Forecast Read online

  “Yes, Mom.” He came up and kissed her on the cheek. “Don’t forget to take a break.”

  She grinned. “You know, I will. Have fun.”

  They left, and he was holding the hand of the woman who was less than half his size.

  Lore knew what Max’s gift was, but it would have been rude to mention it. So, she went to work, scanning and designing the suit in detail, rendering it into a three-dimensional model, and from there, she sent it off to Tabba. The sizes needed would be provided by Jianik, but the three-dimensional design would speed the project up into a one-day delivery.

  She looked up, and three hours had passed. She folded her sketchbook up, and then, she paused and scanned all of the designs. Each of the suits was labelled with the hero who would wear them. She didn’t need all eight, but it left room for more or a change of design.

  The machine was rendering and filing the designs when a smiling Taxo came in with a tray in his hands. Max was next to him, and she had grown to nearly his height.

  Max smiled. “Bright Flight insisted that you forgot to eat when you were designing. It appears he is correct. Did you finish?”

  “I did. I have gotten a response from Tabba, and she is working on the suit. It will flex easily to your maximum height and back down to your minimum size without making you belt your outerwear.”

  She took the tray and stroked Taxo’s head for a moment before taking the flask of tea and pouring it in the cup. “Thank you.”

  “You are welcome.”

  Max cleared her throat. “Can I see it?”

  Lore smiled and swivelled her seat, bringing Max’s file up and showing her the suit, front and back.

  “How will I get it on?”

  Lore nodded. “It will go on as an orb. You simply press it to your chest, and bands of liquid metal will shoot out and wrap around you, creeping up and down until you are covered before the armour will manifest itself.”

  Max blushed. “No underwear?”

  “I am afraid not. I can work up something for you to wear on a daily basis if you like. A breast band and a hip wrap. I have access to a few fabrics that have enough stretch for a few months of wash and wear.”

  “Months? What do I do then?” Max fretted.

  Taxo put his hand on her shoulder. “You do what my mom tells me to do. You buy new underwear, just like everybody else.”

  Max blinked. “I can do that?”

  Lore nodded. “It is easy enough to make casual wear that can move like that, it just can’t hold up to the stress of whatever you are doing right before you get smaller.”

  “Oh. Right. I was just thinking of the difficulty I have finding clothing to fit my normal body.”

  Taxo piped up. “My mom can help with that.”

  Lore sighed. “For this, we have to get authorization. I am not yet officially on the team.”

  Taxo said, “Monday.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Right. Once that is done, it is up to Jianik if we are allowed to socialize outside of our team assignments.”

  Max frowned. “I will wait, but if I do, will you make me a nice dress? My sister is getting married this summer, and I want to wear something more than the bland outfits that I can get locally.”

  Lore’s heart went out to her. “I will talk to Jianik on Monday.”

  Max brightened immediately, the switch in mood was intense, and she even grew another inch while Lore watched.

  Lore asked them about their tour and finished the snack of cheese, nuts, and fruit that he had brought her.

  They had visited some easily accessible areas, watched the trials, and then, Max had treated him to hot chocolate and desserts in the commissary.

  Max shook her head. “Everyone was in love with him. He is very charming.”

  “He invariably has a positive effect on people. It is literally part of his charm.” She put the tray aside and got to her feet, stretching. “Well, Bright Flight, where do you want to go for the rest of the day?”

  He knotted his fingers together and looked at her. “Can we watch the confidence course?”

  She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Fine. You can imagine me crawling through the muck on Monday.”

  He grinned. “Oh, I am.”

  She got to her feet and picked up the tray. “Let’s drop this off, and then, we can go and gawk at the folks going for the third round.”

  Max frowned. “How did you know there were three rounds?”

  “My name is Forecast. I am sure you will figure it out.” Lore winked.

  “So, literal forecast. Ah. No wonder you have just been assigned to our Team.”

  Lore smiled. “Right. Congratulations on your being chosen for Team Eight. I am sorry, I have forgotten the social niceties.”

  Max chuckled. “It is not a problem. You were not called in as a teammate, you were called in to solve a problem. I am truly hoping that you have.”

  “The issue is that it is a four hundred and ten percent expansion. That is a difficult requirement for most materials that are manufactured today. So, instead of material, you are going to be wearing a living set of tiny machines that are holding hands and hold each other more tightly when you are small.”

  “Anything is better than constantly losing my pants. I am good at choosing shirts that will fit the smaller body but going without undergarments is disconcerting.”

  Max and Taxo were holding hands, and once Lore had dropped off the tray, her son shifted his grip to her.

  They walked out to the field where Investigator Jianik was, and they stayed to watch the men and women fighting for a place on the team.

  Lore smiled and thought about the team. With Max in place, there was the bot that Tabba was working on, Lore, and three other places. She knew the general shape of the remaining candidates but deliberately kept her mind blanked when it came to specifics.

  While the other two were watching the men and women take turns climbing through the field, Jianik came over with a slight smile. “I have seen the designs you inputted. I have to admit, they are excellent and will make an impression.”

  Lore smiled. There was something else.

  “I also noticed that all of the suits are for females.” Her voice was low.

  “Yes. Team Eight is going to be made entirely of females. We are from different worlds, different social statuses, and have different skills. We will work together with some rough starts, but we will manage.”

  Inspector Jianik smiled and nodded slowly. “I am guessing you will. So, any clues for me?”

  “Keep your eyes on the course. They are out there, not here.”

  Eventually, Jianik would figure out that the suits already had the names of their wearers attached to the files. Eventually.

  Lore stayed until Taxo looked a little wrung out from constantly fluttering skyward and then back to the ground. He wanted to see what was going on.

  “Come on, Bright Flight. Time to head home. You can think about what you want for dinner on the way.”

  Taxo yawned. “Can we fight some more crime on the way?”

  Jianik grinned. “Do tell?”

  “Nothing. Just morning chores. No, we won’t be doing anything that isn’t safe. Just a quick drive home.”

  Taxo perked up when she said quick.

  Max stuck her hand out. She was now closing in on four feet tall. “Thank you for your help today. I actually feel a little more normal, just from talking with you.”

  Jianik looked between them and smiled. “If you visit her in town, I am sure that Forecast can help you get some custom clothing for casual wear.”

  Max smiled. “Thank you. I will.”

  Lore flicked out her business card and winked. “Call ahead, so I can clear out the fitting rooms. We will get you sorted.”

  Lore lifted Taxo in her arms and carried him out of the training centre while several women sighed at his little body and small wings. He was adorable, and he
used it to his advantage.

  She set his helmet carefully on over his ears. Put him in front of her and settled her own helmet in place. She took off and waved at Hrem as she went through the outer gate with her sleeping son in her lap.

  She drove him home as quickly as she could with him on her lap, but when they arrived home, he was snoring. She grinned and removed his helmet and hers, set them safely in storage, and then, she carried her boy up to their home, and she started to make dinner.

  Lore was guessing that he hadn’t figured out that when he tired himself out, he lost his foresight. It was a lesson that all seers needed to learn. If you had to keep keen, you had to stay rested. Even a five-minute nap could save a life.

  Chapter Six

  She nudged him into eating and brushing his teeth, and then, she let him sleep. He was going to have questions in the morning.

  Their day had been eventful, and she had met one of her new teammates. It was a bit of a whirlwind.

  Lore sat back on the couch with her sketchbook, and she closed her eyes as she touched each design, making notes on materials and requirements for armour density. It wasn’t cheating to use her talent to prep the uniforms for her team, it was simply being sensible.

  She wished that Taxo hadn’t inherited her gift, but the signs had been there for two years. She had gotten her full awareness of her timeline when she was three, so he was slightly later.

  Lore drummed her fingers on the design book before closing it and heading to bed. She had one day left having Taxo with her, and then, he would be back at school while she went to the training centre. She was going to see him the following weekend, but their time then would be cut short.

  She wrinkled her nose and smiled as she pulled the sheets up. She didn’t want Taxo following her habits. She dreamed of her future. Every. Single. Night. Every morning she woke with the knowledge of what she would do that day and how things would work out. She had been braced for their trip to the training centre, but she also knew that Taxo needed to learn a bit of a lesson. It would be easier for him if he could experiment with his talent while she was there to ease him past the mistakes that she had made.

  Being a child was hard.

  Taxo wanted to make himself a practice bodysuit in the shop, so they spent their Sunday working on designing and crafting his flight suit.

  He was good at making the small stitches for the cowl, and she worked on the stretchy and hard-wearing material of the suit.

  “You don’t think it is odd that I want this suit?”

  She chuckled. “No. I will have a suit, so you should have one as well. You have your own code name, after all.”

  He looked at her as she shook the suit out and held it up. His eyes were shining. “Can I try it on?”

  “Of course. I need to know if I have to make any adjustments.”

  He smiled and took the suit with careful hands, walking it to the changing area.

  The com sounded, and she opened her screen. “Oh, Investigator Jianik, what can I do for you?”

  Jianik sighed. “Can you see Mini Max today? She is eager to be measured for her dress.”

  “I am at the shop with Taxo right now. She is welcome to come by.”

  Jianik smiled. “Excellent. She is parked down the street and very eager.”

  “I will get to the door.”

  Jianik chuckled. “Why are you in the shop?”

  “Taxo decided that he has a code name, so he needs a suit. We were just running one up for him.”

  “Oh. Well, that is sensible.”

  “Not really. He is going to outgrow this in three months, but at least he can be protected from the elements while he flies.”

  “Good. Excellent. See you tomorrow morning.”

  Lore called out, “Taxo, we are getting company.”

  He came strutting out. “I know. I wanted to get my suit on. Can you help me with the flap between my wings?”

  She quickly fastened the strap at the neckline, smoothed the fabric, and headed for the door.

  Mini Max was in her full Max form. “Huh, she really is six foot six inches.”

  The very tall woman came toward her and smiled and waved as she got to the door. “I am so sorry to put this on you, but I so rarely find a seamstress who can work with me.”

  “Did you just want the dress for the event or did you want to try on a few things off the rack?” Lore smiled.

  “I would like a custom dress for the wedding, but you are telling me you have things here that might fit me?”

  “Sure. Soltear is a cosmopolitan world. We have a lot of passively gifted people, and enhanced height is one of those gifts. Come with me. We may be able to find you something for your days off.”

  Max followed her and then paused. “Bright Flight? You look smaller.”

  He beat his wings and rose up until his face was even with hers at a distance. “You got taller. You grow faster than I do.”

  Max grinned. “You are at that age.”

  “Yes. You are here to shop?”

  “I am here to be measured, but if there is anything that fits me or anything you can suggest, I would be grateful.”

  Lore chuckled. “Let me get the measurements, and then, I will show you the racks that are available in your size.”

  Max nodded and followed her directions to the rear dressing area.

  “Bright Flight, man the front and pick some good fabrics to show Max in the silk and armour range.”

  “Yes, Mom.”

  She looked to Max and waved her to a change room. “Strip to the undergarments and come back here. I will do the measurements and make you a client file.”

  “Back in a moment.” Max went into the open change room, closed the drapes, and disrobed.

  Lore was wearing her measuring tape on her, and she had her tablet with Max’s name on it.

  The measurements went quickly, and when she had them, she whistled sharply. Taxo’s arm stuck around the corner with a load of dresses draped across it.

  She collected them all and turned to Max. “Try this on.”

  She handed her a pretty floral dress with flounces and a flippy skirt.

  “There is no way that can fit me.”

  “It is a copy of a wrap dress that I made for one of my clients who grows and shrinks with the seasons. She loves the original that I crafted in a different fabric. She has little taste for what actually flatters her.”

  Max reached out, and her hands were shaking. She slid the flowery dress on and lifted her hands, feeling the wide flaring sleeves fall back.

  “The dress has a lot of movement, and you can cinch it with the straps or with a wide enameled belt.”

  Max looked at herself in the fitting room mirrors, and she started to cry. “This is so pretty.”

  “Thank you. It is easy to adapt the design. Now, your undergarments don’t suit you, so I am going to be back in a minute. Feel free to try on any of the other dresses in the pile.”

  Max blinked, and it appeared she hadn’t even seen them. “They will all fit?”

  “They should. Some might need to be taken in, but they should all fit with some adjustment.”

  Lore nodded and ducked out to get some of the breast supports and the super stretchy underpants. The fabric could take the stretching and flexing, but only for so long. That is why it was one of the few items she wouldn’t guarantee for a year.

  She brought back the articles, and Max held them up to her, and then, she clutched them when she realized they would fit. Her knuckles whitened and shook. “I haven’t had underwear that has fit in ten years.”

  Lore winced. “You have been using binders?”

  “Just wrapped them.”

  “Ow.”

  “You have no idea, but when I lift, it is necessary. They get in the way.”

  “I can imagine. Well, consider the underwear my gift to you. Once you have put it on, it will form to you, and it should cont
ract to your Mini Max form.”

  “That is so exciting. What if it doesn’t shrink?”

  “You ditch them and wear the dress as a fabric waterfall.” Lore winked.

  Max laughed. “So, no worse off. Thank you. I am going to put some on now so that all the dresses will fall properly.”

  She nearly skipped into the dressing room, and when she came out, she was a tall and striking woman with impressive cleavage that didn’t bounce when she moved.

  “I think I am going to be happy-crying for a few days. This feels so nice. On my world, all I can find for myself is men’s wear.”

  “I guessed as much. You had a prolonged adolescence?”

  “Yeah. I just stopped growing, and then, the power crept in. It was like it was waiting for my body to be ready.”

  The new dress that Max had come out in was a brilliant blue with small patches of shimmering beads that caught the light.

  “I have some minimal footwear here, but I think we should look into getting Jianik to order you some shoes that can expand and contract from the engineering department.”

  “You seem to be very comfortable with the investigator.”

  Lore adjusted the dress and went on a stool to make the changes to the shoulders that made the fit perfect.

  Lore smiled. “I have worked with her on and off for the last six years. There are a few other Team members who come in for their suits. They don’t trust the engineers to craft them, so I had to get the credentials and the clearances to get access to the files and materials.”

  “Oh, which heroes?”

  Taxo came in with armloads of clothing. “Bright Burn and Bright Spark.”

  Lore quirked her lips. Her identity and relatives weren’t going to be a secret for long. It was funny that Taxo was the leak. She hadn’t bothered looking for how they found out, but her little bird was a chatty fellow, and he knew that a team shouldn’t have proper secrets. He was a pretty big secret, as were his grandma and aunty.

  “And he is Bright Flight. Oh, hell. You have heroes in the family.” Max looked shocked.

  “Yes. We do. Don’t worry. I can’t fly, and I don’t catch fire.” Lore smiled.