Indentured (Book 2 of the Dana Halliday series)

SCOTCH AND COKE. THE SIZE OF THE DEBT. BACK HOME.

 Billie went absolutely cuckoo-for-Cocoa-Puffs when I set foot in Serendipity's Main Cargo. I couldn't get her to calm down long enough to pet. She raced about in wild, jubilant circles, grabbing random things and bringing them to me, jumping up and parkouring off my legs, wagging her tail so hard I feared for her spinal cord. A continuous stream of whimpers and barks issued from her lips.

I dropped to my knees, and the dog threw herself into my arms, all wiggling enthusiasm. I began to laugh, helpless tears streaming from my eyes. Holding onto an excited border collie is a little like wrestling an intelligent fire hose.

"It's okay," I said to Liti, who had retreated back into the Berrellim. "I told you about dogs, right? She'll settle down eventually."

Flynt appeared down the stairs. Billie ran up to him and then bounded back to me, as if to show him I was back. "She missed you."

"Yeah, I guess so." I straightened. "See, this is why we have dogs. Who else is going to greet you like this?"

"Adrian's in the observation room." Flynt looked past me at Liti and said something to her.

Liti actually smiled a little. Seeing him unconcerned about the ferocious carnivore-scented creature seemed to reassure her. "I'll stay down here for a while," she said to me.

I went to the stairs.

* * *

I found Adrian sitting on the old sofa. Neither of us said anything. He rose when he saw me, came over, and hugged me. He did this gingerly, as if I would break, or maybe he was afraid I would punch him in the face.

At length, he went to one of the cupboards next to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of Scotch and two glasses.

"Ice?" he asked me. "Cola?"

He said the last with a small grin. He'd had a Scottish friend who'd traveled with us for a while on our trip across Britain, who'd shouted that I was going to hell every time I ordered a Scotch and Coke.

"Neither." I sighed and sat at the table, setting down my bag. He poured us both a measure. We clinked glasses, and I took a sip. I covered up a gasp as it seared through everything in my upper body.

Adrian finished his in a couple of gulps that would have left me comatose—not to mention offended the further hell out of his Scottish friend—then poured himself some more.

Flynt hadn't been exaggerating; he looked like he hadn't slept in a year. Adrian had never been overweight in his life, but he had acquired a certain...comfortable look in his late thirties. Now he reminded me of Flynt in the video Kez had shown us: all lean, defined edges, as though he'd been training for a championship fight of his own. His hair was mussed and needed a trim, and he hadn't shaved in several days. To my mild horror, the stubble on his face was grizzled. He'd had a few gray hairs at his temples since forever, which he wore well as usual, but this was something else.

"Geez." I took a good swig of my whisky. "You didn't need to look all tortured and vengeful on my account, Ade."

He said nothing, only inhaled half his glass. It took me a minute to realize he was trying not to break down.

I decided not to torment him further. "I'm okay, man. Tell me about Allison and James."

"They're operatives for a secret society." Adrian spoke the words slowly at first, as if he also hadn't spoken for days. "Protecting Earther interests. I don't know much about them, actually. I've known Allie for a few years, but I've never met James, just know him by reputation."