Page 45 of Vicious
While walking back there, I half expected to see Randolph at the stove, tipping his silver flask over his mouth while he stirred something into a boiling pot or grumbling about one thing or another. The absence of him gnawed at my soul, taking bites I would never get back. I doubted Poh felt the same way, but she gave me a moment to collect myselfnevertheless.
When the double doors stopped flapping and all was quiet, I took a deep breath and kept my voice low. “If I gave you a serial number to a Mind-I, do you think you could somehow hack into it to see the last few days of that person’slife?”
She crossed her arms and sized me up and down, testing to see what kind of grit I was made of. The dirty, vicious kind, and I suspected she was starting to become aware of that. Or she would soonenough.
“Why?” sheasked.
“1215005. That’s the serial number of Doctor Daryl’s Mind-I. He used to bethe—”
“Doctor?” She winged up aneyebrow.
I nodded. “Before he tried to kill me. He was a Saelis/human hybrid. We need his memories as proof for blackmail, because the Ringerswilllet us through theirrings.”
She strode to the small table in the center of the kitchen and leaned her hip against it. “And what if they don’t? Is there a plan C in the works?” At my questioning look, she said, “Plan A is continuing on to Orin. Plan B is blackmail the Ringers, and PlanC?”
“Yes, there’s a plan C.” Though no matter how I spun the rest of the scenarios through my head, none of them would be as effective as plan B. Continuing on to Orin was moving away from the threat, and because Moon Dragon still hadn’t messaged me back, she still didn’t know what wascoming.
“What if the Ringers do let you through?” Poh asked. “Then what? You warn everyone about the Saelis so the humans take them out first, and all of you aresaved?”
“Basically.Yeah.”
She shook her head. “You better tell me what plan Cis.”
I sighed at the level of confidence in her tone. It wasn’t much. If the Ringers wouldn’t let us through the rings after we blackmailed them, then… I sawed my teeth across my bottom lip,considering.
“How would you feel about creating some engine trouble?” I finallyasked.
“I would feel like I wasn’t a very good engineer,” she said with a frown. “But feelings can be ignored. What did you have inmind?”
“Something that will stall us so Parker and his men will be able to board ourship.”
Her yellow eyes widened as she dipped her chin, seemingly impressed. “And how will that end for your prettyboy?”
I winced as doubt pounded steel fists into my heart. It wouldn’t end well, which was yet another reason why plan B for blackmailhadto work. “Captain Glenn will be with him. He’ll help. He alwaysdoes.”
“And the doppelganger? Will he be helpingtoo?”
“Damn it, Poh,” I hissed. “This plan has gaping holes in it. I already know that. But something has to give in this situation, or more people will die.” My voice wobbled on the last word, and I gripped the table, battling my tearsunsuccessfully.
Poh waited,silent.
When I thought I had control again, I said, “We’ll handle the doppelganger. Are you going to help me ornot?”
She studied me for a long moment. “Why do you want Parker and his men to comehere?”
“Because.” I swiped at my cheeks, shrugging. “I want to steal his ship. Once a thief, always athief.”
Poh’s eyebrows skyrocketed up her forehead. “You have impressive balls onyou.”
“That’s…” I shook my head. “Not helping. Are you in orwhat?”
“Maybe. But then what?” she asked. “Do you even know how tofly?”
“No, but I bet their pilot does. He’ll have to stay aboard to keep both of our ships from drifting toward themagnestar.”
She nodded slowly. “So you’ll steal the ship, threaten the pilot with his likely less impressive balls, I suppose, and go…where?”
“To the closest Ring Guild space station. I’ll force them to let us through the rings. Maybe kidnap one of them. And you’re coming withme.”
