The Transporter's Favor by C.M. Simpson

Author:C.M. Simpson [Simpson, C.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: C.M. Simpson
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

18—Locating Costoganzi

I looked at Delight, and then at Pritchard. How were we going to do this? Well, it was like this…

“We’re going after Costoganzi,” I said, and Delight reared back in surprise.

“What, just like that?”

“It’s the only way to be sure.”

“But you have no proof,” Beckett protested, and I pivoted my chair so I could see him.

“It’s there,” I said. “I just have to join the dots.”

I hesitated, looking at him.

“Can you be here for this, or do you need to be out of it?”

He returned my stare, his eyes taking on a faraway look as he thought about it. I waited, and Delight and Pritchard followed my lead. When Beckett came out of his head, there was determination in his gaze.

“I’ll help you,” he said. “I… It’s my responsibility. My department’s. If the missing agents were acting on orders from higher up in the company, I, we, need to know about it. For the most part, I can’t prosecute them for acting on orders from an authorized officer—and Mr. Costoganzi would certainly count as that—and, at the very least, I would have to resign, because I don’t agree with it.” He shrugged. “Either way, I have to know the truth of it.”

“Understood. Good. I could do with another mind in my corner, so to speak.”

I turned back to Delight and Pritchard, and caught them eyeing Beckett like two predators might consider a piece of meat.

“Ouch!”

“Not nice, Cutter.”

“If the boot, fits…”

They’d obviously forgotten Beckett was as firmly embedded in my head as they were—thanks to me tapping the Depredides comms network to get his attention. The counter-measures had provided him with an in, and I wasn’t begrudging him that, now. He was smart enough not to comment on what he’d seen, though, just got right down to business.

“So, how are we going to go about this?”

“Well, first we’ve got to find him. Abs?”

“You’re the retrieval expert…”

“Thanks, Abs.” I turned to Delight.

“I believe that this case is also linked to another one, we’re working on,” I said. “I take it that Odyssey have an alliance with Dasojin?”

Delight sighed, rolled her eyes, and called Case back. The pilot was on the line almost straight away.

“Shady Marie. How can we help, Odyssey?”

“Apparently Odyssey require assistance in a third alliance retrieval…”

“Do tell,” and Case’s grin could be heard all the way through the comms link.

Beckett just stared at me in disbelief.

I caught his look and shrugged.

“Girl never knows if she don’t ask.”

“Girl’s a cheeky little shit!” Pritchard murmured, but he was smiling that quiet smile he had when he was genuinely amused.

Delight cast me a look that suggested she’d been sucking bitter lemons, and Cascade groaned and wrapped a paw over his nose. Case sounded happy, though. She hammered Delight for cumulative success fees, and then bonuses on early completion. I sipped what was left of my coffee, if only to hide my smirk, and Abby stayed conspicuously silent, although I could feel her presence inside my skull. If I wasn’t much mistaken, she was actually impressed.

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