Keen nodded. “We all have to work through what happened. That wasn’t a walk in the park we went through, Addie. Raynard’s way of coping is to throw himself into work.”
Adelaide pressed her lips together. “I suppose I need to work out whether I want to run because it’s my reaction, or because I really want to leave Themis.”
They were interrupted by Nickie making her typical grand entrance. “Hey, what are you guys doing in here? Don’t you know there’s a party going on? Quit moping, we’re celebrating!”
Keen gaped, shocked by the change in Nickie. “Celebrating?”
Nickie grinned. “The water? Melissa and Raynard broke out the good stuff,” she paused, “if you can call it good. It’s strong, I’ll give them that.”
Adelaide laughed. This was a whole new side to Nickie, one she’d suspected existed but hadn’t expected to see. “Come on, Keen! Everyone is waiting.”
Keen shook his head. “I’m good, thanks. You ladies have fun, though.”
Adelaide hugged him. “You know we will. I’ll make sure to have a drink or three for you.”
“Make sure you do,” he told her fondly.
She linked her arm through Nickie’s and steered her back toward the door. “What are we waiting for? Lead the way.”
Chapter 6
Tabitha
K’nthel System, Traveler’s Rest, Aboard the Achronyx
Tabitha and Ryu poured over the paperwork Hirotoshi had taken from the office while Hirotoshi combed through the ledger Stacy had provided.
“I don’t get it. Why can’t I find anything that points to that damned Skaine?” Tabitha huffed in exasperation. “Are you sure you got all the files, Hirotoshi?”
Hirotoshi gave her a look that would melt stone.
“Okay, okay. This is plenty to start with.” She waved the paper at him. “There’s enough here to arrest half the officials on the station, just nothing on Brother Scroat. I know he’s involved in this somehow. Otherwise, how did the Order’s plea for help just vanish like that?”
“There are any number of reasons it could have happened,” Hirotoshi told her. He looked up from the ledger. “You are allowing your preconceptions to get in the way of the investigation.”
“Am not.” Tabitha pouted. “What is this? “What’s with this sudden denial of the way the universe works? He’s a Skaine, and we have missing people. It’s not rocket science.”
Ryu raised an eyebrow. “Are you so certain that Scroat is involved? I have to agree with Hirotoshi. All the evidence points to this station, and apart from the missing report, there’s nothing to connect any of what we’ve discovered to the Order. Unless you know something we don’t?”
“No… But I’m right.” She threw her hands up in frustration. “How can you be so sure he’s not involved?”
Hirotoshi shrugged. “I am not. However, I am not so quick to assume that Scroat is involved simply because he is a Skaine. Especially since none of the evidence so far points to him.”
Tabitha narrowed her eyes. “Yet. It doesn’t point to him yet. You’re going to eat your words when we figure this all out and he’s at the center of it. Just wait and see.”
Hirotoshi inclined his head a fraction. “And if that is the case, I will accept that I was wrong and move on, having learned a valuable lesson.”
“Yeah, we might not be moving on for a while.” Tabitha was getting grumpier by the minute. “There’s so much corruption going on here, I have to wonder how the Order was getting any funding at all.” She discarded the file and picked up the next report. “Old Harry has dirt on people’s dirt. I can almost admire him. Oh.” She stopped to read the top sheet again. “Guys, this doesn’t add up at all.”
Ryu held out a hand for the paper. “What is it?”
Tabitha tore the top sheet free and handed it over. “There’s a single massive payment here. It disappears almost the moment it hits this first account, and then it looks like it bounces from account to account until… Oh, that’s all there is. Hey, this looks like an investigation. Who is behind all these cutouts?” She flipped through the pages of the report slowly. “There’s nothing here to say who any of this belongs to, or why Harry was investigating in the first place.”
Hirotoshi looked up. “I am having better luck here. I have identified several potential suspects already. Perhaps there is some crossover between the two sets of miscreants?” He flicked to the back of the ledger. “There is rather a lot of detail in here. It appears to be more of a service guide for the wealthier patrons than anything else. Oh joy, there are photos included.” His face froze for a second. “Oh. Oh, no.”
Ryu got up to look at the photo. “But he’s human! Human bodies can’t do…that.”
Tabitha dropped the report onto her chair and came over to see what had shaken the usually unflappable duo. “Show me.”
“Are you sure? You will not be able to unsee it afterward.” Hirotoshi held the ledger up when she nodded.
Tabitha tilted her head from side to side as her brain tried to make sense of the scene in the photo. “That’s just…” She swallowed hard as a lump rose in her throat. “Wow.”
“To each their own,” Hirotoshi offered diplomatically.
Tabitha rubbed her eyes as if that could remove the image that was now burned into her retinas for at least an eternity. Maybe longer. “Yeah, but that alien seemed way too into everyone else’s.”
Ryu sat down heavily, looking a bit green. “Where did all the tentacles come from?”
Hirotoshi shook his head. “The question is, where did they all go? It is not a question I would like to be answered, however.” He turned the page and grimaced. “Humanity amazes me in its capacity to reach for the extreme. This is one of the times I would rather not have witnessed it.”
Tabitha had to agree. “I’m not sure I want to brag about being the same species as that guy, that’s for sure.” She shuddered and went back to her chair to continue her investigation. “Mystery accounts aside, this is all too neat. Like, super-organized. I think Harry is running an extortion racket in addition to his skimming.”
Hirotoshi’s lip curled in distaste. “What’s a little blackmail when you are already stealing from the destitute? Men like Harry are a blight upon humanity. It was only because we have been instructed to keep a low profile that I allowed him to continue breathing. The man made my skin crawl.”
“He won’t be breathing for much longer if he doesn’t change his ways. Tabitha waited for Hirotoshi to finish scanning the last page. “Is there anything about him in the ledger?”
“No,” he replied. “This man is too sharp to allow any of his victims to gain an advantage. You can be sure that whatever his proclivities are, no one on this station will have a clue about them.”
Ryu nodded in agreement. “He’s slick, but he has grown comfortable, and is overly flashy. That makes him vulnerable, which makes him ripe for the turning.”
Tabitha grinned. “You want to go and dangle him off a building by his ankles until he squeals like the little piggy he is?”
“We are on a space station, Kemosabe,” Hirotoshi reminded her.
Tabitha rolled her eyes. “Do you have to take everything so literally? An airlock will do the same job. As long as he talks, who cares? But we’ll have to find him first. Everyone get some rest. We’ll track him down first thing tomorrow.”
They were interrupted by a proximity sensor alert.
“Who’s out there?” Tabitha jabbed a couple of buttons on the arm of her chair to bring up the ship’s external cameras. A human woman danced from foot-to-foot, looking up at the door of the Achronyx. “Hang on, she’s talking.” Tabitha flicked on the audio feed.
“It’s Stacy! You have to help, please!”
The woman sat in the chair opposite Tabitha, cradling the hot drink Ryu had made her to help with her shock.
“What’s your name?” Tabitha asked. “And what were you saying about Stacy?”
“My name is S
afaia,” she began. She sipped her tea and put the mug down quickly. “But Ranger, we haven’t got time for this. They took Stacy!”
Tabitha sat forward. “Who took Stacy?”
Safaia shook her head miserably. “I don’t know who they were. I’ve never seen them before.” Her breathing quickened again, and she began to cry.
Tabitha placed a comforting hand on Safaia’s wrist. “It’s okay. Tell me everything, from start to finish.”
Safaia sniffed and wiped her face with her sleeve. “Okay. I was meeting Stacy for drinks after I’d finished work at my day job, I’m a game designer as well as a courtesan, and I’ve been working extra hard there to make up for the income I’ve lost out on while the strike is in effect.” She sniffed. “So I hadn’t seen Stacy for a while. I got up to her office just as they were dragging her out, and all I could do was hide before they saw me too.”
Tabitha produced a box of tissues and offered one to Safaia. “Did you see anything that stood out about them? Did they say anything?”
“Stacy was pretty pissed. I heard one of them mention Harry Barton, the fight manager.”
Tabitha frowned at Ryu. “Isn’t that the same Harry we were just looking at?”
Ryu nodded. “I think so.”
Tabitha stood. “We should go and pay Harry a visit.”
K’nthel System, Traveler’s Rest, Entertainment Level
For the second time that day, the Torcellan behind the glass screen almost embarrassed himself when the doors flew open and Tabitha strode in with her coat billowing. He managed to restrain himself from slamming the partition shut but was unable to repress the small squeal that escaped at the sight of the pissed-off Ranger.
He had recovered by the time she strutted over to the desk, leaving Hirotoshi and Ryu by the door. “Oh, it’s just you again, Ranger.” He smoothed the side of his elaborate updo with a slightly trembling hand. “What can I do for you this time?”
Tabitha leaned on the divide and gave him a thin smile. “I want to know where I can find Harry.”
“Harry?”
Tabitha banged her hand on the divide. “I haven’t got time for this. How many Harrys can there be?”
The secretary gave her a look of pure disdain. “You are joking? It’s one of the most popular male human names on the station census after the Big Three.”
Tabitha tilted her head. “The Big Three?”
“You know.” The Torcellan paused. “You don’t? Michael, Stephen, and John, as well as every variation on those three names that is possible. Needless to say, on a station of this size and with so many humans aboard, it is not a small number.”
Tabitha nodded. “Whatever. I’m looking for the Harry who was running the fight in the Arena…”
Barton, Ryu supplied.
“Harry Barton.”
The Torcellan’s nose wrinkled. “Oh, that Harry. He won’t be in his quarters at this time. He likes to hold court in Freyja’s, a bar on Level Seven.”
Tabitha was already out of the door.
K’nthel System, Traveler’s Rest, Level Seven, Freyja’s Bar
The party was still in full swing when Tabitha and the Tontos arrived, the after-midnight crowd showing no sign of giving in to the threat of the approaching new day. The deep vibration of the music hit them the moment they entered the main room of the bar.
Tabitha pointed out the artwork on the walls of the deep galley-style room as they worked their way through the press in search of the crooked fight boss. This décor is out of this world. The owner has put a lot of effort in, she thought. She swerved around a human carrying a tray of drinks and moved in to take a closer look at the nearest piece. I like the Scandinavian theme. Very…Viking-y, in a Mad Max kind of way.
Hirotoshi blinked away the flashing neon that assaulted him and made a noncommittal noise. I hesitate to visit an establishment like this.
Ryu grinned as the bar came into sight through a gap in the crowd. What’s not to like?
It is more how much we will have to pay for damages after we finish speaking with him. Bethany Anne was not pleased with the bill from our night out on Flex. Hirotoshi nodded past the bar to where two Shrillexians prevented entry to a roped-off VIP area. A red-faced human sat at a table behind the rope but in view of the whole bar. That is Harry.
I want to say “Ewww,” but I can see how he manages to get all his info this way. Look who he’s sitting with, and look how hard they’re all pretending they’re happy to be there. He’s got something on every single one of them, I bet. Tabitha knew this game. Everything the man did was for show. Harry had a woman hanging off each arm and was making sure that everyone noticed how much he was spending. His braying laughter carried even over the loud hum of the crowd, but the laughter of the people surrounding him had an edge of brittleness to it. Actually, no. I’m going to stick with my original assessment of ew. Shall we break this up? It’s almost painful to watch all this ass-kissing. The sooner we find out what he knows, the sooner we can find Stacy.
Hirotoshi watched the display with careful impassivity. Nothing would make me happier, Kemosabe.
The Shrillexian bouncers moved to block their entry into the VIP area. “Invitation only,” one of them told her in that regretful way good bouncers have. Tabitha held her badge in the bouncer’s face. “Ranger business.”
The Shrillexian bent down to examine the decal on her badge. “You’re Ranger Two? The scourge of the Skaines? But you’re so… So…”
“What?” Tabitha demanded.
The Shrillexian held his hands up. “I don’t want any trouble, Ranger.”
Tabitha tucked her badge away. “If that’s the case, then you’re the first Shrillexians I’ve met who don’t. What gives?”
The bouncers exchanged a look. “It’s the drink, Ranger,” the bouncer confided in an almost whisper. “The one from the Empress that stops us from fighting without thinking. We got hold of some, and it changed everything for us.”
The other bouncer looked a little worried. “Just don’t tell anyone. Please? If the others found out, we’d be ridiculed for it.” He looked around to make sure no one was listening. “It’s a big relief not being driven by instinct anymore. The drink gives us control over our lives, and we owe the Empress our thanks.”
“You don’t fight, and you have manners?” Tabitha turned to Hirotoshi and Ryu. “What is with this place? It’s like I’ve fallen into some weird ass-backward reality or something. What’s next, an Ixtali who likes to mind their own business?”
“How about a Skaine who is focused on helping others?” Ryu supplied.
Tabitha narrowed her eyes at him and turned back to the Shrillexians. “I won’t tell a soul. And if you want something a little more exciting than this, you should head over to Yoll and see a man by the name of Nathan Lowell.”
The Shrillexians nodded, and one of them lifted the rope. “Thank you, Ranger.”
Tabitha sashayed past them into the VIP area. You see that? That’s what respect looks like. Now, where is Harry?
They skirted the edge of the VIP area until they came to his table. Harry looked up to see whose shadow had just fallen across him. “Hello, beautiful. You want to join us?” He gave the woman on his right a little nudge and patted the seat beside him when the woman moved over with a spiteful glare at Tabitha.
Tabitha looked them both over and laughed. “Oh, you wish! We’re not here on pleasure, Harry. This is strictly business.”
Harry looked past her and saw Hirotoshi and Ryu. He slapped his leg in delight and waved at the table’s occupants. “Heeeey, these are the guys I was telling you all about!” He scrutinized Tabitha. “What are you, their agent or something?”
Tabitha took note of the hulking guards at Harry’s shoulders. I think I’ll play along for now. I really don’t want to wreck this place.
The owner of this place appreciates your discretion, Empress’ Ranger.
What the… Tabitha spun around to locate the source of the intrudi
ng voice in her mind, a human woman with ice-blond hair behind the bar.
The woman smiled, her eyes twinkling in the reflected neon of the bar lights. She nodded to indicate a door at the side of the room. You can use the back room. It’s soundproof. If it does get physical, make sure you get in a few licks for me? That bastard has been running dubious shit out of my bar for too damn long, and he’s too well connected for me to stop him.
Tabitha didn’t look the gift horse in the mouth. She turned back to Harry with her patent butter-wouldn’t-melt smile and batted her eyelashes. “Aw, you worked me right out. There goes my element of surprise. Wanna negotiate?”
A slow, lewd grin spread over Harry’s already flushed face. He stood up and waved his guards away when they moved to follow him. “Well, I don’t see why we can’t try. Why don’t we go somewhere quieter to talk about it, darlin?’”
Tabitha indicated the door to the back room. “How about in there?”
A few minutes later, Harry was completely sober and wishing he’d listened to all the things his sainted mother had told him about not going off with strangers in bars. He struggled against the restraints holding him to the chair Tabitha had shoved him into the second the door closed behind them. His eyes darted from Tabitha to Ryu and Hirotoshi. “Please, I’ll do anything…just don’t steal my kidneys!”
Tabitha snorted. “You think I want your organs?”
Ryu snickered. He wouldn’t have followed you in here if he hadn’t thought you wanted at least one of his organs, Kemosabe.
Shut up, Ryu! I’m trying to be menacing here.
Just get him talking, Hirotoshi told her. We’re short on time.
Harry looked up at them with wide, terrified eyes. “Who are you people? What do you want? Is it money? I have money!”
Tabitha bent at the waist to look Harry in the eye. “I want information, asshole. Drop the act. We know all about you and your little blackmail scheme. You’re going to spill every dirty little secret you have.”
Deuces Wild Boxed Set: Books 1-4: Beyond the Frontiers, Rampage, Labyrinth, Birthright Page 47