Page 45 of Neon Flux

He nodded, his fingertips tracing the lapel of his jacket, as if checking for dust. “It is, but it only holds if you meet my deadline, agents. If I were you, I would get started. As assistance, I’m giving you full access to Renard’s private data portfolio.”

I let out another whistle at that. Data was money—POM’s money—and getting access to someone like Renard’s private profile was something the nerds down in Analysis had wet dreams about.

“This is where your discretion is crucial, agents,” Levi said, unamused.

Tex nodded. “Of course, sir.”

That was our dismissal. When you’re one of the richest men in the world, time is money, and he never wasted it. Tex set his fist on his chest, nodded to Levi, and walked to the elevator without another word. Maddox and I were right behind him.

I dared one last look out at the city before we hit the elevator. At sunrise, I could almost convince myself that the city out there was more than a festering cesspool of wasted lives.

As the elevator doors slid closed and the morning sun was blocked out, I let out a crisp laugh. “Ten million creds! I’m going on a month-long vacation to New Vegas, or maybe Macau, when this is over!”

“Don’t have the money yet, Cy. Lot of work to do,” Maddox—cheery as ever—added.

I slung my arm over his shoulder, pulling him down to my height.

“Then we better get cracking, partner. I can taste the Mai Tais already.”

CHAPTER 15

CY

Isat back down at my desk after the briefing. 10,698 results. Too many to go through by hand. Maybe I could get a few gamma agents on this…but they wouldn’t know what to look for. I ran my fingers through my hair, pushing it back. Fuck, this was going to take forever.

“New lead?” Maddox leaned over my desk again.

“Yeah. What did your girl call her?”

“You didn’t ask her name?”

I gave him a dead stare. “You know I never do. Besides, she would have just given me a fake one.”

Maddox grunted at that. “Mercedes called her E.”

“Oh, it’s Mercedes now, is it?” I saw a faint blush rise up on Maddox’s dark cheeks. Hypocrite, givingmea hard time about getting too personal. It was that savior complex of his.

“And why aren’t you looking for her, by the way?”

He shrugged, trying to regain his composure. “You’re on your girl. I had other things to focus on. You know, that we’re actually supposed to be working on.” I ignored that.

“Think she’s got a record?” I asked.

“You don’t end up breaking into a POM server if you’re a goody-two-shoes,” Maddox replied.

“Right.” I filtered down by matches with any sort of criminal record, but that wouldn’t be enough. I hesitated before also filtering for enrollment at Elysium University, at any time. I saw Maddox raise an eyebrow.

“You think she really was a student at some point?” he asked.

“You know the best covers are built on truth.”

He nodded, and I hit enter.

278. Better. Maddox grunted approvingly again, but before I started to scroll, I added one more: cross reference to Tanaka’s lab.

“You think she’s connected to the shield leak?”

“Might as well try.”