A Romantic Suspense/Sci-Fi Adventure
I always thought I would have made a perfect spy, if my MS hadn’t got in the way. There were times in my early 20’s when I was still struggling with my diagnosis that I created a sort of alter-ego for myself. The healthy, super smart me, and how she would have kicked a$$ if only given the chance. It was a way of coping when times got tough. Now I still look back at my unique character I created, and I feel like I should probably revisit her. So for my fun group of followers, here is a taste of Daniella the spy-well, her alter-ego Amber that is.
The blue gel ink flowed across the white page, numbers spilling their secrets. She bit the plastic tip as she pondered the lines and scratch marks she had created.
There you go again…sneaky little 2. Always trying to prove you’re better than everyone. Looking at the way this is going I think your brother 3 is going to come out on top this time. Won’t that just piss you off? You won the last three rounds. Can’t you ever let it rest? No, I don’t suppose you can. Just like I can’t.
She sat back, taking in the whole picture of the equation’s ebb and flow. She, surveyed the battle between the numbers, the story of their little dramas building on the page.
Did I make a mistake? I don’t think so. The story seems to be coming together. It makes sense.
She smiled to herself, thinking of Kayla’s question the last time she tutored her.
“Why do you always use pen? Aren’t you afraid of making a mistake?” Her smoky-topaz eyes blinked critically while she played with the small black stud in her left nostril.
“I’m not afraid of making a mistake,” Amber replied with a shrug. “Mistakes are no big deal. If I make one, I just cross it out and start over.”
“Yeah, but that’s because you’re good at this,” Kayla had sighed, picking at the burgundy lipstick on her full lips. The glittering green nail polish contrasted sharply with her dark-bronze skin.
“You’re good at this too, Kayla.” Amber replied, tapping the page to get the teen to focus on the problem again. “I’m really proud of your last test score, chica. Can’t wait until you take the AP Exam. You’re going to blow the scale.”
“But not like you. It’s like you’re super-human or something. What’s your secret?” Kayla said.
Amber a hand over her neat bun of golden-brown hair and bit her lip. “No secret. I just really like math. Let’s get this done so we can practice your triple integrals again.”
Kayla rolled her eyes and heaved a sigh as she flipped her beaded braids over her shoulder. She picked up her pencil and moved to the next problem.
My secret? Amber thought, looking down at the blue ink spread across the white paper. I stopped telling anyone about that when I was about 5. It’s not like anyone believed me anyway. Mother threatened to have her shrink give me pills if I kept lying. At least the numbers are my secret friends. I wonder if they share their stories with anyone else?
“Miss Schroder?” Amber’s head jerked up. Her mother’s tennis instructor Wren, stood before her, sweat in every crease of the woman’s skin-tight, black fitness gear, leaving nothing to the imagination. The woman’s frequency beamed at her like a spotlight. Amber blinked and focused, adjusting herself to the intense harmonic of the woman’s yellow bubbly glow as she internally pictured the woman’s basic equation. “We’re done with our lesson. Katherine said to give her just a few minutes to freshen up.”
“So at least another hour then?” Amber replied with a smirk.
“Maybe two.” Wren agreed with a nod, chestnut ponytail wagging. She daubed the sweat from her neck with a towel and sauntered toward the main house of the sprawling Malibu mansion. “Should I have her assistant bring you something to drink?”
Amber frowned at the mention of Lucius. She’d managed to be left alone for once on her mother’s patio, making it into the house unobserved by the army of attendants and servants her mom kept on staff for god knows what reason.
On second thought, Amber knew the reason. The constant attention her mother needed as a former beauty queen, second rate actress and trophy wife that she didn’t get from her cold, absentee husband. In particular, Amber hated dealing with Katherine’s personal assistant. The man’s frequency drove her nuts. It seemed to slither like a snake into her brain, no matter how much she deflected it. While she could decipher other people’s equations and frequencies easily, the too-good-looking, tall, muscled blonde made her uneasy. His ice blue gaze seemed to read her like a book. His energy pulsed into the ultra-violet and even x-ray range, the intensity made her shudder when he came near. While most people never seemed to notice her, he was always too intimate, trying to get too close at least in her head. She always left his company drained, but she couldn’t explain it.
“No, thanks. I’m fine for now. If I need anything, I will give Consuela a shout.”
“Okay, great! See you later Amber!”
“You too.” Amber picked up her pad of paper, shaking off thoughts of Lucius and her mother…for now. She looked around the patio and pool deck of her mother’s mansion. The water gleamed like a turquoise stone in the sunshine. Meanwhile, lilacs, daffodils and tulips bloomed in the careful tended gardens. The California sun beat down on Amber’s long legs. She wriggled her toes against the plush cushion of the lounge chair as she settled back against it. The sprawling complex set against the Malibu hills sparkled in the sunshine. Amber could see the waves from the ocean in the distance below.
Too bad I just don’t belong here. Being around Kathrine…oh wait…mom, for a few hours drives me crazy enough. Can’t imagine what living here would do.
She shook her head and went back to what she knew, her familiar numbers. Immersing herself in them, deciphering her own codes, she lost all track of time. Then her hair stood up on the back of her neck as her senses began to thrum.
7 x 1015 hZ—Great, he’s coming.
She set her notebook aside and adjusted her sunglasses. He was just barely coming out of the main house, closing the ornate glass French doors behind him. Already, he was smiling at her. She gritted her teeth calculating his equation and deflecting it.
“Well hello, Miss Sunshine. How was your trip from Seoul last night?” He asked placing his hands on his hips as he stared down at her.
“Long.” She answered, looking down at her notebook, numbers sprawled across the page. They almost seemed to be screaming at her in time with his pulses, run!
“I’ll bet,” he replied, pink lips curling up in a smooth smile. He crouched down in front of her, muscled thighs straining the seams of his khaki pants as he braced his large hands against them. His piercing eyes were concealed by mirrored sunglasses. “Your mother is on her way. Can I get you…anything.”
“I’m fine, thank you, Lucius. I don’t want to ruin my lunch with Mommy Dearest,” she replied, closing her notebook and sticking her pen back into her purse. She tugged her linen skirt down and swung her legs off the lounge chair to the opposite side of where he now rose back to his full height of six-foot-six.
His rhythmic energy still pulsed at her, making her grit her teeth, but somehow having a physical object between them made her feel better. He grinned wider and smoothed the collar on his sky-blue polo shirt, before placing his hands on his narrow hips. “They’re setting up lunch for you in the rose garden.”
“Thank you,” she replied, holding her notebook and purse in front of her as she waited for him to lead the way.
****
The ice crinkled and cracked in Katherine’s high ball glass as she raised it to her lips. Her dark lipstick left a red smear against the rim, far too reminiscent of menstrual blood for Amber’s taste. She pushed her plate away, thinking about how erratic her mother’s energy always was, at least until she decided she wanted to discuss something with her. Then she narrowed in like a laser beam, purple-blue waves going for the jugular.
Katherine lowered her large jeweled sunglasses, large blue eyes raking over her. Amber’s spine stiffened as she toyed with her glass.
Here it comes, she thought. She’s been waaaay too quiet anyway.
“I thought I told you should wear a little more make-up.’ Kathrine said. Amber gritted her teeth at the catch in her mother’s voice. “Really, Amber? Can’t you just try—A little? I know you’re plain. But you could put in some effort. How do you expect to ever catch a man? You’re not getting any younger you know…” Her mother continued to drone, waving with her heavily spiked Arnold palmer.
Amber focused on the high ball in her mother’s hands. The glass hummed back at her. She could see Lucius smirk out of the corner of her eye from where he sat a few feet away typing on his laptop.
No use arguing with the trophy wife/beauty queen that maybe some things were more important than looks. Oh and the fact that I just flew in across the Pacific Rim after stealing new weapons defense technology software from China. That wouldn’t make a difference to her either. She thinks I am marketing manager for a computer company. She drew a deep sigh, the fine fabric of her skirt shifting beneath her fingers as she clutched at her thighs. The ice in the glass continued to crackle, the crystal waivered in the sunshine as Amber did her best to drown out her mother’s cruel words. She felt her own body tense and hum back in response to the vibrations in the air.
With a loud snap, the crystal cracked, sending vodka spiked lemonade and tea all over Katherine’s expensive kelly-green silk jumper.
“Good heavens!” she shrieked, tossing the remnants to the side and eyeing her hand for signs of damage. Amber gaped as her mother jumped to her feet, shaking and wiping off the liquid.
“Are you alright, Kathrine?” Lucius exclaimed, bounding across the patio and taking her by the arm. He stood next to Katherine, but gazed at Amber, his lips in a hard line as he looked her over.
“I’m fine, I’ll change in a few minutes. We were almost done with lunch anyway.” She snapped fingers and pointed a blood-red nail at the mess. “Have Consuela make me another, and after I change, run this,” she tugged at her collar. “To the cleaners.”
“Sure thing, Kathrine.” He glanced one more time at Amber then headed into the house, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket.
“Where were we?” Kathrine asked, smoothing her bun of glossy blonde hair as she settled into a different plush white patio chair. “That was strange. I supposed that’s what comes from ordering cheap crystal. I will have to speak to Consuela about that. There must have been a crack. Anyway, how long are you going to be in town? Perhaps I can schedule you with my stylist, Shelly.”
“Only today, mother,” Amber replied, she watched as two of her mother’s staff came out and began cleaning up the mess. The smell of lemonade and tea died quickly, but the vodka lingered in the air. Lucius brought Katherine a refreshed high-ball then resumed his seat at his laptop.
“So you could go this afternoon then,” Katherine bartered, raising the glass to her lips as she stared Amber down.
“Actually no,” Amber replied, sitting up straighter. Katherine frowned, running her fingers over her forehead as if to smooth the two creases that would have appeared if not for her regular Botox treatments.
“Why not?” she asked, lips pursed as she lowered her voice to almost a growl.
“Father has set up an appointment for me with Dr. Meredith,” Amber replied, keeping her voice steady. “He said he’s worried that the VA isn’t giving me the best care. He wants her to evaluate me.”
Kathrine took a large gulp, draining almost half the glass. The diamond tennis bracelet on her wrist threw fiery sparkles as her mother’s hand shook. She saw her mother mouth the name Meridith then bitch. She looked away then back again, frown erased as if it had never been, frequency shifted once more. Amber’s skin crawled.
“I suppose that’s only fair,” her voice dripped with honey, but her brain pulsed with menace. “She’s the most brilliant doctor in his department. And it’s his fault entirely. He never should have let you to join the military. Then you wouldn’t have gotten sick and ended up disabled.”
Amber shrugged, taking a sip from her own glass, looking away. She says that like I’m a disgrace, something to be ashamed of. Well, in her eyes I am. I had the ill manners to be born not as pretty as she was. I deprived her of her mini-me. Someone to shop with and continue on her legacy of marrying well…if you consider my father a good choice.
“Where are you off to next for your computer stuff?” Amber refrained from rolling her eyes. At least she’s trying to show interest.
“Paris. I have a technical conference there in a few days.” Amber replied. In her head she added, multiple companies are having a technical conference. I’ll be there seeing what’s worth taking.
“Oh…that’s fantastic. Maybe you’ll have a chance to do a little shopping while you’re there. I can have my personal shopper make some recommendations.”
“Why not?” Amber said, shrugging.
“Why do you always have to be so difficult, Amber?” Her mother asked, rising to her feet.
“I don’t know, mother,” she replied, taking that as her cue she was being dismissed. She gathered her things. “Have her send it to me in an email. If I have time, I’ll check it out. I’m going for work though, not to mess around.”
“I will,” Kathrine plastered on a smile again as she tossed back the rest of her drink. Amber grimaced as Katherine swayed in her heels, wobbling back into the house and slamming the door behind her.
“What?” she snapped at Lucius, who still sat in his chair a few feet away; tanned muscled arms behind his head as he smirked.
“Not a thing, Amber. So sad that you’re not in town for very long. It’s always fun to watch you and Katherine spar.”
“Glad I could entertain you,” she replied as she walked away, heat rising in her cheeks. She resisted the urge to slap the smug look off his face.