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Elliott’s words wormed their way straight into some molten, hot part of him.

Niko pulled the suit’s glove off and reached out again to take his hand.

Then he ran his thumb along the map of the tendons there, his mood turning briefly luminous—giddy, even—despite all that lay ahead of them. “I do. I do want that.”

“I do too, Niko. I want you to be my boyfriend.”

All he has to do is give you some nice pats on the head, tell you he really likes you, and suck your dick a few times. Win, win, right?

The thought crept unbidden into his head and Niko nearly grunted with annoyance.

Fucking Zann.

He pushed it all away. He wanted to enjoy this small victory. Their mission—and lives—had become so difficult lately. It was nice to have something Niko could take true solace in. Or, rather, someone .

Elliott left him with a smile, gaze meeting gaze. He vanished right before Niko as he activated his stealth. Niko could still feel the warmth and touch of his hand against his own before it finally pulled away. He missed him already.

Well , Niko thought as he peered out the windshield at the crowded, vibrant parking deck. He latched his glove back into place. It’s now or never.

He stood, weapons already latched to his back, belt, and side, then wrapped an old scarf that had belonged to Elliott around his face until only his eyes remained visible. It was a shitty cover at best, but it would keep him from being immediately recognizable to anyone passing by.

Niko had no doubt Galapol had made sure to plaster his face everywhere for the galaxy to see, with his lucrative bounty attached. This place may have been outside of Galapol’s influence, but it was home to a multitude of hunters. Very hungry bounty hunters.

He stepped out of the Sonadora and walked down the ramp. It was both a comfort and source of quickly growing anxiety not to be able to clearly see Elliott. He had to trust that the other man kept close like he’d instructed him to.

And that no one else happened to bump into or notice him there.

All around them, the scents of various fried foods and street meats floated by from stalls, pop up shops, and carts.

People of every species wandered around them, going about their own business.

Some sort of Gheroun cultural music played from a nearby speaker.

Niko was just glad that for once it wasn’t Hayura or Kuliedi Taan, the galaxy’s current popstar obsessions.

Neon holograms and advertisements continued to assault his retinas at every turn; there was simply no escaping them.

A maze of doorways led to shops selling anything imaginable, legal or not, bars for weary travelers, and other dens of pleasure.

The crowds around them were certainly different from what he’d grown used to lately—the people here had all sorts of modifications, body art, and clothing that could only be described as loud.

The species that possessed hair often had it dyed in shades so vibrant they rivaled the adverts and signs around them for attention.

Niko shouldered his way through them all. No one was polite here; you either pushed your way through crowds, or you got shoved around instead.

He paused, glancing around, before spotting Aleksi, who was leaning languidly against a stack of crates stamped with a symbol Niko didn’t recognize. A new gang or trade faction who had arisen since his last foray here, maybe.

His blood turned to ice at the sight of his ex’s familiar face as the man turned to look in Niko’s direction.

He was still as handsome as he’d ever been, with straight, black, glossy hair, hazel eyes, olive skin, and a five o’clock shadow.

Niko felt no attraction though—in fact, the sight of his well-formed features only made him feel even more resentful than he already did.

Whatever had once been between them was now well and truly dead, rotting in the ground for years.

Aleksi’s eyes met Niko’s and he grinned in recognition, all perfect white teeth. He raised a hand in greeting and made his way over. Niko tensed instinctively, shoulders rising as the other man approached. His skin crawled. He fought the urge to turn and walk right back into the Sonadora .

Or punch Aleksi. He definitely wanted to punch that smug grin off his face.

“Hey, bud. Wow,” Aleksi said once he stood before Niko. “Nice scarf.”

“‘Bud?’”

His smile widened, eyes squinting into little crescents now. Niko saw he was getting crow’s feet around them. Aleksi’s voice dropped to a low murmur. “Or I could say your name, you know, loudly. Here, in the middle of Dainna.”

Niko grunted. “Fair point.” He was ready to be done with this already.

“So, you ready to meet the Lady?”

“Yep.”

Aleksi turned and started walking deeper into the mingling alien crowds, weaving through food and weapons stands. He gestured with a jerk of his head for Niko to follow.

Niko kept up with him. He wanted so badly to mumble to Elliott over their private frequency— Get a load of this chucklefuck.

But he kept his mouth shut, slipping between clusters of armed people who would sell his soul to Galapol, Honeybliss, or any higher bidder if they so much as caught a whiff of who he really was.

His pulse spiked as he thought of Elliott having to subtly navigate the tight crowds without betraying that there was, somehow, an invisible but physical presence wandering around.

“I talked with her and she was pretty adamant about telling you to fuck right off,” Aleksi said as they walked.

He ducked under a beaded curtain and Niko did the same.

The thing tinkled softly as they passed through into another long corridor full of shops and fast, pulsing, muffled music.

“But I finally got her to agree to at least talk with both of us here. She said if I’m willing to vouch for you after all these years that she’ll at least listen.

She’s always had a lot of honor, despite everything. ”

“Yep.”

“She’s moved her compound since, too. It’s in the Vaiyya district now.”

“Okay.”

“ He actually thinks he's clever ,” Elliott quietly marveled over their frequency. His voice, delivered as a soft whisper, eased Niko a little. It was a comforting reminder that he was near. As problematic as that very fact equally was.

“You used to be a lot more talkative, you know?” Aleksi said, casting a glance over his shoulder at Niko.

“Uh huh.”

Niko heard a soft snicker in his earpiece again. It made him smile beneath the scarf.

“ This guy’s really dense, isn’t he? ” Elliott whispered.

His smile widened.

Aleksi walked briskly, leading Niko through side corridors and greasy alleyways.

Some were lined with destitute people, likely outcasts who’d been booted from casinos, brothels, or bars from lack of funds or poor behavior.

Aleksi nearly tripped over a Gheroun woman who was mostly a pile of dirty rags, dirtier tentacles, and only one eye remaining of three. She growled at him like a feral animal.

“Ma’am. Sincerest apologies,” Aleksi said, putting a hand on his chest. “Beautiful tentacles, by the way. Very plump.”

Niko wanted to punch him again.

“ What do you think would happen if I dropped him on his ass while stealthed, and how angry would you be on a scale of one to ten? ” Elliott murmured.

Niko barked out a laugh at their unexpected alignment. Aleksi glanced at him again, flashing another grin as he mistook Niko as being amused by him. He shot Niko a wink that made him nearly shudder.

“ It smells so good here, Niko. We should lift some of that street food before we go ,” Elliott whispered. “ I’m salivating. ”

“I don't know if you want this shit,” Niko finally mumbled back, unable to help himself. He tried to keep his voice to a low murmur so Aleksi didn’t hear. “Tends to be laced with hard stuff.”

“ Would make things more interesting than Mikhaylov is .”

“The last thing anybody needs right now is you suddenly showing up armed, in the middle of Dainna, tripping balls off hallucinogens.”

“ You don't think that sounds like fun, Niko? ” Elliott teased.

The reckless, less-than-sane part of Niko did think that sounded fun. But he wasn't about to let Elliott know that. Especially right now.

Elliott wasn't wrong, though—everywhere they went, they were submerged in tantalizing scents, oily fried fats that hung thick in the air, mingled with salt, zest, and uniquely alien spices.

And a little bit of drugs.

Aleksi led him to the Vaiyya district, a crowded industrial zone where rare ores were bought and processed, and stolen, hot vehicle and ship parts were made quick work of.

“She’s rebuilt here now. Entrance is through here.”

“ This is legitimately insulting ,” Elliott whispered over the comm. Niko grunted a quiet agreement.

“Alright, Aleksi. Show me where she is,” he said flatly. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

They approached a huge, windowless building made with patchy, corrugated steel. “One sec,” Aleksi muttered as he paused before a rusty side entrance. He keyed in the entry code, then pressed his thumb to the biometric scanner. The lock clicked and Aleksi pulled the door open.

Niko muttered so quietly that he wasn’t even sure Elliott was able to hear. “If she were really here, she’d have guards posted at this door. Death is a people person and runs on connections. He should have known that.”

“ He’s not even trying ,” Elliott quipped with an admonishing click of his tongue.

Niko stepped through the door and into a vast garage full of various disassembled ships, overhead lamps hanging high above and washing the place in dim yellow light.

“ Ask if he can just spare you and get on with the backstabbing now ,” Elliott whispered. “ I’m bored. And hungry. ”

Niko couldn’t help himself. “Soooo. Lady Death works in ship parts now, huh?”