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Chapter Three

K yden sat in his office at the gladiatorial House he owned and drummed his talons on the desk.

His mood was dark and angry. There’d been no sign or sighting of Benet since the night they’d parted at the front entrance.

As far as Kyden could tell he and Elara were the last two people to see him.

His groundcar had been found parked in a public lot and there was no trace of him on any security feed in the city.

After all his years in the gladiator system Kyden had contacts and friends in all the lower strata of the Five Systems society and he’d worked every single one in his efforts to locate his friend.

Elara had a huge web of contacts in the upper levels of society and she and her father the Senator had made extensive but futile efforts to flush out anyone who might have the tiniest clue in relation to Benet’s disappearance.

The planetary police had done their own investigation, spurred on by Kyden and the Vasclavians, as well as the publicity about Benet’s absence from the gladiatorial contests where he’d been supposed to compete.

Benet was an extremely popular fighter, with a huge following of fans and the news and gossip sheets had a field day with theories and bogus tips and sightings.

There was even a rumor he’d run off with a superstar singer who had been visiting the Five Systems during the time frame in question.

The singer had hastily denied the reports and insisted she’d never even met Benet, which Kyden knew was true.

He was stymied as to what to do next and that wasn’t a position Kyden liked to find himself in.

He knew Benet and his friend wouldn’t simply walk away from his life and disappear.

He was too proud of his standing as a gladiator and of his position in the House, as second in command.

Both had been hardwon and well deserved and Benet had had a bright future.

Even if he quit the active arena as Kyden had done, there were still exhibitions in which to showcase his skills and the work the House of Badari was doing on many fronts, not just the care and training of top notch fighters, was something Benet enjoyed.

Kyden’s gut instinct was something bad had happened to Benet and his friend needed him to get him out of trouble.

He always listened to his gut but without facts to go on, he was stuck.

The galaxy was a big place and while the Five Systems was a relatively small piece of it, even the mighty Sectors didn’t span the entire galaxy.

There was the lawless Hinterlands, other independent nations like the Five Systems and then the vastness of the enemy territory ruled by actively hostile enemies.

Kyden couldn’t take all that on without even a smidgen of a clue.

He’d prayed to the goddess for help several times now, even though Benet as a human wasn’t her concern but he was part of Kyden’s family which ought to matter.

So far he’d received no answer from the deity.

His com chimed and he took an annoyed, quick look, seeing the incoming call was interstellar.

The sender was an old, retired gladiator named Two Swords, who’d crossed paths with Kyden briefly in the arena many years ago and more recently had been instrumental in helping Rennyr survive his time in the harsh arena system of another planet.

Kyden paid the old man a retainer to act as a sort of scout for him, should another Badari appear anywhere in the gladiatorial ranks.

Gibbz ‘Two Swords’ knew everyone in the business and they all talked to him.

With a sigh, he decided to answer the call. Engrossed as he was in worry for Benet, he still had a gladiatorial House to run and Two Swords never called unless he had a genuinely worthy prospect to discuss.

The two men exchanged brief pleasantries and then Two Swords went straight to the reason for his call. “Hey, are you missing a man?”

Kyden sat upright in his chair and his talons deployed. “Why do you ask?”

“I heard a weird rumor the other day, slept on it and figured I’d bring it to you. You at all familiar with the Empress’s Games in Outlier?”

“Only that they happen,” Kyden replied, holding his impatience under tight control. “None of my business.”

“Until now maybe,” Two Swords said. “There’s whispers some Grand poobah Duke or whatever had brought in a ringer, one of your best is what I was told.

Wanted to warn you off messing with anything in Outlier, can’t trust those people.

But then I also heard maybe your man went without your knowledge or consent. ”

“Benet’s gone missing,” Kyden said. Two Swords was unquestionably loyal and there was no reason not to tell him about Benet.

“I’m guessing maybe this grand duke is so hellbent on winning the games this time he might have persuaded our friend Benet to come be his ace in the hole.”

“Benet wouldn’t go willingly.” Now Kyden’s fangs were pushing against his control as he grew more upset.

“Not for any amount of credits.” Gibbz had no response and there was silence on the interstellar link for a moment as he considered the matter.

“Thanks for the tip—you’ve given me a new direction to extend my search for information.

I never would have considered the possibility of Outlier being involved since they don’t have our style of gladiatorial combat. ”

“That’s what you pay me for,” Two Swords replied cheerily. “Be careful, all right? My sources clammed up, like they’d been talking out of turn and someone was upset about it.”

“You watch your back too,” Kyden said. “I’m not there to do it for you.”

“I’ll be all right. I didn’t survive to this age without knowing a thing or two.” Gibbz cackled. “I know where a lot of bodies are buried. Catch you later.”

“I’ll be posting a bonus to your account,” Kyden said with gratitude.

Elara knocked and walked into the office, stopping after a few feet. “What’s wrong? You look ready to go into the arena and take on a team of cyborgs with a spoon. I know that Death Dealer expression.”

“Two Swords was on the com,” Kyden said, gesturing at the desk unit. “He thinks Benet was kidnapped and taken to Outlier.”

Eyes wide, Elara whistled. “Bad news indeed if it’s true. Even my family doesn’t have any connections we can use there. How in the seven hells can we extract him safely if he truly is there?”

“Thinking it’s time to talk to my silent partner and see what he can find out for us.

” Kyden was referring to Prince Pargen, a relative of the noble who ruled over the Five Systems and a friend to Kyden and Elara.

Pargen had funded Kyden’s bid to take over the House when the previous Master had been killed in a terrorist incident.

The fact Kyden had saved the prince’s life also factored into things.

“Tread carefully,” Elara said as she moved to the desk and sat in his lap, putting her arms around his neck. Her face was set in serious lines. “Not even Pargen has any direct power in Outlier for all his influence here..”

“If he can confirm the rumor that’ll help.”

“And then what? I can’t simply ask my father to let us borrow a Vasclavian ship to enter Outlier space for a rescue mission,” she said, a frown marring her forehead.

“I love Benet but there are hard limits when dealing with anything to do with Outlier. Scary people who don’t follow any rules but their own. ”

“Buy him maybe?” Kyden suggested.

“It’d be a hefty ransom, I’m guessing. Whoever is behind this would be more likely to ask for favors and concessions than credits anyway and we’re not in a position to do much for them.”

“Nor do I want to.” The idea left Kyden cold. “I’ll have to talk to Pargen, see what ideas we can come up with. The one thing I do know is I’m not leaving him there for the rest of his life to rot. He may not be Badari but he’s my brother of the arena and our bond is unbreakable.”

“One of the things I admire most about you, my love, is your loyalty,” Elara said, kissing him on the cheek. “In this case though I think your bond is going to be severely tested. Better pray to your goddess as well.”

“I have been and I will continue,” Kyden promised. “But he isn’t one of her children so I don’t know if she’s listening to my appeals.”

“Don’t ask me why because I couldn’t tell you,” his mate-wife said, “But I have a feeling she might take an interest in this situation. I haven’t had a vision or a dream about it but the whole thing is so complicated and so risky to you if you insist on going to rescue him—” She set a finger over his lips as he drew breath to argue.

“I know you will if that’s what it takes to save Benet and your Great Mother is interested in you, so… ”

He hoped she was right. Good as it was to know where Benet had probably been taken, the prospects for ever seeing his friend again, much less for retrieving him were dismal. It would take the help of the goddess.

Benet was awake early the next morning. He’d slept well in the unfamiliar bed and as he stretched and did a few isometric exercises he was pleased to find the effects of the cryosleep had finally worn off.

His head ached a bit from the feelgoods he’d had the night before to keep up with his host, but a dose of headclear would fix the problem.

Rummaging through the clothing the housekeeper had sent for him he found a suitable pair of pants.

Once he was ready, he went downstairs and into the kitchen area to explore the stasis keeper and figure out a breakfast. Eggs and bacon would do nicely and more of the crusty bread.

He doubted there’d be coffee but he’d take anything with a caffeine kick.

He heard the front door open behind him but didn’t think anything of it, assuming Dmitri had been out for an early morning run. “I’ll cook us breakfast,” he said, turning with his hands full of the supplies he’d found, only to do a doubletake and stop in his tracks.