Page 30 of Pirate By Parrot

“Yes, sir. Thank you.”

The man smiled, and she turned her head to see where Annabelle was nearly hopping from foot to foot.

“Can you direct me toward the Nyal Guardian representatives?”

“Oh, they have offices on three. Simply go into this lift and up to the third floor. Turn left, and you will be there.”

“Thank you.”

She stepped up to Annabelle and smiled. “Third floor. Come along.”

Marko remained quiet, they got into the lift that barely had room for Mel, and they headed up to three.

The transaction was surprisingly straightforward. A scan was administered to Annabelle to confirm that she hadn’t aged those sixteen years, and from there, the reward was authorized.

Annabelle looked back. “Mel?”

Mel looked to the men in armoured suits. “Can you send seven hundred fifty thousand to the Citadel on Annabelle’s account and give her the two hundred fifty thousand directly?”

The man with blue skin and white eyes smiled. “What about the other million?”

Annabelle blinked. “What?”

“There has been a bump to it.”

Mel shrugged. “Put it all in Annabelle’s accounts. I don’t have any and don’t really need anything.”

The guardian paused. “You don’t have accounts?”

“No. Don’t need them. The station provides what I need, and I don’t really fit anything in the marketplace.”

The guardian blinked. “Oh, right. Well, Specialist, you are now free of obligation to the Citadel, and the funds are in your account.”

Mel asked, “Where did the funds appear from?”

“The soon-to-be-empress added them.”

“Of course.”

Annabelle frowned. “If you get an account, I will transfer that other million to you. I don’t need it for anything.”

The Guardians were grinning.

Mel chuckled. “Not used to folks trying to share a reward with each other?”

“No. Not used to two women trying to support each other with no thought to themselves.”

Annabelle smiled. “Sirs, can you direct us to the visitor’s centre? We are authorized to head down to the surface but want to make sure everything is organized.”

“I will escort you, ladies. The station can be confusing.”

Annabelle checked her wrist unit and exhaled. “And there is the Citadel acknowledgement, and there are the funds.”

Mel smiled. “Thank you, Guardian. Just make sure you take us through paths with high ceilings.”

He laughed, they walked for five minutes, then they got in line, and someone took their names. There was a startled look at a datapad, and then the male said, “Please come with me.”

Mel and Annabelle followed him, and Mel ducked under the doorway.

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