Changeling

Nestra was faced with a small problem of logistics which happened to illustrate her large issue of leading a double life. The truth was, she was a bit of a musclehead and not prone to deception on a long term basis. It meant that her separation of life between Crescent and Nestra was getting paper thin, and it was a miracle it hadn’t broken already. Actually, no, it would have broken if it weren’t backed by Threshold’s two A-class gleams and a grumpy brother.

Nevertheless, she had to be more serious. The two Americans had followed her home after placing a tracer on her motorcycle. The audacity! She’d purchased an ECM suite from Gorge to remedy that, but the fact remained that she’d been careless. It was too easy for someone obstinate enough to find out her secret identity because Sereth was right. She was being careless.

For now, the culprits were dead, the techs quiet, her house sealed, and the A-class complicit. The list of people who knew part of the truth was long but still manageable. It was now up to her to keep it that way. Which led to the current issue.

“I must simply come with you,” her mom insisted.

“And I must simply refuse. My friend asked me to come alone at a difficult time, and I will do as he asks.”

Valerian had specifically asked her to come ‘masked’ via her secret phone. She knew what he meant.

“At least let me drive you there. In your nice roadster?”

“No mom, sorry, I’m going alone.”

“You just told me it’s somewhere in the BaiHe arcology. Why won’t you let me accompany you since I already know where you’re going.”