The Lost Princess [Hamliza Anastasia AU]

Chapter Thirty: Preparations and Trepidations

Deputy Commissioner John Andre stood hesitantly in the hall. He had never been inside one of the CSS buildings before. Technically, he was a part of the CSS now, but he operated out of a police station, and when he reported to Commissioner Howe, it was done in his office in the capitol building, a neo-renaissance relic of the imperial days. The proper CSS headquarters, on the other hand, was in the modern boxy style, cold and grey and worn looking despite how new it was. 

He stood in the practically colorless foyer, looking up at the state seal over the unoccupied reception desk and trying to figure out where to go or who to ask for directions. Howe hadn't exactly been specific with his orders, delivered to his desk an hour ago, just said that Andre should head down to the covert CSS headquarters and let "the professionals get you ready for undercover work." As far as he could see though, no one seemed to be up for the task. The few people who'd rushed by as they went from one wing of the building to another all seemed to be terribly busy, never spoke a word, and were clearly trying their hardest to look inconspicuous, what with their dark suits, quick gaits, and hats pulled low over their faces. 

After maybe five minutes of this, a woman came out of a side hallway and fixed her gaze on Andre. She was pretty, with porcelain skin, elegantly curled ash blonde hair, and a round youthful face that looked just a touch familiar, though he couldn't place her. Her dress was a loose-fitting calf-length garment that stood out not only for its color, a dark rose tone, but for the fact that it was far different than anything else worn by New York women, aside from those who could fork over the money to a black-market dealer.

While he stared, the woman beckoned. "You're Deputy Commissioner Andre, correct? I was told you'd be coming in."

"Er, yes I am," Andre said, startled. Clearly, they had met before if she knew him on sight, but he still didn't know where.

"Come with me," Briskly, the woman turned and led him back down the hallway she had come from and into a large room. Racks of clothes took up most of the space, but there was a small open area near the door where the woman directed him to stand. Closing the door, she whipped out a measuring tape, and before he knew what was happening, she'd started taking measurements. Midway though winding the tape around Andre's waist, the woman paused, an odd look on her face. "I know you," She said slowly, taking another look at his face. "You're that gorgeous deputy commissioner who took our report about the Anastasia pretender a few weeks ago."

"What?" Andre yelped, partially because he had just realized who this woman was, and partially from the shock of hearing her call him gorgeous. "Peggy Shippen!"

"The one and only," she gave him a dazzling smile and measured the length of his sleeves. 

"But you're not a CSS tailor," he protested. "You're a-" Andre broke off. He wasn't going to call a woman a prostitute to her face, even if it was true. 

"That's what you're supposed to think, darling," Peggy smiled again, then reached into her handbag and produced a set of credentials, flashing them quickly at him, so all he could catch was her photo and the state seal marking the document as official. "Actually, I do much more around here than just pick out people's wardrobes, but the actual tailor is.... out of commission, so I had to step in."

In shock, Andre stood still as she finished measuring him, then instructed him to wait while she wove between the clothing racks, taking down an item here and there until she had what looked like several full outfits. Finished, she pulled a suitcase from under what looked frighteningly like a makeup station, snapped it open, and began putting things inside. "This," Peggy tapped the freshly pressed suit on the top of the pile, "is for anywhere nice you go in Philadelphia. They still have high society, and you'll have to look like you belong if you want to get close to this girl.This," a dark, simple outfit went in on top of the suit. "is covert work. Only when you don't want to be spotted, because if anyone sees you wearing it, they'll know something's up. The rest of this is for day to day wear. Make sure you keep the outfits together, because they're in the latest fashion. What you have on now will do for the journey. Take the coat too," She held out a heavy grey raincoat that had been about to go in the suitcase."It's pouring out there."