Skin Deep

2: Night Watch

The cell phone in my pocket began buzzing nonstop.

"You going to answer that?" Princess Alora glanced back at me through the rearview mirror.

She drove us beyond the cluster of reporters but we had no destination.

"No," I turned the device off while contemplating switching seats with her and driving us to the limits of this antiquated terrestrial-bound vehicle.

Then we'd be right back where we started with no means of concealing our inhuman exteriors.

Harsh artificial flashing lights rolled over the windows as we drove through the night.

Alora resembled humans more than I did. She was of average height for a teenager and her only divergent characteristics were her twinkling pink eyes and the neon green royal Hyserion birthmark emblazoned across her forehead. Features we could hide with garments but her stature and individual movement patterns were well documented. A novice assassin outfitted with a basic identity scanner could pluck her out of a crowd without trying.

Whereas my natural form would tower in a crowd and I was composed entirely of synthetic green and translucent materials.

"Which way should I go?" The Princess spoke up when we stopped at an intersection.

It didn't make sense.

We tailed out targets for hours with no indications that they were in any way high profile. The men were in and out of seedy clubs and never strayed from the back alleys.

I suppose that's exactly what someone famous does when they want to go out on the town and not get their picture taken.

"Want me to check the GPS for frequent destinations?"

"No, I will find us a secure location," I shook my head and reactivated Ross Harper's cell to wirelessly access the pertinent data.

"My shell has a home," I synced with the vehicle's primitive onboard computer and laid in a course for the Princess on the virtual map. "Your shell's dwelling is included within the same estate."

"Isn't that more dangerous?" The Princess adhered to the new route but she was driving dramatically slower than the speed limit.

"Potentially," I leaned forward and pointed for her to pace the other vehicles around us. "But veering drastically from our shell's standard movement will maximize attention. At the very least, we can buy a few hours during this species' dormant hours for me to recalibrate a new strategy. We only run if absolutely necessary."

"Is the tech on this planet advanced enough to construct an interstellar beacon?"

"Yes. Enough to suffice," I took control of the vehicle's steering wheel wirelessly from my seat in the second row. "I will gather the components we require and get you home safe as soon as possible. Please, Princess, take this time to rest before our arrival."

I loathed that these worries were more and more seeping into her conscious purview.

She was born to rule and I existed solely to ensure she fulfilled her destiny.

Ever since her imperial cruiser was ambushed and we were forced to escape only to be hunted by a stream of top-tier assassins she and I have been forced to operate as partners.

None of this was as the almighty creators had ordained.

The Princess let go of the wheel and harrumphed with her arms crossed in the upholstered chair.

"If you're such a big shot, and not on the run," Alora quickly amended. "Shouldn't you have more than one security guard?"

I narrowed my eyes at the teenager who was wilfully disregarding my recommendation to conserve her energy.