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“It’s the Blood Celebration,” Sherrod said with a sigh.

“Every five years the syndicate families gather in neutral territory to show off, renegotiate their trade agreements, do marriage contracts, that kind of thing. The fight pits are some of the main entertainment and it’s bragging rights if your fighter dominates. ”

Varnok nodded.

“Lady Seraph wants the best, the most unusual.”

“That sounds like Seraph,” Sherrod agreed.

“Security is going to be insane at something like this,” I said, scrambling for a plan. “How the hell am I—”

“We,” Sherrod said with a glare.

I shot one right back at him before continuing.

“How are we going to find Norris before he makes another prototype?”

Varnok’s eyes narrowed and the tiniest flicker of what might have been a smile played at the corners of his mouth.

“There’s an easy answer,” he said.

“What’s that?”

“You,” Varnok pointed at me, “could be a fighter. Sometimes she invites her favorites into her inner compound as a VIP.”

“Why not me?” Sherrod asked.

I rolled my eyes but was also wondering the same thing.

“Lady Seraph is looking for the unusual,” Varnok said as if Sherrod were an idiot. “A male Cyborg would be too common.”

“Thanks,” Sherrod murmured.

“But a female Cyborg? That’s not as common. And last I heard, the fight coordinators on Quarn were looking for more female fighters.”

I couldn’t deny that Varnok was correct, this would be an easier way to infiltrate the Krynn family compound.

“I could work with you,” Sherrod offered.

I looked up, to snap at him that I didn’t need his help, and was capture by those green eyes.

I swore that I could remember the same set of jade irises gazing up at me with adoration and joy.

I leaned toward him, as if I could suss out why he reminded me of a dead man just by being closer.

Sherrod didn’t move away, instead his pupils dilated and it was like we were alone for just a moment.

“I’m…um…good at hand to hand…” His whisper was jagged, harsh and it warmed me in all the right places.

Or wrong depending on how you looked at it.

It was a loud growl that jerked me back to reality and the fact that we not only had an audience, but we had several psychopaths to stop from getting a potentially catastrophic weapon.

Must be Tuesday…

The little fur ball in the cage at the Boethelian child’s feet was snarling and tapping tiny paws against the floor of the cage. The child signed that Grrr was getting restless. I thought it an appropriate name for the feral little beast.

“We need to leave,” Varnok said holding out a holo disc, “but before we do, that disc has the coordinates for where Quarn station will be parked for the celebration, as well as a contact I know who can get you in with credentials. Norris is a short human male with glasses, bald head and a weasely look. You won’t be able to miss him. ”

“Thank you,” I said, taking the holo disc from him and then handing him a key card. “This is for my shuttle. My AI has just finished preparing it for you and has been instructed to help you with whatever you need.”

“Thank you,” Varnok nodded.

“Do you need us to cover your escape?” Sherrod asked.

“No, I have a way to get to the dock without being seen. And you two should leave soon as well, a Krynn ship is enroute to dock in ten minutes.”

I didn’t ask how Varnok knew that. He’d been modified more than Sherrod and I put together, just not with outside cyber tech. His was more of the biological and internal implant type of modification. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had some kind of high tech com link in his head.

“Take care of yourself,” I said, nodding at him and the child.

I was very curious about that relationship, how he’d snuck her off the fleet and why.

Varnok had always been a loner, barely even speaking to the Prince or Xenovis, who were his only friends.

In fact, this conversation was the most I’d ever heard from him.

But the story of how he adopted a child would have to wait for after all of this.

I turned over the information in my head as we took the lift up to the suites to gather our equipment.

I’d gotten the answers I’d wanted and then some.

But instead of a straightforward answer as to what Cypher could be up to, I’d just gotten tangled up in a messier situation.

Varnok had no idea if Cypher was involved, but the fact that Cypher had wanted the data stick meant he wanted to know where Varnok was because the K’Tavi knew about Norris.

The scientist had to be Cypher’s end game, and therefore so did the weapon Norris had created. What I knew of Cypher said that his services were for sale to the highest bidder, and the thought of him having a powerful bio weapon at his disposal was terrifying, even more than Lady Seraph.

Although they’re both psychopaths, so neither option is good.

“We’ll start training when we get to my ship, focusing on using your momentum and size as an advantage against a larger opponent,” Sherrod said as the lift opened to the floor of my room.

“Sometimes they do allow light weapons such as brass knuckles or electro staffs, we can work on the staff combat and maybe add in some batons as well.”

“You’ve seen me fight twice and suddenly you’re an expert on my weak spots?” I asked with raised eyebrow.

He looked like a gaping fish as he opened and closed his mouth a few times. Finally, he put on a self-deprecating smile and nodded.

“You’re right, I don’t know your strengths and weaknesses. We should spar first and then we can figure out what needs work.”

“If anything does. I’ve likely had more diverse training than most of the fighters.”

“Amateur circuit, sure. But by the time fighters get to the level we’re about to throw you into, they’ve had decades to hone their skills. It’s a way of life to them. They train all day, it’s all they do. So while I don’t doubt you’ve had the best training, you’re not in their league, no offense.”

“None taken,” I said. “It would help to get holos of some of the fighters I’d be facing.”

“I can contact the fight coordinator and see about that.”

I swallowed, suddenly nervous. He was right, my training might not matter as much as I wanted to believe it did. But it had to count for something, right?

“They don’t often check for adrenal enhancers,” Sherrod continued like he was checking off a mental list. “I’ve got a supplier I trust, we can use just enough to give you an edge—”

“No, I don’t like adrenals, they fuck with my internal systems.”

“The wrong kind, sure. But I’m talking about ones made for cybernetic implants, not biological systems. Trust me, please?”

It was the last word that had my mind once again twisting in on itself to try and place where the fuck I knew this guy from.

“Why do you care?” I asked as we approached my door. “If I die, you can swoop in and get the weapon or whatever it is you’re after for yourself.”

Sherrod clenched his jaw and looked away as if he were furious about what I’d said.

“I have a vested interest in keeping you safe.”

“Why?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes! I need to know if your motivations are going to clash with mine at some point in this mission.”

“They won’t, as long as you don’t do anything stupid like try and get killed.”

I folded my arms across my chest and went against my training as I stood there and put my need for answers above the need for us to get the hell out of here.

Sherrod saw it, and swore under his breath.

“I’m not after the weapon, or Cypher or Norris. I’m here just for you, that’s all.”

“Who sent you? Was it Jax?”

He laughed bitterly and shook his head.

“No, pretty sure Jax wouldn’t send someone he wants dead. Long story,” he held up his hand when I opened my mouth. “I will explain what I can to you after we’re on my ship and on our way, alright?”

Finally, I nodded. I’d use his help for as long as possible until he got in my way, then I’d have to either ditch him or dispose of him. And I didn’t understand why that latter made my heart lurch in disgust.