Free Canvas Skies (Reliance on Citizens Makes Us Great!) by S. L. Wallace

if to say,
Do I really have to spell this out? “Of course it is. But you
wouldn't want someone in CalTech to take you out in an attempt to
acquire your position as head of the company, would you?”
    “No, of course not!”
    Keira turned to me. “Where's your car? It's
probably bugged too.”
    They'd thought of everything. “It's down the
street from The Dry Martini.”
    “Give her your keys and a description.”
    I did as she asked.
    The young woman brushed her fingers through
her long dark hair. “I'll take care of it and get these back to
Kendra.”
    “It's okay. He knows who I am.” Keira
smiled. “Brody's with us.”
    The woman didn't say anything, just climbed
into her new car and drove away.
    “She doesn't trust me.”
    “She doesn't trust anyone,” Keira said.
    “She trusts you. By the way, how did she
know who I was?”
    Keira just shook her head.
    I secured the front door and left to change
into a pair lounge pants and my comfortable navy blue shirt. When I
returned to the living room, I found Keira sitting in my favorite
tan chair.
    “Would you like some tea?” I offered.
    “Thanks, that would be great, especially
with caffeine. I'll need enough energy to stay alert tonight, and
I've already had a long day.”
    I returned with an herbal tea for me and a
black tea for her. Keira curled her legs beneath her and wrapped
her fingers around the steaming mug as I settled onto the sofa.
    “I feel better already, knowing nobody's
listening or watching.” I shuddered. “You didn't warn me about
vidbugs.”
    She shrugged. “You would have acted
different. Paranoid.”
    “I've been on edge ever since we last
talked,” I admitted. “If it was so easy to remove them, why didn't
you call in your exterminator before tonight?”
    “Because we didn't want to raise suspicions.
Now they'll know we're onto them. The next move is all theirs, and
I'm sure they'll make it soon.” Keira took another sip.
    “Can we talk now? Freely, I mean.”
    She smiled. “What do you want to know?”
    “Who is he? You know, the man who's not your
boss.”
    She stared at me in silence. Apparently
Keira wasn't ready to answer that, at least not yet.
    “Okay...does he know you're here
tonight?”
    This time she answered immediately. “Yes, I
called him from my apartment.”
    “How many people know who you really
are?”
    “Who I really am. That's funny, Brody. Even
I didn't know for sure until last year, and the answer seems to be
changing all the time...” Her voice trailed off. “But that's not
what you're asking. About 10.”
    So few? “Why do you wear a wig, and why did
you cut your hair?”
    “To hide my identity.”
    “But not from me. Who are you hiding
from?”
    “Look, we don't want to change our patterns
and draw the wrong kind of attention.” Clearly I'd hit a nerve.
    “I agree. Who?” I pressed.
    She studied my face for a moment. “I'm not
sure. A lot of people. It's a hazard of the job.”
    I paused, then asked my next question. “Who
is Aimee? I mean, besides being your roommate.”
    Again, she didn't respond.
    “Keira, why is it that you expect me to
trust you, but you still don't trust me? What can I possibly to do
prove that I'm your friend?”
    Her bright green eyes narrowed as she
studied me. “You're right, Brody. I don't trust easily, but you've
never given me reason to doubt you.”
    And then finally, she began to share. It was
exactly what I'd been waiting for. Her voice was so quiet, I could
barely hear her at first. “The man you met. The one who's not my
boss?”
    I held my breath.
    “That's Richard Burke III, my fiance.”
    “Really? Richard Burke? I thought I
recognized him. He's your fiance?”
    She nodded.
    “I've seen him in celebrity vids. I hadn't
realized he was...involved with anyone.”
    Her voice was like ice. “He hasn't been an
eligible bachelor for a long time.”
    I studied her carefully. “He's part of the
Resistance, like you.” It wasn't a question, and I was