The handler glared at him. "About?" he asked.
"The robes," Sin explained. "We're getting shot at because OutLink doesn't want to dress them in anything else."
"Most of us have complained about it too," the man admitted. "But they say the robes are necessary. Seems these girls are so enhanced, their appearance is rather terrifying. Personally, I think it's because they're collecting the insurance on them."
"Wouldn't surprise me," Sin muttered. "Not sure about you, but we've been tailed on the last four deliveries. Got jumped by six last night."
The man looked at him again, taking note of his armor. "Guess it worked out for you?"
Sin chuckled. "Ever been shot in exo-armor? Trust me, it hurts just as much, but without the long-term effects."
The handler said nothing else, simply grabbed his Ingénue and left. Sin groaned, and slouched in the chair. He hurt today, ineveryinch of his body. A few seconds later, another handler entered, checked the screen, then sat across from him.
"Any special reason so many are going out?" he asked, gesturing to the door.
Sin shook his head. "Not that I know of."
The man closed his eyes and sighed. "Probably hoping it works like a herd. If there are too many Ingénue out at once, then each one is less of a target, you know? I just pray to God it works."
"We can only hope He listens," Sin agreed.
The guy grunted and let his head drop. "Oops. Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude," he said. "Legate, right?"
"Yeah, and it's ok. Pray to Him all you want. I promise it doesn't offend me in the least."
The door behind them opened again, and both men turned to look. Rissa glided out gracefully, somehow managing to appear both proud and demure at the same time.
"This one's mine," Sin said.
"Obviously not a clone," the handler said. "She any nicer?"
"No," he assured the corporate employee. "She acts like a bot."
"Mine too. Luck, Brother."
"God be with you," Sin replied, making his way to his charge. "Ingénue," he greeted her.
"Legate," she responded politely, without a single trace of emotion.
"Sir?" her technician asked timidly. "You're going to Dhatri Pharmaceuticals. I was informed you're taking your personal vehicle?"
"Well, one assigned by the Legion," Sin confirmed.
The man nodded, and looked up. He was the same guy Sin had talked to the night before. "Any way I can talk you into taking my tithe to the Legion? I'm a bit overdue, and never seem to get time off." He held up a thick envelope, but his eyes never left the priest's.
"Yep, I can do that. Heading there this evening anyway."
The technician nodded stiffly, then headed back through the door. Sin watched him go, wondering what the man was up to. He seemed to be trying to help, which was the only reason Sin refused to worry about it too much.
"You ready, Ingénue?" he asked.
"Yes, Legate," she said properly.
He carefully touched the back of her arm and led her through the door. When they were outside the building, she hesitated for a split second when he directed her toward his car. They kept their conversation minimal until he was on the road and well out of surveillance range.
"You can sit up," he told Zan in the back seat.
With a chuckle, Zan did. "Sin said you might want to dump that memory file in your mind, so he decided to bring me along."
