Welcome back!
Thanks for coming back for the next chapter.
You know, if you ever get tired of waiting, you can go to Amazon and read the whole book for free (if you have Kindle Unlimited), or buy it for 99 cents, or a paperback!
You can also comment on the website if you want to get an autographed copy. Just drop me a message through the site (or go to the ORDER page).
I’ve also started up a Virtual Book Club and the first book we’re reading is, ta-da, The Cassidy Chronicles! Go to Instagram and sign up – we meet FRIDAY afternoons – and you can get a copy of Volume one for FREE. Yup. Totally free. Just have to read a couple chapters and then be prepared to talk about it!
So. To recap last week, they’re running, and Cass is being told that neither Kendra nor Derek saw anything, heard anything. They just trusted her and followed. Now Kendra’s taking over, deciding what to do, and they’re in a cab on the way to a bank.
Chapter 4: Quick Change Artists
There was a slight problem at the bank. None of them, it seemed, had any means to pay for the taxi other than the E-Deb system.
Reluctantly, Kendra used her account. It would put them on the grid, but they had no choice. They couldn’t exit the cab without paying; the robotic intelligence would simply seal shut the doors and wait until it received the proper sum. Then, they’d be on the grid for sure. What if this madness wasn’t just Farrell? Cass didn’t know, but she wasn’t willing to chance it.
The blue scanner light inspected her eye, and the sampling system hummed. Seconds later, though it felt like hours, the polite voice of the cab said, ‘Thank you,’ and the doors unsealed. As one, they released breaths they didn’t realize they were holding.
‘How much do you want?’ asked Derek, walking to the Los Alamos Credit Union.
She thought. ‘We need new clothes, travel money, meal money…’ Her voice trailed away, then she named a sum.
‘Right. I’ll probably want a bag, then, to carry it.’ He reached the door, held it open for them, frowned when Kendra held Cass back.
‘We’ll wait out here,’ she said.
Muttering, Derek entered.
‘What was that about?’ asked Cass, being pulled aside by Kendra again. They were between the bank and a small antiques shop, fortunately closed today. Kendra started pulling frills and bows off her dress. ‘Ken, hon, I don’t think this is the place for a quickie,’ giggled Cass.
‘It’s not for a quickie,’ answered Kendra, smiling herself. ‘Wedding dresses are a little bit obvious, though, aren’t they?’
‘Oh!’ exclaimed Cass. She started peeling parts of her dress away too.
Kendra continued. ‘I sent Derek in alone so that it wouldn’t be quite as obvious. With the amount of money he’s withdrawing, it’s better if he’s alone. I don’t want them thinking he’s being forced, or coerced, into getting that cash.’ She finished removing the extra parts of her dress.
‘Like we’d be much of a threat!’ laughed Kendra, gesturing at herself. She had a point.
The arms and skirt of the pale blue dress had disappeared, leaving only the Amazonian bustier and a pair of micro-shorts above her heels. Unlike Cass, she’d managed to keep hers throughout the run; years of performing in heels made wearing them second nature. It was immediately obvious to anyone looking that nothing larger, or thicker, than a single piece of paper could be concealed around her person.
Cass’s outfit offered even less concealment. Her dress wasn’t pieced together, like Kendra’s, and so had to be shed in its entirety. Fortunately, she’d worn both bra and panties today, though, perhaps, a little more revealing and sheer than most. Those, and her garters and hose, were her entire outfit now.
‘I think you need to lose the hose,’ suggested Kendra. It was true enough; the run hadn’t been kind to them, and Cass shrugged them off without another thought.
‘We look like we’re ready for the beach,’ said Cass.
‘Too bad there isn’t one nearby,’ replied Kendra. ‘What about Derek?’
‘What about him?’
‘Won’t he be overdressed?’
Cass shook her head. ‘You think anyone will look at him, with you on one arm and me on the other?’
Kendra laughed. ‘No, I don’t suppose so!’
‘Even if they do, they’ll just think he’s some rich guy who got lucky -’
‘- which ain’t nothing but the truth!’ finished Kendra. Spirits buoyed, they reappeared around the building, just in time to see Derek emerge from the bank with a bulging sack.
‘Over here!’ called Cass as he looked around in confusion. Relief flooded his eyes.
‘I thought for a second you’d taken off, that this was all a punking,’ he admitted.
‘It’s no punking, Derek. Something weird is going on.’ She looked at his hands. ‘We need something besides that,’ Ken said, gesturing at the bag and holding out her hand. He dipped into it and removed a small stack of bills, handed them her.
‘I‘m going to get us a backpack. No, wait. Better yet, beach bags for you and me. And maybe something light to cover us. And shoes for you!’
‘Shouldn’t we stick together?’ said Cass. All she knew of this kind of thing was what she saw over the FicChans.
‘You saw the gun, we didn’t. I don’t know why Farrell would have done that, but you said he did, and that’s enough for me. But that means someone is hunting you. Derek, you have to look after her while I shop.’ Derek paled at this. ‘Stay somewhere public, but not exposed.’
‘What about there?’ He pointed to a little café.
‘That’ll do. I’ll meet you there in a few minutes.’ Kendra strode across the street, ignoring the traffic.
‘You ready?’ he asked Cass.
‘No. Let’s go.’
What’s next for our heroines? Tune in next week for the next exciting installment!
Added bonus content! Listen to Chapter 4 RIGHT NOW!
