened. Everyone at the bar looked. Not because of a betting pool. The betting pool was over. Mostly. Nova stepped out first. Evan followed. He was smiling. Not nervous. That was the first thing Brenda noticed. The second was the ice pack strapped awkwardly around his knee. Vega's mouth opened. Iris saw her. "No." Brenda closed it. Evan looked toward the bar. Five women. Suzie. Lisa. All looking at him. He stopped. "Oh, no." Nova laughed. "It's fine." "They know." "About what?" He pointed at his knee. Lisa raised one hand. "Only the table." Evan closed his eyes. "Great." Vega's shoulders started shaking. Nova pointed at her. "Don't." Brenda covered her mouth. Mandi looked at the ice pack. Then at Evan. "Furniture?" Evan opened his eyes. "Yes." Mandi nodded gravely. "Dangerous." Vega made a strangled sound. Nova stared at Ace. Ace's expression remained completely serious. "I've had incidents." Dalia removed her lollipop. "Mostly involving shelves." Mandi turned. "Traitor." That broke Brenda. Then Bea. Then Nova. Evan started laughing because there was no possible alternative. Even Lisa gave up. Suzie leaned against the bar. For perhaps twenty seconds, Lizzie's contained absolutely no functional adults. Eventually Evan recovered. He looked at Nova. "Thank you." The laughter around them softened. Iris smiled. "You're welcome." "I mean it." "I know." He hesitated. Then: "Would you—" Nova waited. "Would you work with me again?" Iris didn't make him finish some perfect sentence. "Yes." Evan smiled. "Okay." Then he looked at the bar. At the others. At his ice pack. "Maybe somewhere without furniture." Mandi nodded. "Impossible." Evan laughed again. He kissed Nova once. Careful. Affectionate. Then left. Iris watched him go. Brenda waited until he was gone. Then slid off the stool. Walked toward her. Nova looked at Vega. Brenda stopped in front of her. "Good?" Iris smiled. "Very." Brenda hugged her. Not Marlow performance. Not erotic. Just them. Iris hugged her back. Then Brenda whispered: "How's his knee?" Iris buried her face against Brenda's shoulder. "Fuck you." Brenda lost it again. --- Eventually Nova joined the others. Suzie put water in front of her. Lisa retrieved the ice-pack wrapper from the corridor. Mandi reclaimed enough personal space to stop threatening people with her eyes. Dalia opened another lollipop. Bea noticed. "How many of those do you have?" Mai looked at her. "Enough." "That's not a number." "No." "Where are you keeping them?" Dalia stared. Bea's eyes dropped toward Lena's extremely minimal outfit. Then back up. Her expression changed. "No." Mai's millimeter smile appeared. Elisa pointed at her. "No. I don't want to know." Vega immediately looked interested. "Wait—" Mandi slapped one hand over Brenda's mouth. "No." Brenda made an outraged noise. Mandi held firm. Nova watched. Then looked at Dalia. Then at the outfit. Then back at Dalia. Mai calmly sucked the lollipop. Suzie closed her eyes. "I am begging you." Lisa frowned. "For what?" "Don't ask." Lisa looked at Dalia. At the outfit. At the lollipop. "Oh." Suzie put her head on the bar. Mandi still had her hand over Vega's mouth. Brenda was laughing behind it. Bea was refusing to look at Mai. Nova was absolutely looking at Mai. Dalia remained serene. Finally Mai removed the lollipop. "There is a pocket." Silence. Everyone looked at the outfit. Mai waited. Then indicated a seam at her hip. Tiny. Nearly invisible. Bea leaned closer. "No fucking way." Dalia slipped two fingers into the hidden seam. Pulled out another wrapped menthol lollipop. Placed it on the bar. Vega screamed behind Mandi's hand. Lisa stared. Suzie lifted her head. "Lena?" Mai nodded. "Lena." Mandi slowly removed her hand from Brenda's mouth. Vega inhaled. Then: "That woman is a fucking genius." Dalia put the spare lollipop away. "Correct." Suzie stared at all five of them. Then at Lisa. "You said quiet." Lisa sighed. "Hours ago." "And look what happened." Lisa looked around. Nobody injured except Evan's knee. Nobody distressed. Every booking completed safely. Several repeat clients likely. Five joytoys still laughing. She shrugged. "Could've been worse." Suzie considered. Then smiled. "Give them time." Mandi pointed at her. "No." Suzie laughed. Saturday was still not over. --- ## Chapter 25 — One More Saturday was still not over. But for the first time all evening, nobody immediately moved. Five joytoys occupied the bar. Water. Food. One menthol lollipop. Several thoroughly compromised hairstyles that ChromeLock stubbornly insisted were still exactly where Lena had designed them to be. Mandi looked at Dalia's hair. The neon-pink dreadlocks remained offensively perfect. "That's unfair." Mai looked at her. "What?" "Your hair." Dalia touched one dreadlock. "ChromeLock." "I know." Mandi pointed at her own neon-orange hair. "This is also ChromeLock." "Yes." "Mine looks like I've been electrocuted." Bea studied it. "You always look a little electrocuted." Mandi stared at her. Elisa immediately drank water. Vega laughed. Nova reached toward Mandi's hair. Ace leaned away. "No." "I was going to fix it." "No." "You don't even know if I can." "Exactly." Dalia removed her lollipop. "Lena can." Mandi looked at her. "Lena isn't here." "Then your options are limited." Mandi narrowed her black eyes. "I could shave it." Five people reacted at once. "No." Ace blinked. Even Suzie had joined in. "What the fuck?" Suzie pointed at her. "Not in my bar." "I wasn't actually—" "Good." Mandi looked around. "This city is oppressive." Vega nodded. "Thoughts and prayers." Mandi gave her a look. Brenda smiled sweetly. The old joke did not return. Good. --- Food arrived. Nobody had ordered it. Suzie had apparently decided that five joytoys who had collectively spent several hours working could not be trusted to remember basic biology. Mandi looked at the plates. "What's this?" "Food." "I recognize the category." "Then eat." Bea immediately took something. "Don't argue." Mandi looked at her. "Why?" "She'll win." Suzie smiled. "Experience." Lisa passed behind them. "She's right." Mandi looked at the food. Then took some. Dalia did too. Vega and Nova shared one plate until Suzie put another between them. "Separate." Brenda looked offended. "We can share." "I've seen you two eat." Iris laughed. "What does that mean?" "It means separate." Vega looked at Nova. Nova looked at Vega. Neither knew. They ate anyway. For several minutes the evening became remarkably normal. Or as close as this group could manage. Mandi ate. Dalia ate around the lollipop until Suzie finally stared at her. Mai noticed. "What?" Suzie pointed at the lollipop. Then the food. Then back at the lollipop. Dalia considered. Removed it. Wrapped it carefully in the original wrapper. Put it into Lena's hidden pocket. Suzie stared. "You put it back?" "Yes." "In the pocket?" "Wrapped." Suzie closed her eyes. Mandi whispered: "Don't fight it." Suzie looked at her. "You're right." Ace froze. "What?" Suzie walked away. Mandi turned to the others. "She said I'm right." Bea nodded. "Historic." Vega lifted her water. "To Mandi." Nova joined. "Being right once." Mandi stared. Dalia raised her glass. Ace looked at Mai. "You too?" "Statistically notable." Mandi pointed at her. "I know where you sleep." Mai calmly drank. "So do I." Brenda nearly inhaled her food. --- Eventually the plates emptied. Nobody rushed. The room moved around them. Other Mox. Other workers. Clients. Regulars. Music. Lizzie's remained Lizzie's. Their little temporary occupation of one end of the bar wasn't the center of anybody else's universe. That helped. Bea stretched. "How late are we staying?" Mandi looked at her. "I asked that earlier." "Nobody answered." "Exactly." Dalia looked toward Suzie. Suzie was working. Mai checked the time. Then looked at the others. "No fixed reason to leave." Nova nodded. "Reyes isn't collecting Elisa until tomorrow." Bea smiled. "Correct." Vega looked at Iris. "You tired?" Iris checked. "A little." "Done?" Nova thought. Then shook her head. "No." Brenda's smile appeared. "Me neither." Mandi noticed. "You two actually like this." It wasn't teasing. Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked back. Then Vega answered. "Yeah." Nova nodded. "A lot." Bea smiled. Dalia's expression softened. Mandi leaned against the bar. "Good." Brenda looked down at herself. At Lena's brass-and-black work outfit. At the black-void contacts she no longer noticed every second. At the chrome-and-brass-yellow hair visible in the bar mirror. Vega. She had expected the cover to feel like a costume. It did. But not only that. Something about the freedom of it had become real. Iris seemed to be thinking something similar. Brenda touched her hand. "One more?" Nova smiled. "At least." Mandi laughed. "There it is." "What?" "At least." Vega grinned. "Problem?" "No." Ace looked toward the room. "Just familiar." Mai put the lollipop back into her mouth. Very familiar. --- Bea decided to wait. Not stop. Wait. "I want somebody interesting." Vega looked at her. "Anna wasn't?" "Very." "Then?" "I've done enough tonight that I'm not taking the next person just because they ask." Mandi nodded. "Good." Dalia said: "Same." Ace looked at her. "You continuing?" Mai checked herself. "Yes." Mandi nodded. "Me too." Brenda looked around. "So all five." Bea corrected: "Potentially." "Fine. Potentially all five." Nova smiled. "Again." Mandi looked toward the ceiling. "This was supposed to be your experiment." Vega smiled. "It is." "You infected everybody." "We did nothing." Dalia said: "Technically Ace started this ages ago." Mandi slowly turned. "No." Mai looked at her. "Historically accurate." "Do not make me responsible for this." Bea laughed. "Too late." Mandi pointed at her. "You voluntarily became Bea." "After watching you." "Fuck." Vega raised one finger. "We voluntarily became—" Mandi pointed at her without even looking. "Don't." Brenda lowered the finger. Nova laughed. Ace sighed. "I hate causality." --- The first approach came to Bea. Elisa noticed the woman before the woman noticed her. Maybe early forties. Short dark hair. Expensive boots. Confident. She talked to Suzie first. That caught Elisa's attention. Not because Suzie pointed toward Bea. She didn't. The woman asked something. Suzie answered. Then the woman looked around. Saw Bea. Paused. There. Interest. She walked over. Bea waited. "Bea?" "Yes." "Working?" Elisa looked at her properly. Calm. Direct. Attractive. Interested. "Yes." "How much?" "Twenty-five thousand for the hour." The woman nodded. "Twenty-five thousand. Accepted." Good. "I'm Katherine." "Bea." "I know." Elisa smiled. "Drink first?" Katherine looked toward the bar. "I'd prefer to talk first." Bea's smile widened. "So would I." They moved away together. Vega watched. "She got one." Mandi looked at her. "This isn't a competition." Brenda slowly turned. Ace realized. "No." "What?" "No." "I didn't say anything." "You were going to." "Wasn't." "You absolutely were." Nova smiled. "She was." Vega looked betrayed. "Sis." "Truth matters." Mandi pointed at Iris. "Thank you." Brenda folded her arms. "Fine." Thirty seconds passed. Then she looked at Nova. "I'm getting one before you." Mandi groaned. "There it is." --- Nova didn't take the bait. Mostly. "I don't care." "Sure." "I don't." "Good." "Very good." "Excellent." "Perfect." Dalia looked between them. "Working partners." Both answered simultaneously: "Shut up." Mai's millimeter smile appeared. Mandi laughed. Then someone approached Dalia. A woman. Tall. Mandi noticed. Looked at Mai. Mai saw her looking. Mandi said nothing. Dalia's eyes narrowed anyway. Ace smiled innocently. The woman stopped in front of Mai. "Working?" Dalia studied her. "Yes." "How much?" "Twenty-five thousand for the hour." "One hour." "Twenty-five thousand." "Accepted." Mai nodded. "Name?" "Jo." "Dalia." "I know." Jo looked at the menthol lollipop. "Is that part of the package?" Mai removed it. "No." Jo smiled. "Good." Dalia raised an eyebrow. "You don't like menthol?" "I hate menthol." Mai considered. Then put the lollipop back into her mouth. Jo laughed. "Oh, you're difficult." Dalia's expression remained calm. "You accepted the price." "I did." "Then let's talk." Jo smiled. "Absolutely." They moved toward a quieter section. Mandi watched them go. Vega looked at her. "Nothing?" Mandi turned. "What?" "You had a face." "I always have a face." "A specific face." Ace drank water. "No idea what you're talking about." Nova smiled. "She was tall." Mandi looked at Iris. Silence. Then: "I liked you better before today." Nova laughed. --- Vega's next approach arrived less than a minute later. Brenda saw him coming. Young. Maybe early thirties. Dark hair. Nice smile. He stopped. "Vega?" "Yes." "Working?" "Yes." "How much?" "Eight thousand for the hour." He nodded. "Eight thousand. Accepted." Brenda smiled. "Name?" "David." "Drink?" "Sure." Vega looked at Nova. Triumph. Iris stared at her. "You are twelve." "I won." "There was no competition." "I still won." David looked between them. "Partner?" Vega nodded. "Nova." Nova smiled. "Hi." "Hi." David looked back at Vega. Then hesitated. Brenda saw it. Here we go. "Question?" "Maybe." "Ask." He glanced at Nova. Then back. "I heard something." Vega waited. "About you two." Nova's eyebrows rose. Brenda's smile became careful. "What?" "That sometimes one of you watches." There it was. Not rumor about incest. Not pair booking. The actual Marlow working pattern had apparently begun traveling through Lizzie's. Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked at Brenda. Interesting. David immediately added: "If that's not something you do, forget I asked." Good. Vega looked back at him. "It is something we sometimes do." David nodded. "Okay." "But not automatically." "Of course." "And Nova decides for herself." "Of course." Brenda looked at Iris again. This was different. Daniel had been their discovery. Claire had been their reversal. Now a client had approached already knowing the option existed. Nova stepped closer. Not beside Vega. Into the conversation. "You want me there?" David looked at her. "I think so." "Think?" He smiled slightly. "I'm curious." Nova considered. "About watching me watch her?" David's expression said she had hit it exactly. "Yes." Brenda felt that. Interesting. Nova looked at Vega. "You?" Brenda checked. Another observer booking? She had just done Michael alone. She wanted another booking. Did she want Iris there again? Yes. Not because David asked. Because she did. "Yes." Nova smiled. Then looked at David. "I'd like to watch." David nodded. "Then yes." Brenda added: "Price is still eight thousand for my hour. Nova is observing, not part of the booking." "Understood." "If that changes—" "We talk first." Brenda smiled. "Good." Nova said: "And I can leave whenever I want." "Of course." Good. All three knew what this was. No assumptions. No accidental pair booking. No public romantic performance. Just a client who had heard about an unusual professional arrangement and asked respectfully. Vega smiled. "Drink first." David nodded. "Absolutely." Nova started to follow. Then stopped. Brenda looked at her. "What?" Iris smiled. "I'm getting water." "Oh." Nova looked at David. "If I'm watching another hour, I'm hydrating." David laughed. "Fair." Mandi lifted her bottle. "Professional." Nova pointed at her. "Exactly." Suzie heard. "Finally." --- Mandi remained at the bar. Alone. For perhaps twenty seconds. Then someone sat beside her. Ace looked sideways. Man. Mid-forties. Weathered face. Work jacket. He didn't look at her immediately. Ordered a drink. Waited. Then: "Mandi?" "Yes." He took his drink. "Can I ask you something?" Ace looked at him. "Depends." "Are you working?" "Yes." "Twenty-five?" Mandi paused. Interesting. "You know my rate." "I asked." "Who?" He smiled. "People." Ace narrowed her eyes. "That's ominous." "Twenty-five thousand for the hour?" "Yes." He nodded. "Accepted." Mandi studied him. "Name?" "Jack." "What do you want, Jack?" He considered. Then surprised her. "Company." Mandi waited. He continued: "Maybe more." "Maybe?" "Depends on you." Better. "Meaning?" "I've had a shit week." Ace's expression changed slightly. Jack looked at his drink. "I don't particularly want to go home yet." Mandi said nothing. "I saw you laughing earlier." "That happens." "Looked real." "It was." He nodded. "I thought maybe an hour with somebody who can still laugh in this city would be worth twenty-five thousand." That landed. Not painfully. Just differently. Mandi looked at him. "Drink first." Jack smiled. "Yeah?" "Yeah." Mandi lifted her water. "You can buy me another one of these." He looked at the bottle. "Wild night." "You have no idea." Jack laughed. Good. There it was. Ace smiled. --- Across the bar, Suzie watched. Lisa returned from the corridor. "All good." Suzie nodded. Lisa looked around. "Where'd everybody go?" Suzie pointed. "Bea talking to Katherine." Another direction. "Dalia with Jo." Then: "Vega and Nova with David." Lisa looked at Mandi. "And Mandi?" "Jack." "Booking?" "Twenty-five thousand. Accepted." Lisa nodded. "One hour?" Suzie looked at her. "Probably." Lisa frowned. "Probably?" "He said company, maybe more." Lisa looked toward them. Mandi was laughing at something Jack had said. "Okay." Suzie smiled. "Exactly." Lisa leaned against the bar. "Second wind." "Apparently." "How long are they going?" Suzie looked at her. "Until they stop." Lisa nodded. Correct answer. --- David was easier company than Brenda expected. Not because he was simple. Because he understood the arrangement. He didn't spend fifteen minutes staring at Nova because she might come into the room. He talked to Vega. Nova joined naturally. They discussed the observer arrangement once. Then moved on. Music. Night City. David's terrible choice in motorcycles. Brenda objected violently. "That thing is a death trap." "It's fast." "It's a coffin with wheels." "You ride?" "No." "Then—" "I have eyes." Nova laughed. David looked at her. "Do you ride?" "No." "Then I'm being judged by two pedestrians." Vega pointed at him. "Alive pedestrians." "Technicality." Brenda smiled. "I like him." Nova nodded. "Unfortunately." David raised his glass. "High praise." Eventually Brenda looked at Iris. Ready? Iris nodded. David saw. "Time?" Vega smiled. "Time." --- Lisa met them at the corridor. She looked at David. "One-hour Vega booking?" "Yes." "Eight thousand?" "Accepted." Lisa looked at Vega. "Good?" "Yes." Then Nova. "Observer?" "Yes." "Client agreed?" David nodded. "Yes." "Vega wants you there?" Brenda: "Yes." Lisa looked at Nova. "You want to be there?" Iris smiled. "Yes." Lisa nodded. "Room six." David looked toward the door. Then at both working partners. "Okay." Vega caught his expression. "Nervous?" "A little." Nova smiled. "Good." David blinked. "Good?" Vega opened the door. "Means you're paying attention." They went inside. --- At the bar, Mandi was still talking to Jack. No rush. No private room yet. He had told her about a supervisor who had managed to destroy three days of work with one badly timed software update. Ace stared at him. "Three days?" "Three." "No rollback?" Jack looked offended. "That's what I said." Mandi put her head in her hands. "No backup?" "Technically." Ace slowly looked up. "Technically?" Jack drank. "The backup was on the same array." Mandi stared. Silence. Then: "Twenty-five thousand isn't enough." Jack laughed so hard he nearly lost his drink. Suzie looked over. Mandi pointed at Jack. "He's been through things." Suzie nodded solemnly. "Another water?" "Please." Jack was still laughing. Mandi looked at him. "See? This is why civilization collapses." "You asked." "I regret it." "No, you don't." Ace smiled. "No." She didn't. Saturday rolled onward. Not because anybody had decided it should. Because five women who had started the evening working had reached the point where stopping was still an option— and none of them wanted it yet. --- ## Chapter 26 — Maybe More Jack bought Mandi another water. Ace stared at it. Then at him. "You actually did." "You told me to." "Most people would have bought something alcoholic." "You weren't drinking alcohol." "Correct." "So why would I?" Mandi considered. "Suspiciously functional." "I have moments." She took the bottle. "Thank you." "You're welcome." Jack drank. They stayed at the bar. No pressure toward the corridor. No checking the time. No assumption that twenty-five thousand eddies had purchased a destination. Ace liked that. Jack looked toward the dance floor. "Can I ask another question?" "You're really getting your money's worth." "Twenty-five thousand." "Exactly." He smiled. "Why Mandi?" Ace went still for half a second. Not visibly. Internally. There were answers she could give. Most of them were unavailable. "Why Jack?" He blinked. "That's my name." "Convenient." "You think Mandi isn't yours?" Mandi smiled. "It is tonight." Jack accepted that. No probing. Good. He looked around. "You seem comfortable here." "I am." "Been doing this long?" Ace considered. "Long enough." "Like it?" That answer came easier. "Yes." Jack looked genuinely surprised. Mandi noticed. "What?" "Nothing." "That was a face." He laughed. "Apparently everybody has specific faces tonight." Ace stared. "How long have you been listening?" "Long enough." "Fuck." Jack smiled. Then: "I suppose I expected a different answer." "Why?" He looked around Lizzie's. "Because most people don't like work." Mandi took a drink. "This isn't most work." "No." "And I'm very selective." Jack nodded. "Good." "Very." "I believe you." Ace looked at him. There was no challenge in it. No implication that money should override selection. Just acknowledgment. Jack took another drink. "So if you hadn't liked me?" "I'd have said no." "Even after I offered twenty-five thousand?" "Especially after you offered twenty-five thousand." Jack frowned slightly. "Why especially?" "Because that's a lot of money to spend an hour wishing you'd gone home." He laughed. "Fair." "And a long hour for me if I don't want you there." "Also fair." Mandi leaned against the bar. "So." "So?" "You paid." "I did." "You have me for an hour." Jack waited. Mandi smiled. "What do you actually want?" --- Jack didn't answer immediately. That was becoming one of the things Ace liked about him. He didn't fill every silence. "Honestly?" "Preferably." "I wanted somebody to talk to." Mandi nodded. "And maybe more." "Maybe." "Still maybe?" Jack looked at her. "Yes." "Good." He seemed surprised again. "You don't mind?" "No." "I thought you'd want to know." "I do know." "You do?" "You don't know yet." Jack laughed softly. "Right." "That's an answer." He looked at his glass. "I've never done this before." "A joytoy?" "Yeah." "Okay." "No joke?" "I can make one if you want." "No." "Then no joke." He smiled. "Thanks." Mandi studied him. "Why tonight?" Jack looked toward the dance floor again. "Because I nearly went home." Ace waited. "And?" "And I didn't want to." That simple. Mandi understood simple. Jack rubbed his thumb against the side of his glass. "My apartment's quiet." "Usually good." "Usually." "Not tonight." "No." Ace nodded. She didn't ask why. Jack noticed that too. "You're not going to ask?" "You'll tell me if you want." "That's very expensive common sense." "Premium common sense." Jack laughed. "Twenty-five thousand." "Now you're learning." --- They talked. About nothing important. Which made it important. Jack worked systems maintenance for a mid-sized logistics outfit. Not glamorous. Not secret. Not something Rogue would care about. Ace liked that immediately. He had spent three days repairing the consequences of somebody else's bad decision. He had slept badly. Eaten worse. And tonight the system was finally stable. "So you went drinking." "One drink." "Then you hired a joytoy." "When you say it like that, it sounds irresponsible." "It is irresponsible." "You're the joytoy." "I contain multitudes." Jack stared. Then laughed again. Mandi smiled. There. That was what he'd bought. Maybe not knowingly. But there. They moved away from work. Food. Bad apartments. Night City's incomprehensible insistence on putting advertisements on every available vertical surface. Jack hated animated ads in elevators. Mandi hated ads that talked. "They know when you're looking." "Exactly." "So don't look." "They start talking louder." Ace stared. "You have aggressive elevator ads?" "Three of them." "Move." "Twenty-five thousand doesn't buy a new apartment." "Priorities." Jack shook his head. "You're terrible financial advice." "I didn't advertise financial services." "Fair." Then he asked: "Do you dance?" Mandi looked toward the floor. "Yes." "Want to?" Ace checked herself. "Yes." Jack smiled. "Then dance with me." --- He was terrible. Not catastrophically. But confidently terrible. Mandi discovered this within approximately eight seconds. Jack stepped left. Ace moved. He corrected right. Ace moved again. Jack nearly stepped on her boot. Mandi stopped. "No." He froze. "What?" "You're trying to kill me." "I missed." "By luck." "I'm sorry." Ace stared up at him. "Do you know how to dance?" "Define know." Mandi closed her eyes. Jack laughed. "That bad?" "Potentially fatal." "Teach me." Ace opened her eyes. "What?" "Teach me." Mandi looked at him. Then at the floor. Then back. "Okay." Jack's eyebrows rose. "Really?" "Don't make me regret it." She took his hand. Moved his other. "Here." "Okay." "Stop trying to anticipate." "I'm not." "You are." "How can you tell?" "Because you're moving before I do." "Isn't that dancing?" "No." "What is?" "Listening." Jack looked down at her. "To the music?" "To me." That changed his expression. Mandi smiled. "Now." She moved. Jack followed. Badly. But followed. Again. Better. Again. Better. "See?" "I think so." "Don't think." "That's concerning advice." "Shut up." Jack laughed. And followed. --- Across the room, Suzie noticed them. Lisa followed her gaze. "Mandi dancing?" "Apparently." "Client?" "Jack." Lisa watched for a moment. "He's awful." Suzie nodded. "Painful." Mandi corrected his hand. Jack nearly went the wrong direction. Both women winced. Then Mandi laughed. Not polite laughter. Not professional encouragement. Real. Jack laughed too. Lisa smiled. "He's improving." "No." "No." They went back to work. --- Eventually Jack stopped trying to lead. That solved most of it. Mandi guided without making it obvious. He relaxed. The music did the rest. They moved closer. Not sexually at first. Just because dancing became easier that way. Jack looked down. "You are extremely small." Mandi stared. There it was. "Careful." "Observation." "Classified." "I can see you." "Still classified." Jack laughed. "How tall?" "Classified." "Seriously?" "Yes." "Why?" "Security." Jack looked baffled. Mandi remained perfectly serious. Then he started laughing again. "You are completely full of shit." "Twenty-five thousand." "Right. Premium bullshit." Ace smiled. "Exactly." They kept dancing. --- When the song changed, Jack didn't immediately let go. Neither did Mandi. There. Something had shifted. Ace felt it. So did he. Jack's hand remained at her waist. Not moving. Waiting. Mandi looked at him. "Maybe?" He understood. "Maybe." She smiled. "Come on." Jack followed her away from the floor. Not toward the corridor. Back to the bar. Suzie looked up. Mandi lifted one finger. "Water." Suzie put two bottles down. Jack stared. "How did she know?" Mandi opened hers. "She's terrifying." "I heard that." Ace drank. Jack did too. Then he said quietly: "I think I want to kiss you." Mandi lowered the bottle. "That's better." "Better?" "Than assuming." Jack nodded. "Can I?" Ace looked at him. Checked. Not the booking. Not the money. Him. "Yes." Jack leaned down. Stopped before contact. Ace closed the remaining distance. --- The kiss was gentle. Almost cautious. Mandi let it be. Jack didn't grab. Didn't turn a yes to one thing into permission for five more. His hand settled at her waist again. Ace stayed close. The kiss ended. Jack looked at her. "Okay?" "Yes." "Good." Mandi tilted her head. "Again?" Jack smiled. "Yes." Second kiss. Less cautious. Still patient. Ace touched his jacket. Pulled him slightly closer. Jack followed. When they separated again, the maybe had changed. Not disappeared. Changed. Jack knew it too. "Private room?" he asked. Mandi smiled. "Now you're asking the right questions." "Is that a yes?" Ace checked once more. "Yes." --- Lisa was near the corridor. Of course she was. She looked at Mandi. "Jack?" "Yes." "One hour?" Mandi looked at Jack. He nodded. "Twenty-five thousand," he said. "Accepted." Lisa looked back at Mandi. "Good?" "Very." Jack smiled at that. Lisa noticed. "Room two." Mandi started toward it. Jack followed. Then Ace stopped. Turned. "Lisa." "What?" "He's a terrible dancer." Jack stared. "Seriously?" Lisa looked at him. "I saw." Jack looked betrayed. "You were watching?" "Security." Mandi nodded gravely. "Evidence." Jack pointed at her. "You taught me." "Attempted." Lisa opened room two. "Go." Mandi walked past her. Jack followed. "Hostile workplace." Lisa shut the door behind them. --- Quiet. Jack looked around. Then at Mandi. "So." Mandi leaned against the door. "So." "We don't have to do anything." "I know." "I mean it." "I know." Jack nodded. Ace smiled. "Come here." He did. They kissed again. Longer. No audience. No dance floor. No bar. No laughter for a while. Just the slow transition from company into intimacy. Jack touched her face. Paused. Mandi leaned into it. Yes. His hand moved to her shoulder. Then waist. Each movement small enough to stop. Each answered. Mandi guided him when she wanted something different. Jack listened. The room narrowed. Not because twenty-five thousand eddies required it. Because they both wanted it now. That distinction mattered. Clothing shifted gradually. Touch became warmer. Closer. Jack stopped once. "Still good?" Mandi looked at him. "Yes." He kissed her again. Later, when the next transition became obvious, he stopped again. Mandi appreciated that. "Still?" Ace smiled. "Yes." She chose how they moved. Where. Jack followed. No performance. No need to make the moment into something larger than it was. The last pause came naturally. Jack waited. Mandi met his eyes. "Yes." The distance between them closed. Ace inhaled. Jack stayed still. She adjusted. Settled. Then nodded. "Good." Only then did he move. Slow. Listening. Exactly what she'd taught him on the dance floor. Ace noticed the parallel. Started laughing. Jack stopped immediately. "What?" "Nothing." "Did I—" "No." She pulled him closer. "You're listening." Jack understood. A smile appeared. "Apparently I can learn." "Don't get arrogant." "Wouldn't dream of it." The rhythm returned. Mandi closed her eyes. Let herself enjoy it. No audience. No lesson. No experiment. Just a booking that had become something neither had decided in advance. --- Later they lay still. Jack stared at the ceiling. Mandi rested against him. Neither spoke for a while. Then: "I didn't think we'd end up here." Ace smiled. "Neither did I." "Is that bad?" "No." Jack turned his head. "Good." Another silence. Then: "I also didn't think I'd spend part of my twenty-five thousand learning to dance." "That part cost extra." Jack laughed softly. "How much?" "Your dignity." "Expensive." "Very." He looked at her. "Worth it." Mandi smiled. "Good." They stayed there until the hour was nearly gone. No attempt to squeeze value from every remaining minute. No second round because money existed. Eventually Ace sat up. Jack did too. They dressed. Mandi fixed what she could. ChromeLock continued lying about the state of her hair. Jack looked at it. "Still electrocuted." Ace slowly turned. "Careful." "I heard you earlier." "Then you know the danger." "Classified?" "Everything is classified." Jack smiled. --- When they returned to the bar, Dalia was already there. Alone. Jo gone. Mai had a fresh lollipop. Of course. She looked at Mandi. Then Jack. Then Mandi again. One eyebrow moved approximately a millimeter. Ace saw it. Ignored it. Jack looked at Mai. "Dalia?" "Yes." "Jack." "I know." Jack blinked. Mandi said: "Don't ask." "Okay." Smart man. Jack turned to Ace. "Thank you." Mandi smiled. "For which part?" He thought. "All of it." "Good answer." "Again sometime?" Ace considered. "Yes." Jack smiled. "Good." He leaned down. Kissed her once. Then left. Mandi watched him disappear into Lizzie's. Dalia waited. Ace continued watching. Mai sucked her lollipop. Five seconds. Ten. Mandi turned. "What?" Dalia's expression remained perfectly neutral. "Nothing." "You have a face." "I always have a face." Ace stared. Mai's millimeter smile appeared. "You bitch." Dalia removed the lollipop. "Good booking?" Mandi looked back toward where Jack had disappeared. Then smiled. "Very." Mai nodded. That was enough. --- Suzie appeared. Looked at Mandi. Then Dalia. "Two survivors." Mandi climbed onto her stool. "Who's still in?" "Bea." Mandi nodded. "Vega and Nova?" "Still room six." Dalia leaned against the bar. Mandi looked at her. "Jo?" "Good." "Again?" "Yes." "Menthol?" Mai stared at her. Ace grinned. "Did she survive?" "She complained." "And?" Dalia slowly put the lollipop into her mouth. Mandi laughed. Suzie looked between them. "I don't want to know." "No," Mandi said. "You really don't." Then room six opened. Vega appeared. Nova behind her. David followed. All three stopped when they saw Mandi and Dalia at the bar. Mandi looked at Vega. Vega looked at Mandi. Neither said anything. Nova's white-void eyes moved between them. Suzie saw it happen. "No." Four heads turned. Suzie pointed at all of them. "Whatever competition is about to begin, no." Vega looked offended. "There isn't one." Mandi nodded. "Absolutely not." Dalia calmly sucked her lollipop. Nova smiled. Suzie stared. "I don't believe any of you." David looked at Vega. "Is this normal?" Brenda considered. Then looked at Mandi. At Dalia. At Suzie. At Lisa farther down the corridor. At herself. She smiled. "Apparently." Saturday continued. --- ## Chapter 27 — You Heard About Us Room six. David stepped inside. Vega followed. Nova came last. The door closed. Silence replaced Lizzie's. David looked around. Then at both women. His confidence from the bar survived approximately three seconds. Vega noticed. "So." David laughed once. "Yeah." "Nervous?" "I admitted that already." "You did." "Do I get points?" "No." "Harsh." Nova moved farther into the room. Not toward the bed. Toward one of the chairs. David watched her. Then caught himself watching her. Iris noticed that too. "Relax." He looked at her. "I'm trying." "You're making it harder." "Helpful." Nova smiled. Vega leaned against the edge of the table. "Let's do this before you explode." David laughed. "Good plan." Brenda looked at Iris. Then David. "Same rules." "Okay." "This is my booking." "Yes." "Eight thousand eddies for the hour." "Accepted." "Nova is here because you asked and because both of us agreed." David nodded. "Yes." "She isn't part of the booking." "Understood." "If she wants to leave, she leaves." "Of course." "If I want her to leave, she leaves." "Of course." "If you decide you don't want her here—" "I say so." "Exactly." Nova added: "And if anything changes, we talk before anything changes." David looked at her. "Yes." Iris studied him. "Still want me here?" David breathed. Then nodded. "Yes." "Why?" That caught him. He had answered at the bar. Sort of. Now Iris wanted the real answer. David looked between them. "I heard somebody talking about you." Vega raised an eyebrow. "Already?" "Apparently." "Who?" "I don't know her name." "Useful." "Sorry." Brenda smiled. "Keep going." David looked at Nova. "She said one of the Marlows sometimes watches the other work." Nova waited. "And?" "I thought it sounded..." He stopped. Vega tilted her head. "Hot?" David laughed. "Yes." "Good. We're adults. You can say hot." "Hot." Nova smiled. "But?" David looked at her. "But then I saw you two together." At the bar. Brenda remembered. The touches. The glances. Nothing that exposed their real romance. Everything meaningful to Brenda and Iris. "What did you see?" Nova asked. David thought. "Trust." That changed the room. Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked back. David continued: "You don't seem worried about each other." "No," Vega said. "That's what interested me." Nova's expression softened slightly. "Not just watching." "No." "What, then?" David struggled for the words. "The fact that Vega knows you're watching." Brenda felt that immediately. So did Iris. There it was. David saw the reaction. "That." Vega smiled. "Okay." Nova sat down. "Better answer." David exhaled. "Did I pass?" Brenda laughed. "There isn't a test." "Feels like one." "That's because there are two of us." "Exactly." Vega pushed away from the table. "Come here." David did. --- Brenda kissed him first. Not because she needed to establish ownership. Because he was her client. Her booking. Her choice. David kissed back. A little carefully. Brenda let him. Then she felt his attention drift. Not his eyes. His awareness. Toward Nova. Vega pulled back. David immediately looked worried. "What?" "Nothing bad." "Okay." "You can look at her." He blinked. "I can?" Brenda laughed. "That's why she's here." David glanced toward Nova. Iris sat comfortably in the chair. White-void eyes impossible to read from across the room. Her posture wasn't. Relaxed. Interested. Watching. David looked back at Vega. "That's..." "What?" "Different." Brenda smiled. "Yeah." She kissed him again. This time he relaxed. --- Nova watched. Consciously. That was different too. Claire had taught Iris something she hadn't expected. Watching Brenda was not merely interesting. It affected her. Deeply. Now she knew that before the room even started. There was anticipation in it. She watched Vega touch David's face. Watched Brenda smile when he said something too quiet for Iris to catch. Watched David's hands settle at Vega's waist. Watched Brenda allow it. The black-void eyes turned briefly toward Nova. There. Brenda checked. Not for permission. Not for reassurance. For Iris. Are you watching? Nova smiled. Yes. Vega's smile changed. David saw it. He followed her gaze. Nova was still there. Still watching. David breathed out. "Oh." Brenda looked at him. "You understand now?" "I think so." "No, you don't." David laughed. "Probably not." Vega touched his chest. "But you're getting closer." --- They didn't hurry. That became important. David had expected the observer element to make the room performative. Instead, it made Brenda more deliberate. She didn't play to Iris. She didn't exaggerate. She simply stopped hiding any reaction from her. When David kissed her neck and found something Brenda liked, her eyes closed. Then opened. Found Nova. Iris saw. Brenda knew she saw. The pleasure changed. Not created. Amplified by being known. David noticed. He stopped. Vega looked at him. "Why'd you stop?" He glanced at Nova. Then back. "That was the thing." Brenda smiled. "What thing?" "The look." Nova laughed softly. David shook his head. "You two know exactly what you're doing." Brenda looked at Iris. Then back at him. "Now?" "Yeah." Vega grinned. "Maybe." --- Clothing changed gradually. Lena's design did not fight David as aggressively as it had fought Michael. Brenda found this mildly disappointing. David released one closure. Correctly. Vega stared. He froze. "What?" "Nothing." "That doesn't sound like nothing." Brenda looked toward Nova. "He got it first try." Iris understood immediately. "Michael didn't?" "Not even close." David looked between them. "Who is Michael?" "My previous booking." "Oh." Vega smiled. "Don't worry about it." "I wasn't until you said that." Nova laughed. Brenda reached for him. "Come here." David wisely obeyed. --- Iris's position changed eventually. Not because anybody asked. She moved from the chair to the end of the bed. Still outside the booking. Still only watching. Closer. David noticed. Brenda noticed more. Vega reached behind herself. Found Nova's hand. Their fingers linked. David stopped. Not because something was wrong. Because that image hit him exactly as hard as he'd expected. Maybe harder. Vega looked at him. "Still okay?" David nodded. "Yes." Nova squeezed Brenda's hand. Vega smiled. Then looked back at David. "Me too." That was the center of it. Not Nova joining. Not David gaining access to both. Brenda with her client. Iris beside her. Watching. Connected. David understood enough not to disturb it. He kissed Vega. Brenda kissed him back. Her hand remained in Iris's. --- When the direction became more intimate, David slowed. Good. Brenda had expected him to. He looked at her. "Still?" "Yes." Then toward Nova. Iris met his eyes. David hesitated. Nova understood. "I'm still good." "Okay." She smiled. "You don't need my permission to touch Vega." David nodded. "I know." "But you do need hers." He looked back at Brenda. Vega smiled. "Yes." David touched her. Brenda guided him. A little. Then less. He learned quickly. Nova watched Brenda's body change under wanted touch. Not details. Reactions. Breathing. Tension. Release. The little movements Iris knew intimately and David did not. That knowledge was its own form of closeness. David looked toward her once. Nova smiled. Not possessive. Not jealous. Encouraging. His attention returned to Vega. Exactly where it belonged. --- Eventually Brenda knew what she wanted next. She also knew Iris would recognize it before she said anything. Nova did. The white-void gaze sharpened. Brenda smiled. David noticed both. "Something happening?" Vega laughed softly. "Maybe." She repositioned. David followed. Then Brenda stopped. This mattered. She looked at him. "Condom?" "Yes." "Good." He handled it. No assumptions. No hurry. Then he came back to her. Brenda touched his face. "Still good?" David smiled slightly. "I think that's my line." "Answer." "Yes." Vega smiled. "Me too." David looked toward Nova once more. Not asking permission. Checking the room. Iris was still holding Brenda's hand. Still comfortable. Still choosing to be there. Nova nodded once. Not permission. Acknowledgment. David returned his attention to Vega. Brenda guided the final positioning. Paused. Looked at him. "Yes." He entered her. Brenda's breath caught. David stopped immediately. Still. Exactly as he should. Vega's fingers tightened around Nova's. Iris squeezed back. Brenda breathed. Adjusted. The first intensity settled. David waited. "Okay?" Brenda opened her black-void eyes. First looked at him. "Yes." Then Iris. Nova was watching. Brenda smiled. "Very." Only then did David begin to move. Slowly. --- The first rhythm wasn't right. Brenda knew it. David noticed her adjusting. "Different?" "Slower." He slowed. "Like that?" "Yes." He stayed there. Nova watched. Brenda's hand remained in hers. That connection became almost absurdly intense. Every time David moved, Iris felt the response through Brenda's fingers. Not the physical sensation itself. The reaction. A tightening. A shift. A stronger grip. Brenda knew Iris could feel it. Which made her react more. A loop. Entirely wanted. Entirely theirs. David saw only part of it. Enough. He looked at their joined hands. Then Vega's face. "Fuck." Brenda laughed breathlessly. "What?" "I get it." Nova smiled. "No, you don't." David laughed. "Apparently that's the theme." Vega pulled him closer. "Less talking." "Yes, ma'am." Brenda stared. David froze. Then Vega started laughing. Nova did too. David looked horrified. "What did I do?" Brenda shook her head. "Nothing." "That was absolutely something." "Wrong woman." David looked at Nova. Iris was laughing harder now. "I don't understand." "You don't need to." Brenda pulled him back. "Move." He did. Smart man. --- The humor faded again. Pleasure returned. Built. Brenda stopped thinking about how the arrangement looked. That had been the last trace of novelty. Now she simply lived inside it. David. Iris. Her own choices. David learned. Brenda guided. Nova watched. Nobody crossed a boundary. Nobody needed to. Brenda's breathing changed. Iris felt it before David noticed. Her grip tightened. Vega looked at her. White void. Black void. No visible eyes at all. And somehow they could still read each other perfectly. Iris smiled. Brenda's mouth opened slightly. There. David felt the change. "Stay?" Brenda nodded. "Stay." He did. No cleverness. No adjustment. No attempt to improve what was already working. Brenda's grip on Iris became hard. Nova held on. The rise accelerated. Brenda closed her eyes. Opened them again. She wanted to see Iris. Wanted Iris to see her. Nova leaned slightly closer. Still only watching. Still not entering the booking. But absolutely present. Brenda reached the edge. Then crossed it. Her body tightened. Breath broke. The sound that escaped her was unguarded. David stayed exactly where she'd told him. Nova's hand remained locked with hers. Brenda rode the release until it softened. Then farther. Until she finally exhaled. Long. Shaking. David stopped. Waited. Nova didn't let go. Brenda opened her eyes. Iris was smiling. Not smug. Not amused. Warm. Affected. Brenda laughed softly. "Fuck." Nova's thumb moved across the back of her hand. "Yeah." David looked between them. Then laughed quietly. "Okay." Vega turned her head. "What?" "I definitely get more of it now." Nova raised an eyebrow. "More." "Not all." "Good answer." --- They stayed still. That mattered too. David remained close. Brenda kept Iris's hand. Nobody hurried to convert the aftermath into conversation. Eventually Brenda's breathing normalized. David moved only when she did. Then they separated. Brenda settled back. Nova released her hand long enough to give her water. David watched. Not with the earlier curiosity. Something calmer. Brenda drank. Then handed the bottle back. "Thanks, sis." Nova smiled. "Anytime." David looked at them. "You really are good at that." Both women froze internally. Professional-duo cover. The word carried a second truth David could never know. Brenda recovered first. "Hydration?" David laughed. "That too." --- The booking continued. Not another immediate peak. Not a race. They talked. David sat beside Vega. Nova stayed near them. The strange structure had become comfortable. At one point David asked: "Does this always happen?" Vega looked at him. "What?" "One of you watching." "No." "Often?" Brenda looked at Iris. "Sometimes." Nova added: "When we want it." David nodded. "Would you ever both work with the same client?" There it was. The obvious question. Brenda and Iris exchanged a look. Not offended. They had expected it eventually. Vega answered. "Not tonight." David immediately nodded. "Okay." Nova smiled. "And not automatically just because we're both here." "Understood." "If we ever do that," Vega said, "it'll be a different booking." "Different agreement," Nova added. "Different price." David nodded again. "Fair." He didn't ask what price. Good. There wasn't one yet. Brenda smiled. "Curious?" David laughed. "Obviously." "Stay curious." "That's cruel." Nova tilted her head. "Eight thousand bought Vega." David looked at her. "Right." "It didn't buy future policy." He laughed. "Also fair." Brenda looked at Iris. That answer had sounded remarkably natural. The Marlow duo were learning quickly. --- Later, David and Vega kissed again. Nothing rushed. Nova watched less intensely now. The central discovery had already happened. She could simply be present. At one point Brenda reached for her hand again. Iris gave it. No discussion. David smiled when he saw it. But didn't comment. Better. The hour eventually began running out. Brenda noticed first. She was surprised. "Shit." David looked at her. "What?" "Time." He checked. "Oh." Nova looked too. "Yeah." David smiled. "That went fast." Vega sat up. "Good sign." "Very." No attempt to negotiate another hour on the spot. Brenda appreciated that. They dressed. David needed no assistance from Lena's closures. Brenda resented him slightly for this. Nova noticed. "You're annoyed." "No." "Michael." "Shut up." David looked between them. "Still don't know who Michael is." "Good," Vega said. --- Before they opened the door, David stopped. Both women looked at him. "I'd book you again." Vega smiled. "Good." He looked at Nova. "And I'd ask again." Iris considered. Then smiled. "You can ask." Not yes. Not guaranteed. Ask. David understood. "Good." Then: "Eight thousand again?" Vega nodded. "Eight thousand for my hour." "And if Nova watches?" "Still eight thousand if she's only observing." Nova added: "And only if I want to." "Right." David smiled. "I listened." Vega nodded. "You did." He reached for the door. Then paused. "One last question." Brenda sighed dramatically. "You're using every second." "I paid eight thousand." Nova laughed. "Ask." David looked between them. "How long have you two been doing this?" Vega and Nova looked at each other. Brenda's mouth twitched. Iris answered: "Long enough." David stared. Then started laughing. Vega opened the door. "Good night, David." "Good night." --- They stepped into the corridor. Mandi and Dalia were already at the bar. David followed Vega. All three stopped. Mandi looked at Vega. Vega looked at Mandi. Black eyes. Black void. A dangerous amount of information passed through absolutely no expression at all. Nova saw it. Then Dalia. Then Suzie. Suzie reacted first. "No." Four heads turned. Suzie pointed. "Whatever competition is about to begin, no." Vega looked offended. "There isn't one." Mandi nodded. "Absolutely not." Dalia calmly sucked her lollipop. Nova smiled. Suzie stared at them. "I don't believe any of you." David looked at Vega. "Is this normal?" Brenda considered. Then looked at Mandi. At Dalia. At Suzie. At Lisa farther down the corridor. At Iris beside her. Her real partner hidden perfectly inside her public working partner. Brenda smiled. "Apparently." David laughed. Then turned back to Vega. "Again." "Ask me." "I will." He kissed her once. Brief. Warm. Then looked at Nova. "Thanks for saying yes." Iris smiled. "You're welcome." David left. Brenda watched him disappear. Then turned toward Iris. Neither spoke immediately. They didn't need to. Finally Nova said: "You liked that." Vega stared at her. "So did you." "I asked first." "That's not how questions work." "It's how this one works." Brenda stepped closer. Not enough to violate the cover. Enough that their shoulders touched. "Yes." Iris smiled. "Me too." Vega looked toward the bar. Then back. "Again?" Nova didn't hesitate. "Absolutely." Not David specifically. Not tonight specifically. The arrangement. The choice. The watching. The knowledge. The Marlow duo had arrived at Lizzie's with an experiment. Now clients were already hearing about them. Brenda looked toward Suzie. Suzie caught the look. "What?" "Nothing." Suzie pointed at her. "That word has lost all meaning tonight." Vega laughed. Then she and Nova returned to the bar together. Saturday continued. --- ## Chapter 28 — Somebody Interesting Katherine did not ask for a private room. Not immediately. That was the first thing Elisa liked about her. They found a quieter place along the edge of Lizzie's instead. Still public. Still inside the club. Still close enough that Lisa could see them when she crossed the room. Katherine sat. Bea sat opposite her. For several seconds neither spoke. Elisa smiled. "You said you wanted to talk." "I did." "Usually that involves words." Katherine smiled. "I was looking at you." "That costs extra." "Twenty-five thousand wasn't enough?" "Depends how long you stare." Katherine laughed. Good. Elisa leaned back. "So." "So." "What did you ask Suzie?" Katherine raised an eyebrow. "You noticed." "Of course I noticed." "I asked whether you were actually working." "You could've asked me." "I did." "After Suzie." "Yes." "Why?" Katherine considered. "Because I've been watching this end of the bar for a while." Bea waited. "You five are unusual." "Five?" Katherine pointed subtly. "Mandi. Dalia. The working partners. You." Elisa smiled. "You've done your homework." "Not intentionally." "That's usually what people say immediately before revealing they've done their homework." Katherine laughed again. "Fair." She looked toward the bar. "Mandi looks like she's having the time of her life." "Frequently." "Dalia looks like she could make someone apologize for breathing incorrectly." Elisa's mouth twitched. "Also frequently." "And the working partners..." Katherine paused. Bea waited. "They're new." "Yes." "Very new." "Yes." "But they're comfortable." Elisa looked toward the bar. Vega and Nova weren't there now. Room six. David. Interesting that Katherine had noticed them before they disappeared. "They're learning fast." "So I gathered." Then Katherine looked directly at Bea. "And you don't look new at all." Elisa smiled. "I'm not." "That's why I picked you." There. Interesting. "Why?" "Because I don't want somebody nervous." "Okay." "I don't want somebody trying to impress me." "Good." "And I don't want somebody who's going to agree with everything I say because I paid twenty-five thousand eddies." Bea's smile widened. "Very good." Katherine leaned forward. "So tell me something." "What?" "Why did you pick me?" Elisa laughed softly. "Now we're getting somewhere." --- Katherine waited. Elisa looked at her. Really looked. Early forties, maybe. Short dark hair. Good boots. Expensive jacket without visible branding. Hands that had seen actual use despite the rest of the presentation. No obvious chrome beyond what Night City considered normal. Confident posture. No performance of confidence. Most importantly: Katherine had asked Suzie whether Bea was working. Then asked Bea. Then asked the price. Then accepted twenty-five thousand without trying to bargain. Then asked to talk. "You didn't approach like you owned me." Katherine nodded. "Low bar." "You'd be amazed." "I probably wouldn't." "Fair." Elisa continued. "You asked Suzie first." "You liked that?" "I noticed it." "Not the same thing." "No." Katherine smiled. Elisa liked that too. "You looked at me before you approached." "Yes." "But you weren't staring at my tits." Katherine's eyes flicked down. Then back up. "I am now." Bea laughed. "Better late than never." Katherine smiled. "They're very nice." "Thank you." "Professional assessment." Elisa stared. Katherine blinked. "What?" "Nothing." "That was definitely something." "Inside joke." "With whom?" "Apparently half this building." Katherine laughed. "Fine." Elisa leaned closer. "And you made me curious." "How?" "You talked to Suzie." "Again?" "Again." "What did that tell you?" "That you know where you are." Katherine's expression changed slightly. There. She understood. Lizzie's wasn't just a room full of potential purchases. It was Mox territory. A protected place. A place with rules. Katherine had respected that before she ever approached Bea. "Good answer," Katherine said. Elisa smiled. "I know." --- They talked. Katherine worked in corporate logistics. Not Jack's version. Higher. Much higher. Elisa recognized the vocabulary almost immediately. Not the company. Katherine never named it. Bea never asked. That boundary emerged naturally. "You're being careful," Katherine said eventually. "About?" "My work." "You haven't offered the company name." "No." "So I haven't asked." Katherine studied her. "Most people would." "Most people aren't charging you twenty-five thousand eddies to have a good evening." "Interesting distinction." "Very." "You're not curious?" "Of course I'm curious." "Then why not ask?" Elisa smiled. "Because curiosity and entitlement aren't the same thing." Katherine went quiet. Then: "Okay." "What?" "That might've been the answer." "What answer?" "Why you." Elisa raised an eyebrow. Katherine smiled. "Don't get smug." "Too late." --- Katherine asked about Bea instead. Not Elisa. Bea. That was safer. And unexpectedly enjoyable. "Where are you from?" "Complicated." "That's not a place." "It's a very large place." Katherine laughed. "Fine. What do you like?" "People who ask better questions." "You're difficult." "So I've been told." "Tonight?" "Repeatedly." Katherine looked toward the bar. "Dalia?" Elisa smiled. "Among others." "What do you like?" Bea considered. "Good food." "Safe answer." "Fast cars." "Less safe." "People who surprise me." Katherine looked at her. "Better." "Music." "What kind?" Elisa hesitated. Katherine caught it. "Oh." "What?" "There's a story." "No." "Definitely." "No." "Bad taste?" Bea pointed at her. "Careful." Katherine laughed. "Now I need to know." "You absolutely don't." "Twenty-five thousand." "Doesn't buy classified information." "Your music taste is classified?" "After tonight, yes." Katherine laughed hard enough that someone nearby looked over. Elisa smiled. Yeah. Interesting. --- The conversation changed gradually. Not subject. Distance. Katherine moved closer first. Not much. Enough. Bea noticed. Elisa didn't move away. Katherine noticed that. "You really do read everything." "Occupational hazard." "Joytoy?" Bea smiled. "Among other things." Katherine looked at her. Elisa waited. No follow-up. Very good. Instead Katherine said: "Can I kiss you?" Direct. Bea looked at her. Checked. "Yes." Katherine leaned in. The first kiss was brief. Testing. Elisa liked it. Katherine pulled back. "Again?" "Yes." Second kiss. Longer. Warmer. Katherine touched Bea's face. Elisa leaned into the contact. No rush. No immediate migration toward a private room. They kissed again. Katherine's hand moved to Elisa's waist. Stopped. Bea closed the remaining distance herself. Permission. Katherine smiled against her mouth. When they separated: "Still talking?" Elisa smiled. "Technically." "Good." --- They did talk. Between kisses. Which became increasingly inefficient. Katherine had a dry sense of humor. Elisa discovered this when she asked: "Do you always interrogate clients?" "Only suspicious ones." "What made me suspicious?" "Boots." Katherine looked down. "My boots?" "Expensive." "Your outfit probably costs more than my boots." "Almost certainly." "Then who's suspicious?" "Still you." "Unfair." "Twenty-five thousand." Katherine stared. "You people really use that for everything." Elisa froze. "You people?" "The joytoys." "Oh." "What did you think I meant?" "Nothing." Katherine's eyes narrowed. "That was a face." Bea laughed. "Apparently everybody has specific faces tonight." "You're all repeating the same phrases." Elisa looked toward the bar. "Occupational contamination." Katherine laughed. Then kissed her again. --- Eventually Katherine pulled back. "Private room?" There. Elisa checked herself. Yes. "Yes." Katherine smiled. "Good." Bea stood. Katherine followed. Then Elisa stopped. "Before we go." Katherine waited. "What do you want?" The question mattered more now. Katherine understood. She thought. "You." "Broad." "I know." "Try again." Katherine looked at her. "Sex." No embarrassment. No euphemism. Good. "If we both still want it when we're inside." Better. Elisa smiled. "Anything specific?" "No." "Anything you don't want?" Katherine answered. Elisa listened. Then gave her own boundaries. Clear. Simple. No negotiation against them. Katherine nodded. "Good." Bea held out her hand. "Come on." --- Lisa met them before the corridor. Of course. "Katherine?" "Yes." "One-hour Bea booking?" Katherine nodded. "Twenty-five thousand eddies." Lisa looked at Bea. "Accepted?" Elisa smiled. "Accepted." Katherine corrected: "I accepted." Lisa looked at her. "Good." Then Bea. "You good?" "Very." Lisa nodded. "Room seven." Katherine looked toward the corridor. Then at Elisa. "Very?" Bea smiled. "Don't make me revise it." Katherine laughed. "Understood." They went inside. --- Room seven. The door closed. Lizzie's disappeared. Katherine looked at Bea. "Still very?" Elisa walked closer. "Yes." She kissed her. No more testing. Katherine responded immediately. Hands found waist. Shoulders. Face. Every change still carried a pause. Every pause received an answer. Clothing became involved. Lena had apparently designed Bea's outfit with slightly less homicidal engineering than Mandi's. Katherine found the first release. Stopped. "Was that correct?" Elisa looked down. "Yes." "Good." "Why?" "I heard something about the clothes." Bea stared. "What exactly have you been listening to?" Katherine smiled. "Enough." "Oh, fuck." "Lena?" Elisa froze. "How do you know Lena?" Katherine blinked. "Somebody at the bar said the outfits were Lena's." Bea exhaled. "Right." Katherine stared. "Who did you think I was?" "Suspicious boots." That broke Katherine completely. --- They recovered. Eventually. The rest became quieter. Katherine was attentive. Confident without deciding for Elisa. Elisa liked that. Very much. Touch became more intimate. Katherine checked. Bea answered. Bea initiated too. There was no worker/client choreography anymore. Just two adults who had negotiated the structure already and now wanted what came next. At one point Katherine stopped. "Still yes?" Elisa looked at her. "Very yes." Katherine smiled. "Specific." "I believe in clarity." "So I've noticed." They continued. When the next transition approached, they slowed again. No assumption that earlier consent automatically answered the next question. Elisa chose. Katherine followed. The decisive shift into sex came only after another clear yes. Then stillness. A breath. A check. Elisa smiled. "Good." Katherine waited one second longer. "Sure?" "Yes." Only then did they continue. The rhythm emerged gradually. Neither hurried it. Elisa found herself thinking less. That was rare. Useful. Pleasant. Katherine learned quickly. Elisa guided when needed. Katherine responded without ego. Better. Eventually talking became impossible. Then unnecessary. Pleasure built. Elisa let it. No cover anxiety. No question of whether Bea worked. Bea worked. Bea enjoyed working. Both things could be true. The peak arrived without spectacle. Strong. Warm. Elisa held Katherine close through it. Katherine stayed with her. Afterward they didn't immediately move apart. That mattered. Stillness. Breathing. Contact. Then Katherine kissed her forehead. Elisa laughed softly. "What?" "Nothing." "That's apparently banned tonight." "Inside joke." "Again?" "Always." --- Later they lay beside each other. Katherine looked at the ceiling. "Twenty-five thousand." Bea turned her head. "What about it?" "Worth it." Elisa smiled. "Good." Katherine looked at her. "That's all?" "What do you want, a customer satisfaction survey?" "Maybe." "Scale of one to ten?" "Ten." "You answered too fast." "Eleven." "Invalid." "Twelve." Bea laughed. Katherine smiled. Then became quieter. "I would book you again." Elisa considered. "Good." "Would you take it?" "Probably." "Probably?" "I choose every time." Katherine nodded. "Right." No offense. Good. Then: "So I ask." "Exactly." "And you decide." "Exactly." Katherine smiled. "I like that." "So do I." --- The remaining time wasn't wasted. It also wasn't optimized. They kissed. Talked. Katherine asked another terrible music question. Elisa refused to answer on constitutional grounds. Katherine claimed Night City had no constitution protecting musical embarrassment. Bea declared one unilaterally. Eventually the hour reached its end. They dressed. Katherine checked Bea's outfit. "Correct?" Elisa looked. "Mostly." "Mostly?" Bea fixed one strap. "Now." Katherine nodded solemnly. "I survived Lena." "Don't get arrogant." "Right." They left room seven. --- At the bar, Mandi was gone. Dalia was gone. Vega and Nova were gone. Suzie was there. Lisa was there. Both looked at Bea. Elisa stopped. "No." Suzie frowned. "What?" "Whatever you're thinking." "I'm working." "Good." Katherine looked between them. "Is this another inside joke?" Lisa answered: "Probably." Suzie looked at her. "You're not helping." Katherine laughed. Then turned to Bea. "Again?" Elisa smiled. "Ask me." Katherine's expression changed. She liked that answer. "I will." A final kiss. Then Katherine disappeared into Lizzie's. Bea watched her leave. Suzie put water in front of her. Elisa sat. "Good?" Suzie asked. "Very." Lisa looked toward Katherine. "Repeat?" "If she asks." "And?" Elisa drank. "Probably." Suzie smiled. "Selective." "Always." Lisa nodded. Then looked around. "You're first back." Bea stopped drinking. Slowly lowered the bottle. "No." Suzie looked innocent. "What?" "No betting." Lisa laughed. "We weren't." "You were thinking about it." Suzie pointed at her. "That is not actionable." Bea narrowed her eyes. "Good." Thirty seconds later room two opened. Mandi stepped out with Jack. Bea looked at Suzie. Suzie looked at Bea. Lisa looked at both. Elisa slowly smiled. "I would've won." Suzie slapped the bar. "No." Saturday continued. --- ## Chapter 29 — I Hate Menthol Jo hated menthol. Dalia considered this a character flaw. Not a fatal one. Yet. They sat opposite each other in a quieter corner of Lizzie's. Jo looked at the lollipop. Dalia noticed. "You keep looking at it." "I hate it." "You mentioned." "You're still eating it." "Sucking." Jo stared. Mai's expression remained perfectly neutral. Then Jo laughed. "That was deliberate." "What?" "The word." Dalia removed the lollipop. "I have no idea what you mean." "Bullshit." A millimeter. That was all Jo got. A tiny movement at one corner of Dalia's mouth. But she caught it. "There." "What?" "You smiled." "No." "You absolutely did." Mai put the lollipop back into her mouth. Jo leaned back. "Twenty-five thousand eddies." Dalia raised an eyebrow. "What about them?" "I paid twenty-five thousand eddies and apparently part of the experience is being gaslit by a woman with pink dreadlocks." "Refunds are unavailable." Jo laughed. Good. --- They talked. Jo was tall. Very tall compared with Dalia. Mai had noticed. Of course she had noticed. She had also noticed Mandi noticing. That would become a problem later. Or entertainment. Probably both. Jo worked in construction. Not management. Actual construction. Structural retrofit crews. Night City had an endless appetite for rebuilding things it had broken itself. "You climb buildings?" "Sometimes." Dalia looked at her hands. Jo noticed. "What?" "Calluses." Jo looked down. "Problem?" "No." "You checking whether I'm lying?" "Always." Jo smiled. "Do I pass?" "So far." "Comforting." Mai sucked the lollipop. Jo stared at it again. "Seriously." "What?" "How many of those do you eat?" Dalia considered. "Classified." Jo stared. "You're doing that too?" "Doing what?" "Classified." Mai's face remained blank. Jo pointed toward the room. "I heard Mandi say her height was classified." "Security issue." Jo burst out laughing. Dalia waited. Patient. Eventually Jo recovered. "You two are ridiculous." "Twenty-five thousand." "Oh, fuck you." Dalia's eyebrow rose. Jo froze. Then: "That sounded like a request." Mai removed the lollipop. Jo looked at her. Dalia's voice remained low. Rough. Whiskey and smoke. "You should be more precise." Jo smiled slowly. "Maybe it was." Better. --- Mai liked direct people. Jo was direct. Not crude. Not entitled. Direct. "What do you like?" Jo asked. "Specificity." "I noticed." "Competence." Jo smiled. "Noted." "Confidence." "Have that." "Unproven." Jo laughed. "What else?" Mai looked at her. "People who know the difference between confidence and assumption." Jo's smile softened. "Okay." "And you?" Jo thought. "Women who make me work for answers." "Poor judgment." "Apparently." "What else?" "Short women." Mai stopped. Jo saw it. There. A reaction. Tiny. But real. "Interesting." Dalia stared at her. "Careful." Jo grinned. "Why?" Mai put the lollipop into her mouth. Jo laughed again. "That's your defense mechanism." Dalia's eyes narrowed. "Oh, definitely." Mai leaned forward. Jo stopped laughing. Not because Dalia looked angry. Because suddenly the distance between them was much smaller. "Would you like to test that theory?" Jo looked at her. "Yes." Mai removed the lollipop. Wrapped it. Put it into Lena's hidden pocket. Jo watched the entire operation. "You saved it." "Of course." "That's disgusting." "It's wrapped." "You are going to put it back in your mouth later." "Yes." Jo stared. Dalia's millimeter smile returned. "You knew that would bother me." "Yes." "You're evil." "Unproven." Jo laughed. Then Mai kissed her. --- Jo was surprised. Only for a moment. Then she responded. Confident. Good. Her hand moved toward Dalia's waist. Stopped before touching. Mai closed the distance herself. Better. Jo's hand settled. Dalia's arms went around her. The height difference was ridiculous. Mai knew exactly who would mention that later. Mandi. Definitely Mandi. Possibly Vega. Probably Bea. Dalia decided preemptive violence remained available. The kiss ended. Jo looked down at her. "Fuck." Mai raised an eyebrow. "Problem?" "No." "Good." "Again?" "Yes." Jo kissed her. This time Mai took control of it. Not aggressively. Decisively. Jo followed. That was interesting. When they separated: "You like being in charge." Dalia looked at her. "Sometimes." "Tonight?" "Maybe." Jo smiled. "Good." Mai's eyebrow rose. "You assume too much." "No." Jo leaned closer. "I'm hoping." Better answer. Dalia kissed her again. --- They stayed there longer than either expected. Talking. Kissing. Testing. Jo never pushed the conversation toward a private room. Eventually Mai did. "What do you want?" Jo smiled. "I thought precision was important." "It is." "Sex." "Good." "With you." "Obviously." Jo laughed. "Very specifically with you." "Better." "And I would like you to tell me what you want instead of making me guess." That landed. Mai studied her. "Why?" "Because you're very good at making me guess." "True." "And I think you enjoy it." "Possibly." "But I don't want to guess when it matters." There. Mai nodded. "Good." Jo waited. Dalia gave her boundaries. Clear. Direct. Jo gave hers. No performance. No bargaining. No attempt to make twenty-five thousand eddies erase either set. When they were finished, Jo asked: "Private room?" Mai checked herself. "Yes." --- Lisa looked at them. Then looked up at Jo. Then down at Dalia. Then up at Jo again. Mai saw it. "Don't." Lisa's expression remained neutral. "I didn't say anything." "You thought something." "Security doesn't regulate thoughts." "Yet." Jo laughed. Lisa looked at her. "One hour?" Jo nodded. "Twenty-five thousand eddies." "Accepted?" "I accepted." Lisa looked at Dalia. "You good?" "Yes." "Room five." Jo started toward it. Dalia followed. Lisa said: "Watch the ceiling." Jo stopped. Looked up. There was nothing remotely close to her head. She looked at Lisa. Lisa's face remained completely straight. Jo started laughing. Dalia slowly turned toward Lisa. "You bitch." Lisa smiled. "Room five." --- The door closed. Jo was still laughing. Mai stared at her. "Finished?" "No." Dalia waited. Jo looked at her. At the pink dreadlocks. At the neon-green reflective eyes. At the expression of a woman whose patience was theoretically finite. Jo tried. Failed. Laughed again. Mai walked toward her. Jo stopped. "Oh." Dalia stood directly in front of her. "Still funny?" Jo smiled. "Little bit." Mai reached up. Caught her jacket. Pulled her down. Kissed her. Jo stopped laughing. Immediately. Better. --- The room changed. Slowly. Jo followed what she'd promised. She didn't guess when guessing mattered. "Here?" "Yes." "This?" "Yes." "More?" Mai paused. Then: "Yes." Dalia was equally clear. When she wanted Jo closer, she said so. When she wanted slower, she said so. When she wanted something changed, it changed. There was pleasure in not having to soften the instructions. Jo liked receiving them. Mai liked that too. Clothing gradually shifted. Lena's design produced a brief mechanical puzzle. Jo stopped. Dalia watched. "Problem?" "I don't want to break this." "Wise." "How?" Mai showed her. Jo stared. "That's unnecessarily complicated." "Lena." "Right." The name apparently explained everything. Good. --- Eventually they reached the next decision. Jo slowed. Looked at Mai. "Still want this?" "Yes." "How?" Dalia answered. Jo followed. They repositioned together. No assumption. No hurry. The last pause came naturally. Jo waited. Mai looked at her. "Yes." The decisive transition came gently. Dalia inhaled. Jo stopped. Held still. "Good?" Mai adjusted. Settled. Then looked at her. "Yes." Jo waited another moment. Dalia touched her. "Move." Jo did. Slowly. Mai's breathing changed. "Like that?" "Yes." Jo stayed there. No improvisation. No showing off. Competence. Dalia liked competence. The rhythm built. Mai guided when she wanted changes. Jo listened. Very well. At one point Mai opened her eyes. Jo was watching her. Not staring. Reading. "Good?" Jo asked. Dalia nodded. "Very." Jo smiled. Then kept doing exactly what she had been doing. Better. --- Mai didn't need to perform. That became the best part. Dalia was a performance in appearance. Pink dreadlocks. Reflective green eyes. Whiskey-smoke voice. Menthol lollipop. A carefully constructed visual declaration. But inside the room, Mai didn't need any of it. Jo responded to what was actually there. Mai's breathing. Mai's hands. Mai's words. Mai's pleasure. The intensity grew. Jo noticed. "Same?" "Yes." She stayed. Mai pulled her closer. The rhythm held. Pleasure rose. Then sharpened. Dalia's control didn't disappear. It simply stopped being important. Her breathing broke. Jo stayed exactly where Mai wanted her. The release came strong enough that Mai's grip tightened hard. Jo waited through it. No hurry. No immediate movement away. Mai remained against her. Breathing. Still. Jo kissed her temple. "Good?" Dalia's eyes opened. "Yes." Jo smiled. "Very?" Mai looked at her. A millimeter. "Very." --- Stillness. Longer than Jo expected. Neither objected. Eventually Jo said: "I like your voice." Mai raised an eyebrow. "Now?" "Yes." "You've heard it for an hour." "I was distracted." "By?" Jo looked at the pink dreadlocks. Then Mai's face. Then lower. Dalia stared. Jo smiled. "Various professional factors." Mai laughed. Actually laughed. Small. Low. Real. Jo's expression changed. "There." "What?" "That." Mai already knew. "You laugh differently." Dalia went still. Dangerous territory. Not because Jo knew anything. Because she had noticed something real. Mai kept her expression neutral. "From what?" "From the way you talk." Safe. Jo continued: "Your voice is all smoke and threat, then you laugh and suddenly you're..." She stopped. Dalia waited. "Warmer." Mai looked at her. Jo smiled. "That's all." Dalia relaxed. Slightly. "Good observation." "Do I get points now?" "No." "Still harsh." --- They dressed eventually. Jo solved Lena's closures correctly on the way back. Mai noticed. "Improvement." "Competence." "Emerging." Jo laughed. Then saw Mai reach into the hidden pocket. "No." Dalia removed the wrapped lollipop. Jo stared in horror. "You cannot be serious." Mai unwrapped it. Put it back into her mouth. Jo closed her eyes. "Twenty-five thousand eddies." Dalia sucked the lollipop. "Non-refundable." "That's the worst thing that's happened tonight." Mai's eyebrow rose. "Really?" Jo opened her eyes. Looked at her. "No." "Good." --- They left room five. Lisa was waiting farther down the corridor. She saw the lollipop. Then Jo's expression. "What happened?" Jo pointed at Dalia. "She saved it." Lisa looked at Mai. "The same one?" "Wrapped." Lisa stared. Jo threw both hands up. "See?" Lisa looked at the lollipop. Then Dalia. Then: "I'm with Jo." Mai stopped walking. "Betrayal." "Health code." "It's wrapped." Jo laughed. Lisa shook her head. "You're impossible." Dalia continued toward the bar. Jo followed. --- Before leaving, Jo stopped her. "Again?" Mai looked up at her. "Yes." Jo smiled. "Twenty-five thousand?" "For now." "Accepted." Dalia raised an eyebrow. "You're not booking now." "Advance acceptance." "No." Jo laughed. "Fine." Mai's expression softened. "Ask me when you see me." Jo understood. "Okay." She leaned down. Mai met her halfway. One last kiss. Then Jo whispered: "I still hate menthol." Dalia put the lollipop between her lips. "Character flaw." Jo laughed and left. --- Mai remained there for a moment. Then returned to the bar. Mandi wasn't back yet. Bea wasn't back yet. The Marlows weren't back yet. Suzie looked at her. "Good?" "Yes." "Repeat?" "Probably." Suzie looked at the lollipop. "Same one?" Mai stared. Suzie held up both hands. "Never mind." Dalia leaned against the bar. Several minutes later Mandi appeared with Jack. Mai looked at her. Ace looked at Mai. No words. Not yet. Then Jack left. Mandi turned. "What?" Dalia's expression remained neutral. "Nothing." "You have a face." "I always have a face." Mandi stared. Mai's millimeter smile appeared. "You bitch." "Good booking?" Mandi looked back toward Jack. "Very." Mai nodded. Mandi looked at the lollipop. "New one?" Dalia paused. "No." Ace stared. Mai calmly sucked it. Mandi's face transformed. "Oh, you fucking animal." Dalia's eyebrow rose. "It was wrapped." "That doesn't make it better." "It objectively does." Suzie turned away. "I'm not participating." Mandi pointed at Mai. "This woman cannot be trusted." Dalia smiled around the lollipop. Then room six opened. Vega appeared. Nova behind her. David followed. Mandi looked at Vega. Vega looked at Mandi. Dalia watched both. Suzie saw the entire disaster assembling. "No." Four heads turned. "Whatever competition is about to begin, no." Vega looked offended. "There isn't one." Mandi nodded. "Absolutely not." Dalia calmly sucked her lollipop. Nova smiled. Suzie stared. "I don't believe any of you." David looked at Vega. "Is this normal?" Brenda considered. "Apparently." And somewhere behind them, room seven was still closed. Bea had not returned yet. Saturday was still moving. --- ## Chapter 30 — Still Working Bea returned last. Not dramatically. Room seven opened. Katherine appeared first. Bea followed. Suzie noticed. Lisa noticed. Dalia noticed. Mandi noticed. Vega and Nova noticed. Which meant Elisa walked toward five women who were all trying far too hard to look as though they had not noticed. She stopped. "No." Mandi blinked. "What?" "Whatever this is." "There is no this." Vega nodded. "Absolutely no this." Nova drank water. Dalia sucked her lollipop. Bea stared at them. Then at Suzie. Suzie shrugged. "I've lost control of the room." "You never had it," Mandi said. Suzie pointed at her. "Careful." Katherine looked between them. "This is what you meant by occupational contamination?" Bea sighed. "Unfortunately." Katherine laughed. Then turned to Elisa. "Again." Bea smiled. "Ask me." "I will." Katherine kissed her once. Warm. Unhurried. Then left. Elisa watched her disappear into the club. When she turned back, Vega was smiling. "What?" "Nothing." Bea stared. Vega's smile widened. "Good booking?" "Very." Nova nodded toward the corridor. "Repeat?" "If she asks." Mandi lifted her water. "Professional." Bea pointed at her. "Don't." "I said one word." "I know you." Ace looked offended. "You barely know me." Mai removed the lollipop. "We all know you." Mandi slowly turned. "You want trouble?" Dalia's millimeter smile appeared. "Always." Suzie slapped both hands against the bar. "No." Everybody looked at her. Suzie pointed at Mandi. "Sit." Ace was already sitting. She looked down. Then back up. "I am." Suzie pointed at Dalia. "Stop encouraging her." Mai put the lollipop back into her mouth. Suzie looked at Bea. "You." Elisa blinked. "What did I do?" "I don't know yet." "That's discrimination." Suzie pointed at the Marlows. "And you two—" Vega raised both hands. "We've been perfect." Nova nodded. "Exemplary." Lisa walked past. "No." Brenda stared at her. "What?" Lisa kept walking. "Just no." Iris laughed. --- For several minutes, all five stayed at the bar. Actually stayed. No clients. No rooms. No one asking whether anyone was working. Water appeared. Someone found food again. Mandi stole something from Bea's plate. Elisa stared. "You have your own." "It looked better on yours." "It's identical." "Then you haven't lost anything." "That's not how theft works." Ace ate it. Bea looked at Dalia. "Control your girlfriend." Mai considered. "No." "Useful." Vega reached toward Nova's plate. Iris slapped her hand away. Brenda looked scandalized. "You let me earlier." "Suzie gave us separate plates for a reason." "What reason?" "I still don't know." Mandi pointed. "Relationship growth." Vega looked at her. "We're working partners." Ace froze. Then slowly looked at Mai. Dalia's eyes narrowed. "Don't." Mandi closed her mouth. Brenda laughed. "Good girl." Ace turned. "Oh, fuck you." Nova nearly dropped her water. Suzie walked away. "Nope." --- Eventually the noise softened. Not Lizzie's. Them. Five women sat together. Five cover identities. Five different reasons for being there. Mandi had started doing this long before tonight. Dalia had followed because she wanted to know what Mai would find inside the experience. Bea had already proved she could disappear completely into her cover and still remain Elisa underneath. Vega and Nova had arrived with questions. Now Brenda looked at Iris. Iris was already looking at her. "Still working?" Brenda asked. Nova checked herself. Not tired enough to stop. Not overwhelmed. Not uncertain. "Yes." Vega smiled. "Me too." Mandi heard. "So you're staying." Brenda looked at her. "Yes." "Good." No teasing. Just good. Iris looked at Ace. "You?" Mandi thought. Then shook her head. "I think I'm done." Vega blinked. "Really?" "Really." Brenda glanced toward where Jack had left. Mandi noticed. "Don't." "I didn't say anything." "You had a face." "I always have a face." Ace stared. Brenda grinned. Dalia answered next. "Done." Mandi looked at her. "Jo break you?" Mai slowly turned. Ace immediately held up both hands. "Sorry." Dalia's eyebrow remained raised. "Try again." "Did Jo satisfy your professional objectives?" Mai considered. "Yes." Bea laughed. Mandi nodded solemnly. "Excellent." Elisa checked herself. "I'm done too." Nova looked at her. "Katherine?" "Good ending." Iris nodded. That made sense. So did Jack. So did Jo. Brenda looked between the three experienced joytoys. "All three?" Mandi nodded. "Yeah." "And you're not leaving?" Ace looked offended. "Why would we leave?" "I don't know." "We're at Lizzie's." Dalia added: "And you're still working." There. Brenda understood. Not supervisors. Not chaperones. Not trainers. But still their people. Close by. Vega smiled. "Okay." --- Nova leaned closer to Brenda. "So." "So?" "Just us." Brenda looked around. Mandi drinking water. Dalia with her lollipop. Bea arguing with Suzie about something. Lisa moving through the room. Mox security. Lizzie's. Then Iris. "Yeah." "How's that feel?" Brenda checked. "Good." Iris smiled. "Same." Mandi heard that too. Ace said nothing. That was important. She didn't tell them what to do next. Mai didn't either. Elisa didn't offer advice. The Marlows had asked how to do this. They had been shown. They had tried. They had made mistakes small enough to laugh about. They had chosen clients. Refused clients. Worked alone. Watched each other. Been watched by each other. Discovered things. Now there was nothing left to teach tonight. Only work. If they wanted it. Vega looked at Nova. "One more?" Iris smiled. "At least." Mandi groaned. "Still saying that." Brenda grinned. "Still true." --- They didn't have to wait long. The first man approached Nova. Late thirties. Clean clothes. Quiet manner. He didn't interrupt. He waited until Iris looked at him. "Nova?" "Yes." "Working?" "Yes." "How much?" "Eight thousand eddies for the hour." He nodded. "Eight thousand. Accepted." Nova smiled. "Name?" "Peter." "Nova." "I know." "I know you know." Peter laughed. Good start. He glanced at Vega. Then back. Iris noticed. Here it comes. But Peter surprised her. "Solo?" Nova smiled. "Yes." "Good." Not disappointed. Not fishing. Just checking. "Drink first?" Peter nodded. "Please." Nova stood. Vega remained seated. No need for discussion. No observer request. No disappointment. Just Nova going to work. Iris touched Brenda's shoulder as she passed. Small. Discreet. Meaningful. "Later." Vega smiled. "Have fun." Peter looked between them. Then smiled. "Good night." Brenda watched them move away. Not jealousy. Not even the intense anticipation of watching Iris. Something else. Pride, maybe. Iris didn't need her there. That felt good too. --- Vega remained at the bar. Mandi looked at her. Brenda looked back. "What?" "Nothing." "You have a face." Ace sighed. "I genuinely wasn't doing anything." "Suspicious." "I was drinking water." "Very suspicious." Dalia nodded. "Extremely." Mandi turned. "You are supposed to be on my side." Mai sucked the lollipop. "Unproven." Ace stared. Jo had infected her. Fucking Jo. Vega laughed. Then a woman approached. Brenda noticed immediately. Mid-forties. Broad shoulders. Dark red jacket. Confident walk. She stopped beside Vega. "Vega Marlow?" "That's me." "Working?" "Yes." "How much?" "Eight thousand eddies for the hour." The woman nodded. "Eight thousand. Accepted." Brenda smiled. "Name?" "Lauren." "Hi, Lauren." "Hi." Lauren glanced toward where Nova had gone. Then back at Vega. "I heard about the watching thing." Of course. Brenda smiled. "Apparently everybody has." Lauren laughed. "Not interested." That surprised her. "Okay." "I want you alone." Brenda checked herself. Yes. "Good." Lauren raised an eyebrow. "Good?" "Yeah." "Why?" Vega smiled. "Because I want that too." Lauren's expression warmed. "Excellent." "Drink?" "Definitely." Brenda stood. Nobody at the bar said anything. Not Mandi. Not Dalia. Not Bea. Not Suzie. Vega noticed. Looked at them. Four innocent faces. One lollipop. Brenda narrowed her black-void eyes. "You're all fucking weird." Mandi raised her bottle. "Go to work." Vega smiled. "Gladly." She and Lauren moved away. --- Silence. Mandi watched them. Bea watched Nova with Peter across the room. Dalia watched Vega with Lauren. Suzie worked. Lisa passed. Then Ace smiled. "They don't need us." Mai looked at her. "No." Elisa leaned against the bar. "That was the point." Mandi nodded. "Yeah." No sadness in it. Quite the opposite. Ace watched Brenda laugh at something Lauren said. Then Iris across the room, listening closely to Peter. Two joytoys. Two independent bookings. No observer arrangement. No Triad guidance. No Bea beside them. Just Vega and Nova. Working. Suzie appeared beside them. "You look proud." Mandi looked at her. "I am." Suzie nodded toward the Marlows. "They're good." Dalia said: "They are." Bea smiled. "Very." Suzie looked at the three of them. Then: "Don't get sentimental in my bar." Mandi stared. "You literally fed us." "Operational necessity." "You gave us separate plates." "Operational necessity." "You made me eat." "You forget." Ace opened her mouth. Closed it. "Fair." Suzie smiled. Then walked away. --- Peter and Nova talked for nearly twenty minutes before they moved. Lauren and Vega took even longer. Nobody hurried them. Nobody kept score. Nobody restarted the betting pool. Mostly because Suzie had threatened consequences. Eventually Peter stood. Nova stood with him. Lisa intercepted them near the corridor. "Nova?" "Yes." "Peter?" "Yes." "One hour?" Peter nodded. "Eight thousand eddies. Accepted." Lisa looked at Iris. "Solo?" "Solo." "You good?" Nova smiled. "Very." "Room four." They went. Twenty minutes later Lauren and Vega approached. Lisa repeated the process. "One hour?" Lauren: "Eight thousand eddies. Accepted." "Solo?" Vega nodded. "Solo." "Good?" Brenda smiled. "Very." "Room one." Vega looked toward the bar. Mandi caught her eye. Ace raised her water. No advice. No joke. Just acknowledgment. Brenda smiled. Then followed Lauren inside. --- For the first time that night, Mandi, Dalia, and Bea sat at the bar while both Marlows worked behind closed doors. Ace looked at Mai. Mai looked at Elisa. Elisa looked at Ace. Mandi said: "So." Dalia removed the lollipop. "No." "I didn't say anything." "You were about to." "Maybe." Bea smiled. "What?" Ace looked toward the corridor. "Nothing." Elisa laughed. "That word really is dead." Mandi drank. A few seconds passed. Then: "We created monsters." Mai stared at her. Ace immediately corrected: "They created themselves." Dalia's millimeter smile appeared. "Better." Mandi pointed at her. "I learn." Bea nodded. "Slowly." Ace turned. "Fuck all of you." Suzie shouted from farther down the bar: "Not working anymore!" Mandi froze. Bea folded over laughing. Dalia closed her eyes. Lisa stopped walking. Vega and Nova were safely behind closed doors and therefore missed it. Ace slowly put her forehead against the bar. "I hate this place." Suzie called back: "No, you don't." Mandi remained there. Forehead against the bar. "Twenty-five thousand isn't enough." Dalia put the lollipop back into her mouth. "You're off the clock." "Exactly." Saturday continued. --- ## Chapter 31 — Last One Peter was easy to talk to. That was the first thing Iris noticed once they were alone again. Not exciting in the dangerous Night City sense. Not mysterious. Not trying to manufacture chemistry. Just easy. They sat with their drinks away from the bar, and Peter looked at her white-void eyes for perhaps the fifth time. Nova smiled. "You can ask." Peter blinked. "Ask what?" "The contacts." "Oh." "You've been looking." "Sorry." "I didn't say stop." He smiled. "They're incredible." "Thank you." "Can you actually see normally through them?" "Yes." "That's terrifying." "Good." Peter laughed. "I walked into that." "You did." He looked at her again. "Do people react differently?" "Constantly." "Do you like that?" Iris considered. "Sometimes." "Tonight?" "Yes." Peter nodded. No follow-up interrogation. No attempt to extract the woman underneath the cover. He simply accepted the answer. Nova liked that. --- They talked about nothing important. That was surprisingly pleasant. Food. Bad coffee. A restaurant Peter insisted had the best noodles in Watson and Iris was nearly certain he was objectively wrong about. "Objectively?" "Yes." "Food isn't objective." "Bad food is." "You haven't tried it." "I don't need to." Peter stared. "That's an impressive level of confidence." Nova smiled. "You paid eight thousand eddies for it." "There it is." "What?" "I wondered when you'd use the price against me." Iris laughed. "Occupational contamination." Peter pointed. "Someone else said that tonight." Nova stopped. "Who?" "I don't know. Orange hair." Iris closed her eyes. "Mandi." "Friend?" "Yes." "She seemed fun." "She is." "She also looked like she wanted to murder somebody at one point." "Also normal." Peter nodded. "Good to know." --- The conversation wandered. Peter worked with environmental systems in one of the newer residential towers. Ventilation. Water reclamation. Temperature regulation. Nothing glamorous. Everything necessary. "So when everything works," Iris said, "nobody knows you exist." "Exactly." "And when something breaks—" "Everybody suddenly has my number." Nova smiled. "I know people with jobs like that." "Systems?" "Something like that." Peter didn't ask. Another point in his favor. Instead: "Can I ask something else?" "Yes." "Your working partner." Iris waited. "You're actually okay working separately?" "Yes." "No offense intended." "None taken." "I heard about the watching thing." "Everybody has." Peter smiled. "Apparently." "But you asked for solo." "I did." "Why?" He shrugged. "I approached you." Simple. Iris liked that answer. "I wasn't booking a concept. I wanted to spend an hour with you." Nova studied him. "Good answer." "Do I win something?" "No." "Harsh." "Eight thousand." Peter laughed. --- They kissed later. Peter asked first. Iris said yes. The first was gentle. The second wasn't quite as gentle. Nova moved closer. Peter responded. His hand touched her waist. Paused. Iris covered it with hers. Kept it there. The white-void contacts made her face visually alien. The face mesh made her somebody Peter had never met before tonight. The voice coming from her throat wasn't Iris Rourke's. Chrome and gold framed a face that belonged to Nova Marlow. And yet none of that made the choices artificial. Iris wanted the kiss. So Nova kissed him. Simple. --- When they separated, Peter smiled. "What?" Iris asked. "You." "Broad." "You looked terrifying when you first walked in." Nova raised an eyebrow. "And now?" "Still terrifying." "Good recovery." "But..." Peter hesitated. Iris waited. "You're warm." That surprised her. Not because it was wrong. Because it was familiar. Something about tonight kept stripping these covers down without removing a single physical element. Mandi laughing. Dalia's tiny smiles. Bea choosing. Vega watching. Nova touching Brenda's hand. Covers worked best when they didn't have to replace the people inside them. "Thank you," Iris said. Peter nodded. Then: "Private room still okay?" Iris checked. Her body. Her mood. Her energy. The answer came easily. "Yes." --- Lisa met them at the corridor. "Peter." "Yes." "Nova." "Yes." "One hour." Peter nodded. "Eight thousand eddies. Accepted." Lisa looked at Iris. "Solo?" "Solo." "Still good?" Nova smiled. "Very." "Room four." Peter glanced at Iris. "Apparently she really does check every time." "Yes." "I like that." "So do I." Lisa opened the corridor gate. "Then you're both learning." Iris looked at her. Lisa's mouth twitched. Nova smiled. They went inside. --- Room four was quiet. The door closed. Peter looked at her. No sudden transformation. No assumption that crossing the threshold changed the answer to every future question. Good. He kissed her again. Nova responded. They moved slowly. Talking didn't disappear immediately. It became fragmented. A sentence. A kiss. A laugh. Another touch. Peter discovered one of Lena's closures. Stopped. Looked at it. Then at Nova. "I have heard rumors." Iris stared. "No." "Is this Lena?" "Yes." Peter withdrew his hand immediately. "I'm not touching anything until instructed." Nova laughed. "Smart man." "I like my fingers." "Also smart." She showed him. He followed. Nothing broke. "Achievement unlocked," Peter said. "Don't get arrogant." "Right." --- The progression remained easy. That was the word Iris kept returning to. Easy. Not meaningless. Not detached. Easy. She didn't have to analyze every second. Peter listened. She spoke. When she wanted him closer, she said so. When he wanted something, he asked. Sometimes she said yes. Once she said: "No. Not that." Peter immediately stopped. "Okay." No disappointment. No persuasion. No second attempt disguised as a different question. Iris kissed him. "Thank you." "For what?" "That." Peter looked genuinely confused. "You said no." "Yes." "So we don't do it." Nova smiled. "Exactly." --- Eventually the next transition approached. They both knew it. Peter slowed. "Still yes?" "Yes." "What do you want?" Iris told him. They moved together. Changed position. Adjusted. Peter waited. No rush. Nova looked at him. This was her last booking tonight. She knew that suddenly. Not because anything was wrong. Because nothing was. She was satisfied. Happy. Tired in the good way. Ready for this. Ready afterward to go home. Peter waited for her. Iris smiled. "Yes." The decisive transition came gently. She inhaled. Peter stopped. Nova adjusted. Found comfort. Peter remained still. "Okay?" Iris looked at him. "Very." He smiled. "Move?" "Yes." He did. Slowly. Nova's eyes closed. Pleasure arrived without surprise. No need to chase it. No need to prove anything. Peter listened to every change in her breathing. Iris guided him when she wanted something different. He followed. When she wanted the same, he kept it. Simple. Good. --- At some point Iris opened her eyes. Peter was watching her. She smiled. "What?" "Nothing." "That word is banned." "Apparently." She laughed. "Occupational contamination." "Again." "Shut up." Peter kissed her. The rhythm continued. Iris held him closer. Pleasure built steadily. No spectacle. No audience. No Brenda holding her hand. And that was good too. Important, even. She loved Brenda watching her. She loved watching Brenda. She already knew they would do it again. But this wasn't lesser because Brenda wasn't here. This belonged to Nova. To Iris. To this particular hour. Her breathing changed. Peter noticed. "Same?" "Yes." He stayed. Exactly. Iris stopped thinking. The release came gradually and then all at once. Her body tightened. Peter remained with her. No sudden change. No attempt to turn her pleasure into his performance. Nova held him close until the intensity softened. Then stillness. Breathing. Contact. Peter kissed her cheek. "Good?" Iris laughed softly. "Very." --- They stayed together afterward. Long enough. Water. Quiet. Then Peter said: "Can I ask something?" "You've been doing that all night." "True." Iris smiled. "Ask." "Do you actually like this?" There was no judgment in it. Just curiosity. Iris considered whether the answer belonged to Nova. Then realized that distinction didn't matter. "Yes." Peter nodded. "A lot?" She laughed. "Apparently." "Apparently?" "Long story." "Eight-thousand-eddie story?" "No." "Twenty-five?" Nova stared. Peter grinned. "Occupational contamination." Iris threw a pillow at him. --- They dressed. Peter successfully navigated Lena's closure a second time. Nova inspected it. "Acceptable." "High praise." "Don't get used to it." When they reached the door, Peter stopped. "Again sometime?" Iris checked herself. Not tonight. Another time? Yes. "If you ask." Peter smiled. "I will." "Then maybe." "Fair." They left room four. --- Lauren and Vega were still behind room one. At the bar, Mandi sat between Dalia and Bea. Ace saw Nova first. No cheering. No teasing. Just a smile. Iris walked over. Mandi slid water toward her. "Good?" Nova sat. "Very." Dalia looked toward room one. "Vega?" "Still working." Bea looked at Iris. "And you?" There it was. The question. Not from a client. Not quite the same meaning. But close enough. Iris looked toward the room where Brenda still was. Then around Lizzie's. She checked herself one last time. "No." No hesitation. Mandi smiled. "Done?" "Done." Dalia nodded. "Good." Peter approached before leaving. "Nova." Iris turned. "Peter." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Ask you another night?" Nova smiled. "You can ask." He nodded. Then left. Iris watched him go. When she turned back, Bea had moved slightly. Made room. Nova sat between her friends. No client scanning. No evaluation. No wondering who might approach next. Finished. Happy. She drank her water. Then looked toward room one. "Now we wait for my sis." Mandi glanced at her. Iris caught it. "What?" Ace shook her head. "Nothing." Nova narrowed her white-void eyes. Mandi drank very carefully. Dalia's millimeter smile appeared. Bea looked away. Iris pointed at all three. "Behave." Mandi nodded solemnly. "Yes, ma'am." Iris froze. Ace froze. Mai closed her eyes. Elisa made a strangled sound. Then Iris started laughing. Hard. "Wrong woman." Mandi collapsed against the bar. Dalia muttered: "Fucking games." Suzie heard that. She looked over. "No." Nobody had proposed anything. That didn't matter anymore. Nova laughed until her eyes watered behind the white voids. And behind room one, Vega Marlow was finishing her last booking of the night. --- ## Chapter 32 — Done Lauren had known exactly what she wanted. That made things easier. Not faster. Easier. She and Vega had spent nearly half an hour talking before they ever reached room one. Lauren worked security. Private. Corporate. Not the kind that stood beside doors looking intimidating. The kind that designed the doors. Brenda understood enough of that world to recognize someone competent almost immediately. "You assess everybody," Lauren said. Vega smiled. "So do you." "Occupational hazard." "Apparently we all have those." Lauren looked at her black-void eyes. "Can you see me rolling mine?" "Perfectly." "Damn." "Expensive contacts." "I wasn't criticizing." "Good." Lauren smiled. "Wouldn't dare." Brenda laughed. "Smart." --- Lauren had asked for Vega alone. Brenda had liked that. Not because she was finished with the observer dynamic. Far from it. She could still remember Iris watching her with Claire. She could remember watching Iris with Linda. David had made the whole thing even clearer. They were going to do that again. Absolutely. But Lauren hadn't booked the Marlow duo. She had approached Vega. Eight thousand eddies. One hour. Solo. And Brenda wanted that too. There was something deeply satisfying about discovering she didn't need a single preferred version of this. Sometimes she wanted Iris there. Sometimes she wanted to watch Iris. Sometimes she wanted a room where Iris wasn't present at all. None of those choices contradicted the others. Lauren took a drink. "You're smiling." "I know." "At what?" "Long story." "Do I get to hear it?" "No." "Eight thousand eddies?" Brenda laughed. "You've been listening." "It's impossible not to." "Occupational contamination." Lauren stared. Brenda stopped. "Oh, fuck." "What?" "I said it." "Said what?" "Nothing." Lauren pointed. "That's apparently banned too." Vega narrowed her eyes. "How long have you been here?" "Long enough." "That's disturbing." Lauren laughed. --- Their chemistry was different. Claire had been playful. Michael had been patient and dryly funny. David had been curious about the trust between the working partners. Lauren was direct. Very direct. She didn't fill silence because silence existed. She didn't ask questions merely to keep Brenda talking. When she wanted to know something, she asked. When she didn't, she was comfortable simply looking at Vega. Brenda liked that. A lot. Eventually Lauren said: "Can I kiss you?" "Yes." Lauren did. No hesitation after permission. No aggression either. Just confidence. Vega responded immediately. When they separated, Brenda smiled. Lauren noticed. "Again?" "Yes." The second kiss lasted longer. Lauren's hand settled at Brenda's waist only after another small pause. Vega leaned into it. Permission answered. Lauren drew her closer. Brenda liked the strength in it. When the kiss ended: "Good?" Lauren asked. "Very." Lauren smiled. "Useful word." "You have no idea." --- The conversation after that became increasingly inefficient. Lauren asked about the Marlow look. Brenda told her Lena designed it. Lauren looked down at the outfit. "That explains several things." "What things?" "Engineering." Vega laughed. "You've met her work?" "Once." Brenda raised an eyebrow. "Clothes?" "Armor." That tracked. "Did it try to kill you?" "No." "Then this is different." Lauren looked at her. "Should I be worried?" "Only about the closures." Lauren studied the outfit again. "I accept the challenge." Vega pointed at her. "That's how they get you." Lauren laughed. --- Eventually Lauren asked: "Private room?" Brenda checked herself. Still yes. Easily yes. "Yes." Lauren stood. Vega stayed seated. Lauren noticed. "What?" "Before we go." Lauren sat again. "Okay." "What do you want?" Lauren understood immediately. "Sex, if we're both still there when the decision comes." Brenda smiled. "Good." "You?" "Same." "Anything specific?" They talked. Actually talked. Boundaries. Preferences. Things either might want. Things neither wanted. Nothing assumed merely because the booking had already been paid. When they finished, Lauren asked: "Still yes?" Vega smiled. "Still yes." --- Lisa had already checked the booking before room one. One hour. Eight thousand eddies. Accepted. Solo. Both good. So when the door closed, there was nothing administrative left. Just Brenda and Lauren. Lauren kissed her again. Vega responded. The pace changed naturally. Clothing shifted. Touches became more intimate. Lauren encountered Lena. Specifically, a closure. She stopped. Brenda felt it. "What?" Lauren looked down. Then back up. "I see the problem." Vega started laughing. "You were warned." "I thought you were exaggerating." "Nobody exaggerates about Lena." Lauren studied the mechanism. Brenda waited. Lauren tried once. Wrong. "Don't force it." "I wasn't going to." "Good." Lauren looked again. Then found it. The closure released. She looked extremely pleased with herself. Vega stared. "Don't." "What?" "That face." "I won." "You opened clothing." "I won." Brenda laughed. "Fine." Lauren kissed her. Victory apparently had benefits. --- There was no nervousness left in Brenda. That surprised her only when she noticed its absence. Friday had been possibility. Saturday afternoon had been discovery. Now? Now she knew. She liked this. Not every client. Not every possible arrangement. Not automatically. But the work itself? Yes. Choosing someone. Being chosen. Talking. Negotiating. Discovering chemistry. Having the freedom to say yes because no remained equally available. Brenda liked it. Vega fit. Not because Vega transformed her into somebody else. Because Vega let Brenda stop hiding parts of herself she normally moderated. Lauren touched her. Paused. "This okay?" "Yes." "More?" Brenda checked. "Yes." They continued. --- Eventually they reached the final decision. Lauren slowed. Vega noticed. No words needed to understand why. Words still came. "Still?" Lauren asked. Brenda looked at her. "Yes." "Sure?" "Yes." They moved together. Found the position they wanted. Adjusted. Lauren waited. Vega gave the final answer. "Yes." The decisive transition came gently. Brenda inhaled sharply. Lauren stopped. Still. "Good?" Vega adjusted. Breathed. Then smiled. "Very." Lauren waited. Brenda touched her. "Move." Lauren did. Slowly at first. Vega's eyes closed. The rhythm settled. Lauren paid attention. Brenda didn't need to repeat herself often. When she did, Lauren responded immediately. Slower. Closer. Same. Exactly there. Simple words. Clear answers. Pleasure built. --- Brenda thought briefly of Iris. Not because she wanted her in the room. Because she knew Iris would understand. That made Brenda smile. Lauren noticed. "What?" Vega opened her black-void eyes. "My sis." Lauren slowed slightly. "Want her?" Brenda's answer came immediately. "Not here." Lauren nodded. No offense. No insecurity. "Okay." Vega touched her face. "I just thought of her." "Good thought?" "Very." Lauren smiled. Then continued. Brenda laughed softly. Yeah. Iris would understand exactly. --- Pleasure became harder to talk through. Brenda stopped trying. Lauren read her. Stayed consistent. Vega pulled her closer. The intensity climbed. Then held. Then climbed again. Brenda's breathing broke. Lauren didn't change anything. Good. Very good. The release hit hard enough to empty Brenda's mind completely. For several seconds there was no Vega. No Marlow cover. No Lizzie's. No experiment. Just pleasure. Lauren stayed with her. Then stillness. Long. Wanted. Brenda slowly opened her eyes. Lauren smiled. "Good?" Vega laughed breathlessly. "Very." "There's that word." "Shut up." Lauren kissed her. --- Afterward, they stayed close. Water eventually happened. So did clothing. Lauren defeated Lena's closure again. Vega inspected it. "You're getting arrogant." "I have a perfect record." "Two attempts." "Perfect." "One of those required instructions." "Training doesn't invalidate the result." Brenda laughed. "You're impossible." "So I've been told." They finished dressing. Then Lauren became quieter. "Can I ask something?" "Yes." "Was I your last one tonight?" Brenda paused. Interesting question. She hadn't decided. Not consciously. She checked herself. Body pleasantly tired. Mind calm. Curiosity satisfied. No urge to return to the floor and look for another client. No desire to prove she could do more. Just a very strong desire to find Iris. The answer arrived. "Yes." Lauren smiled. "You knew that already?" "No." "When did you decide?" Brenda considered. "Just now." "Because of me?" Vega shook her head. "Because I'm done." Lauren nodded. Understood the distinction. "Good." Then: "Would you work with me again?" Brenda checked that too. "Yes." Lauren smiled. "Eight thousand?" "If that's still my rate." "Fair." "Ask me." Lauren laughed softly. "Apparently that's a thing with you people." Brenda stared. "You people?" "Joytoys." "Oh." Lauren narrowed her eyes. "What did you think I meant?" Vega opened the door. "Nothing." Lauren laughed behind her. "Definitely something." --- Room one opened. Vega stepped into the corridor. Lauren followed. Lisa saw them. "Everything good?" Lauren answered first. "Very." Vega looked at her. Lauren smiled. "Useful word." Brenda laughed. Lisa looked between them. "Repeat?" "If she asks," Vega said. Lauren nodded. "I'll ask." Lisa accepted that. They returned to the bar. --- Nova saw Brenda immediately. Iris stood. Not dramatic. Automatic. Vega reached her. Nova hugged her. Publicly working partners. A perfectly reasonable embrace after a long working night. Privately Brenda closed her eyes for one second and held Iris tighter. Iris whispered: "Good?" "Very." Brenda pulled back. Black void met white void. "Done?" Iris asked. There it was. Brenda didn't look at Mandi. Didn't look at Dalia. Didn't look at Bea. Didn't look around for another client. She just checked herself. "No more." Nova smiled. "Me too." Vega's expression changed. "You already decided?" "Before you came back." Brenda laughed. "Of course you did." "Problem?" "No." Then softer: "Perfect." --- Lauren approached. "Vega." Brenda turned. "Lauren." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Another night?" Vega smiled. "You can ask." Lauren nodded. Then looked at Nova. "Your working partner's good." Iris smiled. "I know." Brenda stared at her. Nova's white-void eyes gave absolutely nothing away. Lauren laughed. "Good night." She left. Vega slowly turned toward Iris. "I know?" Nova shrugged. "Professional pride." "You bitch." Iris kissed Brenda's cheek. Publicly harmless. Privately loaded with considerably more history. "Love you too, sis." Brenda made a face. Mandi choked on her water. Dalia slapped Ace between the shoulders once. Bea looked at the ceiling. Suzie pointed at them. "No." Ace coughed. "I didn't do anything." "You were about to." "I was choking." "Suspiciously." Vega stared at Mandi. "Not one fucking word." Ace raised both hands. "Retired." Dalia nodded. "She has witnesses." "Thank you." "You're welcome." --- Lisa came past. Looked at Nova. Then Vega. "Still working?" Nova answered first. "No." Vega answered half a second later. "No." Lisa nodded. No ceremony. No congratulations. Just: "Good night, then." And kept walking. Brenda watched her go. That was it. Strangely perfect. No finish line. No test result. No one declaring the experiment successful. They had wanted to know whether they wanted to work as joytoys. Now they knew. Iris looked at Brenda. Brenda smiled. Yeah. They knew. --- Suzie appeared with water. "Drink." Mandi pointed. "See?" Vega looked at her. "What?" "She does this." Suzie put a bottle in front of Brenda. "Drink." Then Iris. "Drink." Nova obeyed. Vega obeyed. Mandi looked smug. Suzie put another bottle in front of her. "You too." Ace stared. "I'm done working." "You're still dehydrating." Dalia received one next. Then Bea. Five bottles. Five women. Suzie looked at them. "Anything else?" Mandi opened her mouth. Mai put one finger against Ace's lips. "No." Ace looked up at her. Dalia removed the finger. "Good girl." Brenda folded over laughing. Nova covered her face. Bea whispered: "Oh, this is going home with us." Mandi pointed at Elisa. "Don't you fucking dare." Suzie walked away. "Take it outside." --- They stayed another twenty minutes. No work. No client scanning. No one answering Working? Just five women sitting together after a long night. Mandi eventually stood. "Home?" Dalia stood. "Yes." Bea nodded. Vega looked at Nova. Nova smiled. "Home." That word landed differently. Not the Marlow duo. Not five joytoys. Their people. Their Safehouse. Brenda stood. "Definitely home." --- Suzie caught them before they reached the exit. "Mandi." Ace turned. "Dalia." Mai turned. "Bea." Elisa turned. "Nova. Vega." Iris and Brenda turned. Suzie looked at all five. Then at the Marlows. "You two coming back?" Brenda and Iris looked at each other. No planning. No hesitation. Vega answered: "Yes." Nova answered: "Absolutely." Suzie nodded. "Good." Mandi smiled. Suzie saw it. "Don't." Ace looked innocent. "I didn't say anything." "That's when you're most dangerous." Dalia's millimeter smile appeared. Suzie looked at her. "Take her home." Mai calmly put the menthol lollipop between her lips. "Working on it." Jo's recycled lollipop. Still. Mandi noticed. Again. "Oh, for fuck's sake." Dalia walked toward the exit. Bea followed. Nova and Vega followed. Ace stood there for one second. Suzie looked at her. "What?" Mandi pointed after Mai. "Same fucking lollipop." Suzie closed her eyes. "Go home, Mandi." Ace sighed. "Nobody respects standards anymore." "Out." Mandi left. --- Night City met them outside. Noise. Light. Traffic. Five impossible heads of hair moving together through the night. Neon orange. Neon pink dreadlocks. Ice blue. Chrome and gold. Chrome and brass-yellow. Mandi looked across the group. Then stopped. Everyone else stopped too. "What?" Bea asked. Ace stared. "We have to go home looking like this." Vega looked down at herself. "Yes." Nova looked at Brenda. "That only occurred to you now?" "No." Mandi pointed at them. "But tomorrow morning we're still going to have the hair." Dalia continued walking. "Yes." "The voices too." "Yes." Bea smiled. "Oh." Mandi looked at her. "What?" Elisa's Bea voice answered: "Breakfast." Ace went still. Vega understood. Then Nova. Five women. No contacts. No face meshes. No joytoy clothing. But five completely wrong voices and five impossible ChromeLock hairstyles. Brenda started laughing. Iris joined her. Elisa followed. Ace stared at Mai. "This is your fault." Dalia sucked the lollipop. "How?" "I'll develop the argument on the way home." "Take your time." "I will." They started walking again. Saturday was over. And Sunday morning was already threatening them. --- ## Chapter 33 — Home The lower Safehouse door recognized them. That was fortunate. Mandi stopped in front of it anyway. "Imagine explaining this to our own security." Bea looked at her. "What?" Ace gestured at all five of them. "This." The door unlocked. Dalia walked through. "Apparently we don't have to." Vega followed. "Efficient." Nova followed her. Bea went next. Mandi remained outside for one second. "I feel judged." From somewhere inside, Shammy's voice came through the entry system. "You should." Ace looked up at the camera. "Traitor." "Come upstairs." --- The upper door was different. Always manual. They reached it. Mandi pressed the bell. Three seconds later the door opened. Shammy stood there. Silver-white hair loose around her shoulders. Electric-blue eyes moved across the group. Mandi. Dalia. Bea. Nova. Vega. Her hair lifted faintly. Just a little static. Then: "Oh." Mandi pointed at her. "Don't." Shammy's eyes brightened. "I didn't say anything." "Everybody keeps saying that tonight." Mai walked past her. "Because you keep reacting before anyone speaks." Shammy looked at Dalia. Then at the menthol lollipop. Her expression changed. "Is that—" Mandi threw both hands up. "YES." Mai closed her eyes. Brenda started laughing again. Iris leaned against the wall. Elisa looked at Shammy. "You don't want to know." Shammy looked at Mai. "Same one?" "Wrapped." Shammy's silver-white hair lifted another centimeter. "Oh, Mai." "Thank you." "That wasn't approval." Mai walked farther inside. "Still counts." Ace pointed after her. "See what I've been dealing with?" Shammy looked at Ace. "You're Mandi." "Currently." "Then I assume you were worse." Ace stared. Elisa walked past. "She's learning." "Fuck all of you." --- The upper door closed. Locked. Safehouse. Something changed immediately. Not dramatically. No one announced it. Brenda simply reached for Iris. Not Vega reaching for Nova. Brenda. She pulled her close. Iris wrapped both arms around her. They kissed. Not a casual public cheek kiss. Not public cover behavior. A long, warm kiss that had been waiting behind the Marlow fiction all evening. Ace saw it. Smiled. Mai saw it too. Shammy understood immediately. Elisa leaned against the wall. Brenda finally pulled back. Black void met white void. The visual contradiction made Ace's brain hurt. Brenda touched Iris's face. "I fucking loved watching you." Iris smiled. "I know." "And I loved you watching me." "I know." "And I loved working alone." Iris laughed softly. "Me too." Brenda kissed her again. "I really liked this." Iris's smile softened. "So did I." "Like... really." "Yeah." Brenda rested her forehead against Iris's. "Again?" No hesitation. "Absolutely." Ace leaned toward Mai. Quietly: "That sounds familiar." Mai elbowed her. Not hard. Shammy heard anyway. Her hair stirred. --- Eventually Brenda looked around. Realized everybody was still there. "Oh." Elisa smiled. "Welcome back." Brenda's Vega voice answered: "Shut up." That did it. Ace folded. She laughed so suddenly she had to catch herself against Mai. Brenda stared. "What?" Mandi's bright cover voice came out between laughs. "You sound completely wrong." Iris opened her mouth. Nova's voice: "So do you." Ace stopped. Everyone looked at everyone else. Silence. Then Elisa said in Bea's voice: "Oh, this is going to be terrible." Shammy looked from one to another. Slowly. "Please talk again." Five voices answered at once. "No." Shammy's hair lifted. She laughed. --- Decompression began in layers. What little professional gear needed securing went where it belonged. Then shoes. Brenda kicked hers off with a noise of profound relief. "Fuck." Iris looked at her. "Eight thousand eddies and the first thing you complain about is the shoes." "Lena is a sadist." Mai looked down at her thigh-high boots. "No argument." Ace stared. Everyone looked at her. "What?" Brenda pointed. "You." "What about me?" "You're not complaining about your shoes." Ace looked down. Then shrugged. "I like them." Shammy's eyes brightened. Mai smiled. Elisa slowly looked away. Ace noticed. "Don't." "I didn't say anything." "Jesus fucking Christ." --- Contacts came next. Brenda and Iris went to remove theirs together. Elisa disappeared briefly for Bea's. Ace and Mai handled Mandi and Dalia. When they regrouped, the effect was worse. Much worse. Brenda had her own eyes again beneath chrome-and-brass hair and a face that was still not entirely Brenda's. Iris had her own eyes beneath chrome-and-gold. Ace's violet eyes had returned beneath neon-orange hair. Mai's own eyes beneath neon-pink dreadlocks. Elisa's beneath ice-blue ChromeLock. Shammy stood in the middle of them. "This is cursed." Ace pointed. "Thank you." "I mean all of you." "Still thank you." --- Face meshes followed. Carefully. Mandi didn't have one. Dalia did. Bea did. Nova and Vega did. Each removal made the room stranger. Mai became Mai again. Except for the neon-pink dreadlocks. And Dalia's low whiskey-smoke voice. Elisa became Elisa again. Except for the ice-blue hair. And Bea's voice. Iris became Iris. Chrome and gold. Nova's voice. Brenda became Brenda. Chrome and brass-yellow. Vega's voice. Ace looked around. Then at herself. Short neon-orange hair. Violet eyes. Mandi voice. She pointed at Mai. "You look ridiculous." Mai stared. "Really." "Yes." Mai stepped closer. Ace reconsidered. "Beautifully ridiculous." "Better." Shammy laughed. --- Work clothing disappeared next. Nobody hurried. The Safehouse had no audience. No clients. No Mox floor. No need to preserve presentation. By the time they gathered again, the transformation was almost complete. Almost. Comfortable clothes. Real faces. Real eyes. Five impossible hairstyles. Five cover voices. Shammy looked at them. Then sat down. "I need coffee." Ace stared. "You?" "Yes." "Now?" "Yes." "You don't even have the wrong voice." "Exactly." Brenda collapsed onto the sofa. Iris sat beside her. Immediately close. Brenda put her head against Iris's shoulder. Iris kissed the top of her chrome-and-brass hair. Then froze. Brenda looked up. "What?" "Your hair." "What about it?" "It's still Vega." Brenda smiled. "So?" Iris looked at her. Then kissed her again. "Nothing." --- Mai sat. Ace immediately curled against her. Shammy joined them from the other side. Triad. No Mandi. No Dalia. Not really. Even if their voices disagreed. Shammy looked at Ace. "Good night?" Ace smiled. "Very." "Jack?" Ace's expression shifted. Warm. "Good." "Repeat?" "If he asks." Shammy nodded. Then looked at Mai. "Jo?" Mai sucked the lollipop. Ace made a wounded sound. Shammy ignored her. Mai said: "Very good." "Repeat?" "Probably." "Still hate menthol?" "Yes." Shammy looked confused. "Jo." "Oh." Mai nodded. "Character flaw." Ace buried her face against Mai. "I can't believe I'm in love with you." Mai looked down at her. "Repeatedly." Ace looked up. "Fair." Shammy kissed Ace's temple. Then Mai's cheek. Her hair settled softly around them. --- Elisa sat across from the Triad. Ace looked at her. "Katherine?" Elisa smiled. "Interesting." Mai raised an eyebrow. "That was the requirement." "Exactly." "Repeat?" "If she asks." Ace smiled. Elisa pointed. "Don't." "I didn't say anything." "Your face did." Ace stared. "Oh, fuck all of you." Brenda lifted one hand from the sofa. "Occupational contamination." Ace threw a cushion. Brenda caught it. Barely. Then laughed. --- The room eventually quieted. Not silent. Safehouse never quite became silent when this many people were awake. But softer. The professional energy drained away. Brenda's hand found Iris's. Their fingers intertwined. Iris looked down at them. "Did you expect this?" Brenda asked. "What?" "To like it this much." Iris thought. "No." "Me neither." A pause. "Did you expect to like watching me?" Brenda asked. Iris smiled. "No." "Do you?" "Very much." Brenda's Vega voice made the answering laugh sound wrong. "I really fucking like watching you." "I noticed." "And I really fucking like you watching me." "I noticed that too." Brenda looked toward the others. Then back at Iris. "Tonight?" Iris understood immediately. Not work. Not another client. Them. "Yes." Brenda smiled. "Good." --- Ace heard. Of course she heard. She made the mistake of looking at Mai. Mai saw the look. "No." "I didn't say anything." "You were going to." "Maybe." Shammy looked between them. "What?" Ace smiled. "Nothing." Mai pointed. "Banned word." Shammy laughed. Ace sighed. "Fine." Then Brenda spoke from the sofa. "Don't worry, Mandi." Ace froze. Brenda smiled sweetly. "We're not asking you to watch." Elisa covered her mouth. Shammy's hair lifted. Mai's eyes closed. Ace stared at Brenda. "You have become intolerable." Brenda nodded. "Eight thousand eddies." Iris broke first. Then Elisa. Then Shammy. Mai lasted another two seconds. Ace looked around the room as everybody laughed at her. "This is what happens when you encourage people." Mai kissed the top of her neon-orange head. "Yes." "You're supposed to comfort me." "I am." "Badly." "Still counts." --- Brenda and Iris eventually stood. Hand in hand. No public-cover performance. No Nova. No Vega. Just them. At the hallway Brenda stopped. Looked back. "Night." Several voices answered. All wrong. Brenda laughed. Then she and Iris disappeared toward their room. The door closed. Ace looked at Mai. Mai looked at Ace. Shammy looked at both. Elisa stood. "I'm going to bed before whatever expression that is becomes my problem." Ace looked innocent. "What expression?" "Exactly." Bea's voice coming from Elisa's real face made the sentence even worse. Shammy laughed. "Good night." "Night." Elisa headed toward a guest room. Stopped. Turned. "Breakfast is going to be amazing." Ace pointed. "Go away." Elisa smiled. Then disappeared. --- The Triad remained. Mai finally removed the menthol lollipop. Ace watched. Mai wrapped it. Ace stared. "No." Mai looked at her. "No what?" "Throw it away." "It's wrapped." "Mai." Shammy looked between them. Then at the tiny wrapped object. "How long has she had that?" Ace turned. "Thank you." "That wasn't an answer." "Too long." Mai calmly stood. Walked toward the waste bin. Ace watched. Shammy watched. Mai stopped. Looked back. Ace narrowed her eyes. "Don't you fucking dare." Mai's millimeter smile appeared. Then she dropped the lollipop into the bin. Ace exhaled. "Thank you." Mai returned. Ace wrapped both arms around her. Shammy joined them. Three bodies close. Familiar. Home. Mai kissed Ace. Ace kissed her back. Then Shammy. No urgency. Just affection. Saturday finally leaving them. When they separated, Shammy looked at Ace's neon-orange hair. Then Mai's pink dreadlocks. Her own silver-white hair lifted faintly. "You know what?" Ace looked at her. "What?" "Tomorrow morning is going to be fucking hilarious." Ace closed her eyes. Mai smiled. "Yes." Ace sighed. "I hate all of you." Shammy kissed her forehead. "No, you don't." Ace leaned into both of them. "No." She smiled. "I really fucking don't." Saturday was over. --- ## Chapter 34 — Wrong Voices Sunday morning began with coffee. Obviously. Shammy was first into the kitchen. Silver-white hair loose. Bare feet. Comfortable clothes. Normal voice. Normal face. Normal eyes. She made coffee. Then waited. Not because she needed company. Because she was a terrible person. --- Brenda appeared first. Chrome-and-brass-yellow hair. Sleep shirt. Bare legs. No face mesh. No black-void contacts. Entirely Brenda. She shuffled into the kitchen. Looked at Shammy. Vega's voice said: "Coffee." Shammy folded over the counter. Brenda stopped. "Oh, fuck you." That made it worse. Shammy's hair lifted with static as she laughed. Brenda stared at her. "You're enjoying this far too much." Vega. Still Vega. Coming from Brenda's completely normal face. Shammy tried to breathe. "I'm sorry." "No, you're not." "No." "At least you're honest." Brenda found a mug. Coffee. She drank. Closed her eyes. "Better." Shammy watched. Brenda opened one eye. "Don't." "I didn't say anything." "Everybody needs to stop saying that." --- Iris arrived next. Chrome and gold. Otherwise Iris. She walked into the kitchen. Saw Brenda. Saw Shammy. Then: "Morning." Nova's voice. Brenda immediately started laughing. Iris stopped. "What?" Vega answered: "You sound ridiculous." Nova stared at her. "So do you." Shammy lost it again. Iris looked at her. "Oh, grow up." That did not help. Brenda put her mug down before she spilled it. "Say something else." "No." "Please." "No." "Iris." Nova's voice: "Brenda." Brenda slapped both hands over her mouth. Shammy sat down because standing had become unsafe. Iris looked between them. "You two are children." Brenda finally managed: "Come here." Iris did. Brenda pulled her close. Kissed her. Morning. Warm. Familiar. Then pulled back. "Still wrong." Iris smiled. "Good." She kissed Brenda again. --- Elisa arrived several minutes later. Ice-blue ChromeLock hair. Real face. Sleep clothes. She stopped in the doorway. Looked at the three women already there. Bea's voice said: "Why are you all looking at me?" Silence. Then Brenda pointed. "Oh, that's worse." Elisa closed her eyes. "I knew coming here was a mistake." Iris laughed. Nova's voice. Elisa opened her eyes. "No. Yours is worse." "Mine?" "Yes." Brenda shook her head. "Absolutely not. Mine is worse." Shammy stared at all three. "I can't decide." Elisa pointed at her. "You're enjoying this." "Immensely." "Terrible person." "Apparently." Elisa got coffee. Sat down. Looked at Brenda. "Morning, Vega." Brenda looked at Elisa. "Morning, Bea." Iris looked between them. "Don't." They both turned. "Morning, Nova." Iris stared. Shammy's hair lifted again. --- Ace arrived. The room went silent. Short neon-orange ChromeLock hair. Violet eyes. Real face. Comfortable shorts. Small enough that the oversized shirt she had chosen for sleep made the entire presentation even more absurd. She stopped. Five pairs of eyes looked at her. Mandi's bright voice said: "No." Nobody had spoken. Ace narrowed her eyes. "Whatever you're about to do." Brenda put both hands around her coffee. "I'm doing nothing." "Your face is doing something." Vega's voice. Ace's expression changed. Then she laughed. Brenda pointed. "See?" Mandi laughed harder. Iris looked at Ace. "Morning." Ace looked at her. Nova. Then Brenda. Vega. Then Elisa. Bea. Then Shammy. Normal. "Shammy wins." Shammy blinked. "What?" "You sound like yourself." "That's the standard now?" "Yes." Ace climbed onto a chair. Reached for coffee. Shammy moved the pot toward her. Ace poured. Took a drink. Then looked around. "This is horrible." Elisa nodded. "Deeply." Iris said: "I've heard worse." Ace pointed. "Not in that voice." Nova replied: "Fuck you." Mandi nearly sprayed coffee across the table. --- Mai arrived last. Everyone turned. Neon-pink dreadlocks. Real face. Real eyes. Comfortable clothes. No lollipop. Thank fuck. She stopped in the doorway. Looked at the room. Dalia's low whiskey-smoke voice said: "Morning." Ace slowly lowered her mug. "Oh, come on." Mai raised an eyebrow. "What?" "That's unfair." "What is?" "You." Mai looked down at herself. "Specific." "You sound like Dalia." "I am aware." "But you look like Mai." "I am also aware." "And somehow it still works." Brenda nodded. "She's right." Iris nodded. Elisa nodded. Shammy nodded. Mai looked around. "Thank you." Ace stared. "That wasn't supposed to be a compliment." "It became one." Mandi's voice made Ace's irritated noise completely ineffective. Mai smiled. A millimeter. Shammy saw it. "So Dalia survives breakfast." "Apparently." Ace pointed at Mai. "Don't encourage her." Shammy looked innocent. "I didn't—" Five voices said: "NO." Shammy burst out laughing. --- Breakfast happened. Eventually. Shammy cooked. Mai helped. Ace attempted to help. Mai moved a knife away from her. Ace stared. "I know how to use that." Dalia's voice answered: "Yes." "Then why did you move it?" "Because you're stealing food." "I was quality checking." "Sit." Ace stared up at her. Brenda whispered: "Good girl." Ace turned. Slowly. Vega smiled over her coffee. Iris immediately covered her mouth. Elisa looked away. Shammy's silver-white hair lifted. Ace pointed at Brenda. "I am warning you." "About what?" "I don't know yet." "Strong warning." Mai put a plate in front of Ace. "Eat." Mandi's voice muttered: "Everybody's a fucking comedian." Shammy kissed the top of her neon-orange head. "Yes." Ace ate. --- Brenda and Iris sat close enough that their shoulders touched. Not covers. Not merely working partners. Nothing about their body language pretended otherwise inside the Safehouse. Elisa noticed. "So." Brenda looked at her. "So?" "Still happy?" Vega's voice made the question sound more provocative than Elisa probably intended. Brenda smiled. "Very." Iris nodded. "Very." Ace looked up from breakfast. "You're going back." It wasn't really a question. Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked at Brenda. "Yes," Brenda said. "Yes," Iris said. No hesitation. Shammy smiled. Elisa drank coffee. "Thought so." Iris looked at her. "What about you?" Elisa considered. "Bea?" "Yes." "Absolutely." Ace nodded. Mai looked at her. "Mandi?" Ace swallowed. "Yes." Nobody seemed surprised. Then Ace looked at Mai. "Dalia?" Mai's whiskey-smoke voice answered: "Yes." Ace smiled. There. Five cover identities. Not costumes that had survived an experiment. Not one-off curiosities. Something all five women actually wanted available again. Brenda squeezed Iris's hand. "That feels weirdly significant." Iris smiled. "It is." --- Shammy sat down with her own plate. "So what did you learn?" Ace immediately looked at her. "Is this a debrief?" "No." "Sounds like a debrief." "It's breakfast." "Breakfast debrief." Shammy pointed her fork. "Fine. Forget I asked." Brenda laughed. "No, it's okay." She thought. Then: "I learned I really like watching Iris." Iris smiled. "We knew that last night." "I really, really like watching Iris." "Also established." "And I like Iris watching me." Iris squeezed her hand. Brenda continued. "And I like working alone." "Same," Iris said. Brenda looked at her. "That's the part I didn't expect." Iris nodded. "Me neither." Elisa leaned back. "Why?" Brenda considered. "I thought..." She stopped. "Thought what?" Iris asked. "I thought if I liked the watching thing enough, maybe that would become the thing." "The Marlow thing?" "Yeah." "But it didn't." "No." Brenda smiled. "It's one thing." Iris nodded. "An excellent thing." "Very excellent." Ace muttered: "Eight thousand eddies." Brenda threw a piece of toast at her. Ace caught it. Ate it. "Thank you." "Fuck you." "Not working." Shammy put her face in her hands. Mai calmly continued eating. Elisa said: "That joke is never dying." Ace pointed at Brenda. "Her fault." "Your fault," Brenda replied. "How?" "You exist." "Defamation." --- Iris looked at Mai. "What did you learn?" Mai considered. "That Jo hates menthol." Ace groaned. "No." Shammy laughed. Mai's expression remained neutral. "She does." "About working." Mai took a drink. Then answered seriously. "That I still like it." Ace's expression softened. Mai continued. "And that I like clients who are direct enough that I don't have to manage their uncertainty for them." Elisa nodded. "Competence." "Yes." Ace smiled. "Emerging." Mai looked at her. Ace froze. Then grinned. "Sorry." Dalia's millimeter smile appeared on Mai's real face. "Good." --- Elisa got the next look. "Katherine?" Iris asked. Elisa smiled. "I liked that she wanted to talk." Brenda nodded. "Before the room." "Yes." "And?" Elisa thought. "She understood that paying me didn't entitle her to information about me." Mai nodded. "Good." "Very." Ace looked at Elisa. "You really liked her." Bea's voice answered: "Yes." Ace smiled. No joke. Elisa noticed. "Jack?" Ace's expression changed immediately. Everyone saw it. Mandi's voice became softer. "He was good." Mai watched her. Ace continued. "He didn't know exactly what he wanted when he approached." Brenda raised an eyebrow. "And you liked that?" "I liked that he was honest about it." There. "He wanted company. Maybe more. We figured out the more together." Shammy smiled. Ace shrugged. "I liked him." "Again?" Iris asked. "If he asks." --- Breakfast continued. No formal conclusions. No scorecards. No lessons written down. Just conversation. Occasional laughter. A lot of coffee. And five voices that refused to belong to the faces using them. Eventually Brenda looked at the time. Then at her hair. "How long until this comes out?" Mai answered. "ChromeLock?" "Yeah." "Whenever Lena's release procedure is used." Brenda touched the brass-yellow section. "So we could keep it today." "Yes." Iris touched her own gold. Brenda looked at her. Iris looked back. A smile formed. "Oh no," Elisa said. Brenda turned. "What?" "That face." "I always have a face." Ace slapped the table. "THANK YOU." Brenda ignored her. Iris ran fingers through Brenda's ChromeLock hair. "Keep it?" Brenda smiled. "Today?" "Why not?" "Yes." Iris leaned closer. "Yours too." "Deal." They kissed. Shammy smiled. Elisa looked at her ice-blue hair. "Hm." Ace saw it. "Oh, we're all keeping it today." Elisa looked at her. "Who put you in charge?" "No one." "Correct." "But you want to." Elisa paused. Bea's voice: "Maybe." Ace grinned. Mai touched one of her neon-pink dreadlocks. "I am." Ace looked at her. "Really?" "Yes." Mandi's bright voice answered before Ace could think better of it: "Hot." Silence. Ace closed her eyes. Brenda started laughing. Iris followed. Elisa nearly spilled her coffee. Shammy's hair lifted. Mai's eyebrow rose. Ace opened one eye. "Can we blame the voice?" "No," Mai said. "Fuck." Mai leaned down. Kissed her. "Still counts." Ace smiled against her mouth. --- Nobody released the ChromeLock. Not yet. There was no reason. Sunday belonged to them. No clients. No work. No public cover performance. Just the Safehouse. Brenda and Iris with Marlow hair and their own faces. Elisa with Bea's ice blue. Mai with Dalia's pink dreadlocks. Ace with Mandi's neon orange. And every time one of them spoke, Victor reminded everyone that Thursday's biosculpt was still doing exactly what it had been designed to do. Ace finished her coffee. Looked around the table. "Okay." Everyone looked at her. "What?" Mai asked. Mandi's voice answered: "I admit it." Brenda leaned forward. "Admit what?" Ace gestured at all five of them. "This is fucking hilarious." Shammy smiled. "Told you." Ace pointed. "Don't get smug." "Too late." Sunday had begun. --- ## Chapter 35 — Ours Sunday refused to become productive. Nobody fought very hard against it. Breakfast remained on the table longer than necessary. Coffee appeared in successive generations. Shammy opened one of the windows enough to let cooler air into the Safehouse, and her silver-white hair moved gently in the current. Ace had migrated from her chair to Mai. Not beside Mai. Onto Mai. Mostly. At one hundred and forty-five centimeters, she had certain logistical advantages when she decided another person was furniture. Mai accepted this without comment. Elisa sat sideways on another chair, one leg tucked beneath her, ice-blue ChromeLock still impossible above her own face. Brenda and Iris had disappeared after breakfast. Nobody asked where. For almost eleven minutes. Then Ace looked toward the hallway. "Do you think they're—" Mai covered her mouth. Mandi's voice became an offended noise behind Mai's hand. Shammy laughed. Elisa did not look up. "Thank you, Mai." Ace removed Mai's hand. "I was going to ask if they're sleeping." "No, you weren't." Ace considered arguing. Then apparently decided survival mattered. "Fine." --- Brenda and Iris were not sleeping. They were in their room. Comfortable clothes. Real faces. Impossible hair. Vega and Nova still trapped in their throats. For several minutes neither had spoken. Saturday had been loud in ways that had nothing to do with music. Clients. Questions. Choices. Doors opening and closing. Lisa checking. Suzie watching the floor. Working? Yes. How much? Eight thousand eddies for the hour. Accepted. Again and again until the sequence had stopped feeling like a script and started feeling like work. Now there was nothing to answer. Brenda turned her head. Iris was already looking at her. Vega's voice said: "Hi." Nova answered: "Hi." Brenda closed her eyes. "That is still deeply wrong." Iris laughed. "You're getting used to it." "That's worse." She reached over and touched the chrome-and-gold hair framing Iris's real face. "I like this." "The hair?" "The whole thing." Iris's expression softened. Brenda looked toward the two mesh cases waiting on the dresser. "Nova stays." Iris did not hesitate. "Yes." "Not just the face." "No. The whole cover." Iris touched the brass-yellow side of Brenda's hair. "Vega?" Brenda smiled. "Mine." There it was. Not an experiment anymore. Not a weekend joke. Not borrowed territory from Mandi and Dalia. Vega Marlow belonged to Brenda. Nova Marlow belonged to Iris. The decision did not need to be made again tomorrow. --- Brenda rolled onto her side. "Do you want to change anything?" Iris thought. "Not yet." "Same." "We've used them once." "Exactly. I don't want to optimize imaginary problems." Iris smiled. "That sounded disturbingly like Mai." "Don't tell her." A pause. Then Brenda's expression changed. "There is one thing I want to protect." Iris waited. "The watching." Iris nodded immediately. "From becoming expected." "Yes." "Agreed." Brenda relaxed a little. "David was good." "Very." "He asked. He understood." "Yes." "But if somebody books Nova because they think Vega automatically comes with the room—" "No." "Same the other way around." "Always." Brenda smiled. "You can ask." Iris smiled back. "You can ask." "And either of us can say no." "And the client can change their mind." "Exactly." Simple. Everybody involved chose. Every time. --- Iris reached for Brenda's hand. "Can I tell you something?" "Always." "I liked Linda." Brenda smiled. "I know." "I mean I liked being with her. Not because you were watching." Brenda's smile changed. Warmer. "Good." "And I liked you watching me." "Also good." "Those weren't the same pleasure." Brenda went quiet. Iris continued. "Having you there didn't make Linda better. It made something else happen at the same time." Brenda understood slowly. "So you weren't enjoying her through me." "No." "And you weren't enjoying me through her." "No." Iris smiled. "I was enjoying her. And I was enjoying knowing you could see me enjoy her." Brenda's breath caught slightly. Iris noticed. Of course she noticed. "That." Brenda laughed softly. "Fuck." "Useful?" "Very." Iris kissed her. Slow. No professional-duo cover. No audience. Just Iris and Brenda, even if Nova and Vega still occupied their voices. When they separated, Brenda rested her forehead against Iris's. "I figured something out too." "The watching?" "Why I like it." Iris waited. Brenda searched for the word. "Pride." Iris's expression changed. Brenda touched her hand. "Watching you choose someone. Watching you be wanted. Watching you want them back." A pause. "And knowing you're coming back to me afterward." Iris squeezed her fingers. "Yeah." Brenda smiled. "I thought it was mostly sexual." "It is." "Very." Iris laughed. "Good clarification." "But that isn't all of it." "No." They stayed close for a while. Nothing left to prove. --- When they returned to the main room, still holding hands, Ace looked at them once. Then at Mai. Mai's expression warned her. Ace behaved. Almost suspiciously well. Brenda sat beside Iris. Shammy looked up from her sketchpad. "So?" Brenda smiled. "Keep them." Iris nodded. "Definitely." Ace's face lit up. Mai looked at the working partners instead. "Anything need changing?" "Not yet," Iris said. Brenda nodded. "We need more experience before we start fixing things that aren't broken." Mai's millimeter smile appeared. "Good." Ace looked between them. "Twenty-five thousand." Brenda pointed at her. "Actually, I wanted to ask about that." Ace blinked. "Mandi?" "Twenty-five thousand an hour. Vega and Nova are eight." "Yes." "I understand it better now." Ace waited. Brenda grimaced. "This is going to sound wrong." "Promising." "It isn't because you're better at sex." Shammy immediately became interested. Mai remained perfectly still. Ace smiled slowly. "Please continue." Brenda looked at Iris. "Help." Iris shook her head. "No. Finish dying." Brenda sighed. "I mean the price isn't just whatever happens in the private room." Ace's expression changed. Still amused. Listening now. "It's everything before it," Brenda said. "Reading somebody. Knowing whether they're nervous, dangerous, lonely, or just horny. Knowing when to talk. Knowing when not to. Knowing what they're actually asking for." Iris added: "And knowing when you don't want what they're offering." Brenda nodded. "Eight felt right. Twenty-five wouldn't have." Ace did not tell her someday. Did not tell her never. "Then eight was right." Brenda smiled. "Yeah." Shammy looked at Iris. "What surprised you most?" Iris did not need long. "How much I liked saying no." Ace nodded before anyone joked. Iris continued. "Not because I wanted to reject people. Because every time somebody asked if I was working, I got to choose again." Mai understood. "So yes stayed real because no stayed real." "Exactly." Brenda squeezed her hand. That was the answer the weekend had actually given them. Not merely that they enjoyed the work. That they enjoyed choosing it. --- The conversation wandered after that. No scorecards. No attempt to convert the weekend into doctrine. Shammy returned to drawing. Mai made more coffee for reasons nobody questioned. Ace stole part of hers for reasons everyone understood. Elisa listened more than she spoke. Then, sometime after lunch, she touched her throat. Ace noticed. "What?" Elisa answered. Bea answered with her. "That." Mai looked at her properly. "Still full strength." "Completely." The room shifted. Not into alarm. Attention. Elisa looked at the time. "I'm supposed to hand back to my security tonight." Mai nodded. "Through Reyes." "Yes." "And your security doesn't know Bea." "No." "Then you don't go home sounding like her." Elisa smiled faintly. "That's where I landed too." Shammy tilted her head. "Victor said two to four days before the voice starts clearing." "Yes." Ace sat straighter. "So nothing failed." Elisa looked at her. "No." "It's doing exactly what it was supposed to do." Mai nodded. "Which means we change the schedule, not the technology." Elisa relaxed. That was it. A schedule problem. Not an emergency. Not a reason to improvise. "I'll tell Reyes before she comes," Elisa said. Mai nodded. "Good." Brenda looked at her. "Twenty-four hours?" "Maybe." Mai corrected gently: "Reassess in twenty-four hours." Elisa smiled. "Right." Ace leaned back against Mai. "Security based on reality instead of schedule." Elisa looked at her. Mandi's bright voice had delivered the sentence with complete seriousness. "Exactly." Sunday continued. This time, with one plan fewer. --- ## Chapter 36 — Twenty-Four Hours Reyes arrived shortly after seven. The lower door recognized her. Shammy saw her on the camera anyway. The upper bell rang. Shammy opened the door. Reyes stepped inside. "Hey." "Hey." Then she looked past Shammy. Stopped. Five women looked back. Real faces. Comfortable clothes. Completely impossible hair. Neon orange. Neon-pink dreadlocks. Ice blue. Chrome and gold. Chrome and brass-yellow. Reyes stared. Ace smiled. "Hi." Mandi's voice. Reyes looked at Mai. "Evening." Dalia. Elisa. "Hey." Bea. Iris. "Hi." Nova. Brenda lifted one hand. "Welcome." Vega. Reyes slowly looked back at Shammy. Shammy smiled. "Mine is normal." Reyes nodded. "Good." Ace looked offended. "Excuse me?" Reyes ignored her and looked at Elisa. That was why she was here. "Still active?" Elisa answered in Bea's voice. "Completely." Reyes nodded once. "Then you're not leaving tonight." "Agreed." No debate. No attempt to salvage the original handoff because it had been written on a calendar. Reyes stepped farther inside. "Any other change?" "No." "Threat status?" "Unchanged." "Anything you need from your side?" "No." "Good." She pulled out her agent. Elisa watched. "My manager is expecting the handoff." "I know." "He doesn't need a reason." Reyes looked at her. "He needs status and timing." "Exactly." That was the security concept in one exchange. The outbound communication belonged to Reyes. The receiving security structure belonged to Elisa's manager. Until responsibility transferred back, Reyes handled the bridge. --- Reyes moved a little away from the group and opened the secure contact. A man's voice answered. "Reyes." "Evening." "I was expecting your handoff confirmation." "That's why I'm calling. We're moving Elisa's return by approximately twenty-four hours." A brief pause. "Everything okay?" "Yes. She's secure. No incident and no change in threat status." "Understood. Anything required from us?" "No." "Same return protocol?" "Yes. I'll contact you before we move her." "Copy." Another pause. "Is Elisa available?" Reyes looked at her. Elisa shook her head once. Not with this voice. "Not for the call," Reyes said. No explanation. "Understood. Tell her I asked." "I will." "Anything else?" "No." "Then I'll wait for your update." The connection ended. Reyes put the agent away. "Done." Elisa smiled. "Thank you." "He asked if you're okay." "That sounds like him." "Return is moved. Tomorrow is a reassessment, not a promise." "Agreed." "If the voice is still active, you stay." "Yes." "If it's halfway back, you stay." "Yes." "If it's stable and actually yours, we arrange the handoff." Elisa nodded. "Clear." --- Only then did Reyes allow herself to look around again. At the hair. At the faces. At Brenda and Iris sitting close enough that the public public-cover fiction had clearly been left at Lizzie's. "Successful weekend?" Brenda answered first. "Very." Iris smiled. "We're keeping the covers." Reyes looked between them. "Both of you?" "Both," Brenda said. Reyes nodded. No surprise large enough to become theater. Just acceptance. "Good." Ace looked at her. "That's all?" "What do you want, fireworks?" "Some recognition of excellent cover engineering." Reyes looked at Brenda's chrome-and-brass hair. Then Iris's chrome-and-gold. "You look impossible to forget." Brenda smiled. "That's better." --- Reyes accepted coffee. Because apparently refusing coffee in the Safehouse had become socially impossible. The security conversation was over. That mattered. No one spent the rest of the evening hovering over Elisa's throat as if it were a countdown display. They ate. They talked. Shammy sketched. Brenda and Iris disappeared briefly and returned still holding hands. Ace attempted to convince Mai that neon-orange hair improved her tactical profile. Mai declined to participate in the fiction. Elisa watched the room settle around the changed plan. She had expected to leave tonight. Now she would not. Oddly, that did not feel like being stranded. Shammy looked at her. "Guest room is still yours." Elisa smiled. "I know." Ace looked over. "Dangerous wording." "Why?" "You sound like you enjoy staying here." Elisa looked around the Safehouse. At Brenda and Iris. At Shammy. At Mai. At Ace, small and neon-orange and entirely too pleased with herself. Bea's voice answered: "Maybe I do." Ace smiled. No joke this time. "Good." Sunday evening continued. No handoff. No incident. No leak. Everybody who needed to know knew exactly enough. --- ## Chapter 37 — Reassessment Monday morning, Elisa knew the voice had started to move. Not much. She said good morning to Shammy in the kitchen and watched Shammy's expression change by half a degree. "Again." Elisa sighed. "Good morning." Shammy tilted her head. "Still Bea." "Yes." "But less settled." "That's what I thought." Mai arrived next in neon-pink dreadlocks, Dalia's lower voice still recognizable even if it no longer felt quite as immovable as it had on Sunday. She listened once. Then again. "Beginning to clear." Elisa nodded. "Enough?" "No." Immediate. Good. Elisa smiled. "Agreed." Ace arrived mostly as neon-orange hair, accepted coffee from Mai, and listened too. "You're less Bea." "Scientific." "You're welcome." "Still not Elisa," Mai said. "Also scientific," Ace added. Elisa drank her coffee. "Then we reassess later." Nobody argued. --- Reyes received one secure message after breakfast. **Voice beginning to change. Still not normal. No handoff.** Her reply came shortly afterward. **Copy. Reassess later.** That was the entire security drama for Monday morning. Exactly as it should have been. The rest of the day belonged to everyone else. Brenda and Iris eventually released neither hair nor voice. They did store the face meshes properly. Not discarded. Stored. That distinction mattered. Brenda closed Vega's case and looked at it. "That's weird." Iris looked over. "What?" "Knowing her face is in there." Iris touched her own chest. "The face is in there. Nova isn't." Brenda stared. Then smiled. "That was disgustingly sentimental." Nova's voice answered: "Fuck you." "Better." They carried the cases into secure storage together. No ceremony. They would need them again. That was enough. --- By afternoon Elisa's voice was closer. Not close enough. More of her natural cadence showed through Bea's lower texture, which made the answer easier rather than harder. A mixed voice was worse for a normal return than a coherent cover voice. She sent Reyes another update. **More fade. Still mixed.** The answer: **Then stay.** Elisa smiled. No visit. No unnecessary call to her manager. No ritual around waiting. Monday simply remained Monday. --- Tuesday morning was different. Elisa woke, spoke once to the empty guest room, and stopped. Her voice sounded like hers. Almost completely. She did not declare victory. She got dressed. Found Mai and Shammy. Spoke normally. They listened. Then Ace. Then Brenda and Iris. Nobody heard Bea. Mai still made her wait. "Stable first." Elisa nodded. "Agreed." The ice-blue ChromeLock was released. Normal hair returned by degrees. No Bea face. No Bea eyes. No Bea wardrobe. No Bea voice. Just Elisa. She waited another hour. Talked normally. Laughed once without thinking about it. That was the real test. Mai looked up. "There." Elisa smiled. "Mine?" "Yours." Shammy nodded. Ace did too. Brenda and Iris agreed. Elisa finally sent Reyes: **Voice normal. Stable for over an hour. Hair released. Ready to reassess.** The answer came almost immediately. **Call.** --- Reyes appeared on Elisa's agent. "Talk." Elisa stared at her. "Good morning to you too." Reyes listened. "Again." "My voice is back." "Sounds like you." "It is." "Stable?" "Over an hour. Everyone here agrees." Mai stepped into view. Still pink dreadlocks. Dalia still audible in a voice that had begun its own slow return toward Mai. "Stable." Reyes looked at her. Paused. "You are still like that." Mai nodded. "Yes." Reyes decided not to pursue it. Wise. "I'll arrange the handoff." Elisa nodded. "Good." "I contact your manager first. Then I come for you." "Understood." "Don't leave before I get there." Elisa stared. Reyes smiled faintly. "Procedure." "Fine." The call ended. --- The Safehouse changed after that. Not dramatically. Elisa's bag came out. The things accumulated during two unplanned extra nights went back into it. Shammy helped until Elisa pointed out she was mostly refolding things Elisa had already folded. "I improve folds." "How?" "Artistically." Elisa stared. Shammy smiled. "You used that against me." "I learned." --- Reyes arrived in the early afternoon. The lower door recognized her. Shammy saw her on camera. The upper bell rang. Elisa was ready. Normal hair. Normal face. Normal clothes. Normal voice. Reyes stepped inside and looked directly at her. "Talk." Elisa laughed. "You already tested me." "Again." "Hello, Reyes." Reyes listened. Then nodded. "Good. Ready?" Elisa looked around. That landed differently than she expected. Shammy near the door. Brenda and Iris together. Mai behind Ace. Ace watching her. The Safehouse. A place she had entered through controlled security. A place she had expected to leave Sunday. Now Tuesday. "Yes." Then: "Wait." She put the bag down. Hugged Shammy first. Then Brenda. Then Iris. Mai. Finally Ace. Elisa looked down at her. Ace looked up. "Don't make it weird." Elisa smiled and hugged her anyway. Ace hugged back immediately. For several seconds. Elisa said quietly: "I really do like it here." Mandi was still audible beneath Ace's gradually returning voice. "Good." Elisa pulled back. Ace smiled. "Now go before Reyes charges waiting time." "I heard that," Reyes said. "Excellent." --- The actual handoff happened away from the Safehouse. As it should. Reyes did not drive directly to Elisa's normal security perimeter. Intermediate movement. Routine variation. Nothing dramatic. Nothing improvised. At the agreed point, Reyes contacted the receiving side. Confirmation came back. Ready. Elisa's security manager approached. The same man who had waited two extra days without being given information he did not need. Professional. Controlled. He looked at Elisa first. "Good to see you." Elisa smiled. "You too." Her own voice. No reaction. Nothing to react to. Exactly as intended. He looked at Reyes. "Everything good?" "Everything good." "Any changes I need?" "No." He nodded. "Thank you." Reyes answered: "She's yours." Simple words. Responsibility moved. Elisa stepped across the invisible line between two security structures. Her manager took the bag. "Car's ready." Elisa nodded. Then looked back at Reyes. "See you." "You will." No further explanation. None required. The car door closed. Elisa settled into the seat. Her manager looked back once. "Long weekend?" Elisa smiled. "Very." "Good?" Mandi. Dalia. Nova. Vega. Bea. Lizzie's. Clients. Laughter. Wrong voices. Two unexpected extra nights. The Safehouse. "Very good." He nodded. "Good." And left it there. Some questions did not need asking. Some answers belonged to her. --- ## Chapter 38 — Keep Them The Safehouse felt a little emptier after Elisa left. Not empty. That would have required considerably fewer people. But one guest-room door stood open. One chair stayed unoccupied. Ace noticed. Shammy noticed Ace noticing. Neither said anything about it. That was probably why Ace survived the moment with dignity intact. Mostly. --- Brenda and Iris returned to their room once the handoff was underway. Chrome and brass-yellow. Chrome and gold. Real faces. Voices no longer cleanly Vega and Nova, but not fully Brenda and Iris either. The Marlow meshes were already stored securely. Brenda looked at the empty space where the cases had been. "We really did this." Iris smiled. "Yes." "And we're doing it again." "When we want." Brenda nodded. That qualification mattered. Not because either of them was uncertain. Because it was the entire lesson. When they wanted. Not because the covers existed. Not because somebody asked. Not because the first weekend had gone well. Choice had been the point from the beginning. It remained the point at the end. Brenda touched Iris's gold hair. "Keep it another day?" Iris smiled. "The hair?" "Yeah." "Absolutely." Brenda laughed. "Good." They kissed. No public-cover fiction. No client. No observer arrangement. Just Brenda and Iris. Vega and Nova could wait until they were wanted again. --- Later, the five Safehouse residents gathered around the table. Shammy had her sketchpad. Mai had coffee. Ace had Mai's coffee until Mai took it back. Brenda and Iris had no formal report left to give. That was good. The important conclusions had already been made. Mai looked at them. "One question." Brenda smiled. "Only one?" "For now." Iris waited. Mai folded her hands loosely. "After seeing Lizzie's and Jig-Jig from both sides, do you think this kind of work only makes sense there?" Brenda's eyebrows rose. Iris thought. "No." Mai nodded. "Neither do I." Ace looked at her. Interest sharpened instantly. "Other venues." "Maybe." Brenda looked between them. "Private events?" "Maybe." "Corporate?" Mai paused. "Only if the reason is clean." Iris understood. "Not as leverage for a business decision." "Exactly." "But adults at a private event choosing company, flirting, or more under clear professional boundaries?" Mai nodded. "Different question." Ace leaned forward. "Controlled venue." "Yes." "Mox framework if professional work is happening." "Yes." "Security." "Obviously." Brenda started smiling. "You're definitely not planning anything." Mai looked at her. "I'm asking whether the question survives contact with reality." Iris nodded slowly. "It does." That was enough. Mai did not produce a venue. No guest list appeared. No date. No operation. Just a question worth keeping. Shammy looked thoughtful. "Kiro?" Ace smiled. "Deja." Brenda added: "Bea." A pause. Shammy's electric-blue eyes brightened. "Imani?" Mai looked at her. Then at Ace. Ace tilted her head. "Maybe." Mai smiled by a millimeter. "Maybe." There it was. Nothing more. Not yet. --- Ace looked at Brenda's hair. Brenda noticed. "What?" Ace's eyes dropped toward her feet. Then back up. Brenda immediately understood. "No." Ace looked offended. "I haven't said anything." "Shoes." Iris closed her eyes. Mai looked at Ace. "Do not create a shoe problem." "There is no shoe problem." "Good." "Yet." Mai caught Ace by the shoulders and turned her away from the table. "Intervention." "I am helping." "You're shopping in your head." "That's where shopping begins." Shammy laughed. Brenda looked at Iris. "She's right about one thing." Iris stared. "Do not encourage her." Brenda smiled. "I didn't say which thing." "I know you." "Fair." --- That evening, the Safehouse settled. Nova and Vega were stored safely. Not gone. Waiting. Brenda lay beside Iris, still wearing impossible hair, their voices still carrying the last uneven traces of Vega and Nova. Neither cared anymore. Brenda touched Iris's hand. "When we want?" Iris smiled. "When we want." Brenda kissed her. "Good." Across the Safehouse, Ace could be heard objecting to Mai's definition of unnecessary footwear. Shammy laughed at something neither Marlow could hear. Brenda closed her eyes. Vega Marlow existed. Nova Marlow existed. They did not need proving again. And somewhere beyond the weekend, another question had quietly begun to exist too.