[This story is complete and being edited.]
Armed racing is Atropellado's deadliest and most profitable sport. And wherever there is profit in Atro, there is crime.
Gervassio Blaze has left his most prized possession - ownership of the armed racing f...
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If Lancet had any doubts about Skiver's feelings for his main escort, Sienna, there was no denying it now. Ever since they left The Pink Biddy the night before, Skiver had been beside himself. He and Cross lapped around the city in an effort to track her down. Buttering up the other escorts with that extra 25% paid off. It wasn't hard to press them for gossip this morning.
"Sienna's tied up with a new high end client for a few days," Roxy told them in The Pink Biddy's parking lot, bleary eyed and nursing a mug of coffee. Roxy was a fellow escort and friend of Sienna's. "Must be pretty rich if he has her for that long."
"She told ya?" Skiver asked, barely able to restrain his worry.
"Last I saw her, she was on her way to see you. I got a message from her the morning after."
"On holo?"
"No, not on holo, just text."
Lancet could sense Skiver's suspicion skyrocket. Not only had Sienna not been seen in the flesh, but not even on a hologram call.
"And ya haven't seen her after?"
"I'm sorry, sweetie, I haven't. I was with a client myself. She probably jumped at the chance and forgot to reach out."
Skiver clenched his jaw to mask the jealousy. "What do ya mean jumped at the chance?"
Roxy sighed, her lips as glittery as Sienna's, but in a different color that matched her pink curls. The thick woman raised her coffee cup to her lips delicately, careful not to smear her freshly painted lips, before she answered.
"I guess she didn't tell you? She's been having a little trouble keeping up with the bills. Bastard raised the rent on her again, and still hasn't fixed the hot water, can you believe it?"
"The hell? With what I pay her, she should be living in a luxury flat uptown. Why the hell is she livin' in a some place with no hot water-"
"She only has you as a regular, Skiv, honey. Her other two clients are occasional. We girls still have our pride you know. Don't want to rely on no man for everything. She's been saving up for school, and staying on the cheap until she has enough."
By the way Skiver's jaw dropped, this was news to him. Lancet had Cutter drag him away before he made a scene. Stitch was still as stone in his Taipan, shuffling through camera footage of the city, and any other clues in that mechanically assisted brain of his. Cross was keeping eyes inside the club and on Luxor's movements.
It occurred to Lancet to interrogate Luxor about Sienna's whereabouts, but when asked, Luxor said he didn't know her. Too many faces to keep track of in the large pleasure district. While that was true, Lancet and Skiver both remembered Sienna's words that day in the garage, clear as a bell.
Oh, don't act like nobody knows. Lux can't stop talking about it. Startin' to think he's got a thing for the Gloxi bitch. I know Steel's running the show now, but Lux has been beside himself. If Boss Blaze were here, none of this would be happening. We're all worried.
