“Really?” Hitomi asked.
“Well, I want to give those spare datashades to you guys. I think they would be of great use to you. Plus, it would make communicating with each other a lot easier. What’s even better, is that I’m gonna upgrade them with a modified version of the NOVO OS. They’re gonna be a bit different structurally, though. I redesigned them to fit over your ear like an earpiece. Upon system start up, a holographic display will go across your eyes and you’ll be able to use them just like the NOVO Lenses,” he said.
“Thank you!” Nami said.
“Yeah, we can’t wait to use them!” Hitomi added.
“Speaking of that, I need to conduct a proper test for the NOVO Lenses. Doing that in here is not enough. I’ll need some real-time readings on a larger scale. Maybe I could test them out at the Darkside Bazaar tonight. And I know two beautiful girls that have been meaning to get out and have some fun.”
“No way!” Nami shrieked.
“Yup! What better way to perfect the functionality of the NOVO OS than to put it to good use, right?” he said.
“Finally!” Hitomi exclaimed. “We’ve been cooped up in here; hacking systems, eating, sleeping, and training for the past few weeks! 'Bout time we had some fun!”
“Yeah, things should’ve died down. We just have to lay low. But to be sure, we really gotta keep our eyes peeled since no one is ever barred from the Bazaar apart from the cops,” he said.
“Of course,” Nami replied.
“So, what are you planning to do once we get there?” she asked.
“Well, I’ve been thinking a lot about what you guys told me; about wanting to be stronger and no longer live in fear. And judging by how dangerous things have been lately, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for all of us to be properly armed in case we need to protect ourselves. It’s also why I put together the training regimen, which, clearly, you guys have been doing. So, I want to hit the marketplace at the Bazaar to gather some high-end materials to develop some custom-made weapons for you guys. Keep in mind, I’m only doing this because I trust you enough to use them only in self-defense,” he said.
“For real?” Nami asked as she brightened up.
“Yeah. It’s the least I can do after all the trouble you guys had to go through,” he said. The twins’ eyes welled up with tears and they hugged him tight, nearly suffocating him. “Okay, can’t breathe,” he wheezed.
“Sorry,” they said.
He got up, headed to the utility closet, and pulled out a small case. He opened it up on the lab table. Inside the case were three shiny pairs of paper-thin metallic strips that were five inches in length.
“What are those things?” Hitomi asked.
“These are state of the art holographic straps. I got them as an additional bonus for a job I did some time back for a client on CWR,” he stated.
“Well what do they do?’ Nami asked.
“These holo-straps will hide your face by projecting an entirely different face over yours. But they need to be programmed first. How good the programming of the holographic face is, will determine how well it will stay together and protect the identity of a person from bio-scans and facial recognition machines,” he said.
“Well that shouldn’t be much of a problem, should it?” Hitomi asked.
“No, not really. Give me a few seconds,” he said as he set them up to be programmed. He also grabbed their holo-watches and updated those too. “I rigged them to display fake IDs in case you needed to show them. Nami’s codename is Zenna J and Hitomi’s is Jilla Reds.”
“My codename is Zenna, Caiden? Really?” Nami joked as she elbowed him.
Caiden laughed as he picked up the holo-straps and initiated the programming sequence from his computer. Using the scanner on his table, he programmed the straps. After a few minutes they were complete.
“Okay, let’s try these out,” he said.
The holostraps needed to be vertically placed at the top of each cheek bone. On one side of the metal was a thin layer of adhesive. The straps were made to mold to a person’s face for comfort. Caiden went to Nami first. Using any opportunity to seduce him, Nami took advantage of the fact that Caiden had to be face to face with her. Her gaze was captivating. She licked her plush full lips as she moved closer to him. When she was almost close enough, a strange zapping sound went off.
“There we go!” he said, backing up a step.
A holographic face slowly began to cover hers, completely changing her facial appearance. Nami’s usual platinum-blond hair changed to brown. Her magenta eyes turned green. Her holo-face even had a few freckles. Hitomi couldn’t believe she was looking at her twin sister. She slowly reached out to touch her face.
“Whoa!” she blurted out. As soon as Hitomi’s hand touched Nami’s, the holo-display rippled a little bit.
“Hmm, looks like I gotta re-calibrate the motion and sensory settings on the straps. Don’t wanna blow your cover right away,” Caiden said.
After a few more minutes of adjusting the settings on each pair of holo-straps, he opted for another test. Nami’s activated and operated at a much more efficient level than before. Impervious to touch or motion, the holographic face stayed in place and responded to every small facial movement she made. Caiden then placed Hitomi’s holo-straps on her cheekbones. Her hair became a radiant pink, her eyes turned to a crystal blue and she had caramel colored skin.
“Now we’re up and running,” he said.
“Wow! This is really useful. Why didn’t you tell us about these sooner?”
