“I guess you’ve got a deal,” Kira told him.
Graydon eyed her with a darkness that made her shiver.“I do so love our deals.”
For that matter, so did Kira.
“Look who finally showed up,” Raider murmured as they approached the hotel lobby on their way out.
Station security was in the process of cordoning off the entrance and surrounding area.
Not wanting to waste time being detained a second time, Kira did an about face to head back the way they’d come.“Let’s take the back way out.”
Spotting them, Sergeant Fitzpatrick shouted at them to stop.
“Solal,” Graydon barked.
The oshota stopped, letting them pass as he faced security.He mumbled a word, his hands tracing a rune in the air.A second later he infused hiskiinto the symbol.A bubble expanded.Out and out.Until it filled the narrow corridor, creating a temporary barrier.
Graydon took Kira’s arm.“Quickly,coli.That won’t last long.”
For the second time that day, Kira led their party into the passageways hidden in the Red Rabbit’s walls.Now that she knew the likely identity of the station master, these passages took on new meaning.
They tramped through cramped ductwork and down rickety ladders that probably hadn’t seen use since the first builders.Despite that, the passages were surprisingly well maintained.Someone had gone to a lot of trouble on their upkeep, making Kira wonder if the hermit Gus was purported to be only applied when it came to the rest of the forty-three.There was no way she would have been able to do this by herself.
A short time later, the passages let them out on the commercial deck.Right across from customs.
They retraced the steps they’d taken upon arrival, marching down the gangway at a swift pace.
“Anyone else wondering where Maksym wandered off to?”Raider asked.
“My little protégé.Somewhere under that cold, hard exterior of yours, I knew you cared,” Maksym announced, making Raider jump as he stepped out of the shadows across from where Graydon’s ship was docked.
“Why do you keep doing that?”Raider whisper yelled.
“Because it’s fun.One day you will have a protégé of your own, and you will do the same to them.You may thank me then for all the inspiration I’ve given you over the years.”
“Stop reacting every time and he’ll lose interest,” Kira advised.
Maksym held his hand over his heart.“Youngest, you wound me.”
Kira rolled her eyes.“Doubtful.”
Maksym’s ego was the healthiest and most indestructible that Kira had ever seen.A bombardment from a Tsavitee world ship couldn’t puncture it.Let alone Kira’s verbal jabs.
Frowning, Maksym scanned the group behind her.“Heir, correct me if I’m wrong, but you seem to be missing a few members of your party.Most notably, the small one that looks like a child.”
“Some things happened.I’ll explain on board.”
Kira twitched with the need to be well away from Titan as soon as possible.Any moment now, security was going to realize that all they needed to trap them was to impound Graydon’s ship.
It wouldn’t work, but it would delay them at a time they couldn’t afford it.
Graydon unlocked the docking tube, gesturing them inside.
Kira started to follow the rest when a chime from her comms distracted her.
Right on time.
“Jace,” Kira said, opening the channel.“Did you get my package?”
