Page 119 of Throwing Fire

“Mister Snow, I’m sure we can work out this misunderstanding—” He chokes when I press a little harder. “Yes, yes, we eliminated the creatures in Kuus. The third-in-command has proven much more amenable to our requirements. The first off-world shipment is already there. As I said, one hundred percent on schedule.”

So much misery because of this prejudiced fuck. I might not leave him for Acker to kill.

“On schedule for what?” I growl.

“Rhodistribution. As I said in my last report. I had understood you read it,” B says, his tone gaining a little edge. Like he’s disappointed inme.

“You understood wrong. What’srhodistribution?”

The term tugs at me. I’ve heard it somewhere before.

“One-hundred-fold distribution of the product,” Payton answers. “Throughout the Vespers. The first step is planet-wide distribution,including the E.C. The second step is the Orbitals. The third step is other planets in the system. My projections putrhodistribution three to four years away.”

“Because you have novision,” B sneers. “We’re hours away from the first objective. We’ll be system-wide within two years, no more, I swear, Mister Snow.”

Hours away from doubling or maybe tripling the distribution that Kez and me are trying to shut down. I catch Kez’s eye again. She has tears standing in hers.

“Kitten,” I say softly.

She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand and hisses at B. “You killed my friend C.J. You crippled my friend Java. You burned Tee. You made me feel hunted in my own city. Just so you can spread that poison to other planets?!”

“Miz Kerryon.” B spreads his hands. “I don’t understand. I thought you were in agreement. Your sister said?—”

“My sister saidwhat?” Kez says, her voice dropping to a growl I’ve never heard from her before.

“That you fully supported ...” B trails off. His eyes flick from Kez to me and back to Kez. I see the moment the light finally dawns; his arrogance deflates like a punctured balloon. “I swear to you that I had clearance at the highest level. Miz Agosante will confirm everything I’ve said.”

“Yeah, how?” I ask.

“Let me call her down here?—”

Kez pushes off the console she’s leaning against and shoves her face into B’s. “She’shere?”

He nods fractionally, probably wary of the sharp steel under his chin.

Kez snatches an eskey off the console. “Call her.”

B swallows hard before taking the eskey and opening a channel. Before he says anything, I give him another little kiss from the katana. “I’ll see her first. Two minutes.”

B nods and relays my message before shutting off the eskey.

CHAPTER 40

“This is how it’s gonna go,” I say to B, but for everyone’s edification. “You’re headin’ back to the Clouds with Acker to spend some quality time with the rats. Payton’ll take over Ops here in your absence. Payton, not another flake of Hex leaves this place. Shut this shit down any way you want. Kez’ll make the announcement while I have a chat with the bitch who shot me. Twice. Everyone got that?”

I glance right and left to make sure everyone’s on board. Acker nods grimly. Payton’s already tapping commands into her palmtop. The three Jielt employees – Mech Tyng and B’s two flunkies – have drawn back to the edges of the room and are watching with expressions of horror and fascination. They ain’t coming to B’s rescue. That just leaves the three mercs.

I turn my head a little to find Exeter guarding the door. “We good?”

He nods. “If you’re going to meet Miz Agosante, I’d be happy to have your back while Dav and Clarkie cover Miz Kerryon.”

Good man. “Your contract’s gettin’ longer by the minute. Kez?”

She slides around B and stands with her back to him, facing me. I tilt my head so she can speak close to my ear.

“You’re going to kill her, right?”

“Figured I might ask what she wants first.”

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