Emergence (Fox Meridian Book 5) Read Online Free Page A

preferences for you on a wish list somewhere,’ Fox replied. ‘It’s meant to be tight, but it should fit. I had no idea what to get any of you, so I went for silly.’ She looked across at Pascal as he pulled a bottle of brandy from a plastic tube. ‘Well, silly and alcohol. Jason said you liked brandy and–’
    ‘I do,’ Pascal said, ‘and this is a rather fine one. Expensive…’
    ‘It turns out it’s a lot cheaper if you get it from the distiller and I wasn’t that far away, on business. It was just a quick hop north from Chicago and I’m the pilot so the ship goes where I tell it.’
    ‘Thank you. I’ll savour this one.’
    ‘And thank you for this,’ Gaby added. ‘I’ll put it on later to prove Mom’s cooking hasn’t added a size.’
    Fox picked up what appeared at first sight to be a scrap of black lace. ‘Yes, well, I won’t be putting this on later. I don’t think we’re quite ready for me wandering around in flimsy lingerie.’
    ‘You can save it for much later,’ Pascal said. ‘Jason bought it. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.’
    ‘I’m sure he will.’ Fox looked at Jason, who remained tactfully silent, even if his cheeks reddened.
    He was saved from anything more embarrassing by Kit. ‘Marie is calling, Fox. It’s marked as a teleconference.’ The foxy pixie was once again sitting on the floor to watch the unwrapping process and both of the elder Deverauxes had put their wearables on so that Kit was included fully in the proceedings.
    ‘She’ll have Sam in the call with her.’
    ‘Link us all in,’ Gaby suggested. ‘I wouldn’t mind saying hi to your housemates.’
    ‘Well… Let me just check they’re decent first.’
    Marie was wearing a Christmassy green-and-red mini-dress, with illuminated trim. Sam’s avatar appeared to be live, because there was no way the sweater he was wearing was something he would have put in a mask image: it had chunky, comedy reindeer prancing across the chest.
    ‘Merry Christmas!’ Marie said as soon as the images resolved.
    ‘And you,’ Fox replied, ‘but hang on, I’ve got someone else who wants to say hello.’ Kit made the connections and Fox said, ‘Right, Sam and Marie, meet Jason’s parents, Pascal and Monique, and Gaby, his sister.’
    There were more calls of ‘Merry Christmas,’ and Gaby said, ‘That’s a great sweater, Sam.’
    ‘Not my usual choice of garment,’ Sam replied, ‘but Marie decided I should be festive.’
    ‘And he probably wasn’t wearing a shirt before he put it on,’ Fox added.
    ‘Yeah,’ Marie said, frowning. ‘I really didn’t think that through.’
    ‘Don’t I know you, Marie?’ Gaby asked. ‘I’m sure I’ve seen you– Oh, you’re M. J.’
    Marie’s cheeks coloured and Fox said, ‘Marie’s not used to being recognised.’
    ‘M. J.?’ Monique asked.
    ‘The female lead in this terrible IB vid based on Jack the Ripper,’ Gaby explained. ‘The vid was terrible, but M. J. was kind of awesome. I watched it because of the Ripper connection, obviously. Not the nudity and the sex scene.’
    ‘Of course,’ Monique said, nodding and grinning.
    ‘Uh, anyway, wow, famous person.’
    ‘Oh, I’m not famous…’ Marie said, going redder.
    ‘Not yet,’ Sam said.
    ‘And I have Terri calling now,’ Kit said.
    Fox raised an eyebrow. ‘Okay, well, talking of famous people… Patch her in, Kit.’
    Three more avatars appeared in the room: Terri had her father and Helen Dillan with her. Fox made the introductions and there did appear to be a degree of awe floating around, especially from Gaby.
    ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you both,’ Gaby said. ‘I mean, virtually. I mean, I’ve got a MarTech implant and half my equipment, more, is MarTech, and–’
    Jackson laughed. ‘You’ll have to drop by the tower if you’re ever in New York. We’ll give you the tour, show you the labs. Teresa’s working on some very exciting projects and I’ve usually got a cyberframe or two in