Canvas Skies (Reliance on Citizens Makes Us Great!) (8 page)

Unfortunately, not much had changed since
I'd literally risked my neck to try to prove my worth to Keira. I
was a patient man. I always had been, but even so, I was growing
uneasy. Nothing about our Tuesday board meetings had changed. We
still met to discuss current affairs, have a drink and dance, just
as we had been for the past year.

Tonight, the Dry Martini was more crowded
than usual, probably due to the rain. A small jazz ensemble had
people out on the parquet dance floor. Keira looked her best, as
always. She wore a knee-length jade dress, one that set off her
eyes and showcased her short wavy red hair that I now knew to be
fake. She smiled as she sat down across from me. I glanced around
but didn't see either of her associates.

“What's wrong?” she asked.

“What isn't?”

“Well that's gloomy. What can I do to help?”
She toyed with her gold pendant. The symbol was fitting, but I had
to wonder, who was the real snake?

“Let's just talk shop.”

“Okay.”

“I've been sending people through per your
request. Shall I continue?”

“Actually, you should hold off for a few
weeks. Too many “favors to friends” could also draw unwanted
attention.”

“Alright. I think that's wise.” I didn't
want to tell her I'd run out of friends who wouldn't be suspicious
of such favors.

“Brody.” Keira reached for my hand.
“Something is bothering you. What is it? I'd like to help if I
can.”

She really did look concerned, and I didn't
think it was an act. I pulled my hand away. “It's my secretary,
Irene. Something has changed.”

“What do you mean by changed?”

“I can't explain it. It's just a feeling
really. I think they're going to move against me soon, whoever
“they” are.” I shook my head. “I sound paranoid, don't I? It's
probably nothing.”

“But maybe it's not. When did you notice
something was different?”

“A couple of days ago. Have you checked into
her background yet?”

Keira nodded. “She's got a reliable cover
story. It's likely the same information you found when you hired
her. When I dug a little deeper though, I learned that Irene
Babcock doesn't exist.”

“What? When were you planning on telling
me?”

“Tonight.”

I stood and held out my hand. “Would you
like to dance?” Fortunately, it was a slow number. As we swayed to
the music, I continued the conversation by whispering in her ear.
“I don't often ask for anything but,” I took a deep breath, then
said, “I'd like to hire a bodyguard.”

Keira's skirt fanned when I spun her away
and kissed her slender legs as I pulled her back. She smiled and
whispered, “That can be arranged.” She leaned in close and rested
her chin on my shoulder.

I continued to speak directly into her ear.
“I think they'll probably try to take me out at night in my
apartment. With no witnesses, they could make it look like an
accident. I don't think they'd try anything at the office with
everyone around, do you?”

“Don't assume. Trust your gut when you're
out, and keep to well lit, populated areas. Try to use the toilet
only at your house, and no matter what, don't eat or drink anything
Irene gives you.”

“Will he be able to start tonight?”

She backed away. “You don't want to hire
me?”

“Of course I do, but...”

“You said you knew what a Freelancer
was.”

“Yes, but I thought. Will your friend be
alright with this?”

“Of course. It's what I do.”

Keira kept hold of my hand as she led me
through the crowd toward the main entrance. We stepped into the
night. Moments later, a familiar silver automobile pulled to the
curb, and we both climbed in. Keira picked up a black jacket from
the seat and pulled it around her shoulders.

“What's your fee?” I asked.

“We don't charge other members of the team.
We work together. We protect each other. If someone's after you,
we'll stop them.”

The driver nodded, and I slowly let out the
breath I hadn't even realized I was holding. I'm a member of their
team. I should tell them.

Keira was talking again but not to me.
“Eberhardt, take us to my place, I'll need to change and get some
supplies.”

She pulled out her transceiver, pressed some
buttons and lifted the device to her ear. “I've got a job... No,
someone needs my help... Yeah, it will probably take all night,
maybe even a few. I know I said I'd be around, but will you be okay
alone?” A longer pause. “No, no, nothing like that, just protecting
someone. You're sure?” Another pause. “Okay. I'm on my way to pick
up a few things. I'll still help you set up tomorrow. What? You're
still there? We'll swing by and pick you up.” She closed the
connection.

“Change of plans.” She was speaking to
Eberhardt again, not to me. “We'll need to stop by the shop
first.”

I looked at Keira. “Um, why didn't you tell
him it was me?”

“Who? Oh, I wasn't talking to him.”

“No?”

“No. We're picking up my roommate.”

A few minutes later, we pulled up in front
of an empty storefront. A young woman in a long cream colored coat
stood with her back to us. The overhead security light caught the
blond highlights in her chestnut brown hair. After locking up, she
quickly approached the car and climbed in next to Eberhardt. When
she turned, her deep brown eyes penetrated mine.

“Are you Kendra's job for tonight?” Her hand
flew to cover her mouth. “Oh, that didn't come out right.”

I smiled. “It's nice to meet you,
Miss...”

The young woman turned her attention to
Keira.

“Brody Delaney, this is my roommate.” Keira
hesitated. In the span of a few seconds, an entire conversation
seemed to take place between Keira and the young woman, though
neither of them spoke.

The young woman offered her hand over the
back of the seat. “Aimee LaFleur.”

I took her outstretched hand briefly and
said, “It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss LaFleur.”

When we pulled up in front of a brick
apartment complex, Keira turned to me. “Wait here.”

She removed her red wig and let loose her
black hair. It was shorter and straighter than I remembered. She
shoved the wig into her coat pocket before leaving the vehicle.
Aimee promptly entered the building, but Keira turned back to talk
with the driver. He lowered his window.

“I was thinking it would probably be a good
idea to call an exterminator. Would you set that up while I'm
getting my things?”

Eberhardt nodded. “I'll call in the best and
ask her to drive over and pick up your sorry ass.”

“Gee, thanks Bruno!” She smiled an honest to
goodness 'only you can get away with that' sort of smile. “How many
can fit on her bike?”

“She's got a car now, said she got the parts
real cheap. Her new boyfriend put it together for her.”

Keira leaned against the door frame.
“Oh?”

“Yeah, his name's Joe.”

Keira turned and looked past him, toward the
apartments. “Would you mind staying over while I'm working? You can
have my room.”

“Sure.”

She leaned down and gave him a kiss on the
cheek. “Thank you for keeping an eye on her.”

“Have the nightmares stopped?”

“Not entirely, but she doesn't have them
every night. Don't mention it unless she does.”

He nodded. “Got it.”

***

When Keira returned, she wore black fitness
clothes and carried a small black bag. I'd only ever seen her in
cocktail dresses before and almost didn't recognize her in such
casual attire.

A small blue car pulled up behind us. It
didn't look like it had been put together from random parts. After
we switched vehicles, Eberhardt drove down a ramp beneath the
building and into the garage. Our new driver was a woman with an
olive complexion and long black shiny hair. She too wore dark
fitness clothing. Keira skipped introductions altogether and simply
gave her directions to my apartment. We drove there in silence and
waited in the car while the young lady pulled on a black mask that
completely covered her hair and face, successfully obscuring her
identity. She returned in under 10 minutes.

As I climbed out of the car I heard Keira
ask, “What took so long?”

I looked at her in surprise, but she was
serious.

“I located the vid and audio bugs in no
time.” The young lady held up a bag with one hand and removed her
mask with the other. “But it took a little longer to modify the
security system.”

“You modified my security system?” I was the
head of CalTech, the leading security company in the realm. The
system I'd had installed when I accepted that position had been top
of the line.

“Oh, don't worry. It will still work the
same, but in addition to your code, it will also require your
thumbprint. Use it when you go in tonight. That will set it to
recognize you. Anyone will be able to set the alarm, and it will
automatically turn off if someone opens the door from the inside.
But no one, other than you will be able to get in unannounced, and
only you will be able to stop it if the alarm goes off. Got
it?”

I nodded.

“If you want it to recognize anyone else, I
can set it for that,” she offered.

I shook my head and asked, “Why did you
modify it?”

“Your system was installed by your people,”
she said, as if that explained it all.

“Isn't that safer than hiring the
competition?”

She rolled her eyes at Keira as if to say,
Do I really have to spell this out? “Of course it is. But you
wouldn't want someone in CalTech to take you out in an attempt to
acquire your position as head of the company, would you?”

“No, of course not!”

Keira turned to me. “Where's your car? It's
probably bugged too.”

They'd thought of everything. “It's down the
street from The Dry Martini.”

“Give her your keys and a description.”

I did as she asked.

The young woman brushed her fingers through
her long dark hair. “I'll take care of it and get these back to
Kendra.”

“It's okay. He knows who I am.” Keira
smiled. “Brody's with us.”

The woman didn't say anything, just climbed
into her new car and drove away.

“She doesn't trust me.”

“She doesn't trust anyone,” Keira said.

“She trusts you. By the way, how did she
know who I was?”

Keira just shook her head.

I secured the front door and left to change
into a pair lounge pants and my comfortable navy blue shirt. When I
returned to the living room, I found Keira sitting in my favorite
tan chair.

“Would you like some tea?” I offered.

“Thanks, that would be great, especially
with caffeine. I'll need enough energy to stay alert tonight, and
I've already had a long day.”

I returned with an herbal tea for me and a
black tea for her. Keira curled her legs beneath her and wrapped
her fingers around the steaming mug as I settled onto the sofa.

“I feel better already, knowing nobody's
listening or watching.” I shuddered. “You didn't warn me about
vidbugs.”

She shrugged. “You would have acted
different. Paranoid.”

“I've been on edge ever since we last
talked,” I admitted. “If it was so easy to remove them, why didn't
you call in your exterminator before tonight?”

“Because we didn't want to raise suspicions.
Now they'll know we're onto them. The next move is all theirs, and
I'm sure they'll make it soon.” Keira took another sip.

“Can we talk now? Freely, I mean.”

She smiled. “What do you want to know?”

“Who is he? You know, the man who's not your
boss.”

She stared at me in silence. Apparently
Keira wasn't ready to answer that, at least not yet.

“Okay...does he know you're here
tonight?”

This time she answered immediately. “Yes, I
called him from my apartment.”

“How many people know who you really
are?”

“Who I really am. That's funny, Brody. Even
I didn't know for sure until last year, and the answer seems to be
changing all the time...” Her voice trailed off. “But that's not
what you're asking. About 10.”

So few? “Why do you wear a wig, and why did
you cut your hair?”

“To hide my identity.”

“But not from me. Who are you hiding
from?”

“Look, we don't want to change our patterns
and draw the wrong kind of attention.” Clearly I'd hit a nerve.

“I agree. Who?” I pressed.

She studied my face for a moment. “I'm not
sure. A lot of people. It's a hazard of the job.”

I paused, then asked my next question. “Who
is Aimee? I mean, besides being your roommate.”

Again, she didn't respond.

“Keira, why is it that you expect me to
trust you, but you still don't trust me? What can I possibly to do
prove that I'm your friend?”

Her bright green eyes narrowed as she
studied me. “You're right, Brody. I don't trust easily, but you've
never given me reason to doubt you.”

And then finally, she began to share. It was
exactly what I'd been waiting for. Her voice was so quiet, I could
barely hear her at first. “The man you met. The one who's not my
boss?”

I held my breath.

“That's Richard Burke III, my fiance.”

“Really? Richard Burke? I thought I
recognized him. He's your fiance?”

She nodded.

“I've seen him in celebrity vids. I hadn't
realized he was...involved with anyone.”

Her voice was like ice. “He hasn't been an
eligible bachelor for a long time.”

I studied her carefully. “He's part of the
Resistance, like you.” It wasn't a question, and I was taking a big
risk. Now that she'd begun to open up, I didn't want her to shut
down, but I just couldn't help myself. “He's pretty high in the
chain of command, I'd wager. You both are.”