Smuggler’s Contubernium (Mea Lupus Series Book 1)

by Kahaula

  I wandered the markets and bought some food at one of the stalls in the main bazaar. Making sure to check my gauntlet every ten minutes leading up to my appointment with Fillion. I traded fake brittle smiles with vendors and tucked my braids behind my ears the closer it got to the meet time. Establishing tells and ticks were always handy in the future.

  At two minutes to the meet time I felt a heavy hand land on my shoulder. Fillion’s cocky smile greeted me when I turned to see who it was. Black hair oily and slicked back, he was the stereotype of a shifty cut throat fence. Ai may have problems killing him, but I definitely didn’t. Fillion thought he was untouchable and that gaping orifice he also breathed out from had gotten many a smuggler killed.

  I hadn’t told Ai any of this because I didn’t want her justifying or rationalising something as serious as murder. She was her own person but I knew it was my responsibility, as her creator, to make sure that she was a good person. Or at least not a shitty person, like me. Killing wasn’t always bad, but murder definitely was. There was a difference between the two that she needed to understand.

  “Captain Kara,” his attempt at charm was just as oily as his hair. He looked me up and down like he was pricing out my value, “I was shocked to find out that you were my liaison for the Ferry—“

  “Shut the fuck up, Fillion,” I whispered harshly. This bag of diseased dicks was going to out me before we even had our meeting, the fuck wit. I had to shove down my anger and show fear. I looked around us with paranoia, “Are you trying to get us both killed! You know he kills anyone who betrays him, Fillion.” He rolled his eyes.

  “You don’t have to be scared when I’m around, baby,” he cooed. He put his arm around my shoulders and hugged me to his body. Internally I was already thinking of how to convince Ai to switch places with me so I could be the one to kill this handsy fucker.

  I pulled out of his embrace and walked into a corner I knew had only one angle for its surveillance bot. When Adohi reviewed the footage he wouldn’t be able to get audio but he would be able to see half of my scared face. Hopefully it would be enough to feed his need to follow every lead.

  “Your shipment is in, wire your payment,” my mouth was in a firm line. I didn’t want to be here any longer than I had to and that truth was okay to show.

  “How can I pay for something that I haven’t even received,” he chuckled darkly. I slapped his hand away when he reached forward to try and tuck a braid behind my ear.

  “This is the fucking Ferryman you’re dealing with,” I snapped. I scanned the market and bit my lip in fear. “He delivers, you pay.” With your life.

  “I don’t care who he thinks he is,” snarled Fillion, “He’s my fucking errand boy.”

  “You’re going to get us killed talking like that,” my eyes rounded in terror and I nervously pushed a few braids behind my ear.

  “Tell good ol’ Charon that he can deliver my shit then get paid,” Fillion sneered. I shook my head and put my palm on my forehead in disbelief. I silently thanked whatever Gods that gave a shit about me, that we had taken extra measures to leave no contact trace between this asshole and us.

  “I don’t tell the Ferryman to do anything, you asshole!” I whisper yelled. “I just hand off whatever is left for me to—“

  Ding!

  I looked down at my gauntlet. Only one message was visible: Tell him I expect payment at the hand off.

  I gasped in shock. Thank fuck Ai was listening in to this bullshit.

  “See! Was that so hard,” laughed Fillion loudly. He was laughing but it was a forced sound. He was trying to hide his fear that the Ferryman had somehow been watching us.

  “You’re going to get me fucking killed,” I looked around wildly and took a step to leave. Fillion took the bait and grabbed my arm in a harsh grip.

  “I need the delivery time and place,” he gritted his teeth at me. I shook him off and wrapped my arms around myself.

  “When he sends it to me I’ll send it to you,” I spun away quickly and blended into the crowd, looking over my shoulder every few turns. I made sure to go through a few sections that I knew didn’t have surveillance at all, ensuring gaps and reinforcing my fear riddled facade.

  I kept this up all the way to Cassie’s. I stood outside for a moment as if debating going in or not. With a slight shake of my head I made my way back to my ship in the lower docking bay. I had built this background as best as I could. Going to and avoiding Cassie’s would also look plausible. With my backstory set, all I needed to do was wait until the hand off then solidify my alibi while Ai took care of Fillion.

  All that remained now, was for the wolves to take the bait and follow the trail I had laid out for them.

  Conchobhar

  The lights went up slowly and the naked male bowed to the cheering crowd. He got on his knees and picked up the few dance props he had then winked at me. Cassie’s was equal opportunity and I wasn’t about to complain. I also wasn’t happy.

  As stunningly handsome as the man was, he wasn’t who I wanted. I’m such a fucking idiot, I thought to myself. It had been nearly two months since we had all met Kara. We were all drawn to her in our own ways. For the last two weeks I had been coming here to watch the shows and have dinner. Hoping that Kara would show up again, and that I would have her all to myself this time.

  “My lord,” exclaimed Cassie in excitement. Her hair was neon green today and her lips pink. The frilly corsets and outfits she wore always coordinated and outrageously colourful. “You’re fast becoming one of my regulars!” Her laughter was a tittering tinkle like a bird. I wondered how Kara sounded when she laughed.

  “Only place with good food and your lovely company,” I grumped. Cassie had grown on me. She didn’t have any expectations and she respected my need for space. She gasped in playful reproach.

  “I take offence to that, my lord,” she dramatically put her hand on her heaving large breasts, “I own a few restaurants on Castra 3 and know they’re up to the same standards as my establishment here.” She winked and I couldn’t help but smile.

  “Own many businesses on Castra 3, Madam Cassie?” I teased. She smiled one of her rarer genuine smiles.

  “Worked my way up from on my back,” she said with conviction. There was strength and pride in her voice, “I own or helped to start many of the newer businesses here. It’s why Castra 3 isn’t a den of murderers and slavers anymore.” Her last sentence was softly spoken but I heard it all the same. I watched as she rebuilt her sense of showmanship, throwing up her hand and arching her back. “Castra 3 is now a popular destination for travellers on the frontier. I couldn’t be happier.”

  “Last we were here this place was a festering shit hole,” I rumbled, “You’ve changed things for the better.” Cassie blushed.

  “When I have customers such as yourself, my lord, the class of my establishments can only increase,” Cassie’s giggle was cut off as a loud crash sounded behind her. Without looking she sighed and I could see her struggle to wipe a pinched look from her face, “Maybe it’ll balance out my rowdier clientele. My lord,” she bobbed her head and turned to face the table of drunk idiots who had caused the disturbance.

  Soft lighting illuminated the restaurant space while still maintaining a level of privacy for those in booths along the wall. Across from me I could see the booth in question. Cassie smiled and skilfully reined in the raucous table of five. My hackles rose and a soft growl left my mouth watching her casually dodge their reaching hands.

  I narrowed my eyes. Cassie wasn’t some low rent prostitute at their mercy, but their actions telegraphed that belief. I didn’t make any sudden moves, but I would if she needed an assist. I blinked suddenly and leaned back in my chair. My internal plan of action had shocked me.

  I couldn’t remember the last time I had cared enough about someone to think about interfering on their behalf. I felt the shadow of guilt wash over me. Even with my own pack mates I had started to take on a hands off approach. Looking down in my cup
of house ale, I questioned my own motivations, until it came to me.

  Cassie was Kara’s friend, if anything happened to her, it would hurt Kara.

  I liked and respected Cassie enough that I would of course interfere if something dire happened. But taking the time and effort to watch over her before anything should happen was my way of protecting Kara. I shook my head and took a big gulp of my ale. I had only fleeting contact with her, but already she held so much of my respect.

  Kara had obviously lived a hard, life but she had found time to be somewhat a part of the world. Unlike me. Most days it seemed like the only tether I had left was Aphelele. He, and my love for him, kept me grounded when I would have drifted into the ether of depression and loneliness.

  Cassie had said that Kara spent most of her life in space on deliveries. Spending so much time alone in the dark void of space did something to a person. In a way, it made me think that she would understand what I and the others were going through. We weren’t true immortals, but our lives were so long that living it without love and family would feel like floating endlessly in the dark.

  People looking in would see me as the gruff moody one of our pack, but it was more than that. I was more than that. I vacillated between despair and hope, warring with myself constantly. I prayed for the light that having a mate would bring to our pack. Logically, I knew I couldn’t pin all my hopes on the shoulders of a future mate. But when has the heart and soul ever behaved logically?

  I scowled at the group across the way. Cassie had the mess they made cleaned up but now the middle one was waving his hands around, spilling more alcohol over his companions and the table. The myriad of lights around the establishment shined and caught on his oily hair. Originally it looked like it had been slicked back but with all his vigorous story telling some sections had fought for the freedom to stick out every which way they could.

  I snorted a laugh and drank another gulp of my ale. Maybe his hair was attempting to flee the asshole they were unhappily growing out of. The men around the loudmouth looked stunned and enraptured by his tale. A couple even paled at his words. My brows dipped in concentration as I listened in from where I sat.

  “...So! So I said, I’m not paying for shit until I get my delivery!”

  “Fillion, man, I respect you,” another man slurred to the loudmouth, “but, isn’t he gonna be mad, man?”

  “Fuck that bullshit,” yelled Fillion as he shoved his mug at his companion, “everybody’s so fuckin’ afraid of him. Well he’s just a fuckin’ delivery boy!”

  “Whoa,” a man sitting the farthest out got up unsteadily from the booth, “Hey man I gotta... go, do stuff, and things.”

  “Fuckin’ coward!” Fillion’s other companions looked blearily at each other as if they wish they had thought of that escape.

  “Naw, Fillion,” hiccuped another, “he’s just a little bitch but we know you’re not scared of nobody. Not even him.”

  “Who said I’m scared,” Fillion slurred in a higher pitched voice fuelled by whatever he had already been consuming, “I’m not afraid of the fucking Ferryman.”

  My eyes zeroed in on Fillion and immediately focused all my attention on him.

  “Fil, Fillion,” squealed one of the other men at the table looking around nervously. He rubbed the back of his hand on his mouth and continued, “You know he kills anyone who betrays him! Don’t say his name, man.”

  “Awww, fuck you!” Fillion pushed the man who had just spoken while accidentally elbowing another. “Motherfucker finally took a job from me, he can learn some respect.” Spittle flew from his mouth, slapping the cheek of the man he had just elbowed. Cassie came rushing over, her eyes full of terror.

  “Fillion,” scolded Cassie, “Don’t talk about the fucking Ferryman in my establishment of all places! I’m not getting gutted because you can’t keep your mouth shut.” From here I could smell her fear and concern.

  “Fuck you, you two bit whore,” Fillion sneered, “Just because you’re some big time owner now doesn’t mean I can’t put you back on your back like I used to.” Enough. I was done passively listening to this piece of shit. I drained the last gulp of my ale and walked silently to stand next to Cassie.

  “For the love of Fortuna,” she startled. Her mouth set in a hard line as she addressed me, “I want no part of this.” Cassie wisely stalked off, letting me handle Fillion as I saw fit.

  “Get up,” I stated.

  “Who the fuck are you?” Fillion tried to stare me down but it just made him look like he had problems with his eyesight.

  “Fuck, wolves! I’m outta here,” the elbowed guy, Fillion’s spit still glistening on his face, pushed at the man boxing him in. All three scrambled over each other and ran for the exit.

  “You can’t do anything to me, wolf,” Fillion spat, “You can’t prove shit. We were just talking bullshit.”

  “Get. Up,” I growled. I wasn’t going to repeat myself. This idiot had already self-incriminated, his ass was mine to bring in fair and square.

  “Fuck you, wol—,” I didn’t wait for him to finish his inane insult. I reached across, grabbed him by the shoulders, and hauled him across the table. Drinks and platters spilled everywhere. Somewhere behind me someone screamed and a few people ran for the door. When Fillion went to open his mouth I again I punched him hard enough that he crumpled at my feet.

  “I’m sorry for the mess,” I turned to Cassie who was hugging her body and looking at the filth covered man in a heap. “Charge it to the Mea Lupus Quarters.” She nodded sharply and snapped her fingers. Servers rushed forward to clean up the mess.

  I picked up Fillion and threw his unconscious body over my shoulder. Walking through the station I got more than a few odd and fearful stares but I ignored them all. Unless Adohi had some divine breakthrough, this was our first real lead on the Ferryman.

  I smiled gleefully. I was going to love lording it over Adohi that I was the one who found this lead—and that it was by total accident.

  Aphelele

  “Hey Adohi,” yelled Conchobhar from the doorway. He reeked of various food and alcohol. He seemed to wear the smell, which was a bit odd. “I got a present for you in Interrogation Room 2,” his smile was sharp and taunting.

  “I’m busy,” Adohi mumbled. He didn’t look away from his screen, but kept typing. A strand of hair fell forward from his long thick braid as he leaned into his work. I pursed my lips and looked up with concern at Conchobhar. Our pack mate had blasted straight through manic searching to blind repetition.

  Conchobhar furrowed his brow and grimaced. He noticed the same things I did. Adohi’s earlier response had no heat, no sharpness behind it. He didn’t even rise to the baiting tone and words that Conchobhar had thrown down.

  “Too busy for a lead on the Ferryman?” At Conchobhar’s question Adohi’s fingers stopped moving. It was just the three of us in the command centre. Adohi took a fortifying breath. The nervous reaction was so unlike our confident tracker. I locked eyes with Conchobhar and I saw something crack like a hull fracture in him. He quickly wiped the empathy he felt for Adohi away before our pack mate could see it.

  “You’re sure?” Adohi’s words were softly spoken, but hard as the black steel used in the bones of warships and space stations.

  “He’s waiting for you in room 2,” Conchobhar nodded.

  “He?” I asked in confusion. Adohi shot up from his chair and pushed past Conchobhar.

  “You’ll see,” Conchobhar and I trailed quickly after Adohi. Our pack mate was on the war path. Instead of heading into the observation room first, he slammed the console for the door of the interrogation room to open. The force of his focus was like a turbulent wake behind him.

  “Good Gods you stink,” Adohi said haughtily to the cuffed man sitting at the table. The man stifled a groan, but we all heard it loud and clear. The magnetic cuffs kept him from raising his wrists off the table so he bent down to rub his aching head on his forearms.

  “That’s what
happens when an animal drags you across a table,” sneered the man at Adohi, “I know my rights! You can’t do this to me!” Adohi raised an eyebrow and turned slowly to look at Conchobhar.

  “Apparently he knows his rights and we can’t do this to him,” mocked Adohi. Some of that wicked glint and natural abrasiveness had returned to his eyes.

  “You confessed to hiring the Ferryman in a public place, of your own free will,” smiled Conchobhar.

  “Did he now?” Asked Adohi casually, turning back to the grim faced man. “But what does that mean for him?” He laughed darkly.

  “It means,” Conchobhar leaned on his knuckles, forcing the man to crane his neck to look up at both he and Adohi. “Fillion, here, is all ours. He has no rights.” Conchobhar let some of his wolf bleed into his voice so it became like grinding rocks. I felt liquid heat drip down my spine. Sensing my flare of desire, Conchobhar turned and winked at me over his shoulder.

  “I can make you a deal,” squealed Fillion. He gave a false laugh and smiled shakily, “I know things, I can be useful. You let me go and I can feed you lots of choice information.”

  “You’ll tell us about the Ferryman because we fucking tell you to,” Adohi snapped at him, scowling down like Fillion was shit that had to be scraped from his boot.

  “Sure, sure, of course,” agreed Fillion placatingly. We hadn’t even had to really interrogate him at all. This man was an embarrassment to criminals everywhere. “But... but I can do you one better if you let me go after.”

  “So you do have a spine?” Conchobhar’s mock surprise made us all chuckle.

  “I’m a survivor, wolf,” spat Fillion, “And you wouldn’t all be so hard for what I know if you could catch the Ferryman on your own.” Adohi growled long and low as he leaned down until his nose was only a breath from Fillion’s. He stared down the man until Fillion whimpered and looked away, pulling as far back as the mag-cuffs would allow him.

  “You’re obviously a sack of shit who, for now, happens to be useful,” Adohi’s words were calm and controlled. It threw Fillion off but he didn’t move or try to speak again. “So why not? You cooperate and we’ll let you go. For now.”