''There's a lot more of her to protect,'' Jack growled.
''Yes, honey, and while you can pass for just one of us girls most times, we're about to get down to our unmentionables, so make yourself scarce. You must have brought along a few things just in case she started acting like she always does.''
''Who told you what I always do?'' Kris frowned.
''Your mother.''
''My mother?'' That didn't sound like the mother Kris knew, but she was dying to see what Abby had in that trunk. It seemed a slightly different shade of brown from those Kris had watched Abby pack at Nuu House. Very slightly different. ''Jack, leave us women alone.''
Shaking his head, Jack went.
Abby snapped the trunk open. ''Now then, I've got some pretty heavy-duty stuff for a working girl like you,'' Abby said to Penny as she dug in, ''but we've got to figure out whether camouflage or misdirection is the best bet for you, Princess.''
''You have a cloak of invisibility?'' Kris asked.
''Nelson and Taylor sold the last one just as I got there,'' Abby deadpanned. ''Here're long Johns for Penny and me,'' the maid said, producing a combination that included thin ceramic plates at all crucial points. ''Work trousers and coats will hide these. Leave plenty of room for the fun stuff.''
''Fun stuff?'' Penny asked as she shucked out of her clothes.
''Guns, grenades, and the likes that smart boy better have shipped along. There's only so much contraband I can get past sensors. Princess, it's time for you to start stripping.''
''Stripping?'' Kris asked, but she undid the buttons of her blouse. Abby was the one with the box of tricks.
''I got this from my last employer. Just your size,'' Abby said, producing what looked like a see-through bodysuit.
Kris had seen sexy stuff like that advertised. Maybe she'd dreamed about owning a set. She dredged through her mind for a comeback. ''I thought your last employer was big enough for the both of us,'' Kris said, dropping her skirt. How far do I go?
''Right. I meant the employer before last.''
''Didn't any of your former employers survive the experience? I mean, Mother never hires anyone without references.''
Abby paused for a moment, eyeing the ceiling while seeming to puzzle through her memories. ''One, two… three. No, two, I think. Hard to remember. So many of them. You got to ditch the bra and panties, honey.''
Kris did, then helped Abby begin the slow job of working the bodysuit up Kris's six-foot frame. ''I could use some powder,'' Abby muttered. Penny retrieved a lovely porcelain powder jar from the marble expanse beside the twin sinks. ''Good. Suit's got to spread the impact of a bullet. Would hate to bruise you.''
''Aren't these things supposed to stretch to fit?'' Kris asked. This one didn't give a millimeter. Abby just grinned and squished Kris to fit.
''Exactly what am I doing? Hey, watch the hair. That hurt.''
''Ugly faces like me and Penny a guy looks at and forgets.''
''Yeah, right.'' Kris made a face at that line.
''You, Princess, on the other hand, are a problem. Not only do you have that pretty face, but it's been on a whole lot of media lately. A guy looks at you, really looks at you, and you're a dead giveaway.''
''And this?'' Kris said, spreading her arms at her rather too-close-to-naked body.
''Your face ain't gonna be what any red-blooded, lusting male is gonna see, honey.''
Kris glanced at Penny.
The woman bit her lower lip around a grin. ''Misdirection was a standard method taught at my school.''
''What school might that be?''
''You don't want to know the name of her finishing school,'' Abby said, pulling the last of the nearly nothing up to Kris's shoulders. ''She tells you, then she'd have to kill you.''
''Yeah, right.'' This conversation was going nowhere.
''Can I come in?'' Jack called.
''No,'' the three women answered. Abby produced a set of panties. Frilly at the bottom, they went well up the stomach. Kris discovered that her body stocking did let her move as she pulled on the undies. ''Ceramic strips in there to help the under all,'' Abby explained. ''Frills will distract any guy who sees them.''
''How short is my dress?''
''Need you ask?''
''What is going on in there?'' Jack called.
''We two will be just tired old working girls,'' Abby said. ''Kris is going to be a ‘working girl' taking a trick home.''
Jack stuck his head in, got one look at Kris, and yanked it back out. ''We can't take her out looking like that.''
''Here's your bra,'' Abby said, producing one that looked just as flimsy as the rest of Kris's outfit. ''It's a push-up.''
''As if this bodysuit would let any of me up.''
''Trust your Mamma Abby. By the time we have that loaded, you'll be pushing up plenty.'' Loading involved two small automatics, one for the bottom of each breast, and two pads that looked like they might be just what they looked like. ''If things get too exciting tonight, push the nipples down, twist to the right, and throw them like Frisbees. Then put a solid wall between you and them. You might also warn us.''
''What do I say?''
''Fire in the hole,'' Penny said, paused for a moment, then started giggling. ''Oh my. Oh my. This should not be fun.''
''It isn't,'' Kris said dryly.
''Ready to turn the job over to the pros?'' Jack called.
''Is this some sort of setup to get me to run for Mother?'' Kris snapped. ''Because if it is, so help me—''
''It's for real, honey,'' Abby said, deadly serious. ''You going to leave Nelly at home?''
''You are not,'' Nelly protested.
''Where can I put her?'' Kris asked as Abby walked around her, studying her figure and looking dubiously at the small bit of red cloth draped over Abby's arm.
''How about your belly? Some guys think a slightly pouched-out belly is really sexy, and Babycakes, yours is flat as—''
''Never mind,'' Kris snapped and arranged Nelly over her belly button. The computer's straps expanded to fit, no problem there. The wire to the jack in the back of her head extended. YOU HAVE ENOUGH BANDWIDTH, NELLY?
I'M FINE, KRIS.
''The pom-pom on the beret is an omni-use antenna, '' Abby said. ''Your Nelly will know what to do with it. Can I merge it with your jack wire?''
''Will it damage anything?''
''The instructions on the box says it won't. If it does, I'll take it to the nearest Radio Shack and demand a refund.''
Kris didn't believe a word from Abby anymore. She waited. NELLY, ANY PROBLEMS?
''The merging of the input went smoothly,'' Nelly said. ''The antenna is… unusually adaptive. Please give me a few moments to adjust to its capabilities.''
''Take all you want, honey child,'' Abby said, then pursed her lips. ''I think we're ready for the dress.'' Defiant as Caesar crossing the Rubicon, Kris raised her arms, and the maid settled it on her. Hanging from thin straps, the front and back plunged. Kris had wondered how she'd reach her guns; with this flaming red wisp of nothing, it was easy. The skirt ended before it began.
Kris took stock of herself in the mirror. Even Mother had never worn anything this skimpy. Kris tried to see herself in the rear mirror. ''Are my cheeks showing in back?'' she asked.
''Yes,'' both women answered.
Kris shook her head. ''Women really wear things like this?''
''Women with the job you're faking tonight, honey.''
''You ever?'' Kris asked Abby.
''My momma did. She wanted something better for her baby girl.'' Kris raised an eyebrow, unsure whether to believe it or not. Abby was busy putting on her own camouflage of the night: work boots, baggy trousers, worn coat.
''Am I going barefoot?''
''Some girls do. Good for business,'' Abby said, but she produced worn shoes. ''They'll hold up better than they look.''
Kris bent over to put them on, flashing everything she had at the mirror. ''How am I supposed to bend over in this?''
''Just the way you are, honey. Business is business.''
Kris stood up and tested the shoes. ''Not bad.''