The Gadget: The Rondon Chronicles Book One

by V. J. Timlin

  “15 Roister street,” Nat said and climbed in.

  The eyebrows of the driver twitched. A burning sensation spread to Anouk’s neck and she boarded, avoiding the driver’s eyes.

  The taxi jolted into motion. The familiar soft chuff chuff quickened when the vehicle accelerated to join the stream of traffic.

  “I hope it won’t be a waste of time.” A hint of grumpiness crept into Anouk’s voice.

  “I’m sure Madam Valeria has something for us,” Nat said with such conviction Anouk decided to suppress voicing her further doubts. She only hoped he was right and she wrong.

  Since Madam Valeria wasn’t a safe topic, Anouk opted for another. “Do you really think Stalo would move against the king? I mean, I don’t have much clue about the politics here, but isn’t that a bit too ambitious even for Stalo? He’d need more than one wealthy ally, two of his lieutenants and bunch of crooks from The Pits.”

  “The king’s not that popular in some circles. A couple of years ago, he raised taxes on the nobles and many resent him for it. Stalo could be getting help from some of them.”

  “Still it would take a long time to build such an army. Besides, doesn’t Stalo have a habit of killing those who betray him?”

  “Aye. But Stalo is also a very patient man.”

  “Of course.” Anouk shuddered. “The more dastardly a villain you are, the more patient you’ll be.”

  The carriage slowed and stopped.

  “We are here,” Nat said and stepped out.

  Anouk took a deep breath. “Pull yourself together, girl. You can do this,” she muttered and followed after Nat.

  “Would you have preferred to go back to the camp?” Nat asked when the taxi sped away.

  Anouk turned to look at him. “What?”

  “I can get you another carriage to take you to the camp if you’d rather go there than meet with Madam Valeria. I’d come straight back after finishing my business.” Nat inclined his head towards the brothel.

  Anouk waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “No, no. I’ve got to deal with that woman at some point.”

  He gave a single nod, a grave expression on his face, and headed to the side stairs. He ran down the steps with Anouk in his wake and banged on the door. No answer. He banged again.

  “The gambling room will open at six o’clock in evening,” said a voice above their heads. A young woman leaned out of a window, looking down at them, a wide smile on her face. She was wearing a translucent nightgown with a low neckline. One strap had fallen off, exposing her round, milky white shoulder. Her big breasts rested on the windowsill. She brushed back a strand of her blonde hair and one of her breasts fell out over the neckline. The woman acted as if she hadn’t noticed and giggled at Nat. Anouk rolled her eyes.

  Nat smiled up at the woman. “We are here to see Madam Valeria on a business matter. She should be expecting us. Could you let her know Nat Walla and Miss Herring are here?”

  The woman blew a kiss to him and vanished from the window.

  “Do you know that woman?” Anouk kept her tone neutral.

  Nat shook his head. “No, I think she’s new.”

  “So do you come here on matters other than business?” Anouk winced, kicking herself. Why did she have to ask? Her and her blabber mouth. “I mean, you’re a man and men have their needs.”

  Nat lifted an eyebrow.

  Anouk blushed. “I…” She shifted from foot to foot. “Sorry, it’s none of my business. Forget it. Umm, sorry I asked.” For crying out loud, shut up!

  “I never mix business and pleasure.” Nat delivered his response in deadpan fashion.

  Anouk stared at the ground, willing it to open up and swallow her. It didn’t. Instead, Mr Sunshine appeared at the door, looking as mellow as a man who had just eaten a large crate of lemons.

  “Follow me,” he growled.

  “And good morning to you too, sir. It’s nice to see you again. Yes, it’s a lovely day,” Anouk grumbled. “Some customer service!”

  Nat gave her a crooked smile and strode after the doorman.

  He guided them to the same room where they had met the madam two days earlier. Madam Valeria was lying on a divan, wearing nothing but a gauzy nightgown. Anouk didn’t have to strain her eyes to see the madam wasn’t wearing any underwear.

  “Nat, my darling,” she uttered huskily and lifted her hand to him for a kiss.

  “Madam Valeria.” Nat bowed and kissed her offered hand.

  Anouk suppressed a shiver of revulsion. How could Nat touch that woman?

  “And Miss Herring, so lovely to see you again.” Madam Valeria turned her cheek towards her.

  Anouk struggled to disguise the grimace she felt, but walked over and bent to kiss her cheek. “Lovely to see you too, Madam Valeria.” The cloud of perfume enveloping the madam was as overpowering as at their first meeting. Was she bathing in it?

  “Please, be seated.”

  Anouk and Nat moved to the divan opposite her.

  “I am sorry, I am exhausted,” she continued, “Last night was very busy.” To prove her point, Madam Valeria covered a yawn with the back of her hand.

  “We won’t keep you long,” Nat said. “We just came to ask if you’ve found out anything that might be helpful.”

  “Oh, yes.” Another yawn. “I did request that you to give me two days. Well, I am afraid I have discovered nothing yet.”

  “Ah.”

  “I am sorry, darling.” Madam Valeria’s expression was mournful. “But, please, tell me what happened to your beautiful face?”

  Nat shrugged. “Oh, a few men just thought I was too pretty for their taste.”

  “Nat, darling, why do you not tell me what really happened?” Madam Valeria asked, her lips in a pout.

  “We walked into a trap set by Stalo.” Nat’s tone was casual, but the muscles in his jaw tightened somewhat.

  “But that is awful,” Madam Valeria exclaimed, the pout melting into a theatrical gasp. “Are you sure it was him?”

  “Yes.”

  “How did you manage to escape?”

  “With luck.”

  Madam Valeria regarded Nat for a moment with a frown and calculation in her eyes. His neutral expression gave nothing away. The mood in the room took on a sinister edge and Anouk’s skin prickled. What was going on? A thought occurred to her and she tensed. Was Madam Valeria setting a trap for them? To get her? Anouk shot a worried look at the door, but it remained closed. Had they already walked into it?

  “Oh.” Madam Valeria breathed after what seemed like an eternity. She started to inspect her manicured nails.

  “Thank you for seeing us.” Nat stood up. He walked to her and gave another kiss on her hand.

  “Yes, I do need some more sleep. I will send you a message if I hear anything that might be of relevance.”

  Nat bowed. “Thank you. You’re very kind, Madam Valeria.”

  Anouk’s knees went soft in relief. At least they were being allowed to leave.

  “Miss Herring, have you given any further thought to my offer?” Madam Valeria asked, looking her up and down. “Come work for me; it is far safer than chasing criminals. It would be a shame for your lovely face to end up like Nat’s.”

  She stiffened, gritting her teeth. “Thank you for your concern, but no, my situation hasn’t changed.”

  “What a pity.” Madam sighed. “May I ask where exactly are you from?”

  A cold wave washed over Anouk, and she flicked her eyes at Nat. He stared at the madam, his face hard. Anouk turned her attention back to Madam Valeria. Why was she asking that again? Had she learned Anouk wasn’t from this planet? If she knew that, they had to get the hell out of there. Now.

  Anouk glanced towards the door, moisture vanishing out of her mouth. “I’m from the south.” Her voice came out raspy.

  “Interesting.” Madam Valeria stretched the word. “Yes, your accent sounds a little like theirs, but they do not have eyes like yours, and you do not have a single drop of Ul
da-blood in you, I can tell that.”

  Nat grabbed Anouk by her arm. “I’m sorry, Madam Valeria, but we must be going.”

  Madam Valeria sprang up to block their way with surprising speed and agility. No lazy stroll or gliding—she darted like a hyena preventing her prey from escaping. She fixed her eyes on Anouk. “Name what you want and you shall have it, if you join my service.”

  Anouk took a step back, clenching her fists. Anger and fear bubbled inside her. How dare she?

  Nat moved between her and the madam, dropping his hand on his revolver. “Miss Herring works for me, and I’m not releasing her from our contract.”

  Madam Valeria scowled at Nat. “It is her decision, not yours.”

  “Nat is right,” Anouk said through her teeth. “Besides, there is nothing you can offer me that would make me change my mind.”

  The door opened. Jasper set his bulky form in the doorway, holding a gun in his hand. A shiver ran down Anouk’s spine. Was he defending his boss? Or… were they trying to force her to stay? Was the madam willing to resort to kidnapping after all?

  The silence in the room was oppressive. Nat had pulled his revolver and was pointing it at Madam Valeria’s employee. A small pistol had appeared in the madam’s hand and she was aiming at Nat. Where the hell did she pull the gun from? Her arse? How were they going to get out of this situation? If she tried to reach for her sword, either the butler or the madam would pull the trigger. She opened her mouth to say something when quick footfall came from the hall behind Mr Sunshine. A young woman peered over his shoulder. Her eyes widened, and she hesitated.

  “Yes?”

  “Madam Valeria is wanted on the telephone. It’s the call she’s been waiting for,” the woman blurted.

  Madam Valeria lowered the pistol. “Thank you, Shannah. Tell the gentleman I will be right there.”

  Shannah vanished behind the door in a split second.

  “Our cooperation, Nat, is over.” Madam Valeria levelled her eyes on Nat, giving him a look as warm as a Siberian winter. “I will let you leave my premises, but you are no longer welcome here.”

  Nat gave a stiff bow, saying nothing. No emotion showed on his face. Anouk let out a slow sigh of relief—the madam was letting them leave.

  Madam Valeria strode towards the door. Before she left the room, she said over her shoulder, “Miss Herring, my offer is still in place. Please, consider it.”

  Chapter 15

  Anouk rubbed her face. Why did Madam Valeria want her so much that she would even break her long-term friendship with Nat when he stepped to her defence? Surely, she had enough pretty-eyed girls. It must be something else. Yes, Anouk was relieved the madam had let them go, and they… No, she wouldn’t have to deal with the woman again. Nevertheless, a question nagged in the back of her mind. What would be the price? How would this affect their hunt for Stalo? If Madam Valeria truly was as important as Nat had led her to believe, the investigation had now become a tad more complicated.

  Nat hadn’t said a word since they left the premises, but looked straight ahead, his jawline hard as if he were grinding his teeth. Anouk opened her mouth but then closed it. What would she say? She opened her mouth again. “I’m…”

  “I’ve been blind,” Nat spat.

  Anouk startled. “Umm, it’s normal to trust friends and not expect the worst from them.”

  Nat stopped and turned to face her. “In this line of work, you meet shady people. You have to pick out the most trustworthy of a real untrustworthy lot.” He shook his head. “I know what she is, but still I trusted her. Blindly.”

  “I’m sorry.” Anouk didn’t know what else to say. He was feeling betrayed, and she sympathised. Only, a small victory tickled inside her. Now that they were banned from the brothel, they should have one less problem.

  Nat took off his top hat and pushed his fingers through his curls before putting it back on.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Madam Valeria has wide connections. I find it very hard to believe she hasn’t learned anything concerning Stalo.”

  Maybe she had been too hasty in ticking Madam Valeria off their list of problems. Anouk chewed her lower lip as she pondered. That girl… What was her name? Shannah! Yes, Shannah had come to tell the madam there was the call she had been waiting for. Also, the previous visit had ended because there had been a gentleman who wanted to see the madam. Her skin started to prickle in discomfort when a thought occurred to her.

  “The first time we went to see Madam Valeria, there was a gentleman who wanted to see her, and just now she received a phone call she was expecting.” She hesitated. “And that might be a coincidence, of course, but what if the gentleman and the caller are the same person, and that person is…” She licked her lips. “Stalo?”

  Nat regarded her, his eyebrows knitted together, and then nodded slowly. “It’s possible. Madam Valeria makes no difference with whom she deals as long as it is of benefit to her.”

  Anouk took a deep breath. “That’s what I thought. So, do you think she might have struck a deal with him?”

  Nat shook his head. “No, otherwise we wouldn’t have walked out of the door.”

  “What if she’s blackmailing him?”

  “With what?”

  Anouk shrugged. “Well, if Stalo is a fugitive, Valeria could threaten to report what she knows to the enforcers. That’s one piece of blackmail, at least.”

  “It’s possible, but highly unlikely and not very wise.” Nat scanned the street for a minute before facing Anouk again. “I also find her interest in you unsettling.”

  “Only now?” Anouk blurted.

  “Aye, I should have listened to you.”

  Anouk gulped. “Do you think she has discovered I’m not from this world? From Stalo, perhaps? And what is the obsession with my eyes? They are not as extraordinary as she seems to think.”

  Nat didn’t answer right away, but studied the traffic for a while. “Here, your eyes are unique. If you haven’t noticed, no Anglean has two different coloured eyes like yours. But has she found out about your true origin? I don’t think so. But should that happen, nothing will stop her from trying to recruit you.”

  Now that Nat had pointed that out to her, she realised he was right. None of the Angleans she had met had any form of heterochromia. Wonderful. Should she start to wear sunglasses from now on?

  “Men would pay extra to spend time with an alien female,” Nat added, his face grim. His eyes flicked from Anouk’s face to something behind her. “We have company.”

  “What…”

  Nat’s hand dropped on his revolver. Before Anouk had time to react, three men encircled them, guns pointing at their faces. As in The Pits, the crowded streets emptied, people scurried back the way they came. Although Flower Estate looked to be a finer part of the city with its better maintained buildings and cleaner streets, that appearance was deceiving. It was a red-light district and a dangerous one—even in the daylight.

  The men wore dark bowler hats and brown trench coats while the leader wore an eye patch, but his other, dark, healthy eye gleamed hard at Nat and Anouk.

  “Madam Valeria wants to speak with the miss.”

  Anouk stiffened.

  Nat lifted an eyebrow. “Does she? And why is that?”

  “None of your business, bounty hunter,” the one-eyed man sneered.

  “Actually, it is. Miss Herring is my partner.”

  The man took Anouk by her elbow. “Come with us, miss.”

  Anger sparked into full flame inside Anouk and she freed her arm with an upward yank. With the same movement, she grabbed the hilt of her katana, bringing her sword down in front of her. She pointed the tip a few inches from the one-eyed man’s nose. “Madam Valeria and I have nothing to talk about. I said ‘no’, and if she doesn’t know what the fuck that word means, she’d better ask somebody else.”

  The one-eyed man took a step back and cocked his revolver’s hammer. Two more clicks came when his comrades did the same.<
br />
  “You’d better do as you’re told, pet, or your friend dies.”

  Anouk’s stomach dropped to her boots. Frustration and rage stormed inside her. She didn’t want to give in to the madam’s bullying, but she couldn’t risk Nat’s life.

  “If Madam Valeria thinks kidnapping me is going to get me to work for her, she can think again.” Tears came into her eyes and her voice quivered. She lowered her sword.

  ‘One-eyed’ shrugged. “We have our orders, pet. Come.” He reached to take Anouk by her elbow again.

  “Enforcers!” Nat barked.

  One-eyed curled his lip. “Nice try, bounty hunter.”

  The two other men weren’t as convinced. They glanced around, trying to spot the law enforcement. One-eyed growled at his men, “He’s bluffing.”

  His attention faltered for a second. Anouk turned her sword with a twist of her wrist and cut upward, severing his hand holding the gun. Blood sprayed from the stump in pulses. One-eyed screamed and staggered back, grabbing his wrist. She spun to meet the other two thugs. One of them lay sprawled on the cobblestones, face down. Nat was beating the other man’s head against the stone wall before letting him collapse next to his comrade.

  Nat seized Anouk by her shoulder. “Let’s go.”

  They broke into a run with Anouk clutching her katana. People jumped out of the way at the sight of the exposed weapon. Her heart hammered in her ears and tears burned her eyes. How had it come to this? Events were snowballing with increasing speed, and she was powerless to stop any of it. Not only did they have to catch Stalo without getting killed, they now had another nemesis to worry about—Madam Valeria.

  She gritted her teeth, flogging her legs to get away from there. Her lungs burned, but she didn’t care. Nat’s broad back loomed in front of her like an emergency exit sign. She kept her eyes fixed on him and ran like hell.

  After passing a few blocks, Nat slowed down and stopped. Anouk leaned against her knees, panting hard while Nat’s breathing normalised far quicker.