Beta put his finger to his earpiece. “Good. You know the plan from here.”

  He removed the device, dropped it on the ground, and tossed his cigar on top of it. With the flat of his shoe, he stepped down hard and twisted his foot in a crushing motion. Small red embers floated outward and sizzled in the dark puddles alongside. Satisfied that no obvious evidence remained, he pulled his phone from his pocket, pressed a button, and put it to his ear. “The girl is out of the picture. Move to the next phase.”

  The ambassador smoothed his hands down the front of his blue tunic and looked into the mirror on the wall. He carefully adjusted each golden button from the bottom up to the high neck of his shirt. When satisfied, he put his arms out and back to allow one of his staff to pull his dress robes into place. He shrugged to settle them comfortably before he brushed his hand over his head. The magic trailed from his palm and swirled through his long hair like a comb. It twisted the strands into a low ponytail and tied them securely. The energy dissipated upon completion and left his hair shimmering and fresh.

  He smiled when he took a moment to appreciate the convenience of these little uses of magic. They made little demand on the battery he always carried tucked into a hidden pocket in his clothing. As one of the most advanced Mages, he no longer even had to consciously access the power and was also able use to his source efficiently. Besides, these small indulgences left time for more important matters, so it was miniscule energy well utilized to encourage greater benefit.

  Satisfied, he walked over to the desk and slipped his feet into the blue satin loafers that matched his tunic and flowing blue pants. It was almost time for them to be on their way. The phone rang and he gestured to the staff, who immediately nodded and left the room. He answered the call. The video feature came up with the Federation Symbol instead of a face.

  “Ambassador, this is Grant from the Federation security offices,” the voice said.

  V’ritan raised an eyebrow at the phone. “Yes? What do you need?”

  The person cleared their throat nervously. “We called to tell you that your liaison didn’t make it in time, but not to worry, we will have another sent out to you. They will be a few minutes late but will meet you at the event.”

  The ambassador stared at the screen for a moment and narrowed his eyes. He turned toward the mirror and read the trace of concern that had crept into his eyes. “No, never mind that. We will be fine for tonight. We will speak in the morning. Good evening.”

  Before the man could argue, the ambassador cut the call and stared at Brilgus.

  “Sir, I have to insi…” Click. The ambassador hung up in the guy’s ear.

  He gritted his teeth and scowled as he flung the phone on the floor. “That pompous, arrogant asshole. How dare he hang up on me?”

  Beta and the other team members entered the cheap motel room. The leader stared at him expectantly. “Well?”

  The man shrugged. “He told me not to send anyone, that he would be fine for the night. Then he hung up on me before I could talk him into it. Jerk. He talks to anyone not Meligorn like they are dirt beneath his feet.”

  The ringleader had already pulled out another cigar and had it between his teeth. He bit on it, his expression sour. He patted the nervous man on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. The hardest part is done. We don’t have a gal on the inside but so what? We now know his state of mind going into tonight.”

  One of the other team members walked up, removed his coat, and draped it on the chair. “He didn’t take the bait? To hell with it. That will be one less body to worry about tonight. It isn’t a complete wash, so relax. We knew there would be a possibility he might flip our plans somewhat.”

  The man who had made the call leaned down and retrieved the phone, a pre-paid one from the gas station. He removed the battery, broke the device in two, and shrugged. “I suppose you’re right. Every extra one of our men in there is a liability for the mission. Still, it irks me that he can be so nonchalant. Next time we need a government target, I say we pull that Booker guy. The senator who has had like three generations of family on the Senate. He seems like a pushover.”

  Beta raised his hands. “No more politics. Besides, we are only halfway done with this plan. The harder part is still ahead. We have to be prepared so get your damn minds straight. This isn’t some amateur party. Don’t make me look bad or I promise you, I will take you down with me.”

  Brilgus knocked quickly on the door and entered with the ambassador’s thick outer robe in his arms. He laid it carefully across the chairs to avoid hair or wrinkles. V’ritan sat in his office chair and flipped through emails. He answered some and read and deleted others.

  With his hands behind his back, the bodyguard cleared his throat. “Ambassador, if I may, I think that we need to talk about what is happening.”

  He sighed, closed out the email, and settled his attention on his companion with his hands folded at his waist. “Yes, dear friend and loyal businessman.”

  Brilgus stood tall and raised his chin in reverence but, at the same time, forcefulness. “It is absolutely necessary that we fix this before the event. You must have a liaison. They are vitally important to this event. I know you feel uneasy with the call you received, and I do not blame you. It sounds shady, to say the least, but we currently have men out to see if they can determine what went wrong.”

  V’ritan shook his head. “You may be right, but we don’t have time to search and replace. And personally, I don’t have the patience for it.”

  The bodyguard raised his hands and shook his head. “Dear Ambassador, had I known that were the issue, I would have offered my services long before now.”

  His employer raised both eyebrows. “And which service would that be today?”

  Brilgus brandished his phone and smirked. “I happen to be very good at finding people in a pinch who can often be trusted more than the original ever could have been. I have, after all, worked for you for many years and we both know the young aides have a habit of running off or forgetting events. Don’t worry about it. Relax, and I will make it happen. Would you like any tea?”

  The ambassador shook his head. “Thank you, Brilgus. You have become an asset to this whole system.”

  Chapter Seventy

  She hummed as she rubbed her hands through her soapy hair as the rainforest-like water showered over her. Sarah had put calming music on for her, but Stephanie was in the mood for something peppier that night. For the first time since the fight, she had excitement in her tone and step. The AI chose a dance music mix from Stephanie’s collection that Todd had created for her. They were all oldies but it was her feel-good music.

  There was something soothing about routine tasks that allowed her to do what she had to without having to focus too hard. She leaned her head back to wash the soap from her hair and smiled as the pressure from the water directly over her head increased. The suds shimmered in different colors as they floated around her feet and down the drain. When the soap was all out, Stephanie tapped her finger to her lips and leaned her head back again. “Lavender conditioner.”

  The spray of water over her hair stopped for a moment as conditioner pumped onto her hair. She smoothed it through and twisted her feet back and forth on the floor as she closed her eyes and jiggled her head in time to the beat. The fragrant perfume of the flowers eased into her lungs and a sense of calmness infused her. The water clicked on and she rinsed the conditioner out and turned the shower off with a verbal command.

  Sarah spoke. “Your towel is on the wall. The shower drying will start as soon as you have exited. Are we going to blow dry?”

  Stephanie shrugged. “Not tonight. I don’t feel the vibe.”

  She wrapped one towel around her torso and flipped her head over to wrap a second one around her hair and tuck the end in at the base of her neck. She walked toward the door but paused for a moment. “Sarah, turn the music off.”

  The music clicked off and the sound of the phone ringing replaced it. Stephanie startled and hurried out. The door closed behind her and the quiet dryers began the process of drying the bathroom. She retrieved her tablet from the dresser and immediately saw the ambassador’s number on the screen. Still in her towel, she thought about not answering but instead, responded in phone instead of video mode.

  She shook her head and held the top of her towel closed. “Brilgus, so good to hear from you. I’m sorry I almost missed the call. I was showering.”

  “I was worried you were away from your phone,” he said and his voice sounded slightly panicked.

  Stephanie backpedaled and sat on the edge of her chair. “Brilgus, what’s the matter? You sound very upset.”

  “No, not upset,” he replied. “But there always seems to be something going on. If it’s not one thing it’s another. As much as I like you and a few other full humans, I really do miss Meligorn.”

  Stephanie smiled understandingly. “I get that. There is really no place like home. No matter what state it’s in. That’s why I always understood why the Dreth who aren’t pirates don’t leave their planet, even with it in ruins. You work until all hope is gone, and only then do you give up on your home.”

  Brilgus chuckled. “You sure do sound cheerier today. I heard of your incident in DC. I’m sorry. I do hope your friend is recovering.”

  “He is,” she replied. “He will be discharged tomorrow so it will be nice to welcome him back.”

  “Good. Give him my thanks for protecting you,” the bodyguard replied. “But, now that I have exchanged pleasantries, and enjoyed them, I do have something to confess.”

  Stephanie giggled. “Don’t we all, Brilgus. Okay, I’m ready for it. What do you have?”

  “The ambassador needs a favor—and I suppose it’s a favor for me as well,” he said and winced through the words.

  Meligorns were notorious for helping other people but never complained or asked for help in their own lives. But on Meligorn, there were rarely problems that weren’t on a community scale. When the community knew, they would all come out, invited or not.

  She looked at her wet hair in the mirror and realized vaguely that she needed a trim. “Sure, what do you need? Anything for you two.”

  Brilgus laughed. “I would reserve that until you’ve heard it. We need you to be the ambassador’s liaison at a very important charity event this evening. We received a call that the regular person, for some reason, was unable to make it. The ambassador was not comfortable with how it was handled, so I thought you might be the perfect replacement.”

  Stephanie wrinkled her nose, having never attended an event like that. “All right. Tonight. Okay. When do I need to be there?”

  Brilgus’s nerves were almost audible. “An hour.” Usually, the ambassador would meet with his liaison in his limo before the event and they would use the time to discuss things that might crop up while his personal security team conducted an additional sweep of the premises. This enabled them to establish what was expected but also allowed flexibility in his arrival to avoid traffic delays and to vary the direction and time of his approach to the venue. He’d been almost on his way when the call had come in, and both he and his bodyguard had accepted that this time, that buffer would have to be set aside.

  Stephanie’s eyes opened wide and she scowled at the closet. “Wow. Yikes. Okay, no need to panic. Of course I will do this. I must confess, though, I have neither been or even heard of a liaison at these parties. What exactly do I have to do all night?”

  “Ah, that is the easy part,” Brilgus replied. “You simply remain at his side all night. He will spell his words to you so you hear them in English but to others, it will be Meligorn-speak. You will handle all communication with people until the ambassador takes over. This will include helping with appropriate customs between worlds and protection. Oh, there will be a security detail, so you needn’t worry much about the protection part of things.”

  She pursed her lips. “And what worlds will be there?”

  “It will be Earth and Meligorn, of course, and a couple of individuals from Dreth,” he answered. “The Dreth know the customs well. It will mostly be the other humans whom you need to focus on. They don’t always understand the greeting, the no touching, and what to say. I know you know most of it, and I will walk with the two of you so if you have any questions, you can simply ask me.”

  On one hand, the idea panicked her somewhat, but it also actually sounded like fun. “And what is the dress code for this occasion?”

  Brilgus cleared his throat. “Formal. You may wear what is customary on Earth, the ambassador and I will be in our formal tunics and robes, and the Dreth…well, they have formal war gear so they will wear much the same as they usually do but with fewer blood stains.”

  Stephanie giggled. “At least they make an attempt. I personally pictured them like the Dreth pirates. I’ve never met a Dreth before. Well, one, but it was very brief.”

  The bodyguard snarled slightly with evident distaste. “Yes, they are interesting. Although these two are generally more well-mannered than the citizens there. They are part of the royal chamber on their planet so they have been given some instruction. They don’t have a formal greeting, so you only need to worry about their greeting to the ambassador. He is usually fairly open-minded about them, regardless whether they actually perform it right or not at all. Most likely, though, they will miss the greetings as usual and end the evening with a goodbye instead.”

  Stephanie exhaled a deep breath. “All right, that sounds good. Where do I go?”

  Brilgus mumbled to himself a moment. “Ah, that’s right. It is the Grand Legion of Federation Fine Arts located where the Old Days Lincoln Memorial stood once. We will have you on the list.”

  Stephanie jotted that down on the virtual notepad function on her tablet. “Good. Right then. That should be easy to find, then. But to make it on time, I need to go. When I arrive, I will send you a text and wait on the steps for you.”

  “That sounds perfect,” he replied. “And thank you, Stephanie. This means a lot.”

  She hung up, looked around her in bemusement for a moment, and bounded to her feet in a panic. “Sarah! I need the black and silver butterfly formal gown and several shoe selections including something practical in case any running or fighting is involved. And my hairrr!”

  Sarah began to take the appropriate measures. “It would be good if you were to calm down. You are starting to panic and that increases heart rate, confusion, and the chance of a stroke.”

  Stephanie stuck her head out the bathroom door to yell above the blow dryer. “I’ll stroke anyway if we don’t get this right.”

  A bell chimed and the hair dryer stopped. Stephanie scrambled into her bra and panties and peered cautiously at the comms video screen. It was Elizabeth so she clicked the button and smiled. “Hey, what’s up?”

  The other woman raised an eyebrow. “Are you all right? It suddenly sounded as if a herd of buffalo rampaged through your room. Are you having a fit? I can tranquilize you with one of the darts from the dart gun.”

  Stephanie gave her a deadpan stare. “No. I just had a call from the ambassador and he needs me to be his liaison tonight at a charity event. Something happened to his. So, I have less than an hour to get ready and get over there. Not to mention that I’ve never been one before.”

  Elizabeth’s face remained expressionless. “I know. Sarah has already filled me in, which is really why I called. I want to send Lars and Marcus with you as backup. The security will be Federation Secret Service who are trained like offbeat cops and none of them too bright.”

  She shrugged. “All right. I’m sure it won’t be a problem. The ambassador understands that I am not a person who gallivants around on my own anymore so he should expect I would have my own security. There is one problem, though.”

  Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. “Yes?”

  Stephanie chewed the inside of her lip. “They need to have tickets to the event. You can’t simply buy the tickets as they are invite only, of course. Brilgus put me on but not anyone with me.”

  “Have you forgotten who you are talking to here? I am the woman who literally spent years in a job where my only task was to retrieve anything that they needed. My own personal brand of magic has its own power in that world. I once had to retrieve a small lamp like the one in that Aladdin story that was specifically last seen in the chamber room of the queen’s area in the pyramids in Egypt. That was interesting, and the best part? Thirty-six hours later, I had it polished, sitting on a pillow, and in my lap traveling back. I wanted to rub it so badly.”

  Stephanie giggled and then jumped. “So, you’ll handle the tickets and make sure they are appropriately dressed?”

  She winked cheerfully. “I’ve got you, sister.”

  Elizabeth’s red-painted lips smirked as she picked up the phone and dialed the guard’s quarters. Marcus answered. “Oh, good, I needed to speak to you and Lars. Where is he?”

  “Right here,” the man yelled. They obviously had her on speaker phone.

  Her lip twitched slightly. “I need the two of you to get your tuxes out, dust them off, shine your shoes, conceal your weapons, and be ready in forty-five. You will accompany Stephanie to a charity event where she will be the acting liaison to the Head Ambassador of Meligorn.”

  Marcus wasn’t sure what to say. “Uh…uh… Okay…I…”

  Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Oh, for Christ’s sake, get it together man. Lars, get on it.”

  “On it,” he yelled from the back before the call disconnected.

  She shook her head and ambled across the room to retrieve her tablet and open a video chat. Once she sat comfortably, she flipped to the number to connect her to the boss, leaned back, and crossed her legs. When he answered, the hologram of the company spiraled around in midair as usual.