She continued down the two-kilometre drive, and then, she turned toward the city. She was up to speed in seconds. Then, she went a little faster.
The cycle was one that she hadn’t even dreamed about. It was sleek, expensive, and responded to every touch.
“Kitten, what are you doing?”
“Seeing what this cycle can do, Salat.” She purred it through the com in her helmet.
His sleek desert runner pulled up next to her, and he shook his head slightly. “You are being reckless.”
“Check my files again. I used to test vehicles for a living. This is just a test.”
She lowered herself over the controls, and her arms slid forward for high speed. She passed cars like they were standing still and moving like she was on a mission.
“You do know what you are doing, kitten. I will leave you there. Head to Blind Date Corporation. They will help you find quarters and help you get in touch with law enforcement.”
She said, “Thank you, Salat. How do I get the cycle back to you?”
“Oh, that? It’s yours. I don’t like them. Too dangerous.” He chuckled. “See you soon, kitten.”
She chuckled and slowed to a more reasonable speed as she entered the city.
Zera’s voice came to her. “Salat gave me your com frequency. You are heading to Blind Date?”
“Yeah. I have no clothes, my com was blown up, and I need to park a cycle.”
“Those are things that can be fixed. I will also have the examiner come here to interview you.”
“Right now?”
“Sure. Better to get it over with.”
Khytten drove directly to the hub, and Zera talked her over to the loading dock. The cycle drove neatly into the cargo elevator, and they headed up.
Zera was wearing dark clothing, and her mood was sombre.
Khytten pulled her helmet off. “What’s happened?”
“My sister passed. It seems she wasn’t free of the effects of the doll maker’s attack as we had hoped. The funeral is tomorrow.”
“Oh, Zera. I am so sorry.”
“Thank you. At least she passed the program. That was what she always wanted.”
They arrived on the Blind Date floor, and Khytten pushed the cycle to one side.
“Salat’s cycle?”
Khytten blushed. “No, he... uh... gave it to me. He doesn’t like them.”
“But he knew you did and got you leathers and a helmet as well. I like him more and more. We will get you into something business-suit-like.”
“Okay, let’s go play dress-up. Can you help me find out if my com was retrieved?”
“The examiner should know. They probably went through it looking for incriminating messages.”
“Oh. What about the communication from here?”
“Extraordinarily encrypted. Nothing from us except your deposits.”
“Oh. That could look bad.”
“Well, you now have proof your patron likes to give you exorbitant gifts. You are getting along well with Salat?”
“Um, yes? He mentioned an exclusivity contract.”
“Yes, it is on record here, but you obviously haven’t had the means to sign it. I mean, if you wanted to sign it.”
She bit her lip. “I like Salat, don’t get me wrong, but he is a bit much.”
Zera looked at her as they moved toward Khytten’s wardrobe.
“No, not that. He definitely wants me for my body. But there is something else in his eyes. Like he never thought to find anyone either. That is kinda scary. I get the feeling that he isn’t going to let me out of his sight or, at least, out of his monitoring range.” She wasn’t sure, but she thought that her jacket chuckled.
She sat at a small table in a business suit tailored to fit her, and she smiled as the examiner sat across from her. “Good afternoon.”
He smiled and nodded. “Good afternoon. Miss Danforth?”
“Correct.”
“I am Examiner Tell. Pleased to meet you.”
She extended her hand to his, and his eyes went wide at the contact.
When his gaze fixed on her chest, she knew what kind of examiner he was. Contact exam.
“How much can you see?”
“Six hours.”
She nodded. “I was rescued by my patron.”
He released her hand and rubbed his fingers together. “You and he are close?”
“At intervals. My abduction was crafted by the Mentor, though. My patron doesn’t have to kidnap me; he just has to book me.”
“Maybe he was tired of paying.”
She stared at the examiner. “He is out of town now and is offering me funds so that I can get a new place.”
“You are content to be under his thumb?”
“He has a very talented thumb. But, none of the people or places around here offer help to the working poor. You are either successful or ground under a boot.”
He checked his notes. “You are a wetnurse?”
She snorted. “I am a data entry clerk. I donate milk to the neonatal unit of the hospital and a few other children’s charities.”
He frowned. “Your other employer did not notice you were missing.”
“I know I have probably been fired. Two days gone without calling in isn’t acceptable to them.”
“We can notify them that you were abducted.”
“It won’t do much good. I will wrap up my employment with them over a call.” She grimaced. “If I do stay there, I will have to answer questions, and I don’t want to relive the experience over and over again.”
“Well, I will record this, so hopefully, we only need to do it once.”
She nodded and explained waking shackled up and the guy molesting her. She also did not conceal her counterattack.
“My patron said I would get the bounty on the dead guy, so that is more start-over funding.”
He smiled and said, “It is doubtful that an attack like that would be worth... holy shit.”
Tell looked at her in surprise. “The bounty has been issued by the government offices and deposited in your accounts. The bounty was not only for the man that you described. One point five million has been deposited for your part in finding and expunging a criminal stronghold.”
She nearly fell off her chair. “What?”
“Hunting active criminals is a definitely lucrative occupation. Now, I need the name
