“Yes, and I know you can.” I clench my jaw and try to keep myself from bolting from the room. Even if I wait another ten minutes to convince him, it’ll still be faster than running and getting through the security checks.”
He opens a portal in the wall beside me. “Good luck.”
CHAPTER 4
“You asshole.” I shove Ferrok from behind, and he stumbles forward, dropping his bag. “What the hell were you thinking, leaving like that?”
“I knew it would be easier. And if going without saying goodbye will keep you safe, I’ll sacrifice it.”
“I’m not ready to give up on this.”
“And I’m not willing to risk you for another moment. I’ve already let Sirin know the risk. He’s amping up security and doing what he can to make sure nothing happens to the station.”
“I don’t give a fuck about this station. And you shouldn’t abandon us just because you’re afraid.”
“Of course I’m afraid. If something happens to you because I stayed, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
“Nothing is going to happen to me. We’ll figure it out, or we’ll both leave. But what we’re not going to do is pretend like you’re the only one this effects.”
“There you are.” Mooralan comes to us out of breath and sweating. “Do you know how many favors I had to call in to get in here?”
“You shouldn’t have come.” Ferrok tells him.
“And you shouldn’t have left. What’s wrong with you?”
They argue again, and it’s like we’re back in their apartment, but this time I know the answer to our problem.
“Hey!” I shout, and several heads turn our way. But they’re the only two I care about.
When they finally look at me, I tell Ferrok, “I’m going to loan you an ungodly amount of money.”
Ferrok blinks, staring off into middle distance. “Oh,” he says. “That might work.”
“Phantom says it will, and I believe them.”
Ferrok doesn’t look so sure. “It will need to be alotof money.”
“I have a lot of money. And even if I didn’t, no one needs to know whether that money is real or not.”
“It needs to be real.” Ferrok says. “If we can get the loan finalized quickly enough, and if we can tell the courts that it’s done, they will scour the contract and use any means, legal or illegal, to ensure that it’s genuine.”
“Then let’s make it genuine.”
CHAPTER 5
The terms are ridiculous. Even the emotionless robot filing the paperwork seems surprised by the six hundred percent interest rate and the fifty year term.
But it performs its task as programmed. And we wait for the secondary receipt, telling us it’s been sent off to the courts. Legally registering the debt with the Sovian government.
It feels so strange to see the words on the screen. It feels even stranger when I have a stamped and sealed hard copy.
“I kind of didn’t think they did this sort of thing out here. I didn’t even know you guys had paper.”
“That’s not exactly paper, but I guess it’s close enough.”
“Are we done?” I ask the robot.
“Your contract is completed. Registration pending. Do you require any further assistance from me?”
