The Gender Game 5 (The Gender Fall)(101)

“Yes, you are, once she hears about Nerdy Viggo.” Amber turned back to the weapons on the table with a smirk, sliding a thin knife into a thigh sheath before lowering her skirts.

Annoyed, I looked to Ms. Dale for an actual answer to my question. She gave me an approving nod, but I could tell she was biting her cheek to suppress some comment, and to be honest, by this point I was glad for her restraint.

“All right, it’ll have to do,” I grated out. “Let’s go over our identities one more time.”

Ms. Dale picked up a gun, chambering a round, and then slid it into one of the deep pockets of her gown, tugging at her skirts. “I’m Abigail Marks, beloved auntie to my two favorite nephews, Jeff and Jacob.” She gave me a little nod as she used the name I had chosen as my alias. “I am also a distant cousin, several times removed, to young Vivian here.”

“Don’t forget you raised me, Auntie Abigail,” Amber said as she pushed back her hair, sliding an auburn wig over her head, disguising her undercut beneath the thick mass of curls. “Why, I would’ve been lost without you.”

I snorted at the sugary voice she used, turning to Cad. “And you?”

“Why, I’m Kurtis, Kurtis MacDougal,” he replied. He met Amber’s gaze as she leaned forward slightly, arching her eyebrow in question, and I bit back a laugh as a dull blush began to form on his cheeks. “I’m—uh—engaged to Vivian here.”

“Don’t worry, Kurt,” Amber said, giving him a salacious wink. “Your wife doesn’t have to know about us.”

Cad’s blush darkened, his cheeks becoming mottled, and I gave Amber a little nudge. “Be nice to the happily married man,” I chided, but I was unable to keep the smile completely off my lips.

Amber pouted playfully, and then dramatically swept her long hair over her shoulder. “Oh, all right,” she said. “But only as long as I get to tell his wife this story later.”

“Let’s get to a later first, and then we’ll discuss who you’re telling what to,” I suggested, knowing it was time to rein in the playfulness. I could see Thomas in the corner, glaring at us as he threw aside his ill-fitting EMT disguise, clearly trying to let us know that he was tired of joking when there was work to do.

I checked my watch. “We’ve got to meet Jeff in seven minutes. Is everybody ready?”

“Wait!” said Amber, reaching into her bag and pulling out a few little plastic tubes and containers. “I’m going to cover up your scar real quick. And I’ll get rid of some of those bruises while we’re at it.”

I stood still as she quickly applied a cream, then a powder to my right cheek, masking the scar from view. I’d actually almost forgotten about it, but I supposed it was one of my more distinguishing features, and she was right to cover it up. I also had a sneaking suspicion Amber would be pretty keen to tell Violet about how she got to put makeup on Nerdy Viggo Croft. I was going to have to think up a fun form of retaliation. Later, I reminded myself.

Amber shut the compact with a click and nodded. “All right. Now we can go.”

“Are we good?” I asked Thomas.

We grouped close together as the small man made his final inspection. “It’s flimsy,” he finally announced, his eyes beady, but then he nodded. “But most humans aren’t as observant as I am, so it should work.”

I smiled at him. “Are you good to go?”

In response, Thomas dropped down to a knee and pulled at a ring that had been pressed flat in a circular groove on the plain concrete floor. There was a heavy groan as the section of floor lifted grudgingly, and I resisted the urge to gag at the stench that wafted up from the dark opening. Thomas pulled a flashlight from his pocket and clicked it on, angling it down into the sewer below. He had chosen this room in the hospital as our dressing room for a reason. “It would appear so,” he said after a moment. “I should be at the stadium in four minutes, and in their system within eight. I’ll keep you all updated.”

I nodded, suddenly apprehensive, and extended my hand. “Be careful,” I said.

Thomas looked at my hand, and then took it, shaking. His grip was surprisingly strong. “You too,” he replied, meeting my gaze. Then, turning, he grabbed a satchel full of his computer tools off the floor and swung it over his shoulder, quickly heading to the sewer access ladder and climbing down. As soon as he was clear, Cad shut the floor panel behind him.

I let out a breath, checking my watch again. Four minutes ‘til our rendezvous. “All right. Let’s go take a leisurely stroll to the stadium next door for a super fun family outing! Isn’t it just lovely that it’s only a few minutes away?”