Nik’s chest tightened. “No.” He’d sell one of his brothers for the chance to see the Hawass Documents. Maybe.
They were a collection of records of famous Terran books and documents that a historian on Earth had collected. The historian had clearly seen that the war was not going to end and spentseveral years collecting everything of historical significance he could before he’d left Earth.
“It’s a pity you aren’t coming, then.” Her weight lifted off him.
Nik spun and sat up. He tried to see her face, but all he got was a flash of creamy skin in the darkness. “You? They asked you to go?”
“They hired me to go.”
“They came to you?” he asked incredulously.
She straightened. “They wanted the best. And I want the chance to uncover the rarest old Earth treasures.” Her helmet slid back into place. “It was nice catching up, Niklas. Remember, I haven’t forgotten you owe me a few favors. I helped rescue Dathan on Beta7. I helped Zayn and Ria infiltrate the Tekton hideout. And I helped your cousin and her cyborg get onto that rogue planet.”
Yeah. Nik remembered. Each debt was burned on his brain. Along with the fact she had yet to call them in. He was still trying to work out why the Institute would hire her, the least trustworthy and deadliest of the treasure hunters in the galaxy.
He liked it even less that she would be in the middle of an Institute expedition. Nera could be cunning, but the Institute could not be trusted.
“Sleep well, Niklas. And thanks.”
And like that, she was gone.
He knew her armor had spectrum camouflage built in, rendering her invisible at the flick of a button. How she got on and off a starship traveling at interstellar speed—an impossible feat—was another mystery he had yet to solve.
Then he tensed. What had she just thanked him for?
He swiveled and strode to his desk. He tapped the mirror and a backlit display appeared in the shiny surface. He quicklypressed his palm to it and waited impatiently for it to read his bioprint.
The door opened with a hiss.
The safe was empty.
The Incan idol was gone.
He thrust his hands on his hips and looked at the ceiling. Dathan was going to lose his mind. Not only about the idol, but also about the fact that Niklas was now going to join the expedition to Earth.
CHAPTER THREE
“No way! This is the dumbest idea ever.” Anger was a hot blaze in Dathan’s voice.
Nik ignored his brother and shoved some clothes in his bag. “I’m going.”
“The chance to see Earth and what’s left of Terran history…it’s incredibly tempting.” This from Eos who stood in the doorway. Despite her words, she looked concerned.
“This isn’t about Earth.” Dathan spun, hands on his hips. “You’re going because Darc’s going.”
Whatever strange tie they had, Nik knew Nera didn’t need his protection. And he knew if she got even the slightest hint that he was trying to protect her, she’d cut his knees out from under him. But he didn’t trust the Institute, and he wasn’t going to let Nera wade into those dark waters alone.
“I heard chatter on the grapevine that Solomon and Gunn have been hired as well,” Zayn said.
That made Nik pause. Jonas Solomon was young and enthusiastic. Out to make a name for himself. He’d tangled with their cousin, Justyn Phoenix, and Justyn had only good things to say about the twenty-something-year-old treasure hunter.Alexei Gunn was a different story. He was harsh, cruel, and mean.
And he hated the Phoenix brothers’ guts.
Dathan stomped up to Nik. “Why don’t you just fuck her, and get this out of your system?”
Nik glared at his brother and kept packing.
Dathan threw his hands in the air. “Fine. Get dead, see if I care.” He stormed out of the cabin.
