The Double or more Life of the Fake Heiress (Mirabella)

The mercenaries didn't pry further, just tossed in a casual, "Alright, if you ever need to splash some cash, hit me up." They even threw in a personal email address for good measure. Who knows if it'll ever be used, but it was their way of extending a friendly hand.

They remembered that one year when a bunch of mercenary headquarters got challenged to duels. The weapons used by this person? Totally out of this world. Mirabella didn't bother replying; she just closed the chat window.

Then, her online avatar started blinking again. It was a message from HRTL. Mirabella was beginning to think this person practically lived online since she always seemed to bump into them whenever she logged in. She opened the chat.

CoolAutumnBreeze: "Can't believe someone actually took your gig."

CoolAutumnBreeze: "The guys at the medical base are losing it, trying to hunt you

down."

Mirabella just typed back a quick "Oh."noveldrama

CoolAutumnBreeze: "... You don't seem worried at all."

BaldBaby: "Why should I be? I didn't blow up their base."

CoolAutumnBreeze: "Wasn't it your hired hand?"

BaldBaby: "Well, they'd have to find me first."

Hartlee, reading this on the other end, felt his worries start to fade. He'd forgotten that this person had a top-notch hacker cleaning up after them. Finding them would be a miracle.

"But still, you should be cautious, Phantom. The medical group's full of nutcases. You messed with their new gear; they won't let this slide," he advised seriously after a pause.

Mirabella crossed her legs, quickly typing back, "Got it, thanks."

Hartlee chuckled, jumping in with, "Thanks? How about leaving me your contact?"

BaldBaby: "Taking back my thanks."

CoolAutumnBreeze: "..."

Mirabella didn't continue the conversation and simply closed the chat. She sat quietly for a couple of minutes, then opened her program panel. Her fingers flew over the keyboard, layering her IP address with encryption and rerouting her location to Phantom's internal network. Once done, she shut down the computer.

Take it easy, go wild at your own pace. A slight smile played on Mirabella's lips.

**

Meanwhile, elsewhere...

Kitty made her annual infrastructure donation to the school, as she did every year. Normally, her secretary would handle it, but this time she decided to visit the school herself. With an appointment set, the head of the academic office was waiting for her over the weekend.

After signing the papers, Kitty smiled and said, "Director Howe, I've got a small favor to ask."

Director Howe tucked away the documents and check, then looked up, "Of course, Mrs. Seasons, what can I do for you?"

"I've got a niece attending Prestige College. She's a bit of a free spirit, opted out of dorm life, and hasn't told us where she's staying. Could you look through her records to see if there's a contact address?"

Kitty sighed, her face a blend of worry and frustration. The academic director didn't think twice about it and replied, "Just give me her name and department, and I'll check it out for you."

Kitty's eyes lit up, "Her name's Mirabella. She's a freshman in the biology department."