Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Operation: Dazzle the Cannon Fodder

I stood at the entrance to Vortex. A neon temple rising from the city’s entertainment district. Pulsing lights spilled onto the sidewalk. Cast our little group in alternating blues and purples. A crowd of hopefuls lined the velvet rope. They eyed us with curiosity and envy as we approached.

The bouncer was a mountain of a man with a cybernetic right arm that gleamed under the club’s lights. His eyes flicked over us. Noted the NVA uniforms some of us still wore under our outfits.

"New Vein Academy?" he rumbled.

Carmen stepped forward. "First years. Plus faculty supervision." She flashed her ID with a wink.

The bouncer’s face remained impassive. He unhooked the velvet rope with his mechanical arm. "VIP section’s open tonight. Head straight back."

"Well, that was easy," Juan muttered beside me.

"Perks of being future cannon fodder," I replied.

We walked through the club’s entrance. The music hit us like a freight train. The interior was all chrome and pulsing neon. A massive dance floor sat at the center. Elevated VIP booths surrounded it. Holographic projections of sea creatures swam through the air above the dancers. A shark made of light passed directly through a woman’s body as she raised her hands to the beat.

The parade began as we stepped into the ambient lighting.

Akari moved with all the confidence of someone who knew exactly what effect she created. The cream dress clung to her curves like it had been painted on. Created some optical illusion where she looked both fully clothed and completely naked at the same time. Her emerald eyes caught the pulsing lights. Glinted with amusement as she noted at least three men walking into each other while staring at her.

Yeah. That checked out.

Beside her, Hikari bounced with barely contained energy in her vibrant orange dress. While her twin had gone for seduction, Hikari had opted for pure vitality. The dress showed off her powerful legs. The slit up the side revealed a reinforced combat sheath. I was almost certain it contained a small knife.

"Pretty good turnout," she shouted over the music. Sounded genuinely impressed.

Emi stepped through the entrance next.

I did a double-take.

The sapphire-haired healer had undergone a transformation. Gone was the sweet, timid girl. In her place stood a woman who knew her worth. The red dress with its strategic cutouts revealed glimpses of skin in a way that was somehow more tantalizing than Akari’s obvious display. Her antenna-like hair strands bobbed with each step. She kept reaching up to touch them nervously. The only sign that she wasn’t entirely comfortable with all the attention she was receiving.

Beside her, Soomin looked like she wanted to melt into the floor. Her pale pink dress was elegant and modest. But somehow that only heightened its effect. It complemented her rose-pink hair perfectly. Made her look like she’d stepped out of a fairy tale. She clutched her small purse with white knuckles. Her eyes darted around the room like a cornered rabbit looking for escape.

"There are so many people," she whispered. Just barely audible over the music.

"Just stick close to me," Emi reassured her. Linked their arms together.

Isabelle floated in next. And I don’t use that word lightly. Her forest-green gown seemed to ripple around her like liquid as she moved. She surveyed the club with the detached curiosity of a queen inspecting a particularly odd village. Her height and bearing made her stand out even among our group of beautiful women. She didn’t need to try to command attention. It was simply her natural state.

Skylar slouched in behind her. A perfect contrast. Where Isabelle was regal elegance, Skylar was dangerous allure. Her black dress hugged her slender frame. The thigh-high slit revealed a tantalizing amount of pale skin. Her pink and indigo hair caught the club’s lights. Created a halo effect that made her look almost otherworldly. Her expression remained carefully bored. But her eyes missed nothing as they swept across the room.

Carmen strutted in like she owned the place. Her black dress plunged dangerously low. Revealed enough cleavage to make me wonder how it was staying in place at all. Must be some kind of Aspect-enhanced fabric. Because normal physics clearly wasn’t involved. Her eyepatch had been replaced with one covered in small crystals that caught the light. Made it look like she had stars on her face. She grinned wickedly at a nearby table of men who were openly staring.

"See something you like, boys?" she called out. They hurriedly looked away.

Natalia entered with the confidence of someone who knew she was the main event. Her black dress was elegant rather than revealing. But that somehow made it more magnetic. It clung to her curves in all the right places. Accentuated her figure without seeming desperate for attention. Her purple hair cascaded down her back in careful waves. Her matching eyes found mine immediately. The look in them was part challenge, part promise.

And then, the final member of our party stepped through the door.

The entire club seemed to pause.

I’d known Noah Gray for a week now. The stoic, blunt bodyguard who wore the male uniform and kept her emotions locked down tighter than a high-security Gate.

The person who walked in now was not that Noah.

This Noah wore a midnight-blue dress that clung to curves I hadn’t even realized existed. Her short blonde hair was styled softer than usual. Framed a face that suddenly looked decidedly feminine without the perpetual scowl. She moved with the same grace. But now it read as elegance rather than military bearing. She looked profoundly uncomfortable with the attention. But also breathtakingly beautiful.

Beside me, Juan took a sip from a water bottle he’d brought along.

He did a double-take at Noah. His eyes widened to comic proportions.

He choked. Water sprayed in a fine mist.

"Holy shit," he whispered. Wiped his mouth. "When did we get another girl? And who the hell is she?"

"That’s Noah," I said. Enjoyed his confusion far too much.

"Noah? The guy with the stick up his ass who follows Celeste around?" Juan’s brain visibly struggled to reconcile these two versions of reality.

"Her name’s actually Noel," I explained. Recalled the information from my System knowledge. "But she goes by Noah professionally."

Juan stared for another full five seconds. "But she has... you know." He made a vague gesture toward his chest area.

"Yep."

"How did I miss that?"

"Baggy uniform. Deliberately masculine presentation. And you only using ten percent of your observational skills on a daily basis."

"Fair point," Juan conceded. Still staring.

I couldn’t blame him. The transformation was jarring. Noah looked like a completely different person. Gone was the androgynous bodyguard. In her place was a woman who could probably stop traffic if she wanted to.

Which, judging by the looks she was getting, she was currently doing to the club’s foot traffic.

Carmen appeared at my elbow. "Impressive, right? I had to practically threaten her to get her into that dress. But look at the results!"

"You’re a menace," I said.

"That’s why they pay me the big bucks." She grinned. "Now come on. VIP section awaits. And I’m buying the first round!"