I Dated a Secret Weapon, page 1
Kyda kept a low profile until she was involved in a workplace incident. One hopped-up customer wrecks her disguise, and she has to hide in a place she never imagined.
Kyda has found a balance in her life. She has a job, her brother is a defender for Aksalla, and her asylum paperwork is in order. When a tweaked-out client comes into the coffee shop where she works, the slightest sound-produced rage in the overpowered active and Kyda ends up with life-threatening injuries and begging whatever deities there are that her blood remains in her body. Her blood kills.
Ados hears that his picnic date has suffered an injury, and their date is postponed. His work partner is notified that his sister has suffered a traumatic injury, and he needs to go to her side as she refuses to let the medics help.
Her repair gets back on track, and she is content to let the lab take care of her until agents of her previous government come looking for her and attempt to blow up the lab in the process.
Kynor talks to Ados about his sister, and Ados mentions his escort. They realize they are talking about the same woman, and she needs to be safe. Ados moves her to the safest place he knows. His grandmother’s prison. Everything gets interesting from there.
The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
I Dated a Secret Weapon
Copyright © 2023 by Viola Grace
ISBN: 978-1-990635-31-1
©Cover art by Angela Waters
All rights reserved. With the exception of review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the express permission of the publisher.
Published by Viola Grace
Smashwords Edition
Look for me online at violagrace.com.
I Dated a Secret Weapon
Blind Date Corporation Book 12
By
Viola Grace
Chapter One
The hiss of the milk frother made her smile as she put the donut in the paper sleeve. Kyda got the pastry to the customer, smiled, and waved. The morning rush was nearly done, and by splitting the focuses, they got things moving rapidly. Also, folks were less uptight when holding a cupcake.
Ameran was excellent at making coffee. His extra two arms made watching things entertaining and very effective using the two machines.
She heated sandwiches, got pastries, and kept Ameran topped up while they worked. When the rush was over, they cleaned up and then left the counter to pick up after the customers.
She got rid of the garbage and was sweeping up when an active came through the doors. Kyda froze when she saw the red instead of the whites of his eyes. The tremors in his hands said it wasn’t part of his activation.
She blinked and took in the sweat, the blue tinge to his skin, and the shaking. He was probably on push.
“I want a latte, and I want it made by that little miss right there.” The guy pointed at Yeevani, and the young woman blinked and shook.
Ameran said, “She isn’t trained yet. She’s new.”
The guy huffed. “I don’t care. I want her little hands on the cup.”
Yeevani’s pale-green skin flushed purple, and there was an ugly laugh.
Kyda caught Ameran’s gaze and nodded. She dropped her broom, and the active whirled, seeing her for the first time. Ameran hit the silent alarm and resumed his pose next to the machines.
The active didn’t see him move. He had fixed on Kyda. She watched him approach, and he did what a guy on push would do. He grabbed her and threw her through the plate glass of the front of the shop.
Kyda went limp when she hit the window, letting the impact slow her down. She hoped for minimal traffic and was even grateful that the momentum carried her into the local park across the road, complete with hedges.
The pain of the hedge was minimal compared to all of the fractures caused by hitting the window.
She heard the sirens and the screaming of the active as the local detachment came to get him. It took a long time before anyone came looking for her, but when she heard, “Oh, dear god,” she knew they had found her.
They waited while an air active arrived, and a telekinetic helped to get her onto a gel suspension bed.
One of the medics asked, “Can we get her name?”
Ameran said, “Kyda. Kyda Lyt.”
“Great. Kyda, we have to get you to a facility that can deal with the extent of this.”
She tried to move her arm with the com, and they stopped her. She whispered, “Scan, please.”
They scanned her shattered unit and were shocked when they got a response on the RFID frequency. “Holy...”
They started calling around and got her into a transport, and instead of a hospital, they headed for an experimental facility. Z Corp was their destination, and a team was getting ready to receive her.
Pain radiated through her, and she wanted to scream, but her throat wasn’t working. She truly wished she was able to pass out, but she wasn’t that lucky.
Agents met them at the loading dock and quizzed anyone to see if they had been in contact with her blood. When the answer was no, the heavily suited agents took over, and one mindwiped the first responders and their equipment of any memory of her, and she was eased into a service elevator. She was really hoping that no one would call her brother. He was going to be pissed.
* * * *
Kynor arrived at the base and grinned at the thought of visiting his little sister. He was a little worried, but Kyda could take care of herself under average circumstances.
He changed from his uniform to his civvies and headed for the exit. He heard his name called out and looked to see the administrator coming toward him with hesitant steps.
“Kynor, there has been an incident. I need you to come to the office so that I can brief you.”
Kynor frowned. “What is it?”
The administrator gestured toward the office. Kynor walked with him into the room and sat heavily when he got the news. “She’s critical?”
“It is touch and go. She’s fighting the nanites that are trying to repair her.” He sat down behind his desk. “It is a miracle that she didn’t bleed out, but her skin remained sealed. Anyway, there is a transport waiting to take you if you want to go see her.”
“Of course, I want to see her. Can she speak?”
“I am sure that you can speak to her.” The administrator smiled. “She’s alive, and no one knows how.”
Kynor nodded and got to his feet. “I want to see her. Did they catch the guy who did it?”
“Yes. The shop staff had called peacekeepers and agents with a silent alarm.”
Kynor nodded. “Of course, they did. He was on something?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
“She wouldn’t have gotten them to set off the alarm if it was just a rowdy active. If they used the alarm, there was no other choice.”
Kynor left, and there was a transport that took him to the base of Z Corp. Someone was waiting to escort him, and the woman with white hair and purple eyes smiled. “You are Kynor? Excellent. Maybe you can make her accept the healing.”
“She’s fighting it?”
“She keeps spelling contamination. I don’t know what her issue is?”
He asked the petite woman, “You have taken blood samples?”
“Yes.”
“That is the contagion. Her blood is toxic to actives. If you have vials of it floating around, you have loosed a secret weapon in your facility.”
“Shit.” The woman lifted her com and said, “Kritz, the pathogen you have seen in other experiments is Kyda’s blood. Lock it down, and go to high contagion protocol.”
Their elevator arrived. The moment they went through security, alarms sounded, and people efficiently went through bio-showers and left the building. Kynor and his escort continued past locks and stations on their way into the building. When they reached an area that still had a crew of suited-up staff, she nodded to him. “The doctor will be here in a moment. He needs a special bio-suit.”
He had met Dr. Kritz once, and the blue man with huge horns eventually came into the room.
“Kynor, do you need protective gear?”
“No. I know not to handle her blood.”
The medical genius blinked. “Right. We were trying to localize the pathogen.”
“She is the pathogen. She’s going to be pissed that we have to move again.”
Kritz frowned as they walked. “What do you mean?”
“Her blood was designed to stop actives from being actives. There are bounties on her head across the globe, and just as many prices have been set to bring her in alive.”
“Ah. Shit.”
The doctor typed in a code, and a door opened. Kynor looked in, and there was a thick canister with his sister floating inside. Tubes covered her, and her limbs looked a little... mushy. She smiled weakly at him behind her mask.
He walked up to the tank and pressed his forehead against it. Hey, bunny face.
Hey, butthead.
It seems you were attacked.
Stupid junkie. One dropped broom, and here I am.
He got a serious tone to his thoughts. You are fighting the nanites.
He said he was going to examine them when they finished. That’s going to get someone hurt.
Kynor looked at the doc. “You said you would extract and examine th e nanites? She’s worried about that.”
“They are experimental genetic restoration bots. Knowing what we know now, we will set them to destruct in a slow cascade that should not hurt her, but it will set her back to standard physical shape for her DNA.”
Kynor smiled softly. “That will be interesting. We have had several makeovers in our time.”
“Is that when...”
Kynor nodded. “It is. Not pleasant but effective if you need to change your face fast. If I remember, she looked like a pixie.”
“Right. I swear that none of her biologicals will leave this lab. The nanites will report and then destroy themselves when the repairs are complete. Her spinal column is badly damaged, so please, get her to accept the repair.”
Kynor looked at her. “I know you heard that.”
She shrugged and looked into the distance. Her movements were slow, but she was broken pieces held together by skin.
He pressed his head against the tube. Please, Kyda, I am begging. Let them repair you.
Isn’t this the universe telling me just to let go? Her bright eyes looked at him.
If it is, why did you get them to bring you here?
I panicked. She closed her eyes. I am dangerous. Hated. Feared. It is very tiring. I just want to rest.
No rest for you. I thought you had a part-time job aside from the café. Don’t you think your friends will miss you?
She turned a warm grey. Oh, that. They can get along without me. Pretty sure.
Where were you working?
She didn’t reply.
Well, where were you working? I know you have been sending money to the Uraddan refugee funds.
Never mind.
He blinked. You tell me everything unless it involves your love life.
Her eyes widened, and her pale cheeks pinked as she looked away.
Oh. My. God. You are working with the BDC.
No. Yes. Just one patron who just wants to go on normal-person dates. I am sure there is another escort out there who wouldn’t mind an easier date. She paused. Can the doctor stop the effect from being transmitted?
Kynor leaned back. “Can you stop the pathogen from leaving her body or nullify it on her skin?”
Kritz blinked. “Huh. I think so. We will put in some programming to basically deal with the pathogen. We might be able to get it to work, but we need to find out where it originates, and from there, we will have a better time of it.”
“All major organs that have to do with blood and all glands involving pheromones. So, basically, everything.”
Kritz nodded. “Right. So, this is going to take some effort.”
Kynor smiled. “If she has to put effort into remaining alive, you can do the same to keep her from wiping out the active population.”
“What does her blood do?”
Kynor shrugged. “It deactivates an active.”
“Oh. Right. So, gloves definitely on.”
Kynor could see his sister rolling her eyes. Kyda pushed back so she was floating, and she closed her eyes while tilting her head slightly. She was letting the nanites do their work.
“Call me if her progress stops. She might just need a bribe.” He leaned against the tube. “She’s stubborn. If she stalls, there is a reason, or she wants ice cream.”
She made a wanking gesture, and he laughed. Her colour was already changing, the extensive bruising was fading, and he held the image of her attacker in his head. He had a prisoner to visit.
Kynor smiled at the duty officer as he requested visitation with the guy from the coffee shop.
“Sure, Agent. Just a moment.”
Kynor nodded and walked to the visitor’s area, being directed to a seat across a table from an empty chair.
The active looked the worse for wear. Hollow eyes and burst capillaries under his skin were signs of push withdrawal.
The man looked at him, confused. “Excuse me. Are you here to interrogate me? My lawyer says I am supposed to shut it.”
Kynor nodded. “You want to remain in custody. It is in your best interest.”
“What? My lawyer says we can plead diminished capacity. Light sentence, no jail time.”
Kynor nodded again. “You really want to plead guilty and ask for maximum sentencing.”
The guy snorted. “I am not going to be intimidated by a peacekeeper.”
“I am not a peacekeeper. I am an agent, and the woman in intensive care is my little sister. So, when you are out, you are fair game. She’s already put a hit out on you. I would be worried if I were you.” Kynor nodded and got to his feet, walking out.
The criminal shouted, getting more and more agitated as Kynor walked out of the visiting area. He started to scream threats, and the guards convinced him to be quiet.
Kynor smiled. Showing no fear was the first move. Smashing him into a paste that no one could identify was the next move.
Kyda was in good hands, and he would check on her again before he was sent out again. He needed to kill that bastard. Now, he just had to put the hit out on him to complete the tale.
* * * *
A few days later, Arcady came into Kyda’s room with armloads of flowers. “Kritz hates having these here, but I thought you could use the change of scenery.”
Kyda flexed her fingers and typed, “Thanks.”
Arcady grinned. “So, your fingers work.”
Kyda nodded. She swallowed and whispered into the heavily sealed mask. “Yeah. Who from?”
She pointed toward the flowers. One was a lovely mix, and the other was an enormous and loud arrangement of huge blooms.
“Well, Zera sent the smaller arrangement. Your patron sent the larger one. There are flowers in here that I haven’t even seen before.” Arcady smiled. “I didn’t even know that you had a date scheduled.”
“He sends stuff to me the day before the dates.” She spoke slowly. “Can you please cancel my date for tomorrow?”
Arcady paused. “No one has notified him?”
“No.”
“Then, why did he send the flowers to the lab?”
Kyda looked at her. “I don’t know.”
Arcady grinned. “I am just going to peek at who he is.” Arcady went to a terminal, and then she blinked. “Well, that would explain it.”
“Is he going to be mad? He’s so sweet normally.”
“Don’t worry. Do you always date him in the mask?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. Lots of quiet places?”
“We mainly go on picnics. He brings the mains; I bring dessert.” She looked at the arrangement he had sent. “We go to a lot of greenhouses and arboretums. He likes the plants and flowers.”
Arcady. “Huh. Unexpected.”
“I thought you knew all about the patrons and their preferences.”
“Well, I do, and that is not what he has done with his previous escorts.”
Kyda blinked. “Oh. How many others does he use?”
“Three. He uses them in rotation for sex.”
Kyda nodded. “Right. Of course. He seems very nice and sweet. He has needs. I am amazed that he was matched with me at all.”
She closed her eyes and focused on letting the nanites keep fixing her.
Arcady smiled. “Kritz thinks he has contained your issue. It’s a small field generator that will keep your effect in check. It will manifest as a pretty cuff on both legs, wrists, and neck. There will be a field that removes particles as they leave your skin.”
“Uh, that sounds interesting. I don’t usually wear jewellery.”
“You will get used to it. It settles into the skin, and you won’t even feel it. Everything is completely natural.”
“As natural as implants can be.” She sighed. “How am I doing?”
“You have a few more days in the unit. When the cuffs are ready, we will get you out for installation, but you will have a few days here until it is confirmed that you are contained.”
Kyda nodded and continued to look at the flowers after Arcady left her. She pressed her hand to the glass. He wouldn’t be lonely without her. He had other companions to keep him company. She hoped he was okay.
