the gate with no problem. Up ahead, revelers were gathering in a huge anteroom, partaking in champagne and appetizers. Ariana hesitated, loitering among the few Hatches of people who had stayed behind to chat in this first hall.
Tahira received the same instructions from the guard and, like Ariana, placed nothing on the belt. She moved through the gate in front of Rob, and Ariana held her breath. Instantly, the red light atop the arc of the gate started to blink and a discreet but irritating alarm pealed out. The key had done its job.
"Miss, would you mind stepping this way?" a middle--aged guard said to Tahira in a Norwegian accent.
"Me?" Tahira asked, annoyed.
"Yes, please. I'll need to check the contents of your bag."
Ariana pressed her lips together to keep from smiling. So far, so good.
Tahira groaned and tipped her head back dramatically. "Do you have any idea who I am?" she said, thrusting her clutch at him.
He blinked at her, his face a blank. "No. I'm afraid I do not."
Then he unceremoniously dumped her stuff out into a plastic bin. Ariana moved slowly in the direction of the door, loitering just behind the guard. She glanced down at the bin and saw a compact mirror, a tube of lip gloss, Tahira's ID, and her EpiPen. The key Ariana had planted to make the metal detector go off hadn't fallen out. It was probably wedged into the tight outside pocket, which the guard hadn't noticed yet. All the better for Ariana. He looked the things over and, finding nothing metal, turned to the second guard.
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"We'll need the wand," he said.
"The what?!" Tahira screeched as the second guard approached with a metal--detecting wand. She backed up a few steps, nearly tripping on the long hem of her gown. "You are not using that thing on me. Rob! Get your ass over here!"
Rob, however, was being detained by a third guard on the other side of the metal detector, which the security team evidently did not want to use until the current situation was sorted out. The line of partygoers was starting to back up, and everyone was standing on their toes and straining their necks to see what the commotion was.
"Can't do it, sweetie!" he said in a bored voice.
"I have rights, you know!" Tahira shouted. "And I'm a dignitary's daughter, which means I have bodyguards! God, why did I tell them to stay home? If you give me my phone I can have them here in five minutes and they'll kick your scrawny Norwegian butt right back to Oslo."
"As appealing as that sounds, it's not necessary," the first guard said, approaching Tahira, who was trying to wrench her arm out of the second guard's grasp. "Now if you'll just stand still for a moment, miss. We're simply attempting to do our jobs."
"You people suck, you know that?" Tahira ranted, making an even bigger scene. So much for that image she was trying to maintain. "I don't know why we're allies with you old--school bastards. Norway sucks. In fact, Europe sucks!"
There was a general gasp from the waiting crowd, which was probably full of European dignitaries.
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"Yeah, that's right! I said it!" Tahira said, still squirming. "I hate Europe!"
Now the crowd started to murmur and shout. Ariana laughed and, with both guards now fully occupied by a screeching brat and a potential revolt, she quickly grabbed Tahiras EpiPen and slipped it into her purse. Then she turned and joined the party.
Part two of her plan was complete.
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THE TOUR
"Ana! Ana! Ana!"Brigit half--scurried, half--wobbled across the crowded ballroom, forcing ladies in couture and men in tails to dodge out of her way as she went. A woman in a glittering tiara laughed in an indulgent way as the princess raced around like a girl half her age. Ariana smiled as she caught Brigit in her arms before she could fall forward in her high heels. It must have been nice to have an entire country looking after you, indulging you, like you were a favorite daughter.
"What? What is it?" Ariana asked with a laugh, clutching Brigit's elbows as Brigit clutched hers.
"I did it! I did my task!" Brigit whispered breathlessly, her chest heaving up and down.
"You embarrassed the crown prince of Jordan?" Ariana replied under her breath. "How?"
"I was standing with him and Prince William and a couple of the
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