Fine. Have it your way. But you aren’t going to like Plan B.
I don’t really like Plan B either. I grab a handful of nuts from the table and head for the steps to the second level. I slip through the crowd and walk straight toward her. I don’t have time to waste. If I can’t charm her, I’ll work on her friends. I have to find a way in. I step up to their group of five. Raine, two other girls, and two boys.
“Hi. I’m Locke Jenkins. New to Boston—and all of this.”
Raine doesn’t respond. She just looks down at the torn knees of my pants and then away. The blond girl next to her smiles. “I heard there was a new guy in the Collective. We rarely get new blood. I’m Vina.” She holds out her hand, the backside of it up, like I’m supposed to kiss it. I’m caught off guard. I missed this lesson on social graces, but since I don’t know what else to do I take her hand in mine and lightly kiss it.
“A pleasure, Vina.”
The group’s eyes widen and I know I’ve missed the mark, but Vina giggles and seems pleased.
“And you are?” I say to Raine.
“Bored,” she replies. She begins to look away again but I don’t give her a chance to disengage.
“Not having fun?”
She’s a piece of work. She blinks her eyes at glacial speed. “This is a requirement of the Collective. Do I look like I’m having fun?”
“Dance?” I grab her hand and pull. She doesn’t budge, but there’s a brief moment of surprise on her face. It’s a relief to see any expression there at all, but just as quickly she gives me a very firm and deadly, “No,” and shakes my hand loose. From behind her shoulder I see a large Bot rapidly approaching us. He’s taller than me and his skin is rigid metallic gold. Even his eyes are gold and he has no pupils at all. He looks like he’s been extruded from one solid chunk of metal. He steps around her and grabs me by the throat, lifting me off the ground so we’re eye to eye.
“Never lay a hand on the Secretary’s daughter unless you would like your hand permanently removed. Do you comprehend?” I claw at his grip, unable to respond.
“Hap! I have it under control! Put him down!”
Hap drops me and I land on my feet coughing. I put my hands up indicating I’m backing off. “No problem, pal—she’s all yours.”
I turn to her friend, trying to rescue the situation. “Dance?”
Vina’s shoulders rise in a happy gush. “I’d love to.”
I shoot a disgusted glance at Raine as we leave and I’m happy to see what I think is irritation on her face. At least it’s something.
When Vina and I reach the dance floor, I look at the upper level and see that Raine’s watching us. Vina grabs my shoulders, her arms board stiff, and begins making the spastic dancing movements I had seen earlier. I’m in trouble. I don’t know how to do these moves. With all the things Gatsbro taught us in our year at the Estate, modern dance was not part of our studies. I reach out and put my hands on Vina’s waist and sway to the music instead, periodically glancing up to see if Raine is still watching. She is. Just beyond her I see the gold muscle-head in the corner probably still ready to dismember me, but then something much more interesting catches my eye.
Sitting in the shadows at a table is the Secretary. He’s chatting with LeGru, who must have entered another way. The Secretary finishes his drink with a quick backward movement and rises, whispering something to Hap. He’s not an easy read, cautious with his lip movements, but I make out, Leaving for the night. He disappears through a door on the second level, followed by LeGru. I see other adults on the upper level so he wasn’t the only parent here, but I suspect he’s the most intimidating. As soon as he leaves the volume in the room rises and I notice more people coming out on the dance floor.
“Locke?”
I look back at Vina. “Sorry, what did you say?”
“Where’d you learn to dance this way?”
“Oh. This? I can’t remember. I guess it’s kind of old-fashioned.”
“No, not at all,” she says. “But it is strange. I like it! Show me!”
The music changes to a slower beat and I slide my hands around her back, pulling her a little closer. “Well, you just—”
“Excuse me. I need to speak with Mr. Jenkins. Do you mind, Vina?”
Raine cuts in. No one is more surprised than me. “I don’t think so,” I tell her. “I don’t want to lose a hand.”
“I’ve spoken to Hap.” She stands there waiting like I’m a huge jackass for even mentioning it.
I look at Vina and shrug. “We’ll dance more later?”
She nods and smiles but aims an annoyed roll of the eyes at Raine before she walks away.