For a brief moment, she’d felt a reprieve from the insanity all around her. Cyprian revealed himself to be the very thing she’d been praying for. They were going to save the day. Then he was snatched away. Riley had been hesitant to admit what she felt about the general. But all that foolishness dropped away the instant she saw the weapon pointed in his face.
Riley looked into the mirror for the second time that day, and assessed what she saw. She should have been distraught, but she wasn’t. Her hands didn’t shake where they propped against the counter. Her heart wasn’t racing and her breathing was steady. An eerie calmness had descended. Yes, she was unbelievably angry and afraid, but it took a backseat to determination. Threatening Cyprian was the final straw.
“You haven’t beaten me. Do you hear that?” Riley growled at the hand of fate. “You keep throwing shit at me, but I refuse to just lay down and die. Let’s do this.”
Riley squeezed the disk on the back of her pendant.
“Are you alone?” Aculus’ voice came out faint.
“I’m in the bathroom of a different room. My owner and his men aren’t here. It’s a long story. I’ll tell you when you get here. I also have a guard outside my door.”
“I have your location. Why is there a guard at your door?”
“Like I said, it’s a long story. Bring dinner. Use it to hide anything else. I will make sure my guard doesn’t question you.”
Riley walked out of the bathroom, and opened the hotel room door. Just as she suspected, there stood the Verrater guard.
“I have an admirer coming with dinner.”
“Is the Overseer aware of this?”
“You heard him. I’m supposed to fend for myself. Contact him, if you want to hear him repeat himself.”
Riley cocked her hands on her hips, challenging the hairy guard to disagree.
“That won’t be necessary. I recall what the Overseer said.”
The guard returned to his stiff position, staring straight ahead.
Good soldier.
The thought made Riley snicker as she shut the door.
I fell for a military man. Oh Lord, I’m going to drive Cyprian nuts. Riley was chaos to Cyprian’s order, yet somehow, they worked.
Riley sat on the bed and started thinking of all the scenarios she could imagine. Besides sabotaging Cuttles’ office and engineering, she had to find, then free the guys from the slave wing. The problem with trying to plan everything out, was that she didn’t know what opportunities or obstacles would present themselves.
You can’t screw this up. Cyprian and Vintor need you.
Her mind rolled through various ideas, till a ping at the door pulled Riley from her thoughts.
“Aculus dear, it was so kind of you to bring me dinner,” Riley said as she opened the door for the bony giant.
“Of course, little human,” Aculus replied as he entered, then shut the door.
Thankfully the Verrater guard didn’t bat an eye, nor did a single whisker twitch, as he ignored them. Riley led Aculus into the soundproof bathroom and shut the door.
“Why are you here?” he asked.
“Here’s the quick version. My owner, Cyprian, and his friend, Vintor, are actually good guys. They infiltrated a group of smugglers working with the Jurou Biljana. They came to Distraho to retrieve me and some other people that were abducted from their planet. They were just discovered by their smuggling companions. The Overseer imprisoned Cyprian and Vintor, because that damn lizard is such a good client.” Riley took in a deep breath. “So now we need to save them along with blowing up the database.”
“This is not possible in the time frame we are working with. Even if you get into the back halls to place the incendiaries, how are you going to also free them?”
“Well, I got a room to myself, and got you past the guard,” Riley hissed in aggravation as she waved her hand at her surroundings. “I’m not about to let your people blow this whole place to hell. And I’m not leaving Cyprian to be sold or blown to smithereens. So, show me what you’ve got, and let’s come up with a plan.”
Chapter 12. Clandestine Plan
Riley
It’s time. It would’ve been better if you slept, but you can do this, Riley told herself as she stood in front of her hotel room door. Riley looked down at herself a final time to make sure everything was in order. Well if I die, at least I’ll go out looking hot.
She adjusted her cleavage, which had miraculously increased a cup size overnight, thanks to a few explosives, then opened the door and stepped into the hall.
“Take me to the Overseer. We have a meeting,” Riley said to the guard outside her door.
“The Overseer didn’t notify me.”
Riley smirked at the hairy man. This wasn’t the same Verrater that had been assigned to her the night before.
“I doubt he tells you everything,” she replied.
Don’t be difficult, she silently begged the guard.
“My orders are to keep an eye on you.”
“So, keep an eye on me,” Riley retorted as she started to walk away.
The guard quickly caught up to Riley and grabbed her arm. Riley glanced down at his hand. She repressed the urge to ram her heel into his foot. Instead Riley cast the man her most imperious stare, arching her brow, like Cyprian would, while saying nothing at all. His eyes widened and he loosened his grip.
Riley pulled her arm free and continued. After several steps, she glanced over her shoulder to see the whiskered man still standing there, looking perplexed.
“Well, are you coming?” Riley asked, with a wane smile.
She repressed an eye roll as the overgrown rodent hustled to join her.
“What’s your name?” Riley asked.
“Nequam,” the furry man replied after hesitating a moment.
“Nice to meet you Nequam. How do you like working at Distraho?”
Riley made small talk to put the man at ease, and take her mind off what was coming. She also wanted to sell her story that she was a fellow new employee.
“It feeds my family back home,” Nequam said flatly.
Oh Jesus. The reply surprised Riley and she took a second look at the guard.
“But surely there are perks working in a gorgeous place like this?” Riley pressed further.
The Verrater abruptly stopped and turned to Riley.
“I don’t know what arrangement you made with the Overseer to get free of the slave hold, but don’t be fooled, the Topus owns you. He owns all of us,” Nequam added under his breath.
“I’m not fooled.”
Riley attempted to maintain her forced smile as she continued walking. Nequam’s comments cemented her resolve to take Cuttles down. It also confirmed that she couldn’t let Aculus’ people indiscriminately kill everyone on the asteroid. There were people on all sides who didn’t deserve to be caught in the crossfire.
As they wound their way through the back halls and approached the Overseer’s office, Riley took a deep calming breath to ease the insane amount of adrenalin coursing through her. The damn implant was yanking her chain, amping up everything she felt.
Remember what’s at stake if you lose your shit. Cyprian entered her mind, like he had all night. I’m going to get you out of here. Please be okay.
“Overseer, pardon the interruption. The human said she had an appointment.”
Cuttles looked up from his breakfast.
“Good morning, boss,” she greeted the Topus cheerfully.
Riley walked in confidently, without an invitation, and took a seat across from Cuttles. She leaned back in the chair and casually crossed her legs. She had to keep a straight face as she watched Cuttles eat. He dipped a tentacle into a large bowl and fished out a writhing black worm. The sight of him shoving the squirming maggots into his beak, and the resulting squish, was enough to turn her stomach.
“You are rather early,” Cuttles spoke between bites.
“It’s a brand-new day.”
“You s
aid you had ideas. You have till I’m finished here.”
“I understand, you’re very busy,” Riley replied. “One question. How much are you willing to invest in my image?”
“Image?”
“Yes.” Riley smiled at his perplexed expression. “As you said, my novelty will wane. That’s inevitable. What we must do is force feed the demand, while it lasts.” Riley got up and sashayed toward the desk. “On my world, there is a myth about something called a siren. It is said that once a man hears her call, he’s instantly enslaved.”
“This little act may work on others, but not on me, human. I don’t find you appealing.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I think you’re very interested in me.” Riley circled around Cuttles’ back. “Every man has something he loves. For you it’s profit,” Riley whispered as she leaned in. “I share that interest. I also have a standard of living I like to maintain, and enjoy a smidge of adulation.”
While she was behind Cuttles, Riley casually pulled one of the explosive disks from her cleavage and palmed it.
“That is true,” the Overseer conceded with a warbling chuckle. “Continue.”
Like the night before, Cuttles knew she was working him over. But by the time he figured out what she was truly up to, it would be too late.
“I’ll need clothes, and my own entourage of guards,” Riley said as she took a seat atop his desk.
“More guards?” Cuttles asked incredulously. “I’d think you’d want less.”
“I’m small. We don’t want me to get abducted again. More importantly, they will make sure that I’m noticed wherever I travel. It’s all about the image I present. We’ll lure in everyone, but especially the big fish. This is where I’ll need some of that tech savvy your people possess. We learn who’s worth our time. We find their passion, and I use it to tweak my persona.”
Riley leaned back as she summarized her ploy. She propped her hands on the far edge of the desk, then slipped the disk beneath the desktop.
I have an hour, she noted after depressing the sensor.
“You want me to spy on my patrons?”
“Yes, but let’s call it selective marketing. We’re tailoring a product for a select few. We’re just giving the house an advantage.” Riley shrugged.
“It won’t work. Some of my best clients don’t like to get their hands dirty. That means no profit from the coliseum match.”
“There’s a way around that. You let your handpicked clients designate a champion or something. We could even arrange it so there’s a final scene where the client gets to be the hero that saves me. You’re a smart man.”
The gleam in the Overseer’s eyes told her he was buying her load of bullshit.
“I think I get the idea,” Cuttles replied.
“I’m going to need one of those handy little bands so I can get around. Maybe Hoda can assist me with that since you have things to do. I like that girl. You were right, she’s got a wicked tongue.” Riley smiled conspiratorially at Cuttles, who chuckled again. “I’d like to scout out my guards, since I know what I’m looking for. I’ll also need to get my wardrobe together.”
“Fine. I’ll contact Hoda to assist you with what you need. Be back onstage by the end of lunch.”
Riley hopped down from his desk.
“Sounds good, boss.”
Cuttles nodded in dismissal. Riley plastered a smile on her face till she exited the office.
Part one down, Riley sighed.
The weight of what she’d just done was heavier than Riley anticipated. When the bomb in Cuttles’ office went off, people would be hurt, and some might die. Riley hadn’t deluded herself. She just refused to dwell on it. But now, there was no ignoring the repercussions of what she’d set in motion. She felt no better than Aculus, trading a few lives against many.
May Jesus have mercy on my soul.
Riley noticed Nequam standing vigil outside the office.
There’s one thing I can do to offset my sins.
“The Overseer is letting me pick my bodyguards, and I’ve chosen you to be one of them,” Riley informed the Verrater. If she kept Nequam close, then one less innocent man would be caught up in the blast.
Riley looked up to see Hoda coming their way. She wasn’t the amphibians biggest fan, but the woman was useful.
Put on your game face.
“Hello Hoda.”
“I didn’t think we’d meet again so soon, human.”
“We’re going to be working together. This time I’d like to get in on some of those bets you have going.” Riley winked at her.
“Of course.” Hoda’s broad, thin-lipped mouth gaped in toothless smile. “Here’s your access band.”
“Thanks,” Riley said as she put on the wristband. “You mind if we do a quick tour, so I don’t get lost? I know everything is parallel to the public esplanade and galleries.”
Riley started walking down the hall, heading in the direction she recalled the elevator that led to engineering.
“I have a minute to show you around, but I thought you needed to get a new wardrobe,” Hoda replied as she and Nequam caught up with Riley.
“You know the best stores, so it won’t take long to find what I need. Is there a lounge where you guys blow off steam? You know as well as I do, Cuttles is going to make me dance till I drop.”
As they walked Riley silently counted off her steps. A hundred paces would put them a safe distance from the explosion.
“I can show you a few areas,” Hoda said. “I’m impressed. You got rid of your owner rather quickly. I heard he and one of the other Cadi are locked in the slave wing.”
Riley perked up at the mention of Cyprian and Vintor. She was banking Hoda would know where to find them.
“I just manipulated the situation a little, when I saw an opportunity. Although I will miss a certain part of him. That man was good in bed. Do you think I can get a private visit before he’s sold?” Riley replied as she cast Hoda a broad grin.
The suggestive excuse was the only thing she could come up with on the fly, to get in to see Cyprian.
“I don’t see the appeal.” Hoda shook her head in disbelief.
“Well you wouldn’t, unless you stripped him nude,” Riley forced a laugh.
“I have a feeling things aren’t going to be dull with you around.”
Yeah, I’m going to be a blast.
“The recreation area you were asking about is down this hall. There’s also a quartermaster, where you can get anything you might need, at a slight discount.” Hoda pointed out.
“Is that before or after the mark-up?” Riley asked.
“After, of course,” Hoda chuckled.
It took a great deal of restraint to walk past the bank of red doors that led to the slave wings, without stopping. Riley wanted to coerce Hoda into showing her where Cyprian and Vintor were being kept, but that had to be her last stop. There was no way Riley could break the men out of their cells without raising attention. As much as she hated it, the other explosive had to be planted first.
“Hoda, isn’t this the exotic female?”
“Yes. Her name is Riley. She’s one of the crew now.”
“At least until she loses favor with the Overseer,” the new amphibian said.
Aren’t you a ray of sunshine, Riley smirked at him, but kept her mouth shut.
“He’s just mad. He bet against you during the competition, and lost a sennight of wages,” Hoda said and they walked away from the guy.
“I guess I’m not going to make many allies being the Overseer’s newest pet,” Riley commented.
“Eh.” Hoda shrugged and kept walking.
The yellow elevator door came into view, and Riley got an idea.
“That’s where your friend works, isn’t it?” Riley pointed to the elevator.
“You mean Zi. Yes. He’s a tech down in the data processing center.”
“We should go talk to him. I need to make at least one friend. I should also apologize
to him in advance,” Riley urged.
“Apologize? Why?”
“I sort of screwed the data techs, back in Cuttles’ office. The Overseer is going to have a lot of extra work for them, with the money-making venture I pitched. I don’t want everyone here to hate me.”
“I don’t know,” Hoda looked hesitant, shifting from one foot to the other.
Riley recalled how the froggy female acted around Zi, and it dawned on her that Hoda had a crush on the other amphibian.
“Does Zi know you like him?” Riley asked.
“Well, uh, I don’t know,” Hoda stumbled over her words.
“Oh, my goodness. Come on. You need to be more persistent if he hasn’t figured it out. I have a friend who’s into computers. If your friend is anything like her, you’ll have to hit him over the head before he gets a clue.”
“Zi is rather focused on his work. Okay, let’s go, but don’t say anything.”
Riley zipped her lips with a nod, as they entered the elevator.
Thank you, Jesus.
The ride down felt like it took forever. When they exited the cubicle, Riley stared at the giant cylinders with the fluorescent blue lights radiating from their cores. As Hoda and Nequam approached the windowed room filled with computers, Riley lagged behind, veering closer to the nearest power generator. While their backs were turned, Riley pulled out the second explosive. She casually ran her hand over the generator, while looking for a place to tuck the explosive.
“Zi’s not working today. Let’s go.”
Riley jumped when she heard Hoda’s voice, and pulled her hand away from the generator. Her heart thudded in her chest.
Fuck me! Riley didn’t have a chance to plant the device yet. I need to stall.
“What are these big things?” Riley asked, attempting to sound curious instead of guilty.
“They power Distraho,” Nequam replied.
“Oh, like giant batteries. We don’t have anything like this on my home-world.”
Riley circled to the front of the generator, ahead of her two companions.
Just put the damn disk somewhere before they come around the corner.
Warrior's Pain (Cadi Warriors Book 4) Page 22
