The apartment had the same configuration as her childhood home. The first room off the narrow hallway was a small bedroom, unused. This would have been Gergana’s room. Next was the bathroom—cramped by the standards of Eva’s current wealth, but one that matched the dimensions of her childhood apartment. Then a small bedroom, just large enough for a standard-sized box spring and mattress with ordinary sheets, a thin blanket, and a pillow. Next came the master suite and, finally, the kitchen. That was reduced to a small cupboard and refrigerator, stocked with an assortment of the humble foods from her childhood: blood sausage, spicy salami, vinegar-dressed potato salad and mish mash—an olio of vegetables, eggs, cheese, and spices.
The master suite housed the sole concession to luxury, a smart-bed. It was king-sized, ironic given Eva’s stature, and appointed with nanofiber sheets that were as frictionless as graphite and touched her skin as lightly as a whisper. The smartbed adjusted to her fidgety slumber and matched her body temperature, degree for degree. Despite the luxury, she slept no more than three or four hours at a time.
The black-clad NMech security agents who escorted Rafael to Eva’s apartment spent little time observing their CEO’s odd decorating sense. She had used them often as bodyguards, and, on occasion, for special services of a more intimate nature. They delivered Cruz to the guest room. One of the agents subvocalized a quick command to the apartment datapillar and explained to Rafael that he was to remain in the guestroom. He was not to wander anywhere else in the apartment, save the bathroom, nor was he to attempt to remove the security collar unless he enjoyed considerable pain.
“How long am I going to be here?” he asked.
“Don’t know.”
“What about my daughter? Can I see her?”
“Don’t know. Stay put.” They guards rechecked Cruz’s security collar and then left.
Rafael sat down on his bed. It was even more uncomfortable than it appeared. He paced along the room’s length and looked at the bare walls. He’d had more freedom in prison.
The waiter brought coffee—Puerto Rican coffee, of course. “Our coffee was once considered the best in the world,” said Marta, proudly.
“Right, Mom. Everything is better in PR. Is this from Yocahu, too?”
Marta smiled at her son. “Dana,” she said with a gentle intensity. “Every growing thing is a gift from Yocahu.”
Dana had been watching Denise and looked thoughtful. “Mom, we need to get Denise out of Boston, away from Eva.”
“Why?”
“Mom, don’t you see? If Denise knows about whatever Eva is doing, and Eva knows that Denise knows, Eva isn’t going to let Denise alone.”
“So, she’ll fire Denise. We’ll rehire her.”
“It’s not that simple,” said Dana. “Do you think that Eva will let the only person with some proof of what she’s doing just walk away? Eva will, uh, get Denise out of the way.”
Jim spoke, addressing Denise, “My son can be melodramatic.”
“Dad! Listen to me! Ever since Eva took on the Rockford bid there’s been something wrong with her. I could see it even though you tried to keep me away from her. And every time I tried to talk to you about it, you would change the subject. You and Mom wouldn’t admit it. You think Aunt Colleen really had a heart attack? The last thing Eva said to me was that she had some ‘big mischief.’ What if Aunt Colleen was just the beginning?”
Turning to Denise, Dana said, “There’s something wrong with Eva. She’s going to see you as a threat, and she’s not going to let you just walk around knowing about what she’s done. You’ve got to go somewhere safe.”
“I can go home,” Denise said. “I live in Melrose.”
Marta nodded. “Dana, you’re right. And Eva will find Denise in Melrose.” To Denise, “My dear, I’m sorry, but you’ve stepped on a hornet’s nest. She must know that you figured it out.” Marta thought for a moment and then smiled.
“Denise, have you ever been to a rainforest?”
“You mean, like the Amazon?”
“Like that,” said Marta. “There are rainforests all around the world, but the gentlest one is called El Yunque. It’s the most beautiful place on earth, and I have family there you can stay with. No one will find you there.”
She touched her datasleeve and called up a display and was about to make travel arrangements. Dana put his hand on her sleeve.
“Mom, stop,” he said.
“Why? Abuela’s family can take care of Denise.”
“Mom, think. How’s Denise going to get there?”
“She’ll fly. I’ll pay for the ticket.” She turned to Denise. “Don’t you worry—consider this a work assignment. NMech will pay for your travel, and your time.”
“That’s just it, Mom. Eva’s going to find out. You’re still missing the point. Eva may be the richest woman in the world, but right now she may be the most dangerous person in the world. Let me do it. I can jack the airlines and get her on under another name.”
“Since when does my son jack anything?”
“Mom, I’m almost sixteen. I know as much about ghosting as Eva does,” he boasted. “Remember—she used to teach me. We kind of covered a little more than most kids.”
“How long have you been ghosting?”
“Can we talk about it later? Right now, let’s get Denise to Puerto Rico.”
“Puerto Rico?” Denise exclaimed. “I’m going to the Caribbean? You mean it?”
Dana turned to her. “Make up a name. First, middle and last.”
“Okay.” Denise thought for a moment. “How about Simone Ann Bening?”
“Where did you get the name?” asked Dana.
“After the Flemish artist, Simon Bening. I just borrowed it.”
“Better avoid a name from history. Eva will be looking for you already and her pillar will do a wide search. The searchbot will notice any coincidence and follow up on it. Let’s make it, uh, Barbara. Barbara Anne Benning. Anne with an ‘e’.”
“OK,” said Denise. “Barbara Anne Benning, Anne with an ‘e’ it is.”
Dana held up his hand. “Link your sleeve to mine.” She mimicked the gesture. Dana called up a display and subvocalized for a few moments. There was a half-second electronic conversation between the two sleeves.
“Okay,” he said at last. “You’re travelling as Barbara Anne Benning. Take the maglev from the South Station depot. You’ll be in Philadelphia in about two hours but you have to leave now. There’s a John Jays one block from the station there. I doubt that Eva will look for you in a high-end store that far from Boston. Buy yourself a carry-on bag and some summer clothing. I’ll use my ghost to link to Mom’s family in Puerto Rico and let them know they have a special guest on the way. They’ll pass the message to Abuela, Mom’s grandmother. You’re going to love her.”
“Dana, I can’t afford John Jays,” Denise said.
“Don’t worry. You have an open account there now. Don’t try to link with Mom or Dad because Eva will find you.”
“Can I call my neighbor to take care of my cat?”
“Yes, but don’t say where you’re going. We’ll deal with Rex later, after this is resolved. Until then, you can link with my ghost account. It’s already on your sleeve. Anytime you link to me, start by saying, ‘Abuela says hello.’ Don’t trust anything you think is from me unless I start by asking about Abuela’s health. If you’re in trouble, say that Uncle Roberto says hello.”
Marta interrupted. “Dana, my uncle died three years ago.”
“That’s the point, Mom. You know that and I know that, but Eva won’t because that part of your family doesn’t use pillar-and-sleeve tech.”