Allison used her cloaking field to get to her fake identity’s room unseen. There she had all the tools she needed to get ready for the party. Her first step was to replace her old contacts, holo-phone, and translator with her newer ones that she’d recovered from the evidence lock up. Then she looked at the red summer dress that had been selected for her it was probably a little bit too generous with the amount of cleavage it showed for her to be entirely comfortable. Even her bikinis were conservative by bikini standards. The dress, as revealing as it was, was still very appropriate for a formal occasion at a beach local. She used the vampiric guise power Eyre had taught her once again to change her hair and eye color. She redid her tan and sunburn. After a shower and some light make-up, she was ready for the party.
She looked at herself in the mirror. Usually, she avoided red like the plague. She felt it clashed with her auburn hair, but as a blonde with much shorter hair it worked. She finished her outfit with the UK dome style hat she had been provided with and a pair of sunglasses. Strangely, formal hats for both women and men had been a fashion staple of the UK dome since anyone could remember. Most of them mimicked the hats worn by the nobility, royalty, and wealthy of twenty-first century United Kingdom. So in UK dome it was not uncommon to see gentleman of a certain standing, wearing top hats, or a working class man wearing a bowler hat. While hats were worn in other domes, it was usually baseball caps and other such things. At this point, beyond colony worlds, or Pleasure Dome 3, they did not really have the functional purpose of helping deal with weather, or bright sunny days. Her only real complaint about the ensemble she’d been provided was the fact it gave her no real place to conceal a weapon.
Allison, now looking like Allie, made her way to the beach facing the venue that had been selected for the engagement party. Edward saw her and immediately rushed over.
“Oh, you showed up!”
Allison smiled.
“Sorry, do you still want me here?”
Edward nodded.
“Yeah, babe. Of course. I just thought you ghosted me.”
Allison shook her head.
“No, I just had some issues with a couple of guys who didn’t want to take no so I had to turn everything off.”
“No way. My dad knows some people who could make them take no for an answer, come on let’s go tell him.”
Allison smiled once again.
“Oh, he already knows. He made it clear how much he wanted me here. They’ve been taken care of.”
Allison slipped her arm around his waist and pressed herself against him.
“So, who is your sister’s future husband?”
He pointed to a woman in her twenties.
“That’s my sister, and the guy beside her is her fiancée. He’s from New Amazon dome or something. Hey, you’re from there too, aren’t you?”
“I used to be.”
Allison saw Edward’s father staring at her. She smiled and waved then looked up at Edward.
“Hey, could you get me a drink. Surprise me. I’ll go say hi to your dad while I wait. I can’t wait to thank him for those two guys.”
Edward kissed her and moved off to get in the long drink line. Allison walked to Ed Carter, senior’s table where he was smoking a cigar and drinking some sort of brown alcohol. He looked at his wife who was sitting beside him when he saw Allison approaching and whispered something to her. By the time Allison got to the table and sat down it was just her and Ed.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Carter, I really appreciate the invite to the party.”
He had been leaning back on the padded bench seat but when she sat down and greeted him, he pulled the cigar out of his mouth and leaned forward.
“You have got some bollocks showing up here.”
Allison shrugged.
“Edward doesn’t seem to mind and yesterday you seemed really insistent. Admittedly I was a bit cool to the idea at first, downright furious that you thought you could force something like that on me… After consideration, and reviewing my options, it actually didn’t seem like a terrible idea. He’s hot. He’s rich. Socially conscious.”
He moved his hand back and forth across the table causing the cigar smoke to waft upwards.
“You put two of my men in the hospital near death, and you come here, you sit in front of me like, you’re what? Queen of the fucking UK dome? I saw what you did to them, you’re a vicious cunt, you are. Their heads were barely attached when security found the three of you. I don’t want you anywhere near my son. I got it on my to do list to put a price on your head. Tell me why I shouldn’t have you taken into the water and drowned.”
Allison adjusted her dress to cover her crossed legs better than she held up two fingers on her right hand.
“Two reasons, one, your men tried to sexually assault me, and they shot me. I’d say that one is a wash, since I just took out your trash for you, in fact I did you a favor. I wonder if they did something with your daughter behind your back?”
He clenched his left fist and hit the table.
“What do you know about my daughter?”
Allison shrugged.
“I’m sixteen, I look sixteen, she was young once too, you probably trusted them alone with her, I was alone with them… As the saying goes, where there is smoke, there is usually fire. I’m sure I’m wrong though.”
He had looked pissed before, now he was downright furious but he tried to maintain some semblance of civility.
“What is the second reason then?”
Allison smiled.
“Oh, I know where your money is.”
Once the words left her lips, she knew she had him hooked, she continued.
“Two trillion dollars, give or take a few million, from Knife-Finger Teddy living large before it caught up with him. All safely hidden away.”
He growled.
“How do you know any of that? How did you, a kid, track down what we’ve been trying to find for years?”
Allison straightened up and glanced towards the bar to make sure Edward was still waiting, then she looked back at Ed.
“Oh, that was easy. While you had your men beating up an innocent, planetary governor whose daughter has ready access to antimatter weaponry and is willing to use it… I was tracking the real information. Say, Governor Wanjala’s daughter is here for a public relations event, isn’t she? I hear she can tear apart ship armor with her bare hands… I wonder if she knows who ordered that uh, enhanced interrogation. Based on her military record, which I peeked at before I set you up… she’s got a license to kill, as the saying goes. I wonder who will win, your security detail or the half-vampire special forces soldier who owns a personal starfighter?”
Allison smiled innocently. He went very pale, he had been looking a bit warm, but now sweat started dropping down his forehead. Allison snapped her fingers.
“Come to think of it, her friend Queen something and that alien boy she’s been seeing were involved as well… Oh well. Let’s hope she never finds out you were behind it. Of course, she’s also the half-sister of the Aurelius Corp CEO, and oh, yes, her Aunt is the president of the System’s Alliance, in fact I think her family makes up most of the board… I’m sure none of them will be able to track down the source of the attack.”
He started tugging on the collar of his shirt.
“The System’s Alliance tends to turn a blind eye to most organized crime, until… they become a problem for them. I think kidnapping and nearly killing a planetary governor would probably constitute a problem. That, as I recall, was your idea. Combined with the fact your men tried to kill the only living person with knowledge of the money’s location… Your Syndicate is not going to be pleased with you. If any of this goes public, I’d say your organization and you personally are going to have a very bad day.”
He downed his drink and put his cigar down.
“What do you want?”
Allison smiled at Ed she paused when Edward put a drink down in front of her and sat down. He smiled at his father.
“Hey dad, you alright? You’re looking a bit red.”
Ed senior took a deep breath, then a pull from his cigar. He motioned to Allison.
“Allie and I have some things to talk about. Go find your mother, see if she needs any help with the party.”
Edward looked confused.
“About what? You checked her out dad, you said she was good. Why the hell do you have to ruin shit for me?”
Allison put her hand on Edward’s forearm and stroked gently.
“It’s not like that. He’s just helping me with something private. He is trying to keep me around. Okay?”
Edward pulled his arm away, still glaring at his dad before walking off. Allison looked back at Ed senior.
“So, here is what I want. Edward and I see if our three-day whirlwind vacation romance actually means anything without your interference. And of course, no more death threats, kidnapping, and no murdering of me, my family, and my friends. In exchange if Edward and I work out, I will be the perfect daughter-in-law. I will not release the information that will likely get you and your family killed or disappeared. And finally, I will ensure that your funds are released to you at some point in the future. Your son is going to replace you one day, unfortunately he’s a bit of a… well, he isn’t you. He doesn’t know how to get things done. I do. If I am his wife, I will make sure he gets things done.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
He rolled his cigar in his fingers.
“So, you want into the Syndicate, is that it? Using my son?”
Allison nodded.
“Mr. Carter, you want your son to marry me, because you know I’m a vicious cunt. You want your family legacy to carry on. He’s sixteen, the worst thing he has done is get a ticket for speeding. Look at what I’ve done that you know about, by sixteen. Sure, it will be me in control with him as a figurehead, but one day it will be your grandchild. A grandchild raised by me to take over your family business.”
He rubbed his forehead.
“What if he rejects you?”
Allison shook her head.
“He won’t. We will make sure of it, won’t we?”
He took a long pull from his cigar.
“We want the money back now. Not at some random point in the future.”
Allison shook her head.
“Why would you even tell them you know where it is? Call the whole recent mess a sign to just cut your losses. Then, down the road, take it for us. Four hundred billion, or two trillion. It is safe. Untouchable even. Not even the System’s Alliance could get it if they wanted too. I can, but it is because I’ve figured out whose DNA I need to access the vault.”
He shifted and rubbed his thighs with his thumbs.
“We made certain agreements when it was stolen… took out loans, they’re coming due. If we don’t get those credits, you will have no family to join, or control… So, its either now or never.”
Allison was starting to realize why the Alliance had started pulling on this thread. Why the Syndicate was so desperate that they’d attack a heavily guarded ship, risking the wrath of the SA military. Was the point to watch the Syndicate implode? She lifted her glass and took a drink.
“How much do you owe?”
He looked at his cigar as if pondering if he was going to answer the question.
“A quarter of the nest egg. It wasn’t even supposed to be used for business, but my fucking father made a purchase… then the money vanished and we had to pay for it. So, if you really want to be part of this family. Be a made woman with the Syndicate… getting us those funds would easily do it, no need for this charade with my son.”
Allison took another drink. Five hundred billion credits would be a huge ask. She doubted the Alliance would be willing to prop up the Syndicate with a cash infusion. Whatever the Alliance had her trying to get back into this cover ID for, it was probably a bust. Allison decided to press further would be dumb. If she were a real criminal, she’d just cut her losses. So, she did.
“I can’t get it that fast, sorry. Well… I guess then we have nothing to offer each other. It sucks, I did like Edward but, it’s two trillion credits. I’ll hang around though, don’t want to seem rude. Congratulations on your daughter’s engagement, Mr. Carter.”
Allison stood up and wandered off, leaving Ed Senior staring after her. Allison found Edward and his mother. They were busy trying to organize the gifts that had been brought. Allison had never heard of engagement party gifts for the couple, she assumed it was some Syndicate thing. They were all holo-cards. She spoke up.
“Do you need help?”
Edward’s mother turned around to see who was asking, when she spotted Allison she smiled.
“Allie, I’m so glad you were able to come. Yes. We could use some help. Anne is panicking she can’t find the card from Dean’s parents. She said it had a holo recreation of the Statue of Liberty.”
Allison nodded. She decided to start searching around the gift table. She also reasoned that the card would have a small battery in it so it would be giving off energy readings. It would have been useless if the card was on the table with the rest but a dead giveaway if it fell down. So, she turned on the energy scanner that was built into her holo-phone and found it right away. Most devices wouldn’t have such a thing in them, but hers was literally the best money could buy. She called out.
“Edward, I think I see something under here.”
Allison pointed at a raised planter. Edward came over and got on his knees. Allison took time to appreciate the view. He stood up and she sighed softly. Even if she had been able to get back into the Allie identity anything with Edward was doomed. Besides, Tyler would be awake any day now. He would be his normal forgiving self and things would get back to normal. He held the card up.
“Here it is mom.”
She took it and rushed off. Edward looked at Allison.
“Thanks, Allie. You saved a full-on panic attack from them.”
Allison smiled. She was about to speak when she saw a call coming in from an unknown source. She was about to swipe it away but thought it might be an update about her mother.
“Sorry, I have a call I need to take.”
Allison vanished from beside Edward so quickly he just looked around confused. She tapped accept and it was a woman’s face she didn’t recognize.
“Hello, kid. It’s Olga, I’m wearing a different face. Tell Ed Senior you have an alternate solution to his problems. You’ll make an introduction for me. I’ll take over. This cover’s name is Rania. Set up a meet later tonight. I’ll send the details. Pass them on then you can leave and get some sleep.”
Allison blinked a few times before answering.
“Okay…”
Olga ended the call and Allison went back to the party. She found Ed still smoking his cigar and nursing another drink. She sat down across from him again. He looked surprised to see her.
“I thought you believed you were done with us.”
Allison shrugged.
“I believed I was, then I realized I had a solution to your problem. Though… I’m not the solution. I was offered a job a few months ago I thought was too risky, but it might not be too risky now and well, you’re pretty desperate. So, I thought I could set up a meeting and you could decide if you were okay with the risk. Then I keep hope alive for Edward and I, and you have incentive to forgive me for my… deception.”
He leaned forward.
“You passed on a job for five hundred billion credits? Really?”
Allison nodded.
“I’m not into getting caught. She’ll be waiting for you at the Tiki bar called: Honolulu Slim’s. Dark Hair, blue eyes, Russian, her name is Rania, go alone, or don’t go at all. She’s a dangerous woman. She’ll know you. If you don’t show up alone, best case scenario is that she leaves.”
Allison stood up and decided to say goodbye to Edward. She found him; He had obviously been looking for her. She gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“I’m not feeling well, I think I got a bit too much of the dome’s UV radiation. I’m going to call it a day. If we don’t see each other before you leave… call me, okay?”
Edward tried to stop her, but Allison neatly avoided his reaching hand without looking back.
*****
Olga nursed her long island iced tea, no one knew why it was named that at this point in time, but it was the name that stuck. She still preferred vodka but nothing in the thirtieth century compared to the real thing. Also, this particular cover would not be drinking vodka. She was dressed in a grey bathing suit and a blue floral sarong, though this one wasn’t just a skirt, she’d ensured it went over her shoulder.
Her current body was actually a standard model sex bot, the kind that Pleasure Dome 3 provided to its guests who needed a little help getting lucky. It’s VI had been erased so she was controlling this bot remotely from the Hope body. It was extremely expendable. In fact, Olga had found it in the trash heap. She mused how easy it was to shift bodies now that she wasn’t even a brain in a jar anymore. She was just code. Maria had used some Synthlin tech that had been used to create fighter and ship AI’s from volunteers. The AI’s didn’t realize this of course. That made Bit a once living being converted to an AI. Though some were copies… Olga had full recognition of what she was. Maria had called her a ghost. Olga didn’t feel like a ghost, she did feel odd with in the body though. It was basic. It had a sense of touch, eyesight, hearing, but lacked the other senses Olga had become accustomed to. It was also very acutely aware of pain and pleasure. Some men liked to inflict pain as the synthflesh of the bot had clearly suffered. It was heavily scarred, likely why it had been discarded. Someone had been quite cruel and vicious with this particular bot.
As she waited for Ed to appear she pondered on the cruelty of the human race, that they had to create something that could suffer, even if it wasn’t sentient, so that they could know they were causing suffering and derive pleasure from it. Truly the human race had not changed in a thousand years. Though it was only some humans. The kind of human she took pleasure in removing from the gene pool. Just like she’d done with the two men that had tried to sexually assault Allison. She saw Ed approaching and glanced over her left shoulder. Allison spoke on their comm link.
“He seems to be alone. Are you sure using… well I’ve seen like ten identical bodies like that here… is a good idea?’
Olga responded without opening the bot’s mouth.
“Yes, it is fine. You can pack up. Drop the sniper rifle in Allie’s room. I’ll take care of it.”
Allison sounded a bit surprised.
“Uh, you’ll be alone with him, are you sure?”
Again, Olga responded without speaking out loud.
“Yes. This body is expendable. I’m controlling it remotely. Get some sleep, kid. Thanks.”
Ed came in and was looking around. He easily overlooked Olga. As Allison had stated this was a pretty common sex bot model and Olga had left it looking exactly like its mass manufactured brethren. She stood up and blocked his path.
“Drink?”
He held up his hands.
“I don’t need your services bot, move on.”
Olga smiled.
“Are you sure about that, Mr. Carter? I was led to understand you were fairly desperate for what I have to offer.”
A few women looked in their direction causing Ed Senior to blush slightly. He motioned to the booth and sat down. Olga sat down across from him. He looked pretty uncomfortable. She, unlike Allison, was an expert in manipulation and psych ops. Everything she’d done was to make Ed uncomfortable. He spoke quietly.
“A sex bot? This was Allie’s big idea? Another joke?”
Olga laughed and motioned to a waitress; The waitress approached.
“Please, a triple of one-hundred-year scotch, neat for my guest. A glass of water and something to help his… performance.”
The waitress hurried off. Ed looked like he was getting pretty pissed now.
“How dare you?”
He moved to stand up. Olga grabbed his arm and slammed it on the table holding it down. The sex bots were also programmed to provide dominatrix services so could be quite strong. Agony ran through Ed’s face. She smiled.
“I insist you stay and enjoy your drink. Mr. Carter.”
He tried to get out of her grip and failed. The waitress dropped off a glass of water, a pill, and the requested scotch. Olga spoke quietly.
“Take the pill, drink the scotch.”
He used his free hand to put the pill in his mouth and he downed the whiskey. When he regained consciousness, he was naked and tied to a chair in a room on the empty tour ship. Olga was still in the sex bot’s body.
“Ah, you’re awake. So, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is my employer wants you punished for your men’s choices. The good news is, after you’re punished, she’s going to solve your financial woes in exchange for… a seat at the table.”
He struggled against the ropes.
“Punished for what? It was just a mistake. No one died.”
Olga wound up and punched him in the gut. He gasped for air trying not to vomit. Her next punch hit him on the cheek. She wasn’t using the bot’s full strength. Maria had been clear, no permanent damage. She hit him several more times. He was still conscious but he was bleeding from several injuries. She lifted his chin.
“Your men tried to sexually assault Allie. My employer has a special interest in her, and she doesn’t take kindly to those sorts of things. Now your men are dead. You’ve been punished. So, it’s time for us to talk business. The deal is, she gives you five hundred billion credits in untraceable funds to deal with your debts. She is now part of the Syndicate and sits at the table with you and the other families. As a sign of good faith, she’s dealt with the incident that occurred on this ship. Your men have been dealt with. She’s modified a few memories and the System’s Alliance thinks this was all just a medical emergency.”
He looked up through bloodshot eyes.
“Dealt with? How, who is she? Who has that much money or power?”
Olga slapped his cheek gently.
“Think about it Eddie. Your men were the medical emergency. Some sort of virus ran through them, destroying their cybernetics. Messy, contained, and all nicely hung on the neck of a hacker who has a bone to pick with you. Who do you think it was?”
Ed spit out some blood.
“I don’t know. If she has that much power, why does she care about us?”
Olga sighed.
“Really aren’t that smart are you. My employer is a vampire, an ancient one, from before the Grey. Unlike the enlightened ones as they call themselves, she chooses to remain in the shadows. She is always looking to improve her influence on matters, legal or otherwise. Your unfortunate situation is an opportunity, and she is an opportunist. She will have her representative introduce herself when you return to UK dome, that slave will finalize the deal. Be aware, as an ancient vampire oftentimes she has servants who are so thoroughly mind controlled she can possess their bodies. So, I can almost guarantee that slave will be her, using the body. Harm it and she will retaliate in kind. Something that costs an equal amount of time and energy, likely one of your children would be her replacement for the slave. So, I advise you if you do not want your daughter to be a drooling brain-dead vegetable you keep that in mind. She prefers female bodies.”
She sprayed him in the face with a tube she pulled out of her pocket. When he woke up he was on the beach being shaken by Pleasure Dome security.