Page 2 of Jump or Fall
Mara
Across the hall from her office was the fitting room, which featured a floor-to-ceiling black glass window, flooding the space with natural light. The walls showcased an array of samples—helmets, pauldrons, and chestplates—while a dedicated section held the soft armors and gave it the appearance of a high-end clothing boutique.
Her new client, Jasper, stood examining a helmet. “What’s with the eye on this one?”
Goosebumps prickled across her arms.
Only a voice. There was no reason to get anxious.
She stepped closer to see which he meant. “That is our God’s Eye helmet. It has advanced thermal imaging and scope capabilities. The eye provides an expanded field of vision available through the heads-up display.”
Jasper nodded, still staring.
He was young—early twenties at the most and had bleach-blond hair with dark roots near his scalp. His cool beige complexion and sharp features were familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. Regardless, something about him made her uneasy. Maybe she could reassign him to her apprentice, Asher.
“Well, I’m Mara,” she said. “I’ll be making your suit. My notes say you’re an enforcer recruit.”
That was probably it—he was a Silver. There was always at least one in every enforcer squad. They were like a secret force, monitoring everything.
Jasper pushed his hair back. “Yeah, I gotta go get my head shaved after this too.” His eyes found her and scanned thoroughly. “Are all you tailors this hot, or am I just lucky?”
She stared blankly at him. If he was a Silver, he was a stupid one. Good thing he had no say in the specifications of his suit since it was a uniform. The less time she had to spend with him, the better.
“Go ahead and stand on the platform over there so I can start your measurements.”
With a click of his tongue, he sauntered over and hopped up onto the platform.
“Please stretch your arms straight out to the sides,” she instructed.
He complied, a wry smile across his lips.
As she scanned him with the tablet, he asked, “Just gonna ignore my question?”
“The attractiveness of my colleagues is not for me to comment on.”
“You’re pretty stuck up for a Silver bitch.”
Mara lowered the tablet and stepped away. Heat crept up her neck as each word chipped at her composed façade.
“Thank you for your cooperation,” she said mechanically. “Your suit should be ready for a fitting next week. Good luck with your training.”
Jasper jumped down from the platform and closed the distance between them. “Relax, I’m just messing around. Don’t be shy, I bet you’ve got a few stripes. Why don’t you let me see one?”
He reached out to tug down the collar of her shirt, but she slapped his hand away.
The corner of his mouth curled up into a mischievous smile. “Oh, I don’t think you're supposed to hit your clients. But maybe you can make it up to me.”
He took a step forward, boxing her in against the wall with a hand on either side of her head. The heat of his body pressed in, making her skin crawl.
“Step away from me.” She tried to sound firm, but the command rang hollow.
He brushed away a lock of hair that had fallen into her eyes, making her tense and jerk her head away.
Breathe. Just breathe.
“How’d you get this job, anyway?” he asked. “You’re older than I thought, and Silver bitches don’t usually last long.” His eyes trailed down her body. “And you must be one if you look this good. There’s no way we'd let a pretty thing like you slip by.”
“I’m the Master Tailor and I've earned this position,” she argued. “Please refrain from touching me.”
