Amanda lifted her eyes from the paper and directed them to Nat. “How did he get out?”
“He tricked a night guard, killed him then took his keys and guns. He killed several other prison guards before escaping. Chief Constable Loka contacted me and requested help.”
“So they want bounty hunters to do the dirty work for them, as usual.” Amanda snorted.
“But of course. Besides, the reward is hefty.” Nat winked with a grin.
Amanda’s expression of disgust melted into a wry smile. “Quite. The competition will be fierce, but Stalo is not an easy catch. He is sadistic and deadly.” Amanda’s gaze drifted towards the window, her eyes reflecting some distant painful memory. What had Stalo done to her? Amanda sighed and turned her attention back to Nat. “You be careful.”
“Naturally.” Nat smiled at Amanda. “I wounded Stalo when he escaped Anouk’s world, and…”
Anouk’s eyes widened and she looked horrified at Nat. Why did he tell Amanda she was not from here? A short while ago he had said they should keep her origin secret. Yes, Nat had also said Amanda was trustworthy, but still, she would have rather kept it just between them. Anouk glanced at Amanda not knowing what to expect. Amanda was staring at Nat with a similar horrified expression on her face.
“Has he purloined one of those?” Amanda pointed at the Gadget on Nat’s glove.
Anouk blinked. Was Amanda familiar with the Gadget? Had she travelled to other worlds as well? Amanda’s face showed no fear, suspicion, nor wariness, only shock at the news Stalo possibly had one.
“Unfortunately, yes.”
Amanda’s eyes flickered towards Anouk. “And you, poor lass, happened to come across him?”
“Yes. He tried to kill me, but luckily Nat arrived just in time,” Anouk shuddered at the recollection. It had happened only a couple of hours earlier. Yet it felt as though it was ages ago and on a different planet. Technically, it had been… God, this was confusing.
“Well, that explains many things.”
Anouk shifted her weight. “What do you mean?”
“Your clothes—they looked strange and the fabric feels so different. And the shoes. Never seen those either. Of course, it explains why you are with Nat.”
“Anouk is with me until Stalo is caught or killed. Will you let me know if you hear anything?”
“You know I will.” Amanda patted Nat on his shoulder. “And, if you two need more gear, equipment or ammunition, I have new stock arriving later today.”
Ammunition… Anouk’s jaw snapped open. Exactly what kind of shop was Amanda’s Emporium?
“Excellent, thank you.” Nat grinned and winked at Anouk. “Let’s get started.”
She hesitated. “How about paying for these clothes?”
“No, you don’t have to pay. Think of them as gifts, love.” Amanda smiled.
“Oh, thank you,” Anouk said, uneasiness setting in her gut. How would she be able to return the favour? Why was she so generous? Did she want something from Anouk in return? Something from her world? After all she had examined her clothes closely, not to mention she had noticed Anouk’s katana.
As if reading Anouk’s thoughts, Amanda waved her hand in a flippant motion. “Please, don’t worry about it. You just get that man.”
Anouk wanted to ask what Stalo was to Amanda, but Nat looked impatient, throwing frequent glances at the door and shifting his weight from foot to foot. He wanted to get on with hunting Stalo. Yes, it was better to get down to business as soon as possible. She would ask Nat about Amanda’s connection to Stalo later.
“Could I ask you to keep my clothes and the shoes safe for the time being?”
Amanda nodded. “When you want them, they’ll be right here.”
“Thank you.”
“Ready?” Nat asked Anouk, who bobbed her head in acknowledgement.
“It was a pleasure to meet you, Amanda.” Anouk trotted after Nat who was already at the door.
“It was a pleasure to meet you too,” Amanda said. “Keep an eye on him.”
Anouk forced a smile on her face. “Oh, yes—he’s my ticket home.”
Whenever that would happen! It didn’t sound like the mission was going to be a walk in the park, even with Nat to protect her. And, would she even be in one piece after this all was over? She might end up being returned in a body bag. Well, that was a happy thought.
Chapter 5
On the street, no one paid any attention to Anouk now that she blended in. What would they do or say if they knew she wasn’t from this planet? What would she do if she met one of them in her home city? No, wait. She did. Two, in fact. And look what happened.
She took a deep breath and turned her attention to Nat, walking beside her.
“Where are we going?”
“Visiting three unlicensed doctors who operate close to Stalo’s landing spot. I want to check if Stalo has seen any of them yet.”
“Alright, makes sense.”
Nat patted Anouk on her shoulder with a grin. “Don’t be discouraged. We’ll catch him. I have connections and I’ll be putting the word out. Eventually, someone will know something.”
Anouk gave him a sideways glance. “What kind of connections?”
“Some owe me a favour, others are well informed, or just so happen to like me.”
“Sounds…” Anouk waved her hands. “And I don’t mean to offend you or, er, your ‘friends’, but your description made them sound a bit… iffy.”
Nat shrugged. “Some do have a questionable reputation and some would kill you without batting their eyes.”
“What charming friends you have.”
“They won’t pose a threat to you, I can guarantee you that.”
They turned a corner and headed down another street, walking past a bakery. In the window, crusted loafs rested side by side. The smell of
