Reception

Chapter 23 - Fake Address

The rumbling died down in front of Sarah's house. Joshua led the way through the large door, his frame gracefully moving around the outer corner, holding it open for the rest. Alice was the first through, followed by Sarah. Damien and Michael walked through at the same time, each with a backpack and duffle bag.

The double-sized glider's engine never ceased its purring near the sidewalk. It could easily hold ten people. The back end, instead of tapering out to a thin, reflexive fin for lane-switching, was bulky and large. It held eight seats in back with two standard seats in front.

A young brunette woman stepped down from the driver's seat of the glider, her foot hitting just a second or two after she leaped. Her combat boots stomped along the ground until she was around the front of the glider. Her ponytail bobbed and weaved as she strutted, her one-piece black suit revealing almost nothing. It was far too baggy on her.

"Combat Agent Joshua," she nodded to Joshua. "Communications Specialist Alice." Alice received a similar nod.

Joshua and Alice nodded in unison.

After an odd salute that made no sense to anyone but The Holos agents, the ponytail Holos agent turned her attention to the other three, "You may board when ready. I have a few things to discuss with Alice and Joshua here." Her smile was warm enough, and it didn't take extra convincing for Michael or Damien, who had already started loading their bags into the glider.

Sarah followed suit, her bag being considerably light. It was easy for her to hoist herself into the back "room" of the glider and find the seat furthest in the back. Today she was wearing brown, tight shorts that stopped at the halfway point on her thighs. She matched it with a dark, blood-red t-shirt that had some band imprinted on the front that she had long since forgotten about. She wore some simple earrings and a bracelet that both match in a metallic silver. Her shoes were simple running shoes, black and red in color.

The boys, unfortunately, were wearing the same clothes they had worn in the T.A.G. arena which had survived the shoot-out with Michelle, the dramatic night at Sarah's, and so on. They didn't smell bad. Well, Damien didn't smell bad. In fact, he had showered and had been pretty intoxicating to Sarah for the majority of the morning.

Michael was another story. He didn't change clothes because he simply didn't need to. He didn't smell, didn't get dirty, and only changed clothes when Sarah programmed it in. She had given Michael the freedom to change his wardrobe at will, but it was always an afterthought to him. She would prompt, he would change. She figured, since he was a holoGRAM, that it wasn't paramount to him to look any different than he did the day before.

 *****

The heavy-chassis glider screamed through lane after lane on the super-glideway, making its way into the outer-city limits. The ponytail officer knew how to drive. She wasn't very talkative, however, and rarely responded to the various conversations that found the other passengers.

"Where is the base?" Michael idled. He had taken to looking out of the glider in simulated boredom.

"Unfortunately, we can't disclose that," Alice answered, "At least, not yet." Her addition stirred Sarah and Damien's memory of him agreeing to join.

"You never did tell me what you wanted me for," Damien commented.

"I did," smiled Alice wickedly.

"No, I mean for The Holos," retorted Damien.

Alice half-coughed, half-laughed her response, "Oh, that."

Joshua patted her on the back and answered for her. "You will run our Network Security Division."