with purpose.
The urge to follow them was nearly irresistible. I vibrated with the need to move, but my training hadn’t been for nothing. I stayed put. Less than a minute later a shadow detached itself from an alley a block down. Another minute and a new man had taken up the position. Definitely Rockhurst’s men and definitely watching for anyone approaching the house.
I needed information and equipment. And I knew just who to call.
After I’d carefully extracted myself from the central district, I headed away from home base. I had no doubt that the call would be tracked and I didn’t want to lead them back to where I slept.
I pulled out the embossed card the fence, Veronica, had given me as well as the original, insecure com Loch had purchased. I connected voice-only.
“Hello, Irena,” Veronica answered on the second ring, “frustrated already?”
The fact that she’d connected my identity to my com just proved that she was the right lady for the job. “Something like that,” I said. “Can we meet?”
A long pause followed. I let the silence linger. “I should not,” Veronica said at last, “but I find myself intrigued. I will send you the location. Be there in twenty.”
The line went dead.
A few seconds later an encrypted message arrived with an address at the edge of the central district nearest to her shop. I’d have to hustle to make it early enough to scope out the location.
With no time to waste, I headed straight for the meeting point. Enough people were on the streets that I could blend into the normal hustle and bustle. I stopped two blocks away. Our meeting place appeared to be a tiny tea shop tucked between two boarded-up buildings. The shop had a steady stream of business.
I activated my cuff into the same defensive mode I’d used yesterday. If I got close to someone they might feel an odd sensation, like the air before a storm, but it wouldn’t activate unless someone shot at me.
It was a paltry defense, but it was the best I had.
I approached the shop with unhurried steps. Nothing appeared out of place and I didn’t feel watched. A bell over the door announced my entrance. A lovely older lady stood behind the counter taking orders. An older gentleman—her husband, perhaps—prepared each order.
Veronica was not in the store.
It was dinnertime, so I ordered a pot of jasmine green tea, a lemon scone, and a plate of tea sandwiches. I considered paying with the currency chips I had, but Veronica knew I would be here. I’d save the chips for when I truly needed to be anonymous.
After I paid, the old woman peered up at me then nodded. “She is waiting in the back,” she said with a wave. “Go on, I will bring your food and tea.”
“Thank you,” I said.
I pushed through the curtained door, not entirely sure what to expect. Veronica sat on a floor cushion next to a low table. A cup of tea steamed softly in the cool air of the room. She was dressed much the same as I was, except her hood was thrown back.
“Join me,” she said. Her voice was just as lovely as I remembered.
I knelt on the cushion that put my back to the wall. It put me adjacent to Veronica instead of across from her. She smiled into her cup but didn’t comment.
The woman from the front brought my pot of tea and a delicate porcelain cup. She poured the first cup then went back to get my food. She placed it on the table, bowed, and returned to the counter.
I swiped my identity chip over the tabletop reader and added a generous tip to my order. I’d recently spent four months as a waitress and bartender. It was one of the longest times I’d been able to stay in one place, hiding in plain sight. After all, no one expected Lady Ada von Hasenberg to be running plates and dealing with drunks.
I hadn’t needed the money, but after more than a year on the run, I had needed the companionship. The ladies I worked with were amazing, and unlike my experience with the merc squad, I enjoyed their company. But it had been eye-opening just how little a full-time job could pay, so now I was even more conscious about tipping well.
Veronica set a circular device on the table and clicked the middle. I took a sip of tea and pretended ignorance. I didn’t know where she’d gotten her