Frisk Read Online Free PDF Page A

She was still going to be squashed under the wheel.
    Shaking her head, she got back to business, and the wave of gossip was nearly visible. By the time she was at the end of her shift, she had been posed with, pinched, quizzed and fondled with alarming regularity. It seemed that if they perceived her to be having sex with someone, it made her a target for the lust of anyone.
    Lera’s co-workers were no better. The men suddenly eyed her with interest, while the women asked her what Lance had been most interested in.
    Lera’s head was spinning, and she quickly filed her reports and changed into her civilian clothing, sneaking out and back to her quarters as quickly as her feet could carry her.
    She froze when she saw the exterior of her building. Men and women, who were looking around, seeking any sign of her, surrounded it.
    Lera crept into an alley and sighed as she lifted her personal communicator to her cheek. “Lieutenant Hormik, please.”
    There were a few clicks, and Hormik was suddenly there. “Hello?”
    “Hormik, I need a place to stay for a few days until this Guardian thing blows over. Do you know where I can get a room that won’t publicise my whereabouts?”
    “Go to my place. I will have the monitor let you in. Pick up some clothing on the way and an overnight kit.”
    “Will do. Thank you, Hormik.”
    “It is the least I can do for having the bad taste to make you a target.”
    “It wasn’t you. It was him. See you when you get off shift.”
    They disconnected the call, and Lera headed out to grab some casual clothing. Her spare uniform was at the headquarters, so all she had to do was get in a few minutes early the following day so she could change.
    One night on a dance floor and she was barred from her home. Imagine what would have happened if she actually had slept with him.

Chapter Five
    Two days later, she was on desk duty, rubbing her forehead.
    “Having trouble sleeping?” Captain Drular stood next to her desk.
    “Hormik’s couch is comfortable enough, but I miss my own quarters.” She scowled and looked up at him.
    “Well, that will no longer be a concern for you.”
    She blinked and rubbed her eyes. “You are firing me?”
    He paused and blurted out a laugh. “No. You have been assigned as the Peacekeeper liaison with the Guardians. You will live at their base and go where they go, making sure that they don’t step on the toes of other Peacekeepers.”
    “What?”
    “You heard me. You are now the Guardian Liaison. Go home, there are officers coming with you to help you pack. The Guardians will be here in two hours to collect you.”
    “Just like that?”
    “No, not really. They have been trying for three days, but the imperium finally put through the order today. If this works, there will be liaisons assigned throughout the imperium. It will be a great thing for the Peacekeepers. Folks tend to forget we are there when the Guardians appear.”
    She twisted her lips in a grimace. “No kidding. Fine. I will go under guard and provided that I can land on my roof. There are way too many crazies at ground level.”
    “Done. Now, clean out your locker and get going.”
    Lera emptied out her desk and headed for her locker. It took two minutes for her to gather everything and return her weapons to the armoury.
    Hormik and Toimar were her escort, and they landed the skimmer on her roof. Down below, cries went out, and Lera knew they were running out of time.
    She used her pass codes to get inside and sprinted to her apartment as quickly as her legs could carry her.
    Inside, she grabbed two duffels and shoved all of her clothing into one while her objects from home went into the other. She was ready to bug out in five minutes, which was a good thing when Hormik and Toimar were having trouble keeping the crowd back.
    If she had been on earth, she would have thought that she had been linked to a Hollywood star or some other kind of performing artist. Here, she had been seen in a clinch