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“No. It isn’t like a physical. They don’t have to do it once per year or anything.” She paused. “Is Emgoth in additional danger?”
“No, but you are.”
“Delightful.”
“Do you live with family?”
She snorted. “No.”
He looked at her seriously, his black eyes staring. “You live alone?”
“Yes. Quite happily. The fridge and bed are mine alone.”
He smiled. “You don’t share?”
“No. I shared to survive, and survival is no longer an issue.”
“I see.”
She cocked her head. “I don’t think you do. I am going to say my farewells to Emgoth, and then I have to get to bed. Seriously early morning tomorrow.”
He put his hand on his hip and unclipped a small object. “If you are attacked, push this, and it will summon us and peacekeepers.”
She looked at it. “Really?”
“Yes. Really. This is a consortium that is getting brave enough to act in daylight. That makes them very dangerous.”
“And you want to stamp them out?”
“We are guardians. It is what we do.”
She nodded and attached the object to her cuff. “You guys are based on a different continent, right?”
“Yes, but we have access to speed and will stay in town overnight during this investigation.”
Cloudy smiled. “That’s nice. Okay, thank you for the emergency alert. I will make sure to use it if I am attacked.”
He paused. “Or threatened. Use it if you are threatened.”
“Ah, that is a different matter. Okay. If someone threatens me or the food stall, I will push it.” She grinned. “Thanks, Fancy.”
He smiled, and she patted his arm as she passed. She returned to Emgoth and patted his hand. “See you in a few days.”
She nodded to the other guardians. “Thing one, thing two. Good evening.”
She left, and Emgoth laughed and explained her issue with names. She shrugged. It was true. She had incredible difficulty with names; it was voices and faces she could separate. She knew who had allergies, who liked less spice or more spice, just by hearing them order.
She left the hospital and headed home. She had to get her sleep in. She had the feeling she would need it.
* * * *
Hazor watched the woman disappear into the lift. He looked at Emgoth. “How long have you worked with her?”
“Three years.”
Ariget said, “Four and a half. I was nervous about her at first, but she has less interest in him than I do.”
Emgoth laughed. “She came to me as a sort of apprentice and worked with me for eighteen months. After that, it was partnership when she got her citizenship, and we have been piling up the funds since.”
