Prisoner of Earthside: A Novella (STRYDER'S HORIZON Book 2) Read Free Page B

me in an embarrassing situation, Kimberly. For I must now admit I do not know.”
    I got up to leave, to actually leave. But maybe it looked like a bluff to Lord Gentry.
    “Don’t play that hand with me, Kimberly Stryder. My prayers for you have been quite strong. It was only a matter of two years ago if you recall.”
    “Longer than that,” I said.
    “I’m not talking about our soiree,” he said. “I’m referring to your incident in the New Shetlands.”
    Alice hadn’t heard this story yet. I wasn’t too keen to share it.
    “New Shetlands?” I played dumb. “That was you?”
    “I am your guardian angel, my sweet.”
    He was right, in a perverse way. I’d never asked for the favor then and he made me regret asking for one now.
    “Tell you what,” Lord Gentry said, slapping his hands on his knees. “I will give dear Crisp a message that you two fine women came calling. If he wishes to see you, perhaps through the proper channels a meeting can be arranged.”
    There was more. Lord Gentry had stopped speaking but the way he leered was as if he could telepathically share the next stipulation to his favor.
    “I’ll do it,” I said.
    Lord Gentry purred.

4. SPREES
     
     
     
    “Look out,” a familiar pubescent voice said. The teenager from earlier glared at us as we left Templar’s Stairs. He was riding an airbike, cutting sharp corners, taunting us. “Telling my father about you two.”
    “We’ll tell him for you,” Alice said taking a swing at him as he rode in too close.
    “Oooo…”
    I stopped Alice from taking a second swing.
    “Nobody is going to do you ugly bitches any favors. You look like roadkill, ha, Burnside’s finest I bet.”
    “Come on,” I said to Alice.
    We integrated back into the pedestrian traffic of Earthside.
    “He’s right you know,” I said.
    “He’s a little shit is what he is.”
    “No, there are plenty of snobs here. It might not be a bad idea to clean up a bit and see how many more people will talk to us.”
    “You mean, you need to get cleaned up for Lord Gentry,” Alice snickered. I didn’t bother responding to it.
    “Let’s just see if it gains us any ground. I should have some credits still. We can find a boutique and look fresh as daisies in a matter of minutes.”
    Alice shrugged. She was only willing to give it a try because she didn’t have any better ideas. And so, after rejecting a few storefronts because of the number of frills and puffs on the apparel in the window, we landed in Little Boutique’s House of Primp.
     
    “Sit,” the plastic looking woman said. “What styles should we try today? Is this just a bad hair day for you?”
    “Eat my shit,” Alice said.
    I laughed and was given one of those glares that is still somehow a smile.
    “Just a bad day,” I said.
    “Well, judging by your DNA, a Marilop is the style to go for you,” the woman told me. She looked over Alice and said, “Garbo.”
    “I’ll rip your damn head off, lady!”
    The modeling chair held Alice back, but it shook and there was probably some internal damage to the device that was going to make us look, younger, hipper, and prettier. All based on what would benefit our bone structure, skin complexion and eyes.
    “Sounds perfect,” I said.
    I laid my head back and waited for the program to run its affect.  It was only a matter of minutes, but I felt massaged. My pores breathed free of original sin. There was a pinch at the eyebrows and in some other unmentionable places.
    And then a sigh roared from me that was embarrassing and revelatory all at the same time.
    I felt like a new woman.
     
    Alice and I left without saying much to the other. What we thought of our new look was confirmed by stares unlike any I’d ever received in Earthside. There were even verbal pleasantries to be exchanged.
    “When we can finally meet Thom, I don’t want you looking like that,” Alice said as we were smiled upon by a group of teenage boys.
    “Let’s see how our disguises