Max had a tricked up Ninja that she referred to as her baby. It was a beautiful machine and I have to say, I have ridden many motorcycles before, and only a few could make it into the category of "who needs a man" when judging the ride, but this one managed to quite nicely. Max knew how to handle her baby about as well as I could handle a man. I'm not much of a driver myself; never really had the practice, but I could tell when someone knew what they were doing. Max certainly did.
The ride was a blast. I suppose most people would be terrified at her running at high speeds, switching lanes with only inches of clearance, and making hairpin turns without slowing, but I knew full well she could handle it, and all I had to do was enjoy the ride. I had no idea where we were or where we were headed, but for once I didn't care. It was totally unlike me to be willing to run around a strange city without knowing something about its geography first, but this trip was just full of firsts for me.
We ended up in the high-rise section of town; a much nicer place than where Crash was located. Hell, this once sector was probably richer than the rest of the state put together. The western part of the country got hit the worst with the Pulse, and it was recovering much slower than the rest of the country. We parked outside of this rich-looking apartment building. Max was interesting. She had a menial job, hung out in a poor section of town, but her not quite boyfriend lived in a swank apartment on the right side of the tracks.
She had yelled out that she wanted me to meet Logan while we were driving. They weren't "like that" but he was the first person she wanted me to meet? Maybe I could be wrong. I did run into her gang of friends before I ran into her, so maybe he would be the last person she would want me to be introduced to, but the point was, she wanted me to meet him right away. I wondered if he knew about us too. I hoped not. I would hate to have to slip into a Zack-ism and start using the word "careless".
She told me how they met as we waited for the elevator. She was trying to rob the place. So that's how she managed to afford such a beautiful ride. He caught her. He didn't call the police. He sent her a dinner invitation. There was something about him that she wasn't telling me, but I thought whatever it was it could wait. It wasn't like it was terribly important to me at any rate. I didn't even know the man.
We went to the penthouse suite. Very nice. Maybe he was good enough for my sister. Sister. It was hard even thinking that way right now. I didn't even think of Zack as my brother and I saw him on a regular basis. I had always believed them to be a part of who I was, but in truth, they weren't. We had shared a very powerful experience, one whose repercussions still had hold on us, but it wasn't like I couldn't live without them anymore. Once the loneliness and missing them tore me apart, but now I knew I didn't need them to survive.
Max didn't bother to knock. She flung the door open like she was queen of the world and strode right on in. Logan's place was fabulous. Either he was gay or he had a decorator that was worth every penny he paid the guy. The art was beautiful even to my untrained eyes, and the place nearly reeked of class and upbringing. Max had certainly scored well with getting this guy hung up on her.
"Logan!" she yelled out, leading me around a corner. "There's someone I want you to…" her words trailed off as we both saw that Logan wasn't alone.
Logan was easy to figure. There were two men in the room, and I was pretty sure he was the younger and much hotter one. Damn, Maxie, when something that fine looks at you like that, even in a wheelchair, you sit up and take notice. Besides, I knew the other one quite well, and from the way he immediately turned white and almost dropped his drink in his lap, I think Jonas recognized me as well.
Logan smiled at Max. "Max," he said smoothly, "you remember my Aunt Margot and Uncle Jonas?" He looked past her and at me, one eyebrow raised in question. Jonas was doing his best not to have an apoplectic fit. Margot was looking up at me so she didn't notice her husband trying to retch, but Logan caught it.
Max smiled charmingly at them. I barely knew her really, and I could tell it was fake as hell. They wouldn't catch it though. False smiles are a way of life to people like that, and I doubt they knew what the real thing was anymore. "Nice to see you again," she said sweetly. Logan waited for a second for Max to introduce me, but I stepped in there quickly. Max would use the wrong name, and the last thing I needed was a client calling me Terran at the club.
"And you must be Logan," I said, walking over to him. He took my hand and I smiled, trying not to laugh at his confusion. "Topaz Dieudonne," I introduced. I turned to Max. "Now Maxie, you didn't say we were going to be interrupting." I glanced back at Logan. "I just got into town this afternoon, and Max said I just had to meet you right away," I said.
"Topaz and I went to boarding school together when we were kids," Max chimed in. Logan's eye's widened for the barest second, and he knew exactly what she meant. Fuck Max, is there anyone in Seattle that you haven't told? No wonder Zack was always pissed at you. He can accuse me of being an idiot and a slut all he wants, but I have never, not once told anyone about Manticore.
"How lovely," Margot declared. She cast Logan a gently reproving look. "Logan, dear, you're being rude." He jerked a little and stopped staring at me. I had a feeling it wasn't my hot body he was admiring. He was checking out my neck. That actually hurt the ego just a bit. He should have checked me out just a bit. Maybe not. Max was right there, and she would have no problems kicking his ass if she saw him checking out mine.
"Please, sit," Logan said quickly. Jonas was recovering nicely, but I decided that just wouldn't do. Men who knew Topaz should not be relaxed around her, Victor being the only exception. If they weren't on their toes, then they might think, and that was always bad for business.
Max and I sat down. I shot Jonas a wicked smile for just a second, and he almost dropped his drink again. He had begged me to come up here the last time he was in New Orleans, but that was on his terms. Now I was a wildcard, and he didn't like it a bit. I knew I should be getting Max alone and talking about Ben, but this was just too golden of an opportunity to pass up. Sometimes a girl just has to be naughty.
"So, Topaz, is that a New Orleans accent I hear?" Margot asked politely.
I smiled demurely. "Why yes it is," I said. She had that society-interested look. Like she was really thinking about changing the pattern of the china, but instinctively knew when to nod and smile in the conversation. This wasn't for her anyways. "I'm not a native," I said confidentially, "but since I have lived there since I was nine, I just don't let on." Margot politely smiled and gave a small laugh. "If people knew they were at the business of a transplant they might have a heart attack," I continued casually. Jonas was turning red again.
"You have a business?" Logan asked, looking a little amazed. I guess he would. He knew that the average escapee would want to maintain a low profile. What he didn't know was that there was nothing average attached to this girl.
"Right in the French Quarter," I replied, catching Jonas in my peripheral vision. He was so stiff; I thought he was going to explode. "The Treasure Chest. It's the loveliest little jewel shop you'll ever see if I do say so myself."
Margot glanced over at her husband. "Jonas dear, you're in New Orleans so often, have you been there?" she asked. I wanted to die laughing, but kept my composure. I didn't dare look at Max. I had a feeling she was about to fall on the ground laughing to death herself.
"You know," I said, pretending to think for a moment. "I thought I might know you. Weren't you just there a few weeks ago and got that lovely little diamond and emerald number?" For a moment I thought he was about to shit his pants. He had bought a nice little Diamond and Emerald number, and paid them quite well for the private show.
Margot smiled. "Oh, you mean that beautiful ring?" She beamed at Jonas. "Now isn't that just amazing. All of my friends were wondering where Jonas managed to find it. You know, you'll have to give me your card, so I can know where to send my friends."
I grinned. Jonas knew about my business cards. He jumped up quickly. "Well, unfortunately we have to get going now," he said quickly. Margot looked a little confused, but got up anyways. He glared at me for a second as I stood with Max.
"It's been so nice to meet you Topaz," Margot said. "Max, lovely to see you again as well." Jonas hustled her out the door quickly, and then Max and I both were on the floor nearly howling with laughter. Logan wheeled over to us, staring at us like we were interesting bugs or something.
"You cut twenty-seven minutes off of the average length of their stay," he commented with a killer smile. "You've got to come around every time they show up."
Max and I sat up. "Logan," she said proudly, putting her arm around me. "This is my sister Terran."
"Max," I said, unable to hold back any longer. "At the risk of sounding too much like out dear big brother, how many people know about our 'boarding school' when we were kids?"
"Just Cindy and Logan," she assured me. I hate to say it, but that was still two people too many. We just couldn't be too careful with norms. There were only eleven of us left. Norms knowing who we were just increased the chances of getting caught. It was a dangerous situation.
"So what did you do to my uncle?" Logan asked, still smiling. "I might need to take notes so I can do it later." He looked confused for a moment when Max and I started laughing again. I didn't know the laws up here, but I was sure if he did that, it would be illegal somewhere."
"The Treasure Chest is the hottest strip club in the Quarter," I informed him. His eyes got huge. "And lets just say Auntie Margot didn't get the same jewels Jonas got the last time he was there."
They both laughed at that. Logan didn't look too surprised that his uncle was fooling around. Most men did it; they just didn't have the madams make house calls.
"So," Logan began. "What's another rogue X-5 doing in the city?" I could feel my smile wilt, and Max looked concerned.
"Terran, you okay?" she asked. "Lydecker hot on you or something?" He had been hot on me all right, but not in the way she was thinking.
"Actually, no," I said. "But…" I looked at Max. "There is something I need to talk to you about." I glanced over at Logan. "No offense, but it's…I just need to talk to my sister privately."
Max really looked concerned now. "Logan's gotten used to us being all weird and secret and stuff," she said, and then jumped up. "C'mon. I know where we can go." I took her hand, and she led me off into the night once again.