She sipped at her tea, emptying the cup.“I could.Could you not mention that you had seen me?”
“That will be difficult, but what is in it for me?”
She scrubbed a hand over her face.“Dinner?”
He grinned.“Deal.Meet you here at seven?”
“I had an early morning and will be working all day.How about five thirty?”
“What are you doing?”
“Vocals.A friend asked me to help, and I was in the neighbourhood.”
“I look forward to seeing what you have been up to.”
“Right.It isn’t that exciting.I have just been working.The same thing that made all the money that those idiots wanted.”She smiled.“I have to get back to my project now.See you here at five thirty.”
Tez smiled.“I look forward to it.Do you use the cuffs?”
“Not when I am on a project.”
“Could I persuade you to put one on?”
“Not while I am working.”She got up, and he did the same.Harper passed him.“Nice seeing you, Tez.”
“See you later, Harper.”
She felt him watching her as she paid for her tea and walked back the way she had come.She returned to the studio where the two alphas were laying in the companion tracks.Wonder was getting its money’s worth today.
Harper picked up a tablet and read the music and lyrics for the next few songs.
Serin rolled over on a chair and said, “Hey, Harper, what do you think the odds are for you to dress up like a pirate for part of the video?”
“Slim to none.I haven’t dressed up in years and certainly don’t own a pirate outfit.”
“We can manage that.We now have some excellent seamstresses.There is someone who can raise a wreck, and we will shoot you on that.”
“Is this going to be a trampy outfit?”
“Yes and no.The base will be some of the new sportswear Mia and Meeda have been working on.The outerwear is being designed by a friend of theirs from Loric City.”Serin grinned.“The other participants will be wearing swimwear and activewear from local designers.One of the new arrivals is even doing five days of surf lessons for clips.”
Meeda smiled.“She was terrible when she started.A true noob.”
Serin chuckled.“She got better.”
Harper smiled and looked at the two men, who were singing with the ease of a lot of practice.“You are throwing a wide net?”
Serin grinned.“They were in a J-Pop band with another local.Xo.They have come to wish him and his wife well on their new union and stayed for the race.They grabbed one of the local betas and ran with her.”
Meeda chuckled.“Xida.She had a lot of fun.”
Harper saw Meeda staring at her.“You have a question?”
“Yeah.Why are you dressed like that?”
“Hiding from biometric sensors and long-range photography.”Harper sighed.“I just don’t want to deal with what is on the other side of it if they find me.”
“Dangerous?”
