As they reached the gate, Aedha glanced over at the security guards at the gate.
Well, time to improv this she thought to herself.
"Oh!" She suddenly bent over, holding her stomach. He started in alarm, worry lines creasing his face.
"Hey, you alright?"
"Oomph." Aedha groaned. "I went to a matinee earlier today, and I think I had some bad olives. I don't feel too good..."
He wordlessly put a hand on the small of her back and rubbed her shoulders. "I don't think you should stand so close to me," Aedha coughed out, expertly faking a grimace. "I don't wanna puke on your suit."
"It's alright. Let's see if we can get them to let us inside without all this pomp and circumstance." He gently guided her towards one of the security guards. Aedha watched as he demanded with a quiet insistence that they let the lady in to visit the restrooms.
Definitely from a wealthy family, she thought. He's practiced at this. And is that an Adalberto suit with gold cufflinks? Her mind instantly placed him among the privileged upper class whose families owned entire corporations. Young men who never had do do any work since their entire future was cut out for them in an inheritance.
As he finished up talking with the security guard with a curt word of gratitude, Aedha noticed something odd about him. Was that....a faint look of relief on his face? But before she could ponder it any further, he saw her watching him and covered it quickly with a mischievous grin.
"Come on." He pulled at her hand. "Let's get you to a restroom before you vomit over everyone's expensive shoes."
They had almost reached the gates. The security lines had gotten significantly shorter, though it still snaked around the corner. Luke pulled her towards the line and Thyra realized she needed to come up with an excuse why they couldn't go through the metal detectors, quickly.
ReplyDelete"So do you come to parties often?" she asked, hoping to get Luke talking so that she wouldn't need to.
"Hm?" Luke seemed distracted for a moment. "Oh, no, not really. My brother is usually the one who gets invited to such things, and I only came to this one because he convinced me to.
Thyra still kept some focus on what Luke was saying, filing away the information she learned. It was just easier to multitask when she didn't have to say anything aloud. Luckily the guards look like they couldn't care less. These are reckless teenagers, not terrorists, she thought.
"I think I'm feeling a bit lightheaded," she muttered in an absentminded way.
Luke looked over, concerned. "Are you alright? Do you need to sit down?"
"A drink would probably be nice," she replied, rubbing her forehead.
"We should get you inside,” he said, gripping her arm to make sure she didn’t call.
"That sounds good," Thyra said, making her voice sound breathy, like she was feeling lightheaded. They stepped out of line and walked to the front.
"Listen, this lady here isn't feeling well," Luke said to the guard. "Would it really be that much trouble if you just let us in?"
The security guard looked them over. Luke looked like the standard, well-dressed socialite. Upper-class, family probably owned a large part of some corporation. Thyra held onto Luke's arm and leaned on him.
"Fine, go ahead," the guard drawled, opening up a side gate.
"Thank you." The two of them walked through onto the paved walkway. “After you,” he said, opening the door to the mansion.
Aedha let out a low whistle, impressed. This bathroom looked like a palace to her untrained eyes. She glanced over at the mirror and grinned at how the strategic lighting softened her features and made her look distinguished.
ReplyDelete"If only our agent profile pictures could look this good." She muttered to herself. Reaching into her bag to dig out a small datapad, she made mental note of the time and sent a quick message to Thyra.
Cracked? Dock in 180.
Checking her hair one last time in the mirror, Aedha swept out of the bathroom into the waiting arms of her escort.
"Ugh, sorry about that," she gushed. "Today just wasn't my day, it seems like."
He gave her an amused smile. "No apologies necessary. Saved us all that waiting in line, actually."
"Always look on the bright side, huh?"
"That's me!" He replied cheerily, offering her his arm. "Why don't we join the party?"
"Sounds like a plan." Aedha grinned. Indeed, things were already going better then expected. This....Thomas Richards seems like just the kind of person she needed for the mission. With a smile, she took his arm and followed him to the main hall.
The lights were extremely bright. If Thyra did have a headache, this would not be making it any better.
ReplyDeleteLuke managed to navigate them through the crowds - surprising, because he remained forceful yet polite. Thyra vaguely thought it was like a stroke of luck, that she happened to run into him. She had been afraid that she would have to settle on some random party-goer, easy to profile but not in the least interesting. It would look like she wasn't even trying.
"Here." Luke handed her a glass of clear liquid. Thyra took a tentative sip. Sparkling water. Something she had never tasted before, but she decided she liked it. It wasn't particularly sweetened, and it left a curious bubbling sensation in her throat.