Zelup pounded his fist against the metal door again. “Hey, do you know when the good doctor will return? Can I come in and wait?”
There was no response. He crossed his arms over his chest, resting his back against the door. Then his gaze caught the camera. “Is this how you treat all your potential investors?” he shouted.
“Only ones we have never heard of before.” The voice was back. “In the financial sector of the interplanetary database, there are three Jeffrey Sloanes listed at various banks in the quadrant, two more listed as independent venture capitalists, and four markedunknown. Which one are you?”
Zelup swallowed. Maybe he should have read the info sent over by Calabez a little more carefully before he’d come over. There was probably a whole secret identity in there, if he knew Nojan and Cal.Instead, I marched right out on the battlefield like a green general.
“I’m one of the unknowns. My firm likes to maintain a low profile.”
There was a polite cough into the intercom. “And is there any way you can prove who you are? Dr. Illya entertains plenty of offers, but they all come through the proper channels. They don’t show up on her doorstep uninvited.”
Zelup laughed, putting himself into the character full tilt. “That’s because they don’t have the balls. I see something I want, and I go after it.” Just like he had last night. No lie there.
“Thank you, Mister Sloane, but—”
He sensed the brushoff coming and was already thinking of ways to counteract it when another voice appeared. “Ladee, who are you talking to?”
That was a female voice, and a voice of authority.
It also sounded familiar.
His grin feeling a mile wide, Zelup stared up into the camera.
