“It’s in my contract. I get two items.” He’d studied the contract Dr. Luma-Smythe had sent to him in great detail. There was a generous pay and the addition of two old Earth items would be extremely valuable. Of course, the Institute would get the rest. He wondered darkly what the hell they’d do with them.
As he headed for the docking door, Eos and Dathan appeared. She gave him a small smile. “Good luck, Niklas.”
Dathan let out a huff. “All I’m going to say is, stay alive. And if it comes down to you or any of the assholes on that ship—” he stabbed a finger toward the docking door “—it’s you, okay?”
Nik crossed the distance between them and pulled Dathan in for a quick hug. He slapped his brother on the back. “I’ll be back.”
Then, Nik hefted his bag onto his shoulder and waited at the door while it cycled through its unlocking sequence. Finally, it opened with a quiet hiss. Avril Luma-Smythe stood on the otherside. “Dr. Phoenix, I amsoglad you changed your mind.” She waved him in. “Welcome aboard theMagellan.”
“Thanks.” They started down a corridor. Its silver walls gleamed. “It’s a great ship.”
“Brand-spanking new, and named for a famous old Earth explorer.” She smiled up at him. “Of course, I don’t need to tell you that.”
“Ferdinand Magellan.”
She nodded. “I had to pull a few strings to get her for this expedition. We have two state-of-the-art shuttles, fully equipped research labs, excellent crew quarters, and plenty of storage in the cargo bays.” She beamed up at him. “And wait until you see the library. I had it specially upgraded for the voyage.”
“With the Hawass Documents.”
She blinked. “How did you hear that? I was planning to call you again and tell you about them, but then I got your call telling me you’d changed your mind.”
“You were going to dangle them in front of me like a carrot?”
She ran her tongue over her teeth. “Maybe.” A smile. “Would they have worked?”
He realized she really was cute. “Maybe.” But that carrot couldn’t remotely compare to Nera Darc’s long, lean body. “Are the other treasure hunters on board?”
“Yes.” She wrinkled her nose like she wasn’t as happy about that decision as she’d made out. “I’ve asked everyone to meet in the library shortly.”
They rounded a corridor, and he spotted Galen. The Institute agent was waiting outside a doorway, standing ramrod-straight in his gray-and-black uniform. His gray gaze met Nik’s.
Nik didn’t look away.
“Ah, Agent Ryant, I don’t think you’ve officially met Dr. Niklas Phoenix?—”
Galen nodded. “We’ve met.”
“Oh.” The astro-archeologist blinked. “Right, when Dr. Phoenix was at the Institute. Agent Ryant is in charge of security for the expedition.”
Great. Nik nodded.
“For the record,” Galen said. “I don’t think hiring treasure hunters was the right option for this expedition.” He saidtreasure huntersthe same way most people would mention the Tavalian pox. “My team have the capability and skills to carry out this expedition to Earth.”
Avril waved a hand. “Yes, yes, you’ve told me. Your objection is noted. I don’t agree. We’ll need all the help we can get to find what we’re looking for on Earth.”
Nik’s interest sharpened. “And whatarewe looking for?”
“I’ll save that until we’re all together with the others.” She stopped at a door. “Here’s the library.” She pressed a button beside the door and it slid open.
Nik’s chest went tight.Holy stars. It was gorgeous. The modern, almost-clinical feel of the ship ended at the doorway. Inside, it looked like an Old-World library. Lots of glowing, warm wood, shelves upon shelves of old paper books, sleek comp screens sitting on wooden desks in front of large, leather chairs.
And somewhere in here were the Hawass Documents, rumored to have detailed historical information on Earth. Documents the Institute kept tightly locked up.
“If you’d like to wait here,” Dr. Luma-Smythe said. “Agent Ryant and I will return when the other hunters arrive here.”
Nik gave her a distracted nod.
He did a circle of the room. There were so many valuable books here. Every astro-archeologist’s idea of heaven. Eos would love it. He paused by a large, curved window showing space beyond.
