Free Flip (The Slip Trilogy Book 3) by David Estes

his sister’s death suffer as he has.
    What he needs is revenge. And Jarrod’s willing to give him that.
    So when Check and the others asked him what he did when they were out, he lied and said, “Not much,” when really he was learning how to arm a bomb. How to hide it under his clothes. How to detonate it. And, more importantly, where to detonate it for maximum damage.
    He knows his name was thrown at the end of the RUSA Most Wanted List simply because he was Luce’s brother, and she’d proven to be a dangerous adversary to Pop Con, but soon he’ll show them exactly why he belongs there.
     
    ~~~
     
    Benson’s never been inside a store this nice. It was always too risky, as a street rat. Stealing something from a place like this was near impossible, the security systems far advanced beyond his skills as a Picker. So any clothes he bought with the meager funds he and Check managed to steal were from secondhand shops or street vendors.
    The night field trip was arranged by Minda, whose organization has some sort of arrangement with the store, allowing them to shop after closing hours. Not even the employees are there, and apparently they’re allowed to take whatever they want. Benson can only guess at how much they must pay for this privilege. He’s quickly realizing that not only is the consortium broader than he realized, but extremely well-funded.
    The racks of clothes are endless, stretching from mirrored wall to mirrored wall, and climbing up huge rectangular columns like creeping vines. By pushing any of the buttons at the ends of the racks or the bases of the columns, the racks shift, bringing the clothes right to the customer without them having to move. The apparel is illuminated by bright white spotlights, making the colors appear more vivid than Benson suspects they are, as if donning one of the shirts will make the wearer more distinct. Set amongst the racks are tall holo-images of faceless people.
    Minda is giving them instructions on the types of clothing they should be looking for in order to complete their “punk” disguises, but Benson doesn’t really hear her, watching as Janice approaches one of the giant holos. She stands on a black panel on the floor, and oohs as green crisscrossing lasers shoot from the holo, painting her body with a checkerboard of light.
    Instantly, the generic holo transforms into his mom, her features and proportions exceptionally true to life, except for the startlingly amusing fact that it’s twice the size of her real self. She giggles uncontrollably at this fact, trying to pinch and prod her own huge leg, her hand passing innocently through the 3D image. “Would you like to try something on?” a bot voice asks. “Our catalogue has thousands of items, many of which can be picked up today.”
    “Something yellow!” she practically screeches. A long yellow dress appears on holo-Janice and her virtual-self places her hands on her hips confidently. Benson is surprised at how pretty she looks in it—he’s so used to seeing her in borrowed clothing way too big for her slight frame.
    “Nice look!” the bot says exuberantly.
    “No, no, something orange!” Janice commands. The dress morphs to orange and shortens, falling just above her knees. The scooped neck sharpens into a V.
    “Hot stuff!” the bot exclaims.
    “No! No! I’ve got it!” Janice squeals. “Something yellow AND orange.”
    Benson finds himself cracking up at his mom’s antics, and when his eyes find Harrison, he’s sniggering too. Even Minda stops her instructions to watch the spectacle. The dress changes from elegant and pretty to an outfit that’s quite funky with orange and yellow tiger stripes running diagonally. It shortens further, revealing far too much leg on his mother’s holo. The top of the dress disappears as it becomes a halter, leaving her shoulders bare. Combined with her new jet-dark hair and makeup, she literally looks like a different woman, almost like the Janice he