Eko (NINE Series, #1)

  * * *

  Renzo dismissed the first request as some kind of joke. But a new appeal arrived within the hour, and then three more. All posted out to the network, and all addressed to the same person.

  Settled in the cockpit of the Arazura, Renzo expanded his Lissome and began a general search, pulling up records, recollections, personal entries and some encrypted files. There were stories everywhere, the same rumor, but the details slightly altered in every version. Someone launched a guerilla operation to destroy a secret criminal base in the Kings Canyon and rescue a number of captives. This person was from a covert ops background, an expert in the LRP field: Locate, Retrieve, Protect. Deemed highly dangerous, with several warnings not to engage in person. The same name attached, again and again. Phaira Lore. Phaira Lore.

  Who did this? Renzo had no idea. There were no identities or cc to trace. He didn’t dare to seek Anandi out for help, either. Not yet.

  It didn’t seem to matter that the stories were planted a few hours ago. There were at least twenty requests that sought to hire Phaira Lore’s services for security, assassination, and mysterious item retrieval. From every corner of Osha, payment offered with so many decimal places that Renzo had to look twice.

  Immediately, Renzo deleted the assassination requests. Then he studied the details of the other messages. His mind turned, considering.

  Locate, retrieve, protect. It wasn’t the worst job description.

  Curious, Renzo brought up another search for any news on the Macatia family or their manufacturing plants. Nothing unusual; they were still the richest family in Daro, building a memorial statue dedicated in Nican’s memory, even creating a new, improved version of their water purification tablets called “Nicans.” Renzo made a face at that. But they hadn’t reinstated the bounty on Phaira’s head. They weren’t behind this information spread.

  But perhaps the leak was a good thing. The Macatias’ blood money was almost gone. They needed income if they were going to stay mobile. And reputation was everything, as Renzo knew well. Whomever the source, a little assistance could only benefit them all.