Finn hadn’t had to break into a building in years, he preferred the more direct method of kicking in doors, but old habits died hard, and he always carried a set of lock-picks in the special slot in his belt.
When the lobby cleared out, he fit the small device into the lock and let it run through its program. Almost as good as Renna. He smiled down at the tech. Even back in the gang, she’d had the talent of getting into any space, no matter how difficult, and the rest of the group had come to depend on her. A sudden twinge of longing shot through him. Renna should be here with him, helping him stop this woman. They should be doing this together. But she was trapped in MYTH and he was here alone. And if she didn’t figure out a way to stop the traitor, she might be stuck there for the rest of her potentially short life. His heart sank before it buoyed up again. She was spending the precious moments of her potentially short time as Renna away from him in order to eliminate a threat to MYTH and humanity. He was proud of her. For being so giving of herself, for giving them a chance.
A few seconds later, he heard the soft snick of the lock falling into place. He pulled open the door and slipped into the hallway, no one the wiser.
Not bad for a reformed thief.
Finn sighed and studied the long corridor in front of him. Dwelling on his feelings for Renna wouldn’t help him now. He needed to concentrate. Kitty was a dangerous woman.
The hallway was nondescript, with plain white walls, cheap linoleum floors, and doors lining the space every fifty feet or so. No sign of Kitty or her men. He crept forward, listening at each door, but he was met with only silence. Where the hell had they gone?
The hallway curved slightly to the right, so that by the time he reached the far end of the corridor, he could no longer see the door where he’d entered. But directly in front of him was a double door, marked with a firebird sigil. He’d bet his life this was Kitty Cordoza’s private room.
Carefully, Finn crouched in front of the lock, listening for any voices or movement. But the doors were soundproof. He’d have to hope he could find some way to stay unnoticed once he got the doors open. He slid the lock-pick into the electric lock.
The scream of an alarm sliced through the air.
Finn jumped to his feet, but before he could sprint back the way he’d come, the doors shot open and a meaty hand grabbed his arm. He kicked out at the man, but despite his heft, the guard moved fast, darting out of the way so that Finn’s kick went wide. He grabbed Finn’s other arm and held him steady, glaring down at him with dark, beady eyes.
He was so screwed.
“Mr. Clayton. So interesting to see you here,” Kitty drawled from her chair behind a large chrome desk. “Bring him inside, Bran. I’m sure he has lots of questions.”
Finn tried to yank his arm free from the giant man’s grip, but it only tightened as he dragged Finn into the room. The luxurious furnishings were at odds with the narrow hallway outside and he swallowed at the crossed samurai swords that hung over a low buffet table on the far wall. A glass display case of guns sat in the corner. Most were old-Earth models he recognized from his MYTH training. But there were a few he’d never seen before.
A dozen white leather chairs sat around a heavy glass table. Half were occupied with Kitty’s men, the other half empty. Bran threw Finn into the chair closest to the door, then took up a stance behind him, arms crossed.
Well, he wasn’t getting out that way. There was only one other option. “I’m so sorry, Kitty.” He hung his head for a moment before looking back at her. He wasn’t Viktis, but maybe he could talk his way out of this. “This sounds awful, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. When I saw you come down this way, I thought it would be an opportunity for me to get you alone. I apologize if I’ve, ah, intruded on anything.”
She smiled slowly, baring her teeth. “Isn’t that the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard? But I’m not sure how you got past the locked door.”
He shook his head, trying to appear perplexed. “It opened when I pulled on it. Perhaps it didn’t lock.” His heart kicked against his ribcage hard enough that there’d be a bruise tomorrow. Across the room, two of Kitty’s other guards rested their hands on the blasters at their side, watching him with narrowed eyes.
Kitty stood slowly, with leonine grace, stretching each muscle and vertebrae as she rose. The hair on the back of Finn’s neck stood on end at the icy expression on her face.
“Tell me, Captain Finn. How long did you think you it would take me to find out who you really were? I’m the most powerful woman in this galaxy. I have spies in every government, every organization. I had you identified the moment you sat down beside me at the poker table.”
An iron fist clenched his stomach, but Finn forced himself to breathe through it. She was only one woman. Viktis knew where he was. Everything would be fine.
Kitty approached his chair, letting her fingers trail across the surface of the tabletop. “I’m actually disappointed. You’re quite handsome, you know. I would have enjoyed a few”—she let her gaze rove leisurely across his body—”rides.” The lust cleared from her gaze in an instant, and turned shrewd. “However, I make it a point never to sleep with MYTH agents. They’re too focused on playing with their…assets.”
Finn held his breath as Kitty ran a finger across his jaw, then forced his chin up so he had to meet her gaze. “Now, what about those friends of yours? What exactly are they up to?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
Kitty shook her head. “You know I don’t like to play games.” She gestured to the man standing beside Finn. Without warning, he punched Finn in the stomach, sending lights skittering across his vision as he tried to suck in a breath of air.
“Let’s try again. Who are the other two and what are they doing?”
Finn swallowed, tasting bile, but didn’t answer.
The man’s fist connected with Finn’s midsection again, another wave of pain washing through him. He bit down on his lip so he wouldn’t make a sound. If nothing else, MYTH had taught him to withstand worse torture than this. Though from what he’d heard about Kitty, she had plenty more up her sleeve.
One of the guards got to his feet, setting his tablet on the desk. “Contact is here, boss. We need to get to the drop.”
Kitty frowned. “I suppose my fun will have to wait for now. We’ll deal with him, and his friends, when the tournament’s over. I don’t want anything getting in the way.”