Under the Green Bigtop
The kitten heels that were so impractical on the dirt and grass of the worn midway were perfect on the snap-together flooring under the green tent. The woman clipped across the floor toward the broad backed man with his hands tucked into his white pants, his white suit jacked pushed back for access.
“They are enjoying the new entertainments. Most are still beating the games, however. You will need to adapt further if-”
She cut off as he lifted a hand with brassy metal tipping the fingers and linking to his joints. The metal exoskeleton lay flat like it was painted on in ribbons and fit delicately along his skin. The metal tipped his fingers, streamed down, circled the joints and flexing flat along his hand. The tech disappeared up the purple sleeve of his shirt and she knew it raced up his arm and over most of his body in a brassy lacework.
“I have adapted plenty. It is time to send out the invitations and see who comes to play,” he said with a kind voice. He picked up something from the table and turned toward Lorina revealing his handsome face trimmed in red curls. He passed her a card and she looked down to see the name and smiling face of the missing student staring up from her student ID. “Have someone wipe this down and drop it somewhere inside the city. If he fails to wipe away all evidence then he will be charged with murder when her body is found.“
When his hand was empty he pushed it through his hair. “Time to introduce the Arcade.”
