It’s a ten-story building – a literal den of sin, with each subsequent level descending deeper into depravity.
“Not much is known about The Rhino,” Daccia warns. “That makes it sound like bad news, but it’s good news for us. Shady businesses want the least possible info about them out in the public eye.”
It means the likelihood of The Rhino having some connection to criminals like the space-pirates we seek has grown since we first stumbled across this lead.
“The Rhino has four entrances,” Daccia continues. “We’ll be travelling there by shuttle, and landing on the top of the building and going through the aerial entrance. The other entrances are as follows: One main entrance, one rear entrance, and a service entrance deep underground. The service entrance comes out here.” He points to the next street over on the holographic projection.
“Allie,” Daccia demands, “if anything happens, duck out of that entrance. The owners won’t expect you to know about it, since they don’t know we examined the schematics of the building. You can reach it through the stairs – here, and… here – or by the elevator. Bottom floor. Got it?”
Allie nods. “Got it – but you three had better be intending to get out with me.”
Daccia takes a sip of water while we all look at the holograph of the building, noting the other entrances and escape routes.
“Good. The plan is: We go in, and we establish ourselves as Rogue Aurelians – who broke off from the Empire because of our objections to the policies of Queen Jasmine.”
Hadrian snorts: “Finally! A plausible cover story!”
Out of the three of us, he’s the most opposed to the policies of Queen Jasmine. I’m generally supportive of the changes she’s made to help the relationships between Aurelians and humans. Daccia never voices an opinion either way. He’s always about duty – preferring to follow orders, rather than question them – and, as a result, I know it must be hurting him deeply to know that we’ll soon no longer be welcome in the Empire.
Yet, no man can shoulder a burden like our leader. He’ll find a future for us, one way or another.
Daccia ignores Hadrian’s comment. He continues: “We’ll go in. We’ll flash money – plenty of it. I’ve already exchanged Aurelan Credits for the local currency. As you can see – it’s primitive.”
Daccia motions to a hefty stack of short, thin plastic bills.
“We flash it around to give ourselves the impression of being high rollers. Then, we ask to see the girls… in private. It’s possible we might even find Lilac that way, if we’re extremely lucky.”
While I believe that to be an incredibly slim possibility – it is a possibility. Lilac was kidnapped by the space-pirates in this sector. If she’d been sold as a slave, she might well have ended up here.
“And, if not?” Daccia continues, “I’ll chose the play. We might purchase one or two women, just to gain trust – or I may try to get the owner into a private conversation, to ask him further questions about the outfit. If I can find out where they source their women from, maybe it’ll give us a lead to those space-pirates. If I can make us appear like potential investors, the owner might even lead us straight to them.”
Hadrian growls his approval. He’s shirtless now, and I have the feeling he’s going to get another scar on that huge, marble torso by the time we leave this planet.
“Aye,” he nods. “It’s a good plan. They’ll be blinded by greed.”
Allie wrinkles her nose. “But what if we don’t get any leads? What if the owner doesn’t tell us anything?”
Daccia’s eyes snap away from the hologram of the building. He turns his full attention to Allie. His aura was previously emotionless. Now, it chills to ice – and because she’s Bonded to us, I know Allie feels it too.
“If that’s the case,” Daccia purrs dryly, “then I’ll bring the owner back to this hotel room – and I’ll cut his fingers off one-by-one until he gives us every shred of information he might have about your little sister.”
We’re all silent when we hear this. For two-hundred years, Daccia has been an agent of Aurelian Law Enforcement – upholding the letter of Aurelian law without question or deviation.
Now, he’s become as cold as steel.
“We’re not Aurelian Law Enforcement anymore,” Daccia growls. “Now, nothing is stopping us from getting answers the old-fashioned way.”
A wave of satisfaction suddenly flows through the Bond from Allie. She went from hot to cold in the space of an instant, and I know she’s hiding things from us – but, at the same time, she’s warming up to us. I know it.
I’d already telepathed to Daccia about our little lie. I didn’t want Allie to think we were only on planet Salcus for a couple of days, or she’d be liable to try something crazy to escape from us. If she really knew what we were planning, she’s determined enough to try anything – and strong-willed enough to try to burn down The Rhino single-handedly just to get the answers that she needs about her sister.
Daccia was angry with us at first, but he soon understood. Now he’s in the zone - that place of pure mental focus he always enters before an important mission.
Finally, Daccia snaps up.
“We leave in thirty minutes.”
The tension is rising inside of me. I would love to let it all out right now – inside of Allie.
I’ve never felt like this before. Before, I was always the analytical one. I was the guy who’d run the numbers and do the research. Sure, I got my hands dirty – and killed more than my fair share of Scorp, Toads and even humans who foolishly raised their weapons to me…
…but violence was never in my blood before. Now, I feel like I’m boiling up inside.
I reach forward
