Reality Hack (28 page)

She flipped the card back. Eight in the evening of the thirty-first, obviously, to finish no later than two in the morning…

‘The Hermetic Order of the Eternal Flame?’ Trina was up and standing behind her. ‘Sounds very
Harry Potter
.’

‘They’re not especially. I’d almost say “more Voldemort,” but I think it’s actually more like the Ministry of Magic. Kind of bureaucratic, you know?’

‘Well, they have a Halloween Ball, which is kind of cool. Maybe cool in a stiff way.’

‘They got a new boss a few years ago and he’s supposed to have dislodged the broom they had stuck up their arses. Still, I think this is probably going to be a lot of wealthy old men in tuxedos and silly masks getting drunk and trying to pick up younger women in short dresses and masks.’

Trina giggled. ‘Sounds awesome.’

‘Oh yeah,’ Nisa agreed. She was going to need to talk to Hanson about this one. If she was being invited by Alaina then it was personal and probably nothing really to do with XC, but then her going to a party at the Order might be viewed as a bribe or something… And if Maxim was somehow involved it was worse. But then if Maxim was involved then it might be politically good to go… Damn, why was everything so complicated? ‘Yeah. Really awesome.’

Westminster, October 19
^th
.

Hanson looked at the invitation as though Nisa had handed her an intricate and perplexing puzzle, wrapped in a puff adder. ‘It’s not from Maxim,’ Hanson mused. ‘Peters hasn’t added her little note to an invitation from him.’

‘She can’t accept it,’ Kellog said. He was sitting on one of the office chairs and giving the impression that steam was coming from his ears, even if there was no visible sign of it. Actual fumes might be possible, considering the weird stuff that could happen around magicians, but of fumes there was no real indication. ‘It has to be a trick, a trap, a… Maxim hasn’t done anything without a motive since I’ve known him.’

‘It’s not from Maxim,’ Hanson repeated.

‘It’s from his PA.’

‘Yes. You know as well as I do that getting one of ours into that place under relatively unescorted conditions would be worth a little risk.’

‘It’s one of Maxim’s parties!’ Kellog snapped. ‘We’ve heard the reports. It’s an opportunity for drinking, taking one or two alchemical creations we generally frown upon, and probably engaging in dubious activities in the members’ rooms.’

‘So we make sure she knows which things to avoid, and… Well, the last of those is really up to Nisa’s discretion.’ The older woman looked at the younger. ‘I’d advise against it, but that would be up to you.’

‘Uh… going to the party or the dubious activities?’ Nisa asked.

‘The latter. I’m inclined to suggest you go. Just… be very careful.’

‘O-okay.’ Nisa glanced at Kellog. Her partner was not at all happy. ‘I… I can sound out Alaina. I need to talk to her about it anyway, accept and find out what the dress code actually is. I’ll talk to her about it and see how it feels.’

Kellog sagged a little, coming off-boil. ‘That’s probably a good idea. If it is her interest in you that’s prompted this… Getting a good look around the place would be useful. I’ll arrange something with Norbery and we’ll go over the current trends in alchemical narcotics with you. You should know anyway.’

‘Great,’ Nisa said, sagging almost as much as he had, ‘more training.’

October 21
^st
.

Nisa forced herself to stop fiddling with her fork for the third time and looked at the door of the restaurant again. A dinner date to discuss the invitation seemed a little excessive, but Alaina had suggested it: the Order was in turmoil preparing for their big, annual shindig, she was rushed off her feet, and not having to prepare food before she collapsed, exhausted, into bed one evening this week would be great. The restaurant was Italian and had a good supply of light meals, so it was not like they would be eating for hours, and they both used public transport so a drink was not a problem, right?

But Nisa still felt nervous. It was not first date nerves either. In fact, that was exactly the problem: it felt like she knew Alaina better than anyone else on the planet. What if she was different from the alternative one the Glitch had conjured up? What if she was exactly the same?

And then the bell over the door rattled and she was there. Nisa felt her pulse quicken and told herself it was just physical attraction; the day was bright with clear skies and a slight bite in the air, and Alaina was dressed in a short, pleated skirt and a jacket with a sheer, cream blouse beneath it. She looked alarmingly at ease in the six-inch heels she was wearing and the added length to her legs just made the skirt seem shorter. As always, her blonde hair was pulled up behind her head with errant strands framing her face. Her blue eyes sparkled as she spotted Nisa, smiled brightly, and walked over.

‘I’m sorry I’m late,’ Alaina began, slipping into the opposite seat quickly and gracefully. ‘Like I said, work is Hell at the moment. I mean, not literally, though I think I’ve seen flames come out of Alexander’s nose a couple of times, and if the caterers screw up one more time I swear he’ll start throwing curses around…’ She trailed off, apparently remembering she was talking to a cop. Her eyes widened. ‘I mean, he
wouldn’t
… It’s just a–’

‘I’m off the clock,’ Nisa said, grinning. ‘If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be drinking. Uh, I ordered a glass for you. I hope it’s okay.’

Alaina grinned and lifted the glass of white wine, breathing in the scent before taking a sip. ‘That’s perfect… dry… Is that a Friulano?’

‘Uh, yeah.’

‘I
love
Friulano wines! They’re my favourite whites.’ She was beaming.

Nisa swallowed and smiled back. ‘Lucky guess then. Should we order?’

‘Great! Then we can talk.’ Nisa watched her studying the menu, having already decided on her own food and knowing what Alaina was going to order. It came as no surprise when the blonde selected the cavatappi, which the restaurant was calling ‘amori,’ with a pesto sauce. ‘I like the outfit,’ Alaina went on. ‘Those are power shoulders.’

Nisa grinned, feeling her cheeks colour a little. She had picked up some new clothes, and the blouse was a bright scarlet and did indeed have puffed-out shoulders. ‘I needed more than the one suit I could look like a cop in. Can’t be a rebel in Lycra all the time.’

‘Well, it’s smart and it works for you, but you’ve got the body to pull off most outfits.’

‘Thanks again. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to meet. The dress code for this ball was a little vague and–’

‘So you’re coming?’ The interruption was quick and bright, and Alaina leaned forward a little in her seat, eyes sparkling. ‘I wasn’t sure you’d come because… There’s not exactly bad blood between the Order and XC, but it’s not all smiles and giggles either, and I think there’s some history there, but I was really hoping you’d come.’

‘Well, I wanted to talk it over because there is a little… bad feeling between–’

‘Alexander said you might not be able to. There’s the politics and he said your partner didn’t like him much so you might have a bit of a low opinion of the Order.’

‘Kellog said I should make my own mind up, but the Order doesn’t usually let us into the premises without a warrant or due cause. Maxim… Alexander is okay with this?’

‘He said if I wanted to invite someone this year, I was putting in so much work on it that I deserved it. And I thought of you, and he… Well, he did look kind of dubious about it, but he said you’d seemed “like a reasonable young woman” and agreed. And, uh, I wasn’t actually sure if you were with anyone, so I put a plus-one on the invitation…’

Nisa smirked. ‘There is no one I’m seeing like that at the moment. And I doubt I could take them to the Order if I was. I’m supposed to keep stuff like that under wraps, not spread it about. There’s a friend… She recently discovered the world was a little stranger than she thought and she’s been after me for ages, but we’re just friends. I don’t have a boyfriend and Kellog would probably chew off his foot trying to escape if anyone suggested he should accompany me.’

Alaina’s smile was almost predatory. ‘So I get you all to myself?’

‘Unless you count however many other people will be there. Now, what am I supposed to wear?’

The grin was bright. ‘Oh, anything you like, as long as it’s a bit Halloween. It’s not formal. Some of the older men will be in suits, because they can’t cope with not being. Alexander will wear a suit too, because he’s expected to really. I’ve got… No, that’ll be a surprise, but it’s short and not terribly proper. Your clubbing outfit would work fine. I mean, it’s black and…’ She trailed off, running her tongue over her lips and then covering the action by sipping her wine. ‘Yeah, that would be fine, or whatever you like really.’

‘I’ll see what I can come up with then,’ Nisa replied. She glanced around and spotted their waiter approaching with two plates. ‘Here comes the food.’

‘Great, I’m starving. Lunch was a biscuit.’

‘You’re overworked.’

‘Tell me about it. But you’re a cop, so isn’t that supposed to be my line to you?’

‘Yeah, well… Things are a little quiet at the moment.’ Nisa grinned as the waiter walked away and added, ‘Does it sound terribly ominous if I say “too quiet?”’

‘Yes,’ Alaina replied, spearing twisted pasta with her fork, ‘it does. And it’s not allowed to get
un
-quiet until after the ball so don’t tempt fate.’

Tower Hamlets, October 25
^th
.

In fact, things were remaining too quiet as the week went on. There seemed to be nothing much happening around the city. Instances of strange, shadowy figure sightings were down. It was almost as if the supernatural world had decided that a date between Nisa and Alaina was worth putting aside any evil projects for a while. Nisa was not going to say any such thing out loud, especially not near Kellog, who was grumpier than usual.

On Saturday evening, when the buzzer sounded on Nisa’s door, she was half-expecting to hear Alaina’s voice when she pressed the intercom. Instead it was Trina. ‘Can I come up? Won’t take long.’

‘Sure,’ Nisa replied, buzzing her in, and then she waited at the flat’s door while her friend came up in the lift. ‘Problem?’ she asked as soon as she saw Trina’s face.

‘No. Yes. Kind of…’ Trina settled onto the sofa when she was in the front room, and then got up again and paced. ‘I just… I’m moving to Cornwall.’

Nisa blinked at her. ‘Cornwall? That’s… a change.’

‘That’s the point. I have an aunt who runs a little tourist shop out there, and she says she could do with some help and the company would be nice. Uh, her husband died a year or so ago. Some sort of boating accident. She’s been alone out there since and… I see shadows everywhere, Nisa. Moving. Sneaking up on me.’

Nisa stared at her. ‘Not trying to be funny, Trina, but are you
really
seeing shadows moving and following you, or are you being metaphorical?’

The gang leader opened her mouth, closed it, frowned… ‘Metaphorical. I think.’

‘You’re not seeing shadowy humanoid figures watching you, just–’

‘Just shadows that feel like they’re in the wrong place. Spooky scare story stuff. I don’t think I’ve seen anything that could be a real, walking shadow. There really are real, walking shadows?’

‘Jury is still out on that one, but if you don’t feel better once you’re in this Cornish village, you call me and we’ll see what we can do, okay?’ Trina nodded. She did not look like the charismatic, tough leader of the Leopold Queens right now. ‘When are you going?’

‘I’m all packed up. I’m leaving first thing tomorrow. The Queens… have kind of broken up anyway. The Jilly thing caused a big split and me going has fractured them further, but I think you’ll be fine. You know, standing up to Jilly’s lieutenant kind of marked you up in everyone’s estimates and they all know you’re with the cops now. They’ll leave you be.’ Trina gave her a grin. ‘And you could always hex them if they get out of line.’

‘That kind of thing is
really
frowned upon,’ Nisa said. ‘But… maybe a little curse…’

The City, October 31
^st
.

It seemed fortunate that Halloween fell on a Friday. The evening had turned out cool; a sharp breeze cut the air and made Nisa value the thick coat she had invested in, thinking that police work might well result in winter nights in the open. Even with the chill in the air, it was clear and there were bright stars burning in the sky above the city, and the great and… great of the Hermetic Order of the Eternal Flame were turning up to drink, dance, and act inappropriately, and tomorrow was Saturday so they did not have to worry.

There were staff waiting in the lobby to take coats, handing small tokens to their owners for later collection. It seemed very efficient to Nisa, given the arcane nature of the place, but then she was busy trying not to feel like she was out of place. She was dressed in her clubbing outfit, because it was black and Alaina had liked it, and because she had no idea what else to wear. Around her were women probably showing as much flesh, but what was concealed was usually behind elegant, if short, dresses.

But then Nisa walked into the main hall and things changed. She saw at least three women in corsets and stockings, strutting around on high heels with no sign of embarrassment. The men were mostly in suits, she noted, but a few had shirts unbuttoned further than decorum suggested they should. There was a weird undercurrent in the room, as though people were waiting for the fun to start, knowing it was just a matter of time.

‘You look stunning.’ Nisa turned to see Alaina. The blonde was in a short, red latex dress, strapless with the shaped bra cups rising to points. Lace-topped hold-ups stopped a couple of inches below her hemline, and she was in thigh-high, heeled boots. There were plastic, sequinned horns sticking out of her hair, and a latex tail curled around from her back, bouncing a little as she moved.