Chrome by Lisa Mason

Author:Lisa Mason
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: science fiction, genetic engineering, science fiction adventure, science fiction murder mystery, half animal half human, planetoid orbiting earth, science fiction civil rights
Publisher: Lisa Mason

She follows Lightfoot into a stainless-steel-and-cherrywood kitchen. Lightfoot takes a sack of coffee out of the fridge, grinds the beans. Sets coffee brewing, filling the kitchen with a delicious scent. Terralina laboriously pushes at one of the chairs at the kitchen table, scraping the legs across the hardwood floor.

Lightfoot whips around with the swift, dangerous grace of a feline. Surprise on her face. “What are you doing?”

Terralina shrinks back, embarrassment staining her cheeks pink. “I have to straddle the chair backwards. On account of my carapace.”

“Oh, of course.” Lightfoot stalks over, turns the chair around so the wooden back faces the table. Seizes Terralina beneath her arms, hoists her onto the seat as easily as if she were a child. “There you go, tortoise princess. Cream and sugar?”

“Sugar, please, no cream. And thank you. All the chairs at Tuddy’s castle are custom-built to accommodate our carapaces.”

“I’d like to see that.” Lightfoot brings her a steaming mug, sets it down. “Careful, it’s hot. Don’t burn your mouth.”

The puma dumps cream, no sugar, into her mug. She goes to the shiny stainless-steel fridge, considers the contents. Takes out a package of smoked trout. She rips the package open, slides the Vat-fish onto a blue porcelain plate. Plunks the plate on the kitchen table. “You eat fish? Help yourself.”

Lightfoot pulls up a chair, blows steam off her mug. “I’m very glad to see you, Terralina. I was going to wink you later today. You go first. You have something urgent to tell me?”

“Yes.” Terralina chooses a strip of trout, nibbles at it. She doesn’t usually breakfast on fish with her morning coffee but the trout smells delicious. And, yes, she’s an omnivore. “I’m not sure where to begin.”

Lightfoot unsheathes her claws, tears off a hunk, jams trout in her jaws. “Begin with Jamboree. It’s not those coyotes identifying you by your carapace that you’re afraid of. Am I right? You’re afraid of the manimal in the limousine. He got a look at you?”

“Yes, he did.”

“Go on.”

“I got a look at him, too, when he drove past. He had a black Tatt. Shiny. Glittering with power. I’ve never seen anything like it. What is that?”

“Serious encryption beyond the usual,” Lightfoot says, widening her eyes with alarm. “Very expensive. Lots of ice.”

“There’s more. The manimal’s limousine? I remember that it had unusual license plates. Symbols and numbers. Not the usual letters and buzzwords.”

“Government,” Lightfoot whispers.

“Yes. Back at Tuddy’s castle, I started getting scared. I winked my Blend-friend Wanda. She works on the database at the Chrome City Police Main Station. She’s a frog Blend. Peruvian human ancestors. A lovely lady, and honest. We had a talk.”

Terralina recounts Wanda’s story. That everyone at the stationhouse was buzzing about Zena Kinski’s murder. About the mysterious Blend in a wolf costume who was seen by Security Eyes, then evaded them. About his costume found in a lavatory off the kitchen. The costume lousy with sealant.

“By the trade door, you see?” Terralina says and Lightfoot nods gravely.

That everyone knew a puma was tracked by the Security Eyes on the roof within minutes after the murder.

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