Free Prescription: Makeover by Jessica Andersen

ass.
    “You’re good to go,” he said, stepping back and resisting the urge to smooth down a crease in Ike’s blouse. He glanced over at Max and received an affirmative nod. “You’re wired for sight and sound, and Kupfer shouldn’t suspect a thing.” But when she moved away from him, he touched her arm, squeezing to provide emphasis when he said, “
Shouldn’t
is the operative word here. There aren’t any guarantees, Ike. If things go wrong, I might not be able to get to you in time.” He paused. “You can still back out, you know.”
    She pulled away, eyes dark with an unreadable emotion. “I know there aren’t any guarantees. And, no, I’m not backing out. And in the future please call me Eleanor. It helps me stay in character.”
    “Of course.” He dropped her arm and stepped away. “I get that. Going undercover…” He trailed off, realizing there was really nothing left to say. She’d made her choice and they would both have to live with it. “Never mind. Just promise me you’ll be careful.”
    He expected her to snap his head off. Instead she nodded. “I will. And I hate to admit it, but I’m glad you’ll be there. I’ll feel safer knowing that you’re backing me up.”
    You shouldn’t,
he wanted to say.
I could time it wrong again. I could get you killed.
Instead he gestured toward the door. “Let’s roll. We don’t want you to be late for your meeting.”

Chapter Six

     
    Located just outside the midsize city of Springfield, Massachusetts, the Markham Institute of Biomedical Research was high-tech dressed up to resemble the brick and ivy of the Five Colleges farther north. As Ike pulled into the parking lot, she picked out a pair of security cameras high up in a maple tree by the entrance, providing redundancy for the guard shack, where a uniformed security guard stepped out and motioned for her to buzz down the window of her nondescript SUV.
    The guard was in his early forties, with a hanging gut and sideburns that nearly hit his chin. He was carrying a clipboard and wearing a scowl, but when he ducked down to see into the car, his expression brightened. “Good evening, ma’am.”
    “Good evening,” Ike said. “I have an appointment with Dr. Lukas Kupfer.”
    She kept her smile in place as the guard checked his clipboard, though she seethed inwardly at the knowledge that he probably would have asked for three forms of ID if she’d been dressed in her normal clothes.
    The guard passed the clipboard over, along with a pen. “Sign in, please.” When she’d handed the items back, he pointed across the parking lot, where two huge brick-faced buildings intersected, forming a small alcove around a pair of glass-and-brass doors. “Go through the door, take the elevator to the fifth floor and hit the buzzer inside the lobby. Doc Kupfer will let you in.”
    She nodded her thanks and drove across the parking lot, choosing a relatively secluded spot in the back corner. As she drove, she remained acutely aware that she wasn’t alone in the SUV.
    Directly behind her seat, a polymer screen closed off the back of the vehicle. On it, a three-dimensional holographic projection made it look as if there was nothing but seats and normal car clutter in the back of the SUV. Behind the screen, though, William sat in a small command center wearing a pair of headphones and a scowl.
    She didn’t have to see the expression to know it was there; he’d been surly since they’d left New York City, long before they’d switched drivers and he’d moved to the back. They hadn’t spoken during the drive because there really wasn’t much to talk about. The air, though, had vibrated with the things they hadn’t said.
    “It’s showtime.” She turned off the SUV and dropped the keys into her girlie Eleanor purse. “Wish me luck.”
    She expected a snide rejoinder, but he said only, “Good luck.” His voice sounded both from behind her in the vehicle and inside her head, courtesy of a small