Page 131 of Throwing Fire

She reaches into her bag and pulls out an end of greyish rope. Hanging rope.

“You bring that back from the EC?”

She nods. “Any objection?”

“Nope.” Actually, I admire her for it. And I like finally knowing her agenda. “How d’you feel about taking Myhre’s position here in Hemos?”

Payton lifts an eyebrow. “Two promotions in one day. I’m honored.”

“Don’t be honored. Do your job. Keep shit from falling apart. Keep Mother Jo from doin’ whatever Myhre and Erin want to use our pet AI for. Try to get Chiara back.”

Payton nods. “Of course.”

“Mother Jo,” I say. “Myhre Hata’s fired. Erin Agosante is fired. Payton is promoted to Chief Financial Xec.” I’m not even sure I have the authority to promote Payton to that position, which is level with my own. But Mother Jo asks for my clearance and when I give it toher, confirms in her steady, quiet voice. I glance at Exeter. “You wanna arrest me, now’s your chance.”

He meets my eyes steadily. “I’m not a peacekeeper. I’m a Tyng Enterprises paid contractor. I signed the company confidentiality agreement. I can’t testify about anything I’ve seen or heard while in your employ.”

A man who takes his work very seriously. “Okay.”

“Besides, I’m sure Tyng Enterprises employs a friendly med tech who will list Miz Hata’s cause of death as accidental. Now, are we heading to the Clouds or what?”

I nod. “Anything from the rats?” I ask Sawhet.

“Nothing so far, sir,” Mech Tyng answers. “Mother Jo lost the ship past the Cloudline as anticipated. It hasn’t docked in Tiv. But I do have clearance for your ship through the Cloudline.”

“Good enough.” Being anywhere in the Clouds is closer to Kez than being in Hemos.

“Snow.” Payton drags my attention back to her as she holds out the length of grey rope. “Myhre wasn’t the only one responsible for murdering my family.”

Nodding, I take the rope and slide the coil over my shoulder. “Erin?”

“And B,” Payton confirms. Her soft, round features are set, eyes icy.

“You want either of them brought back to Hemos to face you?”

Payton’s eyes flick toward Myhre’s still form. “I trust you to carry out my justice.”

I hold my hand out to her; she shakes it. “However today shakes out for Kez and me, I appreciate everything you’ve done.”

Payton’s mouth twitches into something that’s trying to remember how to be a real smile. “Fly safe. I’ll be in your ear the whole time.”

I bet she will. I nod to her before flicking my fingers at Exeter and Mech Tyng and stride out of the interrogation room toward my ship.

CHAPTER 42

Flying one-handed is a bitch.

Flying one-handed while fear chews through my heart from what I might find at the other end of this trip is a bigger bitch.

“I’d be happy to co-pilot,” Exeter offers as we soar out of Hemos.

“What are you rated for?” I ask with a grunt as I tap at the flight panel.

“Mach Three.”

Like Kez.

“Too slow,” I tell him. “Put your helmet on unless you want brain damage. You’ll need forced oxygen.”