Hell to Pay: A Mercenary Warfare Adventure Read online

  HELL TO PAY

  MERCENARY WARFARE BOOK 3

  ZEN DIPIETRO

  PARALLEL WORLDS PRESS

  CONTENTS

  Copyright

  Dragonfire Station Universe

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Message from the author

  About the Author

  Dragonfire Station Universe

  COPYRIGHT

  COPYRIGHT © 2017 BY ZEN DIPIETRO

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, business establishments, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without express written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations for the purpose of review.

  Please purchase only authorized electronic editions. Distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law.

  ISBN: 978-1-943931-16-3 (ebook)

  Cover Art by Jack Moik

  Published in the United States of America by Parallel Worlds Press

  DRAGONFIRE STATION UNIVERSE

  Dragonfire Station Book 1: Translucid

  Dragonfire Station Book 2:Fragments

  Dragonfire Station Book 3:Coalescence

  Intersections (Dragonfire Station Short Stories)

  Selling Out

  (Mercenary Warfare Book 1)

  Blood Money

  (Mercenary Warfare Book 2)

  Hell to Pay

  (Mercenary Warfare Book 3)

  Calculated Risk

  (Mercenary Warfare Book 4)

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  1

  Fallon squinted at Cabot via the screen of his voicecom. “Let me get this straight. You want me to ask PAC command to let the most notorious crime boss in the galaxy hang out at their headquarters?”

  Some situations required more finesse than others. This one might require more than even Cabot could manage.

  “It’s not like she’d be vacationing there,” he pointed out. “She wants to meet with command to discuss working together toward a common goal.”

  “And they’re supposed to believe that? This is the woman best known for meticulously planned schemes that take years or even decades to come to fruition. She’s brought entire planets to their knees.”

  Fallon wasn’t wrong. It was just inconvenient for him that she’d immediately seen the massive risk involved with Ditnya’s proposed plan.

  Unfortunately, he saw no alternative. Events had unfolded in such a way that Fallon and the rest of PAC command now had an unlikely and powerful ally.

  He just had to convince them that the reward outweighed the risk.

  Time to use all of his hard-won sales skills.

  “Think of it this way,” he said smoothly. “She wants something. People who want something are often willing to give something. And there she’ll be, at Jamestown. Imagine all the interesting things the admirals might want to ask her.”

  A smirk reshaped her mouth. “That’s an intriguing point. But how confident are you that she’s for real about ending the slave trade?”

  “I’m willing to stake my reputation on it,” Cabot answered immediately. “She’s invested in this. That doesn’t mean she won’t try something sneaky just because she has the opportunity, but I am entirely convinced that she has a vested interest in ridding the PAC of the slave trade. I’ve seen direct evidence of it, and will testify to that fact, on record.”

  He rarely made such strong and unequivocal statements. They had a tendency to come back around and bite one on the hindquarters. But it was a time for influential people to stand up and use what they had for the good of the galaxy, however much it pained him to admit to it. If it were possible, he would abstain from doing so altogether.

  Fallon went quiet for a long moment.

  Finally, she said, “I need to know how this would affect you if Caine doesn’t get what she wants.”

  He had to give that some thought. Would Ditnya hold PAC command’s decision against him personally?

  Technically speaking, he’d been responsible for blowing up an operation she’d had in place for more than four years. He’d been working under Fallon at the time, but was Ditnya likely to care about that?

  Knowing Ditnya, no. She would not.

  “It wouldn’t be good for me. If she decided to hold it against me, I’d be done as a businessperson. She’d make sure no one who cared about her opinion did business with me. And just about every trader cares about her opinion, whether they operate aboveboard like I do or not.”

  Fallon’s mouth turned down into a tiny frown, even as she nodded slightly. “I see. I’ll have to speak with PAC command, and then I’ll let you know what happens.”

  “You’re going to back her request?” He’d anticipated a variety of responses, but not that one.

  “Yes. When you agreed to work for me, I told you that I take my obligation to my assets seriously. I intend to protect you if I possibly can. Besides that, I’ve learned to respect your expertise at what you do. If you’re convinced that she truly cares about slaving, then I think it’s more likely than not to be true. And if someone like her wants to rid us of a problem we’ve been unable to solve, then it’s only logical to avail ourselves of that opportunity.”

  “Even though she’s Ditnya Caine?”

  Her eyes narrowed slightly. To someone else, Fallon might look ambivalent, but he could see the glint of humor.

  “If someone insists she’s too much of a security risk, I’ll have to ask how it’s possible that the best PAC command has to offer can’t protect Jamestown against one single person.”

  Cabot smiled. “A challenge to pride can be particularly motivating.”

  “Yes. I wouldn’t be surprised if they called in an expert or two.”

  “What a shame.” Cabot shook his head in mock sadness. “Shall I look forward to seeing you there?”

  A sudden, wolfish smile transformed her entire face. “We’ll see.”

  He grinned back, all artifice abandoned. “I hope so. It’s been a while.”

  “It has. And between you and me, as much as I love Dragonfire, I’ve been in one place longer than I’m comfortable with. I could use an adventure.”

  Cabot digested that fact for a full twenty seconds before responding. “If you and Ditnya Caine are going to be on Jamestown Station at the same time, there is literally nowhere else in the galaxy I’d want to be.”

  She chuckled. “I’ll talk to command and be in touch.”

  “Good luck,” he said.

  “I’ll need it.”

  The screen went dark.

  Convincing the highest of the high in the PAC command to let a notorious crime boss board the station? Oh yeah, she’d definitely need all the luck she could get.

  Fortunately, that wasn’t Cabot’s problem.

  Unfortunately, he had plenty of his own problems.

  “DITNYA HATES YOU. Having both of you on a small ship like the Outlaw is a terrible idea.” Cabot had dropped by Nagali’s quarters on her request
. He figured it was a preferable alternative to having her barge in on him when he wasn’t expecting it.

  “I’ve been on this adventure longer than she has,” Nagali pointed out, her head tilted at a self-righteous angle. “If anyone should get to see Jamestown, it’s me.”

  “Why do you want to?”

  She wouldn’t be able to steal anything or cheat anyone, so Jamestown had little to offer her.

  “When am I going to get another chance to see what it looks like? It would be an interesting experience. And imagine the bragging rights! Having a story like that to tell would be an excellent way to reel people in.”

  He gave her a long, hard look. He didn’t know what to make of Nagali these days. Her campaign to prove she wasn’t a heartless ripper had succeeded, to some degree. He wasn’t entirely convinced, but she had given him reasonable doubt.

  It was inconvenient. He’d liked it better when he could dismiss her entirely. That had been simpler.

  On the other hand, he had a tiny, quiet hope that maybe she was for real. It wasn’t impossible for people to learn from their mistakes.

  He was an idiot for hoping—he knew that—but he’d always found Nagali difficult to dismiss. She had a way of getting under his skin and making long-term resistance nearly impossible.

  He had no problems shutting her down in the short term, though. “I can’t imagine any scenario with you being on Jamestown that doesn’t end with you being put in a brig for the rest of your life.”

  She blew out an annoyed breath. “Do I have to remind you how helpful I’ve been along the way? I’ve been entirely aboveboard this whole time. Maybe it’ll turn out that there’s something I can help with on Jamestown, too.”

  “You’ve had a moment or two,” he admitted.

  She’d done well. But she would be even more keen to come along to Jamestown once she realized Omar would be going. Omar’s presence was absolutely necessary, though, as far as Cabot was concerned. He needed Omar to help handle Ditnya.

  Not that anyone could handle Ditnya Caine, but she was fond of Omar. If anyone could keep the peace, it would be him.

  He didn’t want Nagali to think he was giving in too easily, though. “I’ll consider it.”

  Her eyes widened, and her whole face lit up. The effect was startlingly lovely. Nagali was one of those rare women who would never stop being beautiful, no matter how old she got. In fact, he thought her fine lines and other hints of her years made her all the more attractive. So few people could conquer age so well.

  He needed to stop thinking like that.

  “You won’t be sorry!” She spoke as if he’d agreed to do more than consider her request. But that was a common Nagali tactic. Shower people with enthusiasm, then pretend to miss the point.

  She was so clever.

  “We’ll see.” He affected a grumble for her benefit. He couldn’t have her thinking he liked her.

  There’d be no holding her back.

  “Was that all you wanted to talk about?” He’d remained by the door to maintain the impression that this was not a social call.

  “Yes, but don’t go. Let me make you a drink.”

  “Why?”

  Rather than being taken aback by his bluntness, she smiled. Her red lips twisted into an expression that was three parts humor, two parts wickedness, and one hundred percent Nagali. “Because who else can we talk to about recent events? Like it or not, we’re comrades. Besides, who else are you going to spend a quiet evening with on Dauntless? Omar’s out at one of his noisy card games.”

  She knew him too well. He disliked participating in such events. He didn’t mind observing a boisterous event from a distance, but being part of it was contrary to his nature. He liked formality. Detachment. Manners.

  “Fine,” he said, fighting to keep a satisfied smile off of his face.

  Her surprise pleased him. She wasn’t the only one who could be unpredictable.

  “I hope you have Alturian brandy.” He could be as bold and presumptuous as she would be, in his position.

  “Of course I do. A fantastic vintage, too.”

  He crossed the room and settled on her couch, making himself comfortable. “Good.”

  CABOT HAD KNOWN Nagali for two decades, give or take a few years, and rarely had he been able to hold an advantage over her.

  He intended to enjoy every minute of this.

  Maybe he shouldn’t have been surprised by how pleasantly they passed the evening. He’d enjoyed the dinners she’d extorted out of him while on the Outlaw, too. He’d been conditioned, though, to always expect her to do something unexpected. To throw some sort of obstacle in front of him or simply do something incomprehensible.

  Her continuing stability unnerved him.

  The trouble was, even though she seemed genuine, he wouldn’t put it past her to run a long con.

  As comfortable as he was operating in a gray area, he felt increasingly stressed about her uncharacteristically pleasant behavior. The trouble was that he liked it. He enjoyed sitting on her couch, sipping brandy, and discussing a range of topics that bridged the personal and the professional.

  They’d always had that in common—loving business, loving the ebb and flow of market conditions, and living for the moments when they could manipulate them. They both had the nose for business, and it consumed them. The love of commerce was more than an occupation and more than a passion.

  It was everything.

  “I’ve been thinking about investing in orellium,” Nagali said after a comfortable lull in their conversation.

  “Seems a little dull for you. It’s not a volatile market at all.”

  “Yes, it is dull. But with the state of the galaxy being what it is, I predict a lot of stockpiling. Prices should follow, rising in small but steady increases. It would be a safe investment for my long-term funds.”

  He touched the rim of his brandy glass to his lips but didn’t drink. He merely regarded her thoughtfully.

  “What?” she asked defensively.

  “I’m not used to hearing you talk about long-term plans. You’ve always been unwilling to commit yourself for more than a matter of weeks.”

  She tilted her head and gave him some flirtatious side-eye. “I committed to you, didn’t I? We were married for years.”

  They were getting into dangerous territory. Cabot always tried to keep their conversations from getting too personal or delving into their shared past. He kept his tone light and teasing. “I always suspected you just wanted the credibility it gave you.”

  Rather than be offended, she smiled. “Oh, I did want that. But it was only a fringe benefit.”

  “Why marry me, then?” he pressed, amused that they could weave such a serious topic into casual banter without losing their lighthearted tone.

  When she pursed her lips, looking disinclined to answer, he added, “Don’t forget, you’re still campaigning me to come along to Jamestown.”

  She gave him a sour look. “I married you for the reason most anybody gets married.”

  “Boring answer.”

  “The truth is boring more often than it is interesting. Why do you think I lie so much?” She smiled brightly.

  He couldn’t help chuckling. “You’re one of a kind, Nagali.”

  “You bet I am. It’s the only way worth being. How boring would life be if we spent our time trying to be like everyone else?” She grimaced.

  “Pretty dull,” he agreed.

  “Right. Imagine facing interstellar war and having to do your duty as an officer. Into the brink and die for the cause. Play by the rules.” She made a sound of disgust.

  “Someone has to,” he argued. “That’s how an economy remains stable. Imagine what happens to traders, right along with the average citizen, if the PAC loses control. The Barony Coalition will step on all our faces.”

  “I suppose. I’m just glad I’m not the one who has to do all that spit-and-polish rule-following stuff. Self-sacrifice is not in my bag of tricks.”

/>   “You don’t have to tell me that.” It was odd, but he didn’t feel bitter about it. Instead, he felt a strange thing somewhat akin to fondness. “I can’t imagine you throwing yourself in the line of danger for anyone, not even Omar or me.”

  She played with her glass, tipping it to the side to watch the dark amber droplet inside roll against the surface. “I prefer to think that, should we come to a dire circumstance, I would come up with a brilliant method for us all to escape. No self-sacrifice necessary.”

  “Let’s hope you’re never proven wrong.”

  She raised her empty glass to him in agreement.

  He couldn’t help smiling. No matter how old they got, the playful, wicked gleam in her eye never faded. To him, she’d always be the beautiful, dangerous young woman he’d met so long ago.

  Cabot was a self-aware man. He knew he’d been softening toward her in recent months. He also knew this was bound to end badly for him.

  He lived in dangerous times, all around.

  “Where do you think all this is going to end up?” he asked.

  “Us or the galaxy?”

  “Both.”

  Her expression sobered. “All possibilities are still in play. It’s just a matter of the right people lining up the right events that will move things in the direction we want.”