“Working,” she said, and pulled up a screen within a screen within a screen. I hoped that was secure enough. “May I ask?” she said.
“Check news.”
She glanced at a side window which had my picture, and said, “Shit.”
“Exactly. He’s desperate, which means I am, too.”
“They’ve got an excellent shot of your face from arrival. I can’t do surgery here and they’ve got a very high probability of making you.”
“We need to find a cover, then, with a backup.”
“I’m busy. Can you do that?” She sounded concerned. Probably because I sounded stressed.
“Give me a moment,” I said.
“Got tickets for eighteen hundred tomorrow, but it’s going to be expensive and burn two IDs each. Our last ones.”
“Can’t be helped. I can’t chase him and avoid twenty-eight billion enraged aardvarks at the same time.”
“I understand,” she said.
I kept thinking. What I wanted was something outré enough that it would be unseen, looked right past.
“We need to find a sex shop,” I said.
“I’m not sure my contract goes quite that far,” she said, with a nervous grin. “Unless you need advice on selection, in which case I can’t offer much.”
“Not quite. I want D/s culture gear.”
“That’s definitely not in my enlistment contract.”
“Who said you’re the bottom?”
She gaped.
“You’ve got it,” I said. “Lead me through the port like a pet on a leash.”
“It’s ridiculous.”
“It is. And a recognized social subculture that includes several assemblypersons and governors. No one will hinder us and they won’t be looking for me in that context. Not even he’s likely to. It also gives an excuse to wear partial masks that can’t be called into question. They’re cultural.”
“Let me first say, ‘wow.’ Then let me say that, while I’ve had a sex life with some variation and experimentation, it’s going to take serious work for me to lead you on a leash through a spaceport without flushing red or bursting into laughter.”
“Our lives depend on it.”
She closed her eyes and said, “That’s sufficient motivation. I’ll still have to work at it.”
“You can do so while you shop.”
“Um . . . yes.” She flushed red at once. That was not a good sign.
“What do you need?” I asked.
“I suppose I need to open up,” she said.
A part of my brain thought, so to speak.
“Yes?” I said. “Does it help if I admit to using node fora, anonymous friends and some really good sensual programs for most of the last decade? Except for a very sweet escort aboard the Caroline whom I hammered into submission while dosed on CNS?”
She smiled slightly. “Yeah, that helps.” She leaned back, took a breath, and flushed. “Okay, I can do women but I like men. A little open air teasing or foreplay or nudity I’m fine with. I’ve used the usual toys both ways, and I’ve even done some restraint. I’ve scened my share of things in private, including interrogator play with a manfriend from security branch. I’m passingly familiar with the toys used for D/s, but the thought of being a domme in public in costume, with a sub in tow, especially someone with your background, especially you, is an entirely new level.” She took a breath. “And I guess I’m down to smiles from giggles.”
“Hopefully you’ll be over it by the time you’re done shopping.”
“Or much worse, but I’ll see what I can do. Back soon,” she said. She faced the screens, pulled an address, blocked a transit route, grabbed her coat and was out the door in under one hundred seconds.
I spent the time keeping alert for threats on our scanners, and looking for any further signs of Randall. He was good. I’d never admit it to his face, but he was good.
I twitched when she unlocked the door. I had the webgun out, and she stared at it, and me, then smiled.
She dumped the purchases out on the bed.
I had second thoughts about going through with this.
There was a head and eye mask in violet stretch vinyl with feathers, shorts built around a jockstrap with restraints built in and an attached pony tail, S-curved heeled boots, a half-shirt and a half-cape of black vinyl.
“That is utterly ridiculous.”
My second thoughts were about me keeping a straight face, even if my life depended on it.
“I asked the clerk to keep the outfit consistent between culture fetishes. Said I was new at it. We also need to wear bandanas with specific colors and knots to indicate our availability and orientation.”