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“So,” Katria said once the requisite sniffing was done, “I’ I have to think you need soe by yourselves?”

Saba smiled, but waved his hand twice sharply “Too many ears, sa sa? Come sit with me and mine, have a drink, and we’ll talk about e talk about”

Katria crossed her arms

“It’s not you,” Holden said “It’s just that the fewer people know about this, the less chance soets picked up by security You can’t tell anyone what you don’t know, right?”

Katria Mendez looked from Saba to Holden and then, pointedly over to where the Roci creere sitting Not just Bobbie and Amos, but Naomi and Alex and Clarissa besides “So none of mine but all of theirs?”

“All of theirs already know,” Saba said “They’re ants to talk with you most”

“They have strange ways of showing it,” Katria said

“This is my house,” Saba said “My salt on it, yeah? Parley And if it’s nothing, it’s nothing But we’re under the sa you to love anyone Just listen to”

For a moment, Katria hesitated Her scowl bit into her cheeks like it was going for bone Bobbie had a brief flash of certainty that the whole Voltaire Collective was about to turn and walk aithout even hearing her pitch, and she was more than a little relieved at the idea

“Esá es bullshit,” the one with the nose spat “They’re just trying to get you on your own, que? Make you not be here, that’s all It’s all of us or none!”

“It’s my call, Jordao,” Katria snapped “Not yours”

The one with the nose—Jordao, apparently—stepped back, sulking Holden was soodwill could war more than a little ridiculous, but da moment and chuckle

“If I refuse, then we all took a long walk for nothing,” she said Holden beamed Bobbie wasn’t sure how he did it The way he could disaruilelessness astonished her every time

“Thank you,” Holden said “I really appreciate this”

Saba lifted a hand and two of his people ghosted in fro by herself, she didn’t see The door to the corridor slid shut, and the bolt clicked It was as near to privacy as anyone on Medina could have