The Lost Princess

by K Bledsoe

  “I have the back-door security codes.”

  “I told you I have no need to break into more buildings.”

  “Not the buildings, the back-door is for their core computer system.”

  Lenore’s heart gave a few extra beats, and her eyebrows shot up as she thought of what Allison could do with those codes. Cursing herself silently for allowing a show of emotion, she quickly added to it to make it sincere.

  “Really? That is big and definitely peaks my interest.” She tilted her head slightly. “With a gem like that, I am surprised you haven’t used it yourself. Seems the ideal way to gather a goldmine of information to sell.”

  Raahi shook her head. “The core cannot be accessed on this planet. Where it can be accessed is extremely dangerous.” Her eyes softened. “I lost a great deal acquiring those codes.”

  The tremor in her voice convinced Lenore that she did indeed lose much, personally, not monetarily. This girl was turning out to be as much a mystery as Jonah. No wonder he was interested in finding her.

  “How much?”

  “Excuse me?” The startled look showed that she thought Lenore was asking how much she had lost, which was why she had chosen those precise words.

  “How much do you want for the information, Raahi?”

  Raahi rattled off an exorbitant figure. Amazing how quickly she recovered, thought Lenore as she countered with a lower offer. Haggling was done in moments and Lenore was satisfied.

  “I’d like to see it before I turn over any credits.”

  Raahi dipped her head in acknowledgment and for the first time, gave a slight smile. “Of course, but such sensitive information I keep in a safe place, not on my person.”

  “Of course.”

  “It will take me a day to retrieve it from its secure location. Shall we arrange a time and place to meet?”

  “Yes, and I will bring my associate who will most likely wish to purchase that other information you offered.”

  The smile vanished, and wary tension returned. “That would be acceptable.”

  Lenore pulled out her own pen and paper, scribbled something and held it out to Raahi. “Will this place and time tomorrow be satisfactory?” Raahi bent to look at it and nodded but didn’t take the paper. Surprised at this, Lenore folded it and placed it in front of the girl.

  “Very well. Bring that other information as well. If you have what you say you have, I will be more likely to believe that the codes are also what you say they are.”

  “I understand your skepticism, but my information is accurate.”

  “I will see you tomorrow, then.” They both stood, and Lenore offered her hand to shake. “May the skies aid your sales.”

  Raahi kept her hands clasped and bowed low, ignoring Lenore’s outstretched hand. She departed abruptly, the paper still on the table. Lenore swore under her breath. The girl was uncanny at evading Lenore’s attempt at planting a tracer. She snatched up the paper with the microtracker and went to her third option. She didn’t like using it, but it was necessary. Retrieving her pen, which could also shoot tiny projectiles, she pulled out the mini dart and attached the other microtracker that had been in her fingertip. She had to hurry as Raahi was already disappearing around the corner.

  With the girl’s paranoia, Lenore knew she had to be extra clever. As soon as she approached the same corner, she had the pen aimed. She had only a moment to fire, but she saw Raahi’s right shoulder twitch as the dart hit, causing her to look back. Lenore ducked around the building before she was seen and headed the opposite direction, confident that the tracker was in. Even if Raahi removed the mini dart, the tracker would be imbedded beneath the skin just like the ones she had planted on the officers, was it only six days ago?

  She headed back to the shuttle, satisfied with the mission.

  ***

  “You have got to be kidding me.”

  “Nope,” replied Diarmin. “The tracker isn’t working.” He was irritated, but clearly his wife was even more so.

  “Damn! After all the trouble I went to? Nothing?” Lenore crossed her arms. “What do you think is the problem?”

  “Honestly, I can’t tell.” He shook his head. “My best guess is that whatever tech scrambles her identity also scrambles the tracker. I did get a few brief pings, but each one bounced around for a radius of a hundred kilometers or so, not settling in place long enough to try to locate.” Diarmin gave a little cough halfway between a snort and a chuckle. “It looked rather like an insect flitting about on the display screen.”

  A stern look from Lenore sobered him up quickly.

  “I’d give quite a bit to get my hands on that tech,” he commented.

  “Yes, Allison said the same thing,” mused Lenore. “I suppose I should amend my communication to Jonah. If we can’t give him a tracking signal, at least we have a meeting set up for tomorrow. He said he would be able to extend his ‘vacation’ by a day. I hope she is what he is looking for.”

  “And the rest of the money he has promised should go a long way to tracking the princess and her companion.”

  “Yes, especially if the information that Raahi has is what she says it is. That would be a huge advantage.”

  “But dangerous.”

  “Hmmm…” Lenore attention was obviously elsewhere, and to Diarmin’s annoyance she changed the subject. “How’s Allison’s work on the Chanis cypher coming?”

  “According to her, ‘Not at all.’” He gave a wry grin. “She is not liking the fact that she isn’t all-knowing.”

  “Typical youngster genius.”

  “And how would you know?” Diarmin put his arms around Lenore.

  “I saw a lot of them when I was young.” She said, then suddenly lost her distracted look and softened in his arms. She smiled at him. “Quinn busy too?”

  “Last I saw he was starting a quite intricate and involved game with the youngsters. Should be occupied sufficiently.”

  “Then let’s make the most of this calm before the storm.”

  Ignoring the sense of unease those words brought on, Diarmin followed his wife to their cabin and locked the door.

  Chapter Forty-three

  The time and place to meet Raahi was the diner at the other end of the street where they had met yesterday. This time, Lenore got a table far from the door but angled so both she and Raahi could see the exit. She figured this would allow for privacy and yet leave an escape to put the jumpy Raahi at ease. Jonah had reluctantly agreed to be in the next room, out of sight until called for. Lenore knew meeting Jonah would probably cause a scene and wanted to be prepared to deal with the girl.

  Raahi entered in the same outfit she had worn yesterday. Her hands were in the jacket pockets, hood still close around her face. Lenore could see her eyes flicking around to the other patrons and tension easing slightly at the near empty restaurant. She sat across from Lenore who suppressed a smile as the young woman turned her body slightly to have a clear view of the door.

  “I took the liberty of ordering a huffleberry for you. If you’d like something else, just let me know.”

  “Thank you, but I would rather complete our business quickly if you don’t mind.” Raahi shifted in her seat, and Lenore could tell she had something under her jacket. While the girl didn’t seem the type to carry and use a weapon on clients, Lenore’s guard went up anyway.

  “Where is your associate? I have his information as well.”

  “He will be along shortly, when I verify you have what we want. Both deals.” She pushed forward her pad that had a readout of credits from an attached flimsy for Jonah’s purchase. “His first.”

  Raahi nodded and pulled her right hand out of her jacket pocket to produce a data stick. Her left arm was still tight against her body, protective of whatever was under her jacket.

  Lenore removed the credit flimsy and inserted the data stick. Sure enough, there were the codes and addresses of the various slave buildings that she had seen on the list that Jonah provided to verify accu
racy, including some Jonah had apparently missed.

  These two will work well together. She sent the silent signal to Jonah.

  “Excellent. My associate will be interested when he arrives.” Lenore pulled out the stick and lay it in front of Raahi, leaving it for Jonah to complete the sale. “Let me see my intended purchase.”

  “Show me those credits.” For the first time, Lenore heard some emotion in Raahi’s voice. Excitement, perhaps.

  Lenore took another credit flimsy out of the chest pocket of her coveralls and put it in the pad, showing the balance. Raahi’s eyes widened with satisfaction, and she relaxed her left arm to let the jacket fall open.

  Interesting, mused Lenore. She knows exactly how to not appear threatening, showing that she knew Lenore was aware of her bundle and letting her see it was harmless before reaching for it. Her estimation of the girl rose several notches. Too well trained to be a street urchin. Undercover agent, possibly?

  Raahi pulled out a rolled bundle of cloth and placed it on the table. First to be unrolled was a scanner she used, after a questioning look to get Lenore’s permission, to wave over the credit flimsies. A clear beep indicated, Lenore guessed, that there was no trickery involved like maybe a tracking device. She hid another smile when Raahi, in pulling away the device, managed to wave it in Lenore’s general direction. The apparent random movement was no such thing, and she saw Raahi glance at the device before she thumbed it off.

  Raahi unrolled the cloth more and the next item in the bundle a tiny, self-contained reader. These were private and allowed the reading of only one piece of data, usually extremely sensitive information. It reinforced the fact that girl did indeed have what she said she did.

  Raahi picked up the reader and, hidden from Lenore, rapidly entered a code with her thumbs. She then laid it down for Lenore to look at but kept it close enough to prevent Lenore from grabbing it away. It was a series of symbols that could only be a security code.

  “That looks like what you claim, but it is useless without knowing which computer to use it on,” said Lenore, trying to sound haughty when she was instead gaining serious respect for this girl.

  Raahi simply nodded, pulled the reader in close, and finished unrolling the bundle to reveal a pad of paper and pencil. She rapidly scribbled and turned the entire pad over to Lenore.

  What she read there, left her speechless. The location of the computer was on one of the planets known to be home to some of the wealthiest people in the galaxy. Lenore even recognized the name of a retired business mogul who had built his fortune in several far-reaching businesses including ship building and marketing new technologies.

  “How did you get this?”

  The slight excitement left Raahi’s eyes. “You really don’t want to know.”

  Lenore felt a tug at her emotions when Raahi’s voice cracked slightly. “It is legitimate, I promise you.” Here she lifted her chin, her attitude a commanding one. “I only ask one thing when you use this information, or I will refuse to sell.”

  Lenore could see most of her attitude was bravado. The girl was unsure whether her demand would be followed but hid it well. Raahi was bluffing and would probably sell anyway, but Lenore was curious about the demand.

  “And that is?” she said.

  “That you don’t harm the man who holds this information.”

  Another surprise. The softening of Raahi’s eyes showed real feelings. Of what, Lenore had no idea. She would have thought the request would be to kill the man since Raahi indicated she had lost so much. Annoyed that her heart again went out to the girl, Lenore hastened to reassure her.

  “You have my word that neither I nor my compatriots will harm the man,” she said then slid over the correct credit flimsy. Raahi reluctantly let go of the reader, then scribbled the reader code on another paper. Lenore gathered the reader and papers and tucked them very carefully in a hidden pouch.

  “Thank you Raahi. Now you have enough credits to set yourself up in a very nice part of town for a long time.” The girl’s eyes narrowed, and Lenore read her quick glance to the other flimsy.

  “My associate has authorized me to say that he will buy the other information but would like to offer you a temporary job as well.” Lenore ignored the slight shake of Raahi’s head and raised her arm to indicate Jonah as she sensed his arrival. He had been waiting for the exchange to distract Raahi enough for him to approach.

  The girl’s eyes widened as she caught sight of Jonah and the look of betrayal on her face nearly broke Lenore’s heart.

  “You!” she said as she stood, looking like a frightened animal ready to run for the door if Jonah hadn’t been blocking the way.

  “His name is Jonah, and he is no threat to you, Raahi,” said Lenore quietly, in a calm voice. “Please sit.”

  “I truly wish only to speak with you about an opportunity for the both of us.” Jonah’s voice was kind and cultured and would reassure even the most terrified person, but it didn’t seem to ease Raahi’s mind at all. It was obvious to Lenore that she was extremely shaken.

  Lenore put some steel in her voice. “I will not let him injure or detain you in any way.” She stood and gently pushed Jonah into the seat she had just vacated while positioning herself by Raahi’s side. Lenore hoped she seemed protective instead of keeping her from fleeing. Raahi’s slight relaxation showed the ploy worked. The girl slowly sat back down and, though Lenore was supposed to leave at this point, she felt responsible for the girl’s safety, oddly enough.

  “I know you,” whispered Raahi, voice thick with emotion.

  “Yes, I have been looking for you for quite a while, and you have been very adept at evading me.” When she didn’t answer, he went on, voice still radiating reassurance. “I know you must have seen me several times in the past year since I have also been investigating this vile slave trade, trying to find a way to shut it down once and for all.”

  “Yes, that must be it.” Her demeanor changed to one of relief which puzzled Lenore. What else could it be? But the conversation was continuing, and she couldn’t let herself be distracted.

  “You seem to be quite adept at gathering information,” said Jonah. He slid the credit flimsy close to Raahi and waited politely for her to return the favor with the data stick. In one quick movement, she gave him the stick and retrieved the flimsy and scanner, jamming her hands in her pockets and leaving the roll of cloth on the table.

  “Even information that is very difficult to come by.” He tilted his head slightly and waited for a response.

  Raahi said nothing but lifted her chin slightly.

  Pride, thought Lenore. Or defiance?

  “I think if you and I work together, we can bring down this organization.”

  Lenore had to fight back a snort of derision at Jonah’s audacity. He had no idea of the size and scope of this business. She was startled to hear a similar snort emerge from Raahi who evidently was also aware of the impossible task.

  Jonah gave a slight, lopsided grin.

  Quite charming, thought Lenore.

  “Well,” he said. “At least take it down a peg or two, and maybe get many of them in custody or off the planet. Make it too costly to do business here. What do you say?” When she still hesitated, he continued. “You would be compensated for your time and efforts. And wouldn’t it be worth it to finally bring them to justice?”

  Raahi twitched at the comment. Lenore could see he wanted to say more but hoped he wouldn’t. Though it was obvious to Lenore that Raahi had a past with this group, mentioning it would most likely scare her away. But what was said must have been sufficient since the girl spoke to him quietly.

  “I believe we can do business, sirrah Jonah.”

  ***

  Lenore paced impatiently. She had left the two alone to work out the details and returned to Jonah’s hotel room as planned. Nearly two hours had passed, and she was trying to offset her growing restlessness with thought. The mystery surrounding Jonah had been mitigated slightly with
his revelation, but the secrets around this girl were even more strange. How did she know so much about the slavers? There was a lot more to her than simply an escaped slave. All that poise, culture and training could be from whatever role she was expected to play as a slave, but that didn’t quite fit.

  And she seemed to recognize Jonah from elsewhere, not just as the man who had been following her. Could she be spying on the royal family as well and recognized Jonah from his position as Reviewer? What if she had seen him with the companion and realized they were working together to find the princess? Would she sell that information to the prince? She could make a true fortune and be in royal favor for a lifetime.

  Lenore shook her head. It didn’t feel like she would do that, and yet the girl was good at manipulation. Nobody, except her children and husband, had ever aroused her protective instincts like she had. Lenore had the distinct feeling Raahi could take care of herself in any situation so why had she felt the need to reassure the girl?

  Lenore abruptly stopped pacing and let her hands fall to her sides. It wasn’t her problem, it was Jonah’s. If Raahi betrayed him for money to the prince or even the slavers, Lenore and her family would merely disappear, though she hated to leave a case unsolved. Especially since there was now a good chance that the codes she was in possession of would give her the answers they needed. She glanced at the timepiece on the wall and unconsciously started pacing again. Where was Jonah?

  Footsteps outside the door indicated the return of the reviewer. Lenore sat at the desk and, as was her longtime habit of not letting anyone know her emotions, had completely schooled her expression by the time he had unlocked the door. Not that he noticed. He came in smiling and humming loudly.

  “That took a while,” she said.

  “Yes, but absolutely worth the time.” He tossed his jacket on the bed and sat on the edge. “She has some remarkable, and extensive, knowledge, and I am sure we can work together with success.”

  “Does she know you work at the palace?” The question slipped out, and Lenore was annoyed with herself.