And how did he get on his ship?
Jace had a look of forced patience on his face as he glanced at Flame.“Another group we picked up on our way.Kira, meet Brooks.He’s one of the station master’s lieutenants.”
“Is he?”Kira asked, giving Flame a look.
“I am,” Flame confirmed with a genial smile.“And my master says you and your companions are no longer welcome on Titan for the foreseeable future.”
Kira let out a disbelieving scoff.
“Titan’s station master has issued you a bill for damages.Until it’s paid in full, you and your people will not set foot on the station,” Flame added.
Kira’s mouth dropped.“Are you serious?”
Flame smiled wider.“I’m told you’ve already agreed to pay recompense.”
Kira’s gaze swung toward Jace.“That’s not what I meant.”
The inquisitors were the ones who were supposed to be on the hook for damages.Not Kira.And definitely not Roake.
Of course, when she’d made that offer, the docks had still been intact and Protocol Phoenix hadn’t been in play.
“What agreement?”Jin asked, looking between them.
“Tell you later,” Kira said.
Jace shrugged.“Sorry, Phoenix.Titan’s station master has made me an offer I can’t refuse.”
“What bill?”Jin asked louder.
“It doesn’t matter.We’re not paying it,” Kira snapped.
Jace’s chuckle was the last thing she heard as the transmission from his ship cut off.
“Are you sure?”Jin picked up the scroll beside him as a message came in.“Because I don’t think Jace got that memo.”His eyes got very big as he whistled.“That’s a shit ton of money.”
He handed her the scroll.
Kira took it, wondering if this was Gus’s doing.A method of effectively barring Tuann from re-entry, thus keeping Caius off her trail.
If so, it was an unexpected stroke of genius.The numbers were so astronomical that there was no way any reasonable person would expect repayment.She wasn’t certain even Roake’s annual budget for the next five years would be enough to cover this.
With the itemized receipt, Jace had included a couple of images and a note.
“I saw this guy going in and out of Himoto’s office on several occasions.Thought you should know.”
She opened one of the images, unsurprised when Ryan’s face appeared.
“Just when you think you’ve dug as deep as you can into a mystery, the forty-three find a way to add more intrigue,” Kira mused softly.
Secrets wrapped in secrets.All the way to her beginning.
Thirty-Two
Cleo
Onemonthlater
After once again making sure she wasn’t being followed, Cleo turned onto an abandoned street, hurrying slightly as the last rays of the sun faded from the horizon.Buildings lay half demolished around her.Their piles of rubble obstructing her path in places.
