32

The whisky burned as it went down. Stars pretended to be motionless just a few billion light years from the observation deck. Smoke from my last Starbrand Premium drifted toward the ceiling of the observation deck.

“You’re drunk,” X-37 accused.

“You’re fucking brilliant. How did you figure that out?” I asked, taking a pull on the cigar, causing the ember to glow red.

Elise, Tom, Path, and Henshaw were on the Lady Faith eating a twenty-seven-course meal, or something near enough to be no different. For all his moodiness, Henshaw knew how to celebrate once we were sure we’d escaped.

I thought about my mother, my father, and my sister. It was nice to think they were alive and happy, and I was nearly drunk enough to believe it.

One was dead, brutally murdered by a cabal I hadn’t known about and didn’t understand now that I was onto them. They’d created the Reaper Corps, used us, then killed, imprisoned, or banished us all.

They had my mother and sister hostage. Sure they’d escaped a few times, but no one could evade the Union forever.

Not even the last Reaper.

Sooner or later, I would have to fight. And to do that, I needed a crew. I needed a fleet. I needed an army.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying the Starbrand Premium,” X-37 declared.

I believed my limited artificial intelligence this time. He had a habit of nagging me about health issues but maybe he’d figured out that I needed to decompress, put things behind me, and just forget about what I was for a while.

“Thanks, X. You’re the best semi-imaginary digital friend a person could have.” I slurred the words.

“Promise you won’t get angry with me,” X-37 said.

“I can’t imagine what you could do to make me cross with you right now,” I said, staring at the star field and thinking about everything I’d learned.

“There’s a case of premium Starbrand cigars and a whisky closet behind a hidden door to the captain’s quarters,” X-37 said.

“What?” I jerked upright, slamming my feet on the deck. “How long have you known this?”

“Since we boarded the Jellybird. I thought you were trying to quit both vices and didn’t want to tempt you,” X-37 said.

I relaxed into my chair, chuckling under my breath. “This wasn’t a bad day, X. Let’s do it again soon.”

* * *

Keep reading for book four, WINGS OF THE REAPER.

For more updates on this series, be sure to join the Facebook Group, “J.N. Chaney’s Renegade Readers.”

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