Enid had cut the call. She needed to shut down. She fell back against the balcony’s glass door and slid down it. She wrapped her arms around her knees. Tears began to drip down her cheeks. Real mortal tears. She started to shake with the sobs. She pulled off the holo phone wrist band and tossed it into her room. She didn’t need platitudes from an AI or from a woman who had never had children. They wouldn’t understand her loss. How many of her children had she lost from age? None had been by violence.

She closed her eyes and she could see the wide smiles on their faces as they walked out towards their launch pad. And her just wanted to go have sex…she should have gone with them. Or never let Hazel out of her sight. She banged her head against the glass door. She deserved the pain. The sun was starting to set on the Dome. Darkness overtook Enid but then she was suddenly blinded by a spotlight from something. She put her hand up to shield her red eyes.

“Do you need medical assistance?”

Enid lowed her hand slightly the voice was familiar, it was Apollo.

“No, go back to your bay.”

“Your heart rate is elevated, and you have a head injury.”

“I’ll be fine, just go away.”

“That is outside mission parameters your safety is priority concern. Self-harm is an indication of suicidal tendencies in organic beings.”

Enid spoke quietly, but in a harsh tone.

“I will be fine; Just go before you blow our cover.”

“We apologize, we were misdirected to the wrong room.”

Enid waved him away. She heard her room door open and footsteps as people rushed in. By the time they reached the balcony Apollo had cloaked and vanished from sight. Enid wasn’t sure if he was nearby or not with fusion generator and antigravity he was whisper quiet. And with no enhanced senses she couldn’t spot or hear him. She pushed herself up ready to fight but realized it was just Morgan, hotel security and medical staff.

“I’m fine, I just hit my head.”

Enid being mortal couldn’t resist as she was rushed to sit down, and medical scanners started looking at her head wound. Morgan stayed but hotel security left. After a few minutes the pain vanished.

“Just a superficial bit of split skin. All good now.”

The two medical staff made their way out. Morgan put the holo-phone on the desk in front of Enid.

“Sorry ma’am, we had a report of someone injured up here…”

“It was just a scratch.”

“Well, your companies biomonitoring didn’t think so but I see you’ve removed your monitor.”

“My ‘company’ is paranoid.”

“I just needed some peace and quiet.”

“Ma’am, is there anything I can do?”

“No, please leave me be. And unless you hear gunfire, don’t come in please.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Morgan left. Enid continued to sit in the dark. She stared down at her wrist band. It had a flashing green light on it. She knew it meant she had messages. She’d read the manual. She slid it away from her. What she needed now was vengeance. The old-testament kind. Amee would just try to dissuade her for stability or some bullshit. Maria would probably say the same. She wasn’t in the mood to listen to their calls for moderation. No once she had her power back she would turn every single one of BMC’s holdings into a 29th century Sodom. Then she would go into the past and undo this even if it meant destroying every temporal shield in existence. She’d played by the rules long enough. It was time to use the power she seemed to have to make things better for her. Fuck reality. Fuck God and Fuck Amee.

She closed her eyes and tried to force herself back to vampirism. All she managed to do was give herself a headache as blood started to thunder through her head. Her heart was beating rapidly. She wanted to scream but she held it in. Fuck God indeed. It seems he had fucked her plans for revenge. But she did have a fighter that had antimatter weaponry. That would make for some serious fireworks if…more collateral damage then she would have wanted. BMC’s payment was due, starting tonight. She grabbed her holo-phone and wrapped it around her wrist.

“Apollo. Charge your antimatter weapons we’re going to visit BMC’s complex here.”

“Ma’am?”

“My daughters are dead. All that is left is to avenge them. You with me?”

“I am assigned to you and have no moral issues with this course of action, however, I saw the report. There is no verification that they found your youngest daughter among the wreckage. She could still be alive and at the facility. I am fairly sure antimatter weaponry will have sufficient yield to destroy a werewolf.”

Enid glared at her wrist.

“If Eyre is dead then Hazel will be. No way she survived where a two-thousand-year-old vampire didn’t.”

“Eyre was within the lethal solar range for vampires. Werewolves have no such weakness.”

Enid frowned. She wanted to scream at Apollo but he was just analyzing things without the same emotional response she would have. Enid found his voice of calm reasoning starting to interfere with her immediate need for retaliation. She leaned her head down onto her palms.

“Fine. Tell me when Bee gets here otherwise block all my communications. I do not want to talk to Amee. She’s obsessed with corporate governance and stability, and I could give two shits if Aurelius goes out of business.”

“As you wish, Aunt Enid. I cannot stop her from sending WTO forces to retrieve you however.”

“Well, she has no idea I’m stuck as a mortal, I don’t think she has anything strong enough to fight me as a vampire.”

“I will not advise anyone to your mortal status, ma’am.”

“Thank you. Unfortunately, as a mortal I need sleep. I’ll leave the wrist band on.”

“Thank you, Aunt Enid, you had me concerned for your safety.”

Enid dragged herself to bed. She was still in her armor. She flopped down face first on her pillow. She began to cry again, thankfully sleep overtook her. Enid felt her wrist vibrating. She woke up in an unflattering position hair a mess and drool on her pillow. She groaned, she hadn’t moved much during the night and felt every part of her pop and crack as she moved.

“Fuck being mortal.”

She wiped the sleep from her eyes and looked at the holo in front of her. Bee was blinking at her.

“Are you alright?”

“I’ve been better. Did you hear about…”

“I did. I am late because I stopped by the wreckage with an Aurelius team. Can I come up?”

Enid sat up and rubbed her face with free hand.

“Apollo…do whatever…”

“I’ve have ensured Beatrice’s Identity has been granted access to your suite. Beatrice, I suggest you bring coffee. Perhaps another stimulant.”

“Umm..okay…who are you?”

“I am Apollo. The artificial intelligence in control of Ms. Aurelius’s transportation.”

“Oh…”

Enid looked at the empty bottle of whiskey she had drank last night. She rubbed her head and then fell backwards.

“Something for a hangover too.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Apollo did she get the access?”

“No. She stopped when she realized that Eyre was deceased.”

“I need access. How?”

“Ma’am…I have some contacts that can arrange that.”

“Good.”

Enid let herself flop back on the bed. She stared up at the white ceiling she wasn’t sure how long she’d laid there before her door opened and Bee walked in. She was wearing an armored corporate style suit. She put down a tray of coffee and a bag.

“I got you breakfast.”

“I can’t eat, gah I can barely sit up.”

Bee picked up the empty bottle that once held forty ounces of whiskey. She looked at Enid.

“You can get drunk?”

“Yes. What would you do if your daughter died?”

“I’d find who did it and make them pay.”

“Ya but there was only evidence of one daughter. So….if I make them pay I might hurt my other daughter. Fuck AI’s for their ability to be logical in the face of terrible circumstances.”

“You are welcome.”

Enid made a face and held out her hand. Bee took it and pulled her up.

“Ma’am, you…should drink your coffee and eat…then shower. You are…not at your best.”

Enid pulled out the egg and bacon sandwich and bit into it. It was the first actual food she’d eaten since she’d arrived in the 29th century. She blinked.

“It tastes real.”

“What did you expect?”

“Nutrient paste made out of shit and dead people.”

“Maybe in the beginning, but now we have farms, synth meat…vast farm domes.”

Enid grumbled and drank the coffee which also tasted remarkably normal. It wasn’t too hot so she downed it. Then ate the rest of the sandwich and stumbled her way into the shower. When she finally left the washroom half an hour later Bee was talking to Morgan. They grew quiet when Enid appeared. Morgan looked at Enid.

“Doctor Young. I am sorry about your children. Will you be checking out?”

“No.”

Morgan looked between Bee and Enid.

“I just want to reinforce that weapons are banned from Pleasure Dome 3.”

“Your security teams are welcome to search the room, my pack and Bee. We have no weapons.”

“Thank you for confirming that, Doctor Young.”

Morgan nodded to each woman in turn and left the room. Bee looked Enid up and down.

“Well at least you look human again.”

“Don’t remind me.”

“Will your abilities come back?”

“I have no fucking clue. Sometimes it’s an hour sometimes its years. Longest has been just over eighty years.”

Bee put a pair of pills on the table in front of Enid.

“Painkillers.”

Enid grabbed them and chased them with a gulp of water. Enid looked at Bee.

“Do they have an autopsy for Eyre yet?”

“No they only found the body twelve hours ago.”

“Did she have her head attached?”

“No.”

“If she was in sunlight and died her body would have disintegrated.”

“We found her lodged in the ship wreckage. Out of the sun. Look, let the professionals handle this ma’am. You don’t need to see her like that.”

“I am…was a fully certified surgeon. I am a professional.”

“Well I can probably get the report from Aurelius, seeing as you are technically the new owner. You daughter’s shares went to you.”

Enid frowned.

“Fuck that.”

“Ma’am, it is what it is. Aurelius needs leadership.”

“Let Maria do it.”

“She is unable to do so, she put her shares in a blind trust when she joined the military. Amee says its you or Mitena and no one seems to want Mitena.”

“She might use it to make a difference.”

“Ma’am Aurelius employs several million people. You cannot let us starve.”

Enid rubbed her nose with her fingers.

“I’ll tell you what, you help me find Hazel, or her remains and I’ll sit at the desk and look important.”

“Well to start we will need access to the Titan corporate dome. Its highly restricted.”

“I was just going to fly in point antimatter weapons at it and say, let me in…”

Bee coughed on the drink of water she just took.

“What?”

Enid blinked innocently.

“Kidding…mostly. Look I have zero patience for this cloak and dagger bullshit. One daughter is dead, the other might be and I’m ready to start a war. Would have already if I was still…a vampire.”

“I know someone who can get us access. If you are as mortal as you say you are, we cannot shoot our way in there.”

“Bet Maria could.”

“I overheard her offering to bring the entire fleet and place a ship in orbit over every single known BMC facility. Amee told her you had everything under control.”

“Well I don’t. A fleet of capital ships would be super helpful right now.”

“She would need WTO sanction for that ma’am.”

“And Amee isn’t willing to show her hand.”

“No ma’am, she does not seem to want too.”

“Something tells me by the time I’m finished she will wish she had.”

Bee shook her head.

“Ma’am. You should not let your anger rule you. It will not serve us well here.”

“If I give up my rage, I’ll be back in that bed crying myself to sleep if I’m not passed out from alcohol. Eyre…Hazel. You don’t understand…”

Bee put her hands on Enid’s shoulders.

“I have a daughter, I know ma’am. I know. But if Hazel is still out there, she needs you to be calm, cool and collected. You are the oldest living being in the solar system, probably the universe. I know from your diaries you used to hunt people. If anyone can find her you can. You just need help because you don’t know our time and technology.”

“I need to talk to Lucius.”

“Who?”

“Come on, I know he was in my dairy….”

“You mean the first man?”

“Yes my first husband.”

“Where is he?”

“In my sword.”

Enid reached into her pack and willed Lucius to her hand but found he did not come…

“The fuck?”

She spoke out loud.

“Lucius?”

Enid frowned.

“Not possible the only time we can’t communicate is when he’s in the pack but he’s not in the pack…”

“Fuck. Or he’s merged into Hazel because she shapeshifted while holding him. Bee, do you have any video of the ship interior?”

“No, it was rendered unrecoverable.”

“Of fucking course.”

Enid scowled at her suite’s desk.

“So did Amee tell you to bring me back?”

“Yes at all costs.”

“Are you going to try?”

“No, I don’t work for the WTO, I work for Aurelius. So far the board wants you back but they also don’t want you back. I don’t have direct orders either way from them…so I’m just going to keep you safe.”

“Okay so how do we get access to the Corporate Sector of Titan?”

“We get a DAS and pay them to get us access.”

“What is a DAS?”

“Data Alteration Specialist? Data Ninja? Computer person?”

“A hacker.”

“Yes, that is the twentieth century term.”

“Do you know any? I seem to have lost my list of criminals when I got shoved out of my time.”

“I knew some people on Earth who know someone here, his name is Charlie and he lives here. Not sure where to find him though, and I don’t have a last name. Apparently, he favors Hawaiian shirts and fancies himself a ladies’ man? That’s all I got.”

Enid held up her finger and tapped her wrist.

“Call Morgan.”

One vibration later Morgan’s face appeared on the holo display.

“How may I help Doctor Young?”

“Could you come to my room? I need help tracking down another guest.”

“Of course Doctor Young, I will be there shortly.”

The connection ended and Enid looked at Bee.

“Are people like her common in the Church?”

“Oh, you mean the anti-augmenters. Umm, yes, like half the church. They consider us heretics. She doesn’t like me much. There are even radicals that have blown up factories and cybersurgeon offices. They haven’t been active for a few years, WTO and corporate security cracked down hard. Still around though.”

“I fucking hate that. People using my memory and name to justify violence.”

“Well you gave us the message, some people just take it too far…or misinterpret it.”

“So if someone loses a eye or a leg, or needs a lung or a heart they think the person should just suffer or die?”

“Depends on how…what is the word, mmm I don’t know. Some are purist to the point that you won’t even agree to organ transplants. Some are alright with cloned BMC parts, as long as they are organic.”

“Fuck. So they’d just let their kid die…”

“Well there is still a chance you could swoop in and give the kid immortality.”

“No there isn’t, we don’t turn children. They will never grow up. Do you know how cruel that is? I was turned at eighteen that was it, wasn’t even fully matured, I was short, had no chest to speak of.”

“But Eighteen is an adult…”

“I was malnourished and abused…I didn’t really start to get physically mature until sixteen or seventeen.”

“Oh.”

“What the fuck? Seriously. Deluded idiots. And if I suddenly showed up called them dumb they would probably just call me an imposter and ignore me.”

“Its what they do to Eyre…did to Eyre. She had so many attacks on her because they believed she was lying about her identity to solidify her position at Aurelius.”

There was a beep at the door.

“Come in.”

The door slid open and Morgan walked in.

“How can I help you today?”

Enid glanced at Bee then to Morgan.

“I’m looking for someone named Charlie, wears Hawaiian shirts, kind of a ladies man?”

Morgan went a bit pale.

“Doctor Young, surely, you wouldn’t want to be seen associating with someone…like that?”

“Colorful fellow?”

“You could say that.”

“Where can I find him?”

“Usually on the north beach. Near the Mei Mei tiki bar. But Doctor Young, I do hope you’ll reconsider… the north beach is… our location or less estimated guests.”

“So its where the people in the cheap rooms go?”

“Not in so many words, but yes.”

“Sounds like my kind of place. Thank you, Morgan.”

Morgan held up her finger as if she was about to say something but seemed to give up and gave a small bow and walked out. Enid glanced at Bee.

“Well guess we should get in our bathing suits.”

Enid vanished into the bathroom and returned a one piece black bathing suit, a wide brimmed straw sun hat and a floral sarong skirt. Bee was in a bathing suit. Enid slipped on her sunglasses and motioned for Bee to go first as they approached the door. Enid glanced at her holo-phone’s display using it as a map to reach the so-called north beach. Long before they got onto the beach proper, they could hear the laughter and squeals of children. Bee looked at the ocean and stopped dead. Enid had walked a few steps and realized her bodyguard wasn’t beside her. She looked back at her.

“Bee?”

“I’ve never seen so much real water.”

“Of course you have, New Amazon is surrounded by glaciers.”

“But not…liquid water. Is this what it used to be like on Earth?”

Enid sniffed the air and looked up at the simulated sun.

“Smells better. But yes pretty close, you have to have seen holos, movies or whatever right?”

“Those are different…how do people not drown in that?”

“Easy they swim…”

“You seem very calm considering there is…millions of tons of water…”

“I used to fly jets off of aircraft carriers, trust me, you get used to it. Now put your big girl pants on and let’s go find this Charlie. I’ll pay for you and the kids to come on a real vacation here then you can ponder the mysteries of the water.”

Enid spotted one of the Pleasure Dome’s staff who immediately approached her when he noticed her. She assumed the staff must have tags on their guest’s holo-phones or something to track them.

“Ma’am, perhaps I could escort you to the south beach?”

Enid looked him up and down he had dusky skin. It was hard to tell people’s origins in this strange new level of melting pot. He had a slight accent. Enid pinged it as Asian. He was wearing shorts and was bare-chested. She appreciated that last bit because the man was all muscle.

“No, no thank, perhaps you could tell us how to find the Mei Mei Tiki Bar?”

He shook his head.

“Ma’am, I’m sure you’d be much happier at the establishments on the other side of the resort.”

Enid glanced at Bee.

“Why am I going to get mugged here?”

“No, ma’am, of course not we are the most secure resort in the solar system, I dare say Galaxy at this point.”

Enid rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses.

“Then why do you staff keep trying to push me to the South Beach? Did I only pay for access to one side? Should I be paying more?”

“No, no ma’am, you’ve paid for full access to all facilities here, its just, the establishments here, they cater to a different level of clientele. We have a steak and wine bar on the South Beach that is to die for and you paid for all inclusive, the restaurants here are more…fast food.”

“If its all inclusive and I have full access then I can eat and drink anywhere I want right? Whatever I want?”

“Of course, ma’am.”

“Well, I want to sit in a tiki bar, I want to hear the laughter of children and I want a cheeseburger. Don’t worry it has been made abundantly clear that quality on this beach is lower than what I paid for, it will not hurt my rating of your resort. What will hurt it is people assuming what I fucking want.”

The man swallowed hard and motioned east down the beach.

“Mei Mei Tiki bar is about half a kilometer that way ma’am.”

“Thank you.”

Enid sighed and started walking in that direction. Bee hurried to catch up.

“He was just trying to help.”

“I liked it better when hotel staff ignored me like I was some teenage girl who stole her daddy’s credit card.”

“I looked at the prices ma’am, your package cost a quarter of a million credits a night. I can see why they want to ensure you’re happy. I can only dream of that sort of thing. You have a private beach.”

“So wait I’m paying two and a half million to stay here for two weeks?”

“Seems so.”

Enid shrugged.

“Pocket change. And not even mine pocket change. I’ll get you that suite for you and the kids. You can enjoy it to your hearts content. I’d be happy over here. Seems less…stuffy. And look, they have a whole amusement park.”

Enid pointed at the loops of a roller coaster in the distance. Enid squished the sand between her toes. Everything here reminded her of her time in Okinawa.

“I don’t hate this place.”

“It is growing on me.”

The pair arrived at a tiki bar. No other way for Enid to describe it. She glanced at Bee then to the signage. It read Mei Mei in gaudy pink neon. It looked super cheesy, but the palm trees were real. Her wrist vibrated, she checked her holo-phone and it read: ‘Rain in fifteen minutes. Seek shelter in one of our numerous restaurants and enjoy a hearty lunch, don’t forget to top up those margaritas!’

“Guess we got here just in time. Why on Earth….or Titan, would they make it rain in a dome?”

Bee shrugged to Enid, who shook her head. The pair walked inside. Enid took her hat and sunglasses off. Once her eyes became accustomed to the restaurant she realized it was fairly deserted. No one in Hawaiian shirts to be seen. She sat at one of the tables with Benches and put her hat and sunglasses down. A server appeared she was wearing a fake coconut bra and hula skirt.

“What can I get you?”

Enid looked up at her.

“Do you have cheeseburgers?”

“No honey, this is a bar not a restaurant.”

“Then just give me something cold without alcohol.”

“One virgin Margarita coming up.”

She looked to Bee who shrugged.

“Same please.”

“Okay, whose paying for this? Just swipe here.”

The waitress held out a small tablet Enid waved her wrist over it and the waitress blinked.

“I’m so sorry ma’am. You know what, I’ll make sure we get you that cheeseburger.”

Enid blinked at her.

“No need, I can get one when we finish.”

“No, no ma’am, I’ll get you one here ASAP.”

Enid gave a small sigh. The waitress hurried off. Enid looked at Bee who shrugged.

“I guess a VIP is a VIP.”

“I hate being a bother. I’m going to go talk to the bartender, see if he knows Charlie. Why don’t you call your daughters huh?”

Bee looked around at the almost deserted bar.

“Okay I guess you’ll be okay for a few minutes.”

“I am a big girl.”

Enid slid out of the bench and headed to the bar. She leaned over it and tapped the bar tender on the back. Her real body would have had trouble doing it but Sarah being almost six foot tall had an easy time of it. The bartender jumped as he glanced up into Enid’s cleavage.

“Sorry didn’t see you there. Did Cindy take are of you?”

“She did but…I’m here looking for something. Do you know Charlie?”

Enid stood up the bartender maintained his gaze at her chest. Enid snapped her fingers in front of her face he looked up and blushed.

“I’m so sorry ma’am.”

“Its okay, I’m used to it. But this is important do you know Charlie, wears Hawaiian shirts, long time guest?”

“Oh…Charlie.”

“Yes Charlie.”

“Well…who is asking?”

Enid slid one of her untraceable credit chits across the bar.

“Five hundred credits in untraceable cryptocurrency, with another five hundred to follow if you…introduce us.”

The bartender eyed what was a week’s wages with tips for him. But thought the better of it and shook his head.

“Look don’t know who you’re talking about.”

She could tell he was lying, even without her gift. That just made it a glaring lie.

“Seriously?”

“Ya, now you want to order something or what?”

Enid grabbed the credit chit and slipped it into her pack.

“No.”

Enid walked away and sat down at the table across from Bee. She heard Bee say her I love yous and then she hung up. Bee looked at Enid.

“So, get anywhere?”

Enid frowned.

“No, lying though his teeth. I even offered him like a thousand credits. Who says no to that?”

“Probably thinks your WTO, or Corporate security.”

“Well maybe he’ll tell Charlie I was looking for him and Charlie will find us.”

“Hopefully civilly.”

“What does that mean? Don’t you know this is the most secure resort in the known worlds?”

Bee chuckled and sipped her margarita. Enid looked down at hers which had arrived in her absence.