The Transporter's Favor by C.M. Simpson (pride and prejudice read .txt) 📕

“Officially,” Delight added, giving Beckett a meaningful glare, and indicating the keyboard in front of him.

“I…” He shot me a nervous glance. “I’m not authorized.”

“Who issued the warrant?” Delight snapped, and he jumped.

“My office—”

“And who can rescind it?”

“My… I… oh.”

“Do so.”

Beckett sighed, and began typing.

“I’ll need a digital tablet for my signature.”

A soft chime rang through the room, and a section of the table in front of him lit up.

“Do you need a pen, or does your system allow signatures drawn by finger?” Wanderer asked.

“It prefers signatures drawn by finger,” Beckett admitted. “It likes to verify the print.”

“You could sign it with a drop of blood,” Wanderer suggested, its voice coaxing.

“Could I do both?” He glanced over at me, and then shifted his gaze to Delight. “She has been a long-standing target of investigation.”

Delight reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, square box.

“Here.”

I watched as Beckett took it and placed his thumb against the pad inside. Mobile finger-pricker, huh? I eyed Delight warily. I’d have to remember she had one of those. She caught my look, and lifted her lips in a feral grin.

“Don’t give me that look, Cutter. I’ve never used it on you.”

So, she said.

Some of that must have shown on my face because, she arched an eyebrow at me in a definite ‘bring it’ look. I was tempted, but I also remembered we were supposed to be negotiating, and I had a crew I needed to bring home.

Once Beckett had finished signing and sending off the missive, Delight spoke again.

“Now,” she said, and Beckett gave her a wary look. “Sharovan not only failed to inform us they’d found one of our agents, but they then refused to take our calls on the matter. I believe a certain amount of compensation is in order.”

“I don’t…”

“There is a standard fee for being in breach of an Odyssey contract,” Delight reminded him, “and then there are the fees for refusing to pay it. Here.”

I watched as Beckett’s eyes widened, and knew Delight had slammed the relevant document direct to his implant, probably with the relevant paragraphs highlighted.

“In bright, screaming yellow,” she confirmed, dropping the comment straight into my implant where no-one else could see it.

“I…” Beckett shrugged, and went to work, typing a second missive to Sharovan.

And I’d thought they’d already sorted this out, you know, while I was healing.

“We had other things to discuss,” and didn’t that make me just as curious as Hell.

Delight smirked.

“Not your business, sweetie.”

Whatever.

I yawned, stroking Cascade’s head, and ignoring the fact he was resting his chin on the table. I hoped we weren’t in here too long. I was starting to remember I hadn’t eaten in a while. Beyond making the world kinda swirly, the low blood sugar was going to make me downright cranky…and most folk said I was cranky enough.

“Point taken,” Pritchard murmured, and quietly left my head.

And I hadn’t even known he’d been there. Well, damn. Beckett’s voice brought my attention back to the table.

“She could just pay the fine…”

Delight sighed.

“You know, Beckett? She could just pay the fine, but then Sharovan might find itself staring down the barrel of that breach clause and needing to contribute interest. But, whatever you think best…”

“Or I could just close the file with a warning and a waiver…”

“Yeah, you could…” Delight tried to sound like she was giving the option some serious consideration. She gave an exaggerated shrug. “But I wouldn’t want you to feel like you had to.”

I watched Beckett, saw the battle going on beneath the surface of his calm façade, and almost felt sympathetic. As far as I could tell, this was a good man being put in a very awkward position—one that challenged the very core of his values. I could see him weighing up the options, trying to balance his moral obligations against his corporation’s interests. In the end, he cancelled the fine, and sealed the file.

Delight gave him a long and calculating stare.

“Well, if you’re sure Agent Beckett.”

He returned her look, not bothering to hide his anger and frustration—and I felt for the man. Delight had made me feel that way on far too many occasions. I hadn’t realized he was still in my head, until he gave me a sideways stare.

Well, fuck. He hadn’t been meant to be privy to that.

“Don’t sweat it, Cutter. It’s not like we’re dating.”

Like we’d ever!

And he blushed.

“When the two of you are quite finished.”

Well, someone wasn’t amused.

“Don’t push it, Cutter.”

Beckett cleared his throat, and she switched her attention to him.

“I… uh. That is Sharovan has two agents missing, and we’d like them back. We’d like to engage the Shady Marie and her crew to find them and bring them back.” He looked over at me. “Consider it compensation.”

I eyed him warily.

“I could just consider it a job, and bring in Case and Abby to make sure I negotiate it the way Mack would want it.”

And it was Delight’s turn to clear her throat. We both looked toward her.

“You are on board an Odyssey ship,” she reminded us. “You think this is really the place to negotiate a contract without us on it?”

Beckett blushed bright red, and I felt the mischief bubble and curl into a smile that I couldn’t hide.

“You know, Delight, it might not be the most diplomatic thing for us to do, but it’s not like you’ve given us much of a choice in the matter. I mean, we can’t exactly step outside.”

“That could be arranged,” she muttered, and I snickered, and then stood up, letting the smile slide from my face.

“I suggest you allow me to finalize this, and then we’ll move right back to what you had on the agenda.”

The mischief firmed into iron, as I met her gaze. I might not need to convey how very much I wasn’t going to back down, given she was in my head, already, but I let that determination come into my face. I would fight to keep Mack’s contract.

That thought, at least, brought a smile to