Spy on Athena

“I want to know what she’s up to,” you whisper to Nancy, who looks irked for a second, then gives in. She nods approval.

“Careful,” she says quietly as you push back your chair and stand up. “You stand out.”

Right. You took off the ropes, but you’re still in costume with a CCL tee on. And you don’t have a change of clothes.

You hesitate, knowing that time is slipping away. Athena is literally walking away. You have to get after her, but it won’t do you any good if you get caught. Meanwhile, you have to think about Nancy. Normally she’s bubbly and gossipy, but right here and now, she’s sober, serious, and… not a ditz at all. Is it an act?

You realize that you don’t know her very well. You don’t know any of them.

Nancy sees your hesitation and jerks her chin at the duffel on the other table. That’s stuff that CCL brought along. You open it, finding a black robe. Oh… you get it. They must have considered doing some Peachface cosplay and decided against it. Probably a good decision.

But you remember what you saw earlier. Was that a person in Peachface cosplay? You don’t trust your memory, and you do have an active imagination. Well, if there’s already someone here in this costume, then this should work. You yank the robe out, throw it on, and snatch a mask from the display. Pulling it onto your face and lifting your hood, you plunge into the crowd to trail behind Athena.

She moves briskly, but her body language worries you. There’s nothing positive about it.

And she’s not a spy in a movie; she doesn’t look over her shoulder or act suspicious. That makes sense. Nobody expects to be followed. You hope that Yuki comes back quickly so that Nancy doesn’t have to run the show on her own for long, but if anyone can do it, it’s her.

What’s Yuki doing right now? Probably finding the sexiest cosplayer and hitting on her while taking every opportunity to show off her incredible bod and make other people feel inferior. That’s what Yuki does everywhere else, so there’s no reason not to think that she’ll do it here.

Athena is leaving the main hall. You stay with her, although once you get away from the hubbub it gets more difficult. You stand out more in this robe and mask, but you stick to cover. You played Snake Eater. You know what you’re doing. Too bad you don’t have a tranq gun for if she spots you.

Near the front doors of the hotel, where late afternoon sunlight spills in, Athena stops.

Someone is approaching her. It’s a tall girl around Athena’s age. She’s not quite as tight as Yuki, but this girl is fit. And she must be close to six feet tall. She’s very chic in her white, butt-flattering leggings and a pink top that’s perfect for spring. Her brown hair is in a messy topknot.

But as outwardly attractive as she is, your instincts are screaming at you. You are a nerd. You always have been. You have met your share of bullies, and you know them when you see them. This girl… she has that energy. The expression on her face is smug and annoying, not friendly as she walks up to Athena.

You don’t think this is a girlfriend, or even a friend. A relative? An ex?

The girl says something. Athena folds her arms, her posture is not exactly defensive, but certainly miserable. She doesn’t want to be here, talking to this girl.

Intervene?

Or just watch?