The Moon is Not Enough by ThePekingNoodle

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Chapter Twenty-Three: Wave a Magic Wand

In which Cinderella, um, Jondy gets ready for the ball, with some help from her friends…

After Logan's announcement, the three of them quickly packed up. Within an hour they were on their way back to Seattle.  When they drew near to the city checkpoint Logan turned to Max. "Reach in the glove compartment and get out Bunny's papers."

Max did as he asked and passed the envelope back to Jondy.

"Whoa. You even put my picture on here. How…?" Jondy said in wonder.

Logan smiled, "Just took a digital camera and a bit of computer wizardry is all. The story is that you're Max's cousin, if it comes up. The rest of your id is in the paperwork there. Make sure you know it all by heart."

Jondy smiled. "I already do."

Logan shrugged, "Right. I should have known. Max, do you have our papers ready?"
"Right here. You're sure everything is okay with them now?" Max asked him nervously.

"I double checked again this morning. We won't have any problems."

The checkpoint came into sight and within moments they were stopped, waiting as the officers on duty examined their paperwork. Logan was right, there were no questions asked and inside of ten minutes they were being waved through the raised gate.  In what seemed like no time they were pulling into the garage at Fogle Towers.

"That seemed too easy." Max commented.

Logan smiled, "That was easy. The hard part comes tonight at the party."

Max grimaced, "Aunt Margo."

Jondy looked at them curiously. "Aunt Margo?"

"Logan's wicked witch of an aunt. Needless to say she hates me." Max explained. Then she smiled, "But Kendra's a sweetheart, and you'll get to meet her."

"Actually she'll get to meet Kendra earlier. I called her this morning and gave her Jondy's approximate size and asked her to meet us here with some dresses." Logan said.

"Just as long as they aren't pink." Max said warningly.

Logan chuckled. "No pink, I promise."

They had reached the penthouse by then and Jondy's eyes widened as she looked around. "Wow."

Max looked at her in surprise, having forgotten that Jondy's life since the escape had been very different from hers.

"Do you know what I could fence some of this stuff for?" Jondy said as she walked over and gazed at a painting on the wall.

Logan and Max exchanged glances. Jondy turned and looked at them and then laughed. "Don't worry I won't walk off with any of this. It's just that old habits…" she shrugged.

"You were a thief?" Max asked curiously.

"Girl has to make a living. And given our skills plus the need to lay low…cat burglary helped pay the bills that my usual minimum wage gig couldn't."

"I never thought." Max began with a look of guilt.

"Hey, don't sweat it. You were lucky and found a family." Jondy paused, "I consider myself lucky that Manticore never found me.  It's not the money; it's the freedom that counts."

Just then the doorbell rang. Logan walked over to answer it and Kendra walked in, holding an armful of dress bags and talking a mile a minute.

"Where is Max's cousin? You said she was blonde and about a size 4 so I brought dresses accordingly…is she built like Max? And Logan you forgot to tell me her shoe size…"

Logan threw up his hands. "Ken, she's over there with Max."

Kendra shoved the bags into his arms and turned to Max and Jondy. "Maxie!" She threw her arms around Max and hugged her and then turned an appraising eye on Jondy. Jondy stood there somewhat taken aback as Kendra walked around her, examining her closely.

"The hair has to have some work." Kendra picked up a piece of Jondy's hair and then let it drop. "And of course some makeup…but other than that I think she's going to look as hot as Max once we get her fixed up." She smiled in anticipation.

Max smiled forestalling the indignant comment she could see forming on Jondy's lips. "Jondy, Kendra is a magician when it comes to hot."

Kendra smiled smugly. "Logan is going to be the envy of every man in Seattle when he walks in tonight with the three of us."

"You're coming with us?" Max asked.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Ken, did you make sure that the Count is coming?" Logan asked.

"Are you kidding? Mom has been trying in every way she can to throw me at his head." Kendra said in disgust. "I was so happy when you called me with the scoop on him. What do you have planned anyway?"

Logan smiled. "You'll see."

Kendra looked like she wanted to hear more details but Max forestalled her, "Come on. Jondy needs to try the dresses on."

Kendra was easily distracted and she headed off with Jondy to the guest room. Max lingered behind for a minute with Logan.

"What is the plan anyway?" she demanded.

He smiled at her. "Why, we give him enough rope to hang himself."

"And that involves?"
"You looking incredibly hot and acting completely mesmerized by him."

"And that accomplishes what?"

"We find out if your theory is right about him being after your money. And then we go from there."

Max had the feeling that Logan wasn't telling her everything but he stopped her from questioning him further by pulling her to him for a brief kiss. She went along with him, but pulled away after a moment,

"I better go make sure that Jondy isn't ready to kill Kendra. She can be kind of overwhelming if you aren't used to her."

Logan laughed. "That's for sure." He looked at his watch. "We need to plan on leaving here in about four hours. Think that's going to be long enough for the three of you to get ready?"

Max tossed her hair over her shoulder as she walked from the room. "We'll be ready. The real question is, is Seattle society going to be ready for us?"

End of Chapter Twenty-Three…TBC…