“Zoe, you’re…” Henri bellowed only to fall silent as he took a good look at her tan knee-high boots, black skirt/skort, white top, jean jacket, long curly hair, and sunglasses. The others turned to see what had flustered the Frenchman. Then he quietly said, “…late.”

“Sorry Henri. Traffic was rough,” Zoe replied as the others stared at her. She noticed Rita scowled while TK and Lionel looked like they needed to wipe the drool from their mouths. Zoe noticed the others nodded or smiled in approval, especially Chloe.

“Looking good Zoe,” Terr said.

“Not bad,” Vee said. “Love the boots too.”

“Close your mouth you idiot!” Rita hissed at Lionel elbowing him in the ribs. “You’ve seen Dames dressed like this before.”

“Magnifique,” Cee added. She sent Zoe a transcript of the conversation that TK, Lionel, and Rita had the day before. “Zoe has too much class to be a Dame.”

“This is how you should have dressed when we went out!” Vee added.

“Thanks for the compliments, but I just decided to wear my hair down and my new boots,” Zoe said confidently as she took off her sunglasses. That surprised her, but she did feel more confident than she thought she would before she walked in. Zoe was also pleased that she hadn’t blushed. She turned to TK and raised an eyebrow in question. “Cat got your tongue?”

Terr busted out laughing making the beastkin frown, which made Newt, Vee, and Cee laugh. Even Henri cracked a smile while Zoe read the transcript. She immediately started to slice into TK’s system using Aperture.

“Henri, are you going to let her work like that?” Rita asked.

“Oui. I don’t see anything wrong with the way Zoe is dressed,” Cee replied before her fiancé could. “I’m wearing nearly the same thing she is. Newt is wearing short shorts and a tank top under her leather jacket and Vee is wearing pants tight enough that she had to have been poured into them.”

“Rita, even you are wearing tight jeans,” Terr added to snickers from the other women. Zoe was in TK’s system and uploaded Stinker. She then started slicing into Rita using Aperture.

“Alright, settle down,” Henri ordered. “Zoe, I have a long run for you this morning.”

“Henri…” Cee warned.

“It’s all I have available for her,” Henri replied. “And more importantly, they asked for Zoe and only Zoe.”

“What’s the problem with the run?” Zoe asked as she uploaded Plague to the older woman.

“It’s a mafia run,” Chloe answered. The others expressed displeasure at that statement though Rita and Lionel chuckled.

“Is Capone one of the ones that requested me?” Zoe asked. Henry nodded in the affirmative. “Don’t know why Nucky didn’t have Tony just message me.”

Maybe Zoe will become a Dame after all,” Rita said.

Zoe ignored her as Cee, Vee, and Newt objected to the comment. Zoe smiled as the Plague upload finished and she started slicing Lionel. She was using tiny hand gestures so the others wouldn’t notice.

Lionel twitched and Zoe stopped. He looked her way and then turned back to Henri. Zoe resumed her attack.

“Knock it off and don’t make me have to tell you again. Zoe, I have no idea why Nucky asked for you, and it doesn’t matter. Donnie Luciano also asked for you too,” Henri said. He sent Zoe some details. “The run is to pick up letters from each of their restaurants and deliver them to one elderly gentleman by the name of Mario Morello at his restaurant at 3 Consuelo Pl in Oakdale. If Mr Morello is not available, then deliver the letters to his associate named Frank Mangano.”

“Henri, this is over two and a half hours one way!” Zoe objected uploading Plague to Lionel. For all their talk, Lionel and Rita had fairly lax security.

“And over 90 miles,” TK laughed. “Better you than me.”

“And I’ll pay you 100 credits per letter. Consider them two separate runs,” Henri replied. “This is the run I have for you. Take it or leave it. But if you leave it, I’ll consider it that you’re quitting.”

“Fine. Let Mr Luciano know I’m on my way,” Zoe said smiling while putting on her sunglasses. She walked out of the office without saying another word.

*

Zoe mounted her GT4 and started it after disabling her security system. She had spent most of the day yesterday upgrading the motorcycle’s security system. The GT4 now used the same firewalls and ICE that she did in addition to the stock security system that Knight had installed. Zoe had been a little upset that she couldn’t get an Angel to work on her bike but figured she would keep trying when she had time. She put on her helmet after shortening her NanoHair some.

“I may never wear a low ponytail again for work,” Zoe said to herself. She didn’t know why she hadn’t made use of the hair implants before. Zoe grinned as activated the daemons just before driving away from the office.

*

“What the hell is that smell?” TK asked slapping a hand over his nose.

“What smell?” Vee asked.

“I don’t smell anything,” Terr said.

“Maybe TK is just smelling his top lip,” Newt teased.

Rita and Lionel both started to puke. Rita ran over to a trashcan and hurled into it. Lionel ran over and did the same thing.

“What is wrong with you two?” Henri asked them. In answer, the pair threw up again. The others backed away. Several fought not to throw up themselves.

“We’ve been infected with Plague,” Rita hissed before throwing up again. Lionel ran toward the men’s room.

“Plague?” Chloe asked. Rita ran toward the ladies’ room instead of answering her.

“It’s a daemon those two helped create,” Henri replied.

“No wonder Zoe was smiling when she left,” Vee said.

“What do you mean?” Henri asked.

“Nothing…” Vee answered.

“Vee don’t make me ask again,” Henri said.

“Zoe must have sliced them for yesterday,” Chloe mused. “Good for her.”

“Indeed,” Newt added. “It’s about time she showed some spine.”

“This stops now and will go no further, or I will start firing people!” Henri bellowed. He sent messages to Zoe, Lionel, and Rita saying as much.