i'm just that fascinating i guess

[self_composed]

The first day Bella spends out and about with her new who's-watching-me powers, she is rather alarmed.

Maybe she's just mistaken about how much time people spend looking at reasonably pretty eighteen-year-old girls. She kills a pentagon to try it on a nearby control - who's looking at that girl over there?

Fewer people. Fewer people are looking at that random girl, and less intently. They're looking at her familiarly - they know her - or casually - they're checking her out.

[I have a spy problem,] Bella says. She makes a faintly exaggerated show of snapping her fingers in frustration and turning around. She's going back to her room to get a mirror and bobby pins and barettes, so she can spy back on the pretense of checking her hair, without making it overwhelmingly obvious that she knows what's going on.

Comments

[regularsized]

"In my fairly extensive experience of Libby, I've never caught her doing anything that petty and vindictive," says Bridget. "But sure."

[self_composed]

"I think we've established that she doesn't tell you everything. Thank you," Bella says, smiling weakly.

[regularsized]

"You're welcome."

[self_composed]

"What happens now? Do you phone her? Do I need to leave the room?"

[regularsized]

"Yes and probably also yes," says Bridget.

[self_composed]

Bella walks into the kitchen, far enough away that if Bridget speaks in a low voice she really won't be able to hear her.

[regularsized]

And Bridget makes a call.

It's not long.



"I left her a message," she says, stepping into the kitchen.

[self_composed]

"She tells you to confront a wishcoiner with displeasing news and then does not answer her phone when you call?" Bella asks.

[regularsized]

"I did mention there seemed to be an emergency, right?"

[self_composed]

"You did. But it sounded like it was an emergency that related to me in some way."

[regularsized]

"That doesn't mean I know what it is. You could be tangential for all I know."

[self_composed]

"True. Does she have emergencies often?"

[regularsized]

"Not very."

[self_composed]

[Anything new on your end?] Bella asks Lazarus.

"Before this what was the last thing Libby wanted you to do?" Bella asks idly.

[regularsized]

"I was generally on call to answer high-level physics questions at weird hours," says Bridget. "Still am, actually."

[self_composed]

Bella laughs. "Like what?"

[regularsized]

"One of the recent ones was about disappearing things," she recalls. "As in, an object suddenly replaced by vacuum. I advised her not to do it, especially if there was an open container involved. I'm pretty sure the relativistic baseball question was recreational, but I might as well point out to you that it is a bad idea to accelerate any solid object to a significant fraction of c within the Earth's atmosphere."

[self_composed]

"Noted," Bella says. "I think I'm out of questions. Temporarily. I guess I'll leave you to your own devices and expect a call or an email from Libby at some point?" She stands up.

[regularsized]

"Okay," says Bridget. "Bye."

[self_composed]

Bella Tegus off. [I am to expect some manner of contact from Libby, Chris's niece,] she informs Lazarus and Alice.

[nonbird]

[That sounds ominous,] says Lazarus.

[self_composed]

[She clearly already knows where I am. This way I will learn something about her, too.]

[nonbird]

[Still ominous,] says Lazarus.

[self_composed]

[Somewhat. I don't think Bridget knows that Libby-or-someone-related kidnapped you.]

[nonbird]

[Good for Bridget, I guess.]