I’d spent six hours looking for information on the Syndicate with little success. There were persistent rumors of an upcoming event, but no one had any details to share. The Syndicate’s anything-goes events had taken on near-mythical status. They were one night only and the Silva family usually waited until the very last minute to announce a location. The secrecy prevented any undesirables, like the RCDF, from showing up and ruining the atmosphere.
The event could be tomorrow or in two months and only one of those worked for me. For now, I would have to assume it was too far in the future and keep searching for information on their current location.
Aurora chimed a one-minute jump warning. The FTL drive was ready and the gate had provided our next jump coordinates. There had been no sign of Ian, but I had received a blistering message from Father ordering me home in no uncertain terms. My response had been a single sentence: I will return once I find Ferdinand.
Staying ahead of Ian when I wasn’t home to monitor his progress would be a challenge. I would have to keep my head down because I didn’t believe for a second that he’d actually stop looking for me, no matter how much sense it made. Ian was tenacious, and I’d made him look incompetent. He’d come after me with a vengeance.
The jump to GCD One was uneventful. The window shutters didn’t retract since we’d be entering the atmosphere soon, but on the vid screens the planet sparkled, sapphire, under the blue-white light of GCD.
The main engine restarted and Aurora continued on course to Atlantia. My hotel had a private hangar for the penthouse residence, which was one of the reasons I’d bought it. In the last few years I’d sent more than one woman there who had needed an escape, whether temporary or permanent, but it was currently unoccupied.
GCD One was known for its beautiful pink sand beaches and clear turquoise water. The mild light of GCD rarely caused sunburns, allowing visitors to spend more time outside. And the days were longer than Universal Standard Time, the time used on Earth, so time seemed to pass more slowly. The local calendar had only six days in a week, and the tourist board had run a very successful ad campaign about their lack of Mondays.
Atlantia was nestled in a protected cove between a nature preserve and the sea. Many of the wealthy tourists skipped it because of the lack of high-end shopping and dining. I enjoyed the peace and quiet, plus if Consortium types avoided the area, then both I and the women I sent here were less likely to be recognized. Win-win.
“Beginning atmospheric entry,” Aurora announced.
The ship picked up a subtle vibration as we descended. The compensators muted the worst of the turbulence but they couldn’t completely eliminate all of the signs that the ship was essentially slamming into the thickening atmosphere.
Aurora descended until I could see the shape of the city. In the far distance, the buildings of Perousa reached for the sky. GCD One’s largest city housed over a million full-time residents and nearly as many tourists in the peak season.
Some of my anxiety bled away. Atlantia had always been a sanctuary for me. I didn’t visit often, but no bad memories lingered here. Only sun and sea and peace.
On the ground, an unfamiliar ship that could’ve been Aurora’s twin sat in the hangar’s second berth. It was in excellent condition. The cargo ramp was down, but the door was closed. No one was visible.
I called Ada’s com voice-only. Her contact information showed on my smart glasses along with the connection status. I was 90 percent sure it was her ship, or at least one she’d borrowed, but there was no sense in walking into a trap if it wasn’t.
Ada picked up on the second ring. “Are you here?”
“I’m here,” I confirmed. “Is this your ship in my hangar?”
“Jester belongs to Rhys. Captain Hargrove was kind enough to give us a lift,” Ada said, a strange inflection in her voice.
“Should I bail?”
“What? No!” She laughed and lowered her voice. “Scarlett Hargrove and I don’t see eye to eye, that’s all. You’ll understand when you meet her. She’s on the ship if you need them to move or something.”
“No, the ship is fine where it is. I’ll see you in a few minutes. Are you in the penthouse?”
“Yes. I brought Marcus, Rhys, and Veronica. We’re admiring the view and raiding your kitchen. I think Veronica has Rhys fixing brunch. Brace yourself.”
I laughed and disconnected the call. We were on opposite time schedules but brunch for dinner sounded lovely. Mostly I was just happy I’d get to spend a few hours with Ada, though I’d need to sneak in some sleep or I would be worthless tomorrow.
I’d never met Veronica in person, but I had worked online with her and Rhys when we were trying to dig up information on the Genesis Project. The Genesis Project was a secret Consortium genetic manipulation experiment that had attempted to turn Ada’s soul mate, Marcus Loch, into a supersoldier.
The Consortium scientists had been far more successful than they ever could have hoped, right up until the point when Loch had decided to go rogue during the Fornax Rebellion. The Consortium claimed the rest of Loch’s squad had died during the mission, but my brief research hinted otherwise. Both Ada and Loch had refused to answer any of my carefully worded fishing attempts, so all I had was guesswork and conjecture.
I unclipped from my seat and exited Aurora. I double-checked that the cargo bay door was closed and locked. I didn’t need anyone poking around in my ship while I wasn’t here.
The penthouse had a private elevator with an entrance right off the hangar. I swiped my identity chip over the panel and the light turned green. Nerves fluttered in my belly as the elevator ascended. The last time I’d seen Ada she had been leaving Earth because Father had banished her. Now I appeared to be following in her footsteps, though I hadn’t been officially banished—yet.
The elevator opened directly into the foyer. White marble floors anchored pale blue walls. An entry table held a vase with a bouquet of fresh, colorful flowers. They added a floral note to the scent of warm baked dough floating through the air.
The living room had the same dark, delicate furniture I had in my suite at home, but the real draw was the view. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the balcony, and beyond that were nothing but clear blue water and deep blue skies.
From here, the penthouse felt like it was the only thing for kilometers. Even the number of wireless signals was bearable thanks to some light shielding. My head still throbbed from earlier, but it wasn’t getting any worse. Thank goodness for small miracles.
Ada and Loch were on the balcony, leaning against the railing and looking over the sea. Ada’s dark hair was tousled from the wind and she had on a pair of black pants and a bright coral shirt. She was smiling up at Loch, who had planted himself beside her. He sported his usual shaved head, dark clothes, and don’t-fuck-with-me look, but as I watched, his serious expression broke. He grinned at Ada as she dissolved into laughter.
I moved farther into the room and Loch glanced at me through the open balcony door. He nudged Ada and she spun around. “Bianca!” She hurried inside and pulled me into a hug. “Are you okay?”
“After you left, the neighborhood went to shit,” I teased, “but I’m fine. I can’t stay long. Director Bishop is searching for me, and I have to find Ferdinand before he catches up to me.”
“Do you have any leads?”
“A few.”
When I didn’t elaborate, Ada rolled her eyes and sighed. “Did you think I would accept that as an answer?”
“It was worth a shot,” I said.
“Let’s see if Rhys has destroyed the kitchen yet and then you can tell us what you know.”
Despite the fact that the penthouse was equipped with a very nice food synthesizer, the kitchen was also kept stocked with essentials even when I wasn’t here. I never knew when someone might need a place to stay, and cooking was far more soothing than punching a button. Unused supplies were rotated out to a local food bank before their expirations.
Rhys and Veronica were putting this week’s supplies to use. Rhys Sebastian must’ve started the day perfectly turned out in a navy suit, but he’d taken off the jacket and rolled his sleeves to the elbow. He was carefully stirring something in a large bowl. Rhys was classically handsome with tan skin, close-cropped blond hair, and light eyes.
Next to Rhys, Veronica Karim was supervising his work. Tall and slender, with warm brown skin and long black hair, she was beautiful. If she and Rhys ever decided to have a baby, the universe would probably implode from the cuteness overload. She had on loose charcoal pants and a deep violet blouse. She caught sight of us first.
“Lady Bianca, I hope you don’t mind that we’re using your kitchen,” she said with a smile. Her voice was low and melodious.
“That depends. Do I get to sample whatever you’re making?”
She laughed. “Of course.”
“In that case, carry on. And it’s just Bianca.”
Ada held out an arm toward Rhys and Veronica. “Bianca, meet Rhys and Veronica. I know you’ve worked together before but I don’t think you’ve met in person.”
“It’s lovely to finally meet you,” Veronica said.
“Likewise,” I said.
“Sorry, I would greet you properly but if I mess up this strawberry whipped cream I’m afraid Veronica won’t let me have any of the shortcake she made, and her food is not to be missed,” Rhys said with a charming grin.
I thought I’d grown immune to looks and charm, but Rhys was putting that theory to the test. I wouldn’t want him for myself, but he certainly was easy on the eyes.
“The whipped cream comes first,” I agreed with a smile.
“How long are you staying?” Ada asked.
“I jumped twice on the way here, so the FTL drive cooldown will take almost twelve hours,” I said. “I want to be ready to go by then, but you don’t have to stay that long because I’m also going to need to sleep. I’m sorry I woke you all up so early.”
Surprisingly, it was Loch who waved off my words. “What happened?” he asked.
I brought them up to speed while Rhys finished the whipped cream and started slicing fruit. By the time I was finished, brunch was ready. We carried the food out to the table on the balcony and sat in the gentle afternoon sun. A light breeze carried the briny scent of the sea and kept the temperature pleasant.
I ate lightly, my stomach queasy thanks to the headache. Rhys hadn’t been joking—Veronica was an excellent chef and everything tasted amazing. After eating what I could, I sipped coffee, lost in my thoughts.
Rhys broke the silence. “I haven’t heard anything about your brother’s disappearance other than what’s been reported on the news, but I’ve got a few people asking questions. If it really is the Syndicate then I might get a lead or two. I’ve worked with them before.”
“Have you heard anything about their upcoming party?” I asked.
Ada turned to me with a dark look. “Don’t even think about it,” she warned. “They already have Ferdinand. Are you going to serve yourself up on a platter, too?”
“That wasn’t my intention, no. I’ve been on a Silva ship before.” Ada blanched, but I kept going. “I know how they operate. They are driven far more by money than politics, and I have no problem buying Ferdinand back if that’s what it takes. I just need to track one of them down. Assuming it’s soon, the party is the best option.”
“It will be a tricky deal to pull off,” Veronica said.
“I know, but if I don’t try, Ferdinand suffers.”
“Marcus and I will come with you,” Ada declared.
“No,” I disagreed gently. “This is not a case where more people mean more safety. And if things really do go south, I’ll need someone who can bail me out. You can’t do that if you’re locked up with me.”
Ada opened her mouth to argue, but Loch beat her to it. “Bianca is right,” he said. “One or two people can slip in quietly, but take a team and it looks like an invasion.”
They shared a look before Ada sighed in defeat. “Very well. We won’t go with you, but we’ll be close. And at the first sign of trouble, we’ll bring the invasion.” Her smile was sharp and just a little bit scary. My little sister had changed in the two years she’d been gone.
“Thank you,” I said.
We discussed plans and options until I could barely keep my eyes open, but it all boiled down to one hard truth: if I couldn’t find Silva, I wouldn’t find Ferdinand. We talked about contacting them electronically, but in the end, we agreed that tipping them off early would be a good way for Ferdinand to get dead and dumped in an unused corner of the universe.
When I yawned for the third time in as many minutes, Ada said, “Go to bed. It’s late in Universal and you need sleep. We’ll go down to the beach for a while. It’s been ages since I was last on GCD One and I want to enjoy the water while I’m here.”
“There are plenty of guest rooms, so make yourselves at home. You already found the kitchen and you’re welcome to whatever is in it. There’s also a synthesizer if you need something I don’t have.”
“Bianca, we’ll be fine. We are all adults. Go to bed.”
“Fine, fine,” I said with a wave. She might be an adult, but she’d always be my little sister. “Wake me up if any news comes in. Otherwise, I’ll see you in six hours.”
“Make it seven,” Ada demanded.
“Watch it. I have a whole host of baby Ada stories that I’ve been dying to tell someone. Remember the time when you ate—”
Ada clamped her hand over my mouth. “If you tell that story, I will shave your head bald while you sleep.”
“Well now I have to hear the story,” Rhys said.
Ada glared at him before switching her glare back to me. Bald, she mouthed succinctly as she removed her hand.
“What did she eat?” Rhys asked.
“If you want to hear the rest of the story, you’ll have to ask her. I like my hair as it is.” I stood and gathered up my dirty dishes. “Oh, that reminds me. Ask her about her time as a self-barber, too.” I dodged away from her playful smack with a laugh.
“So you decided to cut your own hair?” Loch asked, his deep voice rumbling with amusement. “How did that go?”
My work finished, I beat a hasty retreat before Ada could threaten me again. I was glad we got a moment to play, because the crushing worry for Ferdinand was never far away.
I dropped my dishes in the kitchen, then retired to my bedroom. The rest of the suite was open and available to anyone who visited, but my room was kept locked. I swiped my identity chip over the reader and the door clicked open.
The sea-green room was dominated by a large bed with crisp white bedding. The closet and en suite bathroom were off to the left. On the right, a wall of sliding glass panels led out onto a private balcony and offered an uninterrupted view of the water.
I admired the view for a second before I lowered the blackout curtains. I switched on a lamp as the room descended into darkness. Because the days were longer than usual on GCD One, most residences invested in quality blackout shades—it was hard to sleep with the sun shining in your eyes.
The room was a little more shielded than the rest of the penthouse and that, plus the minimal number of signals in this part of Atlantia, meant I could rest in silence. By the time I finally flopped into the bed, it was well after midnight Universal. I was asleep almost before my head hit the pillow.
I awoke to furious pounding on my bedroom door. “Bianca! Bianca, wake up, dammit! Wake uuupp!”
It took me a second to recognize Ada’s voice. “What’s going on?” I asked groggily.
Ada apparently hadn’t heard me over her own shouting, so the auditory assault continued.
I switched on a lamp and checked my com. It was just after four in the morning Universal Time and midevening local time. I stumbled to the door and wrenched it open. “What?” I demanded.
“Ian is here,” Ada said. “Grab your stuff.”
I blinked at her and the words bounced off my tired brain. “What do you mean he’s here?”
Ada swept past me into the room and began gathering up my clothes and accessories. “He’s here, in the building. Loch spotted him entering the main part of the hotel. He must’ve tracked your ship.” She paused. “Or ours. You never know with that sneaky bastard. Here.” She thrust yesterday’s clothes at me.
I caught them reflexively and started getting dressed. Ian had tracked me with uncanny speed and skill, which meant that Ada was probably correct and he’d bugged my ship.
Sneaky bastard, indeed.
“He must’ve planted an external hardware beacon that I failed to notice,” I said.
Ada nodded. “Rhys has Scarlett’s crew checking both ships for trackers. We’ll get you sent off clean.”
“Doesn’t matter. I can’t jump for almost six hours. He’ll catch me in the air.”
“Not if we disable his ship,” Ada said with a predatory smile.
“Too risky. Is your ship ready to jump?” She nodded. “If we find a tracker, how do you feel about being a decoy?”
Her smile morphed into a grin. “I have felt the need to visit the far reaches of the ’verse lately.”
I put on the smart glasses and tapped into my private view of the hotel’s security feed. Ian was at the front desk, talking to my hotel manager. The video didn’t have audio, but she was shaking her head and holding her hands up in a placating manner. Ian looked annoyed—the manager wouldn’t be able to stall him for much longer, but I made a mental note to send her a bonus.
Ada and I hurried down to the private hangar. Someone had barred the doors and Rhys, Loch, and Veronica stood next to two loaded-down sleds covered in tarps. Rhys was talking to an unknown woman. She wore dark clothes that accentuated her long, curly red hair. She would be beautiful if she wasn’t so busy scowling at Rhys.
“That’s Scarlett Hargrove, Jester’s captain,” Ada said quietly.
“You don’t like her.”
Ada exhaled audibly. “She was the one who came and got me after Father banished me. She and Loch had a moment.”
I narrowed my eyes at the hulking ex-con at the bottom of Aurora’s cargo ramp. I’d warned him about what I would do if he hurt Ada.
“Put away the murder face, Bee,” Ada said, reverting to the childhood nickname she only used when she wanted to get away with something. “They are like family. I realize that now, but at the time I was jealous, and I’m still trying to get over my initial impression. It doesn’t help that she treats me like I’m somewhere between invisible and gutter scum.”
I swiveled my glare to the woman who dared to treat my sister like scum. “Scarlett Hargrove, you said?” I murmured, mostly to myself.
“Let it go,” Ada said. “She and Rhys and Loch are friends. Hurting her would hurt them, so I ignore her. You should, too. Please.”
It was the plea that did me in. “Fine,” I sighed. “Let’s get this stuff loaded while you tell me what you’ve brought.”
As we approached the group, Rhys said, “We found the tracker but haven’t removed it yet. What do you want us to do?”
“Bianca needs a few more hours before she can jump,” Ada said. “Attach it to Jester and we’ll play decoy.”
Rhys turned to Scarlett. “Have your crew transfer the tracker. Looks like you’re stuck with us for a little longer.”
“At least it’s less likely to damage my ship than your stupid plan,” she groused, but affection underlaid her tone.
“Do I even want to know?” Ada asked.
“No,” Veronica and Scarlett said at the same time.
I climbed Aurora’s cargo ramp and swiped my identity chip over the control panel. The cargo door lifted and I stepped inside. Loch and Ada followed me and the sleds floated along behind them, following their paired beacons.
Loch parked the sleds in the middle of the cargo bay and started sliding the pallets full of crates off onto the floor. Each sled held two pallets and they looked like they weighed a ton. “I would offer to help, but I’m not actually sure I can move one of those,” I said.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said with a grin. “I’m almost done.”
“What is all of this stuff?” I asked Ada.
“We decided your list was too small, so we added a few things that might come in handy. If you come across anything you don’t recognize, send me a message, but it’s mostly standard stuff like clothes and weapons, combat armor, boots, secure coms. We tossed in a surveillance drone and a handful of bugs and trackers. Oh, and your favorite chocolate and coffee. My treat.”
“Thank you, Ada,” I said around the lump in my throat. Ada had been gone for so long that I’d forgotten how well she knew me.
“No worries. Bring Ferdinand home.”
“I will.”
Rhys and Veronica stepped into the cargo bay. “I have a clean identity ready, if you need one,” Rhys said by way of greeting. “I just need to know what name you prefer.”
“Anna White,” I said. Anna was one of my middle names, so it was easy enough to remember, while being generic enough to be hard to search for.
Rhys typed something on the device he carried, then said, “I need your identity chip.”
I touched the thumb and ring finger of my right hand together for a long second before I held out my arm. Rhys slid the device up my arm until a beep indicated it was directly over my secondary identity chip. Thicker than a com, the rectangular device had a “Property of the Royal Consortium” label still attached to the side.
“Do I want to know where that chip programmer came from?” I asked.
“I’ve found it’s better if you don’t ask,” Ada said. “Plausible deniability.”
“This identity is only level three—it’s all I had available on such short notice. So don’t go pissing off the RCDF or the police or you’ll have a bad time,” Rhys said.
Black market identities typically came in five strengths, ranging from level one to level five. Level one identities would fall apart with even the most cursory glance, but they were also dirt cheap. Level five identities would have your own mother swearing that she’d never met you before.
Level three tended to be a balance between price and performance. The identity included enough background information to pass a midlevel private background check, but if the police started digging, they would spot the inconsistencies.
This chip already contained two level-five identities that I’d used previously. I’d used one while escaping, but I didn’t think Ian knew about the other one. I still wouldn’t use it unless absolutely necessary.
The chip programmer beeped again and Rhys pulled it away from my arm. “You’re good to go,” he said.
“Thank you. All of you. For everything.”
“Family sticks together,” Ada said. She pulled me in for a hug. “Keep in touch or I’ll hunt you down.”
“I will. And I’ll let you know as soon as I find anything.”
“Scarlett suggested we launch together,” Rhys said. “Once you hit space, go dark and put as much distance as you can between you and Ian.”
I waved in farewell as they left to find their own ship, then I went to get ready for launch. I smiled at the thought of Ian’s face when he found he’d been chasing Ada.
He really should’ve just stayed home.