Chapter 9

For disclaimer, see chapter 1.

***

“Well, this is it. Si Tingiri’s hotel room. Now Gage, you’ve gotten yourself this far. You’ve got to drag yourself the rest of the way,” Gage was talking to himself, trying to force himself to just open the door and confront the girl. He reached for the door handle but stopped himself.

Oh just do it! he screamed inside his head. Before his nerve slipped from him again, Gage opened the door and stepped inside the room. His movements felt slow and lethargic.

When he entered the room, three girls and three boys, all about eighteen, were seated on the floor, carefully packing beautiful dresses in anti-grav wardrobe tanks. They all looked up when he cleared his throat.

“Would any of you know where I might find Si Tin- I mean, Caleea Nor?” his voice cracked as he spoke, and he played with the cheap wedding ring on his finger.

Ti’ie quietly replied, “Our mistress is with her ship on Landing Bay 48.” They went back to their task. Gage silently stepped from the room and headed for the docks.

***

“Please don’t scratch the paint job, thank you,” Si said to the dock-hands who were loading some things onto her ship.

Si felt a shiver run through her and looked over at the bay door. A man stared at her from the doorway. A wave of recognition hit her, then faded away. Where did she know him from? She slowly walked toward the man, and her uneasiness increased as she got closer to him. She sensed danger in him, and..... hesitation? Si didn’t know what to think.

When she approached him, he looked at her more deeply and said, “Hello, Si Tingiri.”