“Hey bitch.”

“Douche.” Charmian nodded briefly in recognition of her friend, but her eyes never stopped scanning the room, warily taking in her surroundings and trying to ignore the din of voices in her head.

“What are you doing here?”

“It’s an entertainment industry party. Same thing you’re doing here I’d wager.”

“Work?”

“Work,” she sighed. “Who you watching?”

“Sweet young blonde, over there,” Micah nodded towards their left and Charmian’s eyes briefly flittered in that direction. The girl was young, overly made up and looking awkward – a prime target. No wonder Micah had her in his sights. “You?”

“Suit next to her.”

“Well, well, well. Isn’t this a coincidence? Care to make my life easier and get him out of the way?”

“You know the drill, I need just cause.”

“Rules, rules, rules,” Micah sighed deeply. “I know they separate us from the beasts and all but damn if they ain’t tiresome.”

“You know where to find me if you need me, he’s not the only one I have to watch.”

“Yeah, I suppose in a place like this you would be a busy little beaver. Watch your back.”

“Watch yours.”

Charmian smoothly and swiftly cut through the crowd, quiet grace flowing through her limbs as she deftly weaved between bodies, eyes never stopping as she continued to survey the scene. She had long since grown tired of the bacchanalian excess of Hollywood parties, but they were a hotbed of activity and as such, she needed to be there whether she had the taste for it or not. They bored her and as far as she was concerned she had far worthier pursuits to occupy her time with, but what the boss said was law. Fashions changed but some things remained the same, and the flirting and double dealing and soul selling search for fame and fortune was still the same at its core – dirty.

“Why Charmian,” a voice slithered in her ear. “How lovely to see you.”

“Anton,” she replied steadily, disinterest staining her voice. A tall, lean body sidled into view, dressed impeccably in an Armani suit of blue and steel gray. He fitted right in with the movers and shakers, that was for certain. No doubt he’d been schmoozing the night away.

“Not here on business, I hope. I did want to avoid a scene. I do hope you’ll do the polite thing and leave, or things may get… ugly”

“Because I’d kick your ass and you know it,” she snorted. “Whatever you had going here tonight is off, Anton.”

“Oh, you do spoil all my fun.” He sighed. “Well, ciao, ciao, dear. Always another party to go to…”

Rolling her eyes in disgust, Charmian resumed her previous activity. She wasn’t sure exactly how to make the approach, but she had decided that Micah’s presence was a sign. The girl and the suit were the ones in the game tonight, and that was where she needed to be. Apparently he’d had the same thought, since even as she thought of him he was there by her side, giving her the nod.

A buzzing began sounding lightly in her ears as they stealthily approached the pair, taking care not to appear conspicuous. She shook her head as if it was a fly she needed to shake loose. “Do you hear that?”

“What?”

“Buzzing.”

“In my line of work I hear a lot of things, sweetheart.”

Deciding it was the last of her worries, she pressed on with the task at hand. “What do we know?”

“She’s young and stupid and he’s greedy and opportunistic. Not to mention a perv, obviously.”

Indeed, the well dressed gentleman (if such a term could apply to him) was continually casting glances down the young girl’s top. Hanging back, pretending to be chatting, Charmian and Micah kept a close watch of the mismatched couple. Maybe she was an actress looking for a break and he was an agent looking for a casting couch. Maybe she was a wannabe pop star and he was dreaming up the draconian contract as they spoke. A tall, vaguely familiar figure stepped up to them and joined in the conversation, but not getting any particular feeling about him Charmian ignored him.

“Time to go say hi?”

“If we must.”

“Hi, Robert, so good to see you again.”  Micah stepped in front of the suit with a big smile and held out his hand. The man shook it, looking at him with a slightly puzzled expression.

“And you too, uhh…”

“George. George Baker. You kindly spoke at my charity’s reception, Homes for the Homeless?”

“Oh yes, yes,” Robert lied. “How are you?”

“Wonderful, thank you. Oh, this is my lovely assistant Charlotte.”

Assistant? Ooh, he was getting a punch for that later. She was way over his level and he knew it, the jerk. “Lovely to meet you all.”

“Sarah King,” the girl squeaked nervously, her handshake limp.

The man she’d dismissed as unimportant turned out to be about six feet tall, with blue eyes and unruly curls on his head. “Justin Timberlake.”

“Pleased to… oww!”

Charmian drew back her hand, staring at it in disbelief. It wasn’t possible. It simply wasn’t possible.

“Damn static.” Justin Timberlake laughed easily as he rubbed his tingling palm with the other hand. “And they swore to me this shirt was one hundred percent natural fibres. Sorry about that.”

“No problem.” She swallowed the lump in her throat and pretended to laugh it off, the ease in her voice the result of many years of practice rather than any real joviality.

“Would you excuse me a moment?”

Charmian pushed her way back through the crowd, not bothering to show any subtlety this time. She got a few glares and muttered curses, but she was far too focussed on her exit and the mission beyond.

“Hey, hey, what happened? I need you over there.” Micah was already blocking her when she got to the door.

“Do your own job right and you won’t need me there to do mine after. I’ve got bigger fish to fry.”

“What, with the Timberlake guy?”

“No.”

“Then where are you going?”

“Church.”