Lethal Engagement (An Unbounded Novella) (9 page)

We had a slight delay as the agents swept the house, and the tension was high until we were finally allowed to enter my sitting room. Lucinda Ririe was there waiting for us, wearing a white dress with large blue polka dots and a matching blue sweater. As the door closed, shutting out the agents, she jumped up from a stiff Victorian love seat and threw herself at Patrick. “Oh, sweetie, I was so nervous. I saw you on TV, though, and you were wonderful!” Stars gleamed in her eyes as she indicated a muted TV nestled inside a dark entertainment center.

He kissed her with much more energy than he’d put into our kiss, and she kissed him back with equal passion. She was nearly as tall as Patrick and large boned. They made a handsome couple. “Luce,” Patrick said, reluctantly drawing away, “I want you to meet Marianne and Kenton.”

She leaned forward with a slight blush on her cheekbones and shook my hand. “Thank you so much for coming.” Her voice was soft and cultured. “When Patrick told me last night they were sending someone, I was so grateful. I just don’t do crowds well.” She towered a head taller than me, but her grip was weak and boneless. Feminine. Everything in me that was Unbounded wanted to tell her to stiffen up a bit. Weakness meant danger.

“I knew it was a good idea, Patrick having a fiancée,” Lucinda continued. “I mean, that girl somehow got past all the security at the White House. I’m glad his father and those over Homeland Security aren’t leaving it only up to the Secret Service anymore. It’s good to have another layer of protection.”

Homeland Security? I waited for Patrick to correct her. The Secret Service agents were actually under the Department of Homeland Security, and they had other employees and associates who weren’t Secret Service, but we weren’t here with their knowledge. And although President Mann had been involved in the decision, he wasn’t exactly calling the shots, either. He knew the Renegades considered Patrick family and would protect him without any kind of order.

I glanced at Patrick, who had opened his mouth, but he closed it again without speaking.

“It’s nice to meet you,” I said to Lucinda.

Keene shook her hand next and then removed an instrument from his bag and began walking around the room, testing for listening devices. He had been avoiding my gaze since the events in the car, and I let him for now. Still, I couldn’t help watching him as he worked, his lean muscles taut and panther-like. For no reason at all, I thought of the closet in Venezuela. Had he already Changed then?

“Let’s get some pictures for the media,” Patrick said, motioning Luce toward me. She laughed lightly, and Patrick responded by kissing her cheek.

“Apparently, we’re going to be best friends.” Lucinda slipped an arm around me. “I know we won’t have time for shopping and such, but I’m excited to tag along in the background to be near Patrick. I’m still hoping things will die down, though.”

“They will,” Patrick said. “Soon Unbounded will be just like any other race—even if that means I have to personally talk to every reporter and visit every school in the United States. Speaking of schools, I believe I’m supposed to speak at a grade school today.”

“Oh, I hoped to spend a little time with you first.” Lucinda grimaced and even that looked queenly on her. She may not like the limelight, but the public would love her. Maybe I could help her move in that direction, so after my future “breakup” with Patrick, she could face a life in the limelight. If she loved Patrick, and I believed she did, she’d learn.

Patrick took her hand. “We have until ten. That’s better than before, right?” He looked at me. “You don’t mind if I hang out here, do you?”

“Of course not. Enjoy yourselves. We’ll just work around you.”

KEENE AND I CHECKED PATRICK’S
suite, Keene’s quarters, and my own, finding no bugs. That was good news. Then we had a large breakfast served in my suite, despite the fact that no one had requested food. The cook brought it herself on a trolley with elegant dishes that looked more like they belonged in a museum than on our table. The woman herself looked nothing like I thought a cook should look. She was young and pretty with brown eyes, her skin was faintly bronzed by the sun, and her willowy figure looked more like it belonged to a dancer than a cook. She appeared too serious, though, to even listen to dance music.

“This is Susan,” Patrick said, sitting beside me on the couch. “She’s been with me since Europe.”

Susan dipped her head. “Nice to meet you. I hope you like bacon.”

“Love it. Nice to meet you too.” I reached for a piece of bacon before remembering that I wasn’t back at the Fortress, but Susan simply handed me a plate and didn’t comment on my lack of table manners. Keene pointedly took out the case Cort had given us on the plane to check for poisoning. Stifling a sigh, I put the bacon on the plate and reached for a napkin.

“Thank you, Susan,” Lucinda said. “It looks so lovely, as usual.”

“It’s good to see you again, Miss Lucinda. Who would have known that you would introduce Patrick to his fiancée?” Susan gave a dry chuckle, her seriousness finally giving way to a smile. “But if that’s what it took to bring you back to the States, then I’m doubly happy for him.”

Patrick took my hand and stared lovingly at me. “Life is pretty amazing sometimes.” He held my hand until the cook left, then stood and reached for Lucinda. “I’m glad we thought to tell her that you and Mari are friends.”

Lucinda leaned toward him, offering her face for a quick kiss. “I already ate, so I’m going to my room to wash my hair and change for the school visit. I overslept this morning.”

He squeezed her hand. “Hurry back.”

Keene was already at work on the food, and Patrick watched with amusement as we used both food-testing methods Cort had given us—one an electrode of sorts that tested the entire surface, and one that mixed small samples with a chemical. The food was clean.

“Like I said, Susan’s been with me for a long time,” Patrick said. “She’s had plenty of time to poison me, if she’d wanted.”

“She’s probably not the only one with access to the food.” Keene busied himself putting away the equipment.

“She does have an assistant now, an agent provided by the Secret Service, and she’s responsible for every bit of food brought into this house.” Patrick forked up a bit of egg. “Almost seems easier for me not to eat.” He was right, since we didn’t need to eat to survive, but not eating would raise more red flags.

“Then I wouldn’t get bacon,” I said, taking a healthy bite. Keene grinned at my enjoyment, and for a moment things were okay between us.

After breakfast, our luggage arrived from the plane, brought by two white-liveried men, one of whom shook shaggy black hair out of his eyes as the Secret Service frisked him. Jace was obviously enjoying his own disguise, and he joked with the agents, who surprised me by cracking smiles. Soon, Jace and Cort were joined by a beautiful, very dark black woman with long, tightly curled black hair pulled into a ponytail. Her ugly uniform couldn’t hide a figure that would be noticed anywhere, being so close to the world’s ideal of the perfect female form: tall, long legs, overly slender torso except for the ample bustline, and a splendid, perfectly-shaped rear that made all of the Secret Servicemen look more than twice.

I recognized her at once, but waited until she carried one of the thoroughly searched suitcases upstairs to my suite before I hugged her. “Noah! I didn’t know you’d be here!”

She laughed. “I’m the one who set up the house for Cort and Jace. I came with them to see you.”

“I’m glad you did.” I hadn’t seen Noahthea Westmoreland since our last op in New York, three months ago. Unlike most Unbounded, her gift wasn’t viewed as useful in the battle with the Emporium, but I secretly envied it. Noah had the most beautiful voice and for over a hundred and fifty years had regaled music lovers all over the world under several different identities. When she sang words, her audience felt them. When she mourned aloud, they cried. Her joy brought people to new heights. Listening to her sing was an experience I never forgot. I wished we weren’t fighting the Emporium so that we could cultivate more talents like Noah’s that lifted people, instead of trying to breed combat Unbounded destined to kill and maim.

“I was so glad when you and Keene accepted this op,” Noah said. “I’d considered asking for the job”—she shook her head—“but you know how useless I am at protection.”

“Yeah, but you would have had those reporters eating from your hand once they heard you sing.”

She laughed and even that was musical. “Thank you for saying so.”

Patrick had risen from the sofa to greet Noah as well, and now he hugged her. “You have to say hello to Luce before you leave. She should be out soon. She just went to get ready for an appointment we have later this morning.”

“Okay, I’ll wait.” Noah thumbed at Cort and Jace, who were bringing up a second load of boxes. “We’ll leave the heavy lifting to them.”

Patrick laughed. “Good idea. Thanks for the backup, guys.”

“No problem.” Jace placed a box in his arms. “Here, make yourself useful.”

“Oh, that reminds me.” Noah pulled a flash drive from her pocket and handed it to Patrick. “I made you a copy of the music I was working on while we were all in Europe. It also has all the variations that won’t make it to the CD.”

Patrick’s face lit up even more. He set the box down on a table and grabbed the flash drive. “Oh, wow, thank you! I can’t wait to hear the whole thing.”

I began moving my boxes and cases into the bedroom part of my suite. Patrick and Noah helped as they talked, and it became apparent that they knew each other well. I was glad someone from the New York cell had remained in contact with him while he’d been in hiding.

Lucinda emerged from the second room in my suite as Cort and Jace deposited the last load inside my sitting room. Her short hair was fluffy now and slightly curled, her makeup impeccable. She wore an elegant gray pantsuit over a yellow top with a high neckline.

“Oh, good!” Noah said, rushing to her. “I was afraid I wouldn’t get to see you.”

“What a wonderful surprise!” Lucinda’s gaze caught on Noah’s white service jumpsuit. “I don’t know how you arranged to deliver their luggage, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“I pulled a few strings.” With typical Renegade caution, Noah didn’t introduce Cort and Jace or expose their identities, and Lucinda overlooked them completely. The two women clung to each other’s hands. This close to Lucinda, Noah didn’t look tall at all, but rather petite next to Lucinda’s taller, more sturdy figure. But Noah held herself with the confidence of the Unbounded, and it was she who overshadowed Lucinda instead of the other way around.

“DC suits you,” Noah said. “You look fabulous. Or is that because you’re with Patrick?”

“That’s it, probably.” Lucinda let go of Noah and intertwined her arms in Patrick’s. He winked at her, and she lowered her gaze bashfully.

“Looks like you’ll finally get to spend more time together. I’m happy for you.” Noah glanced at Jace and Cort, hovering by the door. “Well, I’d better get going. Maybe when things calm down, we can get together for real.”

“I’d like that. We’ll walk you down.”

“Better not,” Noah said. “We don’t want the Secret Service taking notice that we’re acquainted, or they might put two and two together and suspect something’s up with Patrick’s new fiancée. Today, I’m only a stranger delivering her luggage.”

“Oh, right.”

Cort made a motion at me, something about a gun and two fingers. He wanted me to shift to his location in twenty minutes to get our weapons from him. I waved goodbye, and they left my suite, trailed by two Secret Service agents waiting in the hallway.

As Patrick had only a minimal staff at the moment, I was thankfully allowed to do my own unpacking. Lucinda tore herself away from Patrick long enough to help me, exclaiming over the clothes and eyeing the name brands. “I’m afraid I’m going to look like the poor cousin next to you,” she said with a laugh that was genuine but reserved like the rest of her. “Patrick gave me a card to use, but I just can’t seem to waste so much money when something for half the price looks just as good.”

“If it looks just as good,” I pointed out, “no one will notice.”

“I hope you’re right.”

I unwrapped a pale blue suit with a back pleat from its multi-layers of tissue and hung it in the closet. “My normal fare is much more casual. I used to have another job where I wore suits like this one all day, but they weren’t fitted, and I looked like I was wearing a bag.”

“Well, the one you’re wearing now is fabulous,” she said, eyeing the off-white material.

“Thank you.” I would have preferred red or purple. Anything but blah. Unfortunately, the woman who’d helped us at the boutique had seemed to paint everything with the same brush. If it hadn’t been for the red hair, I might have revolted.

“So, Marianne, how long have you known your partner? Or worked with him, rather.”

“Call me Mari.” I knew they picked the name Marianne because it was similar to my own, but the entire thing sounded like far too much effort. Like walking instead of shifting.

“Okay, Mari. So how long?”