Jekyll & Hyde Inc.

The bomb had been placed in a pleasantly anonymous tote bag, and then left standing not all unobtrusively by the lobby’s front door. Tina glanced inside the bag, picked it up, and slung it casually over her shoulder.

“Before you ask: yes, the bomb is quite definitely big enough. Don’t ask me what it is, or how it works. In a world of vampires, werewolves, and Hydes, a small but insanely powerful bomb is only a minor miracle.”

“But what about the blast radius?” said Daniel. Trying to sound like he knew what he was talking about.

“It’s a shaped charge,” Tina said patiently. “All we have to do is put it in position underneath the penthouse floor, and the blast will rise up and take out the entire Frankenstein gathering.”

“Won’t that be a bit hard on the hotel?” said Daniel.

“The owners know who they’re in business with,” said Tina. “So really, they have it coming.”

“I think I’m more concerned with how this bomb was just dumped by the door,” said Daniel.

“No one gets into the building unless we want them to,” said Tina. “There are cameras everywhere.”

Daniel frowned. “I didn’t see any.”

“That’s rather the point,” said Tina. “The best security is the kind you never see coming. Now let’s go; and try not to bump into me while we’re walking down the street.”

Daniel opened the door for her. “Could we go back to my original idea, about beating the entire Frankenstein Clan to death with our bare hands? It seems so much safer.”

“If you don’t stop whining, I will beat you ever the head with this tote bag,” Tina said severely. “Stop thinking so small! You’re a Hyde now!”

“Lead me to this bar,” said Daniel. “I feel in need of a whole bunch of drinks.”

“Well,” said Tina. “That’s more like it.”

The Frog and Princess turned out to be a hole-in-the-wall affair, with far too much character for its own good. Underlit and more than a bit rough, the bar was surprisingly full for the time of day. With the kind of drinkers Daniel just knew it wouldn’t be wise to turn your back on.

“What is this?” said Daniel. “Happy hour?”

“Not even a little bit,” said Tina.

She barged unceremoniously through the crowd to get to the bar, and everyone competed to see how quickly they could get out of her way. Daniel wandered along behind her and noticed that people were giving him plenty of room too. It might have been the tuxedo—or the touch of Hyde in his face. The bartender recognized Tina immediately, and looked like he wanted to hide behind something.

“Don’t start whimpering,” said Tina. “You know I hate that. It’s not like anything’s even happened yet.”

“It will,” said the bartender. “You’re here.”

“Give me a bottle of brandy and two glasses,” said Tina. “Then batten down the hatches. It’s going to be a stormy afternoon.”

The bartender quickly produced the brandy and the glasses, and pushed them toward her.

“And I’d only just got the place looking nice again, after the last time you were here . . . The brandy is on the house, and I am now off to lock myself in a toilet cubicle and sob bitter tears until it’s safe for me to come out again.”

Tina grabbed the bottle and nodded for Daniel to pick up the glasses. She turned her back on the rapidly departing bartender and headed for an empty table.

“What was he so upset about?” said Daniel, doing his best to keep up.

“Treat them mean, to keep them keen,” Tina said cheerfully. “He loves it, really.”

She dropped into her chair and dumped the tote bag on the floor, ignoring Daniel’s wince. He took his time sitting down opposite her, just to show he was his own man, and set the glasses down between them. Tina filled both glasses to the brim, gulped the brandy down, and immediately refilled her glass. Daniel sipped his drink carefully, and looked away from Tina to study the other people drinking in the bar. It seemed safer.

“Why is everyone watching us?”

“They all love it when a Hyde turns up,” said Tina. “Means a good time is guaranteed for all.”

“Then why do they all look so angry?”

“They’re just playing hard to get.”

“I’d feel better if we were preparing for our mission,” said Daniel.

“We are,” said Tina. “We are getting ourselves in the right mood, and girding our loins for battle. I do so hate an ungirded loin. And I thought we might use the time to get to know each other a little better.”

“You’ve read my file,” said Daniel.

“That’s who you used to be,” said Tina. “You’re someone else now.”

Daniel shook his head firmly. “I’m still me.”

“It’s cute that you think that,” said Tina. She belched, and scratched her ribs unself-consciously. “Try to keep up, Daniel. All the hidden dreams and desires that you’ve spent your entire life suppressing have been let out of their cages. Rejoice! You can do anything you want now, and you will. Get some of that brandy inside you; it’ll help cushion the shock.”

“We’re going to be working soon,” said Daniel, not hiding his disapproval as Tina poured herself a third glass of brandy.

“Hydes can handle their drinks,” said Tina. “We can indulge all our appetites, and never have to pay the price.”