Kitty frowned, tapping one crimson nail against the side of her crystal glass. “He seemed like a good business man to me.”
“He puts on a good front. That’s how he gets investors. And then he takes their money and disappears. There are a dozen people out there with contracts for his head right now.” That bit was probably closer to the truth than Viktis would have liked, but at least if Kitty went searching, she’d find plenty of wanted comms, each with a different name. He was a very prolific pirate.
“No wonder he needs an exceptional body guard.” Kitty set her glass off to the side and steepled her fingers together. Then she glanced up as if she’d made a decision. “I like a woman who takes charge of her life and goes after what she wants. To answer your earlier question, I’m recently down a bodyguard,” she said with an angry grimace. “Stupid man got himself caught in a prostitution sting yesterday. If your background checks out, I’d be willing to hire you on a contract basis starting this evening.”
Keva grinned, twin surges of relief and triumph shooting through her veins, making her giddy. She wondered if Viktis had anything to do with the arrested guard. She wouldn’t put it past him. “I’ll check out. I’m one of the best, Ms. Cordoza. I promise you won’t be sorry.”
“I’d better not be. I can make Mr. Zero look like a stuffed teddy bear if you cross me.” Kitty’s crimson lips curled into a feral smile, like a hungry lioness one pounce away from tearing into an unsuspecting gazelle.
Keva’s skin erupted in goose bumps. Viktis better know what the hell he’s doing or they were all going to end up dead in a back alley somewhere.
“Of course. I understand completely.” Keva stood, reaching a hand out to shake Kitty’s. It was cool and dry against her skin, like a dead piece of lizard leather, and another urge to shudder swept through her. “Thank you for the opportunity, ma’am. I’ll leave my comm information with one of your men. I look forward to hearing from you.”
Keva left the room as Kitty gestured to the two guards. “Bran, I need you to contact Senator Trepor immediately…” she began. The two men stood at attention, tapping her orders into their tablets.
Keva wove past the giant glass table on her way to the door. The first bug was planted, and hopefully working. Time for the second. She fingered the back of her pendant and pulled the small device from the crevice where Viktis had hidden it.
As she pulled open the door, she slipped it into the lock. The tiny bit of tech went home with a click, installing itself into the electro-lock instantly. Done. Now Viktis would have no trouble getting back in when it was time to plant his evidence.
Not too shabby.
Maybe she’d be good at this thief thing if she gave it a chance. She might even teach Renna a few things when she got back aboard the Athena. The thought made her smile as she headed for the elevators. They’d joked once about the stick up Keva’s ass. Renna would be shocked when she heard about this mission.
Inside the elevator, she punched the button for her floor, then spoke softly into the pendant. “Did you get all that?”
Viktis’s voice sounded low and husky in her ear. “Sure did. The bug in the sitting room is already transmitting. Though I do have to protest your slanderous description of me. I sounded like the worst kind of employer.”
“Aren’t you?” she asked. Keva hadn’t seen the man with anyone beside the crew of the Athena. It would be interesting to see how he handled his own ship.
The other end of the comm was silent for a moment. “I suppose there might be some truth in that.” She could hear the smile in his voice. “But I promise I’m a much better boss than I used to be. No one’s died on my watch in weeks.”
She chuckled. “So what now?”
“Now we get ready for the tournament. Meet me in my room in two hours.”
CHAPTER 6
Finn played another hand against the dealer-bot with a sick feeling twisting his stomach. He sighed, tossing his cards down on the table as he lost yet again. This was hopeless. There was no way he was going to be able to compete in this tournament. Viktis was full of shit to think this plan would work.
Kitty Cordoza was going to eat them for breakfast and there was nothing they could do to stop it.
He held up a hand before the dealer could deal him in again. “I’m done for now. Bank my chips, please.”
The dealer nodded as Finn slid off his stool and glanced around the casino floor. A kaleidoscope of information assailed his senses: The whirr and chink of the machines, the babble of voices, the smell of unwashed alien and human alike. He hated places like this. They reminded him of his younger days, when he’d led Blur’s gang. Casinos always had easy marks, even the poor ones. And Blur hadn’t minded ripping off anyone desperate enough to fall for his schemes. Luckily, Finn had sucked at cards back then, too, and Blur had quickly pulled him from the floor.
Finn raked a hand through his hair and headed for the exit. He needed a drink and a shower before the evening’s festivities. Not necessarily in that order.
Finn headed toward the elevators, then ducked behind one of the marble pillars as Kitty and two of her body guards stepped out. She marched through the casino lobby, obviously on a mission, and headed toward a small door tucked behind a potted palm tree.
One of the guards swiped a finger against the print-lock, then held the door open for her. Finn caught a glance into the narrow hallway beyond. It looked like some kind of access hall.
Or secret meeting room.
Finn hesitated. Was this the handoff Viktis was talking about? The new tech that could change everything? He turned on his comm and tried to contact the pirate, but there was no answer.
Shit.
Should he go after Kitty himself? Maybe he could record the hand-off. Get proof that she was a smuggler and thief. Then they wouldn’t need to even go through the farce of this tournament.
As Finn weighted his options from his hiding spot, another trio of men headed toward the same door. They wore close–fitting, black leather jackets with red cuffs. The Cordoza’s colors. When they slipped through the door as well, Finn made up his mind. He didn’t know exactly what Viktis had planned, but catching Kitty red-handed might put an end to this cat-and-mouse game before it even began.
He tried the pirate one more time, but he still didn’t answer. Then he tried Keva. When her voicemail came on, Finn left a quick message, explaining what he was about to do. Then he strode across the lobby to the door. With a furtive glance around to make sure no one was watching, he tried the handle. It didn’t budge. Of course. He was going to have to do this the hard way.