Aneka Jansen 5: The Greatest Heights of Honour by Niall Teasdale Page B

little in the last year and it lay in a pool of red strands across the pillow. In sleep her face was still and a little solemn, but when she smiled her green eyes lit up and she made the world a better place.
    Grinning, Aneka left the room and walked across the lounge to the bathroom. A shower was going to do her good. She had her hand on the controls when the apartment’s computer spoke.
    ‘Three members of the Federal Security Agency are requesting admission.’ Aneka glared at the ceiling. Really the voice was far too monotonous for an announcement like that.
    ‘I should get you replaced with an AI,’ Aneka commented. ‘I would if it wasn’t illegal. Let them in. Instruct them to come up.’ The computer did not seem to take offence. Turning, Aneka walked back out into the lounge to wait.
    It was not long before three men in dark suits entered and came to a grinding halt. Well, she was still naked. ‘Gentlemen,’ Aneka said. ‘Stop standing there like you’ve never seen a naked robot before. This better be important, I have a guest.’
    The leader of the trio, a dark-skinned man with very short hair who looked as though he really should have been wearing dark glasses, spoke. ‘Agent Ian Plug. You are Aneka Jansen?’ Aneka tilted her head to one side and looked at him until he coughed and went on. ‘Yes, well… We’ve been ordered to take you to headquarters to discuss the incident on Farrington’s…’
    ‘Dowler give the order?’ Aneka asked, interrupting him.
    ‘It came from the Agency head’s office, yes.’
    ‘Everything was in the report we sent ahead of us. Unless you’re arresting me for something, I’m disinclined to assist in your enquiries. As I said, I have a guest who I am hoping to persuade to stay for the rest of the weekend, mostly in a horizontal position.’ It was a lie, but it did make Plug’s cheeks colour.
    ‘The Agency has some questions regarding your report,’ Plug tried.
    ‘You mean Dowler wants to try to figure out how he can stop the Herosians being to blame for what happened.’ Plug looked like he was going to respond to the statement, but Aneka got in first. ‘I’ll consult a legal advisor and come to be interviewed, with legal counsel, if I am advised that it would be in my interests. It’s the weekend, so that will be the day after next. If you want me to go sooner, get a warrant, and good luck with that.’
    Plug opened his mouth to speak, but was once again interrupted, this time by a voice from the bedroom. ‘Aneka? Aneka, come back to bed. It’s cold without the extra…’ Winter strutted out of the room, stopping when she saw the three men. ‘Oh! I didn’t know there was anyone else here. Are they staying?’ She put just enough suggestion into her tone for the last sentence that all three men went slightly pink. Then she strode over to Aneka, sliding up against her and wrapping her arms around Aneka’s waist.
    ‘No,’ Aneka said. ‘These gentlemen were just leaving.’
    ‘Shame… Though if they’re gentlemen we don’t need them.’
    ‘We’ll see you on the second, Miss Jansen,’ Plug said, and then he turned to leave as fast as decorum would allow.
    ‘How much of that did you hear?’ Aneka asked when the door was shut behind the agents.
    ‘Enough,’ Winter replied, letting go of Aneka and starting for the bathroom. ‘I’ll have an avatar prepared to provide you with counsel, and I’d love to stay for the weekend. The others can pick up the slack. Were you going to take a shower? I’ll join you.’
    Aneka shook her head, grinned, and started after her.
    FSA Headquarters, High Yorkbridge, 2.10.528 FSC.
    Aneka sat at a table in what the Federal Security Agency called an interview room. It was blank and featureless, and there were multispectral cameras monitoring every corner. Aneka ignored them, aside from ensuring that Al was monitoring her body temperature, keeping it entirely flat.
    Beside Aneka sat a tall, haughty-looking blonde,