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“One or the other”

Bobbie took a last mouthful of her breakfast, chewed, and sed “Understood,” she said “Let’s go”

Clarissa and Alex stood when she did Part of her wanted to order thes went south, they’d be safe As if anywhere was safe She didn’t say anything

The old Belter led them to an access corridor with a ramp that sank down, out toward the skin of the drum and the emptiness beyond it, the void always just underfoot They passed two different concealed guard posts that she saw, and while she didn’t think there were any others that had escaped her notice, she couldn’t be sure The old Belter didn’t say anything, and Amos didn’t try to strike up a conversation

The warehouse they ended up in was half filled with storage boxes fixed to the deck with th worklights with a flicker thatif she moved her hand too quickly Three men leaned on the crates, their arms loose at their sides so they wouldn’t have to spend the quarter second uncrossing theut, a presenti ships with uniy that could rip ato or precedent She’d grit her teeth and s in warehouses was territory she understood

The man in the middle of the three was a Belter, tall and muscular His skin was the same brown as his hair and eyes Even if he hadn’t been pretty, he’d have been striking And he was pretty

“Heard you wanted to talk,” he said

Amos looked back at her, and pointed to the pretty otten them this far, but she was the boss This was hers now

“Who’d you hear anted to talk to?” Bobbie asked, stepping forward Clarissa shifted out to her side As weak and compromised as she looked, they’d underesti the implants would do to Clarissa, but by the time it took its toll, all three of the men would be incapacitated or dead And that ithout her and A in

The pretty man tilted his head

“Naerous, coyo,” he said

Bobbie pointed a thumb to herself “Captain Bobbie Draper” She turned to the others “Alex Kamal Clarissa Mao Amos Burton Noho the fuck are you?”

The prettyto recall a song that was just at the edge of memory It was a look she’d seen before, and she didn’t feel like helping him place her Not yet, anyway

“Saba,” the ht now”

“You’re playing this all pretty close to the chest, Saba,” Bobbie said