Page 38 of Courting Mayhem

I shook my head.“No, you didn’t. Askole warriors are mercenary creatures. You plan on auctioning off their equipment and the monsters to the highest bidder.”When Canute didn’t react, I added,“Is the missing female your mate?”

“I sell many things, but I am not a slaver.”His tentacles squirmed wildly.

Papi Sten nodded.“To my knowledge, Canute has never sold a sentient being.”

“Keep your secrets, I’ll have Kiri show me where the lab is.”Turning on my heel, I walked out.

Canute’s bellow of rage shook the walls. “I forbid you from taking her back to that place.”

Gotcha. I sauntered back in. “You ready to deal?”

“He is not Canute,”Papi Sten said suddenly.

“What?” I studied the Askole. He looked the same to me.

Derek examined Canute closely.“What makes you think that?”

“My scanner shows this Askole has been surgically altered to match Canute’s description. He’s an inch shorter than the real Canute and his tentacles aren’t damaged,”Papi Sten replied.

I frowned.“You’re right. You shot off the tips of two of his tentacles during the firefight in Sogunro’s slums.”I gave the fake Canute a grim smile.“Inviting the Warhammers to the pleasure palace was an act of sheer desperation, wasn’t it?”

The fake Canute snarled at me.

“How badly do you want your female back?”Papi Sten barked.

Derek added,“Tell us where the auction for the Shebu is being held. Once we have it, we’ll search for your female.”

“It will be too late,”the fake Canute growled.

I looked the fake Canute dead in the eye.“The Warhammers never fail. We will find her.”

“You do fight well for a tiny female,”the fake Canutereplied.

Derek butted in, “Who are you and what did you do with Canute?”

“Canute has joined his ancestors.”The Askole gave a slight bow.“I am the Black Pirate, but you may call me Baelish.”

Derek glared at Baelish. “Perfect. Sariel has a five million credit bounty on him, dead or alive.”

“Do you even know where the Shebu is being auctioned?”Papi Sten demanded.

Baelish answered,“The auction will be held in two days on the barge Kabuki.”

“Can you narrow that down a bit? That’s a lot of water to search,”Derek snapped.

Baelish’s tentacles stood out from his head.“I will give you the exact coordinates after we have searched the Rodan lab.”

“Is the lab close to the Agbon spaceport?”I interjected.

“It is.”

“Give us the coordinates and we will happily search the lab.”Derek bared his fangs.“But if you try anything, I will kill you.”

“I would expect nothing less.”

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Chapter Nine

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