Shurara Steampunk Chapter 15

"Where were you? We wanted to go over the plan with you," Putata complained as soon as Hanana entered.
"I was visiting Yukiki," she said. There was no need to lie. The wind was picking up outside and was rattling the windows impatiently.
Mekeke had string wrapped around his fingers and was twitching each one in some sort of complicated finger exercise. Without looking up, he said, "You should know that we're going to Lord Bariri's for the ball."
"He's that military man isn't he?"
Putata nodded. "But it's not him we're supposed to…er, dispatch."
"We're stealing information from him."
"So what's my job?" Hanana asked.
"To lie for us," Putata said. "You and Samama are going to keep Bariri talking while we're breaking into his study and stealing from him."
"He might have a security automaton," Mekeke said, still engrossed with his work. "All the rich folk are getting them now."
"I think I can break an automaton."
"But aren't they supposed to be unstoppable?" Hanana  asked, clearing some space on the sofa. "The newest serial is all about an unstoppable automaton that betrays its master."
"You can't believe serials, not matter how close to life they may seem."
Someone hammered on their door. Hanana could feel the vibrations through her teeth. Putata sprung off the couch like he'd been electrocuted and threw open the door.
Hanana jumped and ducked her head down. Giruru was standing in the doorway, glaring daggers at Putata. "Let me in," he said.
Putata thought about it, rubbing his chin with the air of a philosopher being presented a particularly difficult dilemma. "Hmm. I might. Or I'll let you freeze solid and use you as an ice sculpture. You'd make a lovely conversation piece."
"Let me in, or I'll make you," Giruru growled.
"Sound argument," Putata said, sidestepping.
Giruru flowed indoors, his eye sweeping the room. "I see the girl hasn't left yet."
"My name is Hanana," Hanana said.
Giruru shrugged as if this didn't really matter to him. Hanana stood up and brushed her skirt purposefully. She held out her hand to Giruru.
"I don't think we got off on the right foot the last time we met," she said with a smile. "Why don't we start over?"
He regarded her hand coldly with a hint of confusion in his gaze. Reluctantly, he shook her hand. It was like shaking hands with a sack filled with jam. Hanana suppressed a shudder.
"So you keep her around to be your little Snow White here?" Giruru asked.
"It's so sad that you can't get one of your own," Mekeke said. "Poor, bitter Giruru."
Giruru directed a glare in Mekeke's direction. If looks could kill, Mekeke would have been dead on the floor. He turned and moved over to Putata, who flinched.
"The lady insisted!" he shrieked, throwing his hands up.
"Stop acting like a fool and tell me what your plan is," Giruru said, a threat hovering behind his words.
"You're not involved in our plan," Putata said. "We're the ones going and stealing the information. Shurara assigned us to do this."
"Yes but something's going to go wrong. Something always goes wrong."
"We have a backup plan," Putata said dismissively. "There's no need to panic. Please have some faith in us."
Giruru glanced at Hanana and said, "And what if she ends up in trouble. What will you do then? You've been trying to protect her haven't you?"
"We're her guardian angels," Mekeke said. "Now get out of our house and learn to TRUST us."
Giruru's eye rolled to the ceiling. "Fine, but I predict something going wrong," he said as he left. The door slammed.
"Jerk!" Mekeke shouted after he was sure Giruru had gone out of earshot. He turned back to his finger exercises and continued.
"What's the backup plan?" Hanana asked.
Putata looked guilty. "I only said that to stop him bothering us. But don't worry; everything will go exactly as planned."
Giruru had been right after all. Hanana sighed, praying for this plan to go right. But even she knew that the best laid plans often go wrong.