Empire by Scott Moon & Craig Martelle

Author:Scott Moon & Craig Martelle [Moon, Scott & Martelle, Craig]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-06-28T04:00:00+00:00

***

Dixie’s thoughts alternated between Thad and monsters all the way to the Mother Lode. Sunlight streamed down, but she still worried a monstrous beast would jump on her. Dying would be bad enough, but death by mutant aliens sounded horrible. She’d be so mangled, no one would want to look at her when she was dead.

That wasn’t the way she wanted to be remembered—all chewed up and torn apart.

Leslie wasn’t running the floor today, having been tasked with watching the IE security chief in her room. That made more work for Dixie, who’d become accustomed to the Mother Lode brothel almost running itself under Leslie’s strict oversight and discipline.

Dixie checked on each of her girls, gave them a lecture on the rules, and a pep talk designed to get them off their asses and into their beds with more clients.

She climbed the stairs to Shaunte's office. The door was closed, but probably unlocked. Everyone knew that Thaddeus walked in unannounced more often than not. She knocked and waited. A moment later, Shaunte spoke through the intercom and told her to come inside.

The office was large for Darklanding, roughly three times the size of one of the girls’ rooms. There was a desk that wrapped around one end of the work space. Several computer screens, keyboards, and a collection of data pads covered the work area. Dixie eyed the new leather couch and wondered if Shaunte and Thaddeus had ever curled up there.

She still wasn't excited the sheriff had fallen for the Company Man, but there wasn't much she could do about it now. Her best attempts had done little more than titillate the Ground Forces officer turned sheriff. This meant that Dixie and Shaunte would always be rivals to a certain extent.

"What can I do for you, Dixie?" Shaunte said, folding her hands in her lap and sitting up straight as though giving Dixie her full attention but not wanting to spend all day on the interview.

"I think it's time for you and I to work together," Dixie said.

"You work for the Mother Lode, and SagCon owns the place. That makes me your boss," Shaunte said. “We are already working together.”

Dixie rolled her eyes and gave her a ‘whatever’ expression. "I'm not here to talk about small potatoes. You once told me you knew I had more business ventures than anyone suspected. You're not wrong. I also know you have a few side hustles going."

Shaunte laughed. "Is that what you call them? A side hustle?"

"What would happen if the TerroCom soldier kickback ended? You and I both know that once Interstellar Enterprises moves in, that will be an iffy proposition at best.”

"There is no TerroCom Soldier contingent on Darklanding," Shaunte said.

"So you say," Dixie said. "I guess I'm wasting my time. You're not about to be crushed by Judy Ortega during her grab for all the A99 on Darklanding."

"There's never been A99 found on Darklanding.”

Dixie sighed. "Please, Shaunte. That's a secret that was never a secret. The moment P.C. Dickles

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