Chapter Fifteen—Courier Bot to the Hitomo Luxury Suites

“John? John!”

“What?!”

“May is in the apartment!”

John nodded. “Yes. She is.”

Kyle wiped his forehead. “What am I gonna do?”

“Um… Try acting normal,” he said, his tone serious, which meant he was obviously mocking Kyle.

He sighed heavily. “Man…”

Lexa appeared before them in their secret gun cabinet, her outfit changed to an off-white sleeveless dress that was cut off above the knee. “Kyle,” she said cheerfully. “You almost died today. Perhaps you should attempt to relieve some stress?”

John pulled out his pistol sat it down on the workbench. “She’s right. A lot has happened. Just chill out.”

May glanced about the apartment, surprised at the sumptuous luxury of it all. Though sleek and expensive, it didn’t have that air of “rich people trying to display their wealth” feel to it.

“Chill out?!” Kyle’s muffled voice came from behind that sliding wall they had disappeared behind. “How am I supposed to chill out? She’s going to think I’m a loser!”

She almost laughed.

There was some more muffled talk before the door slid open with a soft hiss. May made to glance out the windows as if she were simply enjoying the view.

Breathing in deeply, John stalked out of their weapons room. “So this is it,” he said. “What do you think?”

Kyle glanced from May to John, but said nothing.

Probably better that you don’t talk too much,

She turned, nodded with approval. “It’s quite nice. Are you sure we’re safe here?”

“Shouldn’t we be asking you that?” Kyle said. “I mean, it was your systems Strogaus hacked.”

“You’re right,” May said. “But as I’ve said, you’re in the clear. In fact, I would say my own identity is probably in the clear—but I can’t be entire certain of that last part.”

“You can stay here,” Kyle said. “No one knows you’re with us.”

“Yeah,” May said, glancing back out the windows. The rain was thick and the cloud cover absolutely black and grey. “And I thought we would get back to Life City so we’d have some warm sunshine.”

She shivered visibly.

John walked up to the panel on the wall and adjusted the temperature to a few degrees warmer. “We’ve got guest rooms down the hall.”

She glanced that way. “All right.” She walked to the panel and pulled up a courier display. Her fingers moved deftly and practiced. She selected some clothing items as if she already knew what she wanted. “I’ll go freshen up. Just put my stuff on the bed, will you?”

“Um…?” John said, glancing at Kyle.

“Yeah,” Kyle said quickly with a nod. “Sure thing.”

“Cool.”

She sauntered down the hall and into her rooms.

John gave Kyle a look. “The lady knows how to make herself at home.”

Kyle glanced down the hall. “Man, I’m so tired and cold. I think I’ll go take a hot one, too.”

“All right,” John said. “I’ll figure out what’s for dinner. I’m starving.”

“Good man.”

“No,” John said. “You’re the cook around here. You’re just too much of a slacker to do your part.”

Kyle chuckled as he disappeared up the marble stairs that curled up to the upper floors.

“Interesting turn of events.”

John turned around to face Lexa. “You can say that again.”

She stepped closer. “You did really well back in the badlands, you know?”

“Thank you,” he said.

With a smile, she nodded, raising a hand to touch his shoulder. But of course her holographic display wisped over his shoulder.

“If you don’t get me my body soon—I’ll hack your brain.”

“What?!”

She laughed. “I’m only kidding, John!”

Chuckling, he shook his head and turned around to look at the menu. “I hope so.” He saw there on the bottom that May’s ordered was in transit via courier bot and would arrive in just over twenty minutes.

Thunder rumbled across the sky, and he wondered if the bot would lose the package. Then he glanced down and saw the price tag.

“Nine-hundred and eighty-six dollars?!”

Lexa leaned in. “And forty-six cents, John.”

He whistled.

She really does know how to make herself at home, he thought.